Category: Science

Donna Crane

Industrial agriculture may cause extinctions of life

First of two parts – The Independent newspaper in London, England published the following article written about professor Raj Patel, who stated: “Re-imagining a world with less stuff, but more joy is probably the way forward.” Industrial agriculture is bringing about the mass extinction of life on Earth, according to...

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Dan Palace, external investment consultant from Allianz Global Investors shares information Monday with the Rotary Club of Aurora members about water scarcity and sustainable investing. Palace said the increase in water insecurity will drive up the need for investment in smart water technology. An estimated 2 trillion gallons of water leaks from broken pipes in the U. S. each year. Jason Crane/The Voice

Increase in water insecurity will drive up the need for investment in smart water technology

Dan Palace, external investment consultant from Allianz Global Investors shares information Monday with the Rotary Club of Aurora members about water scarcity and sustainable investing. Palace said the increase in water insecurity will drive up the need for investment in smart water technology. An estimated 2 trillion gallons of water...

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Montgomery Village attorney Steve Andersson, left, explains the legal aspect to Board members, including Village president Matt Brolley before a vote to amend the Village zoning ordinance regarding gas and petroleum manufacturing at the Montgomery Village Board meeting Monday. Two weeks prior, petitioners for a proposed $40 Million pyrolysis facility said the plant would help recycle scrap tires using a thermal distillation process by converting tire chips into carbon powder and liquid fuel under a vacuum seal and airlock. After research and discussion, trustees Denny Lee, Doug Marecek, and Theresa Sperling voted 3-1 against the amendment. They agreed while the technology is in use in Germany their concerns are for the references given by the interested entity and safety concerns for the residents and Aurora University’s $20 Million athletic facility next door to the proposed location. Trustee Steve Jungermann voted in favor. He said the facility would create jobs and petitioners weren’t given a fair shot. Jason Crane/The Voice

Montgomery Village Board votes 3-1 against proposed $40 Million pyrolysis facility

Montgomery Village attorney Steve Andersson, left, explains the legal aspect to Board members, including Village president Matt Brolley before a vote to amend the Village zoning ordinance regarding gas and petroleum manufacturing at the Montgomery Village Board meeting Monday. Two weeks prior, petitioners for a proposed $40 Million pyrolysis facility...

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Fermilab open house Sunday, Feb. 10: A hunt

Fermilab’s Family Open House will be an opportunity for the family to spend an afternoon learning about science in a hands-on way and have fun doing it. Fermilab is America’s premier particle physics and accelerator laboratory, in Batavia. This year’s event will run from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday,...

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John Whitehead

We are suspects in a DNA lineup until science exonerates

“As more and more data flows from your body and brain to the smart machines via the biometric sensors, it will become easy for corporations and government agencies to know you, manipulate you, and make decisions on your behalf… If we want to prevent a small elite from monopolising such...

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From left: Mooseheart physics teacher Curt Schlinkmann and seniors Anthony Gomez and Amanda Jones. Schlinkmann, who originated Mooseheart’s bridge-breaking contest in 1987, will retire at the end of this school year. Mooseheart Communications photo

Bridge-breaking contest at Mooseheart to end 33-year run

For 33 years, it’s been a tradition at Mooseheart for Curt Schlinkmann’s physics class members to participate in a bridge-breaking contest in early January. This year’s version of that contest took place Wednesday, Jan. 16 and senior Amanda Jones’ won when her bridge held 33.6 pounds of weight before it...

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Batavia Public Library Science & Art Fair Jan. 26

The Batavia Public Library’s fourth annual Science & Art Fair will be from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 26 at the Library, 10 S. Batavia Avenue. Families are invited to explore exhibits and participate in hands-on activities. The open-house format features stations from Incredible Bats, SciTech Museum, NIU...

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Balloons, solar, as cell tower?: Loon LLC is an Alphabet, Inc. subsidiary working on providing Internet access to rural and remote areas by using high-altitude balloons at an altitude of about 11 miles to create an aerial wireless network. Each balloon’s electronics are powered by an array of solar panels and a battery for use at night. Google photo

Future solar uses will be widespread, including military

By Donna Crane – Last of two parts John Fialka’s, online report about the future of the solar industry for Scientific American (E&E News) continues this week. “Scientists are developing flexible, thin films that will be more resilient and have wider uses than current solar technology. “The military learned in...

