ANBARASUASOKAN

While some people may wonder about the possible side-effects of antidepressants on the people who are taking them, here’s another thing to consider ... what happens when the residue from those drugs passes through the user’s urine and into the sewage system? As it turns out, it can enter local waterways and affect the fish. Now, researchers from KTH Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm have developed technology to keep that from happening. In a study recently conducted at Sweden’s Umeå University, perch were exposed to the anxiety-moderating drug Oxazepam, in concentrations similar to those found downstream from sewage treatment plants. It was observed that the normally-shy fish became bolder, venturing away from their protective schools to hunt for food – a behavior that makes them more likely to be eaten by predators. It was additionally noted that they ate more quickly. This could allow them to eat a greater amount overall, potentially throwing ecosystems out of balance,...

When we first covered the   SOCCKET power-generating soccer ball   back in 2010, the concept was in the prototype stages of development. Since then, the ex-Harvard University team responsible for the design has launched the for-profit social enterprise company Uncharted Play, filed patents for the SOCCKET’s kinetic energy-capturing technology and, more recently, has launched a SOCCKET Kickstarter campaign. The SOCCKET is one of those simple-yet-effective ideas that takes something as basic and commonplace as a soccer ball and “bends it like Beckham” to the task of improving energy usage and the living conditions of those who really need it. Designed and assembled in the U.S., the finalized product is made from water-resistant ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) foam that the makers say is soft and durable. Uncharted Play also says it doesn't need inflating, making it virtually deflation-proof, and weighs in at 17 oz (482 g) – only one ounce heavier than a regular size-five soc...