All posts tagged: safely

A Jurassic Park-inspired method can safely store data in DNA

A Jurassic Park-inspired method can safely store data in DNA

Published by skeptic

accelerate: To experience a change in velocity (speed). amber: Fossilized tree resin (not sap). Researchers think most of this gemstone likely comes from conifers, or evergreen trees that bear cones. bacteria: (singular: bacterium) Single-celled organisms. These dwell nearly everywhere on Earth, from the bottom of the sea to inside other living organisms (such as plants and animals). Bacteria are one of the three domains of life on Earth. base: (in genetics) A shortened version of the term nucleobase. These bases are building blocks of DNA and RNA molecules. binary: Something having two integral parts. (in mathematics and computer science) A number system where values are represented using two symbols 1 (on) or 0 (off). biologist: A scientist involved in the study of living things. cell: (in biology) The smallest structural and functional unit of an organism. Typically too small to see with the unaided eye, it consists of a watery fluid surrounded by a membrane or wall. Depending on their size, animals are made of anywhere from thousands to trillions of cells. Most organisms, such as …

Cutting-edge new technology safely recycles 99% of used solar panels

Cutting-edge new technology safely recycles 99% of used solar panels

Published by skeptic

In the heart of Venice’s industrial area, a small startup is tackling a significant global challenge: recycling the millions of solar panels expected to reach the end of their useful lives by 2050. The startup, 9-Tech, is addressing this issue head-on, working within the confines of a modified shipping container at the Green Propulsion Laboratory in the Marghera port. The world’s reliance on solar energy is rapidly growing, with over 1.2 terawatts of solar power already deployed globally. Solar panel installation is accelerating, currently exceeding 400 gigawatts annually, and is projected to surge to 3 terawatts per year by 2030, according to research from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). This growing deployment means that the need for effective recycling methods will become increasingly urgent. Recycling solar panels is no small feat. These panels are built to withstand harsh environmental conditions for 20 to 30 years, and even after decades in the sun, they remain difficult to dismantle. Most recycling facilities only manage to salvage the aluminum frames and glass panes, discarding the more valuable …

France Says It Built the Olympics Safely. Migrant Workers Don’t Count.

France Says It Built the Olympics Safely. Migrant Workers Don’t Count.

Published by Sam

France’s president, Emmanuel Macron, promised to build the Summer Olympics safely, free of the construction hazards and migrant worker abuses that tarnished soccer’s 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Months before the Games begin in Paris, he declared success. “We are living up to the commitments we made,” Mr. Macron said in February. Government data shows fewer than 200 injuries at Olympics sites over a four-year construction blitz. And no deaths. But inspection records and other documents show that Olympics sites have been more dangerous than organizers have let on, with some projects failing to meet basic safety standards. When undocumented immigrants are hurt on the job, workers and officials say, the injuries are often handled off the books, all but guaranteeing that they will not show up in government statistics. Even fatal accidents of laborers working legally are sometimes omitted from the Olympic count. When two workers died on a subway project that Mr. Macron’s former transportation minister called “the lifeline of the Olympics,” their deaths were not included in the Olympic total. When a …

Former Slack CEO’s teenager has been safely located after running away, officials say

Former Slack CEO’s teenager has been safely located after running away, officials say

Published by skeptic

The teenage child of former Slack CEO Stewart Butterfield has been located safely after having run away from home, officials announced Sunday. Mint Butterfield, 16, was found in San Francisco at 11:30 p.m. local time Saturday, the Marin County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement Sunday. Mint was last seen at home in Bolinas, California, on April 21 and was reported missing on the morning of April 22. Bolinas is about 30 miles northwest of San Francisco. Mint Butterfield.Marin County Sheriff’s Office San Francisco police found Mint in San Francisco in a white van belonging to Christopher “Kio” Dizefalo, 26, who detectives determined could have been an “adult friend” of Mint’s, the sheriff’s office said. Detectives learned that Mint may have been associated with Dizefalo, the sheriff’s office said. At that point, Marin County sheriff’s detectives responded to recover Mint and interview Dizefalo, who was then arrested on suspicion of “multiple criminal violations” and booked in the Marin County Jail, with bail set at $50,000. Mint was unharmed, the sheriff’s office said, and detectives confirmed …

How do you safely re-feed survivors? : Goats and Soda

How do you safely re-feed survivors? : Goats and Soda

Published by skeptic

Surviving children of the Auschwitz concentration camp, one of the camps the Nazis had set up to exterminate Jews and kill millions of others. Research into the appropriate way to “re-feed” those who’ve experienced starvation was prompted by the deaths of camp survivors after liberation. ullstein bild/Getty Images hide caption toggle caption ullstein bild/Getty Images Editor’s note: This story contains detailed descriptions of how starvation affects the body. Famine has been a threat to humanity since ancient times. But it wasn’t until the end of World War II that scientists began to investigate what starvation actually does to a person’s body. Now aid advocates are calling for those lessons to be applied to today’s food emergencies including the crises in Sudan, Gaza and Haiti. Lessons from World War II To understand why, Alex de Waal, a social scientist at Tufts University who specializes in famines, says you need to go back to an episode that sparked modern study of the subject: The moment at the end of World War II when Allied forces liberated the …

