The government has announced plans to offer free use of England’s swimming pools to get more people active. Beginning this year the opportunity will be extended to all seniors, but a deadline to extend the offer to everyone coincides with London’s 2012 Olympics. (BBC News has the audio report)
Trash To Be Turned into Power at Pioneering British Plant
“In July, a $16 million gasification plant — the first in Britain and one of only a few in the world — will rip into action, transforming 30,000 tons of rubbish a year into electricity for 3,000 homes on the Isle of Wight, and the United States is not far behind.” (Full story at the Statesman)
Combination PET/CT Scanner Could Improve Breast Cancer Treatment
A new type of scanner that combines the qualities of a PET (positron emission tomography) scan and the qualities of a CT (computed tomography) scan could lead to improved breast cancer imaging. This imaging will allow doctors to identify the stage of breast cancer in patients that have already been diagnosed. In turn, this knowledge can lead to more specific treatment methods and better planning of surgeries.
(read the full story at Science Daily)
Duke University Hires Its First Muslim Chaplain
Duke University has hired its first Muslim chaplain. The decision was based on both the needs of the growing Muslim population at Duke University and a desire to show not only toleration for diversity but active acceptance and engagement.
Study Suggests a Link Between Coffee and a Longer Life
A recent study suggests that drinking coffee may lengthen your life. Drinking just two to three cups of coffee a day was shown to reduce the risk of death from all causes in the study. This may be due to antioxidants such as polyphenols, which are found in coffee. (Thanks to Danjay for the link to Washington Post article)
Sale of Sugar Company Land Turning Point for Everglades Restoration
Florida’s governor last week announced the details of the largest environmental acquisition in state history, a $1.7 billion buyout of 187,000 acres of farmland from the nation’s biggest sugar grower described as the ”missing link” in the stalled effort to restore the Everglades.
”I can envision no better gift to the Everglades, or the people of Florida, than to place in public ownership this missing link that represents the key to true restoration.”
(Photo by Marjory Stoneman Douglas for the NPS, CC license)
Stereo Glasses May Help Doctors Perform Beating Heart Surgery
Stereo glasses, commonly used in video games, can be used for complex heart surgery on infants and adults when the heart is still beating. This type of imaging allows doctors to see depth while performing the surgery.
(read the full story at ScienceDaily.com)
Later School Start Time Improves Adolescents’ Cognitive Performance
In a recent study, adolescents who began school one hour later performed better on cognitive tests than those who started earlier, suggesting that getting more sleep allows adolescents to have better cognitive performance.
(read the full story at ScienceDaily.com)
Spiral Filtration Makes Water Recycling Faster and Easier
Scientist Meng Lean has invented a spiral water filtration system which funnels water through lightweight disks, separating dirt and particles from clean water. The invention makes water recycling cheaper and faster and can be used for agricultural purposes.
(read the full story at Environmental News Network.com)
Highway Deaths Down in 35 States
“Highway deaths across the nation are down sharply so far this year compared with 2007, having declined in 35 of the 37 states that provided data to the state police and transportation agencies.” (See full report in USA Today )
Top 10 New Species of 2007
Every year scientists at Arizona State University lead an international team in naming the top 10 newly discovered species: the most weird, reclusive and lethal of more than 10,000 new to science each year.
The International Institute for Species Exploration along with a committee of taxonomists – scientists responsible for species exploration and classification – added their votes to come up with the top 10 new species found in 2007. On the list are an ornate sleeper ray, with a name that sucks: Electrolux; a 75-million-year-old giant duck-billed dinosaur; a shocking pink millipede; a rare, off-the-shelf frog; one of the most venomous snakes in the world; a fruit bat; a mushroom; a jellyfish named after its victim; a life-imitates-art “Dim” rhinoceros beetle; and the “Michelin Man™” plant.
Tennis Players Have Strong Perceptual Skills
A recent study has shown that tennis players are at least slightly faster and more accurate at speed-processing than non-players. The researchers believe this could have implications for training future tennis players by having them focus on tasks such as speed discrimination to improve tennis performance.
(read the full story at ScienceDaily.com)
U.S. Life Expectancy at All-Time High
The U.S. life expectancy is currently at an all-time high: babies born in 2006 have a life expectancy of 78.1 years. In addition, the death rate for cancer, heart disease, stroke, and several other deadly diseases decreased in 2006.
(read the full story at WebMD.com)
Bush Removes North Korea From Terror Blacklist
President Bush says he will lift key trade sanctions against North Korea and remove it from the U.S. terrorism blacklist, a remarkable turnaround in policy toward the communist regime he once branded as part of an ‘axis of evil.’
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World Bank Commits to Tiger Conservation
The World Bank has announced that it will talk with stakeholders in tiger range countries to determine the best methods of tiger conservation. The World Bank’s goal is to save wild tigers by reversing their decline and ensuring that the organizations’s practices do as little harm to tigers as possible in the future.
(Read more at Environmental News Network.com).
One (Musical) Laptop Per Child Turns Kids Into Conductors (Video)
The One Laptop Per Child Program has loaded its computers with educational music programs. A Berklee College Professor of Music Synthesis demonstrates how children — many in economically depressed communities around the world — will be able to use their green computer to explore freely what it means to process, change and edit the sounds of musical instruments into their favorite designs.
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A Bridge in Costa Rica Helps People Reach Their Dreams
El Puente – The Bridge – helps people to help themselves in Southern Costa Rica. A longtime reader of the Good News Network, Barry Stevens, the founder of the bridge, needs a lift this month to meet the expenses of his School Program, Food Program and Microloan Program. If you can help, visit the donation page.
These are some of the ways in which they help:
UK to Sell Waterless Washing Machine
British company Xeros Ltd. has created a washing machine that uses only a cup of water per washing cycle — less than two percent of the amount required in an average washing machine. The machine could go on sale in England as early as next year.
(read the full story at Environmental News Network. com)
The Smell of Coffee May Be Enough to Awaken the Brain
A recent study has shown that simply smelling coffee (rather than drinking it) may awaken the brain and relieve stress without the negative impact that drinking coffee has on sleep.
(read the full story at WebMD.com)
Scientists ID Brain Pathway That Stops Seizures
“A new finding that shows increased acid (pH) shuts down seizure activity will provide insight into how seizures normally stop, and might help us learn more about how to terminate those seizures that don’t stop.” (Health Day has the full report )