Enzyme Turns Emissions Into Fuel

It is a well known fact that plants can turn that awful planet destroying carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide into much more useful things.  It is a shame that even the greatest bonsai masters haven’t managed to find a way of growing small plants in our exhausts.
Silliness aside, scientists have found an enzyme found in the roots of many plants, like  soy beans for example, can actually take the carbon around it and string them together into very basic molecules (propane in this case). This could mean that in a few years your car will use its own emissions, plus emissions around it to make more fuel.
While the enzyme, named Azotobacter vinelandii,  does sound like a miracle cure for most of the words oil problems, scientist’s believe it is still may years of any practical use. Mix this with some of that EcoMotors tech, and we might be getting a hell of a lot of miles per gallon.

Via [EcoGeek]

Chicken And Egg Argument Ended (For Now)

What came first the chicken or the egg? Perhaps the most important question of our time (insert sarcasm) has finally been put to bed.
Scientists from both Sheffield University and Warwick University used a very expensive super computer called HECToR (so expensive it has its own website) to examine the shell of an egg. They discovered that the shell contains a protein called ovocledidin-17 (OC-17). OC-17 acts like a catalyst that helps the shell develop at a faster rate. They also found that OC-17 is found in chickens ovaries, making it local sense that the chicken was required to make the egg. That is until they find shells that don’t contain OC-17, which will put them back exactly where they were.
So the chicken came before the modern egg. Not as satisfying as I thought it would be.

Via [Metro]

When Being Seedy Is Good

Life Box, an idea created by genius mycologist and mycomimicry advocate Paul Stamets, has created a box that can recycle itself. The concept is dead simple, put seeds and enough good stuff in the corrugated layers of the box so when placed in the ground trees sprout up. The best part is they are designed to not add enough weight to cost more in shipping and can be made to any size.
Al Gore liked the idea so much that he is shipping his new book in it (and also to get some free press). I like the idea so much, I can’t believe it hasn’t been done already! Congratulations Paul, and I hope the next gadget I by comes in one of your boxes.

Via [inhabitat]

Dark Chocolate Good For You Again

While we all know dark chocolate is good for you, because it just is, researchers have tried their hardest to prove it to the non believers. Lucky they did find something, so we can all resume our guilt free indulgence.
Dark chocolate lowers blood pressure. Flavan-3-ol (AKA flavanols), which can also be found in white tea, green tea, black tea and Oolong tea, dilate blood cells, which in effect lowers blood pressure. The effects are most prominent in people who suffer from high blood pressure (hypertension), and can be as effective as 30minutes of exercise.
We have Dr Karin Reid and her team of genius for the added bonus attached to dark chocolate. Word of advice, don’t replace exercise with chocolate just reward yourself more often.

Via [ScienceDaily]

Can You Boil Water With Sound?

New Zealander, Peter Davey may be the image of determination, and it seems to have paid off for him. The former Spitfire pilot aged 92, has spent the last 50 years finding a way to get sound to boil water, and he believes he’s worked it out.
As usual scientists are sceptical, and they have to be. If a device like was real, it would be revolutionary and create a whole new green power concept.
The device looks like a desk lamp, and doesn’t feel hot to touch. When the bulb is inserted it water, the water begins to boil. This brilliant idea came to him when he would listen to the saxophone and notice different objects around his house vibrate at different notes.
Professor Arthur Williamson has never seen anything like it, but believes there may be electrodes inside the boiler heating the water. He said he would love to try the device, but at the moment Mr Davey isn’t ready to release it to the public.
From my knowledge this isn’t impossible. Microwave ovens send frequencies out that cause atoms (mostly water) to get excited and heat up , and stories have told of the Tibetans using singing bowls for transformation of self and of matter.
I would love to see if this is real, but I have this feeling that we may have to wait a little longer. It has taken him 50 years to get this far, I doubt he is in any hurry.

For more info, click over to Digital Journal.

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