In The News

SA Innovation Bears Fruit in the US

July 27, 2011
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved use of ultraviolet light technology for purifying fruit juice, an alternative to pasteurization for eliminating harmful pathogens, reports the Mail & Guardian. SurePure, a South African company that developed the technology says it offers” greater microbiological efficacy than conventional UV systems and is effective for both clear and turbid...

The Decline of Agriculture?

Dahr Jamail July 18, 2011
Farmers who depend on reliable seasonal patterns are troubled by climate change, whether gradual or volatile disruption. Farmers and climate researchers increasingly question agriculture’s ability to feed fast-growing populations. Early sprouting, dry spells, torrential rains, virulent pests and need for replanting are no longer rare occurrences. The weather extremes of 2011 are unprecedented,...

Keepin' It Cool: How the Air Conditioner Made Modern America

Rebecca J. Rosen July 18, 2011
The world’s wealthiest can easily ignore rising temperatures by turning up their air conditioners. “But the effects of air conditioners reach far beyond atmospherics to the ways we build our houses, where in the country we live, and how we spend our time,” explains Rebecca J. Rosen of the Atlantic. “Air conditioners are the enablers of modern American life.” The 1902 invention transformed...

How Seawater Can Power the World

Stewart C. Prager July 14, 2011
Securing future energy sources will follow the path of past examples – through the long, hard work of scientific discovery that is so often a gamble. “[A]bundant, safe and clean energy source once thought to be the stuff of science fiction is closer than many realize: nuclear fusion,” writes Stewart C. Prager, Princeton physicist, in an opinion essay for the New York Times. But billions of...

Water Challenges Asia’s Rising Powers – Part I

Keith Schneider July 12, 2011
Scarcity of water increasingly challenges economic growth of India and China. Water’s role in economic development is taken for granted, yet for running the growth engine it’s as precious a commodity as fossil fuels. This YaleGlobal series examines strategies for negotiating demands among competing industries. Conflicts over water could disrupt China’s steady economic progress, argues journalist...

Eastern Japan Edgy as Power Demand Soars

July 4, 2011
Japan has a tradition of conservation – and awareness about power usage – that serves the nation well through the current nuclear disaster. Households are accustomed to monitoring temperatures, generating capacity, power loads and comparing power supply and demand with a competitive spirit. A range of policy adjustments and public alerts are preventing severe power shortages. “Now that energy...

Google: Delaying Clean Energy Transition “Only 5 Years Could Leave Trillions on the Table”

Stephen Lacey June 30, 2011
The global economy runs on energy, and most companies depend on limited fossil fuels, which are inevitably in decline. Delaying transition to renewable sources, even by five years, could cost the global economy trillions of dollars, suggests a Google.org study. The search-engine company analyzed economic impact by modeling scenarios and renewable energy’s influence on GDP growth and the...