Obese teens can crash diet safely if monitored by a dietitian, study finds | Obesity

Obese teens can crash diet safely if monitored by a dietitian, study finds | Obesity

Published by skeptic

Short-term, very low-calorie diets for obese teenagers are safe as long as they are closely monitored by an experienced dietitian, according to researchers in Australia whose work will be presented at the European Congress on Obesity in Venice this spring.. The study, by scientists based at Sydney University, also revealed that many adolescents involved in the investigation thought the diets were an acceptable way to lose weight – despite experiencing side-effects that included fatigue, headache, irritability, constipation and nausea. Very low-energy diets (VLED) involve taking less than 800 calories a day and are prescribed for obese people who want to shed weight but who do not respond to conventional diets and exercise programmes. However, concerns have been raised about the risks involved in making such rapid reductions in body mass, while ensuring young people are given all essential nutrients. There is limited data on the impact of VLEDs on the growth, heart health and psychological wellbeing of the subjects. However, the Sydney study indicated that such fears are unjustified. “Given the associated rapid weight loss, …

Astronomy clubs want to help you enjoy the eclipse safely

Astronomy clubs want to help you enjoy the eclipse safely

Published by skeptic

Children use solar filters to safely view the sun in North Little Rock, Ark., in May. The event is part of the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society’s public education effort to prepare for this year’s April 8 total solar eclipse. Darcy Howard/Central Arkansas Astronomical Society hide caption toggle caption Darcy Howard/Central Arkansas Astronomical Society Children use solar filters to safely view the sun in North Little Rock, Ark., in May. The event is part of the Central Arkansas Astronomical Society’s public education effort to prepare for this year’s April 8 total solar eclipse. Darcy Howard/Central Arkansas Astronomical Society Danielle Rappaport has been fielding a flood of emails about the upcoming total solar eclipse: where to go and how to view what will be, for many people, a once-in-a-lifetime event. With San Antonio the first major U.S. city to glimpse the eclipse, Rappaport, the outreach coordinator for the local astronomy club, has some advice: Get out of town. “Actually, it’s only going to hit the westernmost part” of the city, she says. And any place in the …

How to fast safely during Ramadan — what the science shows

How to fast safely during Ramadan — what the science shows

Published by skeptic

For 1.9 billion Muslims, Ramadan is the ninth and holiest Islamic month and this year starts on March 11. During the 30 days of Ramadan, many Muslims fast, refraining from food, drink, smoking and sex, between dawn and sunset each day. Fasting is only compulsory for adult Muslims. There are exemptions for people who are sick, elderly, pregnant, breastfeeding, menstruating or travelling. As Ramadan slowly moves across seasons, the fasting days are getting cooler and shorter than last year, at least for those in the northern hemisphere and those close to the equator. Regardless of where you live, it is important to drink plenty of fluids when breaking your fast at sunset and before you start your fast at dawn. Scientific research has shown that fasting is good for your health. Animal studies have shown fasting results in longer life and better health. In humans, research suggests body weight, blood glucose, blood cholesterol and blood pressure all improve with fasting. In terms of mental health, Ramadan fasting improves mental health and lessens depression symptoms. Of …

Drug-Emitting Vaginal Ring Safely Protects Pregnant Women From HIV

Drug-Emitting Vaginal Ring Safely Protects Pregnant Women From HIV

Published by skeptic

By Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter HealthDay WEDNESDAY, March 6, 2024 (HealthDay News) — A vaginal ring that emits the antiviral dapivirine has passed safety trials and could shield vulnerable women against HIV infection during pregnancy, a new trial shows. “We now have data on the ring’s safety during all stages of pregnancy,” said study leader Dr. Felix Mhlanga, a senior lecturer at the University of Zimbabwe Clinical Trials Research Centre. Based on that data, “we can now say with much greater confidence that the dapivirine ring is safe to use during pregnancy — safe for the mother and safe for her baby,” said Mhlanga in a news release from the Microbicide Trials Network. While anyone can become infected with HIV, Mhlanga and his team noted that pregnancy more than triples the odds of infection, compared to other time periods. Especially in countries where HIV is endemic, providing constant protection against HIV during a pregnancy could save the life of both a mother and her child. The new trial, called DELIVER, wanted to assess the safety …

April’s eclipse: How to view it safely and what to look for in eclipse glasses

April’s eclipse: How to view it safely and what to look for in eclipse glasses

Published by skeptic

Use special eclipse glasses to prevent eye damage Gino Santa Maria/Shutterstock Viewing a total solar eclipse is an experience that can stay with you for life, but, without the proper precautions, that could be for all the wrong reasons. Looking directly towards the sun is dangerous, so read on for how to view an eclipse safely and what you need to organise in advance. On 8 April 2024, a total solar eclipse will be visible to over 42 million people across North America. The path of totality is only about 185 kilometres wide, touching parts of Mexico, 13 US states and Canada. Most people in North America will experience this event not as a total solar eclipse but as a partial. “For those outside the path of totality, the moon will never fully cover the sun,” says Jeff Todd at Prevent Blindness, an eyecare advocacy group based in Chicago. Regardless of your vantage point, eye protection is essential. “To avoid damaging your eyes, you need to wear eclipse glasses for the entire duration of the …