plant

Scientists declare knowledge gap in nanoagriculture

At just 1/50,000 the width of an average human hair, nanoparticles are widely used in cosmetics, medicines, and more.

But their emerging use in agriculture has raised questions about health and environmental effects, and a new report by a team of chemists at the University of Texas at El Paso concludes that those questions don't yet have answers.

After reviewing nearly 100 scientific articles on the effects of a variety of nanoparticles on edible plants (including cucumbers, rye, barley, and zucchini), the team found that both uptake and build-up of nanoparticles vary widely depending on plant type … Read more

Free Amazon App of the Day--5/31/11

You've been waiting for it for a long time. We told you it was coming. It's been available on the iPhone forever. Well, it's finally here. The second of three PopCap exclusives to be released on Amazon's Appstore for Android is none other than Plants vs. Zombies, and it's the free app of the day.

Frankly, there's really no need to tell you how the game works (I think we've all played it at least once), but I will tell you a few things before downloading. First, as with all three PopCap exclusives, Plants vs. Zombies is a Wi-Fi-only download. Second, the file size is approximately 75MB.

Lastly, despite the small number of Android phones in the compatibility list on Amazon's site, we can verify that it also works on the HTC Thunderbolt, HTC Droid Incredible, and the HTC EVO (which are not listed).

Suffice it to say that it will work on the majority of Android phones to date. The app is supposedly not optimized for tablets--pixelation may occur--but if you have one, screw it; try anyway. … Read more

GM to add 110 jobs and invest $331 million in Arlington, Texas plant

General Motors today made another announcement regarding allocation of the $2 billion in U.S. plant investment.

The automaker will add 110 jobs and invest $331 million to purchase tooling and equipment and expand the Arlington Assembly Plant.

Currently, the plant's 2,400 hourly and salaried employees make Chevrolet Tahoes, Suburbans, GMC Yukons and Cadillac Escalades.

"This investment will allow us to continue building award-winning full-size SUVs that offer better fuel efficiency than ever before without sacrificing the features and functionality they've come to expect," GM Manufacturing Manager Larry Zahner said Thursday. "We remain committed … Read more

GE unveils power plant in Paris

At a Paris event on Wednesday, GE announced a new gas-fuelled power plant it says offers more flexibility and efficiency than many other options currently available.

The FlexEfficiency 50 Combined Cycle Power Plant is rated at 510 megawatts, has a base-load efficiency of more than 60 percent, and, when fully operational, can provide enough energy to power more than 600,000 European homes, according to GE. The plant is built to incorporate fluctuating power sources like wind and solar, as well as a main source of natural gas, the company said.

"The FlexEfficiency 50 plant is engineered for flexible operation by integrating a next-generation 9FB gas turbine that operates at 50Hz, which is the power frequency that is most used in countries around the world; a 109D-14 steam turbine, which runs on the waste heat produced by the gas turbine; GE's advanced W28 generator; a Mark VIe integrated control system that links all of the technologies; and a heat recovery steam generator," GE said in a statement.

GE says the plant also conforms to the EU's strict plant emissions standards for NOx and CO2.

The plant represents $500 million in research and development and came out of GE's Ecomagination program to develop clean-energy projects. GE announced in June 2010 that it planned to invest $10 billion over five years in green-focused research and development.… Read more

GM to use landfill gases as an energy-saver at Orion plant

General Motors has taken steps to make the Orion Assembly Plant even more energy efficient including using landfill gas to cut energy costs.

The plant will begin assembling the 2012 Chevrolet Sonic and Buick Verano this fall. With an upgraded paint shop that is heated by natural and landfill gas, the painting process will use half of the energy per vehicle of the one it replaced. The system runs exclusively on landfill gas primarily to generate steam for heating and compressed air for most of the year.

According to GM, both the Sonic and Verano use a new eco paint … Read more

Buzz Out Loud 1473: Rapture at the Apple chapel (Podcast)

We all really hope this isn't our last show ever, but if it is, we can apparently join a bunch of other Facebook hoodlum types and go loot the Apple store. Or, as one caller brilliantly renames them, the Apple Chapel. Also, sad news from China's Foxconn Plant, Comcast continues its parade of breathtakingly evil activities, and nothing's wrong with Georgia on Computer Love. --Molly

-->

PopCap Games and Amazon get exclusive

Amazon knows what mobile gamers want--popular titles and freebies. By inking high-profile studios to exclusive launches, the company has generated plenty of positive buzz around its Appstore and continues to build momentum, especially with its free App of the Day offers. The first being the hugely popular exclusive free download of Rovio's Angry Birds Rio.

So to follow up Amazon's success with its deal with Rovio, the company recently signed an exclusive agreement with casual gaming company PopCap. Chuzzle is the first game to roll out from PopCap and is also the free download of the day. Other … Read more

This Day in Tech: Bin Laden's sneakernet

Too busy to keep up with the tech news? Here are some of the more interesting stories from CNET News for Friday, May 13.

RIP: Where our gadgets go when they die.

Bin Laden's sneakernet: How the al-Qaeda leader used e-mail off the grid.

We signed on to Tinychat: What happens when a group-oriented take on Chatroulette adds location sharing?

No surprise here: Angry Birds and Plants vs. Zombies receive Guinness World Records.

Freebie: Sure, it's Friday the 13th, but it could still be your lucky day to win 3D desktop speakers.

GM announces $2 billion investment and addition of 4,000 jobs at 17 U.S. plants

Since emerging from bankruptcy reorganization in mid-2009, General Motors has invested $3.4 billion and has added or saved more than 9,000 jobs. The U.S. automaker today announced an additional investment of $2 billion; an additional 4,000 jobs have been saved or created.

The announcement was made by GM Chairman and CEO Dan Akerson during an event at the 54-year-old Toledo Transmission Plant in Toledo, Ohio.

"We are doing this because we are confident about demand for our vehicles and the economy," Akerson said. The company also released an animated clip (after the jump) about … Read more

Energy plant hack all wind, says operator

There's no proof that a suspected hacking attack on the Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) systems of a U.S. energy plant actually occurred, according to the operator, NextEra Energy Resources.

Moreover, the company has claimed that the information posted on the Full Disclosure mailing list as evidence of the attack is already public.

The statements follow claims that a former employee who was reportedly fired illegitimately had sought revenge by hacking the system responsible for controlling parts of a 200-megawatt plant at a New Mexico wind farm.