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A previously unknown microbe is devouring Gulf oil at an astonishing rate.
S. Lowry/Univ Ulster/Getty Images
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Welcome to Planet 100 for August 27, 2010. Here's what we're covering today.
WATCH VIDEO: Microbes Come BP's Rescue
Microbes Save BP
BP have been dealt a lucky break in their clean-up operation in the Gulf. Scientists reveal that one massive deep sea oil plume has essentially vanished apparently eaten by microbes previously unknown to science. In a study published in Science, researchers from Lawrence Berkeley National Lab noted that the massive influx of oil stimulated the growth of newly discovered oil-degrading microbes.
In more good news, oil consumption by these deep-sea microbes did not seem to worsen marine dead zones.
Read More: Gulf Oil Plume Gone, Eaten By Newly Discovered Microbes
Prius Alert
One of the great joys of driving a Prius is the sound...of silence. But many pedestrians complain they can’t hear the vehicle approaching.
In Japan, Toyota is offering a voluntary $148 speaker system, to go under the hood of the third-generation Prius, which sets off a whirring sound at the same noise level as a regular car engine. In America, automakers will be permitted to provide their own "signature sounds" including Star Wars sound effects.
So, though the Prius is not known for its supersonic speed, it could at least sounds like the Millennium Falcon.
Read More: Toyota to Offer External Speaker Option to Make Prius Noisier in Japan
Green Emmys
The Primetime Emmy Awards will be held at LA's Nokia Theatre on Sunday night. And beneath the glitz and the glam, the message will be green. From energy efficient lighting to recycled sets to reusable water bottles for the crew to non toxic cleaning products for the staff, it looks the like the environment will a sure winner on the night.
Via: MNN
Credits:
* Closeup of a microbe © S. Lowry/Univ Ulster/Getty Images
Oil spill from the air ©AP Photo/NOAA
Underwater oil © AP Photo/Senate Environment and Public Works Committee
Prius in Japan © AP Photo/Shuji Kajiyama
car engine – Creative commons
Millennium Falcon © AP Photo/David J. Phillip
Emmys ©Getty Images
LED lighting ©iStockphoto/Thinkstock
