Question of the Day
February 5, 2010
Which of the following are real headlines from this week’s news?
A. University president wants to change rules that govern granting of tenure
B. Republicans embrace Obama’s call for a more cordial atmosphere in Washington
C. Brain scan allows unconscious patient to communicate
D. Insulin Can Now Be Made Cheaply from Flowers
E. Physicists Prove Teleportation Is Possible
F. Iran Send Some Animals Into Space
Answer: All except B. are real headlines, though admittedly, some have been shortened.
B. was an anonymous tweet (a post on the networking site Twitter).
A. Leader of nation’s biggest campus wants to change rules that govern granting of tenure. LA Times.
B. Republicans embrace Obama’s call for a more cordial atmosphere in Washington
C. Brain scan allows unconscious patient to communicate. Scientific American.
D. Insulin Can Now Be Made Cheaply from Flowers. PopScience.
E. Physicists Prove Teleportation of Energy Is Possible. PopScience.
F. Iran Send Some Animals Into Space. NY Times.
January 29, 2010
From where will people receive medicine in the case of a bioterrorism attack?
A. Specifically designated pharmacies and grocery stores
B. Centers of Disease Control located in each community
C. The U.S. Postal Service
D. Their refrigerators
E. Specifically designated hospitals and clinics
Answer: C.
In an Executive Order in December 2009, President Obama designated the U.S. Postal Service as the primary responder in the case of a bioterrorism incident in the US. Below is the language of the Executive Order that refers directly to this responsibility.
“Sec. 2. United States Postal Service Delivery of Medical Countermeasures. (a) The U.S. Postal Service has the capacity for rapid residential delivery of medical countermeasures for self administration across all communities in the United States. The Federal Government shall pursue a national U.S. Postal Service medical countermeasures dispensing model to respond to a large-scale biological attack.”
ESTABLISHING FEDERAL CAPABILITY FOR THE TIMELY PROVISION OF
MEDICAL COUNTERMEASURES FOLLOWING A BIOLOGICAL ATTACK. White House Press Release.
Obama to Announce Bioterrorism Response Plan
“The goal is a national capability for the rapid, reliable and affordable production of an array of medical countermeasures,” Shapiro said. The announcement came hours after the bipartisan Commission on the Prevention of Weapons of Mass Destruction Proliferation and Terrorism gave the federal government an “F” for its preparations to respond to a biological attack that could cause mass casualties.
The commission also issued failing grades to Congress for not reorganizing itself to better oversee anti-terror efforts and to the government generally for failing to recruit and train new national security experts.
Efforts that won an “A” grade: a government review of security at laboratories where scientists work with dangerous pathogens, a new national strategy to improve bioforensic capabilities and the appointment of a White House adviser on weapons of mass destruction.”
January 22, 2010
Israel has not had a breach in airport security since 2002. Unlike the US’s current strategies, which of the following tactics are employed each day in Israel’s airports to ensure that passengers are safe prior to, and during a flight?
A. All passengers entering the airport must provide an answer to the questions “How are you?” and “Where are you coming from?”
B. Employees who screen baggage can put suspected luggage into a “bomb box” that can contain large explosions.
C. Hidden microphones in each corridor and between seats in waiting areas.
D. A series of threat and vulnerability analyses that are continually updated and improved.
E. Hidden infrared technology can identify irregularities in body temperature, heart rate and respiration.
Correct Answers: A. B. D. E.
Based on several articles, Israeli security crews focus on behavioral signals more closely than the US, which relies mostly on technologies. There was no mention of hidden microphones in the sourced articles below.
Behavioral screening — the future of airport security? CNN. December, 2008.
What Israel can teach us about security. The Star.com. December, 2009.
US Airport Security – How Stuff Works.
January 15, 2010
Please consider donating to one of the below relief funds before reading today’s Friday Trivia.
American Red Cross
Doctors Without Borders
Partners In Health
It has been said several times on the news while considering the causes of the suffering in Haiti that earthquakes do not kill people. Buildings kill people. Though aphorisitic, perhaps this repeated phrase will serve as a preventative reminder in the future. The Haitian government did not consider the International Code Council Building Codes for safety, nor require similar national standards, and undoubtly, this precaution would have limited the devestation in this country.
Which of the following are not general design strategies that prevent structures from collapsing due to the lateral or horizontal shear loads caused by earthquakes?
A. Engineers ensure that taller buildings are designed to withstand more force than shorter ones.
B. Builders use wood and steel materials for structures on or near fault lines.
C. The joints of a building should be allowed to bend and misshape.
D. The roof should be flexible.
E. A building should maintain rigidity between levels.
Answers: A, D, and E are NOT general design strategies to prevent building destruction during earthquakes.
A. “The taller a structure, the more flexible it is. The more flexible it is, the less energy is required to keep it from toppling or collapsing when the earth’s shaking makes it sway. You can feel this same phenomenon while you’re riding a bus or subway. It requires less effort to remain standing if you flex your body and flow with the bumps and jolts than if you stiffly try to defy them.
Because shorter buildings are stiffer than taller ones, a three-story apartment house is considered more vulnerable to earthquake damage than a 30-story skyscraper. When planning the seismic safety of a building, structural engineers must design the support elements of shorter buildings to withstand greater forces than those of taller buildings.”
- Exploratorium
B. “Ductile materials perform better than brittle ones. Ductile materials include steel and aluminum. Brittle materials include brick, stone and unstrengthened concrete.”
- Buildings in Earthquakes PowerPoint.
