pmmmmmmmmm.....

Achieving energy efficiency with “Local Warming” | MIT News Office

http://newsoffice.mit.edu/2014/achieving-energy-efficiency-local-warming

Achieving energy efficiency with "Local Warming"

MIT researchers have developed a system that creates personalized climates around individuals. The project, called "Local Warming," uses WiFi-based motion tracking and ceiling-mounted dynamic heating elements to target a single person and create a precise personal climate around occupants of a building. As a result, each person is kept comfortable while the space around them is maintained at a lower temperature — saving energy. The Local Warming technology is making its debut at a biannual architectural festival that opens on June 7, 2014, the 14th Venice Architecture Biennale.

"Today, a huge amount of energy is wasted on heating empty offices, homes, and partially occupied buildings," says Professor Carlo Ratti, director of the MIT Senseable City Lab, which led the project. "The technologies underlying Local Warming could address this by synchronizing climate control with human presence, vastly improving the energy efficiency of buildings."

As a visitor enters a room, the person's location and trajectory are spotted using a new WiFi-based location tracking technology developed by Professor Dina Katabi and her team in the MIT Center for Wireless Networks and Mobile Computing, housed in MIT's Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory. This information is then transmitted in real time to an array of dynamic heating elements positioned in a grid near the ceiling. Each element is composed of a servo-motor that changes direction, a bulb to generate infrared radiation, a cold mirror, and other optics to create focused beams.

"Infrared heat is emitted to generate what are essentially spotlights of warmth centered on people a few meters away," explains Leigh Christie, the project engineer. "This ensures ultimate comfort, while improving the overall energy efficiency."

Miriam Roure, the lead researcher on the project and a research fellow in the Senseable City Lab, noted that the first commercial application of this technology might be responsive outdoor heaters that warm people as they move through exterior or semi-covered spaces. Local Warming systems could then be installed in large lobbies or industrial lofts — spaces that are often sparsely occupied. As the technology further develops, it could allow each person to define the specific temperature they prefer via smartphone.

"With a dynamic system like Local Warming in place, buildings may not need to waste as many resources on climate control," says Roure. "Local Warming allows participants to engage with their climate directly and to enact a new type of efficient, localized climate control."

Local Warming is a main component of the Central Pavilion at the Venice Architecture Biennale, which runs from June 7 to Nov. 23, 2014. The theme of this year's festival is "Fundamentals" — core elements of architecture and their progression through history. Fittingly, Local Warming is installed in a room focused on the "Fireplace."

"The earliest heating technology was the fire pit, a fixed domestic element that people gathered around. Since then, climate control has been unmoored, with the development of pipes and thermostats. But today, man no longer needs to seek heat — heat can seek man," says Matthew Claudel, also a fellow in the Senseable City Lab and the project curator. "Local Warming is a new approach in the broader history of climate systems."

This research is sponsored by the MIT Energy Initiative (initially through a seed grant) and the energy utility company ENEL.

~A.

Science Fiction Beneath the Sea: SeaOrbiter and Its Crowdfunded Discoveries | Inc.com

http://www.inc.com/magazine/201403/liz-welch/sea-orbiter-crowdfunded-scientific-discovery.html?cid=ps01902innovate

Meet the Starship Enterprise of the Sea

Garnering comparisons to Star Trek's starship Enterprise, the SeaOrbiter is the brainchild of French architect Jacques Rougerie. Set to begin construction this spring, the 190-foot-tall semisubmersible vessel will be the culmination of nearly 30 years of Rougerie's research and development.

Six of the SeaOrbiter's 12 floors are below sea level, allowing for uninterrupted underwater observation. Although the ship's main mission is to research the biodiversity and climate of the sea, the real goal for Rougerie is to give the public a better understanding of how crucial the ocean is to Earth's well-being.

Ninety-nine percent of the $50 million project was financed through the French government and private companies. To get people more involved, Rougerie is crowdfunding the last 1 percent of the project. "The more humans understand about the underwater world, the more respect they will have for it," he says. 

22 People: Number the SeaOrbiter can host. The ship will carry a mix of scientists and crew members. 

Quite a View: 'We want people to appropriate the project to themselves," says Rougerie. Which is why he raised money through KissKissBankBank, a French crowdsourcing website, to fund construction of the Eye of the SeaOrbiter. Equivalent to a ship's crow's nest, the Eye towers 60 feet above the surface. It serves as a lookout and houses a communications system that lets the crew send live broadcasts of life on board.

