American students develop shingles which despoluem the air

There is much that air pollution is considered one of the major problems of society, especially in megacities and large cities, but little has been done to end this drama. A recent United Nations study showed that only 12% of the world's population breathes air quality, and that this is especially harmful in Asian countries.

To try to alleviate this problem, students at the University of California, Riverside in polo, are developing a roof that helps clean the air in lab tests, they coated clay tiles with titanium dioxide, a common compound found easily in various products, from paints to cosmetics wall.

The tiles were placed inside a Chamber that reproduces the atmospheric environment, built with wood, PVC and teflon tubes. The camera was connected to a source of nitrogen oxides and a device that reads the concentrations of the pollutant, formed when certain fuels are burned at high temperatures, for example by combustion in cars.

According to the sustainable planet, researchers used ultraviolet light to simulate sunlight, which activates the titanium dioxide and lets him break nitrogen oxides. The result is impressive: the shingles withdrew between 88% and 97% of the oxides of nitrogen.

According to the team of students, 21 tons of nitrogen oxides would be eliminated daily if one million roofs were coated with the mixture of titanium dioxide. They also calculated that it would cost only €3,6 ($ 11.1) to coat a midsize residential roof.

Currently, there are no other tiles on the market that help reduce pollution from nitrogen oxides. However, there are few data on allegations that they reduce pollution, explains the team of scientists.

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Dutch brand creates jeans made with plastics collected in the oceans

On the market for 25 years, the Dutch brand G-Star clothing revolved reach more people through an idea linked to sustainability. The brand has launched a campaign to clean up the oceans that turns out the trash found in jeans.

In addition to giving you a new worldwide visibility, the campaign was still one of the main awards of the Festival de Cannes, the main event of the world that rewards creativity in marketing and communication.

The campaign has enjoyed the attention given by Pharrell Williams, musician who designed parts. Pharrel is also creative director of Bionic Yarn, a company that manufactures yarns and fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles.

According to the international press, the manufacturing process begins with the selection of bottles, which are then milled and processed into fibers. These are then braided with polyester and used to make wires of the tissues.

According to the G-Star, of the 100 million tons of plastic produced annually, about 10% end up in the oceans. Pollution affects birds, mammals and marine life. "The challenge was to create a collection of quality to look and dress as well as the normal jeans", advanced the company.

Another concern was intended to make the collection appealing to consumers. "It allows people from all over the world can express their concerns to the pollution of the oceans, wearing them," concluded the G-Star. Although the company has financial worries, the truth is that this new collection â€" and especially the visibility that Pharrell Williamas gives you â€" it may be important to change mindsets when it comes to consumption (non-literal) of plastic.

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The beauty of spiral staircases

The stairs are probably one of the most unlikely photographic objects. But the spiral and helical stairs can be a pleasant surprise to the unsuspecting photographers. Obtained from the right perspective, simple steps can become in fantastic photos.

Lots of good pictures of stairs owe their beauty to the mesmerizing spiral shape of stairs. The spiral staircases are appreciated by the architects and designers by creating space and columns by dynamic shapes. Technically, most of these stairs are helical and spiral â€" not true spiral staircases must revolve around a central point, while the helical stairs turn a set distance from a central point.

Historical applications of spiral staircases are also interesting. Have you ever noticed that the spiral stairs of the castles and towers are almost always in a clockwise direction (from the point of view of who climbs)? The stairs were built this way so the soldiers who defended the castle could take advantage of the confrontation with the enemy in the case of the fight to get on the stairs, referred to Bored Panda. The invading soldiers (who climb the stairs) had no room to manoeuvre the swords (assuming that the majority was right-handed), while the soldiers who defend the castle had enough space to handle their weapons.

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Super-bananas may end up with a lack of vitamin A in underdeveloped countries

Genetically modified foods have their pros and cons, being bad in many regions of the globe. However, sometimes these modified foods can surprise by the positive. An Australian University researchers have developed a genetically modified banana type that can be grown in underdeveloped countries in order to put an end to the lack of vitamin A in these locations.

To this end, researchers enriched normal bananas with alpha and beta carotenes, transforming them into super-bananas able to meet the nutritional needs, especially of children.

Every year, more than 650,000 children die due to lack of vitamin a. However, these genetically modified bananas â€" that are being tested in humans in the United States â€" can help prevent many deaths. The lack of vitamin A is responsible for at least 300,000 children blindness annually, which could be easily avoided. However, food shortages in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa are preventing many children receive the nutrients needed for the proper functioning of the organism.

In sight, the new bananas are equal to ordinary, with the exception of banana bark that is orange instead of yellow, referred to Inhabitat. The project developed this genetically modified banana is supported by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and was developed at the Queensland University of technology in Australia.

Currently, the bananas are going through a testing phase of six weeks to determine whether they can be used as a good source of nutrition. If the tests are successful, the new super-banana can begin to be cultivated in developing countries in 2020.

This new food, is right, will continue the controversy of GMOs, which clearly we disapprove of. And the reader, what is your opinion on the subject?

Foto:  Konstantin Zamkov / Creative Commons

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António Pinto, 17 years: "I will work to manage a multinational company"

Kicks off today in Lyon, in Matosinhos, summer Summer Spirit, a market developed by a young entrepreneur, António Pinto. Learn more about the man behind this project, only 17 years, and their ambitions for the future.

How did the possibility of organising the summer Summer Spirit? What's the inspiration?

