Microalgae Produce More Oil Faster for Energy, Food or Products

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Apr. 7, 2013 — Scientists have described technology that accelerates microalgae's ability to produce many different types of renewable oils for fuels, chemicals, foods and personal-care products within days using standard industrial fermentation.
The presentation was part of the 245th National Meeting & Exposition of the American Chemical Society (ACS) on April 7.

Walter Rakitsky, Ph.D, explained that microalgae are the original oil producers on earth, and that all of the oil-producing machinery present in higher plants resides within these single-cell organisms. Solazyme's breakthrough biotechnology platform unlocks the power of microalgae, achieving over 80 percent oil within each individual cell at commercial scale while changing the triglyceride oil paradigm by their ability to tailor the oil profiles by carbon chain and saturation. The ability to produce multiple oils in a matter of days out of one plant location using standard industrial fermentation is a game-changer. Solazyme's patented microalgae strains have become the workhorses of a growing industry focused on producing commercial quantities of microalgal oil for energy and food applications. Rakitsky is with Solazyme, Inc., of South San Francisco, Calif., one of the largest and most successful of those companies, which in 2011 supplied 100 percent microalgal-derived advanced biofuel for the first U.S. passenger jetliner flight powered by advanced biofuel.
In a keynote talk at the ACS meeting, Rakitsky described Solazyme's technology platform that enables the company to produce multiple oils from heart-healthy high-oleic oils for food to oils that are tailored to have specific performance and functionality benefits in industry, such as safer dielectric fluids and oils that are the highest-value cuts of the barrel for advanced fuels. The benefits of these oils far surpass those of other oils that are currently available today.
"For the first time in history, we have unlocked the ability to completely design and tailor oils," he said. "This breakthrough allows us to create oils optimized for everything from high-performance jet and diesel fuel to renewable chemicals to skin-care products and heart-healthy food oils. These oils could replace or enhance the properties of oils derived from the world's three dominant sources: petroleum, plants and animals."
Producing custom-tailored oils starts with optimizing the algae to produce the right kind of oil, and from there, the flexibility of the fermentation platform really comes into play. Solazyme is able to produce all of these oils in one location simply by switching out the strain of microalgae they use, Rakitsky explained. Unlike other algal oil production processes, in which algae grow in open ponds, Solazyme grows microalgae in total darkness in the same kind of fermentation vats used to produce vinegar, medicines and scores of other products. Instead of sunlight, energy for the microalgae's growth comes from low-cost, plant-based sugars. This gives the company a completely consistent, repeatable industrial process to produce tailored oil at scale.
Sugar from traditional sources such as sugarcane and corn has advantages for growing microalgae, especially their abundance and relatively low cost, Rakitsky said. The company's first fit-for-purpose commercial-scale production plant is under construction with their partner Bunge next to a sugarcane mill in Brazil. Initial production capacity will be 110,000 tons of microalgal oil annually, expanding up to 330,700 tons. In addition, the company has a production agreement with ADM in Clinton, Iowa, for 22,000 tons of oil, expandable to 110,000 tons. Ultimately, cellulosic sources of sugars from non-food plants or plant waste materials, like grasses or corn stover, may take over as those technologies reach the right scale and cost structures.
.sciencedaily.com
7/4/13
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Related:

• Biofuel breakthrough: Quick cook method turns algae into oil

• Βιοκαύσιμα από φύκη διαθέσιμα για πρώτη φορά στην Καλιφόρνια

• «Μη βιώσιμη» με τις σημερινές τεχνολογίες η παραγωγή καυσίμων από φύκη

• Στη Βραζιλία η πρώτη μονάδα παραγωγής βιοκαυσίμων από φύκια

Τα ρομποτικά «μυρμήγκια» έμαθαν να επιλέγουν την πιο σύντομη διαδρομή

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Όπως απέδειξαν οι ειδικοί του Τεχνολογικού Ινστιτούτου του Νιου Τζέρσεϊ (ΗΠΑ) και του Κέντρου Ερευνών της νοημοσύνης των ζώων στη Τουλούζη (Γαλλία), η αναζήτηση της βέλτιστης διαδρομής για μετακίνηση μέσα σε ένα χώρο δεν απαιτεί την ύπαρξη νοημοσύνης.


