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Why did 11,650 amphibians cross the road? To get to the other side safely! - Granite Geek
Turtles aren’t the only species endangered by cars when spring arrives , as noted in this earlier post. Frogs and salamanders face automotive peril, as well. For years, the Harris Center for Conservation Education in Hancock has run Salamander Crossing Bridges, in which volunteers head out to sites where the amphibians are known to cross roads […]
"A Hyper-Catalan Series Solution to Polynomial Equations, and the Geode" - Granite Geek
I am soon going to interview a New Hampshire mathematician about this paper with the above title, which contains sentences like “Although we have been unable to find any reference for an explicit series zero of the general polynomial with a closed-form hyper-Catalan coefficient, we’ve found formulas for the coefficients of series reversions that are […]
You're tough but are you as tough as a turtle? (Answer: no) - Granite Geek
Next time you have to sit through some guy’s boring litany about how tough he is, here’s a good way to end the blather: “Dude, you think you’re resilient, but you’re no turtle.” “We have some turtles that come in just totally obliterated-looking. People tell us, ‘No way it’s going to survive.’ We give them […]
Some news about donkey skin secretions you'll want to know (honest): They naturally repel deer ticks - Granite Geek
From UMass-Amherst: University of Massachusetts Amherst researchers have made a promising discovery that could lead to the development of a natural and effective tick repellent. They have shown that a naturally occurring compound secreted by the skin of donkeys effectively repels adult Ixodes scapularis ticks—the most frequent human-biting tick in the U.S. Commonly known as the deer […]
NH patents through June 1 - Granite Geek
(Links to each patent can be found here, using the patent number or inventor’s name.) By Targeted News Service WASHINGTON – The following federal patents were assigned in New Hampshire through June 1. *** System and Method for Automation of Surgical Pathology Processes Using Artificial Intelligence MARY HITCHCOCK MEMORIAL HOSPITAL, Lebanon, New Hampshire has been […]
Despite GPS, it's useful to know how to use a map and cmpass - Granite Geek
If you want to learn how to find your way in the outdoors using a map and compass, your opportunity is here. The New Hampshire Fish and Game Department’s Owl Brook Hunter Education Center will hold an introductory Map and Compass Navigation Workshop on Saturday, June 28, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. There is […]
Take advantage of living on the edge of the grid - Granite Geek
The nation’s power grid is a massive beast — by some definitions, it’s the biggest thing ever built by humans. But these days, its most interesting changes are happening as close as your garage. “It’s why I joined Eversource a year-and-a-half ago, because I was so interested in what was happening at the edge of […]
NH patents through May 25 - Granite Geek
(Links to each patent can be found here, using the patent number or inventor’s name.) By Targeted News Service WASHINGTON – The following federal patents were assigned in New Hampshire through May 25. *** Medical Treatment System and Methods Using a Plurality of Fluid Lines DEKA PRODUCTS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP, Manchester, New Hampshire has been assigned […]
Does contaminated soil = contaminated syrup? - Granite Geek
If maple trees are growing in contaminated soil do they have contaminated sap? And if so, what happens to that contamination when the sap is boiled into syrup? That is a question I hadn’t thought of – but a Dartmouth Ph.D. student has, and is looking for the answer. Dartmouth News story is here.
"Small modular" nuke plants get some love in NH - Granite Geek
There’s a segment of the New Hampshire legislature that loves the idea of “small modular” nuclear reactions – the dream of techbros who love silver bullet solutions to big problems as long as they’re technically cutting edge and don’t involve nasty things like social change. That’s why we have NH HCR2, a concurrent resolution that […]
Forecast: Rooftop solar will continue growing in NH but large-scale solar, not so much - Granite Geek
ISO-New England’s forecast for future photovoltaic power in New England shows, not surprisingly, that New Hampshire will continue to be a laggard in large (over 1 MW) solar farms but rooftop solar, created by individual action rather than our always-feeble group action, is forecast to continue growing at a good clip. That is shown in […]
Mow, mow, mow your lawn, gently down the clime - Granite Geek
(“Clime” is a perfectly acceptable synonym for “climate” and is not a word I made up to fit the silly headline. Honest.) This is the time of year when that defining outdoor chore of homeownership, mowing the lawn, becomes a bit problematic. The “No Mow May” campaign has been around for a couple of years […]
NH joins other states in saying: Since Congress won't regulate A.I., we should - Granite Geek
New Hampshire’s attorney general has joined his peers to tell Congress that they shouldn’t block state efforts to do what the federal government won’t do in terms of “protecting consumers from the harmful effects” of artificial intelligence. Attorney General John Formella was one of 40 state attorneys general from both political parties who signed a […]
Patents in NH through May 18 - Granite Geek
(Links to each patent can be found here, using the patent number or inventor’s name.) By Targeted News Service WASHINGTON – The following federal patents were assigned in New Hampshire through May 18. *** System and Method for Clutter Suppression BAE SYSTEMS INFORMATION AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS INTEGRATION INC., Nashua, New Hampshire has been assigned a […]
After 20 years of decline, electricity use is about to rise in New England - Granite Geek
ISO-New England, which oversees the six-state power grid, has released a report talking about ways energy use is changing. From their point of view the big difference is that peak usage is going to happen in winter, when solar power is low, which raises issues. Read it here. The part I found most interesting is […]
Maine is doing some really innovative energy stuff, unlike a neighboring state - Granite Geek
Canary Media has a big story about a couple of interwoven programs being rolled out in Maine to boost heat-pump use in the state that has the highest percentage of homes heated by (ugh) heating oil, combined with efficiency and demand-response systems that will reduce or eliminate any effect on the grid. “We’ve already invested […]
