Fluorescent Efficiency

The proton, one of the most well-known and basic building
blocks of matter, turns out to be holding on to a few secrets. A new
measurement found that the radius of the proton is about 4 percent smaller than
previously thought.

Protons are positively charged elementary particles.
Together with neutrons and electrons, they make up the atoms
that build our universe.

Scientists discovered the surprising anomaly by shooting
laser beams at an exotic version of a hydrogen atom, which most often consists
of one proton and one electron. The new measurement has improved the accuracy of
the known proton
radius by a factor of ten, the researchers said.

The finding means that either the theory governing how light
and matter interact (called quantum electrodynamics, or QED) must be revised,
or that a constant used in many fundamental calculations is wrong, the
researchers said.

The scientists detailed their discovery in the July 8 issue
of the journal Nature.

” The authors' measurement uses a novel method that is
more sensitive than any of the earlier methods,” wrote Jeff Flowers of the
U.K.'s National Physical Laboratory in an accompanying essay in the same issue
of Nature. ” But it gives a result that is significantly discrepant from
that obtained by the next most accurate method, throwing doubt on the QED
calculations that underlie both methods.”

Flowers was not involved in the new measurement.

Exotic hydrogen

In the experiment, the researchers used a special version of
hydrogen that contains one proton and one muon – an exotic
cousin of the electron that weighs about 200 times more than an electron.
The muon, just like an electron, is a point-like particle that orbits around
the more extended proton.

” Think of the proton as a fuzzy cloud of charge,”
described the lead researcher, Randolf Pohl of Germany's Max-Planck Institute
of Quantum Optics. ” It's not a hard surface, not a ball.”

In fact, the muon can even pass straight through the proton,
which contains lots of open space between its constituent building blocks -
three particles called quarks.

The muon can exist in different energy states that affect
the way it orbits the proton. The size of the proton affects these states and
how much energy is required to knock a muon out of one and into another.

And these effects are amplified by the larger mass of the
muon compared to an electron, allowing the researchers a chance to peer into
the orbital mechanics of the atom.

Blasting with lasers

To home in on the size of the proton, the scientists finely
tuned a laser
beam to blast their hydrogen atoms with very specific amounts of energy,
hoping to stimulate the muons to jump from one energy state to another.

For a long time, they observed no effect in the range they
expected, and assumed their laser was faulty. Finally the researchers tried an
energy range completely removed from the expected region, and found exactly the
transition they were looking for.

” When it wasn't in the reasonable region, we extended
our search region to the unreasonable, and then we had this indication of a
signal,” Pohl told LiveScience. ” We were really stunned.”

If the new value is confirmed, it could mean some rewriting
of basic
physics is in order.

Perhaps the value of the so-called Rydberg constant, which
is used to calculate the proton's size, is off. If that is the case, other
fundamental calculations will need revising, too.

Or, perhaps the entire theory describing this and other
particles – quantum electrodynamics – is misunderstood.

” If experimental discrepancies are confirmed rather
than errors being found, high-accuracy work such as that by Pohl and
colleagues, not the high-energy collisions of giant accelerators, may have seen
beyond the standard model of particle physics,” Flowers wrote.

Twisted Physics: 7 Recent Mind-Blowing
Findings

Album -
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Quest
Aims to Create Bigger Atoms and New Kinds of Matter

Original Story: Proton is Smaller Than Thought, New Measurement Finds
LiveScience.com chronicles the daily advances and innovations made in science and technology. We take on the misconceptions that often pop up around scientific discoveries and deliver short, provocative explanations with a certain wit and style. Check out our science videos, Trivia & Quizzes and Top 10s. Join our community to debate hot-button issues like stem cells, climate change and evolution. You can also sign up for free newsletters, register for RSS feeds and get cool gadgets at the LiveScience Store.

Paper Explores Disposition Options for Radioactive Materials to Reduce Environmental Impact

(PRWEB) July 6, 2010 — Michael W. Snyder, Project Manager-Field Operations, for MHF Services (MHF), a leading provider of packaging, transportation, logistics and technical services, presented a paper on June 23 at the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)/Electronic Power Research Institute (EPRI) Radwaste Workshop in Westminster, CO.

