"Wisdom begins in wonder" – Socrates
Month: November 2018
Safety Tips for Air Pollution
11/12/18
“What are some safety tips for air pollution?”
Air pollution is one of the greatest dangers to human public health. As such, we here at Isaac’s Science Blog would like to give a few safety tips for staying safe.
Image credit wbmfoundation.files.wordpress.com
Why Air Quality is an Important Part of Resilience
11/11/18
“Why is air quality an important component for resilience?”
In order to build truly sustainable and resilient communities, we must look at all factors, and air quality is no exception. By making living areas more breathable, we can ensure solid public health and cut down on medical infrastructure strain. As a result, Air Quality is an Important Part of Resilience.
Image credit a.scpr.org
Why Do Forest Fires Cause Air Pollution?
11/10/18
“Why do fires make it so hard to breathe?”
Right now in a fire unmatched in recorded Northern California history is raging. The smoke from this fire has suffused the Bay Area, making it worse to breathe here than Bejing! This is all because of a recent forest fire. When fires engulf forests, smoke containing fine particulate matter is released into the atmosphere. This material can penetrate the lungs and cause a whole range of potential problems. This is how forest fires cause air pollution.
Image credit Phys.org
Hybrid Electric Buildings
11/10/18
“How can we truly combine battery and grid power for buildings?”
With the advent of the new energy paradigm, building energy systems will become more integrated with solar+storage. Consequently, buildings must integrate that their energy with both the electric grid and storage mechanisms simultaneously. To serve as a model, Hybrid Electric Buildings are being created that can seamlessly integrate both sources in real time.
How We Can Leverage Smart Building Data to Combat Climate Change
11/08/18
“How can we use data from buildings to make them better for the environment?”
The ascent of the Internet of Things is changing everything in its path, and the building sector is no different. With our newfound access to all sorts of building data, we can take much more control to ensure energy efficiency. Whether this means finding bottlenecks in the system, more optimal times to control HVAC systems or better building automation systems.
Image credit http://www.ledesigngroup.com
Distributed Gas Generation
11/07/18
“How can natural gas energy generation be distributed?”
The future of energy is becoming more and more distributed. And the natural gas industry is taking note. As a result, more and more distributed gas generation is coming online that may serve to contemplate renewable intermittency.
Image credit https://dqbasmyouzti2.cloudfront.net
How Industrial IoT can Help Improve Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing
11/06/18
“How can connectivity help with efficiency in manufacturing?”
The digital revolution of the Internet of Things is transforming everything in its wake, and manufacturing is no exception. With increased connectivity, automation can be made much more efficiency, therefore reducing energy consumption used and greenhouse gas emissions generated. This is just a small example of How Industrial IoT can Help Improve Energy Efficiency in Manufacturing.
Image credit negromanosphere.com
Puerto Rico Might Go 100% Renewable
11/05/18
“Will Puerto Rico go 100% in on Renewable Energy?”
Puerto Rico has faced a tough time with its energy infrastructure recently. Hurricane Maria has knocked out the vast majority of its power generation capabilities and has left much of the island in the dark. But that doesn’t mean Puerto Rico is going down without a fight. Taking inspiration from the proven evidence that solar energy will provide it with resiliency and California’s recent audacious climate goals, Puerto Rico might go 100% renewable!!! If policymakers decide to act upon this, then not only will Puerto Rico be transformed but perhaps the entire region around it.
Photo: Power line workers in Puerto Rico. Credit: Lorie Shaull, Flickr Creative Commons
The Kilogram is Being Redefined
11/04/18
“How is the Kilogram being redefined?”
A massive shift has just happened in the physics community. For over a century our measurement for the kilogram has been based off an official block sealed in vaults below Paris. However, after many decades of work and false starts, a committee has convened to redefine the kilogram based not on an artifact of nature but instead on Plank’s constant. As a result we now have a truly uniform system of fundamental units!
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