Page 108 – Green Prophet

Should I replace my gas stove?

Lifestyle

-

January 12, 2023

cooking on a gas stove, man holding pot with t — *A new study finds 12.7% of childhood asthma in the US is caused by gas stoves*

This week a US Consumer Product Safety Commission rep told Bloomberg News they’d be considering new regulations for gas stoves in the United States. The appliances which use natural gas and propane in countertops and ovens, have been in the news since a December study said that about 12% of childhood asthma cases in the US are from gas stoves. That’s more than one in 10 kids getting sick from your appliance.

The rep later clarified on Twitter that regulations would only apply to new products and you could keep cooking on your old stoves: “To be clear, CPSC isn’t coming for anyone’s gas stoves.”

So, should you replace your gas stove?

There is research showing health and climate risks from gas stoves. Last year in December, a US study found that gas stoves are still releasing methane when they are off, and they can emit nitrogen oxides (NOx) at levels that are higher than those set by the US Environmental Protection Agency.

“Indoor gas stove use for cooking is associated with an increased risk of current asthma among children and is prevalent in 35% of households in the United States (US). The population-level implications of gas cooking are largely unrecognized,” the researchers wrote along with a summary that “We found that 12.7% of current childhood asthma in the US is attributable to gas stove use.”

NOx are the common pollutants found in cigarette smoke and car exhaust, and these can cause or seriously aggravate respiratory problems, especially in children. My daughter had a coughing attack brought on by incense burning in the Old City of Jerusalem, and in some countries, cooking with polluting gas inside the home is very common, like in Egypt.

In Israel where I live, most homes are using propane gas tanks for stovetop cooking. Ovens are often, but not always separate, and can run on electricity or gas.

gas stove fire, restaurant Noma — *Gas stoves are taking the heat thanks to a new US study. What’s next? Gas furnaces?*

Let’s look to the US standards for guidance.

In addition to raising health concerns, methane and the carbon dioxide emitted from leaks and burning natural gas are both greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. These can add up, since about 35% of households in the US cook with gas stoves. Rates in the US are similar in Europe, with about 30% of energy for cooking coming from gas. Consider, however, that unless your region is using solar or wind energy, your electricity-fed stoves aren’t exactly clean. The waste is just being produced somewhere else.

Critics point out that there are bigger battles to fight, in climate and human health. But in some developing nations stove emissions are a seriously health concern. It’s also worth looking at your stove if your kids suddenly have breathing issues, previously unexplained.

What can you do?

You can replace your gas stove to cut the climate and health harms from cooking. It can be an expensive thing to do but new policy in the US could make replacing gas-powered stoves significantly cheaper. Tax incentives in the Inflation Reduction Act could help cover replacement costs.

And if you are stuck with a gas stove in a rental unit or you can’t afford to buy a new one, you can help by opening the windows when cooking and ventilating the area. Chefs aren’t going to like this news, but all things must change. Even the owner of Noma in Denmark is moving on, saying the restaurant business as it is simply unsustainable.

Just venting – reader feedback

Environmental artist Pablo Solomon writes to us from Texas: “Actually rather than giving up gas stoves, we should be asking why so many kids have asthma? How much is tied to the environment, to diet, to nerves, etc. Have we become so weak?

“Gas stoves if properly vented/filtered should not pose a health issue. As one who grew up in family restaurants, you just cannot beat a gas stove. My mother had a Chambers with an oven, grill, griddle, burners and a 3 pot section to cook soups and chili. As did my aunt who was considered the best Lebanese cook in the USA (by magazines ).

However, [we have] an antique cast iron stove converted to an electric stove (made in Canada ). And in our 1856 historic home, the cast iron stove looks great. Luckily the replacement coils and things are standard. However, it is so heavy it must be repaired in place. And electric heat of any kind is expensive and a strain on the grid/storage capacity- see how long a Tesla home battery will last cooking a brisket? Thankfully we are on a hydro electric coop.”

Frequency Electronics reveals a better clock

Brian Nitz

-

January 12, 2023

0

*Frequency Electronics makes clocks for time in space. Self-driving cars, drone deliveries, space travel to Mars. Our future depends on a new breed of clocks.*

Five..four..three..two..one… a glittered ball drops over Time’s Square in New York City and millions celebrated with kisses, hugs and cheers of Happy New Year! The western 2023 new year was seven hours earlier in Jerusalem, nine hours earlier in Dubai and the last seconds of December 31st 2022 visited Baker and Howland islands in the South Pacific. But even if you missed all of these celebrations you could celebrate according to another calendar. Russian Old New Year (Novy God) begins on January 14th.[/caption]

Chinese year of the water rabbit begins on January 22nd, Islamic Hijri New Year begins at nightfall on July 19th (read this guide on Muslim time), the Mayan New year is on July 26th and Hebrew New Year (Rosh Hashana) 5784 begins at sundown September 15th. With all of these new years to choose from you might ask yourself, what is so special about December 31st? It’s not the shortest day in the year. It’s not when Sirius rises above the great pyramids of Giza or when the Nile floods. It’s not a good time to plant crops. Sunrise and Sunsets are not aligned with Stonehenge. Some years it’s a new moon, other years it’s full or somewhere in between.

One of the first philosophical questions my child asked was, “How did everything get created in only seven days?” Remembering more about physics than religion I fell back on an answer that happened to be among the few where people of science and and people of faith agree. I said, “Time is weird,” but I might just as well have quoted the Book of Kohelet

(Ecclesiastes) 3:11 “He hath made every thing beautiful in his time: also he hath set the world in their heart, so that no man can find out the work that God maketh from the beginning to the end.”

Nature Time

The ancients measured time by observing nature. It made sense to separate the day from the night and further divide these days into times of dawn, sunrise, sunset, dusk and night. Knowing the phases of the moon helped people know the tides and the best times to fish and hunt and knowing the seasons tells us when is a good time to plant and harvest. This is from the first part of the same chapter of Ecclesiastes. Pete Seeger used these words in a folk song made popular by The Byrds:

To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven:
A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted;
A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up;
A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance;
A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing;
A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away;
A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak;
A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace.
Enter mathematics

About 6000 years ago the Sumerians of southern Iraq invented a sexagesimal (base 60) counting system. Twelve times the number of finger on one hand became the basis for our 24 hour clock, our 60 minute hour and our 60 second minute. Sometime around 3500 B.C.E. the neolithic people of Ireland created mound and stone structures aligned with celestial events but in what may be the world’s oldest sundial, they divided daylight hours into eight sectors and appear to have divided the year into 16 months.

The French attempted to decimalize time in the late 1700s but that went about as well as the U.S attempt to go metric in the 1970s. If the number of heartbeats in a day (86,400+/-), number of days in a lunar month (29.53) and number of lunar months in a year (12.3601) and number of days in a year (365.2425) had been nice round numbers divisible by the number of our fingers and toes, it would have been simple. But it doesn’t and it isn’t. Arguments over how to align human time with natural time have gone on for centuries, dividing religions and inciting wars.

