Put it in a river in the UK!

Apparently endangered eels are becoming hyperactive due to the presence of cocaine in the rivers. It seems that cocaine is being flushed into rivers regularly enough for the traces in the water to cause severe harm to those creatures residing in the waters. Plenty of health problems are being foretold for fish according to a study by the University of Naples Federico II.

The researchers at the University put eels into water containing small doses of cocaine similar to the content of the rivers and observed them. Over the course of fifty days the fish had become much more active compared to the control group of eels in normal water. The drug was accumulated in the brain, muscles, gills and skin of the eels.

The European eels were trashing about in a manner that was not safe for them in the science project. Their primary survival urges seemed to be completely short circuited by the cocaine in their tissue. Not a good place to be if you are an endangered species to start with. Now may be a good time for people to become a bit more aware of just how easily water bodies in their vicinity can be polluted.

There’s been a constant debate about GM or genetically modified crops in the media. What’s not that well known is the fact that even animals have been genetically modified. Cows that yield more milk. Hens that lay larger eggs. Sheep that grow thicker fleece. Horses that have better immunity. It’s all been going on for years.

Now we have researchers in Scotland who have genetically edited pigs and made them immune to the swine virus that caused such panic in the world last couple of years. The scientists are working out of the same institute that created “Dolly, the sheep” who was the first cloned sheep in the world.

Current testing of the genetically altered pigs shows that they are not susceptible to the “blue ear” disease. First reported in 1987, the blue ear disease has cost the industry nearly one hundred and twenty million euros per year in losses due to infected pigs. The new breed will not get the illness and will be much sought after by pork and meat producers.

The bottom line may make it the better alternative to regular pig breeding. The possibility of genetically modified meat entering your plate has become much higher now that this science project has been a success.

By the end of this century we will have less water and much hotter air on our planet. The effects of Global Warming are going to be seen not just in the environment but also in the food that you eat. With dwindling resources, the number of vegetables being grown are going to undergo a drastic reduction.

As carbon dioxide rises and water for irrigation reduces, traditional farming methods will not be successful. In fact the impact on the environment will also change the yields of vegetables and legumes in areas of Southern Europe, Africa and Asia. The food security of these regions will be threatened and the health of the population may be compromised.

It may seem like a scene right out of a science fiction novel, but if we are unable to find a solution soon, we will be struggling to get familiar vegetables on our plate. While you may not enjoy the broccoli that mother makes you eat, there is no denying the fact that it is very good for you, health wise. Maybe we need a science project to see just what crops are actually going to survive the dire environment of the future to help us plan better.

Electric cars have become more popular with environmentalists and the general population with each passing generation. The sustainable green cars are now being produced in larger numbers than ever before and by a variety of automobile companies. Some of them even come up with rather unique tie ups that can be fun for the people.

This is what a company called Fortum, a taxi service in Finland is hoping to do. Create more awareness and have fun, as passengers in the taxi service are allowed to pay for their cab ride with karaoke singing. Scheduled for the three days of the Ruisrock Festival, passengers traveling in Fortum cabs will have the option to carpool and karaoke to their destination.

Fortum is sponsoring a series of BMW electric cars and transforming them into a fleet of clean energy, emission free taxis. The Singalong Shuttles hope to shine the light on smart solutions for the future. They hope that the passengers realize just how much fun it can be to sing with no engine noise in the background, considering how silent electric car motors are.

Now this is one science experiment I endorse wholeheartedly. Wouldn’t you love to sing for your taxi ride as well?

There has been a rat race of late in the human population to earn more money and buy the most expensive brands for all their needs. It was not just “keeping up with the Joneses”, it was showing off just how much more superior they were. Obnoxious behavior? You might think so, but at the University of Pennsylvania researchers conducting a science project say it’s more to do with hormones.

Testosterone, in particular, seems to alter the consumer behavior while purchasing things. This is why men, who have more testosterone than women, are usually the ones to buy more luxury brands. It’s a way to signal their financial well being and higher status in the pecking order to women. Specially those women they are trying to impress.

The male sex hormone makes them want to buy expensive and exclusive stuff so that they can prove to the females that they are interested in, that they can take care of them and their needs. Yes it is rather like a cave man who was able to provide the largest chunk of meat. Seems like the males of the species still find it easier to filter out competition by being the best at something. In this case being the big bucks spender.

Environmentalists have long been explaining the deadly impact that air pollution can have on the human population, but no one seemed to take them seriously enough. Now with a child’s death in the United Kingdom being linked to high and illegal levels of air pollution, things may finally change.

The young girl in question was Ella Kissi-Debrah. The nine year old died in 2013 after three years of seizures and almost thirty visits to the hospital which were triggered by asthma attacks. Ella lives in the South Circular Road area about 25m from London. An area known for it’s toxic and high levels of pollution.

Professor Stephen Holgate has found a striking association with the times Ella was admitted to the hospital after an attack and the recorded spikes in the nitrogen dioxide and PM10s near her home. Professor Holgate is with the University Hospital of  Southhapmton and his report provides evidence that illegal levels of air pollution can literally kill children.

Ella’s case has provided hard hitting facts to  link thousands of deaths in the United Kingdom with air pollution. As the professor said, no one wants to see young children die. So perhaps now may be a good time to ensure that air pollution becomes a priority with scientific research worldwide.