The fog is killing the trees. Free Technical Library News

NEWS OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY, NOVELTY IN ELECTRONICS
Free technical library / timeline

The fog is killing the trees

20.05.2002

As geographers from the University of Bern (Switzerland) have established, not only acid rains, but also fog are dangerous for trees. Experiments conducted in pine forests in the east of Bavaria (Germany) showed that the smallest droplets of fog absorb any pollution from the air 25 times more efficiently than relatively large raindrops can do.

The researchers had guessed this before, but could not measure how much water with pollutants dissolved in it brings fog. The amount of water that has fallen with the rain is easy to measure with a rain gauge, which is just a bucket of standard sizes.

To measure the amount of water carried by a fog cloud, scientists used sophisticated equipment that recorded the size of the fog droplets, the number of droplets of each size class, and the speed of the air currents carrying the fog. As a result, it turned out that the fog brought as many pollutants to the forest during the five-month measurement period as rain. Basically, these pollutants are acid-forming oxides of sulfur and nitrogen.

In addition, the acidity of the fog was measured. It was 10 times more acidic than the most acidic rain. Enveloping crowns, acid fog can burn foliage.

Perhaps that is why in the mountain forests of Switzerland, where fogs are especially frequent, every fifth tree has a very thinned crown.

<< Back: GM Precept concept car 22.05.2002

>> Forward: Gas and oil from old tires 19.05.2002

Latest news of science and technology, new electronics:

The existence of an entropy rule for quantum entanglement has been proven 09.05.2024

Quantum mechanics continues to amaze us with its mysterious phenomena and unexpected discoveries. Recently, Bartosz Regula from the RIKEN Center for Quantum Computing and Ludovico Lamy from the University of Amsterdam presented a new discovery that concerns quantum entanglement and its relation to entropy. Quantum entanglement plays an important role in modern quantum information science and technology. However, the complexity of its structure makes understanding and managing it challenging. Regulus and Lamy's discovery shows that quantum entanglement follows an entropy rule similar to that for classical systems. This discovery opens new perspectives in the field of quantum information science and technology, deepening our understanding of quantum entanglement and its connection to thermodynamics. The results of the study indicate the possibility of reversibility of entanglement transformations, which could greatly simplify their use in various quantum technologies. Opening a new rule ... >>

Mini air conditioner Sony Reon Pocket 5 09.05.2024

Summer is a time for relaxation and travel, but often the heat can turn this time into an unbearable torment. Meet a new product from Sony - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-air conditioner, which promises to make summer more comfortable for its users. Sony has introduced a unique device - the Reon Pocket 5 mini-conditioner, which provides body cooling on hot days. With it, users can enjoy coolness anytime, anywhere by simply wearing it around their neck. This mini air conditioner is equipped with automatic adjustment of operating modes, as well as temperature and humidity sensors. Thanks to innovative technologies, Reon Pocket 5 adjusts its operation depending on the user's activity and environmental conditions. Users can easily adjust the temperature using a dedicated mobile app connected via Bluetooth. Additionally, specially designed T-shirts and shorts are available for convenience, to which a mini air conditioner can be attached. The device can oh ... >>

Energy from space for Starship 08.05.2024

Producing solar energy in space is becoming more feasible with the advent of new technologies and the development of space programs. The head of the startup Virtus Solis shared his vision of using SpaceX's Starship to create orbital power plants capable of powering the Earth. Startup Virtus Solis has unveiled an ambitious project to create orbital power plants using SpaceX's Starship. This idea could significantly change the field of solar energy production, making it more accessible and cheaper. The core of the startup's plan is to reduce the cost of launching satellites into space using Starship. This technological breakthrough is expected to make solar energy production in space more competitive with traditional energy sources. Virtual Solis plans to build large photovoltaic panels in orbit, using Starship to deliver the necessary equipment. However, one of the key challenges ... >>

New method for creating powerful batteries 08.05.2024

With the development of technology and the expanding use of electronics, the issue of creating efficient and safe energy sources is becoming increasingly urgent. Researchers at the University of Queensland have unveiled a new approach to creating high-power zinc-based batteries that could change the landscape of the energy industry. One of the main problems with traditional water-based rechargeable batteries was their low voltage, which limited their use in modern devices. But thanks to a new method developed by scientists, this drawback has been successfully overcome. As part of their research, scientists turned to a special organic compound - catechol. It turned out to be an important component that can improve battery stability and increase its efficiency. This approach has led to a significant increase in the voltage of zinc-ion batteries, making them more competitive. According to scientists, such batteries have several advantages. They have b ... >>

