Page 443 - Environment
Trump taps Indian-American to head nuclear energy division
US President Donald Trump has nominated prominent Indian-American nuclear expert Rita Baranwal to head the nuclear energy division at the Department of Energy. If approved by the Senate, Baranwal will be an assistant secretary of energy, responsible for nuclear technology research and the development and management of the department's nuclear technology infrastructure, the White House said in a statement. Baranwal currently serves as the Director of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative. Previously, she served as Director of Technology Development & Application at Westinghouse and was a manager in Materials Technology at Bechtel Bettis, where she led research and development in nuclear fuel materials for US naval reactors. Baranwal earned her BA in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT and PhD from the University of Michigan. She serves on advisory boards for MIT's Materials Research Laboratory and UC Berkeley's Nuclear Engineering ...
'One grid a reality provided technology becomes affordable':
The idea of 'One World, One Sun, One Grid' mooted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi can become "a reality" provided technology for transmission of power becomes affordable, IIT-Madras Director Bhaskar Ramamurthi Thursday said. Speaking to PTI, Ramamurthi said tracking the Sun requires one to bring power from over 1,000 km every hour. "Today to ship solar power over 1,000 km using high-voltage direct current (HVDC) electric power transmission system, there is a certain cost, which is going down every year. As HVDC becomes more affordable, this (one grid) will start becoming a reality and you can ship power," he said. HVDC stands for high voltage direct current, an established technology used to transmit electricity over long distances by overhead transmission lines or submarine cables. "Once you have it, you can ship any power, not just solar. The moment you are able to do it, people can even sell solar energy...the PM's idea is very visionary but it is not going to happen .
Two snakes rescued from central and southeast Delhi
Two snakes, including a four-feet-long Rock Python, were rescued from southeast Delhi's Tughlakabad area and central Delhi's Paharganj area, a wildlife conservation NGO said Thursday. The Wildlife SOS said the two snakes are currently kept under observation and will be soon released back into their natural habitat. The four-feet-long Rock Python was recused from a residential colony in the Tughlakabad area. The NGO said two teams were rushed to the spots to carry out rescue operations. "This area is located close to the Jahanpanah City Forest which is home to a variety of wildlife species mainly birds, reptiles and antelopes. It is essential that we remain sensitive to the presence of wild animals in the city and learn to co-exist," Kartick Satyanarayan, co-founder and CEO of the Wildlife SOS said. On Wednesday, a nearly five-feet-long black-headed royal snake, was rescued after it was found outside a house in central Delhi's Paharganj area. "As the space was not very wide, our team ..
Japan to revise northern Pacific sei whaling program
Japanese fisheries officials said Thursday they will revise one of the country's two main research whaling programs after an international organisation said selling meat from killed sei whales violates a convention protecting endangered species, in a possible setback for Japan's ambition to resume commercial whaling. The standing committee of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, or CITES, said this week that Japan's use of sei whale meat from its Northern Pacific research program for commercial purposes violates the convention. CITES bans commercial trade of endangered species, including sei whales one of the largest whales which grows to about 15 meters (50 feet) in length and weighs about 20 tons. A Fisheries Agency official said Thursday that the CITES decision is not binding, but Japan will work out a revision and submit it to CITES by Feb 1. A revision could mean a major change to Japan's research whaling in the Northern Pacific, ..
Asia Coffee: Vietnam quiet despite recovery in global prices; Indonesia premiums tighten
HANOI/BANDAR LAMPUNG (Reuters) - Global coffee prices recovered but markets were subdued in Vietnam and Indonesia due to low stocks in both the countries, traders said on Thursday.
Hong Kong research warns of sunscreen health risks
New research in Hong Kong has found that UV filters commonly used in sunscreen are polluting surrounding waters and could endanger human health, one of the city's leading universities said Thursday. An "extensive amount" of seven common UV filter chemicals was found in Hong Kong seawater as well as in fish, shrimps and mussels on aqua-farms, scientists from Hong Kong Baptist University told reporters. "The effect of these contaminants passing along the food chain to humans and the long-term impact on human fertility cannot be neglected," said Dr Kelvin Leung, who led the research. Tests performed on zebrafish, which share a similar genetic structure to humans, showed the polluted water caused abnormalities and a higher mortality rate in the fish's embryos as the chemicals entered the food chain. The university described the study as a world-first in identifying the harm caused by a combination of polluting chemicals in sunscreen. Researchers said they would conduct further tests to ...
