Clipmarks | Earth Clips

Google invests in geothermal power research more than the US government

Fri, 26 Sep 2008 03:01:35 GMT

clipped by: darkduskx

More than 2,000 times the entire annual energy consumption of the U.S. is available deep underground

For $1 billion over the next 40 years, the U.S. could develop 100 gigawatts (a gigawatt equals one billion watts) of electricity generation that emits no air pollution and pumps out power to the grid even more reliably than coal-fired power plants, according to scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Now Google.org—the charitable wing of the search engine giant—has chipped in nearly $11 million for this renewable resource: so-called geothermal power, or tapping the Earth's heat to make electricity.

That makes Google.org the largest funder of enhanced geothermal research in the country, outspending the U.S. government.

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"The fireball that sits within the Earth is a resource,"

"We walk on it, we sleep on it, we work on it; the question is: How do we harness it?"

said

Ólafur Ragnar Grímsson, president of Iceland, a country now largely heated and powered by the Earth's heat

Planet's loneliest bug revealed

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 18:34:41 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: news.bbc.co.uk

A bug which lives entirely on its own and survives without oxygen in complete darkness underground has been discovered in South Africa.

Desulforudis audaxviator, or bold traveller as it is known in English, relies on water, hydrogen and sulphate for its energy.

Because it gets by without oxygen, it could offer clues as to whether life exists on other planets.

The loneliest living species known to science was found inside a gold mine.

The rod-shaped bacterium was found 2.8km (1.74 miles) beneath the surface of the Earth in Mponeng's Driefontein mine near Johannesburg, living in complete isolation, total darkness and 60C (140F) heat.

The find represents the first known ecosystem with a single biological species, scientists say.

It was identified in DNA extracted from water-filled cracks in the mine.

Tags: nature, bug, oxygen

Autumn Leaves

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 13:13:50 GMT

clipped by: JohnWaterman
clipper's remarks: A mixed bag.

Clip Source: geniusbeauty.com

Clip Source: www.citate-celebre.com

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. (Albert Camus

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

Clip Source: www.citate-celebre.com

O Autumn, laden with fruit, and stained With the blood of the grape, pass not, but sit Beneath my shady roof; there thou mayest rest And tune thy jolly voice to my fresh pipe, And all the daughters of the year shall dance! Sing now the lusty song of fruits and flowers. (William Blake)

Clip Source: geniusbeauty.com

Clip Source: en.wikipedia.org

Autumn Leaves" is a much-recorded popular song. Originally a 1945 French song "Les feuilles mortes"

The film Autumn Leaves (1956) starring Joan Crawford featured the song, which was sung by Nat King Cole

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

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Clip Source: us.st12.yimg.com

Clip Source: www.worldgallery.co.uk

The Birch Wood, 1903 by Gustav Klimt

Clip Source: www.worldgallery.co.uk

Autumn Leaves by Georgia O'Keeffe

Clip Source: geniusbeauty.com

Clip Source: www.flickr.com

Clip Source: geniusbeauty.com

Clip Source: katiegrace7.blogspot.com

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

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Clip Source: www.citate-celebre.com

Delicious autumn! My very soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird I would fly about the earth seeking the successive autumns. (George Eliot)

For man, autumn is a time of harvest, of gathering together. For nature, it is a time of sowing, of scattering abroad. (Edwin Teale)

Clip Source: lh6.ggpht.com

Clip Source: www.phototripusa.com

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

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Clip Source: geniusbeauty.com

Geneticist Claims Human Evolution Is Over

Thu, 09 Oct 2008 07:22:11 GMT

clipped by: rmowery
clipper's remarks: Hey Moses and all the other Bible dudes had tons of younger woman as extended wives

On another note, perhaps it was a built in timer to allow humans to become extinct before we destroy the earth?

Clip Source: science.slashdot.org

Geneticist Claims Human Evolution Is Over

"UK geneticist Steve Jones gave a presentation entitled Human Evolution Is Over. He asserts that human beings have stopped evolving because modern social customs have lowered the age at which human males have offspring, which results in fewer of the mutations necessary to drive evolutionary change. Apparently the fate of our species now depends upon older guys hooking up with younger woman. I, for one, welcome this development."

Tags: gentics, evolution, humans, specicies, extinction

The Fantastic World of Ray Harryhausen

Tue, 07 Oct 2008 02:17:24 GMT

clipped by: arifsali

Clip Source: www.time.com

Master Filmmaker
Ray Harryhausen is an Oscar-winning producer and director who specialized in stop action animation. Some of his most famous films, including It Came from Beneath the Sea and 20 million miles to Earth are set to be released in a deluxe box set on October 7.

Clip Source: www.time.com

Tags: entertainment, movies, animation, films

Earth From Above - Stunning!

