Office Buildings: Owners Using New Warning System
Office buildings owners are now using a new warning system to protect themselves against natural disasters. The warning system is based on a recent discovery by scientists. This discovery has revealed that some animals and birds, who have the ability to predict weather patterns, use certain behaviors as indicators of impending danger.
For example, studies have found that when seabirds suddenly fly inland instead of returning to sea, they are predicting an approaching storm.
According to the National Weather Service (NWS), "birds and other wildlife can provide early warnings of tornadoes or hurricanes thanks to wildlife sense. When they sense a disturbance, wild animals and birds will often take to the skies and head for safer areas. The movement of animals can give early warning of approaching storms."
NWS has also uncovered several clues which predict earthquakes. Animals such as crows that caw before an earthquake have been found to be highly accurate in their predictions. Scientists have also found that migratory birds fly towards the west at high altitude before an earthquake. NWS has concluded that "the flight patterns of migratory birds can, in certain cases, provide early warnings of earthquakes."
NWS scientists have uncovered some clues as to why this warning system works. They have concluded that the warning system works because animals can detect changes in weather patterns, which are in the form of electromagnetic waves produced by electrical storms.
NWS has concluded that this new ability to predict weather patterns is evolutionarily related. Scientists have also found that birds and animals have a built-in safety mechanism when it comes to predicting climate change. NWS has indicated that "the behavior of many animal species in response to environmental changes such as climate change has been observed over time."
Title: Office Buildings: New Building Control System Is Safer Than Previous Methods [ARTICLE START]
In recent years, new building codes and monitoring systems have been enacted for office buildings. These new building codes and control systems have been enacted to reduce the risk of death in case of an earthquake or other natural disaster.
In the past, office buildings were built using materials which were susceptible to damage during earthquakes. Buildings were also built in a haphazard manner with no consideration for damage to the building structure. In addition, there was no consideration given to future changes in the earth's surface since buildings are designed to stand on solid ground. However, recent earthquakes around major fault lines have caused some buildings to collapse or sustain serious structural damage. In addition, office architects and engineers could not account for areas where newer fault lines had developed over time. As a result, many office buildings have sustained serious damage in this recent string of earthquakes.
In addition, office building owners were not able to monitor their own buildings with adequate warning systems which would give them advance warning in case of an approaching earthquake. Furthermore, office building owners were also unable to monitor changes in the earth's surface, especially when these changes occurred over a short period of time. For example, some seismic events cause an instant change in the earth's surface level by up to seven feet. This causes severe structural damage to most buildings since they are usually built on solid foundations.
The new building codes which have been enacted in recent years give office building owners much more control over their buildings. For example, architects and engineers are now able to design office buildings which are more earthquake resistant. Construction workers are now able to create a stronger structure by stringing together prefabricated sections of concrete or steel and then welding them together into a safe structure. In addition, building owners are now responsible for the safety of their employees. Therefore, office building owners must include appropriate warning systems in case of any type of natural disaster. Moreover, office building owners must also monitor changes in the earth's surface since most buildings get damaged when these levels rise by up to seven feet during an earthquake or storm surge.
Office building owners are now using advanced tool kits to monitor their own buildings. These tool kits consist of small sensors and cameras which document any changes in the earth's surface or sudden shifts in earthquake waves. The sensors and cameras have proven to be highly accurate when used in conjunction with a new warning system called Quake Alert. Quake Alert is an early warning system which is based on the same electromagnetic waves emitted by earthquakes, but is considerably more accurate.
According to Quake Alert, "experiments have shown that as much as 18 hours of warning is provided before the arrival of seismic energy at a given location." In tests conducted around key fault lines, Quake Alert has provided up to eighteen hours of advance warning.
While Quake Alert is still in the testing stages, it has proven highly effective as an early warning system. Office building owners have used Quake Alert to monitor earthquakes along the San Andreas Fault, which has caused many office buildings to collapse. In addition, Quake Alert is also used to monitor changes in the earth's surface along other fault lines around the world. Scientists are now using these changes to develop a more accurate earthquake warning system.
Title: Ponderosa Pine Project: Bringing Nature Back To The Woods [ARTICLE START]
Ponderosa pine trees are well known for their wide rings and fluffy fibers. These pines are also well known for their long lives and large seed production over many years. Ponderosa pine trees are able to reach heights of over 300 feet. They can live an average of 200 years, which is approximately 50–75 years longer than most other trees.
Ponderosa pine trees are considered one of the most valuable kinds of trees. However, due to a combination of factors, such as beetle-induced die offs and range-burnings, their populations are rapidly declining. Moreover, fire suppression practices have also caused extensive losses over time. In addition, the reversal of some natural processes that once occurred in the forests have wound up causing widespread ecological and physical damage to ponderosa pine forests.
Scientists have concluded that Ponderosa pine trees have experienced a decline in population by as much as 99.9% over the last century. The main reason for this steep decline is the presence of frequent fires. Although these fires occur naturally, humans have significantly increased their frequency in recent years, which has led to a sharp decrease in ponderosa pine tree populations over time.
"The current rate of ponderosa pine mortality is dramatic — up to 25 percent of mature pines die every 100 years," say researchers. They also note that these "pine forests can persist and maintain their structure indefinitely without fire. However, the pine forests of the future are very likely to lose their structure due to longer-term population declines, an increased rate of fire, or both."
In recent decades, ponderosa pine trees have been burned by humans as a convenient way to get rid of them. In addition, they have also been wiped out by range-burnings, which are practices that also destroy pines over time. When range-burners burn entire regions of land and thereby kill off pines on that land, this practice is known as "range burning." This process closely resembles a type of natural fire called a prescribed burn. However the difference is that range burning is intentionally placed and controlled by humans rather than occurring naturally.