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Pagan News Beagle: Earthy Thursday, December 3

The push for green energy drives forward in Britain. Scientists create "bionic" roses. And the demographic impact of China's recently reversed "one child law" are considered. It's Earthy Thursday, our weekly segment on science and Earth-related news. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!

As the world continues to seek clean, renewable energy Scotland has recently announced it plans to fund the construction of several floating windmills in the North Sea. The wind farm, which would generate 30 megawatts, would be a continuation of the northern British nation's growing reliance on wind power to provide it with energy.

Another northern Anglophone country may also be making changes in climate policy as well. Canada, which recently changed governments after this autumn's elections, will be increasing funding of research and reducing restrictions on scientists' ability to publicly advocate, much to the relief of many.

When we think of cyborgs, we usually picture humans with robotic arms or eye implants. But humans aren't the only species that can go cybernetic. Discover Magazine detail recent experiments to "wire" plants like roses with electronic circuity with the possible goal of turning plants into living power cells.

A growing amount of research continues to show that depression, far from simply being a mood or phase, is a serious mental illness. But depression doesn't necessarily affect everyone equally. According to a recent study, Black Americans in New York City are far more likely to suffer from depression than their white counterparts (or members of any other race in the city).

Speaking of demographics, one bit of recent news has caught a lot of analysts attention: the reversal of China's long-standing one-child law which severely penalized parents who had two or more children. Now facing a severely aged population and enormous gender imbalance, the Chinese government has chosen to reverse its previous policy. But according to Scientific American it may be too little, too late to avoid serious after effects.


Top image by M Tracy Hunter

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Aryós Héngwis (or the more modest Héngwis for short) is a native of the Pontic-Caspian steppe, born some 5000 years ago, near the village of Dereivka. In his youth he stood out from the other snakes for his love of learning and culture, eventually coming into the service of the local reǵs before moving westward toward Europe. Most recently, Aryós Héngwis left his home to pursue a new life in America, where he has come under the employ of BBI Media as an internet watchdog (or watchsnake, if you will), ever poised to strike the unwary troll.

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