NEWS 02-13-06

AWESOME BIT O-RESEARCH
MIT Researchers Explore How Rats Think
Posted by Zonk on Monday February 13, @02:24AM from the i-think-
backwards-all-the-time dept Ant writes "A Nature News article
explains that, after running a maze, rats mentally replay their
actions backwards." From the article: "As the rats ran along the
track, the nerve cells fired in a very specific sequence. This is not
surprising, because certain cells in this region are known to be
triggered when an animal passes through a particular spot in a space.
But the researchers were taken aback by what they saw when the rats
were resting. Then, the same brain cells replayed the sequence of
electrical firing over and over, but in reverse and speeded up. 'It's
absolutely original; no one has ever seen this before at all,' says
Edvard Moser, who studies memory at the Norwegian University of
Science and Technology in Trondheim."
http://tinyurl.com/bshzd

and

Play it again, brain, but in reverse Rat brain cells signal in
reverse immediately after the animal completes a task, researchers
have discovered. They suggest that this type of "reverse replay" in
the mind can promote learning and memory. David Foster and Matthew
Wilson at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US exposed
four rats to a familiar running track, before exposing them to a new
one. The rodents followed each track to eat the food placed at either
end. While the rats ran and then paused after reaching the food, the
neurobiologists directly measured the animals’ brain cell activity
using carefully placed electrodes. They focused on the hippocampus, a
region of the brain believed to handle learning and memory. The
recordings revealed that, as the rats ran along each track, the cells
in their hippocampus would fire in a particular sequence. But when
the animals stopped for food at end of the new track, the same cells
would also fire in the opposite order. This reverse-replay did not
occur as often when they rested on either end of the familiar track.
http://tinyurl.com/cbv5s

AND SPEAKING OF RESEARCH ON RATS..... here's some that made it to humans

'Walk again' drugs to be tested on people TWO antibodies that
enabled the severed spinal nerves of rats to be regenerated are to be
tested in humans. The antibodies have helped rats with damaged
spinal cords to walk again, by blocking the action of Nogo, a protein
that stops nerve cells sprouting new connections. But there were
concerns about whether blocking Nogo would lead to uncontrolled
neuronal rewiring in the brain or spinal cord and it was also unclear
how such a therapy could be given to humans. Now Martin Schwab and
his colleagues at the University of Zurich in Switzerland have
infused two antibodies, 11C7 and 7B12, into the damaged spinal cords
of rats. An osmotic mini-pump connected to a fine catheter was used
to deliver the antibodies directly into the cerebrospinal fluid
surrounding the injured part of the spinal cord - a method of
delivery that could easily be applied to humans, they say. The
antibodies triggered regeneration of axons, the fine thread-like
extensions that connect neurons, and enabled injured rats to swim,
cross the rungs of a ladder without slipping and traverse a narrow
beam (Annals of Neurology, vol 58, p 706). Moreover, the antibodies
did not cause hyperalgesia, a condition in which even a simple touch
is sensed as pain - a sign that would have indicated wrong neuronal
connections had been made. Schwab's team has been developing
antibodies that are suitable for humans in collaboration with
pharmaceutical giant Novartis. He says they intend to begin clinical
trials lasting two to three years in the very near future.
http://tinyurl.com/co8cv

I have not read this one yet........ maybe I will do it later:
Procrastination: Ten Things To Know
http://tinyurl.com/axtzu

AWESOME sim-city type free game
LinCity-NG is a City Simulation Game. It is a polished and improved
version of the classic LinCity (http://www.floot.demon.co.uk/
lincity.html) game. Within the scope of the GoTM project (http://
happypenguin.org/forums/viewtopic.php?t=1243) at happypenguin (http://
happypenguin.org) we have created a new iso-3D graphics engine, with
a completely redone and modern GUI.
http://tinyurl.com/alodj

QUICK, lets play a game..... I feel my brain aging!
Better living through video games? CAROLYN ABRAHAM From Thursday's
Globe and Mail When he snags downtime from his schoolwork, Ryerson
University student Brad Evans gabs with friends, grooves to Kanye
West on his MP3 player and races virtual hotrods on his Sony
PlayStation. All at the same time. Before you assume gadgets and
video games fry the minds of the future, consider this: Canadian
researchers are finding evidence that the high-speed, multitasking of
the young and wireless can help protect their brains from aging.

