Global Warming or Climate Change

A little boy went into a drug store, reached for a soda carton and pulled it over to the telephone. He climbed onto the carton so that he could reach the buttons on the phone and proceeded to punch in seven digits (phone numbers). The store-owner observed and listened to the conversation: Boy: "Lady, Can you give me the job of cutting your lawn? Woman: (at the other end of the phone line): "I already have someone to cut my lawn." Boy: "Lady, I will cut your lawn for half the price of the person who cuts your lawn now." Woman: I'm very satisfied with the person who is presently cutting my lawn. Boy: (with more perseverance) : "Lady, I'll even sweep your curb and your sidewalk, so on Sunday you will have the prettiest lawn in all of Palm beach , Florida ." Woman: No, thank you. With a smile on his face, the little boy replaced the receiver. The store-owner, who was listening to all this, walked over to the boy. Store Owner: "Son... I like y...

11 Italy’s Luigina Giavotti, 11, won silver in gymnastics in 1928. 13 Marjorie Gestring, 13, of the U.S. won gold in diving in 1936—the youngest gold medalist ever. 14 Hungarian swimmer Krisztina Egerszegi, 14, won gold in 1988. 15 U.S. runner Pearl Jones, 15, won gold in the 4 x 100-m relay in 1952. 33 U.S. swimmer Dara Torres, 33, won two gold and three bronze medals in 2000. Now 41, she is swimming in Beijing. 34 U.K. sprinter Kelly Holmes, 34, won gold in the 800- and 1500-m events in 2004. 46 Ethel Seymour, 46, won a bronze medal on Great Britain’s gymnastics team in 1928. 59Bill Northam of Australia, 59, won gold in yachting in 1964. 72 Swedish shooter Oscar Swahn, 72, won silver in the team double-shot running deer event in 1920.

Climate change concerns, high gas prices, and a good deal of international friction would fade if scientists could learn a trick every houseplant knows: how to absorb sunlight and store its energy in chemical bonds. What’s needed are catalysts capable of taking electricity and using it to split water to generate hydrogen gas, a clean fuel. Unfortunately, the catalysts discovered so far work under harsh chemical conditions, and the best ones are made from platinum, a rare and expensive metal. No more. This week, researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in Cambridge led by chemist Daniel Nocera report online in Science a new watersplitting catalyst that works under environmentally friendly conditions (www. sciencemag.org/cgi/content/abstract/1162018). More important, it’s made from cobalt and phosphorus, fairly cheap and abundant elements. The new catalyst needs improvements before it can solve the world’s energy problems, but several outside researchers say it’s a ...

Smart Sardarji: A Sardarji and an American are seated next to each other on a flight from Los Angeles to New York . The American asks if he would like to play a fun game . The Sardarji, tired, just wants to take a nap, so he politely declines and rolls over to the window to catch a few winks. The American persists and explains that the game is easy and a lot of fun. He says, "I ask you a question, and if you don't know the answer, you pay me five dollars, and vice versa." Again, he declines and tries to get some sleep. The American, now agitated, says, "Okay, if you don't know the answer, you pay me $5,and if I don't know the answer, I will pay you $500." This catches the Sardarji's attention and, figuring there will be no end to this torment, agrees to the game. The American asks the first question: "What's the distance from the earth to the moon?" The Sardarji doesn't say a word, reaches into his wallet,pulls out a $5.00 bill,...