Daily archives: February 13, 2014

Dredging would not have stopped massive UK floods – environment – 10 February 2014 – New Scientist

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Much of southern England is underwater thanks to a record-breaking deluge that has fallen over two months. More than 5000 homes have flooded in the Thames valley and Somerset. Many of the people affected complain that rivers should have been dredged to allow the water to escape faster. But hydrologists say dredging alone would have made little difference. The only way is to manage entire catchment areas, or in the case of Somerset, perhaps build an artificial lagoon.

via Dredging would not have stopped massive UK floods – environment – 10 February 2014 – New Scientist.

El Niño may make 2014 the hottest year on record – New Scientist

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As a result of climate change 2014 is likely to be one of the hottest years on record. If El Niño does develop this year, it will make 2014 even hotter – maybe the hottest ever, says Cai. But since El Niño normally straddles two calendar years, it might give 2015 that title.

If this year becomes the hottest on record, what lie will climate change deniers switch to?

via El Niño may make 2014 the hottest year on record – environment – 10 February 2014 – New Scientist.

Growing Underground

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This week, Wired.co.uk paid a visit to the subterranean farm, descending the winding steps deep into the bowels of southwest London. The space is enormous. It’s made up of two seemingly never-ending tunnels (actually 430 metres long), lit — at least during our visit — only by the torches of Steven Dring and Richard Ballard, the founders of Zero Carbon Food, the company behind this agricultural curiosity.

via Vast underground bomb shelter reappropriated by urban farmers (Wired UK).

Canoeing through Egham

This entry was posted in climate change Floods YouTube on by

During the few unhappy months- over a decade ago- that I spent working in Surrey, I lived in Egham. It was a nice enough little town and served as a good starting point for a few interesting bike rides, so it’s sad to hear that so much of it is under water. The video clip below is from Channel 4, and may turn up in a news report later. The sound is very poor, but you get the gist of what’s happening.

Laser-sparked fusion power passes key milestone – New Scientist

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CLEAN energy inspired by the stars is the dream of scientists pursuing nuclear fusion, in which atomic nuclei fuse together and release energy. In a first for laser-driven fusion, scientists at a US lab say they have reached a key milestone called fuel gain: they are producing more energy than the fuel absorbed to start the reaction.

via Laser-sparked fusion power passes key milestone – tech – 12 February 2014 – New Scientist.