Desert Survival: The Solar Still (DesertUSA) There was the man in tattered clothing, his body sweaty, his swollen eyes squinting over miles of sand. Cattle skulls and scorpions scattered the ground while vultures circled overhead awaiting their imminent feast. In a futile last glance, he held himself up with shaking arms. Being a transplant from the Midwest to the Sonoran Desert of Arizona, I grew up with Hollywood's distorted images of the Desert Southwest. Even apparently healthy water sources can contain infectious organisms like Guardia, causing humans to become ill and lose more bodily fluids. Emergency Survival Tool Fortunately, there is an emergency survival technique for gathering water from our driest deserts during their most brutal seasons. The Solar Still functions under the general principle of the "greenhouse effect". The still also has the ability to purify tainted water. Materials The sheet of clear plastic can be a ground cloth used under tents when backpacking or a thin painting drop cloth. Construction 1.
Snowflakes Up Close: A Small, Fragile World If you’re one of those people who likes to ponder things while looking out a frosty window on a cold winter day, these pictures will clear up one of those long standing wonders: each snowflake really IS unique. Some look like roman columns, others circuit boards or spaceships. Taken under high magnification using a microscope, these images bring a fragile and beautiful world into view. See Also HARMFUL VIRUSES MADE OF BEAUTIFUL GLASS They say that every snowflake is different. Source: akirathedon.com Known in some circles as the most amazing man in the universe, he once saved an entire family of muskrats from a sinking, fire engulfed steamboat while recovering from two broken arms relating to a botched no-chute wingsuit landing in North Korea.
Lungs Can Taste! Weird Discovery Points to New Asthma Treatments | 80beats |... Your lungs know a bitter sensation when they taste one. Yes, taste. In a Nature Medicine study, Stephen B. Like tastebuds on the tongue, the receptors react to bitterness, but unlike tastebuds they do not send any signals to the brain. The researchers first thought that bitter compounds might trigger a constriction of the airways, to prevent toxins from further infiltrating the lungs. Liggett’s team had been looking for new means to relax and open up a person’s airway, beyond the standard beta 2 agonist inhalant for asthma patients, when they stumbled upon this. When the researchers tried bitter aerosols on constricted airways in mice or on sections of human airways freshly removed from cancer patients, they were surprised to discover the lung muscles quickly relaxed. The team’s discovery doesn’t point to a cure for asthma. There are thousands of compounds known to have a bitter taste, such as quinine and many drugs, he said. Image: iStockphoto
Solar still Solar still built into a pit in the ground Solar still "Watercone" A solar still is a simple way of distilling water, using the heat of the Sun to drive evaporation from humid soil, and ambient air to cool a condenser film. Two basic types of solar stills are box and pit stills. Overview[edit] Solar stills are used in cases where rain, piped, or well water is impractical, such as in remote homes or during power outages.[1] In subtropical hurricane target areas that can lose power for days, solar distillation can provide an alternate source of clean water. Puits Solaire Materials[edit] A simple basin-type solar still can be constructed with 2-4 stones, plastic film or transparent glass, a central weight to make a point and a container for the condensate. Variations[edit] Transpiration bag[edit] In a study performed in 2009, variations to the angle of plastic and increasing the internal temperature of the hole versus the outside temperature made for better water production. Wick still[edit]
UC Berkeley Press Release By Yasmin Anwar, Media Relations | 08 December 2009 BERKELEY — Researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, are challenging long-held beliefs that human beings are wired to be selfish. In a wide range of studies, social scientists are amassing a growing body of evidence to show we are evolving to become more compassionate and collaborative in our quest to survive and thrive. (Photo illustration by Jonathan Payne) In contrast to "every man for himself" interpretations of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution by natural selection, Dacher Keltner, a UC Berkeley psychologist and author of "Born to be Good: The Science of a Meaningful Life," and his fellow social scientists are building the case that humans are successful as a species precisely because of our nurturing, altruistic and compassionate traits. They call it "survival of the kindest." Empathy in our genes "The tendency to be more empathetic may be influenced by a single gene,” Rodrigues said. Cultivating the greater good
Solar Still | Practical Survivor Water procurement during a survival situation could possibly be your number one concern. The length of time you body will survive without proper hydration varies under different conditions. Increase in ambient temperature and activity will lessen your chances of survival. In desert like regions or coastal survival, the solar still can be one of the methods used to find desperately needed water. So what is a solar still ? Solar stills are being used in countries where potable water is not readily available. There are different types of survival solar stills or vapor stills. Note: Take a look at your surroundings. Carrying a sheet of clear plastic as part of your survival kit could save your life. * Shelter (lean-to, poncho, insulation) * Water (water catcher, solar still, canteen) * Food (help to preserve food) For this article we will use the clear plastic to catch the condensed water from our solar still . The shape of the pit can either be "v" shaped or box 'square' shaped. Tips:
How did life originate? How did life originate? Living things (even ancient organisms like bacteria) are enormously complex. However, all this complexity did not leap fully-formed from the primordial soup. Instead life almost certainly originated in a series of small steps, each building upon the complexity that evolved previously: Simple organic molecules were formed. Simple organic molecules, similar to the nucleotide shown below, are the building blocks of life and must have been involved in its origin. Multicellularity evolved.