Hard at Work: Keeping busy won't be a problem for the crew. The "modular lab" can be used as a laboratory for scientists as well as a fitness room equipped with treadmills. The lab also includes a medical zone. A certified doctor with basic surgery skills will be on board in the event of an emergency.

2,600 Tons Displacement: The overall weight of the ship. It is built from 500 tons of Sealium, a recyclable aluminum designed for marine environments.

A Life Aquatic: Given that voyages will last three to six months, there will be ample time to collect data and perform experiments. The underwater area, known as the hyperbaric lab, is equipped with an observation deck made of transparent polycarbonate panels, allowing for direct underwater observation. Because the conditions underwater are similar to those in space in terms of pressure and isolation, the SeaOrbiter will be used by NASA and ESA (the European equivalent) for protocol training as well as physiological and psychological experiments.

Go With the Flow: The SeaOrbiter was designed primarily to float along with the ocean's natural currents, allowing scientists to study the relationship between those currents and climate. The keel weighs 180 tons and helps provide stability to the ship. It can be retracted when the vessel is in shallow water.

5 Ships: The total number of SeaOrbiters Rougerie eventually hopes to build, one to sail in each of Earth's oceans. A number of partners have given their support to the SeaOrbiter project, including National Geographic and UNESCO.

~A.

http://radiationnetwork.com/

Radiation Network

         Click here for Alerts

Welcome to RadiationNetwork.com, home of the National Radiation Map, depicting environmental radiation levels across the USA, updated in real time every minute.  This is the first web site where the average citizen (or anyone in the world) can see what radiation levels are anywhere in the USA at any time.

= Nuclear Site                 Alert Level = 3 consecutive minutes of lesser of 100 CPM or 2.5 times a Station's baseline

*Readings not Equalized means the Monitoring Stations are broadcasting the raw radiation count from their Geiger counters, without adjustment for different count rates existing between various Geiger counter designs.  For instance, models built around a "Pancake" (see Map Legend) style of Geiger-Mueller tube typically have about a 3 times count rate over Standard tubed models, so their readings in CPM would be expected to average about 3 times higher, anyway.

How the Map Works:

A growing number of Radiation Monitoring Stations across the country (and world), using various models of Geiger Counters, upload their Radiation Count data in real time to their computer using a Data Cable, and then over the Internet to this web site, all of this accomplished through GeigerGraph for Networks software.  This system is completely automated - there is no manual posting of data required.

How to Read the Map:

Referring to the Map Legend at the bottom left corner of the map, locate Monitoring Stations around the country that are contributing radiation data to this map as you read this, and watch the numbers on those monitoring stations update as frequently as every minute (your browser will automatically refresh).  The numbers represent radiation Counts per Minute, abbreviated CPM, and under normal conditions, quantify the level of background radiation, i.e. environmental radiation from outer space as well as from the earth's crust and air.  Depending on your location, your elevation or altitude, and your model of Geiger counter, this background radiation level might average anywhere from 5 to 60 CPM, and while background radiation levels are random, it would be unusual for those levels to exceed 100 CPM, or 2.5 times a Station's baseline readings.  Thus, the "Alert Level" for the National Radiation Map is the lesser of 100 CPM or 2.5 times normal, so if you see any Monitoring Stations with CPM value above 100, and/or further indicated by an Alert symbol over those stations, it probably means that some radioactive source above and beyond background radiation is responsible.

Notice the Time and Date Stamp at the bottom center of the Map.  That is Arizona Time, from where we service the Network, and your indication of how recently the Radiation Levels have been updated to the Map.

How to Participate in the Nationwide Radiation Network:

If you want to join this nationwide grass roots effort to monitor the radiation in our environment, then this is all you need (click on the Software link):

In fact, if you become an active participant in this network (instead of just a passive viewer of this website), the GeigerGraph software that you use will incorporate the same Radiation Map as above, but your map will be fully interactive, with zoom capabilities, descriptions of Nuclear Sites and Monitoring Stations, additional Map Layers, including Counties, Airports, Roads, Railroads, Lakes and Rivers, as well as downloadable City Streets for your county.  Plus, in keeping with the elements of a true Network, the GeigerGraph software has its own Chat forum.

In fact, tick, tick, tick, tick,.... We may all become (radio) active participants.
~A.

