Spliced feed for The Science Network

Thirteen Planets Orbit the Sun [SciScoop Science Blog]

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Mark Sykes says that if a non-stellar object is massive enough to be almost spherical and it orbits a star, then it ought to be called a planet. With this definition the solar system will become a 13-planet system.

The End of Oil? Not Yet! [SciScoop Science Blog]

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There are some things most people today know about oil. * Global oil output is going to plummet * Prices are going to rise forever * The transition to alternative energy will be long and painful * There will be more `oil wars' and industrial civilization may collapse * Oil and gas will cause catastrophic climate change The problem is that these ideas are wrong.

A Bright Future for OLED Lighting [SciScoop Science Blog]

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The Research Institute for Organic Electronics (RIOE) from Japan focuses on developing the world-leading technology to put the Organic EL lighting into practical use. They have put up a page showing what the future will look like with OLED lighting. There are several OLED 'lamp' prototypes shown, and a nice video with more examples.

Doping at the Olympic Games [SciScoop Science Blog]

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The Olympic Games are approaching, but can the anti-doping agencies ensure, through testing, that sporting events will be drug-free? Science is the answer according to an article in today's Nature with the strapline - "The processes used to charge athletes with cheating are often based on flawed statistics and flawed logic."

Quantum Mechanics Accelerates PageRank [SciScoop Science Blog]

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Google PageRank (PR) is apparently an important measure of a website's worth, how the Google algorithm actually calculates PR is open to debate and how it impacts on a particular website varies. Now, physicists have turned to quantum mechanics to help them figure out a Schroedinger type pagerank equation for search engines.

Body Mass Hacks [SciScoop Science Blog]

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Want to lose weight? First, ask yourself why. If there's a valid clinical reason for doing so, then check out the following 8 body mass hacks that will help you reduce your overall calorie intake, and don't forget to exercise well, drink plenty of water, and stop smoking!

Why Sports and Career are Matters of Life and Death [SciScoop Science Blog]

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Why do men care more about sports and career then women? Sure women care too, but for many men it seems they can't live without it. Why do so many men watch and compete in sporting games every day? Why do they pursue earning money long after they have satisfied every basic need?

Solar Energy Turning Point [SciScoop Science Blog]

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Solar power is set to come out of the dark and enter the mainstream as an alternative energy source, according to US researchers. They have overcome the last major obstacle to large-scale solar power - how to store energy when the sun don't shine.

GE shows a glimpse into the future of lighting [OLEDs] [SciScoop Science Blog]

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Check out this nice presentation from GE about the future of lighting. It talks about OLEDs - why they are great (environmental, no mercury, innovative) and shows several interesting new designs, one of which is an OLED chandelier - and also lighting for airplanes and bikes.

Will biofuel policies lead to more hungry people? [Earth & Sky Podcast]

Posted: 23 Aug 2008 04:08 AM CDT

The emerging link between the world's food and fuel economies means higher food prices – and more hunger for the poor – while creating some opportunities for some farmers. That’s acccording to Joachim von Braun of the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington, DC.