Στο άρθρο που δημοσιεύτηκε στο περιοδικό PLoS Computational Biology, ενημέρωσαν για το πείραμα, κατά την πορεία του οποίου μερικές εκατοντάδες δίκυκλα ρομπότ σε μεγέθους κομματιού ραφιναρισμένης ζάχαρης, τα οποία είχαν τοποθετηθεί σε λαβύρινθο, έφτασαν στο «δόλωμα» με την πιο σύντομη διαδρομή, προσανατολιζόμενα σαν τα μυρμήγκια, ακλουθώντας τα ίχνη των άλλων ρομπότ. Πιστεύεται, ότι τα αποτελέσματα που λάβανε, θα βοηθήσουν στο σχεδιασμό των καταλληλότερων διαδρομών των αστικών συγκοινωνιών.
 http://greek.ruvr.ru/2013_03_29/109382565/
29/3/13 
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1. Robot ants mimic insect behaviour

 

  29 March 2013Last updated at 00:03 GMT Help

Scientists in the US have built and tested robotic ants, which they say behave just like a real ant colony.
The robots do not resemble their insect counterparts; they are tiny cubes equipped with two watch motors to power the wheels that enable them to move. But their collective behaviour is remarkably ant-like.
In this clip, lead researcher Dr Simon Garnier from the New Jersey Institute of Technology explains how the robots were designed to mimic the way in which an ant colony navigates.
Just like ants, he explains, the robots "work together" to find their way from A to B - each one leaving a light trail that others follow. 
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/21956798
29/3/13

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• 2. Robotic Ants Successfully Mimic Real Colony Behavior

Mar. 28, 2013 — Scientists have successfully replicated the behaviour of a colony of ants on the move with the use of miniature robots, as reported in the journal PLOS Computational Biology. The researchers, based at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (Newark, USA) and at the Research Centre on Animal Cognition (Toulouse, France), aimed to discover how individual ants, when part of a moving colony, orient themselves in the labyrinthine pathways that stretch from their nest to various food sources.


The study focused mainly on how Argentine ants behave and coordinate themselves in both symmetrical and asymmetrical pathways. In nature, ants do this by leaving chemical pheromone trails. This was reproduced by a swarm of sugar cube size robots, called "Alices," leaving light trails that they can detect with two light sensors mimicking the role of the ants' antennae.
In the beginning of the experiment, where branches of the maze had no light trail, the robots adopted an "exploratory behaviour" modelled on the regular insect movement pattern of moving randomly but in the same general direction. This led the robots to choose the path that deviated least from their trajectory at each bifurcation of the network. If the robots detected a light trail, they would turn to follow that path.
One outcome of the robotic model was the discovery that the robots did not need to be programmed to identify and compute the geometry of the network bifurcations. They managed to navigate the maze using only the pheromone light trail and the programmed directional random walk, which directed them to the more direct route between their starting area and a target area on the periphery of the maze. Individual Argentine ants have poor eyesight and move too quickly to make a calculated decision about their direction. Therefore the fact that the robots managed to orient themselves in the maze in a similar fashion than the one observed in real ants suggests that a complex cognitive process is not necessary for colonies of ants to navigate efficiently in their complex network of foraging trails.
"This research suggests that efficient navigation and foraging can be achieved with minimal cognitive abilities in ants," says lead author Simon Garnier. "It also shows that the geometry of transport networks plays a critical role in the flow of information and material in ant as well as in human societies."
.sciencedaily.com
28/3/13

Χιλή: Το μεγαλύτερο τηλεσκόπιο του κόσμου ανοίγει αύριο (Σήμερα 13/3/13)

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Μοιάζει σαν να βγήκε από μια ταινία επιστημονικής φαντασίας αλλά αυτό εδώ το μηχάνημα είναι σχεδόν σαν μια μηχανή χρόνου. Το  Atacama Large Millimeter Array, ή αλλιώς ALMA είναι το μεγαλύτερο τηλεσκόπιου του κόσμου αλλά και το πιο ψηλό, καθώς και το πιο ακριβό με κόστος σχεδόν 1 δισ. δολάρια.



Έχει χτιστεί στην έρημο της Χιλής, σε μια από τις ξηρότερες περιοχές της Γης και βρίσκεται στα 16.400 πόδια, έχει δηλαδή ύψος περίπου όσο ένα jumbo jet. Αποτελείται από 66 γιγαντιαίες κεραίες που “μαζεύουν” όλα τα ραδιοκύματα από το διάστημα,ακόμα και τα πιο αδύναμα. Με το να συλλέγει ραδιοκύματα αντί για ακτίνες φωτός το Αλμα μπορεί να “δει” μέσα από σύννεφα και διαστημική σκόνη.

Κάτι που σημαίνει ότι μπορεί να δει γαλαξίες και εκτός του Βig Bang. Έτσι θα μάθουμε περισσότερα για το πως δημιουργήθηκε ζωή καθώς θα βρίσκει ίχνη από στοιχεία που έχει το νερό ή ακόμα μέχρι και χημικές ενώσεις που βρίσκονται στο DNA. Ο Μπράιαν Ελισον, διευθυντής του πρότζκετ στην Ευρώπη είπε χαρακτηριστικά: “Λένε ότι όλοι προερχόμαστε από αστερόσκονη. Το Αλμα θα απαντήσει συγκεκριμένες ερωτήσεις για την καταγωγή του ανθρωπίνου είδους”. 