C. Flexible joints prevent snapping and breaking, leading to greater instabilities.
D. “In 1984 the magnitude 6.2 Morgan Hill, California, earthquake shook the West Valley College campus, 20 miles away. Instruments in the college gymnasium showed that its roof was so flexible that in a stronger or closer earthquake the building might be severely damaged, threatening the safety of occupants. At that time, these flexible roof designs were permitted by the Uniform Building Code (a set of standards used in many states). Many industrial facilities nationwide were built with such roofs. The center of the gym roof shook sideways three to four times as much as the edges. The Code has since been revised to reduce the flexibility of such large-span roof systems and thereby improve their seismic resistance.”
- USGS Building Safer Structures
E. ” In planning for earthquakes, engineers today have come to value flexibility more than strength. For example, small elements of the infrastructure like gas lines and water mains are often designed with elastic loops so they bend rather than break.
Buildings are more flexible too. Dr. Salvadori compares a faulty building to a dry old tree, strong but liable to break under heavy winds, and a well-engineered one to a reed, lighter, more resilient and less likely to snap.
”A building’s ability to absorb motion is as important as its ability to withstand collapse,” said Robert Silman, a New York structural engineer. Wright’s Foresight.”
The California Quake – Earthquake Engineering – Why the Skyscrapers Just Swayed – 1989 New York Times
Helpful Links:
Earthquakes and Buildings Guide
ABC’s of Seismic Building Codes
Preparing Structures for Shaking
January 8, 2009
What makes the Volt an E-REV rather than a HEV?
A. Its gasoline engine does not power the wheels of the car.
B. Unlike current hybrids, it can be plugged into an electrical outlet.
C. It can only travel 40 miles (64 km) on stored electricity.
D. It stores electric power within a lithium-ion battery pack.
E. Its design predicts a drag coefficient higher than other similar vehicles.
Answer: A. Its gasoline engine does not power the wheels of the car.
B. There are currently several types of plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) being designed and tests. (2010 Prius)
C. This is true, and the distance is relevant: the average American commutes 33 miles each day.
D. The battery will be 6 feet long (1.8 meters) and weigh nearly 400 pounds (181 kg)! But this characteristic does not prevent the Volt from being classified as a hybrid.
E. The Chevrolet Volt boasts a .28 drag coefficient compared to Toyota Prius’ .30. At least, according to GM.
“An E-REV like the Chevrolet Volt is unique from a hybrid or plug-in hybrid in that the vehicle’s wheels are always driven electrically by an electric drive unit.”
“An E-REV like the Chevrolet Volt represents a significant departure from conventional hybrids. In a E-REV, the wheels are turned by an electric drive unit, whereas in conventional hybrids the wheels are turned by an electric motor, a gasoline engine, or both. For short trips, E-REVs will run on battery power alone. For longer trips, additional electricity can be supplied by an internal combustion engine or a fuel cell. The battery and propulsion systems are sized so that when sufficient energy is available from the battery, the engine (or fuel cell) is not required for operation. During this electric only phase of driving, the battery, motor, and power electronics are designed to deliver full performance, acceleration, top speed, hill climbing on electric power alone.”
GM Media Online, “What is an E-REV?”
Also See:
1. Why Is the 2011 Chevrolet Volt NOT a Hybrid – Green Car Reports
2. All About Plug In Hybrids – Cal Cars
3. Ask About the Volt and Other Hybrid and Electric Vehicles – NY Times
4. Chevrolet Volt in the Wind Tunnel – Wired
December 18, 2009
In the past few weeks, a team at a major research university produced findings that showed that life scientists are more likely to develop “twice as many highly influential papers” if they have which of the following?
A. Unlimited access to coffee and caffeine-enhanced soft drinks.
B. Rigid time lines and limited research funding.
C. Prize money and gift rewards for specific outcomes.
D. Excess vacation and recuperation/family time.
E. Assurance that they will not be penalized by short-term failures.
Answer: E.
MIT study: Scientific innovation is more likely with long-term, less-restrictive funding
Link: http://web.mit.edu/press/2009/creative-research-1209.html
December 11, 2009
Evidence has suggested that for 800,000 years prior to the 1800s, the atmosphere varied between 180 ppm and 280 ppm CO2. Currently, many groups, aware of that our atmospheric carbon is at 388 ppm and rising 2 ppm each year, are devising ways to reduce atmospheric CO2.
Which of the following has not yet been discussed as a method of reducing CO2 in the atmosphere? (and is also most likely impossible!)
A. Sequestering CO2 in cement.
B. Liquefying CO2 and pumping it into soil.
C. Reducing the frequency of volcanic eruptions.
D. Producing biochar through the pyrolysis of biomass.
E. Venting CO2 into space.
Answer: C. Reducing the frequency of volcanic eruptions. (Not possible nor helpful!)
A. Cement
Scientific American. Cement from CO2: A Concrete Cure for Global Warming?
http://bit.ly/8d0rGa. August 2008.
B. Soil
Ohio State University. Soil Carbon Sequestration – Fundamentals
http://bit.ly/7ibybz.
C. Reducing or limiting volcanic eruptions has NOT been discussed as a method.
“Carbon dioxide is abundant in volcanic gases, but not enough to significantly contribute to the greenhouse effect. Volcanoes contribute about 110 million tons of carbon dioxide per year while man’s activities contribute about 10 billion tons per year. The problem is complex, for volcanoes can help cool the earth’s surface by forming sulfuric acid aerosols that reflect the sun’s rays, and also contribute to global warming by giving off carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, which contributes to the greenhouse effect.”
http://volcanology.geol.ucsb.edu/gas.htm – University of California, Santa Barbara.
