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Friday, October 30, 2009

Inspiring future scientists and engineers by revealing an array of 'If Onlys'

High profile figures contribute their thinking to stimulate the next generation of UK scientists and engineers

From Lord Winston to Gary Lineker, leading figures from the worlds of entertainment, science, and business have come up with a plethora of 'If Onlys' - their one inspiration, discovery or invention that they wish existed - to capture the public's imagination and encourage the UK's budding young scientists and engineers to come up with their own inventions or creations for the National Science and Engineering Competition, by 30 October.

In providing their 'If Only' ideas, more than 60 of these high profile figures hope to make young people recognise that it is their imaginations that will enable them make what seems impossible now, possible in the future. Entering the Competition is a chance for young people to celebrate their science and engineering achievements and could be the first step to making their own 'If Only' a reality.

John Humphrys, Journalist and Radio and TV presenter: "If Only" I could invent a gadget attached to the chair on which politicians sit when I interview them which would give me an instant evaluation of their answers: "totally honest", "partly honest but mostly disingenuous"; "self-serving claptrap"; "downright lies." But on reflection it would probably make my role redundant!"

Lord Winston: "If Only" there was such a thing as a breakthrough in science, think of the credit in which an individual scientist like myself could legitimately wallow. But nearly every important piece of scientific progress is made incrementally and we mostly explore the ideas of others or rediscover what other scientists have already found, and sometimes which others have forgotten."

Gary Lineker, ex-England footballer and BBC commentator: "If Only" I had a time machine so I could go back and play one extra game for England to become England's all time highest ever scorer."

All the contributions are available to view on www.thebigbangfair.com/ifonly

Sir Roland Jackson, Chief Executive of the British Science Association, which leads the National Science and Engineering Competition in partnership with Young Engineers, commented: "How often do we hear people say 'If Only'? It is amazing to think that many of the wishes made by people years ago are now a reality. Young people, who have the skills to match their imaginations, will be the UK's future scientists and engineers. They will be the ones making the fantastic inventions and discoveries that are sure to come - things we may currently think are only impossible dreams."

Stu Ellins, Chief Executive of Young Engineers, said "This Competition is an excellent vehicle to highlight the many and varied projects being undertaken by school students, as well as a great way to highlight the possibilities that engaging with science and engineering can bring young people. Although 'If Only' is a fun exercise, the reality is that the world faces serious issues such as pollution, climate change, disease, food supply and even caring for an ageing population, all of which need creativity and innovation in science and engineering to find solutions. It's essential that we as a nation support the young people who will make vital discoveries and inventions a reality and the National Science and Engineering Competition does just that."

The National Science and Engineering Competition together with The Big Bang: UK Young Scientists' and Engineers' Fair, the UK's biggest celebration of science and engineering where the winners will be announced, celebrate the fantastic success young people are already achieving using their skills to make their ideas happen. 11-18 year-olds can visit www.nationalsciencecompetition.org before 30th October to nominate the projects they are proud of for the chance to win some of the £50,000 worth of prizes available. The culmination of the Competition at The Big Bang takes place in Manchester in March 2010. There, they will get the chance to compete for the title of the next UK Young Scientist of the Year and UK Young Engineer of the Year, and many remarkable accomplishments will be on display.

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How to change your routine so it changes your Life

Are you stuck in a rut? To answer this question objectively you have to look at the condition of your life in relation to your behaviour patterns. You may be either consciously or subconsciously sabotaging your personal growth by refusing or unwilling to change old habits that are holding you back.

Quite often we find that we are living a life that society has labelled "normal".We live in a home, have regular employment, are involved in a relationship and have material trappings that are supposed to make us feel content. However this "normal" level we have attained may still make us feel unfulfilled if we are not living a life that brings out our true potential.

We all have habits that form our personality. Habits continually direct the way we behave on a day-to-day basis and have become well-established traits of that personality. Habits allow us to carry out activity without conscious thought.

The biggest drawback to change is that people perceive that who they are at present is how their lives were meant to be. A blueprint set by fate that states that circumstances cannot change very easily. If only they knew how erroneous this is. The root of the problem lies in the way we think. Changing our thoughts will change our routine which in turn will change our lives.

