Sci/tech tidbits in and around New Hampshire
Urine, bees, explosions: Wild YouTube videos can fight science denial
"After three decades of trying to spread the joy of science through polysyllabic newspaper columns, I’m beginning to think that I should be flushing mercury down the toilet on YouTube, instead." That's the start of my Monitor column today (you can read it here) about...
Will environmentalists’ dismay invigorate turn-out-the-lights Earth Hour?
I have always regarded Earth Hour as a mildly clever but not important gesture. Started in Sydney in 2007, it is a global event in which all are urged to turn off their lights for an hour at a certain time (8:30pm on 25 March 2017) to create a visible statement about...
Mistrust of scientists can hinder fight against Zika, says UNH study
As a confirmed skeptic, I agree that it's a good idea to not accept blindly the statements of others but to consider them and weigh the evidence when it exists. However, that is not the same thing as saying "I never believe X, period" - which is a stupidly superficial...
Climate change is even affecting your bird feeder (via bears, that is)
New Hampshire Fish and Game - the folks who have to respond to complaints about nuisance bears - are not fans of backyard bird feeders. Fatty birdseed is like candy to black bears, so feeders lure them close to our homes, where complaints are more likely. This has...
Let’s go down to the beach and play with the nurdles (nurdles?)
If you're looking for some new environmental problem to fret about, teeny-tiny bits of plastic in the ocean is a good candidate. All the plastic stuff we throw away eventually breaks down into little particles that don't dissolve but eventually end up in the ocean,...
Science Cafe Concord: What’s with our “silver tsunami”? Bring your demographics questions
“Gray and frazzled tsunami” would describe my tonsorial situation better.
UNH research finds “pattern of mammal dwarfing” (an awesome phrase) during ancient global warming
The body change could have been an evolutionary response to create a more efficient way to reduce body heat. A smaller body size would allow the animals to cool down faster.
Clearing roads with brine is worse for cars – yes, worse – than using road salt
Kevin Landrigan at the Union-Leader spotted an interesting tidbit from AAA and turned it into an interesting story: Using brine to clean snow and ice from roads, as compared to road salt, might be better for the environment but it's worse for cars. Why? Chemistry....
Dartmouth math prof joins save-the-climate-data push
The Valley News has a Q&A with a Dartmouth math professor who has joined the push to download and preserve data related to climate science, fearing that the current administration will delete it. The college is providing server space, as is UNH and many other...
Report: New England energy bills aren’t that high, even though our rates are. (Nobody will be convinced)
This report from UNH came out last week, while I was on vacation, so here it is late. It will, I think, change few minds because of some of the folks behind it (funding by The Nature Conservancy? Cameron Wake is involved? Conspiracy and fake news!) but it's...
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