D. Biochar
“Pyrolysis of waste biomass can generate fuels and biochar recalcitrant against decomposition. If biochar is returned to agricultural land it can increase the soil’s carbon content permanently and would establish a carbon sink for atmospheric CO2. In this case the use of crop residues as a potential energy source may improve soil quality and reduce greenhouse gas emissions in a complementary not competing way. ” http://www.biochar.org/joomla/
E. Venting CO2 into space.
“[Alfred] Wong believes it should be possible to artificially coax carbon dioxide molecules into leaving the planet’s atmosphere in larger numbers. He proposes doing this by first ionizing more carbon dioxide molecules (one idea is to zap dust in the sky with lasers to release more electrons) and then guiding the resultant carbon dioxide ions to the appropriate altitude from which they could then drift into space through a series of natural processes.”
http://bit.ly/5zEuec. http://bit.ly/5dDlcI
December 4, 2009
Post-turkey considerations: Thirty-four percent of all Americans are currently overweight, and the World Health Organization estimates that approximately half of all Americans will be considered obese by 2020. In reaction to lawsuits against food and drink companies from obese consumers, several states have passed “cheeseburger” tort reform bills. Which one of the following have actually been proposed?
A. Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act
B. Vending Machine Accessibility Act
C. Consumers Freedom Act
D. Commonsense Consumption Act
E. Right to Eat Enchiladas Act
Answers: A, D, and E are bills.
(B and C are products of SEA staff creativity.)
CDC Chronic Diseases Press Releases – http://bit.ly/92og1I
“More than one third of U.S. adults-more than 72 million people-and 16% of U.S. children are obese.”
The Pew Center on States – Information about “Cheeseburger Bill.” – http://bit.ly/8Nv630
“Any type of food can be healthy, so long as it’s eaten in moderation, so long as it’s eaten as part of a balanced diet and as part of lifestyle that includes regular exercise,” said Virginia Del. Bill Janis (R), an attorney sponsoring a ‘cheeseburger’ bill. “The notion that somehow food is unhealthy when I eat too much of it, I don’t have a balanced diet and I don’t exercise regularly, where’s the accountability? Where’s the responsibility?”
Personal Responsibility in Food Consumption Act of 2005 – http://bit.ly/6Jq7Yc
Commonsense Consumption Act of 2007 – http://bit.ly/7pL1oA
” 5/7/2007–Introduced. Commonsense Consumption Act of 2007 – Prohibits new, and requires dismissal of pending, civil actions by any person against a manufacturer, marketer, distributor, advertiser, or seller of food, or a trade association, for any injury related to a person’s accumulated acts of consumption of food and weight gain, obesity, or any associated health condition.”
Right to Eat Enchiladas Act - http://bit.ly/4JLYL5 (Text of Bill)
November 20, 2009
Approximately eight months ago, Senator Schumer of New York introduced the BPA-Free Kids Act of 2009, which bans the chemical bisphenol A in food and drink containers designed for children. Of the currently known side-effects for the consumption of BPA, which of the below have NOT been noted during experiments on mice?
A. dramatically enlarged and oversensitized prostates
B. greater susceptibility to cancer
C. decrease in maternal behaviors
D. neurobehavioral problems such as attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder
E. aneuploidy – (an abnormal number of chromosomes)
Answer: All of the above. Other side effects, for example, include a slowing of metabolism due to decreases in the functioning of the thyroid. See a comprehensive list here.
** SEA staff are always seeking help and advice with our Friday Trivias. If you enjoy creating trivia, or have a suggestion on how to improve this weekly addition to our newsletters, please contact Brielle.Welzer@sefora.org. We greatly enjoy communications with our members.
Senator Schumer’s press release. March 30, 2009.
http://schumer.senate.gov/new_website/record.cfm?id=310796
First human study to measure effects of BPA on male reproductive system. November 11, 2009.
http://www.news-medical.net/news/20091111/First-human-study-to-measure-effects-of-BPA-on-male-reproductive-system.aspx
The Bisphenol A Website – for more information.
http://www.bisphenol-a.org/
Friday the 13th, 2009
According to Dr. Steven Schlozman of Harvard Medical School, we can easily hypothesize the neurological states of Zombies, based on their physical actions. Which of the following anatomical features would not account for the rage, walking and decision-making difficulties, insatiability, and flesh-eating characteristics that Zombies possess.
(We are referring to those infected beings of the Night of the Living Dead, not the faster versions in 28 Days Later.)
A. An ablated anterior ventromedial hypothalamus
B. A shrunken amygdala
C. A damaged anterior cingulate cortex
D. A poorly developed frontal lobe
E. Cerebellar degeneration
Answer: B. A shrunken amygdala.
“[Zombies have] a whole lot of amygdala going on, amygdala, which is the region of the limbic system that’s responsible for very, very base emotions – usually rage, fear and maybe lust.” Dr. Steven Schlozman, co-director of the Medical Student Education in Psychiatry at Harvard Med School.
A. The anterior ventromedial hypothalamus controls satiety. Mice that have had this region surgically removed can eat themselves to death. This type of neurological degeneration could very well be responsible for zombie’s food lust.
C. The anterior cingulate cortex controls, among other functions, rationality and empathy, two under-rated skills in the zombie community.
D. The frontal lobe controls problem solving.
E. The cerebellum is crucial for motor controls.
Featured Article: A Head-Shrinker Studies The Zombie Brain. NPR.
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=114319726
The Amygdala’s inner workings. The Scientist. 2001.
http://www.biopsychiatry.com/amygdala.htm
Other Zombie Literature.
http://scienceblogs.com/loom/2006/02/02/the_wisdom_of_parasites.php
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emerald_cockroach_wasp
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2007/12/071206-roach-zombie.html
November 6, 2009
Earlier this week a federal judge ruled that a lawsuit filed by the American Civil Liberties Union against the US Patent and Trademark Office and a Utah-based research company could move forward. The suit alleges that patents for human genes resrict open research and thereby violate free speech.