Mr. Snyders paper, titled ” Environmental Sustainability,” explored options for the disposition of radioactive materials to reduce their impact upon the environment. He presented the paper at a workshop session on Innovative Waste Processing. The ASME/EPRI Radwaste Workshop, now in its 33rd year, focused on the functional aspects of Low Level Radioactive Waste management. Attendance was restricted to U.S. and international utility personnel and U.S. Department of Energy site personnel.

The abstract for Mr. Snyders paper is as follows:

To help support our industrys nuclear renaissance; options must be available for generators of radioactive materials and waste to minimize the impact of an increased operational footprint on the landscape. All operating facilities utilize pollution prevention plans to reduce use of consumables, limit effluents released to the environment, and recycle paper, plastics and other materials. The same pollution prevention plan mentality should also be extended to the management of radioactive materials. Utilization of recycling and Bulk Survey for Release (BSFR) programs save our limited Low Level Radioactive Waste (LLRW) disposal volume capacity for those materials that have no other option than to be disposed of as radioactive waste.

Mr. Snyder noted that components replaced during power UpRate outages–including Moisture Separator Reheaters, Low Pressure Feedwater Heaters, Secondary Heat Exchangers and Turbine Components such as Casings and Diaphragms as well as Low and High Pressure Turbines–are rarely sized on-site for optimal packaging and disposal efficiency, nor are they decontaminated or surveyed for free release. The intact components are placed on a transporter, secured for transport and shipped from the site for disposition as radioactive waste.

He said, ” Surveys and volume reduction efforts are difficult to perform at the utility because of outage schedules, the available radiological area footprint, and the resources required to disassemble components for the decontamination and surveys required by regulations.

” Instead of dispositioning the metal as waste at a LLRW disposal facility, the component should be considered as candidate material for free release and recycle into the public domain.”

Free release surveys are conducted per Regulatory Guide 1.86, Termination of Operating Licenses for Nuclear Reactors, to determine that no detectable radioactive contamination exists. Components are disassembled to assure that 100% of the surface is surveyed and decontaminated as necessary.

Mr. Snyder said that debris material generated during an UpRate project can be processed through a facility with a radioactive material license, using BSFR to perform bulk assaying of suspect radioactive material for the conditional release of the material to the specified licensees approved Class I landfills.

Mr. Snyder concluded, ” The ideal environmental management program avoids waste generation. However, the operation of a nuclear power plant requires corrective and preventive maintenance that result in the unavoidable generation of waste material. The nuclear renaissance will increase waste material and further tax an already limited LLRW disposal capacity. Options other than direct disposal exist for much of the material.”

Mr. Snyder joined the staff of MHF Services in July 2009. He has more than 25 years of experience in the nuclear industry, having served as a superintendent of Radwaste Operations, project manager, and consultant.

He is the MHF Services technical and field operations manager on projects for clients including Progress Energy, Pacific Gas and Electric Company, DTE Energy, and AREVA Transnuclear, among others.

Mr. Snyder is a member of the National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists and the Northern California Chapter of the Academy of Certified Hazardous Material Managers. He holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Nuclear Power Technology/ Architectural Design.

About MHF Services
MHF (www.mhfservices.com) is an integrated packaging, transportation and logistics provider that offers seamless solutions for generators and shippers of radioactive, hazardous, and non-hazardous waste, materials, and byproducts. The companys customers include government agencies such as the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, the U.S. Department of Defense, the U.S. Department of Energy, and others. MHF also provides transportation and logistics solutions to companies in the nuclear utilities, environmental services, mining, metals, chemical, and petrochemical industries.

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MHF Services
Danielle Scherer
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DEAR ABBY: On May 13, ” Diana in Lakewood, Calif.,” asked you how to reuse or donate little jewelry boxes. You offered some great tips, but you should have let folks know about two terrific resources for giving away or recycling odd things.

Freecycle.org is an online network where people can give away or find free stuff in their local neighborhood. It is a great way to recycle items — like the jewelry boxes — to a local thrift store, a crafter or a teacher.

