Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

With one marmalade sandwich, two Hollywood blockbusters (and a third one coming), a TV series and 70 books in 30 different languages under his hat, few icons of post-war Britain have been so enduring as the magnificent Paddington Bear. · But did you know, that one of the world’s most beloved characters has an amazing Jewish backstory? · The original Paddington Bear started out in life as an ordinary stuffed toy at the UK-based department store…

Although various uses for post-harvest rice husk waste are being explored, the stuff is still usually either incinerated, dumped in landfills, or at best composted. Soon, however, rice husks may be combined with discarded newspapers to form eco-friendly insulation. · Commonly used insulation materials, such as spun fiberglass and expanded polystyrene foam, are made using not-so-green petroleum-based resins. For this reason, various groups have…

Google has announced that its innovative advanced geothermal plant in Nevada is now operational and connected to the grid, pioneering an approach that promises to unlock clean, always-on geothermal energy across a much larger range of locations. · Where most geothermal projects need to seek out areas where highly-fractured, highly-permeable hot rocks are easy to get to, the Nevada plant, built in partnership with Fervo, is a pilot to prove a…

Often described as the Nostradamus of the modern age, Baba Vanga was a Bulgarian mystic whose alleged prophetic abilities first brought her to public attention in the midst of World War II. · Blind since childhood, yet apparently able to see far into the future, she soon became a highly feted figure, with important individuals like Bulgarian tsar Boris III and Soviet leader Leonid Brezhnev reportedly consulting her in person. She has since been…

Many Icelanders have been on edge in recent weeks, as magma moving underground in the country’s southwest threatens to breach the surface and begin flowing across the landscape. If it does, the volcanic eruption could threaten the coastal community of Grindavík, home to more than 3,000 people, as well as a geothermal power plant that supplies energy to tens of thousands of houses. · Scientists are tracking every aspect of the geological unrest,…

The 100 best cities in the world have been ranked for 2024 based on livability, lovability and prosperity.  · In 2018, a UN study suggested that 55% (4.2 billion people) of the world’s population lived in urban areas. · This proportion is projected to increase to 68% by 2050. Wherever the world’s expats, digital nomads and remote workers choose to relocate, chances are it will be in a city. · With this in mind, Canadian consultancy…

Brown bears are 'on the clock' like humans, but don't suffer the same negative health impacts. · Confirming what observational studies have long thought, a genetic study has shown that a grizzly bear’s body clock ticks away routinely, even when the animal is deep in hibernation. What’s more, proof of their circadian rhythms mirrors our own, except these bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) can hibernate in the dark for four to seven months and…

Gamma rays can be produced from the two steams of jets formed when supermassive stars collapse into themselves at the end of their lives. · Earlier this year, it was reported that the Earth was hit by the brightest gamma-ray bursts seen since the dawn of civilization. Now, a team of astronomers has assigned a value to the energy contained in those blasts and it's staggering to say the least. · The gamma-ray burst (GRB) reported in April of…

The deadly 7 October Hamas attacks on Israel, and Israel’s bombardment of Gaza, have upended lives — including those of researchers throughout the region. · People in Israel, Gaza and the West Bank are reeling from the repercussions of the 7 October attacks on Israel by the militant organization Hamas. Hamas members killed around 1,200 people, including at least 28 children, according to data being compiled by the newspaper Haaretz. Some 240…

Researchers in China have developed a robot chemist powered by artificial intelligence (AI) that might be able to extract oxygen from water on Mars. The robot uses materials found on the red planet to produce catalysts that break down water, releasing oxygen. The idea could complement existing oxygen-generating technologies or lead to the development of other catalysts able to synthesize useful resources on Mars. · “If you think about the…