Scientists develop natural, sustainable hair dye made from blackcurrant waste
Hair dying is a big business. The global hair coloring industry is worth about 10 million dollars per year. The chemical ingredients used in hair dyes have been shown to promote cancer or cause allergic reactions. Moreover, the dyes end up washed down in drains and create environmental hazards in Read More...
China launches ‘solar coaster’ with subsidy cuts
Some speak of a “solar-coaster”—the decision by China to eliminate subsidies for most of its solar projects. The decision will definitely have a short-term impact on the growth of solar installations. However, the measure also confirms that solar has arrived as the next leader in the energy Read More...
If you want to be creative, you have to practice the art of doing nothing
There was a time, not so long ago, that visionaries were forecasting a future with too much leisure time as a result of ongoing technological innovations. So far, the reality has turned out differently. Today more people are overworked than ever before. Most of us live amidst an ongoing barrage of Read More...
Seven ways to improve your memory
Getting plenty of sleep, learning difficult new skills and staying socially active can all help to keep your memory Read More...
Kymco’s new electric scooters could be the sign of a coming boom
One of the most exciting product announcements to happen at the Consumer Electronics show over the past few years was the Gogoro electric scooter. It’s not just that it was slick-looking, or fast, or that the company was promising a clever battery swap station model to help ease the problem of Read More...
Probiotics, prebiotics, and placebos: which is more effective?
Do you take probiotics? The idea of a "healthy gut flora" might have gotten you laughed out of the room just five years ago, but they've slowly become far more accepted and are now firmly in the mainstream. About 1.6 percent of America (3.7 million people) took them either regularly or Read More...
What if Canada had spent $200bn on wind energy instead of oil?
In explaining Canada's decision to nationalize the controversial Trans Mountain pipeline for $4.5bn, Bill Morneau went hard on the economic argument. “Make no mistake,” the finance minister said. “This is an investment in Canada’s future.” In fact, since 1999, more than $200bn has been Read More...
How to break the stress reaction cycle
As hard as it may sound to pull out of this stress reaction cycle, it is possible. The first step in creating any positive change is always raising your awareness of what the cycle is, how you participate in it, and what pains the cycle Read More...
Scientists find that natural fibers make materials stronger, more sustainable
Materials-science researchers are discovering that they can make many man-made materials stronger and more sustainable with the addition of plant fibers. Carrots can be used to improve concrete and wood can be turned into plastic. These innovations can impact the construction of buildings as well Read More...
Hawaii becomes the first U.S. state to ban pesticide linked to brain damage
Hawaii has become the first U.S. state to ban a pesticide that has been linked to adverse side effects in humans, including debilitating neurological and developmental diseases. Last year the Trump administration controversially overturned a decision to ban pesticides containing chlorpyrifos. The Read More...