Thursday, August 5th, 2010
NEW ELECTRONICS – Based on Withers & Rogers LLP’s analysis of the incidence of international patent filings relating to global navigation satellite systems (gnss), the number of applications rose from 462 in 2004 to 961 in 2009 – a rise of 108%. The patent specialist believes this is probably partly due to companies filing multiple
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
ASDI – At the end of June 2010, there were 21 repositories within the ASDD with a total of 27,800 dataset descriptions available for searching. However, the Australian Antarctic Data Centre and WALIS ASDD nodes were down at that time. Statistics are provided for the ASDD covering: Read More
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
BBC – An international team of researchers has developed a model that suggests degradation of tropical forests occurs in a series of “waves”. High-value trees were felled in the first “wave”, followed by a wave that removed mid-value timber before the remaining wood was felled for charcoal. The team hopes the model will help manage
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
SAUDI GAZETTE – Saudi Arabia will account for 16.04 percent of Middle East and Africa (MEA) regional power generation by 2014, with a growing theoretical supply surplus if there is sufficient additional investment in capacity, Business Monitor International (BMI) said in its latest “Saudi Arabia Power Report” released o Tuesday.BMI’s MEA power generation estimate for
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
There is growing consensus that rapid urbanisation is now inevitable and irreversible. More than half the world’s population lives in cities and the number is likely to increase, possibly touching a projected 69.6 per cent by 2050. The world, it seems, has taken a definitive urban turn. This phenomenon, unlike decades before, is today viewed
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
DUTCH NEWS – Amsterdam’s 17th century canal rings have been placed on the Unesco world heritage list, the UN organisation announced on Sunday. The area has had official protected status from the Dutch government since 1999. Read More
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
TELEGRAPH UK – Why the UK’s leader in the embryonic ‘rainwater harvesting’ market might need legislative change and a new sales strategy to maintain growth in austere times. Read More
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
SAT NEWS – Acoustic tests on a new generation of Glonass-K navigation satellite have been completed at a plant in southern Russia. “These types of experimental tests were carried out to confirm the resilience of the Glonass-K satellite to the acoustic pressure which will be applied on it when it is orbited,” a statement by the
Thursday, August 5th, 2010
WETLANDS INT – The disastrous forest fires that are currently raging in Russia have led to significant fires in the drained and degraded peatlands. These occur close to Moscow and densely populated areas in Central European Russia. They are causing huge air pollution problems as well as direct risks for the people in the region.
Tuesday, August 3rd, 2010
THE ATLANTIC – John Gerth, of the computer science department at Stanford, sent a link to a powerful illustration, by Latoya Egwuekwe, of the spreading effects of unemployment across the country during this recession. The animated version is here, and a sample frame, showing conditions back in the palmy days: Read More
