GC: n CT: A flood of data means that many of the challenges in biology are now challenges in computing. Bioinformatics, the application of computational techniques to analyse the information associated with biomolecules on a large-scale, has now firmly established itself as a discipline in molecular biology, and encompasses a
GC: n CT: Biomass is the term used for the biological material from living or recently living organisms such as wood, waste materials, gases and alcohol fuels. Biomass is commonly plant matter that is specifically grown in order to produce electricity or to produce heat. S: BAA – http://www.biofuelsassociation.com.au/what-is-biomass (last
GC: n CT: We have used biomass energy, or “bioenergy”—the energy from plants and plant-derived materials—since people began burning wood to cook food and keep warm. Wood is still the largest biomass energy resource today, but other sources of biomass can also be used. These include food crops, grassy and
GC: n CT: Biomass fuel is defined in several ways. A restricted definition of biomass includes only fuels from recent photosynthesis and, as such, biomass could be considered as carbon neutral. An expanded definition of biomass also encompasses municipal waste (residential and commercial garbage) that is incinerating. In both cases,
GC: n CT: Biomass power is carbon neutral electricity generated from renewable organic waste that would otherwise be dumped in landfills, openly burned, or left as fodder for forest fires. When burned, the energy in biomass is released as heat. If you have a fireplace, you already are participating in
GC: n CT: A biome is an area of the planet that can be classified according to the plants and animals that live in it. Temperature, soil, and the amount of light and water help determine what life exists in a biome. A biome is different from an ecosystem. An
GC: n CT: The significance of renewable alternative fuels has increased in the last decade due to dwindling supplies of conventional energy sources and rising oil prices. Since natural gas and electricity costs have been increasing day by day, the share of renewable energy in total global energy consumption increases
GC: n CT: Bionics, science of constructing artificial systems that have some of the characteristics of living systems. Bionics is not a specialized science but an interscience discipline; it may be compared with cybernetics. Bionics and cybernetics have been called the two sides of the same coin. Both use models
CG: n CT: A biorefinery is a facility that integrates biomass conversion processes and equipment to produce fuels, power, and chemicals from biomass. The biorefinery concept is analogous to today’s petroleum refineries, which produce multiple fuels and products from petroleum. Industrial biorefineries have been identified as the most promising route
GC: n CT: WHAT IS BIOSAFETY? Biosafety is defined as, “The discipline addressing the safe handling and containment of infectious microorganisms and hazardous biological materials” (1). The practice of safe handling of pathogenic micro-organisms and their toxins in the biological laboratory is accomplished through the application of containment principles and
CG: n CT: The firm, generative connection between life and the gases of the biosphere is more profound than it seems at first sight. The gases of the biosphere are generatively linked with living matter which, in turn, determines the essential chemical composition of the atmosphere. We dealt earlier with this
GC: n CT: Biota comprises all living organisms (bacteria, fungi, plants, animals) that inhabit a given area. For example, one can speak of the global biota, oceanic biota, terrestrial biota, biotas of forests, bogs, lakes etc. Biosphere means biota plus its environment, including stores of dead organic and inorganic substances
GC: n CT: A bit (short for binary digit) is the smallest unit of data in a computer. A bit has a single binary value, either 0 or 1. Although computers usually provide instructions that can test and manipulate bits, they generally are designed to store data and execute instructions
GC: n CT: The price of the digital currency bitcoin is up 50% in the past month and 300% in the past year. It hits a new all-time high every few days. At the time of writing, it’s trading at $1,745. Bitcoin is flying, and if you’re a cryptocurrency newbie,
GC: n CT: The ratio of the amount of radiation reflected from a surface compared to the amount of radiation that strikes it is called the surface albedo. The word “albedo” is derived from the Latin word for “white,” and indicates the “whiteness” of the surface doing the reflecting. A
CG: n CT: Aviation is set to become even safer thanks to real-time data transmission from black box flight recorders. In the 1960s, the black box—an Australian invention—became mandated on all commercial aircraft. It consists of two parts—the flight data recorder and a cockpit voice recorder—but one of the problems