'No mow May' at Science Cafe (hey - that rhymes!) - Granite Geek
Yes, you can help save the planet, nurture the pollinators and strengthen the food chain from the comfort of your couch! Come learn about a growing movement called “No Mow May” where letting your yard grow wild provides a critical bridge for insect pollinators across the seasons. Tuesday, May 20, 2025 6:00-7:30pm Soel Sistas, 30 Temple […]
There's a very big battery in Moultonborough; we need more of them - Granite Geek
Note: This is my column in this week’s Monitor. A reader pointed me to a battery-storage system set up near hydropower on the Androscoggin river; part of it is in Maine, but it totals a whopping 30 MW so maybe this isn’t the biggest in the state after all. Before we discuss details of New […]
The rare occasion when lazier is better: Mowing - Granite Geek
From UNH News: Cutting the grass less may actually be better for the environment. Research shows that trimming the number of times you run the mower around the yard can help create more biodiverse ecosystems, reduce carbon emissions, build soil organic matter and encourage lawn flowers to bloom providing important food for bees after a […]
Hooray - NH patents are back! - Granite Geek
The weekly list of New Hampshire-related patents has been on hold because of problems caused by Doge team’s uninformed “efficiency” (ha!) drive amid federal agencies. Targeted News Service has fixed the problem. (Links to each patent can be found here, using the patent number or inventor’s name.) By Targeted News Service WASHINGTON – The following […]
Growing crops indoors in a tough, tough business, even for high-return greens - Granite Geek
In 2018 I wrote about a company called Freight Farms that had grew lettuce for Concord’s Marriott Hotel inside one of its hydroponic trailers. It was one of several indoor-crop-growing startups that garnered a lot of attention at the time. Alas, it just went bankrupt. The energy cost of replacing sunlight is a killer.
UNH students built an electric ultralight - Granite Geek
A team of UNH undergrads built an electric ultralight plane. UNH News reports “the team worked on the aircraft over the past year – about 5,000 to 6,000 man hours – to design and build the full-scale ultralight piloted electric aircraft. All the design and manufacturing took place in house at UNH’s College of Engineering […]
Coldest nights are a lot less cold in Concord - Granite Geek
Over 30 years, the average coldest temperature reached during the year in Concord – a cloudless night in mid-winter, usually – has risen more than 7 degrees Fahrenheit, one of the fastest increases in the country, reports Axios Generate. (full story here) The 30-year average coldest temperature for 1995-2024 compared to 1951-1980 was higher in […]
Science on Tap to discuss soil microbes (which is more interesting than it sounds) - Granite Geek
The SEE Science Center’s twelfth season of Science on Tap discussions concludes on Tuesday, May 13. Science on Tap events are informal discussions with local scientists and experts on a particular topic. On Tuesday the topic will be: Something’s Afoot Underfoot. Join us to take a closer look at soil microbes and the role they play in our […]
NH can now gamble with - sorry, I mean invest in - bitcoin and its cronies - Granite Geek
A decade ago the idea that the state could invest in bitcoin would have been exciting. But years of watching cryptocurrency serve only to dodge taxes, launder money and delude small investors, providing no actual use that helps society, makes me realize it is at best a stunt and at worst a scam. So I’m […]
If there's a dumber purchase than bottled water, I can't think of it at the moment - Granite Geek
When it comes to budgeting, you can’t get much worse than bottled water. If your home is connected to “city water” then each sip you take from the plastic Flask-o-Fluid bought at WalMart costs between 1,000 and 10,000 times as much as a sip from your kitchen tap. (Per gallon, bottled water costs $1 to $10, […]
If you do an NH trash survey you'll find a lot that shouldn't be there - Granite Geek
NH Bulletin has a story about an analysis of trash from throughout New Hampshire (story is here) which found, no surprise, that alot of what we shove into landfills could go somewhere else: The team found 41.5% of what was disposed of was not recyclable in New Hampshire. But the other trash included materials that […]
Latest sign that solar panels are important: People are stealing them - Granite Geek
By Catherine McLaughlin, Concord Monitor: The pump system that sends water to nearly 200 plots at the Sycamore Community Garden in concord was suddenly dry. Volunteers checked on the problem and discovered the solar panels that powered the system had been stolen, the wires cut. Ruth Heath, president of the garden’s board of directors, looked at the empty […]
Another airport delay: TSA scanners don't like the new NH license design - Granite Geek
The system used by TSA to authenticate people’s identification is having trouble with the new design of New Hampshire drivers licenses, a design that was specifically made to meet the federal Real ID requirements for boarding airplanes. The New Hampshire Division of Motor Vehicles said Monday it has been “contacted by some recipients of the State’s […]
A fiberglass house is changing hands - Granite Geek
The most unusual home in Hopkinton, one that over the years has been nicknamed the Marshmallow House, the Space Pod, the Fiberglass Folly and more, is changing hands. The house on Jewett Road was built – perhaps “assembled” is a better word – in 1973. Its unusual structure is the result of a project by […]
Local food requires local farms - which requires local farmland - Granite Geek
Remember all the COVID-related shortages we faced five years ago? I bet you remember toilet paper; it made for the best jokes. But you may have forgotten the big hiccups that occurred in the supply of something more significant than pulp-based hygiene products: Food. “The supply chains were screwed up; people in other places couldn’t […]
Deaths vs. births in New Hampshire - Granite Geek
I made a quick little chart in Infogram of births and deaths each year in New Hampshire as recorded by the bureau of Vital Records. You can see why we need people to keep moving into the state. Interactive chart is here: https://infogram.com/nh-deaths-1hnq41ox7vjdp23?live