Facts of the Matter http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter RSS Feed for Facts of the Matter en-us Sat, 06 Aug 2011 06:52:43 GMT Plentiful and plain shale plays vital role on Earth http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter/20110715__Plentiful_and_plain_shale_plays_vital_role_on_Earth.html Shale is the most abundant sedimentary rock and not particularly exciting to look at, but its looks belie its importance. Math theory key to more advances http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter/20110701__Math_theory_key_to_more_advances.html One of the greatest failures of the new physics of the 20th century was its failure to reconcile quantum theory with general relativity. U.S. infrastructure's decay is alarming http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter/20110617_US_infrastructures_decay_is_alarming.html America's infrastructure is crumbling. The condition of highways, tunnels, dams and levees is so serious that it has long caused engineers to sound the alarm, mostly in vain. Many treatments lack full research http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter/20110603_many_treatments_lack_full_research.html A Discover magazine poll reported that 65 percent of those surveyed thought that nearly all of the health care they received is based on scientific evidence. Drugs unable to keep up with resistant bacteria http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter/20110520_drugs_unable_to_keep_up_with_resistant_bacteria.html The Oct. 26, 2007, edition of the New York Post carried the headline "Superbug Strikes in City." It was not a horror movie. Extracting natural gas is not a clean process http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter/20110506__Extracting_natural_gas_is_not_a_clean_process.html Despite the push for clean energy to wean us from petroleum, the nation's carbon addiction is unlikely to end by the middle of this century. Natural gas is poised to become the standard bearer for fossil fuels in the near future. Nuclear storage options all come with drawbacks http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter/20110415__Nuclear_storage_options_all_come_with_drawbacks.html Currently 126 temporary facilities scattered across 39 states are keeping 71,862 tons of nuclear waste in cooling ponds and in storage buildings near nuclear reactors. Eye-popping statistics illuminate energy task http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter/20110401_Eye-popping_statistics_illuminate_energy_task.html Here are a few tidbits and figures compiled from various sources that I hope will put the world energy supply and demand balance in perspective. Nuclear energy is among best bets to keep U.S. running http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter/20110318_Nuclear_energy_is_among__best_bets_to_keep_US_running.html One ton of natural uranium can produce more than 40 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, the equivalent of burning 16,000 tons of coal or 80,000 barrels of oil. Reduced solar activity could hint at future http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/factsofthematter/20110304_Reduced_solar_activity_could_hint_at_future.html Sunspots represent magnetic activity on the surface and interior of the sun and have a cycle that averages 11 years. The 2008 minimum was the lowest in a century. As a result, solar flares were almost nonexistent, and solar extreme ultraviolet radiation was at low ebb.