Solar Still Basics Introduction Solar Still Background | Still Operation Still Water Production | Distillation Purification Capabilities The basic principles of solar water distillation are simple yet effective, as distillation replicates the way nature makes rain. The sun's energy heats water to the point of evaporation. As the water evaporates, water vapor rises, condensing on the glass surface for collection. The distilled water from a SolAqua still does not acquire the "flat" taste of commercially distilled water since the water is not boiled (which lowers pH). Solar distillers can be used to effectively remove many impurities ranging from salts to microorganisms and are even used to make drinking water from seawater. The SolAqua solar stills are simple and have no moving parts. Supply Fill Port: Water should be added to the still via this port. Overflow Port: Once the still basin has filled, excess water will flow out of this port.
Water Solar Stills: Clean Drinking Water In a situation of survival the Solar Still ( AKA Vapor Still ) can provide a short to medium term source of fresh drinking water from seawater, rivers and ponds. This important and neccessary piece of survival equipment has been used by the military and yachtsmen for many years. Solar radiation is used to distill and collect the drinking water; essential for daily survival both at sea and in deserts. It is lightweight, compact and easy to use with an output of between 500 and 2000cc per day depending upon climatic conditions. Survival with the Solar StillEffects of Dehydration and Survival Times Without WaterPerformance of the Aquadome Solar Water Still Other Defense and Survival products: Vacuum Mattresses, Weapons Sleeves and Personal Water Carriers.
How To Build A Solar-Powered Still To Purify Drinking Water The author’s solar still, with one pan in it. The still actually has room for two of these. Note that the glass top is at an angle, allowing the water to flow down to the catch tube. Everyone agrees that water is needed for survival and articles abound for how to find water and purify it for drinking. Normally, the biggest hazards we face from drinking water are microorganisms: bacteria, protozoa and other parasites which can enter our system and make us quite sick. While those biological hazards are important, they aren’t the only thing we can find in our drinking water. Distillation is a simple process, although it can be difficult to accomplish in quantity. The really great thing about distillation is that nothing else evaporates with the water. The problem with distillation is that it is a slow process, which means that heat has to be applied to the water for a long time, so that it can evaporate and be captured. Directions to Make the Solar Still Using the Solar Still
DIY Solar Still How To Make Your Own Distilled Water Make your own distilled water from stream or lake water, salt water, or even brackish, dirty water, using these DIY Solar Still Plans. With just a few basic building materials, a sheet of glass and some sunshine, you can purify your own water at no cost and with minimal effort. Distilled water is not just for drinking, and it’s always worth keeping a few gallons of it on hand. • Always refill the lead-acid batteries used for solar energy systems or automobiles with distilled water • Water delicate plants like orchids with distilled water; minerals and additives like fluoride or chlorine that are present in most tap water can harm plants • Distilled water mixed with antifreeze is recommended for car radiators, as it’s less corrosive • Steam irons become clogged with mineral deposits unless you use distilled water The box is built from 3/4 ” BC-grade plywood, painted black on the inside to absorb heat. How to Make a Solar Still 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
How to Make a Solar Still - DIY With high energy costs and a warming planet that needs cleaner fuel sources, the time has never been better to get involved with solar energy. DIY Solar Projects (Creative Publishing International, 2011) by Eric Smith contains how-to instructions for many achievable, clever projects you can make and install in order to create your own solar lifestyle. Hundreds of people are doing it, and you can too. The following excerpt is taken from the chapter, “Solar Still.” You can purchase this book from the MOTHER EARTH NEWS store: DIY Solar Projects. Make Your Own Distilled Water Make your own distilled water from stream or lake water, salt water, or even brackish, dirty water, using these DIY Solar Still Plans. Distilled water is not just for drinking, and it’s always worth keeping a few gallons of it on hand. • Always refill the lead-acid batteries used for solar energy systems or automobiles with distilled water • Steam irons become clogged with mineral deposits unless you use distilled water
How To Get Fresh Water Out Of Thin Air Image Credit: MIT Fog-harvesting system developed by MIT and Chilean researchers could provide potable water for the world’s driest regions. CAMBRIDGE, Mass. — In some of this planet’s driest regions, where rainfall is rare or even nonexistent, a few specialized plants and insects have devised ingenious strategies to provide themselves with the water necessary for life: They pull it right out of the air, from fog that drifts in from warm oceans nearby. Now researchers at MIT, working in collaboration with colleagues in Chile, are seeking to mimic that trick on a much larger scale, potentially supplying significant quantities of clean, potable water in places where there are few alternatives. Fog harvesting, as the technique is known, is not a new idea: Systems to make use of this airborne potable water already exist in at least 17 nations. Fog-harvesting systems generally consist of a vertical mesh, sort of like an oversized tennis net. Credits:
Solar Water Still Construction You can use stills in various areas of the world. They draw moisture from the ground and from plant material. You need certain materials to build a still, and you need time to let it collect the water. It takes about 24 hours to get 0.5 to 1 liter of water. Aboveground Still To make the aboveground still, you need a sunny slope on which to place the still, a clear plastic bag, green leafy vegetation, and a small rock (Figure 6-6). To make the still-- Fill the bag with air by turning the opening into the breeze or by "scooping" air into the bag. To get the condensed water from the still, loosen the tie around the bag's mouth and tip the bag so that the water collected around the rock will drain out. Change the vegetation in the bag after extracting most of the water from it. Belowground Still To make a belowground still, you need a digging tool, a container, a clear plastic sheet, a drinking tube, and a rock (Figure 6-7). To construct the still-- Back to Water Procurement