http://tinyurl.com/8m8bm

VERY COOL, I have spoken often in the past about cheap easy to build
temporary housing. now if this can be made into a kit that can be
dropped from helicopter or plane and assembled onsite ...... this
would be fantastic:
How to Build a Geodesic Dome out of Cardboard This site was designed
in response to people asking us how we made our domes and who were
interested in making their own. The design was borrowed from a 1973
edition of Popular Science and was improved upon to meet the rigors
of the Black Rock Desert. These domes have served as an effective
shelter against wind, extreme heat and, once painted, rainfall. The
largest of the three domes in the picture opposite measures
approximately 12' 7" in diameter and is about 6' 3" high at its
center. We recommend building the largest one. All the measurements
throughout this web site relate to the largest size. They are fairly
inexpensive to build as recycled cardboard is the main component and,
if water-based paint is used, can be burned. The domes are strong
enough to attach decorative pieces and lighting components to the
inside.
Assembly time, on site, is 3 to 4 hours for 3 people constructing one
dome with the appropriate tools. Feel free to contact us with any
questions or comments about dome construction or the outline of this
web site. If you do end up building one or more of these domes for
the Playa, please let us know where we can find you.

http://tinyurl.com/7cpkn

OTHER stuff I have talked about in the past:
Beluga Group Signs Contract for Sky Sail Power Beluga Group has
become the first shipping firm worldwide to sign a contract to
furnish a modern diesel freighter with sail power--in this case Sky
Sail: a super-sized kite which pulls the ship across the seas. The
idea has been around for a while, and poo-pahed just about as long
(see the comments even after Sky Sails won the Aichi World Expo Eco-
tech award, as reported in Treehugger Sky Sails Promise). But now it
will become reality. Sail power in the modern age has been simply
unable to compete with diesel engines. The manpower required to
manage traditional sails makes the system uncompetitive. But worse,
the force of the wind in the sails causes a masted ship to "heel" or
tip at an angle--a real danger for a ship packed to the sky with
containers. The Sky Sails system overcomes the disadvantages by
setting a football field sized kite on a cable over the ship. This
takes advantage of the even more forceful winds present at higher
elevations. A computerized systems steers the kite cable and plans
the most efficient route taking account of weather forecasts and
other factors. The kite contains cells which can be filled with
helium to help launch the kite or stiffened with compressed air. The
Sky Sail cannot replace diesel entirely, since the sail is not
capable of pwering the ship in or out of port, cannot be used in
narrow or crowded seaways and cannot go upwind (an angle of 50
degrees is maximal, with 70 degrees being the limit of efficiency in
reality). But if the Sky Sail is used alone in optimal conditions and
an assist whenever possible, at least half of the usual fuel demand
can be spared. An estimated 289 million tons of fuel per year
industry-wide is at stake. The Sky Sail will be installed on a 140 m
multi-purpose heavy duty freighter, the MS Beluga SkySails due to
take its maiden voyage in 2007. ::Sky Sails (in German) ::Beluga Group
http://tinyurl.com/dtnqs

And now for some doom-mongering:
Its All our Fault: Natural Gas Running out in Eight Years February
11, 2006 06:21 AM - Lloyd Alter, Toronto A comic said "if I opened a
funeral parlour, people would stop dying". We feel that way after
installing a brand new high efficiency furnace two days ago and then
reading that we are going to run out of natural gas in 8.1 years-
before the warranty even runs out. Dave Hughes of Natural Resources
Canada gave a lecture in Calgary on February 2 called “The Coming
Energy Sustainability Crisis: Alternatives to Oil, Implications of
Demand Growth and the Way Forward.” "North America peaked in terms
of conventional natural gas production in 2001–2002. Notable
examples of the effects of this peak are the dramatic increase in
prices for natural gas and natural gas-dependent products, such as
fertilizers and plastics. Consumption trends and patterns were also
explored. In every case, the phenomenal growth rates in our economy
show a complete disconnect with the reality of the resources
currently supporting them. Canada, for example, has 8.1 years left in
natural gas reserves." ::Post Carbon Institute, ::Peak Natural Gas

http://tinyurl.com/ajaxg

AND

The Empty Piñata Scenario February 11, 2006 07:23 AM - John Laumer,
Philadelphia According to Wall Street Journal article of February 9,
2006 (subscription only) “Mexico's huge state-owned oil company
[Pemex] may be facing a steep decline in output that would further
tighten global oil supply and add to global woes over high oil
prices”. An internal report, which served as basis for the
Journal’s story, covered several possible scenarios of declining
production from one of Mexico’s larger oil “pools”. The worst
scenario looked at would lead to a reduction of about 63% of
Mexico’s daily crude exports to the U.S within two years, according
to the Journal. Because Mexico is the US’ second most important
supplier, even a ‘moderate case’ scenario could be serious for
both countries. Peak Oil happens one field at a time. Sure there are
many small fields left in Mexico and many more in the rest of the
world; but, the total projected return on investment to extract from
each of the smaller fields individually is less. That means that as
the “big” fields head into decline, that the cost of goods
increases much faster than it has in the past
For a look at past TreeHugger posts on Peak Oil, the following list
of links is a handy starting point. Peak Oil Report: Half of Kuwait
Oil Reserves Disappear Norwegian Peak Oil? Kunstler: Oil Prices To
Rise Sooner Than Later Grist Interviews Matthew Simmons on Peak Oil
October 5th: Petrocollapse Conference In New York Peak Oil – The
Lessons of Y2K Chevron-Texaco Pulls a "Beyond Petroleum" See Peak Oil
for Yourself Ascent of Peak Oil

http://tinyurl.com/cgm8t

Also regarding energy..... if its real, its just amazing:

