During the year of 2008, Madonna donated more than 3 million dollars through charitable organizations. Some of her donations were towards cancer and Aids research, but the most of the donations were towards the Kabbalah Center.
Read the full stoty (looktothestars)
(This news piece was sent by Ilia)
During 2007 there was a 45% increase in solar energy industry, and although there are still not official numbers for the year of 2008 it seems that 2008 had an even better increase despite of oil prices and the economic crisis. Today there are over 30,000 employees in more than 3400 companies in the solar industry, the European union has set some goals and Australia is investing major dollars on renewable energy.
New long-term research in one Colorado city shows direct link between smoking ban to heart attacks. Three years after the smoking ban in Pueblo Colorado there was major drop of 41% in hospitalized cases rate while in others cities in the area there was no such change.
Read the full story (yahoo)
An abandoned underwear factory in Georgia, US will be endorsed to renewable power source. The new power source will create electricity from a local waste and will supply 17 MW to power 10,000 homes.
Read the full story (EcoGeek)
Toyota will use ‘green’ plastic, which is made of plants and naturally disposed without environmental damage, in the Prius manufacturing. This new material is verified in lab to poses similar heat endurance and shock resistance as normal plastic.
Read the full story (EcoGeek)
The FDA approves a new treatment for Prostate cancer which was developed by a private company. The drug (injection) lowers testosterone level which result in reducing growth of the tumors in the prostate. This cancer is the 2nd in number of cancer deaths in the United States, about 190,000 men were diagnosed with it and 29,000 died from prostate cancer in 2004, so new treatments and research are always in need.
Read the full story (Yahoo)
At Yorkshire Dales, in order to stop the decline of white-clawed crayfish a new breeding program was taking place and produced this year 300 young crayfish. This breeding project began at 2003 by the Natural England, the government’s conservation body, and is now looking to expend it to new 500 crayfish every year.
Read the full story (BBC)
US is ahead of schedule of reaching targets for using renewable energy sources. US has surpassed Germany and produces 21 Gig watts electric energy using wind power which is enough to supply 5.5 million homes.
Read the full story (cleantechnica)
The metal Osmium, which was never part of the anti cancer fight, is now being tested at Warwick university, UK for cancer treatment. The metal is closley related to Platinum, which is already in use for cancer treatment for some cancer types. The benefits of the Osmium is that it can be used for more types of cancer, it is cheaper than Platinum and it can be combined with Platinum treatment as well. In addition, Platinum is a toxic metal which cause many side effects and body cells can develop resistant toward it.
Read the full story (warwick.ac.uk)
Coral reefs of Indonesia that where damaged by a tsunami four years ago have shown surprising improvement and rapid growth of new corals. Also reefs damaged before the tsunami were recovering thanks to abandoning destructive fishing techniques and even transplanting corals.
Read the full story (BBC)