When was the first patent issued for a human gene?
Answer: In 1982, the USPTO issued a patent to the Regents of the University of California for work carried out on the construction of a plasmid contained in a bacterium and expression of genes for chorionic somatomammotropin.
October 30, 2009
This past Tuesday, House and Senate conferees tweaked the 2010 appropriations bill that will provide funding for the EPA, Department of Interior and the Forest Service. Members of both houses had previously agreed on amendments that restricted the EPA from essentially taxing farmers for the methane that their cows released, by requiring permits.
If a tax/permit of $80 was placed on each beef cow per year, but this tax was transferred from the farmers to the consumers, how much would each average meat-eating American pay in methane taxes each year?
** Taking in to account the following estimated numbers**
Cows are generally slaughtered when they are no more than 2.5 years old
Each cow produces 2000 burgers
The average meat-eating American eats one hamburger per week
Answer: An American that ate one burger each week for 52 weeks would end up paying $5.20 in methane taxes each year.
(2.5 years * $80/year/cow * 2000 burgers/cow * 2000 burger patties/year * 52 burgers/year)
http://www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/ansci/beef/as1163-2.htm
http://animals.howstuffworks.com/mammals/methane-cow.htm
http://www.slate.com/id/2178595/
http://openthefuture.com/cheeseburger_CF.html
October 23, 2009
Earlier this week the Nuclear Regulatory Commission told Congress that it has no authority to prevent Italy from hiring a US company to manage the storage of 20,000 tons of radioactive waste in the Utah desert.
Approximately how much nuclear waste is currently stored in the United States?
A) 500 metric tons
B) 2,500 metric tons
C) 10,000 metric tons
D) 60,000 metric tons
Answer:: D. There are roughly 58,000 metric tons of radioactive waste stored in the United States today, all of it in spent fuel pools or dry cask storage sites. Currently the US generates nuclear waste at a rate of about 2,000 metric tons annually.
October 16, 2009
Fuzzy Math: Which of the following are equivalent to the difference between the higher (and inclusive) estimates and the lower estimates of the number of uninsured Americans?
A. the population of Beijing
B. the 2009 estimate of refugees in Africa
C. the number of people who stopped buying CDs in 2008
D. the number of people who died in India in the 1918 flu pandemic
Answer: ALL OF THEM!
The higher estimate, including illegal aliens and foreigners, is 47,000,000 whereas the lower number is 30,00,000. Each of the above answers have been estimated at 17,000,000.
http://www.chinapost.com.tw/china/local-news/beijing/2009/01/27/193705/Beijings-population.htm
http://www.newvision.co.ug/D/8/16/697864
http://arstechnica.com/media/news/2009/03/report-yep-cd-sales-keep-falling-but-new-trends-may-help.ars
http://www.infoplease.com/cig/dangerous-diseases-epidemics/influenza-twentieth-century-epidemic.html
October 9, 2009
Last Friday, the US Conference of Mayors released a report titled “The Power of 86 million Americans: 1000 Mayors Committed to Climate Action. Match the goal/initiative to the corresponding city. *** The one extra goal belongs to a city located outside of the US.
A. A methane gas collection system in a
landfill that produces energy to power
1,200 homes.
B. A solar program that has increased its
city’s solar capacity by 300% over the
past two years.
C. A mission to plant 75,000 trees in two
years to ensure 60 percent canopy cover.
D. A zero carbon, zero waste area that
will demonstrate the possibilities and
feasibility of alternative energy sources.
E. A fleet of solar-powered trash
compactors and recycling areas that
create savings of more than $800,000.
Answers:
A. Burnsville, Minnesota
B. Boston, Massachusetts
C. Albuquerque, New Mexico
D. Masdar, Abu Dhabi
E. Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
http://www.usmayors.org/climateprotection/documents/2009-cityprofiles.pdf
http://usmayors.org/
http://www.usmayors.org/pressreleases/uploads/1000signatory.pdf
http://www.masdar.ae/en/home/index.aspx
October 2, 2009
In recent years, Australia has surpassed the US in the amount of annual carbon dioxide emitted per capita. Australia now averages 20.58 metric tons, while the US averages 19.78.
Which of the following would be significantly less than equal the average Australian’s carbon dioxide emission per day?
A. 4.5 residents of China
B. 69 Kenyans
C. 1 American eating an additional 3 cheese burgers
D. 1 Kenyan eating an additional 50 cheese burgers
E. 1 citizen of the world driving 199 miles in a Prius
Helpful numbers:
China produces 4.5 metric tons per year per capita
Kenya produces .3 metric tons per year per capita
1 cheese burger (produced by gas energy) creates 766 grams of CO2 during production
A Prius produces .6 pounds of CO2/mile
Answer: D. 1 Kenyan (living normally for one day) would have to eat about 72 cheese burgers to produce the same amount of CO2 of an average Australian.
*** SEA staff acknowledges that these numbers are all based on too many factors to make this comparison meaningful. **
(20.58 metric tons – Australia’s CO2/year/per capita = 56,383 CO2 grams/day)
4.5 residents of China (12,328*4.573 = 56,388) One resident of China produces 12,328 grams of CO2/day
69 Kenyans (821.92*69 = 56,712) One Kenyan produces 821.92 grams of CO2/day
1 American (54,191gram + (3*766) = 56,489) One American produces 54,191 grams of CO2/day
1 Kenyan (821.92) + (X*766) = 56,383, X = 72.5 cheeseburgers (more than 50) The production of one cheeseburger produces 766 grams of CO2
Each mile traveled in a Prius produces 272.4 grams of CO2. 56,383/272.4 = About 207 miles
Sources:
US Department of Energy table. 1980-2006. World Per Capita Carbon Dioxide Emissions.