As an example I read in a local paper recently about a former fraudster who had served time for his crimes. He was walking down a street and found a wallet containing cash and credit cards that belonged to a local businessman. Whereas previously he would have seen this as an easy opportunity for personal gain, he found contact details inside the wallet and returned it to its rightful owner. When interviewed, it turned out that he'd decided to go straight after meeting his ideal partner and made his mind up to change his ways.

You see, not only has he changed his behaviour but now he thinks about the environment he's in. The world hasn't changed but the way he reacts to it has.

This is an extreme example but nevertheless shows the difference you can make to your life if you are willing to change your habits. Old patterns of behaviour can be broken and new ones put in its place.

So then how do we do this? Quite simply by using imagination. It cannot be emphasised enough that this is the most powerful mental force we possess. With the use of imagination scientists, engineers, businessman to name a few have down the years changed our lives with inventions and discoveries that were first created in their minds by the use of imagination - and it is in our imagination that our future hopes and dreams first appear.

To speed up changing our mental habits, sit down somewhere quietly, get comfortable and think about one aspect of your personality that you feel is holding you back from achieving a particular goal or desire. For example, lets say you are particularly attracted to a person of the opposite sex at work but hadn't the confidence to approach this person. The thought of walking up to them and engaging in conversation makes you feel anxious and nervous.

Whilst you're sat, we are going to play a little mind movie in your head for about 10 to 15 minutes. Imagine you are now self assured and confident and can walk up to the person you are attracted to and easily engage in conversation. Imagine this person smiling back at you and being completely receptive to your advances, and then experience the positive emotions that this brings. It may take a bit of practise but repeated effort will bring results eventually.

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Swine Flu: Natural Cure and Home Remedies for Swine Flu

Swine flu has been creating a terror effects all round the globe and has been declared epidemic in most part of the world. This is caused by influenza A (H1N1) virus. Swine Flu is H1N1, or pig influenza - an acute respiratory infection, usually affects pigs, but the ability to pounce and man. Presumably, the disease appeared after the animal is picked up one of several varieties of the virus - a new strain, scientists have found traces of the North American pig flu or swine flu, the North American avian influenza, and swine and human virus commonly found in Asia and Europe. The first cases of human infection by virus reported on 18 March in Mexico.

What are Swine Flu symptoms? * High temperature * Cough * Shortness of breath, Feel Trouble in breathing

The most significant symptoms of a swine flu infection are the fever with chills, body ache and fatigue, a cough and sore throat, nausea, and diarrhea.

Ayurveda: It has the best form of herbal remedies for swine flu. Ayurvedic medicines are pure natural substances made of herbs and it's very effective in the prevention of swine flu. Ayurvedic medicines used as a remedy to reduce swine flu symptoms contain herbs like neem (Indian lilac), elderberry, ginger and pepper extracts. Once the symptoms have reduced, herbs such as triphala, Divya Giloy Sat or Guduchi or Tinospora or Amrita etc used to eliminate all the symptoms completely. Swine Flu Herbal Medicine boosts the immune system against the H1N1 virus. Divya Giloy Sat or Guduchi or Tinospora or Amrita is an important ayurvedic medicine used to treat all kinds of flu symptoms and it is natural swine flu prevention medicine. It works by treating infections and increasing the body's resistance against organisms.

Herbal Remedy and Supplements Strong dietary and vitamin supplements like vitamin C, vitamin D, etc. and certain probity's can be useful in the treatment and prevention of swine flu. The Herbal remedies strengthen the immune system, to fight against the viruses and organisms causing swine flu.

Swine Flu Home Remedies and several natural ways to treat these swine symptoms that can be effective in relieving swine flu symptoms, along with the natural remedies for swine flu:

- A mixture of 1 tbsp of honey with 1/2 tbsp cinnamon powder can be consumed. This relieves swine flu symptoms like cold, nasal congestion and sore throat. - Steam inhalation with basil leaves added to the water, it helpful in relieving swine flu symptoms & relieving lung congestion. - Chewing fresh garlic cloves: Another effective home remedy as garlic, Good antiviral. - Consuming lemon tea: Relieve symptoms like cough, headaches, etc. Swine flu can be treated effectively using the above mentioned herbs and remedies, and is a healthier option compared to the treatment with allopathic medicines and antiviral.

