Variety Tap

Radiant Floor Heating Warm air rises. A traditional
forced-air heating system for the 35-foot-high public spaces in the
museum would be wasteful in the extreme. Instead, the Academy is
installing a radiant heating system in the museum’s floors. Tubes
embedded in the concrete floor will carry hot water that warms the
floor. The proximity of the heat to the people who need it will reduce
the building’s energy need by an estimated 10% annually.

At a younger age I was completely enthralled with undersea life. Since high school biology, the difference between freshwater anatomy and marine physiology led me conduct some not so nice tests on goldfish. Hey, they were only 10 cents each, plus, I wanted to see if osmosis really worked differently with cells from saltwater fish.   I couldn't just trust the teachers, after all. As I entered a marine biology course, I found marine life to be even more interesting, particularly due to their evolution. What always interested me was an organism's ability to manipulate it's sex. Most reef fish have the ability to up and switch sex, but why do they? What is the notion behind this act, and does it propose an evolutionary benefit to the survival of it's species?

Sci-fi movies are always pushing the limits for the viewer's pleasure, and even if the science may not always be one hundred correct, I find them the most interesting and entertaining to watch.  As a goof before the Thanksgiving holidays, I want to say thank you to the masterminds behind my absolute favorite science fiction movies and feel free to comment with your opinions and your favorites as well, happy readings!10. The Red Planet 2000The loving robotic helper turn evil really sparked my attention to this film. 9.  Mission to Mars 2000

Imagine a future for ice cubes that burn, it may sounds impossible but gas hydrates are an alternate energy source said to put every other fossil fuel to shame. Gas Hydrates are an ice-like solid composed from the bonding of water and natural gas molecules. The lattice-structure traps gas particles (mostly methane) within the ice. Hydrates form under the low temperatures and high pressures of the ocean floor, usually at depths greater than 500 meters and are primarily found to occur within sedimentary deposits along continental shelves and also beneath Arctic permafrost. The exact amount and whereabouts of the world's hydrate supply is unknown, but technological advances are pushing science closer to these answers.

The new discovery of a 2 million year old female pelvis is changing theories about how smart our ancestors really were. The analysis of the Homo erectus pelvis structure (found in Gona, Ethiopia) indicates an increased possibility of neonatal brain size as well as locomotive ability for homeostasis, two opposing aspects in birth that never previously known for that time.

Heartbreak is more than just an emotional defeat; to some the pain is very real. At one point or another, everyone must experience this mind numbing feeling (unless you confine yourself to a house and never interact with even a pet) but that's not the norm and you're probably not reading this article if you've had that kind of sheltered life.

When I write in that title, a 'new Ice Age beast', I'm talking about the Coelodonta Tologoijensis. of course! That's Woolly Rhinoceros for us non-palaeontologists. After 460,000 years of being in the great Mammoth's shadow, this giant rhino is finally receiving it's place in the spotlight.

http://news.medill.northwestern.edu/chicago/news.aspx?id=90119The myth of the Cyclops may have been fueled by fossil discoveries,
like this dwarf elephant skull on display at the Field Museum’s
Mythical Creatures exhibit through Sept.1. Ancient Greeks who uncovered
the skulls of dwarf elephants on Mediterranean islands may have
mistaken the central nasal cavity—where the trunk was attached—for a
single eye socket, which suggested one-eyed giants once roamed the land.

If you're a yogurt consumer like myself, you've probably noticed the aisle flooded with signs for probiotic yogurt, probiotic shots and even probiotic candy bars (hey, it's true!)  While staying away from these items for some time I thought I'd now try to figure out the reality behind these and put the hype to rest. Apparently, probiotics have been used for centuries as natural components in health-promoting foods and upon transportation to the United States, they have sparked a huge growth in the yogurt industry for their claims of increased immune response as well as sufficient promotion toward digestive health.

An allergy refers to an exaggerated reaction by our immune systemin response to bodily contact with certain foreign substances. When anallergen comes in contact with the body, it causes the immune system todevelop an allergic reaction in persons who are allergic to it.Ten to 20% of adults in the population report food intolerances—mostly they refer to these as "food allergies." But only a small proportion of these are genuine, immunologically mediated allergies. Foodintolerances are therefore overrated on the one hand, but on the other hand, potentially dangerous food allergies are often not diagnosed at all or only with delays.

We all know that high cholesterol is associated with the possibility of diabetes, but what about a connection between triglyceride levels and obesity? It may seem far fetched, but conducting a simple test of bodily triglyceride levels may give beneficial insight to those of who that are more susceptible for becoming obese.

College students are under quite a bit of pressure these days. Trust me, I know. Working to make enough for tuition, fighting with endless hours of homework and worrying about living expenses on top of the exam you have to study for... it can be quite overwhelming. With all the complaints of stress affecting a student's academic performance, University of Minnesota researchers decided to test the reliability behind them.