Ηλιάνα Φωκιανάκη
.protothema.gr
12/3/13
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 ***A new window into the Universe has opened with the start of Early Science at the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). Watch the world's most complex ground-based telescope in action and get a first look at its unique views of the Universe.

ΣΧΕΤΙΚΑ:

• Αναζητώντας στοιχεία για το Σύμπαν στην άκρη της Γης (Το δίκτυο ραδιοτηλεσκοπίων ALMA)

   

  •  ***ALMA, révolution dans l'astronomie mondiale...

  
  (12 images)
  ALMA, le plus grand radiotéléscope au monde, est inauguré le 13 mars dans le désert d'Atacama, dans l'Altiplano désertique chilien. Avec ses 66 antennes, il va permettre d'observer les confins de l'univers, et peut-être de découvrir les secrets de l'origine du cosmos....(+12 images)
  
  http://www.lemonde.fr/sciences/portfolio/2013/03/13/alma-revolution-dans-l-astronomie-mondiale_1847095_1650684.html#xtor=RSS-3208
  13/3/13

Who does Antarctica belong to?/Who has the right to Antarctic?

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For half a century the question of who owns Antarctica has been frozen but it is showing signs of warming up.

This week the Chilean president made his third visit to the continent, where he placed a flag where Chile's latest research station will be opened.
Bill Hayton reports.
BBC
17/1/13
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Related posts:

• Who has the right to Antarctic?

• China begins journey to South Pole

• Bohrung nach verborgenem See abgebrochen

• Argentina protests renaming part of Antarctica in honour of Queen

• Oι Βρετανοί διέκοψαν τη γεώτρηση στη λίμνη Ellsworth της Ανταρκτικής εξαιτίας ατυχήματος

  

Who has the right to Antarctic?

Next century may see replotting in the Antarctic. As soon as scientists find ways of extracting oil and gas from under layers of ice 1 kilometre thick, at least 30 countries will make claims on the sixth continent. At present scientists continue working on the southernmost continent where they mainly study the resource base.


Huge resources of oil and gas are hidden under the ice cover of the Antarctic. It is a proved fact but at present the development of these fields is too difficult and unprofitable. In addition, many countries are held back by the status of a continent. According to the treaty on the Antarctic, no one has the right either to draw state borders there or develop mineral deposits.


Still, there are some countries whose Constitutions guarantee control over Antarctic territories to them. For example, Australia raises claims to one third of the continent. Argentina and even the UK apply to the principle of neighbourhood. London and Buenos Aires stake on sectors in the vicinity of the Falkland Islands (Las Malvinas) whose status the two countries have not regulated until today. Incidentally, Chile also makes claims to the same sector. Vyacheslav Martianov from the Institute of the Arctic and the Antarctic, deputy head of the Russian Antarctic Expedition, explains the situation.

“The sector which belongs to Chile is registered in Argentina and the UK as their own sectors. If one of those countries says that this is their territory they will face opposition from the whole of the Antarctic community and the two pioneer countries, as well as those countries whose constitutions also claim that those are their territories. The agreement on the Antarctic prevents all countries from taking any steps concerning the continent but the ocean around is a different matter. There is a contradiction between the maritime law and the treaty on the use of seabed mineral resources.”

New Zealand, France and Norway also raise claims to parts of the Antarctic. The latter is prepared to annex lands in the centre of the continent that exceed the area of that country tenfold. In addition, there are about 20 other countries that in the past began scientific research on the South Pole, made some discoveries there and built research stations. In the future their contribution to the Antarctic science could become the reason for claiming rights to their own piece of the sixth continent, experts say. However, no one has yet cancelled the right of pioneer countries for the new lands, Vyacheslav Martianov says.

“The pioneer countries for the Antarctic are Russia and the US. Russia carried out the expedition of Bellingshausen and Lazarev in 1819-1821. Americans produced a pirate who discovered the Antarctic at approximately the same time and this has been recognized. For this reason the two countries are considered to be pioneers in discovering the Antarctic. As a pioneer country, either of these countries can announce the whole of the sixth continent their territory.”

Neither Russia nor the US has taken advantage of this right yet. Still, there is no way to avoid replotting of the Antarctic. In about 100 years the world may face deficit of resources, scientists believe. Then countries would have to solve the problem of the right to oil and gas fields on the South Pole. It would most likely be a peaceful process, Russian scientists say.

