Best Of StumbleUpon

For those of you that think “it isn’t that bad” or “the media is making more of this than it is” maybe this live feed will help you put it into perspective. Millions upon millions of gallons of oil are spilling into the ocean at a incomprehensible rate and it is going to affect the whole world.

In the quest for alternative, small-scale energy producing technology, one company has invented a device that can power electronics with something you’ve been just flushing down the toilet all this time–your pee. The portable, pee-powered battery, called MetalCell, can create enough of a charge to power a laptop for over four hours. The technology, while seeming to be modern, is actually reminiscent of an electricity producing method used close to 2 thousand years ago.

According to Popular Science, the battery was designed by a South Korean company for military situations where it may be hard to find power for electronic gadgets. It’s small enough to be transported easily and can produce energy to run equipment when no other sources are available.

Aside from urine, the MetalCell can produce electricity with just saltwater. Inside the battery are magnesium plates which react with sodium to generate a small amount of electricity. A report on the MetalCell’s capabilities says the chemical reaction may be a more convenient power generating method other methods are unavailable:

The device, known as MetalCell, is a backup power source that runs on sodium and can keep a laptop charged for more than four hours, its maker says. The design is relatively simple: a small, ruggedized box with magnesium plates inside. If an electrical gadget — anything from a computer to a flashlight — runs out of energy, a soldier on the battlefield could pour saltwater into the MetalCell and use the device as an emergency power source.

This method of producing a small amount of electricity resembles technology that dates back to nearly 2 thousand years. An artifact was discovered bearing similar qualities that may have been used to generate low-level voltage. Known as Baghdad Batteries, terracotta jars were found containing a copper cylinder and an iron rod that some believe could produce electricity when an acidic substance, like lemon juice, was added.

Just how much electricity the MetalCell can produce, and how readily available the materials needed to make are, could determine its viability in non-military applications. While it may not be superior to renewable sources like wind or solar generated power for long term energy needs, this pee-powered device could be an alternative in the future–or for when nature calls.

This tech has been around for a while (2000 years apparently) but we are just learning how to utilize it again. So now we have wind power, solar power and PEE POWER! Explain THAT to Captain Planet. In all seriousness this is some pretty cool sh**, there is a similar pee power story by National Geographic below.

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“We take a closer look at the science behind the Haiti earthquake of 12th January 2009 – as well as other earthquakes. For the first time here on GSGE we interview leading experts;

Prof. Timothy Dixon from Geodesy Lab at University of Miami: published an article already back in 1998 revealing the risks of earthquakes in Haiti. He works with both Paul Mann from University of Texas who in 2008 confirmed that the risks were eminent, and Eric Calais, Purdue University who manages the GPS network that monitor tectonic plate movements in Haiti. These three groups have sent geodesists with GPS equipment, to Haiti where they gather data that will reveal the crustal movements caused by the quake. You can follow this National Science Foundation funded team via their blog.

Ass. Prof. William Hammond from University of Nevada in Reno: Explains how they use GPS to monitor plate movements – and earthquake swarms. Bill Hammond also appears in National Geographic’s Naked Science: Earthquake Swarms.

Dr. Amir Kaynia from the International Centre for Geohazards in Oslo, Norway: Talks about the difference between predictions and early warning and discuss other geohazards connected to earthquakes.” More on this

This month’s Star Stumbler Pick is Stellare an Earth science expert and astrophysicist interested in Earth observation, geodesy, climate change, geohazards, water cycle and other science related topics.

Check out her Flickr photostream, its worth it, she has  some really cool pictures of the moon and skies. She resides in Åsa, Norway so there are some pretty neat pictures of areas near where she lives and works as well as shots from her travels such as her most recent trip to San Francisco but don’t stop there, make sure to thoroughly comb her SU blog so you don’t miss out on all the wonderful links to incredibly cool science and astronomy websites and  links to her other blogs!

Oh and by the way, hers is the voice you hear in the video at the top of this post!