Coming up on Christmas two sons have given their mother the gift of life………… in the form of a lung. Their mother, Brenda Kinnear, 51, has pulmonary fibrosis, a disease that destroys the lung’s ability to transfer oxygen into the bloodstream. Her two sons decided to each donate 1/2 a lung to their mother in a risky operation that puts both the donor and the recipiant at risk. The surgury will relieve much of the stress Brenda Kinnear faces on a daily basis since patients with lung diseases are at increased risks during cold season. If the sugury is sucessfull, Brenda and her sons will enjoy many more long years together.
Month: November 2005
The Next Kyoto Protocol
This week in Montreal the United Nations Climate Change Conference will be held. 
The conference is a meeting of all the countries that ratified the Kyoto Protocol to see what the next Protocol should look like. The results of this conference are imperative to the planet’s future, some people are interested in a looser set of requirements, and others want a different set of measurements to set targets.
Evidence that climate change is very dangerous to humanity is now being recognized and hopefully this will be acknowledged on an official and international level in Montreal this week.
Anti-Cancer Compound Found in Beer
Drinking beer may prevent some cancers. A micronutrient found only in hops (the main ingredient to making beer) have properties that make it a combatant of cancers.
And currently many “scientists in programs around the world are also beginning to look at the value of these hops flavonoids for everything from preventing prostate or colon cancer to hormone replacement therapy for women.”
Thanks, Digg.com!
Microwave Water to Save Energy
Pulsar Advanced Technologies will launch a new product that heats water on demand. It is a water heater that has super-heating capabilities because it uses microwaves to heat the water. By heating on demand it means that hot water will not have to be stored, which means that the deadly Legionella Pneumophila is a non-threat.
The heater, affectionately known as the Vulcanus MK4, will be shown in Toronto at a construction conference next week. The Vulcans MK4 can heat water from near-freezing to near-boiling in seconds.
Chinese Eco-Cities
The Guardian has reported that a few British companies have signed contracts to help build some environmentally friendly cities in China.
From the article “The eco-cities are regarded both as a prototype for urban living in over-populated and polluted environments and as a magnet for investment funds into the rapidly growing Chinese economy.”
It is arguable, and I suppose ironic, that the way that the Chinese government is structured that makes initiatives like this feasible, unlike in many Western nations. The article was also published before the recent oil spill, but the oil spill has sparked demands for more environmental action (thanks, Emily!).
For more information on the technical aspects of the first sustainable city check out the press release from Arup. This is a huge step in the right direction for China (which is notorious for poor environmental protection) and further places China in an international lead when it comes to environmentally friendly societies.