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Eat less, live longer It has been known for many years that restriction of diet without reducing the intake of vitamins and minerals results in a slowing down of the ageing process and lengthens life spans. This was shown to be true for monkeys, rats, fish and even of microorganisms such as fungi. Scientists have been puzzled by this fact and have been investigating the scientific reasons behind the evidence.
Professor Mikael Molin of the University of Gothenburg’s Department of Cell and Molecular Biology and colleagues seem to have at last found the answer (Molecular Cell, Volume 43, Issue 5, 823-833, Sept 2, 2011). There is harmful hydrogen peroxide in the cells of our body, that is removed by an enzyme (peroxiredoxin 1), (Prx1). This enzyme degrades during the ageing process, making it less effective in removing the damaging effects of peroxide. The impaired function of this enzyme therefore leads to cancer and some genetic defects. There is, however, another “doctor in the house”—a repair enzyme present (Srx1) that repairs the degraded enzyme Prx1. It was found that restriction of diet increases the concentration of this repair enzyme Srx1, thereby leading to increased life spans.
An interesting related finding was that if the level of this repair enzyme Srx1 is increased, then the ageing process can be slowed without restricting the diet. The diet restriction can potentially result in reduction of age-related diseases, including Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, leading to healthier longer lives.
Solar towers—electricity from hot air A huge solar tower is to be constructed in Arizona by a company, Enviromission, that will produce 200 Megawatts of electricity, just from hot air! It will not use solar cells or mirrors, but rely only on direct sunlight falling on a large area under a very tall tower, about 800 metres high, to produce hot air. The solar tower technology was successfully demonstrated in Spain over a decade ago to produce electricity. The technology involves the sun beating down on a large surface with an area of several hundred square metres. The hot air, having a temperature of about 80-90 degrees Celsius, is collected and allowed to escape through the tower.
The tower needs to be tall, as for every hundred metres in height, one gets a temperature drop of one degree Celsius. The hot air rises up rapidly through the tower. The larger the temperature difference between the hot air at ground level and the top of the tower from which it is escaping, the greater will be its upward speed, and the more electricity will be produced due to the corresponding increase in the rotation speed of the turbines.
Pakistan could build similar towers in its desert areas in Sindh and use desert land that is otherwise useless, and produce huge amounts of electricity at low cost. In many areas in Sind and Balochistan, such partial funnel shaped structures already exist, created by natural erosion of mountain sides. They could be readily transformed into electricity generating towers at low cost.
Helicopters?—No, multicopters! The first ever manned flight of a “multicopter” was accomplished in southwestern Germany by Thomas Senkel. Mounted on a seat in the centre of the aircraft, he was surrounded by 16 propellers with accompanying motors. The flight of the multicopter could be controlled with a hand-held remote device. The rotational speed of the propellers and the direction of the multicopter was controlled by an on-board computer. The aircraft continues to fly even if four of its propellers fail, thereby making it very safe. The German developer “e-Volo” expects to commercially manufacture these new electric multicopters before long.
Electric vehicles have been now in the market for several years, but batteries were not used to power helicopters till earlier this year when the French company “Solution F” had the world’s first electric helicopter built by Pascal Chretien and flown by him on Aug 12, 2011. Helicopters are more difficult to fly on batteries because they require sustained high power throughout their flight, in contrast to electrical planes that require significant power only when taking off but require much less power when cruising.
China takes another giant step in space technologies On Nov 2, 2011, China successfully docked two unmanned spacecraft in orbit about 211 miles above the earth. This represented a giant step forward for China in their plans to become a major space power and build the first Chinese space station by 2020. This maneuver was first achieved by USA in 1965 and it has been subsequently carried out by Russia, Europe and Japan. It is being used to make the first International Space Station. China’s rapid progress is based on its huge investments in science and technology.
