Nearly 13.7 billion years ago, the universe was made of only hydrogen, helium and traces of lithium — byproducts of the Big Bang. Some 300 million years later, the very first stars emerged, creating additional chemical elements throughout the universe. Since then, giant stellar explosions, or supernovas, have given rise to carbon, oxygen, iron and […] … learn more→

Farms that aim for high food production using environmentally-friendly practices could be better for the environment than both organic and conventional farms. A study, led by Oxford University scientists, compared the environmental impact of different farming systems. The researchers found that ‘integrated’ farms that maximised crop yields whilst using environmentally-friendly techniques – such as crop […] … learn more→

With climate change, today’s ‘100-year floods’ may happen every three to 20 years. … learn more→

We are sorry that the server is still delivering pages slowly. The restoring of content is still taking place as the re configured server is operating in tandem with the back up server. We should be back to normal very soon. We have started work on transferring to a cloud storage solution which will ensure […] … learn more→

You may have read about the Marshall Plan, which restarted the economy of Europe following World War II. With the threat of catastrophic climate change hovering over our heads, and with the economy still in tatters in many parts of the world, I\’d like to suggest a worldwide Marshall Plan-style initiative to stave off global […] … learn more→

Lacking structured leadership, a single spokesperson and even a clear message, the Occupy movement has grown through the use of personal media and new technologies, sustained by participants’ own network of contacts and willingness to dive into the political fray, says a UCLA information studies professor who studies the different ways media and technology shape […] … learn more→

People love stories. Humans learn most effectively through stories. Friends are made by sharing stories. Sales are closed through stories. You are missing out on the value of your personal brand if it isn’t a story. Stories are one of the most effective forms of social currency. They build powerful connections between ideas, people and […] … learn more→

With the industry’s support, new U.S. lighting efficiency standards went into effect this month. This move, along with similar actions in Europe and China, is helping spur new technologies that will change the way homes and businesses are illuminated. Despite an outcry from U.S. conservatives that new lighting efficiency standards infringe on personal freedom, legislation […] … learn more→

MIT postdoc Emile Bruneau has long been drawn to conflict — not as a participant, but an observer. In 1994, while doing volunteer work in South Africa, he witnessed firsthand the turmoil surrounding the fall of apartheid; during a 2001 trip to visit friends in Sri Lanka, he found himself in the midst of the […] … learn more→

Color-coded labels, rearranged items encourage healthy choices in study … learn more→