Steel mills to blame for mice mutations?
A new study led by Health Canada shows that mice living downwind of Hamilton, Ontario's two large steel mills, Dofasco and Stelco, may have mutated offspring.
The mice were found to have significantly higher mutation rates in their sperm, which would cause the genes of their offspring to be mutated, according to the study, which appeared this week in the journal Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences.
In the study, two groups of mice were kept in sheds under the Burlington Skyway, across the harbor from the Stelco and Dofasco plants. After 10 weeks, the mice showed a 60 percent increase in sperm mutations compared to the control group breathing filtered air.
The implications for the human residents of Hamilton could be troubling. Health Canada told press that a future study will examine "DNA damage in the sperm of people living in those areas."
The steel mills, may not necessarily to blame, however. Carole Yauk, a research scientist with Health Canada, told press, "We can't point any fingers at the steel mills because there's other industries in that area and a lot of traffic in general because of the industry there."
US welcomes arrival of the Smart Car
This week, the Smart Car arrived to the US, and customers are lining up to get it.
US dealerships have been allocated 30,000 Smart Fortwos, manufactured by Mercedes, most of which have already been reserved by customers who paid a $99 deposit.
Although the car is only 8.8 feet long, it is safer than you might think. Herb Chambers, who owns a dealership in Somerville, Massachusetts that has been allocated 770 vehicles, told press, "It's built like a steel capsule."
The car, which is designed to achieve a 4-star crash rating in the USA, has a reinforced steel cage and a special design that allows for displacement of impact and redistribution of crash energy.
Gas mileage for the Smart Car isn't as good as you might expect for its size; it gets 33 mph in the city and 41 mph on the highway. It's hard to argue with the price though - the current model that is out, the Fortwo Pure, will start at $11,590. The other two models, the Fortwo Passion coupe, and the Fortwo Passion Cabriolet, will start at $13,590 and $16,590, respectively
Another cool thing about the Smart Fortwo is that it allows customers to mix-and-match different-colored body panels for an additional charge.
Click here to see more pictures and information on the company's website.
ArcelorMittal teams up with wildlife foundation to restore Great Lakes
ArcelorMittal and the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation announced the ArcelorMittal Great Lakes Restoration Program this week, a grant program funded by a $2.1 million donation from the ArcelorMittal USA Foundation that will be matched by a $3 million investment by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation and several federal agency partners.
The contributions will then be leveraged by grantees to enable a total on-the-ground impact of $9 million throughout the Great Lakes watershed, ArcelorMittal said.
The program is designed to address the habitat and ecosystem restoration goals developed through the Great Lakes Regional Collaboration, a public-private cooperative effort to restore, protect, and use the Great Lakes in a sustainable way.
The steelmaker says that specifically, its funds will support wetland protection and restoration across the Great Lakes region, including parts of Illinois, Indiana, Minnesota, Ohio and Canada.
Lou Schorsch, President and CEO, ArcelorMittal Flat Carbon Americas, told press, "Our USA Foundation is committed to supporting sustainability through the focus areas of education, the environment and support of healthy and safe communities where our employees and customers work and live."
For more information on the Great Lakes Watershed Restoration Program, visit www.nfwf.org/programs/greatlakes/.
US steel swordsmith faces stiff competition from overseas
Mark Morrow is not your ordinary metalworker - he is a blacksmith, and specifically, a sword maker, who creates specialty blades the old fashioned way, by hand.
Morrow, who was recently profiled by New Jersey publication, the Asbury Park Press, said that his steel sword business is doing well, as there is a growing demand for Roman-style swords, used by people who re-enact gladiator fights or the battles fought by that empire's legionnaires.
It is not an easy way to make a living, though, says Morrow, who makes about 200 swords per year, selling them at $800 to $1,000 apiece. "It takes a certain expertise. Low carbon steel is not forgiving. The bottom line is you have to make money on what you're doing or it's just a hobby."
While there are only 24 certified swordsmiths in the US, Morrow says, he is facing some stiff competition from China and India, which have been supplying mass-produced swords into the market.
"China and India have really moved into this field," Morrow said. "They're mass producing swords fast now, and a lot of it isn't good quality. There's been some horror stories of re-enactors using these things and having the blades break off."
Still, there is a reason why Morrow's work is in high demand -- Dave Macauley, chairman of the New Jersey Blacksmiths Association, said Morrow is a master of his craft.
"He'll always be in demand," Macauley said. "Handmade is better than anything that can be manufactured by machine."