Fly control using UV light
Flies are a nuisance that no-one likes to encounter, but could UV light be used as a means of fly control? Many types of fly are attracted to UV light, and this attraction can be used to keep them under control.
A UV light source is placed inside a fly trap, and once the flies have been lured inside, they can be dealt with through an electric shock or stuck on a glue pad.
Unfortunately, not all flies share this liking for UV light. The vinegar fly is once of the most common flies that will not be lured into a UV trap. To control the vinegar fly, special pheromones can be used to attract the fly to the trap instead.
Categories: New Technology Tags:
The role of GP appraisal in modern healthcare
The importance of the impact that doctors have on the lives of their patients cannot be overestimated. To ensure their skills and knowledge are up to date, all doctors have to undergo GP appraisal once a year. This formal evaluation is designed to safeguard the high standards that patients demand from healthcare professionals.
Before the appraisal, all GPs will have to fill in a detailed questionnaire to gather evidence about their performance and knowledge. The review is performed by a trusted colleague and is absolutely confidential.
After the evaluation, any concerns will be addressed and the doctor in question will identify new ways in which they can enhance their skills and knowledge and advance their professional performance.
Categories: Medicine Tags:
Renewable energy sources provide sustainable power
Renewable energy sources such as wind, solar power, rain, tides and geothermal heat are replenished naturally and provide a sustainable, inexhaustible source of power, unlike conventional fossil fuels, which will one day run out.
Already, approximately 20% of global energy use comes from renewable energy sources. Over half of this energy is used to produce electricity. Roughly 50% of renewable energy supplies come from conventional biomass sources such as wood, but new sources such as light, wind and rain are now being utilised more than ever. Wind power, for example, is currently increasing by 30% every year.
The growth of the renewable energy industry is driven by climate change concerns, the ever-increasing price of oil and strong governmental support.
Categories: Environment Tags:
Fly control technology
Fly control technology has come a long way since the humble fly strip dangled from its first ceiling. Keeping working and living environments free of flies can be very important – especially in areas where food is prepared and served.
The latest fly control devices such as the Luminos range of fly fillers utilise unique encapsulation technology to ensure that there is no risk of contamination to the surrounding environment after the fly has been disposed of. A rear glue board can also be added to further increase the effectiveness of the machine.
Using such devices helps to keep sensitive areas clean and hygienic and reduce the spread of disease.
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Lockheed unveil new flash drive computer
Lockheed Martin, the American defence contractors, have developed a kind of virtual computer that is stored on a flash drive.
The drive has its own operating system and can store software, files and settings. Once plugged in to a computer’s USB slot, the virtual computer can be accessed and used without any files or data being transferred to the “host” machine.
The device, known as “Ironclad”, is designed to be a safe and secure portable data storage option for workers who handle sensitive data. Roughly the size of a keyring, the steel-cased drive is designed to be resistant to heat, cold, water and sand, and it can even be remotely instructed to self-destruct if it is lost or stolen.
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Korea to build world’s biggest tidal power plant
South Korea will soon be home to the world’s largest tidal power plant. It will be situated off the coast of Incheon, and work is expected to begin early next year. GS Engineering and Construction signed a memorandum of understanding with the state-run Korea Hydro and Nuclear Power to this effect, and it is planned that the plant will be completed by 2017.
Once it is up and running, the station will generate 1.32 million kw/h, which easily surpasses the 1 million kw/h of the nuclear reactor currently under construction in Uslan and will be 3.4 times the output of the current largest tidal power plant which is the Rance Tidal Power Station in France.
Categories: Breakthroughs Tags:
The science of bird control
Bird control is an important issue for many businesses. Birds can be a real nuisance when they settle on a site, causing noise pollution, health issues from their toxic droppings and even attacking people when disturbed. Bird control technology has improved in recent years, and there are now several methods of ridding your premises of problem birds.
Bird points use a series of steel spikes to prevent birds from settling on structures, while netting will prevent birds from accessing enclosed spaces. Hawks can also be used as a natural method of keeping bird populations down – specially trained birds can be flown in invested areas to scare away any birds that might otherwise settle there.
Categories: Environment Tags:
Biofuel uptake on the increase
Biofuel has grown increasingly popular in recent years for a number of reasons, including the rising price of conventional fuels.
The most common biofuel currently in use in Europe is biodiesel. In fact, in some countries biodiesel is actually cheaper than conventional diesel. It is extracted from oils or fats through a process called transesterification and strongly resembles mineral diesel.
To use, biodiesel must be mixed with mineral diesel. It can be used in all conventional diesel engines, where it burns more efficiently than standard diesel and even, as a natural solvent, cleans the engine as it passes through which helps the engine to run more smoothly.
Categories: Environment Tags:
2010 – The year of the 1000mph car
As a new year begins it is always important to look ahead and forecast the exciting and interesting events likely to dominate the news agenda in coming months.
And, of all the science breakthroughs we can expect, the quest of Andy Green and Richard Noble to reach 1000mph looks like being one of the most exciting.
Green, who already holds the land speed record from his time driving the Thrust SSC vehicle, is writing an interesting BBC blog about the new car – known as Bloodhound SSC.
It is a fascinating read and I for one will be keeping tuned as the team prepares for their high-speed runs in Hakskeen Pan, South Africa.
Categories: Breakthroughs Tags:
Biomarkers detection takes logical next step
Those clever chaps at Yale University have recently announced a Star Trek-style medical instrument which could identify signs of illness within 20 minutes.
The device works by detecting biomarkers in the blood. These can often suggest that a patient is suffering from any number of diseases.
And unlike the current lengthy wait required to test blood samples at a laboratory, the new tool could present results in less than 20 minutes.
Working on the same principal as the tricorder device used in Star Trek, the device could be a vital lifesaver by speeding up the diagnosis of suffering patients.
The instruments portability could not only be a boon in doctors’ surgeries and hospitals but also on battlefields and during times of national crisis.
Categories: Biomarkers Tags:
