Solar Power Airplane Really Works

April 19, 2010 -- Updated 1246 GMT (2046 HKT

NO AUTHOR

It’s April 9 2010, the new sun-powered Solar Impulse HB-SIA air plane just took off a runway in Paverne, Switzerland, on its first flight, or maiden voyage. Over the next 87 minutes, it went up to 1,200 meters, which really is very high up in the sky. This is a very green invention that will be powerful and helpful, for our future, no contamination at all. The aircraft is capable of achieving night flight, by using energy stored during the day. The airplane was tested to make sure that it would work, so that nothing wrong would come from it during flight; a smooth first flight because of maintenance. CNN spoke with the Solar Impulse Chairman and initiator, Bertrand Piccard. At first indication, the aircraft went even higher than was expected. According to Mr. Piccard, this technology can forever change solar energy as we know it. So, what we can take from this, is that solar energy will always be able to help us achieve what we want in a natural and clean way.

Our comment over the matter is that, this notion of starting with solar energy is a big leap for man kind. We know this, because solar energy has no pollution emissions , so we now know that solar energy is good for all of us. We can’t forget to use it!

Photo of Fast-Food

Fast Food Threats Are Shrinking

By Sara Bonisteel, Special to CNN April 19, 2010 -- Updated 1432 GMT (2232 HKT)

It is April 19, 2010. Fast Food restaurants are constantly changing. Fast food restaurants are now trying to reduce the size of their Super-Size menu's to smaller portions. We have seen this in all countries and almost every fast food restaurant like McDonalds, Burger King, Dairy Queen are now doing this. The latest company to do this was Dairy Queen, which shrunk it's Blizzard( A frozen threat) from a 12 ounce cup to a 7 ounce cup. It's not only smothies we're talking about, it's drinks, sodas, burgers ect. They did this because their companies really listened to their costumers which is good because the customers wanted smaller size food. At Burger King one small item that was introduced recently to their menus were B.K burger shots and McDonalds introduced a Big Mac Snack Wrap.

Our opinion is that this is very good for everybody, because there is going less fast food in the world with samaller sizes and less fat. We all think that this could help to make sure that there are less fat people all over the globe, because smaller sizes means less fat people. We all think that this probably was the best thing that Fast-Food companies have done in a 100 years, because we all now know that in order to be a good, healthy person, you need to be very good at eating healthy food and excersise the right amount. Really talke care when you eat, and remember less always is more!

Ship's Paint Bringing Instant Death to The Great Barrier Reef

Post by: CNN's Brad Lendon

It was the last week April 8, 2010 and the story starts here. A Chinese coal ship called the Shen Neng 1 was in Australia's Great Barrier Reef, and it caused a lot of damage. The total amount of damage that it cause was over a two mile stretch of the World Heritage Area that could take years to repair. According to the chairman of the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority said last Tuesday. According to officials, the toxic anti-fouling paint had been scrape off the ship's hull, therefore spreading on a coral reed and killing many organisms. The paint was so toxic, because the paint contained biocides that are meant to make sure that barnacles and othere marine organisms are prevented from sticking to the ship's hull while it travels over the sea, so it doesn't have to be cleaned as much without the paint. So, the paint was harmful to marine life. When the paint comes into contact with the reef it kills the corals immediately or almost immediately. Officials said that the damage left by the Shen Neng 1 will probably be the largest operation ever done on the reed. Australian authorities said the the ship, a coal carrier was 17 miles off course when it ran aground Tuesday. This comes to show that putting anti-fouling paint an a huge ship is just plain wrong.

Our comment on this piece of news is that intentionally putting this type on paint on a huge ship is very stupid, and shows that you don't think before doing . I think that the Australian government it doing the right thing, according to what happened, and in order to stop any type of blood feud with the Chinese government the Australian government should keep on doing what they are doing, working together to help their natural heritage. The Great Barrier Reef. Thanks!

Erupting Volcano Boosts Tourism In Iceland

By Christine Theodorou, CNN

It is April 5th 2010 a long volcano that has been asleep for many years in Iceland erupted last month. This make sure that a lot of turist are now visiting Iceland to see the Eyjafjallajokull volcano. Even dough the volcano is in a remote location, under a glacier it is full of tourists that want to see the lava flows and volcanic plumes. For less than $400 a person, you can visit the volcano from the capital. The volcano is part of a 100/mile trip, and is 4,000 feet above sea level. Even dough there is a lot of snow, the volcano's lava still flows. There is a 1 km area that is restricted from tourists and other parts of the glacier are off limits. Officials say that there is no threat to people that look at the volcano, but some residents have evacuated their homes because of floods. The only problems that officials have found were hikers that didn't had their right equipment. The last eruption of the volcano was in 1821 and it hasn't erupted till now.


Our opinion is that the volcano coming out to the public is good and bad; it has pros and cons. The pros are that since the volcano first erupted since March 20, 2010, this has helped Iceland's economy a lot, since the fist tourists first visited the Eyjafjallajokull volcano, Iceland's has been helped extremely. The cons are that the volcano could effect Iceland, because the eruptions could cause a lot of damage to the surrounding country. So, after that I tell you that these volcanoes all over the world will always have pros and cons. So, this is good for Iceland.