Let’s all agree to disagree

Saint Nicholas of Myra Turkey was among the members of the council of Nicea when it voted to break from the Jewish calendar so that Easter no longer aligned with the passover full moon. The calendar they adopted inherited flaws introduced by Roman emperor Julias Ceasar whose calendar assumed that a year is 365.25 days long. The actual length is about 365.2425 days. The calendar lost about 11 minutes each year until Pope Gregory XIII consulted the Vatican astronomer and left us a simple equation to compensate for the drift and removed 10 days from the calendar of October 1582.

Computer programmers would mistakenly use Julias Ceasar’s flawed leap-year equations for at least 441 years. The colonial United States and majority protestant parts of Europe didn’t accept the new calendar until September 1752 when the “stolen days” triggered riots over lost wages.

The Eastern Orthodox church remained with the Julian calendar. So by 2023 the Orthodox Christmas and New Year arrive about two weeks after the western equivalent.

As the pace of life changed and people journeyed farther into the world they needed to find a way to mimic and improve on natural timekeepers. At the equator, the earth turns at roughly 1000mph (16 miles/second.) So even if a navigator gets a perfect fix on the angle of the sun or star, a 1 second time error could put them 16 miles east or west of where they think they are. In 1714 after the British Navy ran aground on the long Plymouth peninsula one too many times, the British parliament voted to create a reward for anyone who can invent a clock which stayed synchronized with celestial time even in rough seas far from home.

The book Longitude by David Sobel explains this struggle and how the strange custom of dropping a ball helped ships synchronize their clocks with shore time without going ashore. Ships weren’t the only means of transportation which required accurate clocks. Several train accidents and near misses drove people to create a standard railroad time.

Pope Gregory’s calendar bugs

With telescopes made out of stone, it may have taken neolithic builders 500 years to notice errors caused by the slow precession of the earth’s axis but better tools revealed that there are more things in heaven and earth never dreamt of by Pope Gregory XIII. His calendar is also out of step with the heavens. The Earth is not a perfect sphere, its orbit isn’t round, its axis is tilted and wobbles like a top. Our supersize moon moves north and south, nearer and farther in its elliptical orbit. As the moon and sun drag tides across irregular bays and estuaries the friction slows and speeds up the earth’s rotation as the moon, earth and sun orbit moving centers of gravity in a dance with average days growing longer until one day only one hemisphere of the earth will face the moon and life can no longer rely on our familiar patterns of tides.

Atomic time replaces astronomical time

Highly accurate atomic clocks eventually replaced astronomical measurements as a basis for universal standard time. Computers, phones, airline and train schedules take their time from an atomic clock. Since 1972 leap seconds have been occasionally added to keep our standard time aligned with the heavens. Many of us were too distracted with selfies, celebrations and streaming video to notice that the last minute of December 31, 2016 was 61 seconds long.

Unfortunately the software in our devices was designed around 60 second minutes and leap seconds can cause havoc with our technology. To avoid vexing equivalents of Y2K bugs at random intervals, the General Conference on Weights and Measures (CGPM) voted on November 18, 2022 to allow more than 1 second error between universal time (UTC) and astronomical time (UT1.)

What would we do with a better atomic clock?

Frequency Electronics in Space — *Navigation and communications rely on precision timing done by an atomic clock*

In May of 2022 Frequency Electronics, Inc (NASDAQ: FEIM) announced its next generation of portable Digital Rubidium Atomic Clock (DRAC) suitable for airborn and satellite applications. (Remember, the UAE also plans to build a colony on Mars). Such super accurate clocks can improve existing applications such as drones, self-driving cars and satellite navigation.

It can also be used to make radio communications more immune to interference, for better detection of gravitational waves and possibly in phased array radio telescopes.

Existing global Positioning System (GPS) and Galileo satellite navigation systems rely on cesium atomic clocks which are already precise enough to measure gravitational and velocity time dilation as predicted by Albert Einstein.

The clock on board one of these satellites is slightly slower because it is moving relative to us but slightly faster because gravity makes time run just a little bit slower down here on earth. As Inside Science explains, these relativistic factors balance out to a net gain of 38 microseconds per day. There is nothing wrong with the clock and these errors aren’t caused by complicated astronomical movements.

For these satellites time is actually running 38 microseconds slower per day. You might think we could 38 microseconds of relativistic time dilation but during that 0.000038 seconds, light travels about 7 miles. Time is weird.

First bee vaccine approved

Karin Kloosterman

-

January 12, 2023

0

It’s hard to say how this is going to go with anti-vaxxers: the world’s first honeybee vaccine has been approved by the USDA in the United States. The new vaccine prevents a condition called American Foulbrood, which isa highly contagious bacteria that turns bee larvae into brown goo. It’s one of the reasons for the great honeybee die off, among other reasons such as light pollution, the use of pesticides, global warming.

You could say we have the larvae goo because we are getting nature all wrong and of course vegans would say don’t eat any honey anyway, it’s cruel! Our friends in Canada liberate bee hives. But that’s another story. Because we believe that honey is healthy and people should choose.

Dalan Animal Health’s vaccine for American foulbrood, an aggressive bacterial disease, is the first for any insect in the United States. — *Bees may now be immune to an anti-bacterial vaccine*

The new bee vaccine, developed by an American company, contains a dead version of the bacteria causing brown goo, and is incorporated into the royal jelly that worker bees feed to the queen. The queen then puts the vaccine unknowingly in her ovaries, which gives her future progeny immunity. The vaccine is non-GMO and can be used in organic agriculture, the company developing the vaccine reports.

The vaccine is developed by Dalan Animal Health, a biotech company pioneering insect health, and they have a conditional license against the bacteria Paenibacillus larvae.

“If we can prevent an infection in our hives, we can avoid costly treatments and focus our energy on other important elements of keeping our bees healthy,” explained Trevor Tauzer, owner of Tauzer Apiaries and board member of the California State Beekeepers Association.

Honeybees, as we know, along with all kinds of bees, are a critical component of agriculture. One-third of the global food supply relies on pollination (almonds for instance), and healthy commercial hives are essential to secure high crop yields in conventional agriculture.

What is killing honeybees?

Scientists know that bees are dying from a variety of interrelated factors—pesticides, drought, habitat destruction, nutrition deficit, air pollution, global warming and more.

However, honeybees above all that honeybees are also plagued by American Foulbrood, with previously no safe and sustainable solution for disease prevention. Cases of American Foulbrood are notifiable in the USA and Canada, and the only treatment method relies on burning the bees and infected hives and equipment.

“Our vaccine is a breakthrough in protecting honeybees. We are ready to change how we care for insects, impacting food production on a global scale,” said Dr. Annette Kleiser, CEO of Dalan Animal Health.

The bacterin was developed by Dalan Animal Health, and is manufactured by Diamond Animal Health (Des Moines, Idaho), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Heska (“Heska”; NASDAQ: HSKA).

Here’s how the bee vaccine works:

The USDA has issued the conditional license in the first instance for two years. Dalan will distribute the vaccine on a limited basis to commercial beekeepers and anticipates having the vaccine available for purchase in the United States in 2023.

Love bees? We visited a beehive and Miriam gets swarmed. Also read about this hotel in Denver, which does it for the bees. Or like meat in a lab, this Israeli company is making honey in a lab, sparing the bees and the pressures we put on them.

#savethebees

Will the Future of Parking lots and Structures be sustainable?

