Geoff’s Best Reads

Every fortnight on Tasmanian Times, widely-read Geoff Dickinson chooses Six of the past fortnight’s Best Reads.

WWI artefacts tell of life on the frontline.
U. Melbourne. More than 100 artefacts from the First World Was have been uncovered in an archaeological fieldwork survey ion the Gallipoli battlefield in Turkey…Australia Futurity 12/10/11
http://www.futurity.org/top-stories/wwi-artifacts-tell-of-life-on-the-frontline/?utm_source=Futurity+Today&utm_campaign=6eda9a0637-October_1210_12_2011&utm_medium=email

Is the New University System Harming Students?
German universities are more crowded than ever, and controversial changes to how quickly students must finish their studies have dramatically altered their academic lives. But many worry that these changes are also taking a serious toll on their private lives and personal well-being. .. Germany Spiegel 20/10/11
http://www.spiegel.de/international/germany/0,1518,792830,00.html#ref=nlint

The Death of the Kyoto Process
There seems little possibility that next month’s climate summit in Durban will produce an emissions reduction agreement — meaning the world will soon lack any binding CO2 targets. Europe may soon find itself alone in the fight against global warming…. Germany Spiegel 18/10/11
http://www.spiegel.de/international/world/0,1518,792224,00.html#ref=nlint

Fewer Babies, for Better or Worse
As European, Chinese and American women have fewer children, is the global economy endangered? Or is this easing the burden on a crowded planet?…USA New York Times 16/10/11
http://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2011/10/16/fewer-babies-for-better-or-worse?nl=todaysheadlines&emc=thab1

Brain Imaging Reveals Why We Remain Optimistic In The Face Of Reality
For some people, the glass is always half-full. Even when a football fan’s team has lost ten matches in a row, he might still be convinced his team can reverse its run of bad luck. So why, in the face of clear evidence to the contrary, do some…USA Insciences 10/10/11
http://insciences.org/article.php?article_id=10412&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+insciences%2Farticles+%28Insciences+Newsletter%29

In experimental forest, trees soak up CO2
U. MICHIGAN (US) — North American forests appear to have a greater capacity to soak up heat-trapping carbon dioxide gas than previously thought. .. USA Futurity 18/10/11
http://www.futurity.org/earth-environment/in-experimental-forest-trees-soak-up-co2/?utm_source=Futurity+Today&utm_campaign=c264841ca3-October_1810_18_2011&utm_medium=email