Nova Spivack – Minding the Planet

This article provides some interesting details on the leading candidate for the next flu pandemic, which is overdue, and appears to be brewing in Asia. Unlike normal flu’s pandemic strains seem to have an uncanny ability to kill off people in the prime of their lives, by causing the immune system to go so far [...]

A Russian academician has predicted that bird-flu will stem to humans and kill up to one billion people around the world within 6 months of an outbreak. He says it is highly probable that a pandemic could take place within the next year. There is no evidence cited for his claims however he refers to [...]

Deep beneath the South Pole ice-cap is a strange fresh water lake — Lake Vostok. Lake Vostok is the subject of intense speculation, debate and strange conspiracy rumors. Because it hasn’t been exposed to our atmosphere since at least the last ice-age, it may contain ancient microorganisms that do not exist anywhere else on our [...]

Recent data indicates that the pace of C02 buildup in the atmosphere is moving faster than expected, raising speculation of the dreaded “feedback effect” kicking in. Computer simulations have predicted this, now it may be happening — or it may just be a temporary anomaly. In a few years we will know, once we have [...]

Just read an interesting article about the coming end of the world, in which the author traces the recent history of rapid climate change, government cover ups, and secret preparations for the polar ice-cap melting which now seems pretty much inevitable. Fascinating read. I think it’s definitely time to go watch Waterworld again (yes, it [...]

The US Army has developed a new way to enable soldiers to carry less water. They have created rehydratable food rations that come in a wrapping that is actually a sophisticated semi-permeable membrane. So to rehydrate the food, soldiers can simply pee on it, or even pour dirty water on it if that’s all that [...]

A report has come out that the levels of asbestos in lower Manhattan were (are?) at least twice what is considered safe for humans by the FDA, and possibly worse. Levels were so high after 911 that they overloaded the tests. However, this data was purposely concealed from the public following 911.

I just received the following internal release from a company that starts alternative energy companies (Magnetic Power, Inc., which I am an investor in). MPI has a number of interesting alternative energy devices under development. My investment was in their superconducting project (ROOTS) — which focuses on room temperature superconducing polymers. But anyway, the article [...]

I just saw an interesting film, The Corporation, that suggests that many corporations (which legally have the same status as “persons” in the USA) could be clinically diagnosed as psychopaths. While I felt the film was a bit heavy-handed, there were many points that were quite thought-provoking. For example, one point the film made was [...]

A new design for a rooftop turbine that is just about the size of a satellite dish is making waves in Scotland. The designers claim it pays for itself in 3 years and is guaranteed for 20 years — providing free electricity to power each household that has one. It’s an interesting idea.

Shrimp fishing and shrimp farming are devastating the oceans. This brief report lists some of the surprising statistics related to this problem. For example, did you know that the ratio of discarded (wasted) fish to kept shrimp in a typical catch is often as high as ten to one? And what happens to all that [...]

Yikes this one freaks me out — A project to splice the DNA of dead people to apple trees as a way to preserve people’s “essence” after death. Fortunately, it has hit some snags. I would not want to bite into an apple and find out that I was actually eating grandma!!!! This project really [...]

An inventor in Japan has designed a new motor that uses cleverly positioned permanent magnets to consume significantly less power than it should, and even to output more power than is put in! But before you dismiss it — read this detailed investigative article. This could be a very important innovation.

For the first time in recorded history a hurricane has formed in the south Atlantic, off the coast of Brazil. Is this a precursor of coming climate changes?

Methane has been detected on Mars, which may indicate the presence of bacteria.

Of course I’ve been tracking this one for nearly a year already, but now that mainstream press is discussing this I guess it’s ok to post it here without you all thinking I’m a wacko. The fact is that there are serious rumblings and changes taking place at Yellowstone and nobody knows what could happen [...]

It turns out that we’ve already sent life to Mars, and it may be still living there, according to a researcher who has studied the decontamination methods used by NASA. Only our early Viking landers were fully heat sterilized. Subsequent missions have most likely been contaminated with bacteria from Earth. This, in my opinion, is [...]

Scientists are charting an alarming trend in the rate of species exctinction that mirrors previous mass extinction patterns, such as the decline of the dinosaurs.

One of the World’s leading insurers is warning that global warming is going to get dramatically worse and may result in economic losses equivalent to one World Trade Center disaster, annually. Read the article.

A leaked secret report by top Pentagon analysts claims that within 20 years Britain could become “Siberian” and Major European cities will be sunk beneath rising seas. In addition the report warns of nuclear conflict, mega-droughts, famine and widespread rioting around the world as massive climate changes reshape the planet.

Amazing new research finds that C-8, a chemical produced exclusively by DuPont, has mysteriously found its way into the flesh of dolphins and cormorants, 5 percent of the bread, green beans and ground beef sampled in southern US states, and even in the blood of 96% of the people in the USA.

The Pentagon is now considering the possibility of “rapid climate change” as soon as even two decades in the future as a potential new “national security threat.” Research has shown that previous ice-ages were not gradual — rather they were sudden catastrophes — possibly triggered when the global environment reached a certain critical state. Our [...]

Researchers have come up with a new way to split water molecules, based on studying plants. This may provide a new way to produce hydrogen fuel.

This article presents an astonishing statistic — over 1 billion birds in the USA alone die every year by flying into plate glass windows and skyscrapers that are covered with glass. It turns out there is a solution to this however. A billion bird deaths must be large enough to have a negative impact on [...]

Danish researchers have developed a plant changes color when its roots come in contact with explosives. They are proposing that this plant could be used to detect buried landmines. Of course that would require that this plant was growing pretty much everywhere in certain regions that are rife with landmines. Not very practical. But interesting.

Paul Davies has put forth an interesting proposal for a one-way trip to Mar as the most cost-effective way to establish a permanent human presence on Mars. It’s a smart and novel idea.

A group of climatologists met recently in England to discuss how to save the Earth from global warming. Rather than actually doing something to stop the emission of greenhouse gasses — they proposed a giant space shield and a bunch of other insane ideas.

I admit it. I’m a total sucker for things like this. If the Bush Administration commits to sending a manned mission to Mars, or even just putting a permanent base on the Moon, it would definitely be a point in their favor in my mind. I really think space exploration is one of the most [...]

Here’s a wildly unexpected proposal that just popped into my brain: Humanity should intentionally contaminate Mars with Earth lifeforms — as soon as possible! The benefits vastly outweigh any concerns to the contrary. Indeed, it may be the smartest thing our species ever does. The first obvious benefit is that it will get Earth life [...]

A new article projects that global warming will eliminate up 1 million species by 2050 — up to nearly 40% of all species. Combine that with the vast number of species that are being wiped out because of human activity (industrialization, elimination of habitats, pollution, over-fishing, etc.) and we are on the brink of losing [...]