Transportation

Bhok Thompson

-

January 12, 2023

0

parking in paris, walking, sustainable city — *The most sustainable kind of parking in Paris is walking, but jokes aside there are ways to make parking more efficient*

The future of parking lots and structures is an essential topic for cities and towns worldwide. As more people move to urban areas, the demand for monthly parking spaces continues to increase. To address this need, cities are turning to sustainable solutions for parking lots and structures to reduce their environmental impact.

In this article, we’ll explore the different sustainable options for parking lots and structures and discuss the potential for creating a greener, more sustainable future for our parking spaces.

The Current State Of Parking Lots

Parking lots and structures are a huge industry. The average driver in America racks up about 12 miles of driving for every 1 mile of travel, which means that the need for sustainable parking garages and lots is growing.

Depending on the city, there are a variety of parking options available. The most common types include street parking, lots, garages, and meters. Lots and garages require some payment, whether cash or credit card. Meters are often found in high-traffic areas and need coins or card payments through your phone.

The cost of parking can vary greatly depending on location. In big cities such as New York and Los Angeles, the average cost of parking can range from $25-$50 per day. This makes it difficult for people on a budget to find affordable parking. Fortunately, there are some ways to save money. Specialist parking platforms like Spacer allow you to compare prices for different lots and garages in your area and can save you a lot of money if you can park over longer periods. There are also options such as monthly parking and discounted rates for those willing to take advantage of them.

As transportation methods evolve (like self-driving cars and EVs) and new modes become available, we’ll see a shift away from cars towards public transportation and other options like ride-sharing services like Uber and Lyft or bike-sharing programs like LimeBike or Spin. Parking needs to evolve to stay ahead of the trend.

Parking garages will change over time to meet current trends

The future of parking garages will be more efficient, environmentally friendly, accessible and convenient. These are the qualities that consumers are looking for. While there’s no guarantee that any of these qualities will define the future of public parking structures, they’re likely to be important factors in making them sustainable long after construction.

Smart parking is becoming increasingly popular to reduce city congestion and make parking more efficient. Smart parking systems use sensors, cameras, and other technologies to detect when cars are parked, helping drivers quickly find the most available spots and reducing the time spent searching for parking. These systems can also help manage traffic flow and reduce emissions by limiting idling cars.
Driverless cars are another emerging technology that could revolutionize the future of parking structures. Autonomous vehicles have the potential to drastically reduce the need for parking spaces, as they will be able to drop off passengers and return to a designated lot, eliminating the need for people to take up space while waiting for their ride.
Parking apps are also becoming increasingly popular and can make it easier to find available spots. These apps can provide real-time information on the availability of parking spaces, helping drivers quickly find a spot without wasting time or fuel. They can also be used to reserve a spot ahead of time and even pay for parking through the app.

The future of parking structures is sure to involve a combination of intelligent parking solutions, driverless cars, and parking apps, all designed to make parking more efficient and sustainable. In addition, these solutions will help reduce congestion and emissions by leveraging the latest technologies, making them a win-win for cities and drivers.

The environmental impact of parking structures

*An unsustainable parking lot creates problems with rain runoff, use of space, headaches for drivers*

Parking lots and structures have become a part of the modern landscape, but they need to be more sustainable. They often occupy large land areas, and their construction has been known to displace local ecosystems and cause soil erosion. Furthermore, parking lots and structures have been linked to increased air and water pollution, as well as higher noise and light pollution levels. On top of this, many parking lots and structures are not designed with efficient drainage systems, resulting in runoff that can lead to flooding and water contamination.

Clearly, the environmental impact of parking lots and structures must be addressed to create a more sustainable future.

The benefits of sustainable parking structures

Regarding the future of parking structures, sustainability has many benefits. For one, sustainable parking structures will help reduce air pollution, as they do not require the burning of fossil fuels to power them. Additionally, they are often more efficient and less costly to build, meaning construction costs can be reduced over time.

Sharenow car, car share, saves parking — *If a carshare works, that’s about 100 families for one parking space and one car.*

Sustainable parking structures can also be designed with other elements, such as green roofs and shade sails, which can help reduce the heat generated by the sun. This can cool down the area and create a comfortable environment for those visiting or using the parking structure.

Finally, sustainable parking structures can help promote environmental conservation and sustainability. This is especially important for cities and towns looking to reduce their carbon footprint and become more environmentally friendly. By investing in sustainable parking structures, cities can show their commitment to protecting the planet while providing a safe and efficient place for people to park their vehicles.

Takeaway:

The truth is we are heading towards a future where sustainable parking lots and structures are the norm. Large companies will push for change, whether it’s because of government regulation or public demand. And as long as the costs continue to fall and the benefits continue to rise, those who don’t adapt will be left behind. If you want to build green parking lots and structures, it’s time to start thinking about what it takes.

The key is to consider your parking facility’s impact on the environment. You should also consider the other ways people can get around and how they can be incorporated into your structure. As more and more people start using these alternatives, we must begin building environmentally-friendly structures.

7 Benefits of Electric Cars

Transportation

Bhok Thompson

-

January 11, 2023

0

Quant Nanoflowcell — *Some electric cars use lithium-ion batters. The Quant is an electric car that stores its energy in salt.*

Are you concerned about your carbon footprint? Are you interested in purchasing a vehicle that is both economical and environmentally friendly? If so, then an electric car might just be the perfect option for you. Electric cars are becoming popular due to their cost savings, low emissions, and quiet operation. To help you with the topic, we’ll discuss why electric cars are such a great choice for those looking for an eco-friendly travel solution.

What Are The Reasons To Choose An Electric Car?

Like any other car, electric cars come with a wide range of benefits and drawbacks. But there are several reasons why you may want to choose an electric car over a traditional gasoline-powered car.

Here are some of the main reasons why electric cars make sense:

1. Zero Emissions

Pulling away from the pump in an electric car may not be as satisfying as revving the engine of a traditional combustible vehicle. However, you can feel great about showing your ecological support for a better-quality environment. That’s because electric cars produce zero emissions and don’t contribute to air pollution. The latter is becoming more and more concerning as increasing levels are linked with many health complications. Such as respiratory problems, heart disease, and stroke. Making the switch to an electric car could be just what we need to break down air pollution and safeguard public health.

2. Low Maintenance Costs

You don’t need to worry about costly maintenance or repairs with electric cars. Shedding the gasoline engine’s various moving parts means there are far fewer things to break down on an electric vehicle. That means no more trips to the mechanic and less hassle when it comes to servicing your car, saving you both time and money in the long run.

3. Cheaper to Operate

An electric car is worth considering if you are looking for a car that will save you money in the long run. Not only will you be saving on fuel costs due to electricity being significantly less expensive than gasoline. In addition, you can also take comfort in knowing that the maintenance associated with electric cars tends to be much lower than those of gasoline-fueled ones.

4. Environmentally Friendly

When it comes to being environmentally friendly, electric cars are hard to beat. Since they run on electricity rather than gasoline, these vehicles produce zero emissions and don’t add to air pollution. Furthermore, electric cars have less of an environmental impact since they don’t require the extraction and refining of fossil fuels like gasoline cars.

5. Quieter Ride

Electric vehicles are nearly silent when the tires are not rolling on the road. The lack of noise is a huge benefit to drivers across the board. It creates an environment that encourages peacefulness and relaxation while you travel. Take it one step further, and electric cars come with the bonus of being eco-friendly – no more smoggy air or nasty emissions! There’s nothing like taking a break from city traffic with a nice ride in one of these silent beauties.