BusinessGreen.com. September 14, 2009. Australia tops global per capita carbon emissions.
OpentheFuture.com. The Cheeseburger Footprint.
Sightline Institute. Carbon emissions chart.
September 25, 2009
What country on Earth is about the same size as the Greenland ice sheet (with its 20 feet of sea level equivalent)?
A. Australia
B. India
C. France
D. Libya
E. Brazil
Answer: D: Libya
This answer is provided by Dr. Michael MacCracken of the Climate Institute.
(All numbers below are recorded in square miles.)
Greenland: 840,000
Greenland Ice Sheet:707,000
1. Australia: 2,967,893
2. India: 1,269,338
3. France: 211,208
4. Libya: 679,358
5. Brazil: 3,286,470
Other possible close matches:
Indonesia: 741,096
Saudi Arabia: 756,981
Mexico: 761,602
“The Mercator map projection makes areas at high latitudes look large and ones at low latitudes look small, so quite deceptive…
When you think that a block of ice the size of Libya is all that is protecting us from 20 feet of sea level rise, at least for me, I feel much more worried about global warming than before, especially as something like half of Greenland (and likely some of Antarctic) ice sheets melted in the slightly warmer Eemian interglacial about 125,000 years ago, causing sea level to be something like 13-20 feet higher, that the Greenland ice sheet is starting to lose mass is something that has happened before—it is not unprecedented.” – Dr. MacCracken.
SEA staff would like to sincerely thank Dr. MacCracken for his help with the Sept. 25 Friday Trivia, and his continuous support of SEA’s programs.
Table of Countries’ Areas: Wikipedia & The World Fact Book (CIA)
Facts about Greenland: Greatest Places
Facts about Mercator Projection: NASA
Additional Mercator Projection Details: Directions Magazine
September 16, 2009
Since H.R. 3165, the Wind Energy Research and Development Act, passed in the House on September 10th, politicians and the media have focused on the possibilities of wind energy markets. North Dakota, the state with the most potential for wind energy, could theoretically produce enough electricity to power which of the below countries?
A. France and Spain
B. China
C. Thailand, Malaysia and Pakistan
D. Russia and Australia
E. The United Kingdom and India
Answer: D. Russia and Australia
(985 mil. mWh + 219 mil. mWh = 1.2 bil. mWh)
Total Annual Electricity Consumption
US: 3.8 billion megawatt hours
China: 2.8 billion megawatt hours
Vietnam: 51 million megawatt hours
France: 451 million megawatt hours
Spain: 243 million megawatt hours
Thailand: 117 million megawatt hours
Malaysia: 78 million megawatt hours
Pakistan: 67 million megawatt hours
UK: 348 million megawatt hours
India: 488 million megawatt hours
Russia: 985 million megawatt hours
Australia: 219 million megwatt hours
National Wind:North Dakota Facts
HR. 3165 Wind Energy R&D Act:Open Congress
Annual Electricity Consumption: CIAThe World Factbook
Annual Electricity Consumption per capita:Wikipedia table
Are you interested in helping us track energy legislation? Join SEA’s Virtual Interns – 5-8 hours of research per week, and chance to participate in our weekly science policy conference calls and webinars with science policy analysts. Contact Brielle.Welzer@SEforA.org for more information.
September 11, 2009
Two days ago, the space shuttle Discovery altered its course to avoid “space junk,” at least the third time this year that NASA’s programs and crews have been placed in jeopardy by space flotsam. In the past several years, which events have greatly increased the amount of debris in Earth’s orbit?
A. The destruction of the Chinese satellite in 2007
B. The collision of the American and Russian communication satellites in February 2009
C. The launch of the KEO time capsule
D. The release of several coolant tanks and equipment from the ISS
E. The destruction of the European Space Agency’s Jules Verne cargo ship
Answers:
A. The destruction of the Chinese Satellite in 2007 and
B. The collision of the communication satellites
Incorrect and how:
C. The KEO time capsule, a project supported by UNESCO, is not set to launch until 2010 or 2011.
D. Equipment has been released from the ISS both by accident and purposefully, however releases since 2006 have been in step with the International Space Station Jettison Policy, developed to reduce the amount of debris in orbit.
E. The Jules Verne cargo ship burnt up in the atmosphere, and therefore it is highly unlikely at that any pieces escaped into orbit.
Sources
LA Times: Space Junk Drifting Toward Astronauts. Sept. 3, 2009.
Wired: Space Station Narrowly Misses Collision With Space Debris March 12, 2009.
Science Direct: The new Jettison Policy for the International Space Station October 27, 2006.
CNN: KEO time capsule could remain in orbit until 52001 AD. August 29, 2000.
Space Today: Jules Verne ATV
Space.com: Video of Jules Vern burning up in the atmosphere, with wistful music.
USA Today: European Space Agency hopes to clean up space junk February 16, 2009.
Question of the Day
September 4, 2009
A bill introduced in the House in early August would mandate “net neutrality,” a topic of much debate. Net neutrality means that…
A. Power companies must pay customers for electricity that they feed back into the grid.
B. Social networking sites, such as MySpace and Facebook, cannot provide different levels of service to users based on the size of their networks.
C. Federal agencies cannot treat applications, complaints, etc., submitted via the internet differently from those submitted by fax or the postal service.
