…at least to the environment.

The process of creating flat panel displays uses a compound called Nitrogen Triflouride (NF3) used in LCD TVs on the shelves today. TV manufacturers tout how eco-friendly LCD TVs are than the standard cathode ray tube TVs due to the lower power consumption, but what they don’t tell you is how unhealthy the creation of these power miser sets actually is.

If everyone can remember back to chemistry class, you all know that carbon dioxide is the main compound everyone talks about that contributes to the greenhouse effect, and thus global warming. To give you an idea how bad Nitrogen Trifluoride is to the environment, it is 17,200 times better at trapping heat in the atmosphere, thereby making global warming that much worse.

Let’s hope new technologies come out sooner so that possibly flat panel displays can be healthier for our environment!

Retrieved from -Register Hardware-

…other than to provide panty dropping power to frat boys around the world.

Scientists at the University of Nueva Leon outside of Monterrey, Mexico have found that tequila can aid in fabricating diamond film which is an excellent semiconductor. Diamonds are normally an insulator for electrical currents, but when laced with the right types of impurities can become a semiconductor. The impurities are formed by films which are expensive and difficult to make. They are normally produced by vaporizing organic material and then controlling how the carbon atoms crystallize on the surface.

The scientists from Mexico found that heated vapor from 80 proof tequila blanco injected into a low pressure chamber created the right type of diamond film with little extra effort.

Who knew tequila could be used for this?

Retrieved from -NewScientistTech-

…now that I have moved into a house far away from neighbors!

Anyone who has lived in a townhome, condominium or apartment has probably had the same problem as me when they lived in one…noisy neighbors! Personally, I hated tip-toeing around so that I didn’t annoy others and was really annoyed myself when I couldn’t set up a surround system for fear of playing it too loud.

Dr. Sanchez-Dehesa of the Polytechnic University of Valencia has developed a sound shield or “cloak of silence” that makes objects impervious to sound waves. They have created “sonic crystals” which are a meta-material which can be engineered to produce specific acoustical effects. These would then be able to channel any sound around an object, like water flowing around a rock in a stream.

The research builds on work by scientists from Duke University in North Carolina, US, and the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology.

Naturally, a more useful purpose for the mainstream would be for concert halls or stealth warships, but I much prefer the quiet I would get from not hearing neighbors!

Article -Cloak of Silence-

…at least if people pay to have it treated.

While attending a professional development seminar at work, the presenter briefly mentioned something that caught my attention…self-cleaning cement. Now, when I first heard of this, I thought it was some sort of weird fantasy material that when the concrete became dirty with paint or dirt, it would clean itself, similar to how the technology worked in the movie Demolition Man. Well, after looking it up a bit, I found that I was completely wrong.

To quote from Concrete Monthly,

A new type of concrete can clear the air by dissolving pollutants. Using light and air, photocatalytic concrete breaks down organic and inorganic substances responsible for air pollution. The technology is already in use for self-cleaning windows and ceramic tile. The cement is treated with titanium dioxide, which reacts with ultraviolet light to decompose pollutants such as smog-forming nitrogen oxides.

Italian cement-maker Italcementi Group, parent of PCA member ESSROC, is marketing photocatalytic cement under its TX Millennium brand. In addition to pollution abatement, photocatalytic white cement keeps architectural concrete clean and white.

So, the last part proves I wasn’t completely wrong, the coating on the outside does help it to stay clean and white, but the most amazing thing is that it can remove particles that cause smog. What would a city wide application of this do to Los Angeles?

Another article I read on Smart Economy, had some more information to impart.

In a 2003 field test in 2003, 75,000 square feet of road surface on the outskirts of Milan, Italy, were covered with this smart cement. Researchers found nitrogen oxide levels were reduced by up to 60 percent, depending on weather conditions. The European Union last year earmarked $2.27 billion for a project to develop “smart” construction materials that would break down nitrogen oxides and other toxic substances, such as benzene.

The picture above shows the Misericordia Church in Rome that was treated with the self-cleaning cement. I would agree that is a nice beautiful white color, but as far as the mainstream goes, I would say it is definitely “green”.