6. Faster Acceleration

If you’re the type of person who appreciates a blast of speed, then an electric car is made just for you. They are much faster when it comes to acceleration because they have something called instant torque that allows them to go from 0 to 100 km/h in 1.75s. It’s almost like pressing the gas pedal and rocketing off in an instant; one second, you’re standing still. After that, you are already well on your way with incredible force. Electric cars have significantly elevated the thrill factor for drivers looking for an exciting ride.

7. Tax Incentives

Electric cars are becoming increasingly popular. It is because most people continue to look for ways to be more eco-friendly and reduce their environmental impact. Many governments offer tax incentives to people who purchase electric vehicles. It helps offset the higher cost of electric vehicles. It can make them a much more friendly financial decision while also having long-term positive impacts on our environment. It’s a great way of encouraging people to switch and increase sustainability.

Conclusion

Electric cars are becoming increasingly popular as people continue looking for more eco-friendly ways. It will reduce their environmental impact. Not only do they offer a quieter ride, faster acceleration, lower maintenance costs, and cheaper running costs. Many governments also offer tax incentives for those purchasing electric vehicles. With all of these benefits in mind, it’s no wonder that electric cars are quickly becoming the preferred choice for drivers today.

Self-healing concrete is reason how the Romans built sustainable structures

Ancient

Karin Kloosterman

-

January 11, 2023

0

Self-healing concrete is reason how the Romans built sustainable structures

Caesaria National Park — *This structure is an ancient Roman-built aqueduct in Israel*

There is a breakwall at the ancient port of Caesarea in Israel that’s been standing against waves for 2000 years. Meanwhile the break-walls in Jaffa down the coast are being fortified once again after a couple of decades. Ancient concrete used by the Romans to build aqueducts and Rome itself, it turns out, was made to be self-healing concrete, and it can repair itself over time, surmise researchers from MIT. And this is important when you consider the built mass of concrete and our planet.

The new study on ancient concrete shows that while ancients didn’t know exactly why the concrete they used worked chemically, even though it was a recipe they perfected, it may be a recipe for reducing climate change. Current concrete mixtures create unnecessary greenhouses gases in their production, and as a circular material are not able to withstand the test of time.

Ancient roman breakwall, mortar is self-healing — *Caesaria National Park: Built by Herod in honor of Caesar Augustus. Historians claim that Pontius Pilate lived there. Now ruins and located in one of Israel’s National Parks.*

The research was led by Admir Masic from MIT and was published in a journal Science Advances and explores the process of hot mixing and how the ancient Romans made plaster to last. MIT is the same wonderful design, engineering and science school to hire Julia Watson who wrote the book every architecture student should own called Lo-Tek Design by Radical Indiginism. The book focuses more on primitive culture but it’s really a wonderful collection of building by nature. The best I have ever read. Plus it’s a glory to behold.

As for the self-healing plaster research: “The Romans employed hot mixing, using quicklime in conjunction with, or instead of, slaked lime, to create an environment where high surface area aggregate-scale lime clasts are retained within the mortar matrix,” writes Masic.

Rome colosseum, self-healing mortar — *Romans mastered self-healing mortar, which works well in wet environments*

“Inspired by these findings, we propose that these macroscopic inclusions might serve as critical sources of reactive calcium for long-term pore and crack-filling or post-pozzolanic reactivity within the cementitious constructs. The subsequent development and testing of modern lime clast–containing cementitious mixtures demonstrate their self-healing potential, thus paving the way for the development of more durable, resilient, and sustainable concrete formulations.”

This is some news we can use. Now architects and design students: start experimenting.

Light pollution killing rodents within days

Karin Kloosterman

-

January 11, 2023

0

light pollution in vietnam, lights hurting mammals at night — *City lights and light pollution are killing small rodents. These are lights in a city in Vietnam but light pollution is everywhere.*

A new study on rodents has found that light pollution hurts small mammals. An extensive study at Tel Aviv University’s School of Zoology tested the impact of prolonged low-intensity light pollution on two species of desert rodents: the diurnal golden spiny mouse, and the nocturnal common spiny mouse. The findings were highly disturbing: on two different occasions, entire colonies exposed to ALAN (Artificial Light At Night) died within days, and reproduction also decreased significantly compared to control groups.

The researchers: “Our results show clearly for the first time that light pollution can be extremely harmful to these species, and suggest they may be harmful to ecosystems, biodiversity, and even human health.”

The study was led by Prof. Noga Kronfeld-Schor, Chief Scientist of Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection, and PhD student Hagar Vardi-Naim, both from TAU’s School of Zoology and the Steinhardt Museum of Natural History.

*Noga Kronfeld-Schor studies light pollution and rodents*

The paper was published in Scientific Reports.

Millions of years of evolution undone in 50

desert rodent — *Desert rodents killed by lights*

Prof. Kronfeld-Schor explains: “We have been studying these closely related rodent species for years. They both live in Israel’s rocky deserts. By comparing closely related species that differ in activity times, we gain new insights into the biological clock and its importance to the health of both animals and humans.”

Hagar Vardi-Naim: “In most species studied to date, including humans, the biological clock is synchronized by light. This mechanism evolved over millions of years in response to the daily and annual cycles of sunlight – day and night and their varying lengths that correspond to the change of seasons. Different species developed activity patterns that correspond to these changes in light intensity and daylength and developed anatomical, physiological and behavioral adaptations suitable for day or night activity and seasonality.”

However, over the last decades, humans have changed the rules by inventing and extensively using artificial light, which generates light pollution. According to latest studies, about 80% of the world’s human population is exposed to ALAN, and the area affected by light pollution grows annually by 2-6%. In a small and overcrowded state like Israel, very few places remain free of light pollution. In our study we closely monitored the long-term effects of ALAN on individuals and populations under semi-natural conditions.”

The average life expectancy of spiny mice is 4 to 5 years, and the original plan was to monitor the effects of ALAN on the same colonies, measuring the effects on reproductive output, wellbeing and longevity. But the dramatic results thwarted our plans: on two unrelated occasions, in two different enclosures exposed to white light, all animals died within several days.

“No abnormal mortality was recorded in any of the other enclosures, and as far as we are aware, no similar event has ever been documented by researchers before,” the researchers report.

Why do we need rodents anyway?

mice kissing on a poppy seed branch — *Mice kissing on a poppy seed branch*

If you are not a lover of mice or small rodents, you might think this is good news. But every species in the web of life in the city or desert is part of an intricate mechanism that supports our planet. As a Zoologist who worked with small mammals in forests in Ontario, Canada, for the Government of Canada, I learned that small mammals such as mice and voles, are indicator species. How they forage and breed does affect the health of a forest as they are the main scatterers of seeds and nuts which help trees regenerate.

If the mammals go, so do our trees.

We can also learn about ourselves when we look at smaller mammals. If light pollution affects them, there is a good chance it will affect us too, and the researchers confirm this. Previous research we’ve covered on light pollution includes: light pollution make crickets chirp in the daytime, light pollution is stopping coral reefs from spawning, and we’ve seen research that it hurts bats too. So if you think light at night is a good thing for your backyard, think again. Just like we are planing wildflowers to bring back the bees, turn off your lights at night to help the small mammals.