D. Fishing nets must have limited effects on ocean habitat.
E. Internet service providers cannot block or regulate lawful content traveling over their networks.
Answer: E: Internet service providers cannot block or regulate lawful content traveling over their networks.
Net, or network, neutrality has been a growing concern in recent years, as more and more people rely on the internet for news and communication and more and more businesses shift their activities online. Advocates for net neutrality have raised concerns that ISPs will abuse their control over users’ access to the internet to charge content providers for increasing the loading speed of their content or otherwise restrict users’ access. Many internet-based businesses have thrown their weight behind the effort to pass legislation mandating net neutrality via the Open Internet Coalition, a group that includes major companies such as Google, Amazon, Skype, and eBay.
Representatives Edward Markey and Anna Eshoo have introduced the Internet Freedom Preservation Act (H.R. 3458) which would prevent ISPs from charging content providers for access to users and otherwise limiting the openness of lawful internet activity. Telecom companies have insisted that such legislation is unnecessary and might slow the deployment of broadband technology.
nextgov: http://www.nextgov.com/nextgov/ng_20090803_4941.php
Google: http://www.google.com/help/netneutrality.html
Representative Markey’s announcement on H.R. 3458: http://markey.house.gov/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=3763&Itemid=125
Open Internet Coalition: http://www.openinternetcoalition.com/index.cfm
Save the Internet: http://www.savetheinternet.com/
Question of the Day
Friday, August 28, 2009
Over the years, the proportion of scientists in Congress has increased tremendously. The 1st Congress had only four doctors among 95 members, but the 111th Congress has a grand total of 76 members with science, engineering, or health sciences degrees. What branch of science boasts the most current Congressmen?
A. Biology
B. Physics
C. Chemistry
D. Engineering
E. Computer Science
Answer: A. Biology
There are 13 members of Congress with degrees in Biology, not counting medical degrees. Engineering comes in a close second, with 12 Congressmen. Chemistry tallies in at 9 members and Physics at 5. There are only 3 Congressmen with degrees in Computer Science!
Visit SEA’s SHARP Network to find out more about Scientists and Engineers in the 111th Congress and for a historical overview of scientists in Congress.
Question of the Day
Friday, August 21, 2009
Which of the following United States Presidents successfully enacted their health care agenda into law?
A. President Harry S. Truman
B. President Lyndon B. Johnson
C. President John F. Kennedy
D. President Ronald Reagan
E. President Bill Clinton
Answers:
B. President Lyndon B. Johnson
D. President Ronald Reagan
Each of the listed presidents attempted some sort of health care reform during their time in office, but only Presidents Johnson and Reagan succeeded in passing significant legislation. In 1964, President Johnson signed legislation that created Medicare and Medicaid, which today cover 45 million and 59 million Americans, respectively.
Under President Reagan, in 1986, the Emergency Medical Treatment and Active Labor Act was passed, requiring hospitals to admit all emergency room patients, and “Cobra” was enacted, allowing employees to remain with their company’s health insurer for as much as a year and a half after losing their jobs. In 1988, Reagan signed into law the Medicare Catastrophic Coverage Act, which was intended to prevent seniors from facing financial ruin from health care costs, financed by a surtax paid by Medicare beneficiaries. The tax caused widespread anger among many seniors, which, in a dramatic reversal, resulted in the repeal of the act in 1989.
President Truman put forth a plan for compulsory coverage nationwide in 1945, but the plan came under fire from the American Medical Association and others for being “socialized medicine,” and fell by the wayside with the start of the Korean War.
In 1962, President Kennedy proposed extending Social Security by providing health coverage, but the plan does not make it out of Congress in the face of medical industry lobbying.
In 1993, President Clinton attempted to reform American health care with a plan to achieve universal coverage through a heavily regulated insurance market and “managed competition.” The Health Security Act is the target of heavy politicking and lobbying and does not pass Congress. Clinton did succeed in passing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program in 1997.
Sources:
NYTimes Interactive Feature: “A History of Health Care Reform”
PBS – Health Care Crisis: History
Physicians for a National Health Program – A Brief History: Universal Health Care Efforts in the US
Washington Examiner – Health Care Reform Series: A history of health in the U.S.
President Johnson: New York Times, July 31, 1965 – President Signs Medicare Bill; Praises Truman
President Reagan: New York Times, July 2, 1988 – Freedom From Health Fear
President Truman: New York Times, February 27, 1949 – Bitter Debate Begins Over Health Program
Question of the Day
Friday, August 14, 2009
The Car Allowance Rebate System (CARS), better known as the “Cash for Clunkers” program, offers new car buyers a rebate up to $4500 if they trade-in an older car. Which of the following vehicles would not qualify as trade-ins under the program?
A. 1998 Toyota Avalon
B. 1986 Oscar Mayer Weinermobile
C. 2001 Chevrolet Blazer
D. 1983 Ford F150
E. 1992 Nissan Pathfinder
Answers:
A. 1998 Toyota Avalon
B. 1986 Oscar Mayer Weinermobile
D. 1983 Ford F150
The requirements for trade-ins under the Cash for Clunkers program are that the vehicle must be drivable, continuously registered to and insured by the owner for at least a year, have a combined fuel economy of 18 mpg or less, and be less than 25 years old (built in 1984 or later). The 1998 Toyota Avalon does not qualify because it achieves a combined fuel economy of 22 mpg. The 1983 Ford F150 does not qualify because it is too old. Details are hard to come by for the Oscar Mayer Weinermobile, but it is built on a Chevrolet W4 Series Truck chassis. The W4 exceeds the Gross Vehicle Weight limit of 10000 pounds set in the CARS regulations, suggesting that the Weinermobile also would not qualify.
