Bikini goes high-tech
As the bikini turns 60, it’s entering the
electronic age with a new model featuring a built-in alarm to warn wearers to get out of the sun - and ease concerns that the scanty swimsuits damage the health.
The American Cancer Society advises that the best way to lower the risk of skin cancer, the most common form of the disease in humans, is to avoid too much exposure to the sun and other sources of ultraviolet light.
So Canadian company Solestrom has come up with a new bikini that goes on sale next month with a UV meter built into its belt and an alarm that beeps to tell wearers when to head to the shade.
The meter on the $US190 bikini displays a level of UV intensity on a scale from 0 to 20. A person’s sensitivity to UV depends mainly on skin type, but generally three to five would be considered moderate strength, 8-10 very high and anything above 11 extreme.
Despite increasing awareness of the sun’s dangers, sales remain strong for the bikini, which celebrated its 60th anniversary this month. So, the need of a over exposure warning is all but welcomed.
High tech … lavatories
The lavatory is a very important part of our lives, as we use it several times a day. So it should come as no surprise that a great deal of attention is given to technologies that make lavatories and toilets clean and comfortable. Recent years have seen the appearance of antibacterial toilet seats and toilets that consume very little water.
Microorganisms that decompose human waste are naturally found in the waste itself, and these toilets use sawdust to promote the decomposition process. The resulting compost can then be used as organic fertilizer.
Toilets could become even more high-tech in the years to come, as various companies have been coming up with innovative ideas for future toilets.
As we have seen, the technologies used in toilets not only make our lives more comfortable and convenient but are also coming to play an important part in conserving the environment and maintaining our health.
Phillips woodstove saves lives
Philips Research has announced the end of successful trials of a woodstove for cooking in communities currently relying on less efficient means. The stove cuts the smoke and toxic emissions which are claimed to cause 1.6 million deaths a year.
When properly used the woodstove typically reduces fuel consumption up to 80% compared with traditional, three stone fires.
Efficient burning and high combustion temperatures also reduce the amount of indoor air pollution. The Philips woodstove reduces pollution due to smoke up to 90%, and organic volatile emissions up to 99% of the level of traditional cooking fires.
The secret to many benefits of this stove is an electronically controlled fan forcing air through the stove, leading to higher temperatures and a better fuel to air ratio. This results in cleaner burning and more efficient use of fuel. A thermoelectric generator using the heat from the burning wood generates electricity for the fan.
High Tech Saves Lives
Wars have plagued many countries for many years. Most of them have ended, but they have left behind their mark. The deadliest war leftovers are by far landmines.
Their main victims are small children, because, as scientists explain, they are lower to the ground than adults so their vital organs are closer to the explosive force of a landmine.
Lately, High Tech devices and software have begun to help reduce the number of victims made by the mines.
To point out the usefulness of these high-tech devices we can take the example of Croatia. Here, between 1990 and 1999 there were 130 land mine casualties annually. After high tech software was installed in 2000 the number has dropped to around 30.
But how exactly does high tech software save lives ? Well, it takes the information it uses from a variety of sources including military, paramilitary and ordinary people. Next, the information is compiled and sent to de-miners, which are able to find and defuse the mines quick.
Of course, there are still a lot of mines left out there, but high tech software and devices are beginning to save more and more lives.
Live longer with science
Yes, science can help you have a longer life. Forget the Science fiction stuff you see on television or that you read about in books, because the solution has always been amongst us. You might think that I’ve gone mad but I haven’t . What is this big discovery you ask?
Well, is is all about Antioxidants, natural substances that fight harmful molecules that are created by varoious factors, such as smoking, sunlight and others . Some antioxidants are found in the body whilst others we can get from food.
So, a balanced diet which must contain fruit and vegetables, is a must if you want to ding 100 years of age. But this alone is not enough. This diet must be coupled with exercises, which stimulate our body to create its own antioxidants. Getting rested and avoiding stress as much as possible is another point scientist have made.
So, eating right, getting proper sleep and learning how to relax is the only way to go if you want to live a long and prosperous life. At least that’s what I’ve heard from these people.
Will we drown in 2100?
Recent studies have shown that in the year 2100 the world’s oceans may rise up to 140 cms due to global warming. A study, based on air temperatures and past sea level changes rather than computer models, suggested seas could rise by 50-140 cms by 2100, well above the 9-88 cms projected by the scientific panel that advises the United Nations.
Almost all climate scientists reckon the world is warming because of emissions of greenhouse gases from human use of fossil fuels in factories, power plants and cars. Rising temperatures could bring more droughts, floods and heatwaves.
To better understand this, let us say that a rise of one metre might swamp low-lying Pacific islands such as Tuvalu, flood large areas of Bangladesh or Florida and threaten cities from New York to Buenos Aires. Coastal cities in the North Atlantic — from New York to London — could be especially vulnerable because a possible slowdown of ocean currents could also raise sea levels in the North Atlantic and lower them in the southern hemisphere.
So, will we drown or not. Well, for now, no one seems to know, although these people have some pointers.