NASA’s rover finds opals on Mars

Karin Kloosterman

-

January 10, 2023

0

Opal on Mars — *The white patches are exposed opal caches on Mars. The result could mean water for future Martians. Image by NASA*

Diamonds can be made in a lab so perfectly that jewellers can’t tell the difference between a real and a fake. But a new cache of gemstones has been identified out of this world, on Mars, and these might be a kind of opal that only the red planet can produce. And the promise of opal, could mean water for future Martians.

A research team discovered the opals on the Martian surface using new methods from old data collected by NASA’s Curiosity rover. They verified opal, potentially serving as an important resource for human exploration.

In 2012, NASA sent the Curiosity rover to Mars to explore Gale Crater, a large impact basin with a massive, layered mountain in the middle. As Curiosity has traversed along the Mars surface, researchers saw light-toned rocks surrounding fractures that criss-cross certain parts of the Martian landscape, sometimes extending out far into the horizon of rover imagery.

Recent research into these rocks finds that these widespread halo networks served as one of the last, if not the last, water-rich environments in a modern era of Gale Crater. This water-rich environment in the subsurface would have also provided more habitable conditions when conditions on the surface were likely much more harsh.

Mars Rover, opal Curiosity — *Mars rover, Curiosity*

As part of a new study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, led by former Arizona State University NewSpace Postdoctoral Fellow Travis Gabriel, now a research physicist at the U.S. government, archival data from several instruments were examined and showed considerable anomalies near light-toned rocks earlier in the traverse.

Curiosity rover drove right over one of these fracture halos many years ago, long before Gabriel and ASU graduate student and co-author Sean Czarnecki joined the rover team.

“Our new analysis of archival data showed striking similarity between all of the fracture halos we’ve observed much later in the mission,” Gabriel said. “Seeing that these fracture networks were so widespread and likely chock-full of opal was incredible.

The path of opals on Mars

Gabriel and his team of researchers studied the composition of light-colored rocks surrounding the fractures on the ground, or fracture halos, in Gale Crater. Previous studies Gabriel was involved in used the rover’s laser-induced breakdown spectrometer, Chemistry and Camera, or ChemCam, to show that these halos may be composed of opal, a material that has important implications for the history of Gale Crater.

Opal itself contains a large amount of water, which produced a strong signal in another instrument on the rover: the DAN spectrometer.

Observing drill cores taken at the Buckskin and Greenhorn drill sites many years into the mission, scientists confirmed that these light-toned rocks were very unique compared to anything the team had seen before.

“These light-toned rocks were lighting up in our neutron detector, producing anomalously high thermal neutron count rates,” Gabriel said.

In addition to looking back through archival data, Gabriel and his team went searching for opportunities to study these light-toned rocks again. Once they arrived at the Lubango drill site, a bright-toned fracture halo, Gabriel led a dedicated measurement campaign using the neutron spectrometer, confirming the opal-rich composition of fracture halos.

The discovery of opal is noteworthy as it can form in scenarios where silica is in solution with water, a similar process to dissolving sugar or salt in water. If there is too much salt, or conditions change, it begins to settle at the bottom. On Earth, silica falls out of solution in places like lake and ocean bottoms and can form in hot springs and geysers, somewhat similar to the environments at Yellowstone National Park.

Water-rich environments in the subsurface of Mars could have provided a safe haven from the harsh conditions on Mars’ surface, which is rather inhospitable compared to Earth. In Gale Crater, temperatures can go below minus 100 degrees Fahrenheit in the winter night time, reaching only up to roughly 30 degrees Fahrenheit in the warmest of afternoons. Gale crater also experiences far more radiation than the surface of Earth due to our much thicker atmosphere. Every day spent in Gale crater would expose you to a cosmic-source radiation dose that roughly equates to a daily pelvis X-ray.

Since scientists expect that this opal in Gale Crater was formed in a modern Mars era, these subsurface networks of fractures could have been far more habitable than the harsh modern-day conditions at the surface.

“Given the widespread fracture networks discovered in Gale Crater, it’s reasonable to expect that these potentially habitable subsurface conditions extended to many other regions of Gale Crater as well, and perhaps in other regions of Mars,” Gabriel said. “These environments would have formed long after the ancient lakes in Gale Crater dried up.”

The significance of finding opal on Mars will have advantages for future astronauts, and exploration efforts could take advantage of these widespread water resources. Opal itself is made up of predominantly two components: silica and water, with minor amounts of impurities such as iron. Since opal is not a mineral, the water is not bound as tightly within a crystal structure. This means that if you grind it down and apply heat, the opal releases its water. In a previous study, Gabriel and other Curiosity rover scientists demonstrated this exact process.

Although Gabriel and his team aren’t able to perform an exhaustive assessment of the water content in all halos, the dedicated neutron experiments they performed over two of these halos demonstrate that a single-meter halo could house roughly one to 1.5 gallons of water in the top foot of the surface.

Greener Heating Systems for Your Home

Green Tech and Gadgets

Bhok Thompson

-

January 9, 2023

0

*Home heating options are important now that the cost for winter heating is rising through the roof.*

We all want to do our best to live more sustainably but preferably without costing our comfort. Thankfully, as technology develops, there are more and more ways in which we can take a greener approach to heating our homes without compromising on warmth.

Even if you are happy with your current type of heating system, it’s a good idea to make sure it’s still up to scratch. Old boilers or furnaces are even worse for the environment, since as they get older they become less efficient, meaning they use up more energy. If you’re ready to update your boiler and reduce your carbon footprint (as well as your energy bills!).

If you’re not sure yet about which kind of boiler or heating system you’d like for your home, we’ve got you covered! Below are some of the most eco-friendly options currently available for you to consider:

Heat pumps

Through the transfer of heat to or from an external source, heat pumps offer low-carbon heating and cooling for your home. There are numerous types of heat pumps from which you can choose for your home. They all function in a similar way, but their use of different heat sources affects each one’s performance and cost.

Air source heat pumps and ground source heat pumps are the most popular types. Heat pumps of all varieties are extremely effective, with levels between 300 and 400 percent.

Air source heat pumps are the cheapest of the two and also require the least amount of space. They work best in milder climates, since in colder weather they have to work harder to maintain the same temperature which will in turn increase the running costs.

On the other hand, ground source heat pumps can still work efficiently despite cold weather. This is because they are installed underground where the temperature is relatively constant all year round. Unfortunately, this does come at a cost though, since ground source heat pumps are one of the most expensive options and require a lot of space.

Micro-CHP Systems

So what exactly is a micro-CHP system? Micro-CHP (combined heat and power) technology is able to produce both electricity and heat at the same time. This heating system has really taken off in Japan, where around 230,000 are currently in operation. And as the technology develops, this popularity is likely to increase around other parts of the world.

Micro-CHP systems are not considered to be a renewable energy system, as they are typically powered by fossil fuels. However, they are still viewed as a low carbon alternative to many other types of heating systems, therefore, reducing your carbon footprint.

In addition to this, green energy suppliers that provide 100% renewable energy are becoming more common, so an alternative to powering a micro-CHP system with fossil fuels may already be available to you.