Earth911.com is also an amazing directory of local reuse and recycling options. I work at a thrift store for home improvements. (Instead of donating clothing or furniture, some people give us lumber, kitchen cabinets, hardware, etc.) Most people don’t know that stores like ours exist. Reusing items from your neighbors wastes no energy and builds a sense of community. Abby, thanks for touching on this important topic. — RUTHIE M. IN EDMONSTON, MD.

DEAR RUTHIE: Many readers wrote to remind me that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure, and we all must do whatever it takes to keep items out of landfills. Read on:

DEAR ABBY: I am an activity director at a small long-term-care facility and would love to receive those jewelry boxes. People don’t realize how grateful we are to provide a home for their extra greeting cards, craft supplies, fabric scraps, wrapping paper, games, cards — the list goes on and on. Diana should consider contacting her local nursing home activity director and put those boxes to good use.

Budgets are tight. With every cut our state and federal governments make to nursing homes, activity directors are always happy to give new life to no-longer-needed items. — THE ACTIVITY GODDESS, BUHL, IDAHO

DEAR ABBY: I have another suggestion for Diana in Lakewood. Quit buying so much stuff!

Recycling is only a partial solution to a wasteful lifestyle. Millions of tons of plastic, no matter how many times it is recycled, end up in our oceans, where Texas-sized flotillas of plastic goo will outlast us all. The key is to generate less in the first place.

When considering a purchase, consider all four ” R’s” : Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Repair. In this case, the option to ” Reduce” should be observed by either buying less jewelry, or asking the vendors to quit over-packaging the stuff. — DR. JAMES HAYES-BOHANAN, PROFESSOR OF ENVIRONMENTAL GEOGRAPHY

DEAR ABBY: Diana should donate the boxes to Goodwill, Salvation Army, Habitat for Humanity, preschools, Girl Scouts and Sunday schools — not the landfill! — ELSIE K., OAK RIDGE, TENN.

DEAR ABBY: Perfectly good items should never be tossed into a landfill. There is always someone who can use whatever it is as long as it’s in good condition (and sometimes even when it’s not). It should be the responsibility of the consumer to find that someone. While it may not be a legal responsibility, it is the right thing to do. — ROSIE W. IN DENVER

DEAR ABBY: Most malls and department stores open gift-wrapping booths at holiday time. They are usually set up to raise funds for a specific charity. Diana can contact mall management and find out if it plans to have one and if so, what agency will be operating it. Then she can contact the agency and arrange to donate all of the boxes. Believe me, small boxes are always needed. — LYNN IN CAMBRIDGE, ONTARIO

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Write Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Good advice for everyone — teens to seniors — is in ” The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It.” To order, send a business-size, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $6 (U.S. funds only) to: Dear Abby — Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included in the price.)

SYDNEY (AFP) –
A boat made from 12,500 plastic bottles will leave New Caledonia for Sydney this week on the final leg of a voyage across the Pacific to raise environmental awareness, organisers said Tuesday.

The ” Plastiki” , inspired by the 1947 Kon-Tiki raft expedition, has already sailed 6,944 nautical miles (12,860 kilometres) in 108 days from San Francisco to the French Pacific territory, via the Line Islands and Western Samoa.

The voyage, to highlight the dangers of plastic pollution, over-fishing and climate change to the world's oceans, is expected to start its last and most challenging leg on Wednesday after arriving in New Caledonia last week.

” It looks like tomorrow they will be leaving,” a spokeswoman told AFP.

” They just watch the weather patterns basically, and plan their journey around the weather patterns so that's why they're leaving tomorrow, good sailing conditions (are forecast).”

British adventurer and ecologist David de Rothschild, the youngest heir to Britain's Rothschild family banking fortune, dreamed up the idea of a fully recyclable performing vessel after reading a UN report on ocean ecosystems.

He said it was partly inspired by Norwegian explorer Thor Heyerdahl's trans-Pacific Kon-Tiki expedition from South America to Polynesia on a raft made from carved-out balsa husks.

The Plastiki's bottles are packed together in a ” pomegranate-like” structure and fixed to pontoons, giving the catamaran 68 percent of its buoyancy, and it uses fully renewable energy sources including solar, wind and sea turbines.

