Some have suggested that Michael Phelps’ Olympic success is due in significant part to his anatomy – that a long wingspan and unusual flexibility in his ankles give him that extra edge over the competition. 

But as Scientific American reports in an interview with a sports medicine physician, Phelps is not “freakishly” outside the norm in any bodily measure.  While it is true that being tall (basketball), petite (gymnastics), or having 20/12 vision (baseball), confers an advantage, it is more often hard work and training that differentiates the very good from the very best.

Original Article

Some have suggested that Michael Phelps’ Olympic success is due in significant part to his anatomy – that a long wingspan and unusual flexibility in his ankles give him that extra edge over the competition. 

But as Scientific American reports in an interview with a sports medicine physician, Phelps is not “freakishly” outside the norm in any bodily measure.  While it is true that being tall (basketball), petite (gymnastics), or having 20/12 vision (baseball), confers an advantage, it is more often hard work and training that differentiates the very good from the very best.

Original Article

In response to the increasing demand (and shortage) of water, Orange County recently opened a new groundwater replenishment system that will funnel treated wastewater into the general supply. While the idea of drinking what essentially used to be sewage is alarming, the “recycled” water is filtered to the point that it is cleaner than rain. After these treatments, it is channeled into a lake water reservoir where it remains for at least six months, filtering again naturally through sand and gravel.

Scientists and the general population differ in their opinion about using treated wastewater for drinking. Some see it as a smart solution to a growing problem, especially in our increasingly eco-conscious society.  Others are worried about  risks to the public health, or are just plain squeamish about the water’s origins. When thinking about the general “ick” factor, though, consider this– following treatment at the plant, the “recycled” water tested more pure than a popular brand of bottled water.

Original Article

Imagine an area the size of Massachusetts in the Gulf of Mexico that is completely devoid of marine life. This so-called “dead zone” develops each spring, driven by fertilizer runoff from the Mississippi river basin that empties into the Gulf.  Given that ~50% of the nation’s farmland empties into the Mississippi, it’s easy to see that we’re talking about a LOT of fertilizer.

Fertilizer contains high concentrations of nitrogen, an element that is normally “limiting” in a marine environment. Adding additional nitrogen to the water leads to explosive growth of algae.  When the algae die, their decomposition uses up large amounts of oxygen. This depletes the water of dissolved oxygen, on which organisms like fish and shellfish depend. They must either move to different waters, or perish.

There is also the issue of harmful algal blooms, in which the algae produce neurotoxins that kill fish, dolphins, and other marine life.  If the toxins build up in fish or shellfish, then other organisms such as birds and even humans may get sick.

The obvious solution is to drastically reduce fertilizer usage, but this is unlikely to happen anytime soon. Other tricks are being explored for “capturing” phosphorus and nitrogen, including building wastewater treatment plants that use algae to remove these elements (e.g. growing algae in a controlled environment).  The algae would then be used as biomass to produce biofuels.  But could this be done on a large enough scale?

Original Article