Biomass Boilers

Another alternative to traditional unsustainable heating systems is a biomass boiler. Biomass is biological material obtained from living organisms such as plants. Biomass can be used in a variety of ways to produce heat: directly via combustion, or indirectly after being converted into another type of fuel such as methane, ethanol, or biodiesel.

If you already have a gas or oil boiler, switching to a biomass boiler will be simple because it operates similarly but with less carbon production.

If you decide to use a biomass boiler, it’s vital to keep in mind that you will need room in your home to store the fuel and that the cost of the fuel may differ depending on where you’re located.

Electric Combi Boiler

Another easy switch to make is an electric combi boiler. New boiler costs can vary depending on many factors, but electric combi boilers tend to be one of the cheaper options as they don’t require any extra tanks or cylinders. This also means electric combi boilers fit well with homes that want to make the most of their space and don’t have a high hot water demand.

Electric boilers also have efficiency ratings of 99-100%, which is higher than your average gas boiler or furnace. With that being said, it’s important to make sure that your electricity is coming from a green supplier so you know that it is actually coming from a renewable source. Alternatively, you could also consider installing solar pv panels to your own home!

What to Do After an Oil Field Accident

Energy

Bhok Thompson

-

January 8, 2023

0

oil rig in Texas or in the Middle East, vintage photo — Oil rig workers have to avoid hazards to themselves and the environment. If an oil spill happens and you are on the job this is what you need to do. Sometimes your boss has an interest to let it slide.

Oil field workers have some of the most physically and mentally demanding jobs on the planet. However, with such high levels of risk comes the potential for accidents, injuries, or even fatalities. While oilfield work often pays better than traditional nine to five employment in the corporate world, you may be responsible for your health and safety while out in remote landscapes, often alone. Read on to learn about various rights and options available after an accident during oil field work so that you can make informed decisions about how best to protect yourself in the future.

Notify Your Employer

As soon as possible after an accident, make sure to alert your employer to the situation. In some cases, you may have time constraints for reporting a work-related injury or illness; states like Pennsylvania require that injuries be reported within 120 days of the incident, so it’s best not to delay notifying your superiors.

Notifying your employer is vital for ensuring that you receive the treatment and care you need to recover, but it’s also a critical step in protecting your rights. If your injury or illness forces you away from work, you may be entitled to compensation through workers’ compensation benefits.

Seek Medical Attention

In the event of an injury or illness, prompt medical attention is essential for minimizing the potential for long-term damage. Serious injuries, such as those involving head trauma, broken bones, and puncture wounds, should always be evaluated by a medical professional as soon as possible. Likewise, if you’re exposed to certain types of hazardous materials on the job, you should conduct toxicity screenings to determine whether or not you’ve been exposed. Some employers may provide medical care for their workers, but if yours doesn’t, you should still seek treatment from a qualified doctor of your own accord.

Know Your Rights

It’s essential to understand your state’s various labor laws and regulations. Every state has its unique set of laws, so you must familiarize yourself with your specific rights as an oil field worker. For instance, many states require employers to carry workers’ compensation insurance for accidents or injuries. This type of insurance covers medical expenses, lost wages, and other costs that may arise from an accident. Contact them if you’re unsure whether your employer carries this coverage.

You can also file a personal injury claim in an oil field accident. This type of claim is designed to cover pain and suffering and legal fees associated with the case. An experienced personal injury lawyer can help you navigate this process and get the compensation you need and deserve.

Seek Compensation

If you’ve been injured or become ill while working in an oil field, you may be entitled to pursue compensation from your employer. Depending on the extent of your injuries and the severity of your illness, you may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, disability payments, or even a negligence lawsuit against your employer.

In some cases, you may receive compensation through a third-party claim. Reputable oilfield accident attorneys can help you understand your options and can guide you on filing for workers’ compensation benefits or pursuing a lawsuit. You should also be aware that filing for workers’ compensation does not preclude you from seeking other forms of compensation.

No matter your situation, it’s important to take the time to fully understand your legal rights as an oil field worker so that you can make an informed decision about how best to protect yourself in the future. You can protect your rights and interests with the proper knowledge and resources.

5 Tips for Removing Your Underground Storage Tank

Business

Bhok Thompson

-

January 8, 2023

0

5 Tips for Removing Your Underground Storage Tank

Love Canal USA, a child holding a sign saying please help me — *Love Canal USA is a story where a chemical company participated in building a neighborhood on top of a chemical storage tank. Children and families got sick. It didn’t end well.*

Removing an underground storage tank (UST) is challenging and intimidating; it requires specialized skills and knowledge, not to mention specific safety protocols that you must follow. If you’re contemplating taking this on yourself, here are some tips to make the process easier.

1. Check the Local Regulations

The local government regulates underground storage tanks. Before you get started, research your area’s regulations to ensure that you’re following all the required steps and staying compliant with the law. It is also essential to research any permit requirements necessary for the removal job. The paperwork can be extensive and time-consuming, so give yourself enough time to get through it. If there are any special requirements or regulations you need to be aware of, consider them as you plan your UST removal job.

2. Survey the Site

Before removing a UST, surveying the site and performing a few safety checks is important. Make sure there are no utilities running through the area, such as gas lines, electrical wires, and water mains. It is also important to note any other environmental hazards that may be present on the site, such as nearby bodies of water or underground septic tanks.

3. Hire Experts

Removing an underground storage tank is a complex task that requires specialized skills and knowledge. Before attempting to do it yourself, consider hiring an underground storage tank removal service to handle the job. Not only will they have the experience necessary to do the job safely and efficiently, but they can also help ensure that all regulations are followed. With the help of experienced professional service, you can rest assured that your UST will be removed with minimal disruption to your property and the environment.

4. Have a Plan for Leaks

If you are removing an old or damaged UST, it is crucial to have a plan to deal with potential leaks. Have the necessary safety equipment and absorbent materials to address any spills quickly. It is also vital to ensure that the area surrounding the UST is appropriately sealed off before beginning work. This will help reduce the risk of hazardous materials leaching into the ground and contaminating the surrounding soil or groundwater.

5. Take Care of Contaminated Soil

If the UST has been leaking, some contaminated soil will likely be around it. Make sure to dispose of this material per local regulations properly. Sometimes, you may need to hire a remediation company to help assess and clean up contamination before the removal job begins. This can be especially important if the contamination poses a risk to the health and safety of nearby residents. You may also need to hire a professional to test the soil before and after removing the UST. This can help ensure that all contamination has been adequately addressed and that the area is safe for future use.

Following these five tips can help you safely and efficiently remove your UST. Remember to do your research, plan, hire experts when necessary, and take care of any contaminated soil. Doing so can help ensure that the job is done quickly and properly, with minimal disruption to you or the environment.

Turmeric and blood pressure

Health

Karin Kloosterman

-

January 7, 2023

0

Turmeric lowers blood pressure — Turmeric and a medley of spices lowered blood pressure in a study

Turmeric is a much-loved spice in the Middle East which can be bought in fresh fingers and added to shakes, soups and smoothies. We know that turmeric is good for blood health and against arthritis but research suggests that turmeric, when taken with other spices may help regulate a healthy blood pressure.

In a controlled-feeding study, the researchers found that seasoning foods with 6.5 grams, or about 1.3 teaspoons, of herbs and spices a day was linked with lower blood pressure after four weeks. Penny Kris-Etherton, Evan Pugh University Professor of Nutritional Sciences, and Kristina Petersen, assistant professor of nutritional sciences at Texas Tech University and co-principal investigator of the study while at Penn State, said the findings offer people a simple way to help improve their heart health.