It is held together with a fully recyclable plastic called Seretex and an organic glue made from cashew nut husks and sugarcane, while its sails are also made from recycled plastic.

The Plastiki has already stopped in the Line Islands and Western Samoa and its final stretch to Sydney, estimated to take about 10 days, will be its most challenging, the spokeswoman said.

” The Plastiki crew hope to inspire the world to reduce, reuse, recycle, rethink and ultimately refuse our use of wasteful disposable plastics such as bags, styrene foam and bottles,” she said.

A sophisticated system that turns sludgy, paint-wash residue into clear water and harmless solids is just one of the high tech investments that Turman Commercial Painters has made to go green. This national, California based, company has invested in high technology to help their customers and stake their claim as the greenest painting contractor in the US.

(PRWEB) July 7, 2010 — Painting is a relatively low tech business, so that makes Turman Commercial Painters, a Northern California based, national commercial painter all the more unique. Turman Commercial Painters, (www.turmaninc.com) is the first in its industry to invest in high technology and other progressive practices to go green. “Our investment in leading edge technology helps reduce the environmental impact of our company, increases our efficiency, and contributes to our clients environmental initiatives” says Dave Theobald, President and CEO.

Turman was one of the first companies on the West Coast to purchase a specialized AkzoNobel water purification system. This specialized system reduces Turman’s environmental impact by filtering the wash water that comes back from the field from cleaning brushes, rollers and paint sprayers. Each field crew returns buckets of this wash water back to the plant and the wash water is put into the AkzoNobel filter for purification. The result is clean water (according to a rep, he has seen two people drink it, but he wouldnt recommend that!). The cleaned and filtered water can be sent down normal drainage systems and the remaining inert solid remnants are dried and then can be disposed of normally. Turman has purchased this specialized purification system in each of their offices across the nation. “When we first saw the AkzoNobel filtration system, we knew it would solve the problem of disposing of our paint wash water from the field, in an environmentally friendly manner . We have now purchased this system for each of our offices across the country, taking California’s more stringent environmental standards and applying them as a rule to each of our other national offices,” says Theobald.

Another high technology investment the company has made is the purchase a LifeSize videoconferencing system – the first high definition (HD) videoconferencing system to hit the US market. The high definition video conferencing system eliminates the need for most of their employee travel as the company now holds company-wide staff meetings, leadership meetings, project coordination meetings between offices and functions such as interviews and training via video conferencing. According to Theobald, “face time with and between employees is key to creating relationships and the high definition video conferencing has the benefit of keeping us all connected, while at the same time eliminating all but essential client travel.” Theobald gave the example of last year’s leadership summit, where they flew in 8 – 10 employees from across the country, which included food and accommodations. This year both the costs and the ecological impacts of that travel will be eliminated due to their LifeSize videoconferencing system.

In addition to the investments in the AkzoNobel filter equipment and the LifeSize videoconferencing system the company also recently completed a carbon footprint analysis of 2009 operations – an industry first. On top of its investment in technology, Turman utilizes several other green practices that are landmark in its industry. Turman gives away excess paint to the local communities to reuse and recycle; invests in Prius and Ford Transit vehicles to decrease emissions and reduce fuel consumption; uses zero or low VOC paints where possible and applies sustainable practices on all jobs and has added SharePoint (content management software) to reduce paper use in its offices. “It is in our company DNA to do the right thing – that translates to how we treat our clients, our employees and the environment,” says Theobald. “Our investment in high technology to reduce our impact on the environment, which in turn helps reduce the supply chain footprint of our clients, are other examples of that ideology.”

About Turman Inc. – Turman Commercial Painters and its affiliates provide quality commercial painting services across the United States. Founded in 1972, Turman Commercial Painters is based on the premise of doing the right thing. Company President and CEO Dave Theobald leads the organization with a commitment to customer service and integrity. Turman Commercial Painters provides professional painting services with extensive experience in rebrand, tenant improvement, retail, medical, hospitality and restoration projects, through its multiple offices across the country.
For more information see: www.turmaninc.com.