The Summer Spirit Market grew out of the desire to create an initiative that would bring together young brands, mostly Portuguese, with articles devoted to summer, and with a dimension that would allow me to develop organizational and managerial skills.

My inspiration is my great ambition and professional like I have in the areas of economy and business management â€" areas that I intend to follow in the future. How I occupy my free time also reveals a tonic for my creativity. I make a point of encouraging an active lifestyle through participation in activities that I consider to be useful and, above all, constructive for my personal and professional development.

What is the role of Lyons in this whole process?

The Lyon has a strong role in the image you intend to convey, because it has a space with a dynamic that has been launching trends and which gathers all the conditions to perform an event with the nature of the Summer Spirit Market.

I identify with the positioning and the dynamics of Lyons is a space where everything happens and that above all propels the young entrepreneurship, and that has been available to give me all the support I need in various processes. I feel pretty backed up but also count on my strong entrepreneurial spirit that highlights mechanisms of initiative and anti dependency, because I always try to do the job for me with much effort and dedication.

Why aren't there more entrepreneurs with their age?

I believe there are more entrepreneurs with my age, I just think you may be afraid to risk or fail to meet the necessary conditions to carry out their projects. Have partners or even investors is something very important for a young entrepreneur and I believe the young age is a factor that arouses suspicion, unless the project is excellent and if sale for you.

Currently, I feel that young people are increasingly enthusiastic in creating a business or develop projects. We have notion of the values of unemployment that exist, which leads us to face increasingly entrepreneurship as an alternative. I think the perception of risk is really the main concern despite the extensive future for norma young people have ahead of us.

The fact that young people don't want to come out of their comfort zones is also an ingredient that is combined to the economic crisis, the financial burden and the threat of unemployment on young entrepreneurship deterrence.

After this market that other business projects intends to develop?

Right now I'm focused on the Summer Spirit and, in Lyons that enables me to have a great space to implement this initiative. However, it would be interesting to try to bring this market to other stops taking advantage to adopt a model of a market dedicated to winter items, for example. Is a possibility that even I have to study.

In addition I have other personal plans and academics who can open doors for business projects in the future. I'm talking about my ambition to study at the London School of Economics in England, or in San Diego State University, in the United States, which are two of the best universities in the world in the area of economy and management. I'm going to study and work for one day, perhaps, come to manage a multinational company.

What advice would you give to those who have some interesting ideas but sees his age â€" between 12 and 18-as a possible hindrance to their implementation?

The main advice I can give is to never give up. We must believe that it is possible to create and implement projects and differentiators that contribute to boost our creativity, management capacity and autonomy. Some of today's most successful entrepreneurs started by exercising your entrepreneurial spirit from an early age.

It is possible to identify successful entrepreneurs to 12 years began to open their first "enterprises", such as improvised stalls selling lemonade in their streets. Are often those same 12 years vendors that, years later, create highly successful companies that thrive for many years or even end up being sold for astronomical amounts.

With the develop of age, ideas and opportunities arise, the trick is to wait for our opportunity but never passively. In the case of the youngest, the ideal is to combine the studies and invest in personal training through participation in various activities and extracurricular groups.

It is clear that it is vital to manage the time and get a sense plus responsibility, being aware that only with work can make us better professionals and build a project of life.

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Nepalese locale will sacrifice 500,000 animals in November

Every five years, in the month of November, follows the Gadhimai, a Hindu festival which lasts a month where thousands of animals are sacrificed to honor the gods. 2014 is the year Gadhimai and, as such, it is estimated that between 250,000 and 300,000 be sacrificed animals.

Most animals are pigs, water buffalo, goats, chickens and pigeons. According to the reports, the last in 2009 Gadhimai, were killed near 500,000 animals. Typically, the festival begins with the sacrifice of animals smaller and, as the month unfolds, the size of the animals increases.

In addition to the large number of dead animals, the festival attracts thousands of pilgrims â€" in 2009 were close to five million, mainly from India, who offer their offerings to the goddess Gadhimai, referred to the Dodo.

Despite being forbidden to cross the Indian border with cattle, 80% of the pilgrims do, violating the laws of India as well as the international laws of the transport of live cattle. Additionally, the Indian State of Bihar, near the site where is organized the festival banned the sacrificial rituals. However, in Nepal the situation is different. In addition to being allowed to animal sacrifice, the Government subsidizes the practice. In 2009, the Government contributed € 44,200 for the festival.

Over the years, several animal protection associations have protested the practice, but never managed to avoid the ritual. Preparations for this year's Edition of Gadhimai have already begun, as well as the protests, but everything indicates that thousands of animals are once again slaughtered.

Foto:  Ronnie Macdonald / Creative Commons

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A vertical garden interior that purifies the air while growing vegetables

The FreshWall is a vertical garden that redefines interior farming while maximizing air purification by plants. This innovative garden combines cutting-edge technology with the Scandinavian design, encouraging a greener lifestyle and sustainable.

Currently, the garden is only for business purposes, but the mentors launched a campaign on Indiegogo for the garden can be mass produced and made available to all. This new concept allows people who live in small spaces have their own vegetable garden, but vertical, while plants that grow there purify the air of the room.

The garden requires only some electricity and water, in case you're grown. Each FreshWall puifica the air with an efficiency equivalent to 100 normal plants and combines sophisticated technology that allows you to grow plants all year round, referred to Inhabitat. Thanks to the integrated system of irrigation, this Green Wall destroys the hazardous chemicals and ensures the growth of healthy plants.

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