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Donna Crane

Solar industry’s future lies in lightweight technology

First of two parts Solar industry’s future lies in lightweight technology. Scientists are developing flexible, thin-films that will be more resilient and have wider uses than current solar technology. John Fialka, submitted the following report online November 30 for Scientific American (E&E News). “Now that solar energy is competitive with...

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Eric Peterman, CEO of GRNE Solar, answers questions at the Montgomery Village Board meeting Monday. GRNE Solar is requesting approval for a special use permit to install solar panels on approximately 43 acres at 800 S. River Street. The power would be for the Fox Metro Reclamation District and could save taxpayers an extimated $160,000 per year. • A request was made for a special use permit for a Ricky Rockets fuel center at the Southwest corner of Orchard Road and Jericho Road. The proposed facility would be a gas station, car wash, convenience store, multi-tenant building and future out-lots, and hospitality use. The plan could be approved next month. • A property tax rebate in the amount of $45 will be mailed to each residential property owner who submits an application by December 17. The application can be found on the Village of Montgomery website. Jason Crane/The Voice

Installation of solar panels for the Fox Metro Reclamation District could save taxpayers $160,000

Eric Peterman, CEO of GRNE Solar, answers questions at the Montgomery Village Board meeting Monday. GRNE Solar is requesting approval for a special use permit to install solar panels on approximately 43 acres at 800 S. River Street. The power would be for the Fox Metro Reclamation District and could...

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Representative seeks faster DNA testing

Concerned about the Illinois State Police’s sexual assault case backlog, State representative Stephanie Kifowit, D-Aurora, is calling for a review of the State Police’s procedures in order to both quicken the pace of DNA testing and deliver justice for every survivor of a violent crime. “Sexual assault survivors undergo mental...

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Arlene Hawks, executive director of SciTech Hands On Museum in Aurora, shares plans with members of the Kiwanis Club of Aurora, Tuesday at the Prisco Center in Aurora. The museum in downtown Aurora with approximately 200 hands-on exhibits, recently celebrated 30 years of educating students of all ages. Founding director Ernest Malamud, a Fermilab physicist, envisioned an inspiring space to introduce people of all ages to science, technology, engineering and mathematics fields. Hawks, a former teacher and theater director at East Aurora High School, hopes partnerships and funding from Fox Valley businesses and organizations will continue to help the Museum develop fresh, interactive STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts and mathematics) exhibits. She was happy to report the museum traffic has increased by 40%.

SciTech Hands On Museum in Aurora recently celebrated 30 years of educating students

Arlene Hawks, executive director of SciTech Hands On Museum in Aurora, shares plans with members of the Kiwanis Club of Aurora, Tuesday at the Prisco Center in Aurora. The museum in downtown Aurora with approximately 200 hands-on exhibits, recently celebrated 30 years of educating students of all ages. Founding director...

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Donna Crane

Michael J. Fox: Medicinal product assists Parkinson’s

Reprinted from The Voice, November 9, 2017. Suzanne Pischner (CNN) reports: “After decades of battling with Parkinson’s Disease, Michael J. Fox and Cornell University student, Amanda Pyces, commenced to find the safest, most effective form of medicinal cannabis. “Their goal: Bring an all natural product to the masses that actually...

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Jo Fredell Higgins

Life in 1936: Roosevelt election to the telephone

While cleaning out book shelves and taking books to resale, I came across the Funk & Wagnalls Encyclopedia year books I had forgotten were in my possession. Remember when our information came from such encyclopedias? I remember sitting in the library carels at Illinois State University in Normal, on a...

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Leon Lederman Fermilab

Late Leon Lederman scientific trail-blazer, Nobel Prize recipient

Leon Lederman, a trail-blazing researcher with a passion for science education who served as Fermilab’s director from 1978 to 1989 and was a recipient of the Nobel Prize for discovery of the muon neutrino, died peacefully October 3 at a nursing home in Rexburg, Idaho. He was 96. He is...

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John Whitehead

Big Brother assisted by technology

It’s a given that Big Brother is always watching us. Unfortunately, thanks to the government’s ongoing efforts to build massive databases by using emerging surveillance, DNA, and biometrics technologies, Big Brother, and his corporate partners in crime, are getting even creepier and more invasive, intrusive, and stalker-like. Indeed, every dystopian...

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Larry Frieders

Changing perception of hemp permits beneficial use

Is CBD (Hemp) a Hoax or a Fad? For vast amounts of history, life on earth, including human, advanced side-by-side with hemp, a prolific weed. It grew everywhere. Animals ate it. Birds loved the seed. A survey in 2003 showed that more than 95% of hemp seed sold in the...

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