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 18:09:48 GMT

clipped by: JohnWaterman
clipper's remarks: Another Boston Globe must see.

Clip Source: www.boston.com

Earth From Above comes to NYC

Photographer Yann Arthus-Bertrand will bring his work back to the United States - to New York City for the first time in 2009. Aiming to inspire people to think globally about sustainable living, Arthus-Bertrand has been photographing unique views of our planet, seen from the sky, since 1994 - and has produced an exhibit of over 150 4-ft. by 6-ft. prints which will be on display in New York City at the World Financial Center Plaza and along the Battery Park City Esplanade from May 1, 2009 to June 28, 2009. When completed in New York City, the Earth From Above exhibit will also move on to California in 2010. Photographs and captions all courtesy of Yann Arthus-Bertrand. (38 photos total)

bales of cotton

Sand dune in the heart of vegetation

Flock of sheep

Mountainous countryside

"Tree of life"

Dun Eochla fort on Inishmore Island

Iraqi tank graveyard

The Athabasca Oil Sands

Village of Bacolor under a layer of mud

Waste from the copper mine

graves

Earth from Above

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 21:25:04 GMT

clipped by: odiedog

Clip Source: www.boston.com

Earth From Above comes to NYC

Worker resting on bales of cotton, Thonakaha, Korhogo, Ivory Coast. Cotton crops occupy approximately 335,000 square klilometers worldwide, and use nearly one quarter of all pesticides sold. [map] (© Yann Arthus-Bertrand) #

Tags: earth, photography

Our new Messiah!

Mon, 06 Oct 2008 02:40:01 GMT

clipped by: jesterbme
clipper's remarks: Just doin' the Lord's work!

Clip Source: obamamessiah.blogspot.com

But he’ll do even more. He won’t just heal our city-states and souls. He won’t just bring the Heavenly Kingdom — dreamt of in both Platonism and Christianity — to earth. He will heal the earth itself.

Many even see in Obama a messiah-like figure, a great soul, and some affectionately call him Mahatma Obama.

Like the Mahatma [Gandhi], Obama is becoming a global symbol of the 'hopes and dreams' of millions around the world.

"This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased."

Many spiritually advanced people I know (not coweringly religious, mind you, but deeply spiritual) identify Obama as a Lightworker, that rare kind of attuned being who has the ability to lead us not merely to new foreign policies or health care plans or whatnot, but who can actually help usher in a new way of being on the planet, of relating and connecting and engaging with this bizarre earthly experiment. These kinds of people actually help us evolve.

EARTH 2008-- A WORLD OF SLAVES (Part 1 of 6)

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 18:26:42 GMT

clipped by: paleblue
clipper's remarks: History repeats except this is the final chapter of a plan of the New World Order..

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

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EARTH 2008-- A WORLD OF SLAVES (Part 1 of 6)

I'll Be Just Fine, Says Planet

Fri, 03 Oct 2008 10:34:44 GMT

clipped by: thisnamecantbetaken

Clip Source: www.thedailymash.co.uk

I'LL BE JUST FINE, SAYS PLANET

THE planet Earth has dismissed claims it is in danger from global warming, stressing the worst that could happen is the extinction of the human race.

The Earth spoke out after a series of books, television programmes and environmental campaigns urged people to do everything in their power to 'Save the Planet'.

Earth, 4,000,000,000, said last night: "I'll be absolutely fine, seriously.

The planet, based 93 million miles from the Sun, said it was 'sick and tired' of being drawn into arguments about human behaviour.

Look, I'm just a planet doing its thing, alright? If you want to live on me, that's your business

Earth added: "Okay, so there may come a time when

I am no longer able to support pandas, polar bears, and humans, but you know what?

Let me assure you,

Life goes on.

The planet said environmental campaigners should change their slogan from 'Save the Planet' to something more relevant such as 'Save Your Sorry Arse'.

Almanac Predicts Global Cooling

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 13:03:19 GMT

clipped by: jerry23w
clipper's remarks: climate change Yes - global warming No.....

Clip Source: uk.news.yahoo.com

CHICAGO (Reuters) - The world is set for a "big chill," possibly a mini-ice age, according to the venerable and whimsical Old Farmer's Almanac, first published in 1792 and the United States' oldest continuously published periodical.

The 2009 edition, published earlier this month, predicts that the earth already has entered a sustained period of global cooling.

"The next 20 years, it's going to be colder," said Sarah Perreault, assistant editor of the Old Farmer's Almanac. "We do recognize that (global cooling) could be offset by greenhouse gasses and other human effects on the earth, but we're trending toward the cool period now."

The almanac is predicting a period of global cooling partly due to the lack of sunspots, a situation which some scientists believe causes cooling on the sun and, subsequently, the earth.

"Obviously we have more technology now," she said. "We have the benefit of having more information than he had, but it's basically the same."

