Paper Recycling A Paper is different from other waste produce because it comes from a sustainable resource: trees. Unlike the minerals and oil used to make plastics and metals, trees are replaceable. Paper is also biodegradable, so it does not pose as much threat to the environment when it is discarded. While 45 out of … more →

The beam operated traffic system The Need for Change The number of people killed each year on the road is more than for all other types of avoidable deaths except for those whose lives are cut short by tobacco use. Yet road deaths are tolerated – so great is our need to travel about swiftly … more →

Giving the brain a workout Mental agility does not have to decline with age, as long as you keep exercising your mind, says Anna van Praagh A Use your brain and it will grow – it really will. This is the message from neuro psychologist Ian Robertson, professor of psychology at Trinity College, Dublin and … more →

A revolution in knowledge sharing The pressure to transform our institutions of learning continues. Virtually every enterprise and institution is grappling with the disruptions and opportunities caused by Web-enabled infrastructures and practices. New best practices, business models, innovations, and strategies are emerging, including new ways to acquire, assimilate, and share knowledge. Using technologies that are … more →

Wind power in the US Prompted by the oil crises of the 1970s, a wind-power industry flourished briefly in the United States. But then world oil prices dropped, and funding for research into renewable energy was cut. By the mid 1980s US interest in wind energy as a large-scale source of energy had almost disappeared. … more →

Arctic haze In the 1950’s, pilots traveling on weather reconnaissance flights in the Canadian high Arctic reported seeing bands of haze in the springtime in the Arctic region. It was during this time that the term “Arctic haze” was first used, referring to this smog of unknown origin. But it was not until 1972, that … more →

Tornadoes Tornadoes are one of the most severe types of weather phenomena. While many people fear tornadoes and their destructive power, few people understand their real causes and effects, nor are they aware of how to protect themselves from their devastating force. Tornadoes, violently rotating columns of air, occur when a change in wind direction, … more →

The people of corn Maize is Mexico’s lifeblood – the country’s history and identity are entwined with it. But this centuries-old relationship is now threatened by free trade. Laura Carlsen investigates the threat and profiles a growing activist movement. On a mountain top in southern Mexico, Indian families gather. They chant and sprinkle cornmeal in … more →

The coral reefs of Agatti Island A. Agatti is one of the Lakshadweep Islands off the southwest coast of India. These islands are surrounded by lagoons and coral reefs which are in turn surrounded by the open ocean. Coral reefs, which are formed from the skeletons of minute sea creatures, give shelter to a variety … more →

The danger of ecstasy Use of the illegal drug named Ecstasy (MDMA) has increased alarmingly in Britain over the last few years, and in 1992 the British Medical Journal claimed that at least seven deaths and many s,evere adverse reactions have followed its use as a dance drug. 14 deaths have so far been attributed … more →