The treaty on the Antarctic which forbids exploring mineral resources on the continent is reviewed every 50 years. No amendments were introduced to the treaty at the session in 2009. Experts do not rule out that by the time of the next session representatives of the member-states could develop suggestions on borders. In 1959 the agreement was signed by 12 countries that wanted to carry out research on the continent, Russia and the US included. At present the convention is supported by over 45 countries.
http://english.ruvr.ru
4/1/13
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 ***Under the 1961 international treaty on the sovereignty of Antarctica, the sixth continent does not belong to any world nation
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Related posts:

• China begins journey to South Pole

• Bohrung nach verborgenem See abgebrochen

• Argentina protests renaming part of Antarctica in honour of Queen

• Oι Βρετανοί διέκοψαν τη γεώτρηση στη λίμνη Ellsworth της Ανταρκτικής εξαιτίας ατυχήματος

  

China begins journey to South Pole

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A Chinese research group has arrived at the Antarctic to start the 29th scientific expedition, with the goal of establishing China’s fourth base in the region.
Thinking about the South Pole, images of furry little animals, big chunks of iceberg and imposing auroras may spring to mind.
The reality on the ground, however, is quite different.

Yan Han, member of 29th Antarctic expedition team, said, "The South Pole stands at the southernmost point of the Earth, which means solar radiation is very low here. With surfaces covered in snow and ice, it’s no surprise that the average annual temperature is below 25 degrees Celsius. The extreme weather makes our work here very demanding, both physically and mentally."
In 2009, China’s 26th scientific expedition chose a more difficult route, suffering the westerlies when at sea.
Yuan Shaohong, captain of Chinese research vessel Xuelong, said, "The westerlies refers to a belt of westerly winds between the 30 and 60 degrees latitude. During our travel, we encountered a huge storm which brought 13-meter-high waves, which threatened to overturn our vessel."
For nearly two months, the expedition team was pinned down under these winds, which made the simple act of sleeping a challenge.
A long journey to a faraway land. A journey well worth it, But they all think it is worthwhile when the South Pole shows her beautiful side...and it is also quite impressive to take pictures like this.
.cntv.cn
3/1/13
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Low iron levels increase the risk of H. pylori-associated gastric cancer

H. pylori frequently causes gastric ulcers and is also one of the greatest risk factors for gastric cancer. H. pylori infection is also associated with another gastric cancer risk factor, iron deficiency. 

In this issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation[1], researchers led by Richard Peek at Vanderbilt University investigated the influence of iron on H. pylori-induced gastric cancer.

Peek and colleagues found that low iron accelerated the development of H. pylori-associated cancerous lesions in gerbils. 
Further, H. pylori strains isolated from a human population at high risk for gastric cancer were more virulent and produced greater inflammation if they came from patients with low iron levels. 


In an accompanying article, El-Omar Emad of Aberdeen University discusses how iron levels could be used to identify patients that are at a higher risk for gastric cancer after H. pylori infection.

TITLE: Iron deficiency accelerates Helicobacter pylori-induced carcinogenesis in rodents and humans

• [1] Journal of Clinical Investigation

Αυτοκόλλητες ηλιακές κυψέλες για κάθε επιφάνεια

Ερευνητές από το Πανεπιστήμιο του Στάνφορντ ανακοίνωσαν ότι ανέπτυξαν μια αυτοκόλλητη ηλιακή κυψέλη που, σε αντίθεση με τις συμβατικές, μπορεί να τοποθετηθεί σε πολλών τύπων σκληρές επιφάνειες. Η εφεύρεσή τους, υποστηρίζουν, αυξάνει εντυπωσιακά τις δυνατότητες διείσδυσης της τεχνολογίας ηλιακής ενέργειας.
Υπό κανονικές συνθήκες, λεπτές «ταινίες» ηλιακών κυψελών τοποθετούνται σε εύκαμπτα υποστρώματα γυαλιού και πυριτίου, καθώς οι περισσότερες μη συμβατικές επιφάνειες δεν μπορούν να υποβληθούν στις θερμικές και χημικές διεργασίες που χρειάζονται για την παραγωγή των κυψελών.

Όπως εξηγούν οι ερευνητές στην έκθεσή τους, στην επιθεώρηση Nature Scientific Reports, η διαδικασία που επινόησαν ξεπερνά αυτό το εμπόδιο γιατί δεν προϋποθέτει την κατασκευή της ηλιακής κυψέλης πάνω στο τελικό επίστρωμα. Η μέθοδός τους, λένε, θα μπορούσε να οδηγήσει σε φθηνότερες, ελαφρύτερες, πιο εύκαμπτες κυψέλες.
Οι επιστήμονες παρομοιάζουν την κυψέλη τους με ένα... σάντουιτς, αποτελούμενο από μια πολύ λεπτή ταινία νικελίου, μια δεύτερη ταινία πυριτίου και διοξειδίου του πυριτίου και ένα προστατευτικό πολυμερές, τα οποία συνδέονται με μια θερμοευαίσθητη μεμβράνη. Όταν τοποθετηθούν σε νερό σε θερμοκρασία δωματίου, η ηλιακή κυψέλη αφαιρείται, σαν να ξεκολλάει, και μπορεί να τοποθετηθεί σε πάσης φύσεως επιφάνειες.

Ηλιακή κυψέλη τοποθετημένη πάνω σε επαγγελματική κάρτα.

