Newspost#180109

On the rim of the backwards countdown to the next oncoming ice ages or the wireless consumer electronics hyperconnected revolutions? Likely a matter of what a person thinks are the most important prerequisitives for the successful turning point towards a more sustainable society and production. Also, not controversial to previous appears the need to develop new solutions somewhat more resource friendly and durable than has earlier (for decades) been the habit. However, us, always viewing things from 'positive angle' are again recommending everybody taking a view of (in ones own consumerism) the Greenpeace Greener Electronics guides and reports...just in case our occasional refering (s) from the current theories (partly) based on Marx's historical materialism and views on the late stages of middle-class consumerism appear too insignificant and meaningless.

The Ocean(ic) acidification ...As is widely known these days, CO2 emissions are acknowledged to increase climate change; what is less general knowledge appears that much of those gases (CO2) then eventually dissolves to the seas (half the amount released in atmosphere, as estimated), ultimately further decreasing seawater Ph. As the emissions are still on the rise, this causes the major disadvantage Ocean acidification. As result seawater Ph has dropped 0.1 in some 200 years, and it is expected to drop further 0.3 -0.5 until about 2100.

The greenhouse effect resulting from human burning of fossil fuels, has been known ever since 1896 when Svante Arrhenius first presented the theory. However, almost until 1960s it was believed that the oceans can absorb the human caused emissions, like they've so far done for the 'natural amounts of CO2 (and other atmospheric gases). But, differing from most other gases CO2 forms carbonic acid in seawater and since that its also been known with certainty that this process slowly acidifies the seas. How slowly? Too fast. Acidification has followed the increase of emissions in the atmosphere since early 19^th century, that is: ever since the burning of fossil fuels was begun within the era of industrialism. In the case of acidification, there seems to be no way to prevent this from happening, but – like they much advertise – tackling the climate change. To make things worse, the acidification remains permanent. In Arrhenius days (he was a firm believer of global warming, and expected it to actually benefit human kind; fx he supposed it would help increase food production and therefore feeding of the growing world populations) it was calculated that it would take 3000 years for CO2 to double in atmosphere with emissions at the times, today with far greater amounts the predicted time appears as 100 years.

The known facts from the most things in ocean acidification isn't quite unquestionable, since the examined data has been collected just from 1950s onwards, yet some (harmful) consequences have been found already happening. Also, which worries most is the rate of change that threatens many marine lifeforms. According to recent studies most vulnerable to reduction in Ph-levels are corals. Some estimates tell that around latter part of the century corals in warmer (surface) waters are expected to be perished completely, 60 per cent gone also in colder waters. Apparently no more sightseeing of the colourful underwater worlds by boat or such sports diving tourism (and no way surprising then appears this (recent) observation from Barrier Reef Corals growth slowing weaker than in 400 years, decline of some 13.3 per cent in just couple decades). Also vulnerable to acidification are organisms that wear their skeletons outside, like mussels, shellfish, etc. ...Noticing all this, then such negative predictions make one wonder whether the development of internal-combustion engine for mass production(about simultaneous with Arrhenius theories) would have taken different directions, had the prospective consequences been understood at the time. But, as we now know over a century later, it wasn't believed to be so...(and obviously, that would not have changed too much, as the main part of the emissions still today consists of coal energy-production, and less from the vehicles all in all) For more from Ocean acidification, check fx this (and the related links) in Ars Technica.

...As for other topics, Google makes different calculations than a researcher who counts two single searches by companys engines to consume as much (energy) as heating a tea-kettle; Microsoft, on it's behalf develops blocks to connect home-PC intelligently to house-hold electronics, but sceptical commentator easily wonders if any of that stuff is even needed ...Slightly more surprising comes the news that the Bit-torrent specification as an integrated part in (most) browsers 'tools' still awaits to be seen (though we've ourselves in our futuristics predicted the protocol to overtake, not just browserware but also phones markets shortly after in coming times), even more surprising it is yet slowly to enter for the living room (entertainment) electronic devices; but not always the most obvious prospective usages are the ones taken in wider uses...

Then, from completely different progressive fields and techniques, there's 2^nd generation biofuels, which are told to be more eco-friendly than ever, cause these “will not affect food production because they will not use non-food crops. Technologies will convert the whole plant or tree to fuel, not just fruit or seed...”. (At least that's the vision, is noticed...) Of course, the question which most urgently needs to be answered still remains; from where the source material is taken and if the adequate standards for plants usage and forests cuttings are maintained. Anyway, commercially viable techniques (for the biofuels 2^nd gen.) are promised to be around in some 10-20 years, so their becoming to more common use would easily take some 10 years more...too late?...Not to mention, the similar question(s) is raised on the basis of recent auto-car shows presenting the latest EVs and hybrids; is all this again just “the 'latest' technology that conveniently never seems to transition from the labs to the lots?“ ...apparently these are in hurry too, because the economic downturn is trumpeted just about as much everywhere.

...Eventually, tired of these frustrating and endlessly discussed topics, we move to observe another kind of horse-powers, or, (relatively) recent conservation stories; the re-introduction of Przewalski's Wild Horse (Equus Przewalski) in its natural habitat. (It was) the only truly wild horse living continuously in its natural habitat, grassy plains of Central Asia even relatively recent times. Elsewhere horses had become extinct (in American continent already at early Holocene period), or been domesticated for the needs of raising civilizations, supposedly about 2000 to 4000 years ago. Tarpan(Equus Ferus Ferus), the Eurasian wild horse survived as species until 1876, when the last died in captivity. According to DNA-researches neither Tarpan or Przewalski's horse aren't counted as direct ancestors of the domesticated horses, though there's very little genetic distinction in between them. From the reasons of the mentioned having remained in the wild has been speculated (fx) that these (may have) been found somewhat less suitable to human usages and therefore avoided the cross breeding with the domesticated horses.

Named after Russian general in 1879, Przewalski's Wild Horse wasn't in threat of disappearing even until the early 20^th century. The animal was legally protected as early as 1926, but growing human populations excluded them from traditional grazing areas and fx vital places to drink, which may have helped their disappearance. Also, interbreeding with domestic horses wondering freely in same areas had caused steady dilution of genetic integrity and the last true Przewalski's horse in the wild was reported around 1969. At the lowest point in zoos there were some 13 left, but their numbers were then raised with successful co-operative breeding programs between different zoos of Soviet Union, Europe and North America(the populations further introduced in the wild in Mongolia and China are all descendants of these. Such small numbers of original horses are also considered a possible threat in form of loss in genetic diversity). From the unmixed horses having survived in the zoo's, the experiment to re-introduce them in the wild was started in 1989. Since their amounts is yet very low, prospective future in the wild was still recently very uncertain. In the categories of endangered animal species (by IUCN) Przewalski's horses were counted EW(extinct in wild) until the re-introduction in the wild, and they remain vulnerable to various other threats even if this eventually proves as successful...

Since this is our last newspost so far (and we have yet no intentions to make any follow-ups in this series), substitutional topics are considered; we could perhaps make some kind of serie from those lovely creatures; the endangered and extinct species. However, this will have to wait for some time. Also if so, we are likely to write during the coming months some short stories from recent technological front-ends and perhaps from other topics as well, but more randomly than before...