New space company aims to mine asteroids for precious metals

A new private space company is expected to be unveiled Tuesday at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.

Planetary Resources Inc. is a Seattle company that intends to mine near-Earth asteroids for raw materials ranging from water to precious metals.

http://www.latimes.com/business/money/la-fi-mo-space-mining-company-20120423,0,5812110.story

Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times –Money & Co. by W. J. Hennigan

Awards given for reducing emissions in Northeast

BOSTON—The Northeast Diesel Collaborative has given four organizations from Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York and Vermont "Breathe Easy" awards for outstanding leadership in reducing diesel emissions.

The collaborative works to improve public health and promote clean diesel technology. Its "Breathe Easy Leadership Awards" are given to agencies and organizations that reduce air pollution by retrofitting and replacing older diesel engines, reducing idling from diesel engines, developing outreach programs and promoting cleaner fuels. http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/articles/2012/04/13/awards_given_for_reducing_emissions_in_northeast/

 

 

Autism rates rising sharply, CDC reports

Federal health authorities have significantly raised their estimate of the prevalence of autism in children, concluding in a new study of 8-year-olds that 1 in 88 has some form of the disorder.

For the analysis, released Thursday, researchers scoured tens of thousands of health and special education records in 14 states, looking for an autism diagnosis or the symptoms that would add up to one. It is the latest in a series of studies by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention showing autism rates climbing dramatically over the last decade.
http://www.latimes.com/news/local/la-me-0330-autism-rates-20120330,0,4479379.story

Article courtesy of the Los Angeles Times by Alan Zarembo

Earth Hour 2012

A symbolic gesture to raise awareness about energy consumption, Earth Hour has grown since its beginning in 2007 in Sydney to now include observances in 147 countries and over 5000 cities. For one hour, lights are switched off at 8:30 local time on the last Saturday in March. Increasing public environmental awareness in China, which has overtaken the United States as the world's biggest polluter, has led 124 cities there to mark Earth Hour. http://www.boston.com/bigpicture/2012/04/earth_hour_2012.html

Article courtesy of the Boston Globe -The Big Picture