Connecticut Green Living

Yesterday, the Department of Health and Social Care in the UK reported that they have administered 13,911 tests for Coronavirus , formally called Covid-19, of which 13,860 were negative and 51 positive. Journalist Chris Hayes of MSNBC retweeted this and pointed out that "For context this is 26 times the number of tests the US has run, as of the last publicly available info. But CDC isn’t making this data available." Scientists and their research are the best in the world right here in the States, but whether the tests are being rolled out quickly enough does remain to be seen. Researchers at Purdue, though, have come up with a possible test they would like to see move forward, though. Only a select number of state and local laboratories have permission from U.S. health officials to use diagnostic tests for COVID-19. If the virus is spreading nationwide, most communities do not have access to the necessary tests. Purdue University biomedical engineers have developed a hand...

This week, most of us adults are wishing we were kids again because the Children's Museum in West Hartford is inviting children to come explore, learn, and get their hands messy. Following is the schedule : Today, April 10: Animal Science . The science center asks: "Have you ever wondered what it would be like to study animals?" Campers will have a chance to conduct animal experiments, observe wee animals microscopically, and learn about animal bones and teeth. (Better not leave your dentures there that day, Pops!) Tues., April 11: Experiments . Come to the museum hungry for what's being billed as "a day filled to bursting with experiments that you can eat! We will make liquid nitrogen ice cream, experiment with candy, and learn about the science of making food." Weds., April 12: Desert Animals . "Campers will meet an incredibly diverse group of desert animals including gila monsters and fennec foxes. We will learn about the special adaptations t...

A four-part documentary series called "The Crowd & The Cloud", showcasing the power of "Citizen Science in the Digital Age", airs this month on public television and is available online. Hosted by former NASA chief scientist Waleed Abdalati, now director of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences (CIRES) at the University of Colorado, Boulder, the series shows how citizens can cull data to augment the work of professional scientists. Everyday people can and are acting in ways leaders cannot - a timely message during a time of political upheaval on the scientific and environmental front. Whether one's concerned with Alzheimer's, fracking, weather, climate change, or epidemics like Zika, the documentary shows how citizens using smartphones and computers are harnessing the power of the digital age. Not only that, through mobile and other technologies people are helping scientists do their jobs. In the documentary trailer Abdala...

The following article was published on Examiner.com May 9, 2013. It has been lightly edited. The pummeling Long Island Sound suffered from Tropical Storm Irene and Superstorm Sandy showed us here in Connecticut that climate change is not some far-off intangible. And more recently, the flip from 60 degree day in New York to a biting snowstorm the next just last week should be a climate denier's wakeup call. Of course, not everyone has rallied around the climate change camp (Fox News). Yale Climate Project released in 2013 an extensive study in accessible PDF form that shows how climate change advocates are far more firmly entrenched in their beliefs than are doubters. The study,  "Climate Change in the American Mind: Americans' Global Warming Beliefs and Attitudes in April 2013"  is a good read for anyone who doubts the science (or anyone who doesn't). Yale scientists and students have nicely illustrated their points, which include: • A majority of Americans ...