Articles from ‘elocal magazine’

August 25, 1951 was a quiet summer night in Lubbock, Texas. That evening, a handful of scientists from Texas Technical College were hanging out in the backyard of geology professor Dr. W.I. Robinson, drinking tea and chatting about micrometeorites. It was quite the brain trust: chemical engineering professor Dr. A. G. Oberg, physics professor Dr. George and Dr. W. L. Ducker, head of the petroleum-engineering department. · Which made the story…

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has just urged that all children aged 6 - 23 months receive a Covid-19 vaccine, regardless of prior infection, and extended that recommendation to older children deemed high risk. · Their guidance directly conflicts with the US Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which recently withdrew broad recommendations to vaccinate healthy children and pregnant women in favour of “shared clinical…

This Greek-style Sunday roast is worth the prep and cooking time for its juicy Mediterranean flavours. · Don't chop the herbs too finely, otherwise it will lose its flavour. ·  It makes the perfect dish for a Sunday, as you can put everything in the oven and let it do the work for you, while you chill out as the house slowly fills with the most amazing aromas. · If you cant wait till Sunday, try it tonight! · Ingredients · - 2 tbsp olive…

When you bite into a piece of chocolate, you can taste its distinct fruity, nutty and earthy flavours. · Now, scientists have gained fresh insights into how the process of fermenting cocoa beans can affect that flavour profile. · In a study published today in Nature Microbiology1, researchers found that pH, temperature and microbial species in the fermentation process all influence how the resulting chocolate tastes. They also replicated the…

Caption - A schematic illustration of the oxygen-breathing in the new crystal, SrFe0.5Co0.5O2.5. The scientists have developed a special type of crystal with oxygen-breathing abilities, which could be used in clean energy technologies and next-generation electronics. Credit: Prof. Hyoungjeen Jeen from Pusan National University, Korea · Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) can help extend the range of electric cars using a range of fuels, and run…

If you’re not a fan of CrossFit classes and the aching knees wouldn’t cope with a run, your health is not doomed. In fact, there’s another way to add years to your life without ever wearing trainers or setting foot in a gym. Daily movement, from digging the garden to vacuuming the house, is akin to a “longevity jab”, says research published in BMJ. So by increasing physical activity, we can add up to 11 years to our lifespan. · It’s not the…

The purpose of human conversation is not limited to pragmatic ends, as if we only spoke in order to learn new recipes and get salient tips on what stocks to invest in. A good conversation is always a discovery of the person who reveals himself in speech. · So much fighting concerning AI is really no more than that preliminary chest-thumping, prior to blows, in which combatants square off and say “you wanna go?” and (a little confusedly) “you…

Former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern has refused to front the Royal Commission’s public hearings into the COVID response. · While Ardern has submitted evidence in private, she declined to appear in public alongside former ministers Chris Hipkins, Grant Robertson, and Ayesha Verrall, who also all declined, prompting the inquiry to cancel the planned week-long public session altogether. · Judith Collins called the refusal “gutless and…

The ANZUS Treaty is America’s instrument of political, diplomatic, and military coercion. And it is a clear and present danger to the strategic security of Russia and friends of the Russian people. · Introduction · Since the end of the Second World War and the then Soviet Union’s unprecedented victory over Nazi Germany, the international political landscape has been continuously changing. The Soviet Red Army was attacked by Nazi Germany in June…

Lemons are abundant at this time of the year, and you can usually find at least one neighbour's tree, if you don't have one of your own, that is bursting with ripe, juicy lemons ready for the taking. (just make sure to ask first!) · If you love the bright, tangy burst of lemons, then Italian Lemon Jam is a must-have in your kitchen. Unlike store-bought spreads filled with preservatives, this homemade citrus delight is rich in authentic lemon…