Category: Uncategorized

PRESIDENT OBAMA'S 2011 CHALLENGE. “This is our generation’s Sputnik moment.” In last night’s State of the Union address, President Obama threw down the gauntlet: “We’re issuing a challenge,” he said “We’re telling America’s scientists and engineers that if they assemble teams of the best minds in their fields, and focus on the hardest problems in clean energy, we’ll fund the Apollo Projects of our time.” " " http://lnkd.in/dcUfZpz View in LinkedIn

INTERNATIONAL EFFORT FIZZLED."In 1978, Japan's then Prime Minister Takeo Fukuda proposed to his US counterpart, Jimmy Carter, that the two countries conduct joint research into photosynthesis with a view to biotically converting solar to chemical energy. The proposal was based on advice from RIKEN researchers, including plant physiologist Yorinao Inoue. RIKEN's photosynthesis project ended in 1999. Currently, photosynthesis is studied at only a few RIKEN laboratories."" " http://lnkd.in/FKDKfT View in LinkedIn

PROMISE OF ARTIFICIAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS: "photosynthesis can provide a real contribution towards our sustainable, green fuel requirements in the future. However, it is argued that the focus on biofuels is misplaced and that, in the longer term, investment in artificial photosynthesis will prove much more beneficial."" " http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/m/pubmed/23816912/ View in LinkedIn

LONDON'S SMART PARKING SENSORS. "The sensors will detect whether a bay is vacant or not. Combined with an app that allows drivers to view a real-time map of parking spaces it will direct them to an empty space. On average, drivers spend 15 minutes looking for a parking space in the area, the council said."" " http://lnkd.in/dnGMy3f View in LinkedIn

GOOGLE'S SMART CONTACT LENS. "Google has said it is testing a "smart contact lens" that can help measure glucose levels in tears. Many global firms have been looking to expand in the wearable technology sector - seen by many as a key growth area in the coming years." Google Glass in a contact cannot be far behind. " " http://lnkd.in/dCqvqBn View in LinkedIn

UN URGEST CLIMATE CHANGE ACTION. "The leaked IPCC draft report urges the world community to act without delay to cut emissions and shift to clean energy. It says CO2 gases grew by 2.2% per year on average in 2000-2010 - almost twice as high as in 1970-2000. It accuses governments of spending far more on subsiding fossil fuels than switching to cleaner energy."" " http://lnkd.in/d6tgibs View in LinkedIn

GOOD REVIEWS OF SYNTHETIC PHOTOSYNTHESIS. " " http://m.jxb.oxfordjournals.org/content/early/2012/09/21/jxb.ers263.full View in LinkedIn

HYDROGEN FUEL ECONOMY. "In many developed nations, major energy policy documents have outlined the case for such a H2 fuel economy, particularly because of the need to reduce atmospheric greenhouse gases. But they have then faced problems associated with the high cost of generating H2, as well as the problem of intermittency in renewable energy electricity supplies."" " http://lnkd.in/dSiUFwU View in LinkedIn

NEW PLANT EFFICIENCY NEEDED. "The 2.2-fold increase in food calories available per capita that was achieved over the past 50 years is associated with a 7.3-fold increase in the amount of nitrogenous fertilizer applied and a more than 3-fold higher input of phosphate." This review outlines a number of engineered plant solutions to meet humanity's future plant food needs. It is no longer a question of nice to have, but one of must have. " " http://lnkd.in/dHuee-i View in LinkedIn

GLOBAL PHOTOSYNTHESIS CALCULATION II. "World energy consumption is currently about 450 exajules per year (EJ/yr), or 125,000 terawatt hours. Photosynthesis, the ultimate source of our oxygen, food, and fossil fuels, is a great invention of nature that has been deployed on Earth for about 2 billion years. In its present technologically unenhanced form, photosynthesis globally already traps around 4,000 EJ/yr of solar energy in the form of biomass."" " http://lnkd.in/dSiUFwU View in LinkedIn