The 2014 Nobel Prize in physics has been awarded to three Japanese, two of them at the U. of Nagoya, the third currently at U. California at Santa Barbara. (He apparently was working in industry in Japan at the time he did the work that won the prize.)
http://www.nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/p...press.html
The award was for inventing diodes that emit blue light. LEDs that emitted red and green light had already existed for several decades, and adding a blue emitter made it possible to create white-light LED lightbulbs.
I realize that the Nobel committee was probably thinking about 'saving the planet', but this seems like more of an engineering development than an advance in physics to me. Aren't physics Nobels supposed to be awarded for developments that change how we conceive of the universe? I don't know, maybe there's some deep physical reason why these blue emitters emit blue.
Fracking wastewater that is treated for drinking produces potentially harmful compounds
"Concerns that fluids from hydraulic fracturing, or "fracking," are contaminating drinking water abound. Now, scientists are bringing to light another angle that adds to the controversy. A new study, appearing in the ACS journal Environmental Science & Technology, has found that discharge of fracking wastewaters to rivers, even after passage through wastewater treatment plants, could be putting the drinking water supplies of downstream cities at risk...."
Isolation and hallucinations: the mental health challenges faced by astronauts
"[...] One of the most common experiences are frequent hallucinations that, despite sounding ominous, are probably the least concerning when it comes to in-orbit mental health. In the early Apollo missions, astronauts reported regular flashes or streaks of light that seemed to come out of nowhere. [...] Perhaps more seriously, hallucinations have been associated with the breakdown of crew coherence and space mission stress. [...]
Is Buddhism a Religion or a Philosophy?
"When looking at how Buddhism is practiced in most Asian countries, one can find many traits of a religion. People are engaged in religious rituals and practices such as giving flowers and incense as offerings to the Buddha. Moreover, some forms of Buddhism which are highly popular in Asian countries are very similar to theistic religions, for example the veneration of Amithaba Buddha in Pureland Buddhism or of Avalokitesvara as part of many Buddhist schools.
However, the oral teachings given by the historical Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama, which are handed down in the sutras of the Pali canon, paint a very different picture of Buddhism..."
Zucchini Bread
3 cups flour
1½ cups sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups shredded unpeeled zucchini
1 cup chopped nuts
1 cup raisins
3 eggs
1 cup oil
Stir in large bowl; sugar, flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, soda, zucchini, nuts and raisins. Beat egg and stir until moistened. Bake in 9x5x3 inch pan for one hour and thirty minutes. Cool 10 minutes. Turn out on cooling rack. Turn top side up and cool completely.
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Pumpkin Bread
3½ cups sifted flour
2 teaspoons soda
1½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon nutmeg
3 cups sugar
1 cup salad oil
4 eggs
2/3 cup water
2 cups processed pumpkin
Sift together dry ingredients including sugar. Make a well in dry ingredients and add all remaining ingredients. Mix until smooth.
Add:
1 cup raisins
1 cup nuts chopped
1 cup dates, chopped
Bake at 350 degrees for one hour and ten minutes
Pumpkin pie tip.!!!
If you'r like me you dont like dirt in you'r food... at least not enuff that it affects the taste or texture.!!!
To often... caned pumpkin wont be cleaned good enuff befor its processed an some bites will be like chopin down on grains of sand.!!!
Bake some pumpkin... let cool a bit... peel the skin off... put the pumpkin in a processor till nice an smooth an make you'r pie wit that.!!!
PS:::
Its so smooth it will practically melt in you'r mouthe... an no glass-like crunchy surprizes when chewed.!!!
A-Man.!!!
If you were given 30 seconds to say whatever you wanted on all the TVs in the world at the same time, proper translation provided, what would you say? What CAN be said to such a diverse and varied audience of 7 billion people?