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Woods Hole was hoppin Sunday during the annual 4th of July parade sponsored by Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory. Onlookers were invited for free refreshments at Woods Hole Inn and an amazing view of the parade participants, including locals and researchers, who dressed up as their favorite crustaceans.

Woods Hole, Mass. (PRWEB) July 6, 2010 — The not-so-sleepy town of Woods Hole kicks off the Fourth of July every year with a town parade sponsored by the Woods Hole Marine Biological Laboratory. The event showcases the summer lab students who convert their knowledge of the local marine life into festive water-themed floats.
   

Quicks Hole, an eco-friendly newbie to the Hole, joined in on the fun and passed out 300 Melville’s Olde Tyme handmade lobster pops to the crowd along Water Street on Sunday that included a coupon for a free bruschetta bite.
   

“We’re a restaurant that’s all about our community,” said Beth Colt, owner of the restaurant and Woods Hole Inn. “We are a Cape Cod loving establishment that only sources local seafood and produce. We love the locals and we jump at any chance to interact with them.”
   

Quicks Hole is a casual dining experience that offers Baja themed cuisine located at 6 Luscombe Ave., just a block away from the ferry to Martha’s Vineyard.
   

Everything is genuinely wicked fresh and prepared daily by a chef who knows the water. Raised by a commercial fishing family, Stephanie Mikolazyk from Rhode Island can attest to the positive influence that Quicks is having on the community.
   

“The demand is fresh and we are ready and able to provide that,” she said. “That being said, we’ve got to give back to our oceans. People notice what we’re doing: most of our dishware is compostable, we recycle everything we can and support efforts to keep everything local. It’s a great feeling to be giving back everyday.”
   

The restaurant has only been in business since the summer of 2007 but is quickly becoming a staple stop in Woods Hole. It now includes a fresh market that is restocked daily with local eggs, free-range organic honey, produce, grab-and-go lunch items, milk and specialty cheeses. Quick and convenient are at the top of their list at Quicks, but above all, they strive for providing a unique dining experience with friendly service and of course, wicked fresh seafood.

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Find Green gifts that include furniture, decor, garden, pet products and jewelry all 100% made in the USA. These Green Products are created from bicycle parts, silverware, circuit boards and nuts and bolts. Unique Eco Friendly Gifts created using glass bottles, wine barrels, snow and water skis, milk jugs, corks and grapevines.

(PRWEB) July 6, 2010 — Going Green is defined three ways…Reduce – Reuse – Recycle. What better way to help the environment than by closing the loop and purchasing products made from recycled products? Save the planet by reducing the amount of items that end up in landfills.

The motto for GreenProductsandGifts.com is Green Giving – Green Living. When the website was launched, the goal was to find people in the USA that made creative things out of everyday and specialty materials. This in part would help the environment by reducing the amount of substance put in landfills. “We have found a number of American artists and we are dedicated to working directly with them to bring you the best handcrafted recycled goods. These items are made from recycled products right here in the USA!” states Lance Sterling, co-owner of GreenProductsandGifts.com.

Choose from a full selection of green furniture and decor, Eco jewelry and even pet products. These stunning green products make it easy to recycle!

Show the world Eco Fashion Passion by wearing recycled jewelry created from scrabble tiles, recycled silverware and recycled glass.

Beautiful recycled furniture and decor hand-crafted from wine barrels, stunning Tokay grapevines, water and snow skis, golf clubs, silverware and recycled plastic are a great way to accent any home or patio.

Eco apparel includes a nice selection of Organic t-shirts, Recycled Purses and Reusable Shopping Bags.

Elegant cheese platters, festive drinking glasses, lanterns and wind chimes produced from recycled wine bottles are just a few of the Eco friendly gifts at GreenProductsandGifts.com.

Pet products made from recycled wine barrels, wine boxes, garden tools, bicycle and car parts allow pets to share an earth friendly philosophy. What better way to spoil a best friend than with a little elegance and style?

“Not only do we want to offer an eclectic selection of Eco-friendly items, but we believe in getting items to customers in a timely manner and without any inflated handling charges. Thats why we offer free shipping in the continental United States.” Sterling says. “Some of our items qualify for express, priority or international shipping.”

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