China Looking for Green Medal at Olympics

Most countries compete for the gold medal, well China’s competing for one extra one that is green. We all know that China is building a green city and now they are trying to build a green olympics. China is implementing new technologies to try to get the coming 2008 Beijing olympics environmentally friendly. From the World Watch Institute:

“In mid-April, Beijing’s National Olympic Stadium signed a 10 million RMB (US$1.25 million) contract with domestic solar company Suntech Power to install a 130-kilowatt photovoltaic system at 12 stadium entrances. The installation will supplement the venue’s conventional power supply and make the stadium—also known as the “Bird’s Nest” because of its appearance—the world’s most environmentally friendly sporting arena. “The Bird’s Nest Stadium solar energy project demonstrates China’s commitment to clean, renewable energy and a green Olympics,” said Zhengrong Shi, Suntech’s chairman and CEO.”

Helping out Darfur

Canada’s Prime Minister announced that we’re gonna step in and help the troubled Darfur region of Sudan with $40-million in foreign aid.

“First, working through the United Nations, the lead organization on the ground, we will help to provide urgently needed necessities like food and water, deliver medical care to the afflicted and the suffering and build desperately-needed sanitation services,” Stephen Harper said on May 23, 2006.

Humanitarian needs, such as food, water and sanitation are of the highest importance here, but steps will also be taken to implement the Darfur peace agreement. The suffering people of Darfur will finally get some much needed help! The UN has also decided to step in with a peacekeeping force.

Major Technical Hurdle to Fusion Power Overcome

A major technical problem in the development of fusion reactors has been overcome. Scientists working at an experimental reactor in San Diego have solved the problem of plasma containment.

Before this breakthrough, plasma would leak out of it’s container and cause expensive damage to the equipment. The researchers still don’t fully understand how their solution works, so they will have to do more research before the reactors can go into production, but this is a great step forward.

Fusion reactors utilize the same nuclear reaction that occurs inside the sun to produce electricity. Fusion power is hailed as the next great solution to the energy crisis.

Violent Video Games

According to a study done by the British government violent video games do not trigger violent children. A broader look at video games actually means the kids can benefit from playing them.

“The games can improve children’s decision-making and instil ‘positive learning traits’, some research suggests. At least one study argues that make-believe violence helps children ‘conquer fears and develop a sense of identity’, as gruesome fairytales once did.”

The debate between video games = violent children and video games = smart children seems to be reaching an end with increasing reports of increased intelligence thanks to the games.

Ozone Hole Filled by 2050?

A Japanese science team has predicted that soon the hole in Eath’s ozone layer will start shrinking and possibly be filled in by the year 2050. The scientist attribute the hole shrinking to reduction in chlorofluorocarbons and other ozone-depleting gases over the last decade.

“The findings are based on a series of numerical simulations carried out by Eiji Akiyoshi of the National Institute for Environmental Studies, near Tokyo, using projected emissions of chlorofluorocarbons and other gases blamed for the ozone hole.”