The United States Senate has rejected a motion that would have allowed for drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) which is located in Alaska.
Not drilling for oil in ANWR has made the Sierra Club and the World Wildlife Fund happy.
No Need for Headphones on Planes
Imagine having speakers the size of a plane!
A safer way to fly has been found and it involves turning the wings of an aircraft into giant speakers, truly a sound idea. The vibrations caused by the speakers allows air to basically cling to the wing’s surface meaning a more efficient and safe flight.
I hope that the pilots get to pick what plays through the wings, I would like to hear Jefferson Airplane or perhaps Kraftwerk.
UN Gets New Bigger & Better Body
The UN has created a new peace-building commission to help countries not renew the violence from previous conflicts. A lot of conflicts around the world tend to re-ignite after the peace-keeping mission departs, the new commission aims to ensure that this doesn’t happen.
Now, the UN would not only train security forces, but also ensure that the infrastructure is in place so the security force can be effective. It would also look into other ways to ensure that violence will not start through, what can be considered, traditional ways. A proactive approach rather than a continually reactive one.
UN says World Response to Tsunami was the Best
The United Nations has announced that the global response to the tsunami about a year ago was the best disaster response yet. Governments followed through, for the most part, with the money pledged and the amount of money donated by private donors was the largest ever seen.
”The world’s response to the tsunami was the best ever,” U N emergency coordinator Jan Egeland said. ”Governments, the private sector, and individuals around the world opened their hearts and their wallets. Private donations for the tsunami eclipsed anything seen before,” he told Reuters.
Rats Protected From Heart Failure With Nanofibres
Scientists at the Harvard Medical School have managed to protect test rats from heart failure by injecting ‘ self-assembling peptide nanofibers loaded with pro-survival factors’. Research has not yet begun on humans.
The article contains great images from inside the rats’ bodies, as well as a link to the Nanotechnology Art Gallery. Enjoy!