Alcohol content of warm beer 07.05.2024

Beer, as one of the most common alcoholic drinks, has its own unique taste, which can change depending on the temperature of consumption. A new study by an international team of scientists has found that beer temperature has a significant impact on the perception of alcoholic taste. The study, led by materials scientist Lei Jiang, found that at different temperatures, ethanol and water molecules form different types of clusters, which affects the perception of alcoholic taste. At low temperatures, more pyramid-like clusters form, which reduces the pungency of the "ethanol" taste and makes the drink taste less alcoholic. On the contrary, as the temperature increases, the clusters become more chain-like, resulting in a more pronounced alcoholic taste. This explains why the taste of some alcoholic drinks, such as baijiu, can change depending on temperature. The data obtained opens up new prospects for beverage manufacturers, ... >>

Random news from the Archive

Smart bracelet shock therapy 03.10.2014

A team of enthusiastic developers from Boston decided that the use of mild shock therapy could have a positive effect on giving up addictions. And the best thing for this is electronics worn on the wrist in the form of a stylish bracelet. It was decided to start raising funds for the serial production of a device called Pavlok on the Indiegogo crowdfunding site. The ultimate goal for the implementation of the idea was $50, but over $62,5 were transferred in just three days. At the same time, the campaign to finance the project, which started on September 30, will last until October 30 inclusive.

The Pavlok "smart" bracelet itself is a wearable gadget that is not only ready to wake you up in the morning or remind you of the inadmissibility of the action performed by a characteristic sound signal, but will also allow your body to feel a short discharge from 17 to 340 Volts. The developers immediately warn that such electric shocks will not cause any harm to health, but with the value set to "maximum", they will turn out to be very unpleasant and tangible. Although the most appropriate word here would be "motivated." At least, this is exactly what the creator of the "smart" bracelet relied on in an attempt to find an effective method of educating fortitude in conjunction with the original form of punishment for minor misconduct.

Pavlok can be a great way for smokers to kick their bad habit once and for all. To do this, you will need to program the gadget to recognize a certain movement of the hand in space - like a characteristic gesture when you bring a cigarette to your mouth, and force you to give up this kind of activity with the help of unpleasant "reminiscent impulses" coming from the bracelet. Such a solution is carried out due to the various sensors built into Pavlok, including the accelerometer, and also not without the help of a mobile application. In addition, the model is equipped with Bluetooth and GPS modules, a small vibration motor and a tiny LED indicator.

The bracelet was created by Stanford University graduate Maneesh Sethi, who plans to make the Pavlok platform open, which should encourage (this time without unpleasant electric shocks) third-party programmers to develop new applications. As a possible mode of operation of wearable electronics, a deeper interaction with a smartphone is considered. This will allow you to, say, shock you every time you decide to dial a number or send a text message to your "ex" or boss, forcing you to think twice before doing so.

The current functionality of Pavlok will allow you to protect you from going to haunts or fast food restaurants. To do this, you will have to use GPS navigation, which can track your current location and, when you approach the cafe, remind you in an original way about the promise to stick to a healthy diet. Or just pinch you with a notification on your smartphone to visit the gym when you are in the area of its location.

Pavlok is synchronized via Bluetooth 4.0 LE with your mobile device, after which you can select the mode of operation you are interested in and enter the necessary settings in a special application. If you are against unpleasant sensations, then harmless discharges can be replaced, as noted above, with a sound signal from the speaker built into the bracelet. The list of painless wearable gadget warnings includes a vibration alert, as well as a command for an automatically generated entry (it can also be a message of a shameful nature for better motivation) on your Facebook page.

The first Pavlok prototypes were already shown this year, and their cost was $250 at that time. Now, when the startup has relocated to the Indiegogo resource, the price for the device for project participants will be $149. Sending the bracelet to customers who pre-ordered the gadget is scheduled for May 2015.

See full Archive of science and technology news, new electronics

All languages of this page

Home page | Library | Articles | Website map | Site Reviews