Sources:
New York Times, August 6 – Car Allowance Rebate System (Cash for Clunkers)
Los Angeles Times, August 13 – Why ‘clunkers’ program won’t take some of the most polluting cars
Kelley Blue Book
Department of Energy/EPA Fuel Economy Site
NHTSA – Requirements and Procedures for Consumer Assistance to Recycle and Save
Program
Oscar Mayer Weinermobile
Question of the Day
Friday, August 7, 2009
Earlier this year, a Representative from Florida was inspired to introduce a bill when he visited Disney World. What is the name of the bill, which is currently awaiting action in the House?
A. Mickey Mouse Protection Act
B. Costumed Spokesman Equality Act
C. National Amusement Park Ride Safety Act
D. Paid Vacation Act
E. Uniting Families Act
Answer: D. Paid Vacation Act
Representative Alan Grayson introduced the Paid Vacation Act (H.R. 2564) in May, 2009, which would require all companies employing 100 or more people to provide 1 week of paid vacation per year to all employees. The bill is intended to reinvigorate the American tourism industry, increase American productivity, and close the vacation gap between the US and other industrialized countries. Congress itself is on (paid) vacation for most of the month of August and the first week of September.
The Mickey Mouse Protection Act is a nickname for the Copyright Term Extension Act of 1998, which extended United States copyrights terms.
The Costumed Spokesman Equality Act does not exist (yet).
The National Amusement Park Ride Safety Act (H.R.2514) is pending before the 111th Congress.
The Uniting American Families Act (H.R. 1024) is pending before the 111th Congress. It proposes eliminating certain forms of discrimination in immigration laws.
Paid Vacation Act:
Politico
Rep. Grayson’s Proposal
Thomas
http://www.myfoxorlando.com/dpp/news/politics/052109paid_vacation_act
Amusements Act:
National Amusement Park Ride Safety Act:
Question of the Day
Friday, July 24, 2009
Question:Which of the following countries has a “public option” healthcare plan similar to that proposed by President Obama, where public insurance competes directly with private providers?
Answer: None of the above!
Germany has a system of 240 highly-regulated but privately-operated non-profit “sickness funds.” Enrollment is compulsory and each person pays 8% of their salary towards the fund of their choosing, with a matching contribution from their employer. The self-employed must purchase insurance from for-profit insurance companies, which are also highly regulated. Finally, those making over $72,000 a year can opt out of the sickness fund system and buy private insurance.
NPR
In the United Kingdom the public National Health Service (NHS) provides most care, although 12% of the population opts for supplementary private insurance. NHS directly employs most of the healthcare professionals in the country. The bulk of NHS funding is taken directly from tax revenue, with 19% of funding coming from employee/employer contributions and 5% coming from user fees.
Common Wealth Fund
Canada has a single-payer universal healthcare system, in which the government pays for almost all healthcare expenses. Each province has a distinct system, with the federal government providing regulation and some funding. Most healthcare is provided by private doctors and hospitals, with financing coming mainly from taxes. Private insurance does exist, but cannot cover services provided by the public system.
American Medical Students Association
The Japanese enjoy the longest life expectancy in the world while spending half as much on healthcare as Americans. Health insurance is provided by private companies and 80% of hospitals are privately owned, but insurance companies must accept all applicants. The industry is heavily regulated, with the government and the healthcare industry setting uniform prices for procedures and drugs every two years. All Japanese citizens are required to purchase health insurance, but the government helps defray the cost for the poor.
NPR
For more information on the proposed public option click here.
Our Virtual Interns have been busy keeping the Health Care Legislation in the 111th Congress page up to date on the SHARP (Science, Health and Related Policies) Network.
Question of the Day
Friday, July 31, 2009
Constellation, currently under development, is NASA’s replacement for the aging space shuttle program. What is the estimated cost, per American, of seeing Constellation through to its first manned flight in 2015?
The cost of…
A. a muffin (~$2)
B. an amusement park ticket (~$50)
C. a LCD computer monitor (~$115)
D. a round-trip ticket from New York to Paris (~$700)
E. an all-terrain vehicle (~$6000)
Answer: C. The cost of an LCD computer monitor (~$115)
NASA estimates that by the time the first crewed Ares I rocket is launched in 2015, the Constellation program will have cost $35 billion. Dividing by the US population of about 304 million people yields $115 per person.
Eventually, in addition to the Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle, Constellation will produce the Orion Crew Vehicle, the Ares V Cargo Launch Vehicle, and the Altair Lunar Lander. The program is intended to replace the space shuttle in taking astronauts and supplies to the International Space Station and to return man to the moon by 2020. Estimates vary on the total cost of the program, but the price tag could come to $150 billion. President Obama has ordered a review of the program, to be completed by the end of August. The fate of the program and the direction of human spaceflight in the United States may hinge on the findings of the panel appointed to the task.
Question of the Day
Friday, July 24, 2009
Question:Which of the following countries has a “public option” healthcare plan similar to that proposed by President Obama, where public insurance competes directly with private providers?
Answer: None of the above!
Germany has a system of 240 highly-regulated but privately-operated non-profit “sickness funds.” Enrollment is compulsory and each person pays 8% of their salary towards the fund of their choosing, with a matching contribution from their employer. The self-employed must purchase insurance from for-profit insurance companies, which are also highly regulated. Finally, those making over $72,000 a year can opt out of the sickness fund system and buy private insurance.
NPR
In the United Kingdom the public National Health Service (NHS) provides most care, although 12% of the population opts for supplementary private insurance. NHS directly employs most of the healthcare professionals in the country. The bulk of NHS funding is taken directly from tax revenue, with 19% of funding coming from employee/employer contributions and 5% coming from user fees.
