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A chocolate pill? Scientists to test whether cocoa extract boosts health
You've likely heard that dark chocolate is good for you. Last year, researchers linked a regular chocolate habit to a reduced risk of heart disease. And, as we've reported, compounds found in cocoa known as flavanols or polyphenols have been shown to improve vascular health by increasing blood Read More...
Millions of used electric car batteries will help store energy for the grid. Maybe.
Once or twice a year, Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) founder Michael Liebreich posts a magisterial summation of some trend or set of trends in the energy world. His latest report is about electric vehicles. It’s worth reading the whole thing, but it was an aside about discarded EV Read More...
New solar powered device revives hydrogen economy dream
Despite a plethora of naysayers, research is progressing apace on deploying hydrogen as a sustainable fuel that also doubles as an energy storage opportunity. The latest development illustrates just how quickly that pace is accelerating. A research team based at Switzerland’s Ecole Read More...
GM churns 2 million water bottles into fleece
General Motors (GM) long claimed to be an industry leader in recycling. It describes its zero-waste agenda as encompassing a variety of programs, from reusing spent Chevy Volt batteries at a data center to converting used battery cases into duck houses for wildlife habitats. In recent years, the Read More...
See inside this vertical farm where 65,000 pounds of lettuce grow each year in shipping containers
Los Angeles-based Local Roots' three farms are no ordinary farms. They're not even outside — but inside three small shipping containers. The startup uses vertical hydroponic farming, a method where plants grow year-round with LEDs rather than natural sunlight. Read More...
Largest marine protection area created as National Park Service celebrates 100 years
Recently, we wrote about a coral reef near the Phoenix Islands that was found teeming with life years after being pronounced dead. The revival of this was accredited to the marine protection area that surrounds the islands, and now President Obama has signed legislation that will create a new Read More...
These 3D-printed parts form with temperature and act as medicine when needed
3D printing is leading the way to a new drug delivery system that only medicates patients if they have certain conditions like fever. Printed prosthetics and artificial vertebrae have already changed the world of medical science, but now the technology is being used to create tiny structures that Read More...
California takes a major stand against coal
In the port city of Oakland, a developer’s plan to ship coal from city docks has been shut down thanks to a new bill signed by Gov. Jerry Brown. The bill blocks state funds from being used for any coal-shipping terminals in California, lowering the number of coal exports from California from 4.65 Read More...
Wave power is going to revolutionize renewable energy
There's enough wave energy in the oceans to power the world, and scientists are finally close to harnessing it. For decades wave energy has lagged behind wind energy and solar because harnessing it is more complex. However, the potential is huge: According to the U.S. Department of Energy, waves Read More...
Let your gloomy emotions be beneficial for you
We at The Optimist are strong advocates of a positive outlook on life, but it’s important to recognize the benefits that negative feelings have on ourselves as well. Our so-called negative emotions encourage slower, more systematic cognitive processing. It allows us to rely less on quick Read More...