Στόχος του Σιαολίν Ζενγκ και της ομάδας του ήταν να μεταφέρουν τα ενεργά υλικά της ηλιακής κυψέλης - αυτά που συλλέγουν το ηλιακό φως και παράγουν ηλεκτρική ενέργεια- από το σκληρό υπόστρωμα σε μια άλλη επιφάνεια, π.χ. ένα κομμάτι χαρτιού, πλαστικού ή ακόμη και στο πίσω μέρος ενός κινητού τηλεφώνου.
Όπως συμβαίνει με άλλες ηλιακές κυψέλες, καλώδια χρησιμοποιούνται για να μεταφέρουν την ηλεκτρική ενέργεια, όμως οι συγκεκριμένες μπορούν να τοποθετηθούν σε καμπύλες επιφάνειες. Επιπλέον, καθώς είναι ιδιαίτερα ελαφριές, εγκαθίστανται ευκολότερα σε σχέση με τα συμβατικά πάνελ.

Διαδικασία εφαρμογής αυτοκόλλητης ηλιακής κυψέλης. (Πηγή: Chi Hwan Lee, Stanford School of Engineering).

«Είναι σημαντικό το γεγονός ότι [με την τεχνική αυτή] δεν είχαμε καμία απώλεια αποδοτικότητας» σε σχέση με τις συμβατικές κυψέλες, προσθέτει ο Ζενγκ. Επόμενος στόχος της ομάδας του είναι να εφαρμόσει την ίδια τεχνική σε κυψέλες από ακόμη αποδοτικότερα υλικά. 
 .naftemporiki.gr
23/12/12
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• Peel-and-Stick solar panels from Stanford engineering

For all their promise, solar cells have frustrated scientists in one crucial regard – most are rigid. They must be deployed in stiff, often heavy, fixed panels, limiting their applications. So researchers have been trying to get photovoltaics to loosen up. The ideal: flexible, decal-like solar panels that can be peeled off like band-aids and stuck to virtually any surface, from papers to window panes.
Now the ideal is real. Stanford researchers have succeeded in developing the world's first peel-and-stick thin-film solar cells. The breakthrough is described in a paper in the December 20th issue of Scientific Reports.
Unlike standard thin-film solar cells, the peel-and-stick version from Stanford does not require any direct fabrication on the final carrier substrate. This is a far more dramatic development than it may initially seem. All the challenges associated with putting solar cells on unconventional materials are avoided with the new process, vastly expanding the potential applications of solar technology.
Thin-film photovoltaic cells are traditionally fixed on rigid silicon and glass substrates, greatly limiting their uses, says Chi Hwan Lee, lead author of the paper and a PhD candidate in mechanical engineering. And while the development of thin-film solar cells promised to inject some flexibility into the technology, explains Xiaolin Zheng, a Stanford assistant professor of mechanical engineering and senior author of the paper, scientists found that use of alternative substrates was problematic in the extreme.
"Nonconventional or 'universal' substrates are difficult to use for photovoltaics because they typically have irregular surfaces and they don't do well with the thermal and chemical processing necessary to produce today's solar cells," Zheng observes. "We got around these problems by developing this peel-and-stick process, which gives thin-film solar cells flexibility and attachment potential we've never seen before, and also reduces their general cost and weight."
Utilizing the process, Zheng continues, researchers attached their solar cells to paper, plastic and window glass among other materials.
"It's significant that we didn't lose any of the original cell efficiency," Zheng said.

This shows demonstrations of the Stanford peel-and-stick thin-film solar process and various applications.
(Photo Credit: Chi Hwan Lee, Stanford School of Engineering.)

The new process involves a unique silicon, silicon dioxide and metal "sandwich." First, a 300-nanometer film of nickel (Ni) is deposited on a silicon/silicon dioxide (Si/SiO2) wafer. Thin-film solar cells are then deposited on the nickel layer utilizing standard fabrication techniques, and covered with a layer of protective polymer. A thermal release tape is then attached to the top of the thin-film solar cells to augment their transfer off of the production wafer and onto a new substrate.
The solar cell is now ready to peel from the wafer. To remove it, the wafer is submerged in water at room temperature and the edge of the thermal release tape is peeled back slightly, allowing water to seep into and penetrate between the nickel and silicon dioxide interface. The solar cell is thus freed from the hard substrate but still attached to the thermal release tape. Zheng and team then heat the tape and solar cell to 90°C for several seconds, then the cell can be applied to virtually any surface using double-sided tape or other adhesive. Finally, the thermal release tape is removed, leaving just the solar cell attached to the chosen substrate.
Tests have demonstrated that the peel-and-stick process reliably leaves the thin-film solar cells wholly intact and functional, Zheng said. "There's also no waste. The silicon wafer is typically undamaged and clean after removal of the solar cells, and can be reused."
While others have been successful in fabricating thin-film solar cells on flexible substrates before, those efforts have required modifications of existing processes or materials, noted Lee. "The main contribution of our work is we have done so without modifying any existing processes, facilities or materials, making them viable commercially. And we have demonstrated our process on a more diverse array of substrates than ever before," Lee said.
"Now you can put them on helmets, cell phones, convex windows, portable electronic devices, curved roofs, clothing – virtually anything," said Zheng.
Moreover, peel-and-stick technology isn't necessarily restricted to thin-film solar cells, Zheng said. The researchers believe the process can also be applied to thin-film electronics, including printed circuits and ultra thin transistors and LCDs.
"Obviously, a lot of new products – from 'smart' clothing to new aerospace systems – might be possible by combining both thin-film electronics and thin-film solar cells," observed Zheng. "And for that matter, we may be just at the beginning of this technology. The peel-and-stick qualities we're researching probably aren't restricted to Ni/SiO2. It's likely many other material interfaces demonstrate similar qualities, and they may have certain advantages for specific applications. We have a lot left to investigate."