Team Confirms UCLA Tabletop Fusion
Posted by ScuttleMonkey on Monday February 13, @12:38PM from the doc-
oc-not-available-for-comment dept. An anonymous reader writes "A team
of New York physicists has confirmed that a tabletop contraption made
at UCLA does in fact generate nuclear fusion at room temperatures,
using pairs of crystals and a small tank of deuterium. But unlike
less reliable reports back in the 1980s, there's no talk this time of
producing endless supplies of power. Rather, the technology could
lead to ultra-portable x-ray machines and even a wearable device that
could provide safe, continuous cancer treatment."
http://tinyurl.com/b7yzz

Shell Bets on Thin Film Solar February 13, 2006 02:25 PM - Justin
Thomas, Virginia Last week, Shell bowed out of the crystalline solar
industry, agreeing to sell all of its yearly solar crystalline
production capacity to SolarWorld. A combination of the tight silicon
supply and a very strong German market is actually driving solar
costs higher and making the technology less competitive. Shell will
instead focus on CIS thin film solar, based principally on Copper,
Indium and Selenium. The cells typically produce a lower total energy
output than crystalline solar cells but they're also cheaper to
manufacture; most of all, they don't rely on silicon. The efficiency
of thin solar film is getting better. Last fall, Shell announced its
CIS solar had achieved 13.5 percent efficiency, a new world record
for thin-film. So in divesting its entire crystalline operation --
approximately 80 MW of yearly production capacity potential -- the
company held on to its small, 3 MW production line in California for
thin-film CIS solar. And on the same day as this announcement from
Shell, the company struck a deal to explore the eventual construction
of a 20 MW CIS module production facility with the France-based glass
specialists St. Gobain. :: Renewable Energy Access

http://tinyurl.com/dc5j6

Japanese Solar Photovoltaic Market Grows 40+%/Year February 13, 2006
11:28 AM - John Laumer, Philadelphia US utilites are spending their
time quibbling over growth in coal vs nuclear, nervous about
continued natural gas price volatility upsetting the prospective ROI,
should an investment be made. Meanwhile in Japan, "The photovoltaic
(PV) cells and modules market in Japan, estimated to be 640 Megawatts
(MW) in capacity or 209 billion yen in value of shipment, will
rapidly grow to 2,350 MW or 665 billion yen in value in fiscal 2008
by recording an average growth of 30 to 40% every year". This in a
marketing report "New Energy System Market (PV Power Systems) 2005"
recently published by Yano Research Institute Ltd. Report is 67 pages
and available in English. Interestingly, the cited MW addition rate
equates to the output of one or two new nuks per year. Also from the
press release: "The report revealed that Japanese PV cells and
modules manufacturers are dominating the world market by exporting
more than half of their production (358 MW in capacity or 126 billion
yen in fiscal 2004), and are expected to keep leading the market by
exporting 1,531 MW in capacity or 450 million yen in value in fiscal
2008". First Sweden declares an "oil free" goal for the entire
nation, then Japan declares victory over world world SPV markets.
Feeling surrounded? Welcome to "Island USA", a delightful new novel
in which the entire US governing elite and pundit class, following a
Peak Oil/Gas-induced ending of the "Ostrich Maneuver", has too much
sand in their collective eyes to see what is happening.

http://tinyurl.com/auuls

Ford Invents Hybrid that is *300% more efficient* than Toyota Prius
-Ford is developing a new form of automotive propulsion, and the
implications for the American Auto Industry are huge. The Hydraulic
Hybrid could be the greatest innovation since the internal combustion
engine itself, and Ford is on the inside track with its F-150 Hybrid.
New Tech Spy Has learned details about the system that are simply
amazing and could put Ford in a commanding position in the fiercely
competitive full size pickup market.
---The Idea behind the current crop of Hybrid cars is well known; the
cars main energy comes from gasoline which recharges batteries that
move the car at low speeds. Hydraulic Hybrids work in the same
manner, only instead of batteries, excess energy is stored in
hydraulic cylinders.That in itself is not revolutionary, except for
the fact that Nickel Metal Hydride batteries used today are not an
efficient way to store energy, and hydraulic storage blows them away
with 3X the efficiency. Even next generation Lithium Ion batteries do
not come close to Hydraulic Energy Storage.
---The standard F-150 has a curb weight of about 4800 lbs., which is
65% greater than theToyota Prius, yet incredibly the Hydraulic F-150
with a continuously variable transmission matches the Prius with
60mpg city rating, that’s an amazing 400% increase over its gasoline
version.
http://tinyurl.com/9utc7