Common Wealth Fund
Canada has a single-payer universal healthcare system, in which the government pays for almost all healthcare expenses. Each province has a distinct system, with the federal government providing regulation and some funding. Most healthcare is provided by private doctors and hospitals, with financing coming mainly from taxes. Private insurance does exist, but cannot cover services provided by the public system.
American Medical Students Association
The Japanese enjoy the longest life expectancy in the world while spending half as much on healthcare as Americans. Health insurance is provided by private companies and 80% of hospitals are privately owned, but insurance companies must accept all applicants. The industry is heavily regulated, with the government and the healthcare industry setting uniform prices for procedures and drugs every two years. All Japanese citizens are required to purchase health insurance, but the government helps defray the cost for the poor.
NPR
For more information on the proposed public option click here.
Our Virtual Interns have been busy keeping the Health Care Legislation in the 111th Congress page up to date on the SHARP (Science, Health and Related Policies) Network.
Question of the Day
Friday, July 17, 2009
Question: How much did the United States announce it will contribute to the improvement of food security, during the July 10th Group of Eight summit
Answer: C. $3 billion ~ $4 billion
The number of people suffering from hunger now exceeds 1 billion worldwide. Facing this figure, the leaders in the G8 summit agreed on $20 billion, which was $5 billion higher than initially projected. Unlike its predecessors that centered on emergency food aid, the aid seeks to stabilize the food market in the long term by spurring investments in transportation, storage facilities, irrigation, and constructing productive business environments.
The United States is no exception of the mounting food prices. Grocery prices in the United States jumped by 4.2% in 2007, the highest increase since 1990. The food prices ascended at an even faster rate in 2008, leaving many American households in serious trouble. According to a report from the United States Department of Agriculture, 11% of the households in the United States are living without food security, and the percentage of those with very low food security is still on the rise. On the bright side, many of the deprived Americans recently received benefits from the stimulus plan through the food stamps program. In the last six months, 2.7 million Americans newly enrolled in the food stamp program, making the total enrollment 33.8 million.
http://bit.ly/keI1Z: Bread For the World Institute
Question of the Day
Friday, July 10, 2009
Question: Which of the below regions’ population is closest to the number of the global internet users?
Answer: D. China (1.3 billion, 20% of the world population)
The internet has grown at a furious rate in the past two decades. As of April, 2009, the number of internet users worldwide is thought to be around 1.6 billion, which is equivalent to 22% of the world population. China boasts the largest number of internet users with 298 million people connected to the network.
Source:
http://bit.ly/D6YH1: New York Times.
http://bit.ly/HTmet: Wall Street Journal, China Journal
http://esa.un.org/unpp/: UN 2008 World Population Database
Question of the Day
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Question: In fireworks displays, which of the following colors is the hardest to produce?
Answer: D. Blue.
Fireworks are made up of strontium carbonate (SrCO3), which is used to produce bright red; barium chloride (BaCl+) to produce bright green; powdered metals such as aluminum and magnesium to produce silver; and copper chloride (CuCl) to produce blue.
Compared to other chemicals, copper chloride can become unstable at high temperatures, so it must be kept cool as it is being shot up into the sky. Otherwise the compound will break apart and display will not appear blue.
Source:
http://www.thenakedscientists.com/HTML/content/interviews/interview/486/
http://www.atmo.arizona.edu/students/courselinks/spring04/atmo451b/pdf/RadiationBudget.pdf
Archive of Questions
Question of the Day
Friday, June 26, 2009
Question: Which gas of the following is the most important greenhouse gas but will NOT be covered by the new landmark climate legislation?
Answer: B. Water (H2O).
Under the climate bill proposed by Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), public and private sectors will reduce their level of carbon dioxide (CO2) emission according the conditions of a cap-and-trade system. Although water vapor (H2O) contributes more greatly to global warming (36-72%) than carbon dioxide (9-26%), water vapor will not be regulated under the climate bill because human activities have an insignificant influence on the percentage of this gas in the atmosphere.
Source: http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/gases.html
http://www.atmo.arizona.edu/students/courselinks/spring04/atmo451b/pdf/RadiationBudget.pdf
Question of the Day
Friday, June 19, 2009
Question: According to President Obama’s speech at the Annual Conference of the American Medical Association (AMA), how much of their earnings will Americans expect to spend on health care in 2030 if the administration does not act quickly to remedy the current health care system?
Answer: D. 1/3
At this exorbitant cost of health care, other social problems such as job loss, lower take-home income, business fail, and lower standard of living will follow, according to Mr. Obama.
During his speech for the AMA on June 15th 2009, President Obama stated that “when it comes to the cost of our health care, then the status quo is unsustainable. … if we fail to act, premiums will climb higher, benefits will erode further, the rolls of the uninsured will swell to include millions more Americans – all of which will affect your practice.”
Question of the Day
Friday, June 12, 2009
Question: Which of these current gubernatorial candidates is the Republican candidate from Virginia?
Answer: C. Rob McDonnell. Chris Christie is the Republican gubernatorial candidate for New Jersey. Creigh Deeds is the Democratic candidate for Virginia, and Jon Corzine is the Democratic candidate for New Jersey and the current governor. Check out their SHARP Profiles and help contribute information on their science policies.
Friday, June 5, 2009
Question: In what branch of science has John Holdren, President Obama’s Science Advisor, been trained?
Answer: B. Physics. John Holdren has a PhD in plasma physics from Stanford (he also has a MS in aerospace engineering from MIT).
Source: http://www.harvardscience.harvard.edu/culture-society/articles/john-p-holdren-named-president-elect-obama-s-science-advisor
Go here for previous Friday Trivia.