Water & Soil Products

http://intelligentirrigationllc.com/Water___Soil_Additives.html

We have ganged up on nature by taking the attitude that insects are invading our fields and destroying our crops. So we kill the bugs, thinking it correct. Instead, we are killing ourselves. The bugs are only destroying our crops because we are not feeding the crops their proper food. And the same thing holds true for livestock and humans. Many nutritionists and physicians theorize that there is only one disease--malnutrition; that all other ills derive from it. We are not giving ourselves, our livestock, or our plants the natural trace elements needed to grow and prosper the way our Creator intended."
~A.

Fwd: The Lightning Scarred Planet, Mars (Full Documentary)

Sun info, mang,,,,,,

~A.

View this email in your browser Latest on Youtube  |  The Picture of the Day  |  Donate  |  Forum  |  Store  |  Get Involved June 21, 2014 Greetings Friends! Happily, I'm writing this in my office on the computer whose malfunctioning last week brought some key projects to a momentary halt. We are now back in full operation. After much deliberation, we made the decision to post the full documentary, "The Lighting Scarred Planet, Mars" on The Thunderbolts Project YouTube Channel. It's 84 minutes of essential facts about Mars, most of it largely ignored by planetary scientists today, but suggesting electrical devastation of the planet in the past. A Space News on the longstanding solar neutrino question should be of particular interest to those who've followed the growing mysteries of our Sun. And the enchanting EU2014 conference presentation by professor Bill Mullen, drawing on apparent cosmic meanings of Egyptian hieroglyphs, rounds out this week's contributions. ~ Dave Talbott   Episode 2 Symbols of an Alien Sky: The Lightning Scarred Planet, Mars (Full Documentary) After much deliberation, we've made the decision to release this full documentary.  Every year that goes by the evidence for global electric scarring of Mars continues to grow.  Bringing the facts to public attention will be amongst our highest priorities in coming months.   FEATURED YOUTUBE VIDEOS OF THE WEEK Space News | Solar Neutrinos in the Electric Universe In this Space News, we delve into the core of one of the great controversies  in solar physics. In the 1960's, scientists first discovered that the number of solar neutrinos detected on Earth did not fit the predictions of the Standard Model of the Sun.  Dr. Bill Mullen: Hieroglyphics and the Ancient Sky | EU2014 Martian areography tells a story of incredibly violent events. It appears from the many images sent to Earth that it once experienced powerful plasma discharges on a massive scale. Burned and blasted craters, piles of scorched dust covering almost an entire hemisphere, . . .   THUNDERBOLTS PICTURE OF THE DAY Plasma in the Ice Age Jun 20, 2014 This type of art is typical for the Magdalenian period. Several dozen batons, carved out of reindeer antler, are richly decorated with spirals, encircled dots and other geometric designs. Most of these were found in the Late Upper Palaeolithic caves of the Pyrenees, . . . Descartes' Circular Reasoning Jun 18, 2014 By what physical mechanism do planets and moons orbit around their larger hosts?Before Newton's theory of gravity burst onto the scene, the so-called 'vortex theory' of the French philosopher René Descartes (1596-1650), first proposed in the 1630s, was much in vogue. Jupiter and the Sun Jun 16, 2014 The Sun influences all the planets. Jupiter is the largest planet in the Solar System. It is so massive, that it is greater than all the other planets and moons combined. Jupiter is 142,984 kilometers in diameter at its equator, but it rotates so fast its day lasts only about 10 hours.   THUNDERBOLTS FORUM HIGHLIGHTS Electric Universe Extremely Large Peculiar Motion Recent research challenges the principles of an expanding universe. Electric Universe Introducing the Sun's Relatives: Kapteyns A nearby red dwarf star is found to have a planetary family. Electric Universe Discussion About Relativity Forum members consider various critiques of Einstein's theories. Electric Universe Temperature Variation in the Sun Conclusions about the solar interior highlight the difference between the mainstream and the electric models. Electric Universe Debating Against Lamda-CDM, Including the New Bicep2 Paper Here is a spirited discussion concerning the significance of cosmic scaled patterns of polarized photons. Electric Universe Vast ISM Electric Currents by Gas Motions, Says NASA! Is there a disconnect between experimental and theoretical physics? Electric Universe - Planetary Science Are Mountains the Result of a Duning Process? Geological features are viewed from the perspective of planetary catastrophism. Note: The opinions expressed by forum participants do not necessarily reflect those of The Thunderbolts Project(TM) staff. EU2014 t-shirt sale! Men's and Women's sizes available   Copyright © 2014 thunderbolts.info, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at thunderbolts.info or have purchased items at Mikamar Publishing. Our mailing address is: thunderbolts.info 14258N Mosbaek Rd. Cable, Wisconsin 54821 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences

http://www.designboom.com/architecture/antonio-scarponi-rooftop-farming-urban-industrial-06-14-2014/?utm_campaign=monthly&utm_medium=e-mail&utm_source=subscribers

antonio scarponi combines urban farming with industrial rooftops

jun 15, 2014

antonio scarponi combines urban farming with industrial rooftops

antonio scarponi combines urban farming with industrial rooftops
photo © monica tarocco
all images courtesy of antonio scarponi

architect antonio scarponi has noticed that large, flat, homogeneous, and unused mechanical rooftops offer great possibilities to install urban farms and provide food within the city. building codes of industrial areas normally do not constrain heights, giving agrarian activities a concrete opportunity to capitalize the unused spaces. urban agriculture has a lot to do with the use of unexpressed potential of the metropolis, turning them into areas of productivity.

shrubs and plants are grown along a railing that filtrates water
photo © monica tarocco

the 'urban farmers rooftop' in basel, switzerland consists of a strategic plan that brings these ideas to fruition. the 400 m² site is precisely conceived as an device to grow the district. an aquaponic system has been installed to create a balanced environment in which the fish nourish the vegetables, and in return, the vegetables clean water for the fish.  the architecture consists of two prefabricated modules that correspond to the main features of the program: a greenhouse for the production of the plants, and containers for all the other activities such as administration offices, storage closets, and dressing rooms. both spaces can be organized in different layouts to engage the possibility that food can be grown on top of any flat industrial building, overcoming the historical dichotomy between city and country side.

mass amounts of glazing bring light into the greenhouse for the production of fruits and vegetables
photo © monica tarocco

exterior rendering of the urban farm

interior rendering of the aquaponics systems producing fruits and vegetables

conceptual strategy organizing the modular system

the aquaponic rooftop utilizes shipping containers and a greenhouse
photo © monica tarocco

conceptual sketch model kit that plays off of the idea that farm can be easily implemented

preliminary design sketch of proportional spaces

preliminary design sketch of voids

preliminary design sketch of horizontal and vertical farming

designboom has received this project from our 'DIY submissions' feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

~A.

http://lifehacker.com/this-graphic-explains-all-the-health-hazards-of-sitting-1595834900?utm_campaign=socialflow_lifehacker_facebook&utm_source=lifehacker_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow

This Graphic Explains All the Health Hazards of Sitting for Too Long

By now, you already know that prolonged sitting is bad for your body. But what exactly goes on when you sit for hours every day? This graphic from the Washington Post explains.

While we've noted research before that points out the downsides of sitting too much, this graphic explains in detail how your body is affected. From organ damage and muscle degeneration to foggy brains and higher mortality risk, it's not a pretty picture. The graphic offers some solutions, such as sitting on an exercise ball chair, stretching your hips three minutes per side every day, and, of course, switching between standing and sitting throughout the day.

Here's the full graphic, a good reminder to find ways to counteract the hazards of sitting all day long (click the expand button on the top left of the illustration to see it larger):

Expand

The health hazards of sitting | The Washington Post via Daily Infographic

Doesnt she look like Whoopie Goldberg? Weird.
~A.

The 10 Elements of Urban Homesteading | The Urban Homestead® - A City Farm, Sustainable Living & Resource Center, A Path to Freedom towards Self-Sufficiency

http://urbanhomestead.org/urban-homestead-10-elements

The 10 Elements of Urban Homesteading

When we first used the term "Urban Homestead" back in 2001 to describe what we were doing, we had little idea that it would catch on as a lifestyle-movement.

Although this kind of life was common in the past and people have always grown food or raised chickens in their backyard, etc,  the description and the use of "urban homesteading" to apply to a modern 21st century city life wasn't used to describe the lifestyle.   Having been the first modern urban homestead, we've been asked so many times about what we feel defines an urban homestead. What EXACTLY, is it?  So, Jules Dervaes came up with these 10 KEY FACTORS that define an urban homestead in the 21st century. The principle that underlies all these factors is that urban homesteading is a way of life--a journey towards a sustainable and self sufficient life.

