Sustainable Sources of Biofuels

Native prairie plants may provide an alternative source of fuel that does not cut into food supplies. As societies increasingly demand crop-based biofuels to reduce dependence on petroleum, the rapid diversion of corn from food to fuel has many people worried about feeding tomorrow’s hungry. Now, environmental science researchers led by Michigan Technological University’s David Flaspohler advocate the use of diverse native prairie plants for bioenergy instead of relying on agricultural crops such as corn. Native crops are also better for preserving the habitats of birds and other species, and maintaining biodiversity is good for the long-term health of the ecosystem, according to the researchers.

Source: Michigan Technological University, www.mtu.edu .

 

Pollution without Borders

Most of the world’s air-quality problems are local, but non-domestic sources of pollution are an increasing concern around the world, according to the U.S. National Research Council. As developing countries become more industrialized, they are emitting more ozone, particulates such as soot and dust, mercury, and organic pollutants such as DDT. All of these pollutants can travel across continents; for instance, satellite observations have attributed plumes in central Oregon to polluted air masses that took eight days to travel from East Asia, where man-made emissions are expected to rise in coming decades.

Source: “Global Sources of Local Pollution,” National Research Council, Committee on the Significance of International Transport of Air Pollutants. National Academies Press, www.nap.edu .

Long-Term Impacts of Bad Shoes

Whether it’s a sexy stiletto or a stylish sandal, cute but high-risk shoes could cost you long-term foot pain, warn researchers from Boston University School of Public Health. Women are more prone to make poor footwear choices than men are, and thus put themselves more at risk of sprains, muscle strains, fractures, and a variety of foot pains from toenail to heel. The researchers recommend choosing low-risk shoes, such as athletic and casual sneakers, and avoiding high-risk shoes—high heels, sandals, and slippers. Performing stretching exercises can also help reduce the effects of bad shoes.

Source: “Foot Pain: Is Current or Past Shoewear a Factor?” by Alyssa B. Dufour et al. Arthritis Care & Research (Wiley-Blackwell, October 2009).

Plagiarists Beware: Musical Detection Software

Popular music has frequently borrowed from classical composers such as Mozart and Rachmaninoff, but now when songwriters borrow even a sequence of chord changes from one of their contemporaries, cries of plagiarism can be expected. Melody detectives will soon have new software to help predict whether a specific plagiarism charge would hold up in court, thanks to tune algorithms developed by computer scientists at Goldsmiths, University of London. The program models court decisions for cases of alleged tune theft; when tested on U.S. court cases, the model predicted 90% of the decisions correctly. The benefit for songwriters and their publishers would be that they could test their tunes against any similar preexisting melodies, assuring themselves and their fans of the new songs’ originality.

Source: Goldsmiths, University of London, www.goldsmiths.ac.uk.

Can Happiness Be Acquired?

Are some people just born happy while others are doomed to despair? Psychiatrists have plied patients with psychotropic drugs and long-term therapy sessions without altering their happiness, says Robert Cloninger, professor of psychiatry at Washington University in St. Louis. However, by redirecting clinical treatment toward enhancing patients’ character development, their overall life satisfaction and well-being can be improved. To achieve happiness, Cloninger prescribes a psychoeducational program for improving self-directedness (by becoming more calm, accepting one’s limitations, and letting go of fear and conflict), cooperativeness (by working in the service of others), and self-transcendence (awareness of the roots of negative emotions), all traits that are essential for well-being.

Source: Robert Cloninger, Department of Psychiatry, Washington University School of Medicine, St. Louis, Missouri 63110; http://psychobiology.wustl.edu/cloninger.html .