Tags: climate change, global cooling

Palin believes dinosaurs and men once coexisted

Wed, 01 Oct 2008 04:56:27 GMT

clipped by: rmowery

Clip Source: www.boingboing.net

Palin believes dinosaurs and men once coexisted

Palin told him that "dinosaurs and humans walked the Earth at the same time," Munger said. When he asked her about prehistoric fossils and tracks dating back millions of years, Palin said "she had seen pictures of human footprints inside the tracks," recalled Munger, who teaches music at the University of Alaska in Anchorage and has regularly criticized Palin in recent years on his liberal political blog, called Progressive Alaska.

Tags: palin, republicans, vp nominee, dinsaurs, religon

Snow found on Mars!

Tue, 30 Sep 2008 21:45:46 GMT

clipped by: BitDrifter

Clip Source: www.breitbart.com

NASA's Phoenix Mars Lander has found snow falling from clouds on Mars, scientists said Tuesday.

A laser instrument collecting data on how the atmosphere and surface interact on Mars detected snow from clouds about four kilometers (2.5 miles) above the spacecraft's landing site. The date found the snow vaporized before reaching the ground.

"Nothing like this view has ever been seen on Mars," said Jim Whiteway, of York University, Toronto, lead scientist for the Canadian-supplied Meteorological Station on Phoenix. "We'll be looking for signs that the snow may even reach the ground."

Spacecraft soil experiments also have provided dramatic evidence of past interaction between minerals and liquid water, processes that occur on Earth. Phoenix touched down in the Martian arctic on May 25.

Phoenix data also suggested the presence of calcium carbonate, the main composition of chalk, and particles that could be clay. Most carbonates and clays on Earth form only with water on hand.

100 Best Novels- By Readers

Sun, 15 Jun 2008 22:55:11 GMT

clipped by: nhorn

Clip Source: www.randomhouse.com

ATLAS SHRUGGED by Ayn Rand

THE FOUNTAINHEAD by Ayn Rand

BATTLEFIELD EARTH by L. Ron Hubbard

THE LORD OF THE RINGS by J.R.R. Tolkien

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD by Harper Lee

1984 by George Orwell

ANTHEM by Ayn Rand

WE THE LIVING by Ayn Rand

MISSION EARTH by L. Ron Hubbard

FEAR by L. Ron Hubbard

ULYSSES by James Joyce

CATCH-22 by Joseph Heller

THE GREAT GATSBY by F. Scott Fitzgerald

DUNE by Frank Herbert

THE MOON IS A HARSH MISTRESS by Robert Heinlein

STRANGER IN A STRANGE LAND by Robert Heinlein

A TOWN LIKE ALICE by Nevil Shute

BRAVE NEW WORLD by Aldous Huxley

THE CATCHER IN THE RYE by J.D. Salinger

ANIMAL FARM by George Orwell

GRAVITY'S RAINBOW by Thomas Pynchon

THE GRAPES OF WRATH by John Steinbeck

SLAUGHTERHOUSE FIVE by Kurt Vonnegut

GONE WITH THE WIND by Margaret Mitchell

LORD OF THE FLIES by William Golding

SHANE by Jack Schaefer

TRUSTEE FROM THE TOOLROOM by Nevil Shute

A PRAYER FOR OWEN MEANY by John Irving

THE STAND by Stephen King

THE FRENCH LIEUTENANT'S WOMAN by John Fowles

BELOVED by Toni Morrison

Tags: books

Earth's Magnetic Field Reversal is Approaching

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 21:03:32 GMT

clipped by: Silkweaver
clipper's remarks: Here is another reason why humanity seems to lose direction....

"Right now, historic records show that the strength of the magnetic field is declining very rapidly. From a quick back-of-the-envelope prediction, in 1,500 years the field will be as weak as it's ever been and we could go into a state of polarity reversal," says Singer. "One broad goal of our research is to provide some predictive capability for what could happen and what could be the signs of the next reversal."

Clip Source: www.sciencedaily.com

Earth's north magnetic pole is shifting and weakening. Ancient lava flows are guiding a better understanding of what generates and controls the Earth's magnetic field – and what may drive it to occasionally reverse direction.

The main magnetic field, generated by turbulent currents within the deep mass of molten iron of the Earth's outer core, periodically flips its direction, such that a compass needle would point south rather than north.

Such polarity reversals have occurred hundreds of times at irregular intervals throughout the planet's history – most recently about 780,000 years ago – but scientists are still trying to understand how and why.

Current evidence suggests we are now approaching one of these transitional states because the main magnetic field is relatively weak and rapidly decreasing, he says. While the last polarity reversal occurred several hundred thousand years ago, the next might come within only a few thousand years.

Tags: geophysics, earth magnetic field