While these 10 factors make up the "ideal" urban homestead, it should be understood that individual circumstances vary greatly and that many of these factors take years to implement fully. Therefore, any urban homestead SHOULD be a work in progress (we've been digging away at it for 20 years).

"The current urban homesteading movement is a positive trend in American society. Within certain parameters, it has the potential to revitalize families and, thus, towns in our long tradition of self-sufficiency and independence. Homesteading in the city requires responsibility to one's neighbors and fellow citizens. When it is undertaken with such a foundation, this way of life yields rich rewards of experiencing the rhythms of nature and the wonders of animal life." - Jules Dervaes

1.

Grow your own FOOD on your city lot.

More than 50% of diet, organically, on an urban lot (approx. less than half an acre*) with visually appealing landscaping. *Depends on square footage of house, location, and climate zone.

2.

Use alternative ENERGY sources.

E.g., solar, wind, in conjunction with energy efficiency and conservation measures to reduce usage.

3.

Use alternative FUELS & TRANSPORTATION.

E.g., bio-fuels and/or alternative methods of transportation (bicycle, walk, public).

4.

Keep farm ANIMALS for manure and food.

Practice animal husbandry.

5.

Practice WASTE REDUCTION.

Use it up, wear it out, make it do, do without, compost it, re-purpose it.

6.

Reclaim GREYWATER and collect RAINWATER.

Practice water conservation and recovery.

7.

Live SIMPLY.

…in the manner of past eras. Develop back-to-basics homemaking skills, including food preservation and preparation.

8.

Do the work YOURSELF.

Learn to do home and vehicle maintenance, repairs and basic construction.

9.

Work at HOME.

Earn a living from the land or hand work done at home. Develop a homebased economy.

10.

Be a good NEIGHBOR.

Be conscious and considerate of your surroundings – ask yourself, "Would I want to live next to me?"  Offer a helping hand for free. Urban homesteading is a community-based way of life, not a business opportunity. Be a neighbor, not a business person.

10 Elements of an Urban Homestead Copyright Dervaes Institute.  Please do not reprint without permission or proper acknowledgement.

Revised February 2010

Right up my allee...
~A.

What Is Biochar? | International Biochar Initiative

http://www.biochar-international.org/biochar

WHAT IS BIOCHAR?

• FAQs
• Environmental Benefits of Biochar
• Biochar and Climate
• Carbon Accounting

Biochar Is a Valuable Soil Amendment

Biochar is a solid material obtained from the carbonisation of biomass. Biochar may be added to soils with the intention to improve soil functions and to reduce emissions from biomass that would otherwise naturally degrade to greenhouse gases. Biochar also has appreciable carbon sequestration value. These properties are measurable and verifiable in a characterisation scheme, or in a carbon emission offset protocol.

This 2,000 year-old practice converts agricultural waste into a soil enhancer that can hold carbon, boost food security, and increase soil biodiversity, and discourage deforestation. The process creates a fine-grained, highly porous charcoal that helps soils retain nutrients and water.

Biochar is found in soils around the world as a result of vegetation fires and historic soil management practices. Intensive study of biochar-rich dark earths in the Amazon (terra preta), has led to a wider appreciation of biochar's unique properties as a soil enhancer.

Biochar can be an important tool to increase food security and cropland diversity in areas with severely depleted soils, scarce organic resources, and inadequate water and chemical fertilizer supplies.

Biochar also improves water quality and quantity by increasing soil retention of nutrients and agrochemicals for plant and crop utilization. More nutrients stay in the soil instead of leaching into groundwater and causing pollution.

Biochar is a Powerfully Simple Tool to Combat Climate Change

The carbon in biochar resists degradation and can hold carbon in soils for hundreds to thousands of years. Biochar is produced through pyrolysis or gasification — processes that heat biomass in the absence (or under reduction) of oxygen.

In addition to creating a soil enhancer, sustainable biochar practices can produce oil and gas byproducts that can be used as fuel, providing clean, renewable energy. When the biochar is buried in the ground as a soil enhancer, the system can become "carbon negative."

Biochar and bioenergy co-production can help combat global climate change by displacing fossil fuel use and by sequestering carbon in stable soil carbon pools. It may also reduce emissions of nitrous oxide.

We can use this simple, yet powerful, technology to store 2.2 gigatons of carbon annually by 2050. It's one of the few technologies that is relatively inexpensive, widely applicable, and quickly scalable. We really can't afford not to pursue it.

~A.