Structure to collect water from air

Check out structures that started to be built a few years ago in parts of Ethiopia, that collect ~25 gallons of water overnight via condensation or moisture from the air.

Can we think of other cheap ways to do this? Are there natural structures or organisms that can do this? Keep in mind that these structures cost about $1000 US, but that is a fortune in local currencies in poor parts and countries of Africa and other continents. But clearly this is the type of thing that is necessary with population growth and climate change. This could be a new path of research in our research center!

Students who go to Community College more successful in 4-year school than high school students

It is interesting that students who graduate and go to Community College for two years, and then transfer to a 4-year school to complete their bachelors degree, have a slightly higher graduation rate than those high school graduates who go straight to a 4-year school. Students who go to a 4-year school, and transfer to another 4-year school, actually have the lowest graduation rate in college.

There is that stigma all across the country that going to a Community College is not as 'successful' as going straight to a 4-year college. There is an air of 'status symbolism' with all this, to be sure. But in this day and age when one can save literally tens of thousands of dollars of debt, to take many of the same introductory classes as you would at a 4-year college, and still be more likely to graduate with a bachelors degree, why are we still not seriously talking about this in normal conversations with students and parents? Most students do not know what they want to study in college as a major, let alone what their career will be. Why not talk with students about exploring different areas of interest and different fields of study in Community College prior to having to declare a major?

Community Colleges are (and always have been) wonderful resources of education that are available to their communities. These schools are vital now in re-training for many American workers, as technologies overhaul professions and more 'blue collar' careers. In addition, speaking of bachelors degrees and where one goes to college, in general keep in mind that the data show it does not matter what school you go to that determines success long-term in life. These are important studies that hopefully will be part of conversations at dinner tables everywhere as students and parents discuss the future educational options for college and beyond. So it really does not mean the end of your options in life if you don't get accepted into that Ivy League school, and you have to 'settle' for something that is not as high on some generic rankings list or on a reputation list.

Hopefully these studies and data will help alleviate some of the stressors our children are experiencing, leading to record levels of child depression and anxiety, drug addictions, and teen suicides.

With no gravity, flames are spherical

Check out how a flame burns in a spherical shape on the International Space Station. Also, they are investigating how certain flames do not produce soot, based on how gas flows around the flame in a microgravity environment.

The Keeling curve - CO2 concentration of the atmosphere

The Keeling curve is what is used to track how many parts per million (ppm) of CO2 is in the atmosphere. This goes back 800,000 years, using ice core data. After 1958, it uses sensors and measurements directly from Mauna Loa in Hawaii. Check it out.

To learn why scientists know the rise is definitely caused by human activities, see Ralph Keeling's explanation. An independent way to know CO2 concentrations is by measuring the ratio of Carbon-13 to Carbon-12. To scientists, climate change is undoubtedly due to human burning of fossil fuels - there is no legitimate scientific debate about this any more, it is clear from multiple streams of data and analysis. 

To get a history of how science has studied climate change and for dozens of references to numerous aspects of this complex science topic, go here - it is extensive and is updated regularly.

Solar system formation simulation

Here's a good simulation of how many think the solar system formed, using Newton's law of gravity primarily. The results of such simulations agree quite well with the actual structure we see today, which is why scientists use simulations. Simulations use the mathematical models and theories, use those equations to calculate what our theories suggest should happen in reality, and then test the simulation by comparing it to reality. When simulations match reality, of course this provides confidence that the theory being tested is certainly on the right track and gives us a set of ideas for how Nature really works.

Simulation of how the moon likely formed

Many astronomers believe the moon formed in the very early days of Earth's formation, when it was largely a hot ball of magma. A large object may have struck the Earth and then this happened.