“Adding herbs and spices to your food is a great way to add flavor without adding extra sodium, sugar or saturated fat,” Kris-Etherton said. “And, if you go a step further and add these seasonings to foods that are really good for you, like fruits and vegetables, you can potentially get even more health benefits by consuming that extra produce.”

According to the researchers, cardiometabolic diseases like heart disease, strokes and type two diabetes continue to be one of the leading causes of death in the United States. One of the ways health professionals aim to improve heart health is by monitoring and improving blood pressure.

One way people can improve their blood pressure is by limiting their sodium intake, usually by adding less salt to their meals. Petersen said that while people have long been encouraged to season their food with herbs and spices instead of salt to boost flavor without added sodium, less was known about whether herbs and spices have health benefits of their own.

“As nutritionists, we’re interested in new ways we can use diet to benefit health, and cardiovascular health in particular,” Petersen said. “We were curious about how herbs and spices could affect heart health, since they are versatile and can be added to many different types of food.”

For the study, the researchers recruited 71 people with risk factors for heart disease. Every participant consumed every spice diet — one low, one moderate, and one high in herbs and spices — in a random order for four weeks each, with a two-week break between each diet period. Blood samples were drawn from each participant at the beginning of the study as well as after each diet period.

All three diets were based on an average American diet — reflective of what a typical American consumes in a day — but with three different doses of herbs and spices added. The low-dose, medium-dose and high-dose diets included approximately 0.5 grams, 3.2 grams and 6.5 grams of herbs and spices, respectively, a day.

The doses included a blend of 24 different herbs and spices, ranging from basil and thyme to cinnamon and turmeric, designed to simulate the way people use different herbs and spices throughout the day while cooking.

The researchers found that after consuming the diet including a high dose of herbs and spices, participants had lower systolic blood pressure than after the diet with the medium dose. Participants also had lower diastolic blood pressure after the diet with a high dose of herbs and spices than after the diet with a low dose.

Kris-Etherton said the results — recently published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition — were especially exciting to her because the diets in the study were not designed to be specifically heart healthy, and only differed from an average diet by the amount of herbs and spices added.

“I think it’s really significant that participants consumed an average American diet throughout the study and we still found these results,” Kris-Etherton said. “We didn’t decrease sodium, we didn’t increase fruits and vegetables, we just added herbs and spices. It begs the next question that if we did alter the diet in these ways, how much better would the results be?”

The researchers said that in the future, additional studies designed to incorporate herbs and spices into a healthy dietary pattern lower in salt, added sugars and solid fats could help guide future dietary recommendations.

The Importance of Recognizing and Valuing the Different Roles on a Team

Lifestyle

Bhok Thompson

-

January 5, 2023

0

The Big Lebowski — *Are you a social loafer?*

The importance of recognizing and valuing the different roles on a team teamwork is essential for achieving success in any organization. When team members work together effectively, they can achieve more than they could individually. However, the success of a team depends on the contributions of each member. In order to maximize the potential of a team, it is important to recognize and value the different roles and contributions of each member.

Recognizing and Valuing the Different Roles on a Team

Every team member brings unique strengths and perspectives to the table. Understanding the different roles and contributions of each team member can help to ensure that the team is utilizing the strengths of each member effectively. Some common roles that team members may play include leader, problem-solver, and planner

Leaders are responsible for guiding the team and providing direction. They may also be responsible for facilitating communication and decision-making within the team. Problem-solvers are skilled at identifying and addressing challenges and finding creative solutions. Planners are skilled at organizing and coordinating tasks and activities.

By understanding the strengths and contributions of each team member, team leaders and managers can ensure that the team is utilizing the strengths of each member effectively. This can lead to increased efficiency and productivity.

Social loafing — *Social loafer extraordinaire*

The Negative Impact of Social Loafers

What is a social loafer? When some team members are not pulling their weight, it can have a negative impact on the team as a whole. This phenomenon is known as social loafing.

Social loafing refers to the tendency for individuals to decrease their efforts when working in a group. This can occur when individuals feel that their contributions are not being recognized or valued, or when they feel that their efforts are not having a significant impact on the outcome.

The negative impact of social loafing can be significant. When some team members are not pulling their weight, it can lead to increased workload and stress for other team members. This can lead to decreased morale and productivity, and can ultimately impact the success of the team.

Strategies for Addressing Social Loafing

So, how can organizations and team leaders address social loafing and ensure that all team members are contributing their best efforts? Here are a few strategies:

Encourage active participation from all team members. By actively involving all team members in decision-making and problem-solving, you can help to ensure that everyone feels a sense of ownership and responsibility for the success of the team.

Recognize and reward individual and team achievements. By recognizing and rewarding the contributions of each team member, you can help to foster a sense of ownership and increase motivation.

Foster open and transparent communication. By creating an open and transparent communication environment, you can help to build trust and encourage active participation from all team members.

Set clear goals and expectations. By setting clear goals and expectations, you can help team members to understand their roles and responsibilities within the team. This can help to increase accountability and encourage active participation.

Encourage teamwork and collaboration. By fostering a sense of teamwork and collaboration, you can help to create a positive and supportive environment that encourages active participation from all team members.

Conclusion

In conclusion, recognizing and valuing the different roles and contributions of each team member is essential for maximizing the potential of a team. By understanding the strengths and contributions of each team member, team leaders and managers can ensure that the team is utilizing the strengths of each member effectively. However, it is also important to address the negative impact of social loafing in order to ensure that all team members are contributing their best efforts. By using strategies such as encouraging active participation, recognizing and rewarding achievements, fostering open communication, setting clear goals, and encouraging teamwork and collaboration, you can create a positive and supportive environment that encourages active participation from all team members.

Stay at an Ottoman palace in Syria, at Beit Zafran

Travel

Karin Kloosterman

-

January 4, 2023

0

Stay at an Ottoman palace in Syria, at Beit Zafran

Stay in Beit Zafran Hotel de Charme (Saffron House), a traditional Ottoman palace, in Syria

Even before the Arab Spring and the conflict of 2011 tore Syria apart, most likely because of a water crisis, it wasn’t a country well-travelled by tourists. Instagramming experiences hadn’t started yet and Syria, seemingly, wasn’t well set up for long-haul travelling or as a destination site. But as the Middle East opens its arms to the world and Syria attempts to heal its wounds from a decade of civil war, there is plenty of new worlds and cultures to explore.

I travelled to Syria more than 20 years ago and I could say the experience felt like travelling in a time machine. I guess it’s the same feeling for tourists who visit Cuba or East Germany after these places had been somewhat detached from the world. During my trip I crossed over from Turkey into Aleppo, and it was a new world. Sweet people looking for connecting, age old sites with very few visitors, and cars from generations ago. We were invited for meals and Syrians brought us into their homes, eager for conversations with outsiders.

One of the best memories I had was being locked into a Crusader castle for the night where we could roam with the ghosts. It was just me and Cara, together, and common sense should tell two women travellers to never do such a thing but my Spidie senses told me that Syria is safe for women and that we were protected.