Swine flu prevention naturally is the best remedy to stop the rapid spread of swine flu. -Regularly ventilated area, do wet cleaning, wash your hands frequently. - Strengthen your immune system, more often outdoors, move more. - Before going out into the street or in public places cover nose - it has antiviral activity against influenza. - Try to avoid communication with ill people. If this is unavoidable, wear respirators or gauze dressing. - After working with raw meat, Wash your hands carefully. Do not eat raw or half-meat. Porcine influenza virus, like any virus is destroyed at a temperature of 65 degrees. Disinfectants kill him instantly. - If you did not spring a flu shot, you can raise the immunity of special preparations. Usual onion and garlic increase the protective forces of organism.

If you have found a host of influenza symptoms (fever, muscle pain, coughing, sneezing, weakness, dizziness, nausea), be sure to contact the clinic. They clarify the diagnosis and treatment will designate.

How to protect yourself from it? The best means of prevention - it is your common sense and hygiene. Washing hands regularly and cover mouth and nose, while venturing out, it is an important to swine flu prevention. Along with the treatment for swine flu, consume as much as liquids, taking adequate rest and sleep. If sick, do not need go to work or school - better to rest at home, do not aggravate their condition and do not infect others.

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Science FAQ

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2160 at 478nm. All around 2000 in that wavelength range. Acetone is not used as normally as pentane or hexane so hard to find answer.

What is the permanent status used for hose down to be exact other within potential trouble...
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2L=2,000_ml X 1.15_g/ml=2,300_grams is the correct calculation and answer.

" You Have 30 Dogs And 28 Chickens. Which One Doesn't ?"
Which one doesn't what?? Good question KYMM1969 as Which one Doesn't is me as I only have 1 dog and no chickens. Well I do hold some chicken in the freezer but not 28! Lol

"?Why Is Gender An Issue In Social Problems?
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Means to utilize the energy of the Sun

Solar energy is the energy produced by the sun. During the fusion process that the sun undergoes during its lifetime, it emits radiation. The fusion process produces many different wavelengths of radiation and sub-atomic particles.

Collecting and converting usable energy from solar radiation can be accomplished by using many different forms of technology and includes various direct and indirect methods of harnessing the solar energy.

There are basically two ways to use this solar radiation, by collecting the heat from the light, and photovoltaic conversion of the light. There are many different methods of collecting the heat and converting it to electricity, and many ways of converting the light as well.

One of the simplest ways that people use solar heat energy is by using greenhouses. A greenhouse is built so that it can best collect the sunlight and heat that it receives from the sun. Using special glass or plastics, the greenhouse and everything within it retains the heat energy from the sun. This heat is trapped inside the greenhouse by the roof and walls allowing plants to grow in an otherwise too cold climate.

By combining various technologies and the use of alternative power sources such as electricity from the grid, a controlled growing climate can be maintained to optimize specialty and agricultural crop growth. A large greenhouse could make use of a solar updraft tower to generate most or all of the additional electricity it may require to keep the climate controlled.

A solar updraft tower is a simple use of the excess heat generated by light heat that the greenhouse receives. Hot air rises and is channeled from along the ceilings of the greenhouse and directed into a tower. The hot air rises and the turbine blades are pushed by the hot air rushing past them to generate electricity. Storing any excess power in batteries for the night when there is no sun can also keep the use of grid power to a minimum.

Expanding on the collection of heat from the sun, there are power plants in the hot sunny desert areas that collect the heat from the sun and convert the heat to electricity.

Some of these solar energy plants make use of curved, highly reflective and focused surfaces to optimize the collection of heat from the sunlight. They focus the light onto a central tube that is filled with synthetic oil that gets very hot. This hot oil is then piped into a boiler filled with water that is flashed into steam from the heat of the oil. The steam produced is then used to turn turbines that produce electricity. This is a highly effective way to convert solar energy into usable power.

Another way to collect the energy from the sun is through direct photovoltaic conversion. Here the light is converted into electricity by using special materials called photodiodes that are made into cells. The photodiodes emit electrons when the photons from the sunlight hits them. By using arrays of the special cells and electrically connecting them together, enough power is produced by the transduction process to make it a worthwhile alternative energy.

