Science

Science

Why some bike shares work and others don't
set of iconic photos from 2017 show brightly coloured fields which, at first glance, look like meadows filled with flowers in full bloom. It takes a while to register that the images aren't of verdant fields, but ones filled with bicycles: hundreds and thousands of two-wheelers, stacked end-to-end in what came to be called China's bicycle graveyards.
By Gu Wei Di Qi3 years ago in FYI
The city of sustainable skyscrapers
Looking out over Hong Kong's iconic skyline from the viewing deck of its tallest skyscraper, the 118-storey International Commerce Centre (ICC), it's clear why Hong Kong is known as the world's most vertical city. In every direction you look, countless high-rise buildings are stacked side by side, clustered together, like a real-world version of the game Tetris.
By Gu Wei Di Qi3 years ago in FYI
How to Clean and Maintain Your Black Tile Flooring
Introduction First, when vacuum cleaning black tile floors, use a vacuum with a soft brush attachment. This will help to avoid scratching the tile. Start by vacuuming in one direction, and then go over the floor again in the opposite direction. Be sure to vacuum the corners and edges of the room thoroughly. Next, sweep the floor with a soft, bristled broom. Start in one corner of the room and sweep in long, even strokes. Be sure to sweep up any dust or dirt the vacuum may have missed. Finally, mop the floor with a damp mop. Use a gentle detergent if needed. Start in one corner of the room and work your way across the floor in long, even strokes. Rinse the mop frequently to avoid leaving streaks on the floor. If you're lucky enough to have black tile flooring in your home, you know just how sleek and stylish it can make a space look. But you also know that keeping those floors clean can be a bit of a challenge. Here are some tips on vacuuming, sweeping, and mopping your black tile floors, so they always look their best.
By skytouchceramic3 years ago in FYI
The device that reverses CO2 emissions
he year is 2050. Walk out of the Permian Basin Petroleum Museum in Midland, Texas, and drive north across the sun-baked scrub where a few remaining oil pumpjacks nod lazily in the heat, and then you'll see it: a glittering palace rising out of the pancake-flat ground. The land here is mirrored: the choppy silver-blue waves of an immense solar array stretch out in all directions. In the distance, they lap at a colossal grey wall five storeys high and almost a kilometre long. Behind the wall, you glimpse the snaking pipes and gantries of a chemical plant.
By Gu Wei Di Qi3 years ago in FYI
The rivers that 'breathe' greenhouse gases
At first glance you would assume the New Territories were one of Hong Kong's greenest areas – the region that borders the Chinese mainland and makes up the bulk of Hong Kong's territory seems a world removed from the bustling streets and dense cluster of skyscrapers that tower over much of the city centre. By contrast, the New Territories are mostly rural and home to large swathes of farmland, rolling greenery, wetlands, mountains, parks and rivers.
By Gu Wei Di Qi3 years ago in FYI
The world's first 'infinite' plastic
here is one man-made material that you can find in the earth, the air and in the deepest ocean trenches. It is so durable that the majority of what has been created is still present in our ecosystem. Having made its way into the food chain, it permeates our bodies, flowing from our blood into our organs, even finding its way into the human placenta.
By Lonetoft3 years ago in FYI
The Scandinavian way to zero-carbon construction
Quiet, clean and green are not words you would typically use to describe a construction site. But the site at Olav Vs gate, one of the busiest streets in the heart of Norway's capital city, Oslo, was special. In a first of its kind in the world, all the machinery used on site – excavators, diggers and loaders – were electric.
By Gu Wei Di Qi3 years ago in FYI
7 Really Deadly Experiments
As with any field, there are plenty of misconceptions when it comes to science. Many people have a warped view of what scientists do, believing them to be mad scientists locked away in dark labs putting themselves and others at risk on a daily basis. While there may be some truth behind the caricatures, science is actually a fairly safe occupation with strict regulation surrounding experiments and testing procedures. However, that doesn’t mean that all experiments conducted by scientists are entirely risk-free. From the first documented experiment (on dropping objects from tall buildings) to more recent examples, there have been numerous experiments that could have gone horribly wrong – fortunately for us all, they didn’t, for the most part. Here are 7 really deadly experiments that were conducted by people who should have known better…
By PP3 years ago in FYI
The revival of a historic journey across Spain
As late May approached, the animals were growing restless. In little more than a day, the heat from the southerly desert winds had turned the grass dry, leaving Jesús Garzón's herd of 1,100 sheep and goats little to eat. Garzón knew – and the animals, nervous and bleating, knew as well – it was time to head north, where cool weather and fresh pastures awaited them.
By Udley3 years ago in FYI
Why climate lawsuits are surging
David Schiepek, a student from the southern German state of Bavaria, has been involved in climate activism for around three years. "After all this time fighting, protesting and talking to politicians, I was losing hope a bit," the 20-year-old says. "I feel like my future is being taken away."
By Udley3 years ago in FYI
The industry creating a third of the world's waste
We now smash, grab and pull some 100 billion tonnes of raw material out of the fabric of the planet in just a single year. That’s equivalent to destroying two-thirds of the mass of Mount Everest every 12 months.
By Baru Ku3 years ago in FYI
Lithium batteries' big unanswered question
As the quiet whirr of electric vehicles gradually replaces the revs and noxious fumes of internal combustion engines, a number of changes are set to filter through our familiar world. The overpowering smell of gas stations will fade away into odourless charge stations where cars can re-juice their batteries as needed. Meanwhile, gas-powered generator sites that dot the horizon may be retrofitted to house massive batteries that could one day power entire cities with renewable energy.
By Holy horse3 years ago in FYI