Nexus - 0806 - New Times Magazine-pages

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... GLOBAL NEWS ... NEWS INDIANS URGED TO TUNE IN TO TV AND TURN OFF SEX Kung University in Tainan, told New Scientist magazine: "We truly hope that incense burning brings only spiritual com- fort, without any physical discomfort. (Source: BBC News, August 2, 2001, http://news. bbc.co.uk) Now Leon Sanche and Qing-Bin Lu of the University of Sherbrooke in Canada think they know what's causing the release of active chlorine. The two believe that cosmic rays from deep space are penetrat- ing the clouds and knocking loose elec- trons. The electrons interact with the CFCs to liberate the active chlorine molecules. Those molecules, according to Sanche and Lu, can reside inside an icy polar cloud until springtime—when it dissolves and releases them into the atmosphere. (Sources: Scientific American, www.sciam. com/news/080801/2.html; New Scientist, www.newscientist.com) --- gc-occ nee Set weet ve weer ee ee eee Stee i ae hopes to glue people to their incense e burning brings only spiritual com- think they know what's causing the release television sets at bedtime so that they fort, without any physical discomfort. of active chlorine. The two believe that stop having sex and help keep a rein on the (Source: BBC News, August 2, 2001, cosmic rays from deep space are penetrat- one-billion-plus population, a local — http:/mews.bbc.co.uk) ing the clouds and knocking loose elec- newspaper reported on Thursday. trons. The electrons interact with the CFCs As part of its family planning policy, the COSMIC RAYS MAY TRIGGER to liberate the active chlorine molecules. government has decided to make TV sets OZONE LAYER DEPLETION Those molecules, according to Sanche cheaper for India's entertainment-starved igh-energy radiation from deep space and Lu, can reside inside an icy polar cloud masses, Health Minister C. P. Thakur said. may be burning a hole in our ozone —_yntil springtime—when it dissolves and "Entertainment is an important compo- layer. A new study, published in Physical releases them into the atmosphere. nent of the population policy," the Times of Review Letters (August 13, 2001), finds a (Sources: Scientific American, www.sciam. India quoted the Minister as telling law- correlation between so-called cosmic rays — ¢gm/news/080801/2.html; New Scientist, makers in Parliament. "We want people to and ozone depletion and shows with exper- yyy. newscientist.com) watch television." iments how cosmic rays could destroy Deputies said they were worried that ozone. The results may help atmospheric EUROPE'S NEW NOTES HAVE India's population, which crossed the bil- scientists improve their models of ozone SECRET SECURITY FEATURES lion mark in May, would soon overtake the —_ depletion. ihe European Central Bank (ECB) says world's most populous nation, China. For 20 years, scientists have recognised that Europe's central currency, the euro, (Source: Reuters, August 30, 2001, at that active chlorine molecules from man- will be protected from counterfeiters by a www.iol.co.za/html/frame_news.php) made chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) destroy string of invisible security measures. A spokesman says that the new notes will be protected by as many as 90 anti- forgery features, many of which remain a closely guarded secret. The notes are to be introduced in 12 European countries on ozone. Conventional wisdom holds that INCENSE BURNING RELEASES ultraviolet light from the Sun releases the CARCINOGENS active chlorine from the CFCs. That theory Rawr in Taiwan found that the has a problem, however. During the polar smoke produced by burning incense is springtime, when ozone depletion is great- laden with cancer-causing chemicals. est, giant clouds of ice block the Sun's . : . , January 1, 2002. Levels of one chemical believed to cause _ ultraviolet light. . - . : : : The introduction of the euro will be the lung cancer were 40 times higher in a badly In recent years, researchers have theo- bissest currency transfer in history, and th ventilated temple in Taiwan than in houses __ rised that these clouds could house CFCs 1egest currency Stor In TUSIOrY e : ; an ECB is keen to prevent counterfeiters tak- where people smoke tobacco. and that some process deep inside them ing advantage of public unfamiliarity. "There are no notes in existence that include this many security features," says an ECB spokesman. The currency has been designed to be easily recognisable and will have familiar anti-counterfeiting characteristics such as a watermark, metal strip, hologram and iri- descent markings. This should stop the public being fooled by poor quality fakes. The notes will also include some hidden anti-counterfeiting measures that are found on existing bank notes, such as micro- printing that can only be seen under a microscope and markings that only show up in fluorescent light. But the currency will also come with secret features—some of which are only recognisable using special equipment, and some that can be automatically recognised by new bank sorting equipment. "Professional tellers will be able to check using special equipment, and central banks will have sophisticated sorting machines that can detect special properties," says It's bad enough he's kicked us out, but the aliens as well? another Central Bank representative. (Source: New Scientist, August 31, 2001) Incense burning also creates more pollu- breaks CFCs down into active chlorine. tion than road traffic at a local intersection. | But how this process could happen without Ta Chang Lin, of the National Cheng _ ultraviolet light has remained a mystery. INCENSE BURNING RELEASES CARCINOGENS Rewer in Taiwan found that the smoke produced by burning incense is laden with cancer-causing chemicals. Levels of one chemical believed to cause lung cancer were 40 times higher in a badly ventilated temple in Taiwan than in houses where people smoke tobacco. Incense burning also creates more pollu- tion than road traffic at a local intersection. Ta Chang Lin, of the National Cheng cl3 Cue 8 = NEXUS It's bad enough he's kicked us out, but the aliens as well? www.nexusmagazine.com OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2001