Product info -Italcementi Group-

…despite all the problems that they tend to have.

So, for those who don’t know, a mag-lev train, or magnetically levitating train is a form of transportation that suspends, guides and propels trains using electromagnetic force. This method has the potential to be fast and quiet when compared to wheeled trains, potentially reaching speeds up to 361 mph. Due to the fact there are no parts in contact with a rail, the friction force is reduced leaving only wind resistance and electromagnetic drag to slow the vehicle down.

The first project planned for mag-lev trains is a system running from Anaheim, CA to Las Vegas, NV. President Bush signed a bill last Friday that puts $45 million dollars aside for the project. The estimated total budget for the project is $3 to $5 billion, but this will at least get it started.

Who knew that gamblers and Mickey Mouse went together like that?

Retrieved from -Engadget-

…to solve the landfill crisis?

Is it just that all other brilliant minds are focusing on other factors in the world so that it only leaves a high school science fair participant to solve one of the fastest growing problems?

16 year old high school junior, Daniel Burd, has figured out a way to cause plastic bags to decompose faster. Normally, it takes thousands of years for plastic bags to degrade, but with Daniel’s method, they can decompose in three months! His method is fairly simple as well…mix yeast, tap water, landfill dirt and bags and there you have it. The process leaves water and a tiny bit of carbon dioxide as byproducts. I assume most people will be concerned with the carbon dioxide, but that could be investigated as well.

Anyway, here’s to brilliant minds in high school!

Retrieved from -DVICE-

…at least, the ones in Texas that is. It seems some “crazy raspberry ants” arrived on a cargo ship by accident and have been causing trouble in Texas. The ants tend to swarm and are attracted to electronics, thereby disrupting the equipment. They have reportedly damaged a sewage pump, caused fire alarms to go off, destroyed computers and taken out gas meters. And the worst part, the colony has multiple queens and are resistant to standard ant killing sprays, so they are going to be around for awhile.

This reminds me of when we were trying to sell our old house There were tons of little red ants that crawled around the light switches in the carport and eventually the switches stopped working. Before we actually sold the house, we had to replace the switches at least twice to keep them working. Is it just a coincidence or suicidal ants determined to squish themselves between the contacts? Who knows…

Retrieved from -Engadget-

…especially in the area I live in. As most people who live around the North Carolina area like I do, you know that one of the most dangerous things we have to deal with during the winter is black ice patches. That would be when during the day, the temperature is warm enough to not freeze rain that falls, but during the night, the water freezes. When it does that, the ice is transparent and typically the only way to tell is when you see a reflection on the road or when you start slipping. It appears that a French company called Eurovia has created a new temperature-sensitive coating that can be applied to road surfaces to signify when the temperature of the road drops below 33°F. So, when the temperature is above freezing, the coating is transparent and then when it drops, the color changes to a dark pink.

This would help salt trucks to identify trouble spots when they happen and could help cities to determine if they need to salt some sidewalks prior to pedestrians slipping on it. There are some obstacles that need to be overcome, such as the durability of the coating and the lasting power of the pigment when exposed to high levels of UV rays from the sun. They are also trying to refine the night visibility of the coating as well. Definitely a step in the right direction, especially if it can be done for a good price.

Click the image to make it bigger!

Product Info -Eurovia-
Retrieved from -NewScientistTech-

…but found that there were some limiting issues. Another car I had been intrested in was the Honda FCX Clarity which is a purely hydrogen based car. Main limitation…only available in Southern California due to that is the only location of fueling stations right now. I have no clue how long it will take to make hydrogen refueling stations around the nation a standard.

The other one is something the brother-in-law brought up. The Th!nk car (from Norway) is another option, but like most hybrid vehicles, the problem is the price being too high for what it is. The Th!nk will start at $25,000 for the two seater version. Compare that to the Smart car which starts at $14,000 for the same size. It will take a long time to recover that in gas cost. The other problem I have heard of with battery cars is the expensive cost of battery replacement. One thing I have to give the Th!nk car is this, I love the look of one of their investors…take a gander at Mr. William E. “Willber” James…how could you not trust that face?

All to be played by ear I guess. I have two years to think on it anyway!