From Engadget: Panasonic Photosynthesis System converts carbon dioxide to organic material with plant-like efficiency

Panasonic Artificial Photosynthesis System converts carbon dioxide to organic material with plantlike efficiency

Greenery may fulfill a superficial need to improve the landscape aesthetic, but plants play a much more critical role in regular life function, converting carbon dioxide to oxygen through a process called photosynthesis. Panasonic is among the companies attempting to replicate this natural procedure through artificial means, and it looks like the Japanese electronics maker is well on its way towards a viable solution. Presenting at the International Conference on the Conversion and Storage of Solar Energy this week, Panasonic announced the development of an Artificial Photosynthesis System, which uses a nitride semiconductor to convert water and carbon dioxide — a byproduct of factories and power plants — into an organic material called formic acid, which is used in the manufacturing of dyes and fragrances. Covering the planet in formic acid wouldn’t necessarily represent progress, but assuming demand isn’t exceeded, it certainly beats CO2. Best yet, Panasonic claims that the system converts the substances at plant-like efficiency rates, or 0.2 percent. Hit up the PR after the break for a more granular look at the company’s creation.

 

from Engadget

From Autoblog: Video: Watch Top Gear complete a world record double loop

Top Gear double-loop attempt

The Top Gear team has made a bit of history at the Top Gear Festival in Durban, South Africa, as a stunt driver pulled off a double loop in front of a crowd of over 15,000. The event involved a 26-foot tall double loop track that looks to have come right out of a Hot Wheels box, except that it weighs over eight tons. The stunt vehicle of choice was a custom-made buggy with a throttle lock that could travel at a constant 24-26 mile per hour speed that the math geeks said was necessary for a successful “Deadly 720.”

Scroll below to watch a nearly two-minute video that starts with cheering crowds and the trio of Jeremy Clarkson, James May and Richard Hammondand ends with the buggy stunt. We’re thinking the best part of the video was the in-buggy view of the double loop.

from Autoblog

From Ars Technica: Coffee may be ok, but coffee drinkers not living longer

Is coffee good or bad for you? If you follow the medical literature, you might think that the answer changes a few times a year. Different studies have found associations with various ailments, while others suggested that people who hit the java actually outlived their peers.

Now, a new study is out that not only finds that coffee has a positive effect, but may help explain why the earlier studies were so confused. As it turns out, coffee drinking is associated with a broad range of bad habits (most notably smoking), so if one adjusts the numbers to compensate for those, coffee drinking starts to look pretty good. Before you rush off for your latest hit, however, you should note the biggest limitation of this study: its population was recruited exclusively from the AARP. If you’re not considering retirement, you might want to hold off until we see more from a study with a younger demographic.

AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) membership is open to anyone over 50, so the population at the start of the study was between 50 and 71. On the plus side, it was huge: over 400,000 individuals. And that was after the authors got rid of people who already had cancer, heart disease, and/or strokes. The initial survey included questions about coffee consumption along with a lot of other health and dietary habits. Once enrolled, the authors followed the participants for 12 years, or until Social Security records indicated they had died.

from Ars Technica

From Lifehacker: Make Japanese Iced Coffee Instead of Cold-Brewing for the Best Flavor

This is already done by the Vietnamese as well… Cafe suda…
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This Japanese Iced Coffee method, an alternative to cold-brewing iced coffee, promises bright and clear iced coffee with the most coffee flavor purity. Peter Giuliano of Counter Coffee Culture demonstrates how to do it and details why this is a superior method of making iced coffee. More »


from Lifehacker

 

From The UberReview: WaterBob Turns Your Bathtub into an Emergency Drinking Water Reservoir


This is the WaterBob, a single-use water reservoir that you can stick in your bathtub and fill with 100 gallons of water – and that can keep it fresh for up to four weeks. If you live in a disaster-prone area it could be useful, but there are a few things that one should consider before blowing $30 on a 100-gallon FDA approved plastic water-bag.

Let’s say an earthquake hits, a big earthquake – what happens? Assuming your house is still standing, you probably have no power, and your water company is probably in the same situation, so you have no water. Basically, unless you are prepared to live without a bathtub and want to spend $30 a month on water reservoirs for your bathtub so that you can have it filled up before the earthquake hits… you are going to be out of luck. So for earthquakes it probably isn’t much good.

For hurricane/cyclone prone areas it might be better. Let’s say you see on the news that a Katrina-sized storm front is heading your way. You would have enough forewarning to get it filled up. Assuming that all hell broke loose and your house was on high enough ground that it didn’t need to be evacuated, 100 gallons of clean water could be a life saver.

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6a00d8341c5dea53ef016762ed9559970b-800wi
6a00d8341c5dea53ef0168e7ef84b4970c-800wi
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Price: $30 [Book of Joe]

from The UberReview