ecology
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Scientists discover microbes that can digest plastics at cool temperatures
In a potentially encouraging sign for reducing environmental waste, researchers have discovered microbes from the Alps and the Arctic that can break down plastic without requiring high temperatures. Although this is only a preliminary finding, a more efficient and effective breakdown of industrial plastic waste in landfills would give scientists a new tool for trying to reduce its ecological damage.
Microsoft hopes its ‘Planetary Computer’ will preserve biodiversity
Microsoft's "Planetary Computer" initiative will help researchers and other companies make more informed decisions around the environment and biodiversity.
How a YouTube video brought an extinct bird back from the dead
Kauai, Hawaii –– In 2015, Danish environmental artist Jakob Kudsk Steensen became obsessed with a bird that no longer exists. The Kaua'i 'o'o, a now-extinct species of small honeyeater, was last seen in Hawaii in 1987. According to a recent study in Science Advances, ornithologists have observed population declines in almost all of the Kauai Island's honeycreeper species, a famously diverse family of forest birds that have long-faced environmental destruction, the introduction of non-native species and slaughter of the native plantlife on their island. Scientists also say multiple more extinctions are likely in the coming decades. However, Steensen believes he and other ecologically-minded artists can one day bring long-lost species like the small Kaua'i 'o'o back from the dead, using a combination of technology, digital archiving tools and a whole lot of artistic imagination. Below is an essay on Steensen's current project on re-animation related to the Kaua'i 'o'o. Think of it as an introduction to the emerging world of online ecology.
Amateur diving data could help climate change studies
Recreational divers could play a significant part in studying the effects of climate change on oceans thanks to the decompression computers worn by many SCUBA enthusiasts.
Human-robot teams take the drudgery out of sorting trash
Think about all the sticky, slimy vile stuff you throw away in a given week. Now multiply that level of gross by everybody in your town. Would you want to have to rummage through all that disgusting detritus to pick out valuable recyclables? Because that's what garbage collection companies have to do every single day, often by hand. Which is why software developer Jodone has developed a robotic surrogate for today's professional trash pickers.
'Blockhood' is a beautiful game about eco-architecture
What happens when an architect makes a video game? Block'hood, a "neighborhood-building simulator" from one-man developer Plethora Project. It started life as a research project at the University of Southern California's School of Architecture, where its creator, Jose Sanchez, is an assistant professor but has slowly transformed into an educational game published by Devolver Digital, which produced games like Hotline Miami and Broforce. With a focus on expanding upward rather than outward, and a pared-down visual style, it's a different take on the building experience offered by SimCity or Cities: Skylines. It instead plays like a cross between Anno, SimEarth and reverse Jenga.
New York's getting 500 solar-powered food carts this summer
Street food is an celebrated (and inescapable) facet of New York City culture but many of those gas-fired mobile food stalls aren't exactly environmentally friendly. "I breathe it in, I get the fumes, I get the smell of the food," Don Ward, a Manhattan shoe shiner who works next to a cart, told the Wall Street Journal. "I get home and my clothing smells like gas." So to help combat air and noise pollution this summer, Queens-based MOVE Systems plans to distribute 500 "green" vendor carts. They'll be outfitted with solar panels and rechargeable batteries in addition to sinks, refrigerators and grills. The carts, dubbed MRV100 Hybrids, measure roughly 5 feet wide by 10 feet long and reportedly can be adapted to serve a wide variety of cuisine.
Wakfu shows off ecosystem mechanics in newest trailer
The trailers continue to surface for Wakfu as potential players in the U.S. anxiously await word on an official beta date. For those players in other regions already participating in the beta, that wait is a bit less pressing. But whether you've been enjoying the game for some time in its testing phase or you're just looking forward to finally getting your hands on it, the latest trailer should provide you with plenty of eye-candy and features to look forward to. This time around, the highlight is on the game's ecological systems. One of the major selling points has always been players having a substantive impact on the game, with the landscape changing and reacting based upon player actions. This ecosystem trailer gives a look at the ways in which players can either help or harm the surrounding environment, providing new life in barren areas or destroying ambient plant life. The latest Wakfu video can be found just past the cut, a worthy diversion for anyone interested in this anticipated strategy MMO.