This is a process developed for peel-and-stick thin-film solar cell from Stanford.
(Photo Credit: Chi Hwan Lee, Stanford School of Engineering)

Source: Stanford School of Engineering

 

Προειδοποιήσεις επιστημόνων για τα μεγάλα αιωνόβια δέντρα του πλανήτη

Οι μεγαλύτεροι ζωντανοί οργανισμοί της Γης, τα μεγάλα αιωνόβια δένδρα, που φιλοξενούν αμέτρητα πουλιά και άλλες μορφές ζωής, πεθαίνουν με αυξανόμενο ρυθμό. Μια νέα επιστημονική έρευνα από τρεις κορυφαίους ερευνητές οικολόγους, που δημοσιεύτηκε στο περιοδικό "Science", χτυπάει «καμπανάκι κινδύνου» ότι δέντρα ηλικίας 100 έως 300 ετών εξαφανίζονται με ολοένα μεγαλύτερη συχνότητα στα δάση του πλανήτη, στις σαβάνες, στις καλλιεργούμενες περιοχές, ακόμα και στις πόλεις.

«Πρόκειται για ένα παγκόσμιο πρόβλημα και φαίνεται να συμβαίνει στα περισσότερα είδη δασών», δήλωσε ο επικεφαλής της μελέτης καθηγητής Ντέηβιντ Λιντενμάγιερ του Αυστραλιανού Εθνικού Πανεπιστημίου. «Οι μελέτες των οικοσυστημάτων σε όλο τον κόσμο δείχνουν ότι οι πληθυσμοί των μεγάλων γέρικων δέντρων μειώνονται με γοργό ρυθμό», πρόσθεσαν οι άλλοι δύο ερευνητές, ο καθηγητής Μπιλ Λόρανς του αυστραλιανού πανεπιστημίου Τζέημς Κουκ και ο καθηγητής Τζέρι Φράνκλιν του πανεπιστημίου Ουάσιγκτον στις ΗΠΑ.

Οι τρεις επιστήμονες τονίζουν ότι είναι επείγουσα ανάγκη να εντοπιστούν οι αιτίες που συμβαίνει αυτή η εξαφάνιση των αιωνόβιων δέντρων και να χαραχτούν στρατηγικές για την αντιμετώπισή της. Όπως επεσήμαναν, τα δέντρα αυτά δεν πεθαίνουν μαζικά μόνο κατά τις μεγάλες δασικές πυρκαγιές, που έχουν αυξηθεί τα τελευταία χρόνια, αλλά και σε περιόδους ή σε περιοχές όπου δεν υπάρχουν φωτιές.

Ο ρυθμός θανάτου τους είναι δεκαπλάσιος από τον φυσιολογικό και η εξέλιξη αυτή αποδίδεται στην ξηρασία, τις υψηλές θερμοκρασίες, την υλοτομία, τις αγροτικές πρακτικές, τις επιθέσεις εντόμων κ.α.

Η τάση εξαφάνισης είναι ορατή σε όλα τα γεωγραφικά πλάτη του πλανήτη, από την Καλιφόρνια έως τις αφρικανικές σαβάνες και από τα βροχοδάση της Βραζιλίας έως τα εύκρατα και τα βορινά δάση της Ευρώπης.

Σύμφωνα με τους επιστήμονες, τα μεγάλα γέρικα δέντρα παίζουν ζωτικούς ρόλους ιδίως σε μερικά οικοσυστήματα, όπου παρέχουν τροφή και καταφύγιο μέχρι και στο 30% των πουλιών και ζώων. Επιπλέον, αφομοιώνουν τεράστιες ποσότητες διοξειδίου του άνθρακα (αποτελώντας έτσι άμυνα κατά των «αερίων του θερμοκηπίου» και της κλιματικής αλλαγής), συγκρατούν το έδαφος και ανακυκλώνουν τις θρεπτικές ουσίες του, ενώ επηρεάζουν θετικά την κυκλοφορία των υδάτων και το κλίμα.

