In this issue:
Techniques for producing meat without harming animals have been shown to produce fewer greenhouse gases than conventional livestock farming.
A new study from University of Oxford PhD candidate Hanna Tuomisto and her colleagues has shown that artificial or "cured" beef resulted in 78%–96% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and required 82%–96% less water.
Consumption of livestock and particularly beef has been on the rise in recent decades. The United Nations expects demand for livestock-based food to double between 2000 and 2050 as the developing world and countries like China increase meat consumption. In many respects, beef is an unparalleled source of protein, but livestock production currently accounts for 18% of GHGs worldwide, a larger portion than the transportation sector.
"The results show that cultured meat production emits substantially less GHG emissions and requires only a fraction of land and water compared to conventionally produced meat in Europe. Energy requirements of cultured meat production are lower compared to beef, sheep, and pork, but higher compared to poultry," the authors of the study write.
They deduce that an additional $160 million in research and development is needed before a commercialized product can be brought to market. The researchers' findings were published in the Environmental Journal of Science and Technology.
Source: Purchase the paper "Environmental Impacts of Cultured Meat Production" here. Further Reading: FUTURIST deputy editor Patrick Tucker and author Robert Frietas discuss the future of food, including artificial meat, with Wired magazine writer Eliot Van Buskirk: read more.
In 2009, Carol Kasyjanski made history becoming the first American to receive a pacemaker that wirelessly broadcast her private cardiovascular data to her doctor. This allowed her doctor to remotely monitor her health.
In the following years, wireless communication has become an increasingly common aspect of implantable medical devices (IMDs). That new capability can be great for patients, allowing their doctors to more effectively "check up" on them and without a drive to the hospital.
The downside is that these devices are left open to hacking, which could make sensitive patient data vulnerable to theft or even put lives at risk. IT-enabled pacemakers, in particular, can be programmed to deliver a voltage surge directly to the heart.
A team of researchers from MIT have developed a "shield" for IMDs. A thin metal strip is implanted over the medical device, within the patient, to block unauthorized commands.
"The shield uses a novel radio design that can act as a jammer-cum-receiver. This design allows it to jam the IMD's messages, preventing others from decoding them.
Source: MIT. "They Can Hear Your Heartbeats: Non-Invasive Security for Implantable Medical Devices" by Shyamnath Gollakota et al.
The extent of sea ice in the Arctic this spring was the third lowest recorded by satellites, according to the European Space Agency, whose new CryoSat mission has just released its first map of sea-ice thickness.
CryoSat's sophisticated imaging technologies enable researchers to measure the height of ice above the water line and to calculate its thickness. The objective of measuring changes at the points where ice meets the ocean is to monitor the effects of climate change.
The satellite's highly detailed data enable scientists also to see the effects of wind stress on the ice sheet. And CryoSat's wide range of view even includes parts of Antarctica, allowing nearly pole-to-pole coverage.
Source: European Space Agency [Editor's note: Arctic specialist Lawson Brigham will be discussing the implications of such issues in his Saturday keynote luncheon on "The New Maritime Arctic" during WorldFuture 2011 in Vancouver. Details here.
As more information moves online, traditional libraries are losing relevance, but librarians are becoming more important than ever. This is according to R. David Lankes, author of The Atlas of New Librarianship (MIT Press, 2011). Rick Docksai, assistant editor for THE FUTURIST, spoke with Lankes about his book and his views on libraries' future. Read more
THE FUTURIST — July-August, 2011
Japan's nuclear disaster carries a number of important lessons, such as how and when to deploy a worst-case scenario. While working in Kyoto, THE FUTURIST's senior editor observed Japan's nightmare and the costs of poor communication during a crisis.Read More.
A selection of articles, special reports, and other future-focused material on our Web site that you might have missed. Members may sign in to read and comment. Not a member? Join now at http://www.wfs.org/renew.
THE FUTURIST — July-August, 2011
The ease of communicating on modern networks has meant a rise in data vulnerability. A security specialist outlines the steps that the IT industry should take to protect consumers from data attacks—and itself from reactionary regulators.Read more.
THE FUTURIST — July-August, 2011
The earth beneath our feet is the Earth’s infrastructure for the resources that sustain our civilizations—and our futures. A leading agricultural policy expert shows what we must do to save the soil. Read more.