As more and more people demand the use of free solar energy, governments as well as businesses are subsidizing researchers, and these combined efforts are meeting this demand by coming up with materials that can produce more and more energy from a given amount of sunlight. Solar electricity produced by arrays of solar panels is now almost as cost effective as using petroleum, coal, and nuclear generated power.

The most common method of using solar energy is to store them in photovoltaic cells. This method was first used in U.S. space satellites in 1950s. The cells are made from silicon. When sunlight enters the cells, it causes the electrons to move about. The electrons then move towards the front side of the solar panels. This causes an imbalance of the electrons between the front and back side of the panels. On joining the two surfaces, a conductor is formed, just like a wire, and current begins to flow. The individual solar cells are arranged together in a PV module and the modules are grouped together to form an array. This current is used to charge cells and this energy is used to light lamps, tube lights and also to drive cars now. The current can also be used to run appliances.

Another method of using solar energy is to direct the solar rays to a convergence point using a curved reflector and then make a current flowing system like a photo cell and store energy. This method is now used in India and U.S.

Our planet receives enough raw energy in the form of sunlight in sixty minutes to illuminate all of the worlds lights for a full year. Unfortunately, a very small part of it can be harnessed so most of the population still gets most of its energy from power plants that burn fossil fuels. Fortunately for our environment, we have recently seen an increasing trend in the demand for solar energy. This is partly due to the fact that solar panels are becoming cheaper as technology advances.

At the equator, the Sun provides approximately 1000 watts of energy per square meter on the earths surface. This means that 1 square meter of each panel can generate approximately 100 GW of raw power per year, which is enough to illuminate more than 50,000 houses. The entire area that would need to be covered by solar panels to power the entire world for a year would be the equivalent to one percent of the entire space of the Sahara Desert. The amount of power solar panels can generate on a given day depends on a few variables like smog, cloudy days, low temperatures and humidity.

Solar panel farms are a lot like other normal power plants with the only big difference being that most power plants get their energy from fossil fuels. And when conventional plants burn fossil fuels, they generate the by products which are contributing to global warming. Solar panel farms or solar heat plants (or CSP plants) absorb the rays of the sun to generate electrical energy.

This process of energy conversion in solar heat plants is rather simple. The panels absorb the rays of the sun, which then shines on the power receiver. In this receiver, the energy is converted into steam from the suns rays. The steam is taken to tanks where it will be used to spin turbines and generate electricity. The process is clean because it requires no fossil fuels to be burned. It is safe for the environment and doesn't contribute to global warming like conventional power plants.

If more solar panel farms are implemented, the demand for oil will be reduced sharply. Today, there are many households that use solar panels for energy and more people are adding panels every day. When this demand for solar energy and other alternatives goes up, fewer people will use gas and fossil fuels, and the prices for these will surely drop as well.

Even though the initial investment into your solar panel system is a bit expensive, the panels will undoubtedly pay for themselves in the long run. Not only do you save money and perhaps even make some with your panels, you help the environment by reducing greenhouse gases and emissions. These systems are so durable they have been known to last years. PV cells are supposed to stay good anywhere from twenty-five to forty years. Most suppliers of solar panels have a standard twenty-five year warranty.

Finally, solar panels take minimal maintenance and they can be placed basically anywhere that gets a good amount of sunlight all year. Scientists worldover say that the future lies with solar energy. Using solar energy for home use like heating, cooking, driving car and for all other uses like charging your mobile phone, street lights and heating the swimming pool and powering your computer will become a way of life. Just as the saying goes that sun never stops shining in California, a solar energy home will never lack the power required to run the house.

China is another country which is fast using this solar technology for its future growth. Japan already is moving in the direction of saving its excess power and the government there is helping device methods to save money on fuel. The future of solar energy homes is spreading rapidly in the east. The Ministry of Non-Conventional Energy is formulating a program to introduce solar energy to more than a million homes in the next few years.

India has long days and plenty of sunshine, especially in the Thar Desert region of Rajasthan. With abundant solar energy available, this zone is attracting attention from the Indian government for its research purposes. Solar energy is being used in India for heating water for both industrial and domestic purposes.

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Tuesday, October 27, 2009

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