Οι ερευνητές παρομοιάζουν την παγκόσμια απώλεια των μεγάλων γέρικων δέντρων με την τραγωδία που πλήττει ήδη τα μεγαλύτερα θηλαστικά του πλανήτη, όπως ελέφαντες, ρινόκερους, τίγρεις και φάλαινες, οι πληθυσμοί των οποίων έχουν μειωθεί δραματικά σε πολλές περιοχές της Γης.

 . zougla gr
Παρασκευή, 7 Δεκεμβρίου 2012

Florida scientists prepare to release hundreds of thousands of genetically modified mosquitoes

Hundreds of thousands of mutated mosquitoes could soon be unleashed in Florida, but don’t worry: scientists say they have a plan.
It might sound like something out of a low-budget horror film, but the US Food and Drug Administration really is considering whether or not they should allow scientists to send thousands upon thousands of genetically altered insects into the wild.
If all goes as planned, mosquitos modified by some serious Frankenstein treatment will be introduced into the Florida Keys and ideally mate with skeeters that carry the deadly dengue fever, passing along in the process a fatal birth defect that will hopefully eradicate the offspring before birth. From there, scientists say they expect the population of Aedes aegypti mosquitoes infected with the dangerous disease will be decimated in only a few generations without causing any major implications for the native ecosystem.

"The science of it, I think, looks fine. It's straight from setting up experiments and collecting data," Michael Doyle of the Florida Keys Mosquito Control District tells the Associated Press.
No vaccination against dengue fever is currently available in any part of the world, and although the mortality rate associated with it is low, it’s still a serious concern. In the Florida Keys where the economy relies on tourism, an epidemic of any sort could be catastrophic. Some fear that sending mutated mosquitos into the environment could have grave implications as well, though, and are asking for more thorough testing before the FDA makes a decision. Of course, it doesn’t help the scientists’ case that it will take several rounds of releasing genetically modified mosquitos in order for their plan to work.
"The public resistance and the need to reach some agreement between mosquito control and the public, I see that as a very significant issue, outside of the (operating) costs, since this is not just a one-time thing," Phil Lounibos of the Florida Medical Entomology Laboratory tells the AP.
The plan to put lab-altered insects into the ecosystem is expected to not harm any humans since the female mosquitos that bite won’t become infected. Real estate agent Mila de Mier tells the AP that she’s still concerned, though, and clearly isn’t the only one: her petition on Change.org, “Say No to Genetically Modified Mosquitoes Release in the Florida Keys,” has garnered over 117,000 signatures.
“Even though the local community in the Florida Keys has spoken – we even passed an ordinance demanding more testing – Oxitec is trying to use a loophole by applying to the FDA for an ‘animal bug’ patent,” reads the petition. “This could mean these mutant mosquitoes could be released at any point against the wishes of locals and the scientific community. We need to make sure the FDA does not approve Oxitec's patent.”
“Nearly all experiments with genetically-modified crops have eventually resulted in unintended consequences: superweeds more resistant to herbicides, mutated and resistant insects also collateral damage to ecosystems. A recent news story reported that the monarch butterfly population is down by half in areas where Roundup Ready GM crops are doused with ultra-high levels of herbicides that wipe out the monarch's favorite milkweed plant.”
“There are more questions than answers and we need more testing to be done,” it continues.
Health officials believed that dengue fever was eradicated entirely years ago, but a handful of cases have been discovered in the Florida Keys in 2009 and 2010. If humans are infected, they can experience extremely high body temperatures, swollen nodes, full-on rashes, vomiting and, in some cases, death.
http://rt.com/usa/news/florida-mosquitos-disease-fever-472/
7/12/12

Is the world heading towards another food crisis?

Too many countries have in history experienced the devastation of not only failed harvests, but also gross agricultural policy mismanagement.
The Great Famine of the 1930s in the Ukraine, which resulted in millions starving to death, is just one of many. It was a direct result of a political decision to impose a centralised and industrial agriculture model that obliterated centuries of farmers’ know-how. The results were so catastrophic that the Ukraine government describes it as genocide.
There is perhaps little wonder that Ukraine has been restricting wheat exports this year to maintain its own domestic stockpiles and prevent a rise in domestic bread prices following a heat wave and failed harvest.