Talking tree communicates with the world via Facebook and Twitter
The Flemish have always been known for talking to plants, so perhaps it's no surprise that a Talking Tree has been found in Brussels. This collab between EOS Magazine and Happiness Brussels sees a 100 year old tree outfitted with a dust meter, ozone meter, light meter, weather station, webcam and microphone, all of which report back to web 2.0 mainstays Twitter, Flickr, Soundcloud, and Facebook, as well as its own website (talking-tree.com). Now you can finally find out what it looks, sounds, and feels like to be a tree -- without psychoactive drugs. Video after the break. [Thanks, Ramin]
Earth Hour starts at 8.30PM tonight, asks for sixty minutes of natural living
Time to don your eco-warrior armor, strap on your nature-loving helmet, and flick that big old... light switch. Yes, in honor of the WWF's Earth Hour, countries around the globe are tonight switching off non-essential lights and appliances for sixty minutes, with highlights including Big Ben, the Eiffel Tower, the Burj Khalifa, and the Empire State Building all going dark in the hope of helping the planet stay green. Timed for 8.30pm your local time, this unorthodox event has already commenced with Australia, New Zealand, China and others doing their bit -- videos after the break -- and is just now hitting Eastern European borders. So, fellow earthlings, will you be among the projected one billion souls that go au naturel for an hour tonight? [Thanks, Pavel]
MIT's Copenhagen Wheel turns your bike into a hybrid, personal trainer
You really can't fault MIT's branding strategy here. Debuting at the biggest climate change conference since Kyoto, its Copenhagen Wheel is a mixture of established technologies with the ambition to make us all a little bit greener and a little bit more smartphone-dependent. On the one hand, it turns your bike into a hybrid -- with energy being collected from regenerative braking and distributed when you need a boost -- but on the other, it also allows you to track usage data with your iPhone, turning the trusty old bike into a nagging personal trainer. The Bluetooth connection can also be used for conveying real time traffic and air quality information, if you care about such things, and Copenhagen's mayor has expressed her interest in promoting these as an alternative commuting method. Production is set to begin next year, but all that gear won't come cheap, as prices for the single wheel are expected to match those of full-sized electric bikes. Video after the break.
A nice way to spend Earth Day
It's a bit hot today in Arizona so I stayed in for Earth Day -- I cut the air conditioning and ran the ceiling fans -- and spent part of this day looking at GreenSpot, [App Store link] an iPhone/ iPod touch app that keeps you up to date on all things environmental. It includes tips, podcasts, and articles about everything from food and agriculture to green architecture and buildings. There are also 'issue' areas, with details on climate and energy, the two green hot buttons of late. The $1.99US app puts all the information in one handy place, and makes it easy to access by topic just about any information you may want. Podcasts include Sierra Club Radio, and many radio stations that do green programming, as well as some independent audio productions. It was pretty easy to update myself on the latest green news, but I have these nits to pick. I couldn't find many articles newer than a week old. I don't know if the app is feed based, or people are manually posting material, but the world changes pretty fast, don't ya know, and this app should be more up to date. Some of the articles links are dead, so that's not such a good thing either. The podcasts I tried all played well, but not from within Greenspot. They launched the QuickTime player, so you then manually have to re-start Greenspot. None of these problems put me off the application. We've seen how important these issues are, and having this info in your pocket is just another reason why we are so happy the iPhone exists. There are far worse ways to spend Earth Day than by getting up to date on the latest green news. Most of us will choose those worse ways today, thereby making the point on why it is important to be environmentally conscious. Screen shots below: %Gallery-50898%
Wakfu enters closed beta
We've been anticipating the release of Wakfu, the 2D MMO from the makers of Dofus. Good news for those of you waiting with us: Wakfu is now in closed beta! Even better, we have an official release window of Q4. And what's more, new details regarding gameplay have emerged.Apparently there will be no NPCs in Wakfu. Instead, the management of the world will rely upon player-appointed (and presumably player-run) governors to handle the chores of running the world. Ecology will also play an important part in keeping Wakfu's environments alive and well, though it's unclear what the players will have to do to keep things going smoothly. More news as it's revealed![Thanks, Sergio!]
Power Up - educational game from IBM
It's hard to be sure how to file an article about Power Up - particularly since I can't actually play it, it's a windows only game. But, from what I can determine it seems to be a multi-player game, it's role-playing, and it's aimed at energy conservation and ecological education. There are sections available for teachers and parents as well as fun mission briefings and the promise of more to come during the year.In some ways this game strikes me as a retrograde step: rather than using something like Active Worlds or Second Life which many regard as Web 2.0 since there are tools for content creation and sharing, we have a very focussed programme that teaches one thing and only that one thing. All the content is provided in a Web 1.0 fashion: by IBM, TryScience and the NY Hall of Science rather than allowing the users to create for themselves. However, we wish it well and will try to keep an eye on it for you.[Via: Virtual Worlds News]
