Creating A Miniature Sun Here On Earth...

Is the answer to Earth’s energy problems less than a decade away?

It may sound like the stuff of science fiction but scientists in Toronto believe they may finally have come up with the solution to the Earth’s energy problems.  Their ambitious energy plans involve recreating a miniature version of the Sun here on Earth and then harnessing the energy created from the resulting nuclear fusion to provide power for homes and businesses all around Canada.

Recreating the sun on Earth: Could the STAR Project
be the answer to the world's energy problems?

Of course scientists have been able to create nuclear fusion on Earth for decades now but current fusion methods require more energy to initiate the process than is ultimately produced.  This ‘negative net energy gain’* has therefore so far meant that for the time being at least nuclear fusion has had no practical use as a source of energy.

* Or an ‘energy loss’ as we ordinary non-scientific people would refer to it.

However, scientists working on the STAR* Project at the Institute of Practical Plasma Applications in Toronto believe that, in theory at least, they may finally be able to solve the ‘negative net energy gain’ problem by recreating a miniature star here on Earth which would be capable of recreating nuclear fusion on such a large scale that the ultimate energy output would at last outweigh the enormous amounts of energy necessary to initiate the fusion process.

* Or the ‘Sun Themed Astroscopic Replica’ Project, to give it its full title.

Kinetic Capture™ Insoles: The Ideal Gadget For Fitness Fanatics Who Want To Help The Environment

Kinetic Capture™ – Running shoe insoles that store the kinetic energy as you run and then use this power to charge up your iPhone / iPod.

Kinetic Capture™ insoles can be used with any pair of running shoes.

The idea behind the ‘Kinetic Capture™’ insoles is simple.  Insert them in a regular pair of training shoes and then every time you go for a run the insoles ‘capture’ the energy you create while you jog which can then later be used to charge up an iPhone or iPod.

It’s a great idea and although the technology behind these insoles is by no means perfected yet, they nevertheless are a very worthy accessory for anyone who fancies an alternative source to power their iPhone or iPod, not to mention the chance to do their bit to save the planet.



The promotional literature from the makers ‘Green Future Solutions’ tells you that for best results you should use the insoles on a firm surface such as a pavement, as opposed to running on a softer surface like grass for example.  Apparently this is because the energy collected by the Kinetic Capture™ system comes from the impact of each step hitting the ground, and obviously running on grass or other soft surfaces softens this impact.  This wasn’t a problem in my case as my standard jogging route takes me along roads and paths, but it would be something to consider for some joggers, and a minor irritation for myself if I ever fancied heading off on an alternative more scenic route one day.

The New UV Protection Patch Set To Make Sunscreen Lotion A Thing Of The Past...

Will sunscreen lotion soon be a thing of the past?

Sunscreen lotion could soon be a thing of the past
thanks to a new sun-shield patch.

Pharmacists have known about the exceptional UV protective qualities of sodium ritalivide since the 1960s, but until now the fact that it can’t be absorbed by direct application to the skin meant there was no practical use for it.  However, scientists have now come up with a simple patch which works around the previous problems and which may mean that sunscreen lotion soon becomes a thing of the past.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with the chemical and biological qualities of sodium ritalivide, until recently the most effective way for it to be absorbed into the skin was to take it orally and unfortunately the quantities required to ensure sufficient skin absorption by this method meant it was harmful to the liver.  So for almost five decades the use of sodium ritalivide as a form of UV protection has been confined to the drawing board.

But now thanks to the newly developed sun-shield patches, things look like they are about to change...