World Animal Protection asks dairy companies to end cruelty
On World Animal Day, World Animal Protection has urged the dairy companies to work towards ending cruelty in the dairy sector.A World Animal Protection team visited many urban and peri-urban dairies in Delhi and found that the animals were being kept in appalling conditions. Most of these dairies failed to provide even basic welfare to their cows and buffaloes.As a first step, dairy companies must commit to not sourcing milk or milk products from urban and peri-urban dairies which keep animals in some of the cruelest conditions.Within urban and peri-urban dairies, animals are seen tethered round the clock and are forced to lie in their own urine and faeces, hardly room to lie comfortably and unable to turn around, move or roam. The shelter is poor and their drinking water is dirty. All this causes them immense stress plus pain associated with infections, and wounds. In absence of proper feed and nutrition, some cows and buffaloes can also be seen foraging through garbage, walking and .
Army launches afforestation drive in J-K
The Army has launched an afforestation drive in Jammu and Kashmir's Kishtwar district to increase the green cover in the region, a defence spokesman said Thursday. The Army in coordination with the Forest Department here conducted the drive at Chhatru belt of Kishtwar district, he said. Saplings, including fruit bearing plants like apple, walnuts, Deodar and Kail, were planted along the foothills of the Pir Panjal ranges and other areas which have seen a large scale deforestation, the spokesman said. The initiative was part of a drive by the Army to spread awareness about importance of conservation of nature and to persuade the local populace to bring an end to the menace of deforestation, he said.
Myanmar burns ivory, skins to fight illegal wildlife trade
Authorities in Myanmar have burned an estimated $1.3 million worth of confiscated ivory and other parts of endangered animals, days after a conservation group charged that the country's ivory exports to China are increasing. Myanmar's Natural Resources Ministry said the items destroyed Thursday in the capital, Naypyitaw, included 277 pieces of ivory, 227 bones of elephants and other animals, 1,544 different horns and 25 wildlife skins. It said the parts were destroyed to raise public awareness about the illegal wildlife trade, to try to deter such activities and to promote international cooperation in suppressing the crime. A report issued Tuesday by the Kenya-based group Save the Elephants said ivory going to China comes from both poaching within Myanmar as well as pieces originating in Africa.
HC notice to govt on demand for notifying SGNP as protected area
The Bombay High Court Thursday issued a notice to the Maharashtra government on a PIL seeking that authorities demarcate and notify the 103-km Sanjay Gandhi National Park (SGNP) stretch here as a protected area. A bench of Justices B R Gavai and M S Karnik also directed the state government to file its reply responding to the plea within two weeks. The bench said if the state failed to file its reply within the stipulated time, the court will stay all ongoing felling of trees around the national park for several development projects. The bench was hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by NGO Vanashakti and environmental activist Stalin Dayanand. As per the plea, despite an order passed by the high court in 1997 to demarcate the boundary of the national park area and protect it from rampant encroachments, the authorities were yet to take appropriate action. The petitioners said that replies to their queries under the Right to Information (RTI) Act revealed that the state had
World food prices dip in September - FAO
ROME (Reuters) - World food prices slipped in September from the month before, with only sugar posting a rise, the United Nations food agency said on Thursday.
Natural calamities major challenge for hill states: Himachal minister
A three-day seventh edition of the Sustainable Mountain Development Summit, representing nearly 12 Himalayan states, began at Shoolini University near here on Thursday to discuss issues relating to the region, mainly climate change.
EU clears Slovakia aid for Jaguar Land Rover plant
BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Thursday it had concluded that Slovakia's 125 million euros ($143.7 million) of investment aid to Jaguar Land Rover was in line with EU State aid rules.
'First known exomoon may have been discovered'
Astronomers using Hubble and Kepler space telescopes have found compelling evidence for the existence of the first known moon outside our solar system, orbiting a gas-giant planet 8,000 light-years away. According to the finding published in the journal Science Advances, the candidate exomoon -- moons orbiting planets in other star systems -- is unusual because of its large size, comparable to the diameter of Neptune. Such gargantuan moons do not exist in our own solar system, where nearly 200 natural satellites have been catalogued, said researchers from the Columbia University in the US. "This would be the first case of detecting a moon outside our solar system," said David Kipping, an assistant professor of astronomy at Columbia University. "If confirmed by follow-up Hubble observations, the finding could provide vital clues about the development of planetary systems and may cause experts to revisit theories of how moons form around planets," Kipping said. In looking for exomoons, .
