A Carbon Nanotube

NSF – A carbon nanotube (shown in illustration) can produce a very rapid wave of power when it is coated by a layer of fuel and ignited, so that heat travels along the tube. The previously unknown phenomenon was discovered by a team of scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

To learn more about this research, see the MIT news release, “Big Power from Tiny Wires.”

more> http://tinyurl.com/25rnujx

related>

• Big power from tiny wires, by David L. Chandler, MIT news http://bwbx.io/7UdC

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Berlin’s ‘creative boom’ finds backing from EU

EurActiv – Although Germany’s capital is short on big businesses, small enterprises are abundant, with creative industries in particular blossoming faster than in other cities. In Berlin, this creative boom is aided by a project which helps SMEs to deal with the bureaucratic procedure of obtaining EU regional funds.

Berlin attracts creative types from all over Europe. In no other city can one find abandoned factory lofts with so much space at such low rents. Languages from all over Europe can be heard in artists’ studios, fashion studios, media lofts and workshops.

The result: cultural life in Berlin is vibrant. On an average day, Germany’s capital offers 1,800 cultural events. more> http://bwbx.io/2ydM

related>

• Cities have to develop into successful brands
• Business in Berlin, Berlin.de

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Latest “Green” Packing Material? Mushrooms!

NSF – Packing foam now entering the marketplace is engineered from mushrooms and agricultural waste

A new packing material that grows itself is now appearing in shipped products across the country.

The composite of inedible agricultural waste and mushroom roots is called Mycobond™, and its manufacture requires just one eighth the energy and one tenth the carbon dioxide of traditional foam packing material.

And unlike most foam substitutes, when no longer useful, it makes great compost in the garden.

The technology was the brainchild of two former Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute undergraduates, Gavin McIntyre and Eben Bayer, who founded Ecovative Design of Green Island, N.Y., to bring their idea into production. more> http://bwbx.io/TyEv

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EU regulators to probe financial trading

EurActiv – In a paper released yesterday (29 July), the Committee of European Securities Regulators (CESR) made a set of recommendations aiming to shine a light on trades that are based on momentary differences in prices.

The regulators said they would be investigating such high-frequency trades in order to understand the risks involved. Targeted products include the likes of credit default swaps and derivatives contracts. more> http://bwbx.io/r4o5

related>

• Committee of European Securities Regulators, CESR http://tinyurl.com/286hrdy

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Subcommittee Examines Smithsonian Institution’s Unique Opportunity to Strengthen America’s role in Science

US House Committee on Science and Technology’s Subcommittee on Research and Science Education held a hearing Wednesday to examine the Smithsonian Institution’s research and education activities, scientific collections, and its ability to collaborate with federal agencies. While renowned for the world’s largest museum complex, the Smithsonian Institution is also a prominent leader in scientific research. For instance, scientists at Smithsonian research centers are using their collections to understand the Gulf of Mexico’s ecosystem before the oil spill and how climate change is impacting the planet.

“While many Americans know about the Smithsonian’s famous museums and the castle along the National Mall, most people do not know that the Smithsonian Institution receives nearly $800 million a year in federal appropriations, or that over $200 million of that goes toward basic scientific research,” Subcommittee Chairman Daniel Lipinski (D-IL) said. “It is appropriate and necessary for Congress to take a more active role in the oversight of the Institution’s activities and long-term plans.”

more> http://bwbx.io/aMLP

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