Tomorrow
in Brief
edited by Cindy Wagner
Three-Wheeled Cars for Cities
An environmentally friendly three-wheeled car could appeal
to city dwellers dealing with ever-increasing traffic congestion. Bath University's
prototype Clever car is a low-emission vehicle that seats one passenger behind the driver,
thus making it narrower and more maneuverable than a normal car, though just as tall. A
tilting chassis keeps the vehicle stable in corners, and an engine that runs on compressed
natural gas makes the vehicle fuel efficient and low-polluting. A strengthened safety
frame also makes it safer in accidents than other micro cars, according to mechanical
engineering lecturer Jos Darling, head of the Clever car project. "The increase in
traffic in our towns and cities means that we have to find a way to make our vehicles
smaller," he notes.
Source: University of Bath, Public Relations Office, Bath BA2 7AY, United Kingdom. Web
site www.bath.ac.uk.
Fashions That Flash Your Message
Rather than simply sporting a logo or slogan on their T-shirts, future fashionistas will
be able to flash messages across their clothing. The Flasher, developed by Carrig
Electronics Ltd., is a programmable LED sign that can simply be attached to a shirt or
jacket. Personalized messages of up to 32 characters scroll continuously across the
display and could make it easy to communicate across a noisy room, such as at a club.
Larger video screens could also be incorporated into future fashions, such as the
"Tee-Vee" shirts advertising rapper LL Cool J's album DEFinition at the
2004 Video Music Awards. Add on a flat-panel photovoltaic array available from Scott
eVest, a manufacture of gadget-compatible sportswear, and you could have people wearing
portable monitors for all-day, all-night broadcasting.
Sources: Carrig Electronics Ltd., P.O. Box 116, Cleveleys, Lancashire FY5 1WY, United
Kingdom. Web site www.theflasheronline.com.
Scott eVest Inc., 500 Bell Drive, Suite 17, P.O. Box 2626, Ketchum, Idaho 83340. Web site www.scottevest.com.
Fly Population May Double
The fly population in the United Kingdom could double within the next few years if average
global temperatures rise by a predicted three degrees or more, warns biologist Dave
Goulson of the University of Southampton. Goulson's studies of British landfills and their
problems with flies and maggots led him to embark on long-term research monitoring fly
populations and the impacts of weather conditions and temperature changes. A computer
model using this data allowed Goulson to project the impacts of future temperature
increases. "Flies are annoying but they also carry many human diseases. We need to
have plans in place to cope with any large increase in the fly population," says
Goulson, who recommends that landfill site operators cover waste with layers of soil.
Source: University of Southampton, Media Relations, Highfield, Southampton SO17 1BJ,
United Kingdom. Web site www.soton.ac.uk.
Half of U.S. Adults Will Use Food Stamps
About half of all Americans will rely on food stamps at some point during adulthood,
according to a study by sociologist Thomas A. Hirschl of Cornell University. Though the
use of food stamps may be brief, about three-fourths of those using them once will need
them again some other time. Race and education are the biggest factors linked to
food-stamp use, as more than 85% of African Americans and 64% of adults with fewer than 12
years of education will use food stamps at some time between the ages of 20 and 65. Hunger
and food insecurity are associated with a variety of health problems, such as increased
risk of chronic diseases and impaired psychological and cognitive functioning among
children, Hirschl warns.
Source: Cornell University, News Service, Surge 3, Ithaca, New York 14853. Telephone
1-607-255-4206. Web site www.news.cornell.edu.
Laser Detects Explosives
Lasers could soon be used to detect explosives safely, quickly, and inexpensively. A team
of University of Florida researchers has developed a new device that detects TNT using
photoluminescence spectroscopy--casting light on an object and measuring the wavelength of
the light that it returns. Because TNT and similar explosives create very specific
wavelengths, creating a distinct spectral fingerprint, the technique could help security
professionals identify explosives faster and more accurately than with current techniques.
And because the process doesn't require contact with the object, detection could be done
safely from afar, simply shining a light on a car, ship, or person.
Source: University of Florida, News and Public Affairs Office, 207 Tigert Hall, P.O. Box
113075, Gainesville, Florida 32611. Web site www.napa.ufl.edu.
