Cannabis Compound Found

Scientists have discovered cannabidiol, a compound in cannabis known as CBD, in a common Brazilian plant, opening potential new avenues to produce the increasingly popular substance.

The team found CBD in the fruits and flowers of a plant known as Trema micrantha blume, a shrub which grows across much of the South American country and is often considered a weed, molecular biologist Rodrigo Moura Neto of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro told AFP in June.  READ MORE...

Amazon River Has No Bridges

Here we see an aerial view of part of the Amazon River – note the lack of bridges. 

(Image credit: mantaphoto via Getty Images)

The Amazon River is the world's second-longest river and one of the planet's most significant waterways. It contains more fresh water by volume than any other river, is home to the world's largest species of river dolphin, and hosts 100 species of electric fish and up to 60 species of piranhas.

Yet, despite its many and varied qualities, there is something that cannot be found on the Amazon River: bridges.

Given the Amazon flows through three countries (Peru, Colombia and Brazil) and more than 30 million people live in the river's basin, according to the World Wildlife Fund(opens in new tab), it seems somewhat improbable that no bridges span the river. So why is this the case? Are there fundamental difficulties with building such structures in a rainforest containing swamps, extensive wetlands and deep, thick undergrowth? Are there financial barriers? Or is it simply not worth the effort?

The Amazon anomaly
When compared with some of the world's other most recognisable rivers, the Amazon's lack of bridge crossings is an oddity. There are about nine Nile-spanning bridges in Cairo alone; more than 100(opens in new tab) bridges have been completed in the last 30 years across the Yangtze, Asia's premier river; while Europe's Danube, which is only one-third as long as the Amazon, has 133 bridge crossings(opens in new tab).

So what's the deal with the Amazon?

"There is no sufficiently pressing need for a bridge across the Amazon," Walter Kaufmann, chair of Structural Engineering (Concrete Structures and Bridge Design) at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (ETH) Zurich, told Live Science in an email.


The Amazon, for much of its 4,300-mile (6,920 kilometers) length, meanders through areas that are sparsely populated, meaning there are very few major roads for any bridge to connect to. And in the cities and towns that border the river, boats and ferries are an established means of moving goods and people from bank to bank, meaning there is no real need for bridges to be built, other than to make trips slightly quicker.  READ MORE...

Recycling Lithium Batteries

Electric vehicles, power tools, smartwatches—Lithium-ion batteries are everywhere now. However, the materials to make them are finite, and sourcing them has environmental, humanitarian, and economic implications. Recycling is key to addressing those, but a recent study shows most Lithium-ion batteries never get recycled.

Lithium and several other metals that make up these batteries are incredibly valuable. The cost of raw lithium is roughly seven times what you'd pay for the same weight in lead, but unlike lithium batteries, almost all lead-acid batteries get recycled. So there’s something beyond pure economics at play.

It turns out that there are good reasons why lithium battery recycling hasn’t happened yet. But some companies expect to change that, which is a good thing since recycling lithium batteries will be an essential part of the renewable energy transition.
Lead-acid lessons

How extreme is the disparity between lithium and lead batteries? In 2021, the average price of one metric ton of battery-grade lithium carbonate was $17,000 compared to $2,425 for lead North American markets, and raw materials now account for over half of battery cost, according to a 2021 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The imbalance of recycling is counterintuitive in terms of fresh material supply as well. Global sources of lithium amount to 89 million tons, most of which originate in South America, according to a recent United States Geological Survey report. In contrast, the global lead supply at 2 billion tons was 22 times higher than lithium.

Despite the smaller supply of lithium, a study earlier this year in the Journal of the Indian Institute of Science found that less than 1 percent of Lithium-ion batteries get recycled in the US and EU compared to 99 percent of lead-acid batteries, which are most often used in gas vehicles and power grids. According to the study, recycling challenges range from the constantly evolving battery technology to costly shipping of dangerous materials to inadequate government regulation.  READ MORE....

Security for Global Politicians

The killing of British MP Sir David Amess has highlighted the dilemma facing politicians worldwide.

How can you be an open, accessible people's representative and yet still protect your personal safety?

We asked our correspondents around the world to tells us how lawmakers cope where they are.

Brazil
By Katy Watson. BBC South America correspondent

IMAGE SOURCE,EPAImage caption,Jair Bolsonaro was stabbed during his presidential campaign in 2018


In such a vast country as Brazil, there are many different political realities.

In remote areas like the Amazon, expect to find little or no security for the average politician. That's not to say there aren't legitimate safety concerns - with powerful economic players vying for control, threats to politicians' security aren't uncommon. But rallies are community affairs, politicians are often a familiar face - and being part of the fabric is crucial.

Down south in big cities like São Paulo and Rio de Janeiro you're more likely to see politicians flanked by bodyguards and large entourages. Wealth here is extreme - and so are the inequalities. Richer politicians, like those in the corporate world, protect themselves.

Brazil is deeply divided politically and that has become clearer during Jair Bolsonaro's leadership. He was stabbed during his presidential campaign and has used this as a justification to liberalise gun laws.  TO READ MORE ABOUT THIS, CLICK HERE...

The Rest of the World Baby...

Millions are starving in South America

Millions are starving in Africa

Millions are starving in China

Millions are starving in Asia

How many people in America really care about that?

Americans care about only one thing...   GREED...

It may seem hard to believe at times but all you have to do is look around your little corner of the world (here in the US of A) wherever that might be and simply take in and appreciate all that you see.

How many obese people do you know that have no desire to quit eating as much as they do?

How many people do you know that refuse to exercise?

How many of you co-workers only work for that raise or bonus or both and could care less about anything else they are doing for the company?

How many of you went to college not for the education but to get more money during your lifetime?

How many of you are planning on buying a bigger house?

How many vehicles do you own?

How often do you drink alcohol and how much is consumed?

How often do you smoke a joint or snort a line?

How many of you are DEBT FREE?

In a way...   Americans are pathetic in how they try to live their lives and then on Sundays attend church and say otherwise...  Our entire ECONOMIC SYSTEM is based upon GREED and it is ONE GIANT PYRAMID SCHEME with the wealthy sitting on the top of the pyramid trying to convince us to buy more...  and when the wealthy are tired of poking the bear, they try to open markets in other countries and convince them that they need more...

THE WEALTHY ARE ONLY WEALTHY BECAUSE OF US....

BUT...  more importantly...

WHAT ABOUT THE REST OF THE WORLD...  BABY...