Sunday, August 31, 2008 Double-tasking helps boost memory! POST A COMMENT I'm big on single-tasking -- (which is the opposite of multi-tasking). 'Just harder to really excel at something if you're constantly switching up or being distracted by other things. I'm also big on 'Learning-by-doing: which gives me a chance to reflect on similar past experiences, while creating a new hands-on experience to maximize understanding and get better...'sounds right? 'Turns out, if ya want to boost your memory capacity -- I'm half right. Welcome Double-tasking: whereby memorizing (or associating) two things -- will boost memory, suggests a new study. So simplifying things to just two things (and bringing them together) helps in that brain plasticity -- (known as the ability of the brain to strengthen memory attention among other things). There's an 'area of the brain called the perirhinal cortex that also contributes to forming simple memories, says Science Daily -- (it was previously thought that only the area called the hippo campus was in charge of actually storing all memories). In layman's term, if you can connect and remember two easy parts, this will boosts your brains ability to better remember similar (and more complex) things. 'Speaking of plasticity here's a great video on Brain Aerobics: Source: Science Daily Labels: Brain Aerobics, brain-power, memory, plasticity, science 101, Tips posted by Henry Cruz at 4:27 PM Saturday, August 30, 2008 Sci-Fi's Fringe Benefits? POST A COMMENT Abrams (Lost-dude) has got my nerd-tention with Fox's Fringe; billed as a paranoid, procedural drama (filmed here in Queens NYC), looks like a cross between the twilight zone and The X-Files. In an interview creator J.J. Abrams talks about the rise in science on the tube: "Popular culture is a mirror, and we are living in a time where every day some kind of shocking or amazing announcement is made. To read today, for instance, that researchers have found a way to destroy HIV or help 80 percent of Alzheimer’s patients, it’s amazing. These types of things are becoming more commonplace. There’s more science in our lives, so there’s more science on TV." “Fringe” launches on Sept. 9 on Fox, and I'll be checking this one out. Source: Popular Science Labels: Fox Shows, Fringe, J.J. Abrams, science 101, Science Fiction, TV Shows posted by Henry Cruz at 2:30 PM Sunday, August 03, 2008 Energy-101: Here Comes the Sun! POST A COMMENT Storing solar-energy inside batteries right now is way too costly to be used in everyday usage. But, a new breakthrough is about to change all that... Basically, scientists have now figured out a Cheaper way of storing electricity from the sun-rays...'and as one expert offered, this means "you've answered everything." "The breakthrough uses a relatively simple way to use electricity to produce oxygen and hydrogen from water...When the two gases later are recombined in a fuel cell they cause a chemical reaction that spins off electrons that are forced through a circuit, reproducing the electricity." "The discovery shatters the biggest barrier to widespread use of solar power, namely that it's unavailable after dark, said Daniel Nocera, an MIT energy professor. Similar to the way plants store energy from the sun -- "The process uses nontoxic natural materials to convert sunlight into gases..." Researchers also say this could make solar power "in homes a mainstream energy option and might even make power companies obsolete, at least for residential needs." "This is the nirvana of what we've been talking about for years," Nocera told the MIT News Service. "Solar power has always been a limited, far-off solution. Now we can seriously think about solar power as unlimited and soon." "This is a major discovery with enormous implications for the future," offered another MIT expert. ''It opens up the door for developing new technologies for energy production." Ultimately, this breakthrough would aid us in getting off of our dependence of Foreign Oil. So...I'm sure we'll all be watching this story carefully. Here's a great primer video --(with MIT's Nocera) -- offering a break down of how this actually works: Source: ABC News Labels: Business-101, economy, Education, emissions, Energy-101, environment, fuel economy, hybrid, ideas, MIT Research, News Trends, Oil Prices, science 101, smaller carbon footprint, Solar Power, Trends posted by Henry Cruz at 4:30 PM Friday, August 01, 2008 Go-Green: Smelling Cash in Trash! POST A COMMENT Talking 'waste management might get that stereotype-image of a Tony Sopranos-mob-type -- (wink, wink) -- offering some under the table payoffs. 'But, high finance is now holding its nose to smell-up investing opportunities in taking-on-the-trash. Today's smart economy and job growth go hand-in-hand with promoting smarter environmental sustainability...So, welcome-in the saying, “One man's trash is another man's treasure” -- and welcome-in the trash boom: "recyclers can make vast profits from combing through ordinary rubbish, processing it, and then reselling it to other companies. And that leads to another, bigger thought: Trash is no longer just an environmental liability. It is becoming a financial asset," says Business Week. Landfills are no longer just a landfill...It’s a source of renewable energy: Trash creates bacteria when decomposing. A 50 percent methane/50 percent carbon dioxide mixture is naturally emitted. Pipes can collect and deliver the gas to a central processing location...ultimately, working like a boiler does, replacing natural gas and providing energy... Big-dollar $$ signs: "waste and recycling...drew a record $622 million of investment in 2007, compared with $245 million a year earlier and just $20 million in 2001, according to Cleantech Group..." More and more builders of mainstream developments are also embracing green neighborhoods - (Some communities even offer carbon offset fees to make it pocket friendlier to Go-Green)...and you can't get any more eco-friendly than flipping waste back into something useful. Source: Business Week Labels: brain-power, Business-101, economy, emissions, environment, Go-green, green living, recycling, science 101, smaller carbon footprint, Trash, Waste management posted by Henry Cruz at 12:22 PM Sunday, June 22, 2008 Better life in a game? POST A COMMENT Imagine an online science game that saves lives - fold.it -- might do just that! 'Knowing that -- "Proteins" are involved in all of the processes going on inside our body...from breaking down food to power your muscles, to sending signals through your brain that control the body through your blood...might not be all that exciting...but, how about designing new proteins using a computer game? Basically, "this could be a whole new way of doing science," says one expert...basically, online players -- using 3-D software...players "work on proteins of known shape or one (recently posted) of unknown structure..." Like farming the worlds science fair...the computer collects -- all the brain power from players...and will apply it to creating new synthesized proteins that can actually help us. Another example of sharing a brain...where the better players successes translate towards the research...that might actually help in creating new ways to treat viruses. Source: Seatle PI Labels: online games, protein, science 101 posted by Henry Cruz at 3:54 PM     ARCHIVES October 2005 . November 2005 . December 2005 . August 2007 . September 2007 . October 2007 . November 2007 . December 2007 . March 2008 . April 2008 . May 2008 . June 2008 . July 2008 . August 2008 . September 2008 .