Myanmar torches $1.3m of illegal wildlife parts
Elephant skins, clouded leopard remains and tiger bones were among a $1.3 million haul of illegal wildlife incinerated Thursday in Myanmar's first ever public event of its kind against the illicit trade. Trafficking and selling endangered animals is rampant across Myanmar, especially in border areas which serve as a key hub in the $20 billion a year global wildlife trade. Much of the demand is fuelled by a long-held belief in neighbouring China that rare animals have medicinal value. Elephant parts -- including chunks of skin -- are the most lucrative for poachers in Myanmar. Thursday's ceremony in the capital Naypyidaw saw 850 kilograms of seized contraband set ablaze, including elephant ivory, tiger bone and skin, antelope antlers and pangolin scales. "Rare wildlife including Myanmar's elephants, tigers, bears and pangolins are the natural heritage of our country," Nyi Nyi Kyaw, director general of the Forest Department, said in a statement. He noted an alarming increase in elephant
Tracking indoor air quality can help mitigate home pollution
Tracking the indoor air quality in real time can encourage people to change their behaviour and switch to activities that cause less pollution within their homes, a study has found. Researchers from University of Utah in the US conducted a study to determine if homeowners change the way they live if they could visualise the microscopic air pollutants in their homes. "The idea behind this study was to help people understand something about this invisible air quality in their home," said Jason Wiese, an assistant professor at University of Utah. Researchers built a series of portable air quality monitors with Wi-Fi and connected them to a server. Three sensors were placed in each of six homes from four to 11 months in 2017 and 2018. Two were placed in different, high-traffic areas of the house such as the kitchen or a bedroom and one outside on or near the porch. Each minute, each sensor automatically measured the air for PM 2.5 -- a measurement of tiny particles or droplets in the air .
Vital to encourage research on subjects related to environment: PM
Describing environment protection as a "pressing challenge", Prime Minister Narendra Modi has called for the need to spread public awareness about the issue and said it is vital to encourage research and innovation on subjects relating to the environment. Modi, in a column published Wednesday for some dailies, said people need to talk, write, debate, discuss and deliberate as much as possible on questions relating to the environment. "At the same time, it is vital to encourage research and innovation on subjects relating to the environment. This is when more people will know about the pressing challenges of our times and ways to mitigate them," he said. He said human beings and nature have a very special relationship and the first civilisations were established on the banks of rivers. "Societies that live in harmony with nature flourish and prosper. Today human society stands at an important crossroads. The path that we take hereon will not only determine our wellbeing but also that ..
'First exomoon may have been found'
Astronomers may have discovered the first known moon outside our solar system, orbiting a gas-giant planet 8,000 light-years away. According to the finding published in the journal Science Advances, the candidate exomoon -- moons orbiting planets in other star systems -- is unusual because of its large size, comparable to the diameter of Neptune. Such gargantuan moons do not exist in our own solar system, where nearly 200 natural satellites have been catalouged, said researchers from the Columbia University in the US. "This would be the first case of detecting a moon outside our solar system," said David Kipping, an assistant professor of astronomy at Columbia University. "If confirmed by follow-up Hubble observations, the finding could provide vital clues about the development of planetary systems and may cause experts to revisit theories of how moons form around planets," Kipping said. In looking for exomoons, the researchers analysed data from 284 Kepler-discovered planets that ...
Trump taps Indian-American woman to head nuclear energy division
US President Donald Trump has nominated an Indian-American woman to head the nuclear energy division at the department of energy. If approved by the Senate, Rita Baranwal will be an assistant secretary of energy, responsible for nuclear technology research and the development and management of the department's nuclear technology infrastructure, the White House said in a statement. Baranwal currently serves as the Director of the Gateway for Accelerated Innovation in Nuclear (GAIN) initiative. Previously, she served as Director of Technology Development & Application at Westinghouse and was a manager in Materials Technology at Bechtel Bettis, where she led research and development in nuclear fuel materials for US naval reactors. Baranwal earned her BA in Materials Science and Engineering from MIT and PhD from the University of Michigan. She serves on advisory boards for MIT's Materials Research Laboratory and UC Berkeley's Nuclear Engineering Department. Last week, Trump had signed
Tigers and cover-ups: Exposing scandals hidden in forests (Book Review)
Book: The Rise and Fall of the Emerald Tigers: Ten Years of Research in Panna National Park; Author: Raghu Chundawat; Pages:356; Price: Rs.899