Like the elaborate and luxurious riads of Morocco we stayed in while in Morocco, the Levant area (Lebanon, Syria, Israel) has its own style of elaborate estates and Ottoman palaces. They are living estates, converted to today, but many Ottoman palaces are abandoned as we see in Turkey.

Over in Syria, where tourism is opening once again, you can get a chance to visit these Ottoman estates, frozen in time. We stayed at some magical estates when we travelled through Aleppo and Damascus and if you are looking for some off-beat travel, try travelling to Syria.

A Swiss-Syrian couple sent us updated images of a boutique hotel they run in Damascus called the Beit Zafran Hotel de Charme. The couple also runs a tour company that can set you up with some local, sustainable travel options though when we were there it was pretty easy getting around by dolmus, or the mini-bus commonly used in the Middle East.

Beit Safran, boutique hotel in Syria, Damascus AIRBNB, stay in an ottoman palace, luxury hotel, sustainable travel, bathroom — *A suite at Beit Zafran*

Adnan Habab and Gabriela Wengert write: “We are a quiet urban hideaway tucked in a historical neighborhood of churches, mosques, souks (old bazaars) and winding streets. Once you step inside the home, the house’s charm and sophistication are unmistakable.”

The meticulously restored Ottoman mansion (built in 1836) was remade true to its authentic form: its 12 exquisite rooms and suites are built around the house’s two inner courtyards with their magnificent original marble fountains and the scent of jasmine.

Getting to beit zafran, hotel du charme in Damascus — *Getting to Beit Zafran in Damascus*

The “liwan” (a long narrow-fronted hall or vaulted portal in ancient and modern Levantine homes that is often open to the outside) with its original wooden ceiling and stucco decoration is a seating area open to the courtyard where you can escape the heat and buzz of Damascus.

Damascus is the southern-most city of Syria, founded in the 3rd millennium BCE. It was an important cultural and commercial centre, by virtue of its geographical position at the crossroads of the orient and the occident, between Africa and Asia. The old city of Damascus is considered to be among the oldest continually inhabited cities in the world.

::Beit Zafran

Glamping on dead volcanoes in Saudi Arabia

Travel

Karin Kloosterman

-

January 3, 2023

0

Glamping on dead volcanoes in Saudi Arabia

*Khaybar Volcano Glamping, a night scene of the eco camp in Saudi Arabia*

Vast swathes of the Middle East were either once seas, or explosive volcanoes or both. Now that Saudi Arabia’s ruling family has decided to open up Saudi Arabia to the Western world, it is opening up some of the most untouched places on earth including their ancestral home, a palace made from mud. One of the new sites to open to tourists at the spectacular region of Alulu is the Khaybar Volcano Camp. Sleep under the stars, for $500 a night.

The luxury glamping site, being marketed as an eco-lodge, opened in December late 2022 and it’s situated on the landscape of an ancient, dormant volcano called the Harrat Khaybar. It is being touted as one of the most untouched places on earth. If you are new to Saudi Arabia and Alula, start here.

Archeologists are rushing into the area to study ancient and near history in the Khaybar Harrat area and are forming new theories of civilization from the region. They found desert kites created by ancient trappers, and strange burial mounds meant for travellers. If you are an aspiring archaeologist, Saudi Arabia is the place to rush in.

The Khaybar Volcano Camp is at the heart of it all, at one of the rarest lava fields in Saudi Arabia which has seen traces of people living there over the years. The region is full of monumental archaeological evidence, prehistoric monuments (see the desert kites), rare geological landmarks, lush oases, and lava caves that have existed with and without us for millions of years.

Think Saudi Arabia doesn’t have a history? Think again. Meet it along with locals at the Khaybar Volcano Camp. Started there the region will be accessible to travelers who desire nature and history, over let’s say fake moons and flying taxis (another tourism direction for Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030.)

glamping on a volcano, saudi arabia, interior of khabar volcano tent — *Interview of the glamping experience in Saudi Arabia*

Cultural activities, mythical storytelling, evening stargazing, wellness programming, balloon flights (tethered), and trekking to geological wonders and touring the ancient ruins are some of the activities offered at the volcano resort. Cost? About $1000 USD for a couple for 2 nights, including meals.

Ten luxury tents with ensuite bathrooms (which is now known as glamping) feature upscale furnishings and creature comforts. Natural, local ingredients make up the meals for breakfast, lunch and dinner. As for “eco” credentials beyond the organic food –– you can look into it when you are there. How do they get their power, where does water come from? Where does waste go? What are the hiring and work policies at the resort? These are some questions you can ask when you go.

Saudi Arabia isn’t the first to start volcano travelling. Costa Rica and Sicily both have active volcanoes and an active group of tourists who flock to these places for some geological action. Over in Israel, Beresheet Hotel, is a luxury hotel overlooking the Ramon crater formed by a retracting sea. That’s what NASA says, after theories of meteorites and volcanoes were quashed. You might need a trust fund however to afford staying at this place.

Another nature option for the budget traveller is to sail across the Red Sea to Sinai, Egypt and hike and trek to God’s mountain with a local Bedouin guide who will bring tents and a full camp/semi-glamp experience for a fraction of the price.

More on Harrat Khaybar

Harrat Khaybar is one of Saudi Arabia’s largest volcanic fields, covering an area of more than 10,000 square miles, and found north of Medina. An 80 mile vent system contains felsic lava domes, tuff rings, the Jabal Qidr stratovolcano, and numerous small basaltic cones. At least seven of the ancient lava flows are young at less than 4,500 years old, and another eight are less than 1,500 years old. An eruption was reported in the early Mohammedan times during the 7th Century.

More to explore in Alula, Saudi Arabia:

Maraya desert mirrors venue for concerts, flowers — *Maraya, a mirror of mirages in the desert*

Maraya, the largest mirrored building and in the desert!

Historical tourism begins in Alula

These ancients built graveyards for travellers

House of Saud is a Palace built from Mud

Hot topics

Finance

Marketing

Politics

Strategy

Hot topics

Finance

Marketing

Politics

Strategy

Just venting – reader feedback

Nature Time

Let’s all agree to disagree

Pope Gregory’s calendar bugs

Atomic time replaces astronomical time

What would we do with a better atomic clock?

What is killing honeybees?

Here’s how the bee vaccine works:

The Current State Of Parking Lots

Parking garages will change over time to meet current trends

The environmental impact of parking structures

The benefits of sustainable parking structures

Takeaway:

What Are The Reasons To Choose An Electric Car?

1. Zero Emissions

2. Low Maintenance Costs

3. Cheaper to Operate

4. Environmentally Friendly

5. Quieter Ride

6. Faster Acceleration

7. Tax Incentives

Conclusion

Millions of years of evolution undone in 50

Why do we need rodents anyway?

Heat pumps

Micro-CHP Systems

Biomass Boilers

Electric Combi Boiler

Notify Your Employer

Seek Medical Attention

Know Your Rights

Seek Compensation

1. Check the Local Regulations

2. Survey the Site

3. Hire Experts

4. Have a Plan for Leaks

5. Take Care of Contaminated Soil

Recognizing and Valuing the Different Roles on a Team

The Negative Impact of Social Loafers

Strategies for Addressing Social Loafing

Conclusion

More on Harrat Khaybar

More to explore in Alula, Saudi Arabia:

Company

Headlines

Newsletter