The ‘metaverse’ seems to be everywhere these days (especially since Facebook has made a number of announcements bout theirs (more about that later in this posting). At this point, the metaverse is very hyped up despite having been around for about 30 years. According to the Wikipedia timeline (see the Metaverse entry), the first one was a MOO in 1993 called ‘The Metaverse’. In any event, it seems like it might be a good time…

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It’s been too long (in a January 19, 2015 posting) since I last featured an SFU Café Scientifique here. I’m glad to have the opportunity to do it again and just before COP26, the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference being held in Edinburgh, Scotland from October 31 – November 12, 2021.. From an October 19, 2021 SFU Café Scientifique announcement (received via email), Note: I have made some formatting changes, We are excited to…

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H/t to rapper Baba Brinkman (born in Canada and based in New York City) for the tweet/retweet about his upcoming appearance at World CRISPR (clustered regularly interspaced palindromic repeats) Day on October 20, 2021 from 8:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. PDT, Baba Brinkman @BabaBrinkmanTrue facts! I’ve been working with incredible #CRISPR innovator @Synthego and the @EventRapInc team, and tomorrow is #WorldCRISPRDay! Look for new DNA-themed videos and streamed performances all day from @HilaTheKilla, @CoreyJGray, @ZEPS,…

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Image: Nora Meides. A June 18, 2021 news item on phys.org announces the results of research into how materials made of plastic break down into micro- and nanoplastic particles in the environment, Most microplastic particles in the environment originate from larger pieces of plastic. In a long-term study, an interdisciplinary research team at the University of Bayreuth has simulated how quickly plastic breaks down into fragments under natural influences. High-tech laboratory tests on polystyrene show…

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Image: Nora Meides. A June 18, 2021 news item on phys.org announces the results of research into how materials made of plastic break down into micro- and nanoplastic particles in the environment, Most microplastic particles in the environment originate from larger pieces of plastic. In a long-term study, an interdisciplinary research team at the University of Bayreuth has simulated how quickly plastic breaks down into fragments under natural influences. High-tech laboratory tests on polystyrene show…

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A June 16, 2021 news item on ScienceDaily announces research into the impact that engineered metallic nanoparticles used in agricultural practices have on food, While crop yield has achieved a substantial boost from nanotechnology in recent years, alarms over the health risks posed by nanoparticles within fresh produce and grains have also increased. In particular, nanoparticles entering the soil through irrigation, fertilizers and other sources have raised concerns about whether plants absorb these minute particles…

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Image:: Norwegian Atlantic Walrus. Photo: Tor Lund / WWF [Downloaded from: https://eminetra.co.uk/climate-change-the-walrus-from-space-project-is-calling-on-the-general-public-to-help-search-for-animals-on-satellite-imagery-climate-news/755984/] Yesterday (October 14, 2021), the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) announced their Walrus from Space project in a press release, WWF and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are seeking the public’s help to search for walrus in thousands of satellite images taken from space, with the aim of learning more about how walrus will be impacted by the climate crisis. It’s hoped half a million…

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Image:: Norwegian Atlantic Walrus. Photo: Tor Lund / WWF [Downloaded from: https://eminetra.co.uk/climate-change-the-walrus-from-space-project-is-calling-on-the-general-public-to-help-search-for-animals-on-satellite-imagery-climate-news/755984/] Yesterday (October 14, 2021), the World Wildlife Federation (WWF) announced their Walrus from Space project in a press release, WWF and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) are seeking the public’s help to search for walrus in thousands of satellite images taken from space, with the aim of learning more about how walrus will be impacted by the climate crisis. It’s hoped half a million…

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A June 14, 2021 news item on phys.org highlights some new research from Rice University (Texas, US), Scientific studies describing the most basic processes often have the greatest impact in the long run. A new work by Rice University engineers could be one such, and it’s a gas, gas, gas for nanomaterials. Yes, I ‘stole’ the phrase from the news item/release for my headline. For anyone unfamiliar with the word gas’ used as slang, it…

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Construction worker working outdoors with the project. Courtesy: Autonopia Kenneth Chan in a June 10, 2021 article for the Daily Hive describes a startup company in Vancouver (Canada), which hopes to run a pilot project in 2022 for its “HŌMĀN, a highly capable, fast and efficient autonomous machine, designed specifically for cleaning the glasses [windows] perfectly and quickly.” (The description is from Autonopia’s homepage.) Chan’s June 10, 2021 article describe the new automated window washer…

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