Climate change scientists tell us that we can expect more extreme weather and more failed harvests in the coming years if measures are not taken to halt the impact of global warming.
Will we see great famines in the future? Well, bad policies and corporate greed are certainly the drivers of industrial agriculture in our key breadbasket countries, where food is being turned into fuel. So, are we heading for another food crisis?
The short answer is yes … although where and when is hard to say. In the words of the physicist and Nobel Prize winner Neils Bohr: "Prediction is very difficult, especially if it’s about the future".
But there are some facts we do know for sure.
We know that human beings are overshooting planetary boundaries for water and biological diversity. We know that food prices continue to be high and that price spikes are as equally volatile and frequent as extreme weather events. We know that climate change is hitting agricultural yields badly while food production is increasingly used to fuel cars. And we know that powerful corporate lobbies continue to push for false solutions that feed profits more than people.
Those ingredients combined make a dangerous cocktail that is likely to spell disaster, particularly for the world’s poorest.
But there are solutions to prevent such a dire outcome.
First, the US and Europe should immediately suspend and review their own biofuel policies to ensure that crops for fuel don’t compete with food availability and affordability for the poorest. We will soon need your support to demand specific actions from governments … so watch this space.
Secondly, too much food is being wasted in the world. According to the United Nations, one third of food produced globally is not eaten. In richer countries, the proportion of food wasted is even higher (40-50% in the US) and largely at the level of food manufacturers / retailers and consumers.
So let’s all be more careful in buying only food we really need and eat. It is good for our family’s wallet and helps reduce pressure on the food system, food prices and the environment.
Thirdly, we also need to help farmers make the transition to agriculture that is more resilient to extreme weather events sparked by climate change.
Moving to ecological agriculture is our best guarantee to prevent high volatility in food production and prices and therefore the best way to prevent a food crisis.
Ecological agriculture farmers use nature’s own diversity to produce a wider range of foods while preserving the health and the fertility of the soil. Ecological agriculture is good for the climate and is the best option for food security in Africa and in countries such as India and China.
Finally, we urgently need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to climate change, which represents the number one threat to sustainable agriculture and food security.
This involves reducing the amount of dirty energy we use, and ensuring governments making binding commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to safe levels.
The imminent danger of a food crisis is very real, but there are winning solutions if we avoid repeating past mistakes such as those in the Ukraine.
Eric Darier, senior campaigner for sustainable agriculture at Greenpeace International
 .greenpeace.org
15/11/12
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Why the EU should not follow GE path to agricultural Armageddon

When a warning comes loud and clear from someone who has lived through what can only be described as agricultural Armageddon, it’s usually a good idea to heed their advice.
This week Greenpeace has linked European farmers, decision makers and consumers with American famers and an agricultural scientist to give a picture of what we could expect if we follow the path of US and Argentinean agriculture.

And this is not a path you’d want to take.
Greenpeace commissioned renowned agricultural economist Dr. Charles Benbrook to produce the first ever forecast of how Europe would be impacted if the European Commission goes ahead with its plan to authorise the cultivation of so-called herbicide tolerant genetically engineered (HTGE) crops.
The forecast gathers eyewitness accounts from Wendel Lutz and Wes Shoemyer, two American farmers featured in our documentary Growing Doubt filmed in Argentina and the US. Farming communities have talked to us about how herbicide tolerant crop monocultures have affected their economy, environment and society. And now the US farmers are travelling with Greenpeace on an 18 day tour of Europe, inviting farmers groups, local communities and national politicians at each stop to discuss their growing concerns about these threats.
Their message is clear: European agriculture will be irreparably damaged if HTGE is allowed to be cultivated.
So, who would actually benefit from HTGE crops?
Ecosystems and biodiversity will of course not benefit from having more agrochemicals sprayed on them.
If we are to learn anything from the experiences of our American visitors, many European farmers can expect inflated seed prices, more expenses for buying much more pesticides and the heavy labour and increasing cost trying to get rid of the resistant weeds that inevitably follow the HTGE crops . And those would be the lucky ones.  A lot of farmers would simply cave in to the “big boys” who will be leading the farm consolidations that seem to follow the HTGE crops marching in.
Dr. Benbrook’s forecast paints an especially grim picture for Europe: if EU farmers take up HTGE technology as quickly as in the US, glyphosate use in maize crops - the most important and widely grown crop in Europe – will increase by over 1,000% by 2025 over current use, and total herbicide use will double.
Where there are HTGE crops, farmers seem struggle, communities suffer and costs increase. The effects ripple out across rural communities right up to our supermarket shelves.
It’s time to act.
We have to push the European Commission extra hard to ensure that HTGE crops aren’t given the green light for cultivation. Once we open the floodgates for HTGE there will be no turning back - the farmers we’ve spoken to in Argentina and the US can attest to this. In the words of Wes Shoemyer:  “So far, the EU has stood very firm. It still has a chance to retain its independence, to retain its integrity.”
EU decision makers must decide: are they going to support the environment, farmers, consumers, and their constituents or are they going to support the agroindustry breathing down our necks?
We can see where the HTGE path leads and it’s not one we should be forced to follow.
Share our solutions with your friends - check out what Greenpeace is doing for a healthier agricultural system.
Lasse Bruun is a Sustainable Agriculture Campaigner at Greenpeace International
.greenpeace.org
12/11/12
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