Seven billion is a big number. It looks like this: 7,000,000,000. According to National Geographic magazine If you started counting out loud to 7 billion, it would take you 200 years. And, If you took 7 billion steps it would take you around the globe 133 times.

By the end of October, that’s how many people will inhabit Earth. This symbolic population milestone comes with a list of caveats and some opportunities as well. The lucky 7 billionth planetary citizen will likely be born in India or China, the leaders in global population.

We add 80 million people per year as water tables are falling, soil is eroding, glaciers are melting, and fish stocks are vanishing.

China is number one with 1.34 billion, followed closely by India with over 1.2 billion while the U.S. is a distant third with 312 million.

However, demographers at the United Nations Population Fund estimate that we are adding 219,000 people to the planet per day, which puts on target to reach 8 billion by 2025 and 10 billion people by 2083.

With all those people and a finite supply of space and resources, there are some challenges that lie ahead. Namely, poverty, access to food and water and a hope for a clean environment.

In Sub-Saharan Africa 900 million people suffer under the double burden of the world’s highest birthrates and the world’s deepest poverty. In 40 years that region will house almost 2 billion people, accounting for almost half of the projected growth, according to the New York-based Population Council.

Rural families flock to cities. Now 21 cities have populations larger than ten million. Over 335 cities have more than one million. And only 9 of those cities are in the U.S.

John Bongaarts, a spokesman for the research organization tells the Associated Press, “Most of that growth will be in Africa’s cities, and in those cities it will almost all be in slums where living conditions are horrible.”

The International Water Management Institute predicts that by 2025 1.8 billion people will live in places from severe water scarcity.

Many African nations are realizing that smaller families are more favorable for food production and access to water.

Lagos, Nigeria is about to overtake Cairo, Egypt as Africa’s biggest city. There, the former Nigerian health minister says reaching the 7 billion global population number should be a wake up call. He supports formal education for girls, getting teenage girls to stay in school and for women to control the number of children they have.

Babatunde Osotimehin says, “It’s an opportunity to bring the issues of population, women’s rights and family planning back to center stage.” He says there are over 215 million women worldwide who need family planning but don’t have access. He adds, “If we can change that, and these women can take charge of their lives, we’ll have a better world.”

But around the world, the challenges of a growing population are different. In Europe population numbers are barely growing and that’s only because of immigration, which in itself is highly controversial. The death rates in developed countries are outpacing birthrates. But shifting populations from around the world are offsetting those losses and creating steady population growth.

In India, there is a population imbalance. More than half of India’s population is under 35. This “youth dividend” could either be a boon to the Indian economy or it could zap their resources and slow the nation’s population growth, which by 2025 could be 1.6 billion people, making it the most populous country.

A population demographer in New Delhi says, “If the young population remains uneducated, unskilled and unemployable, then that dividend would be wasted.”

India also has a growing gender gap, where boys are outpacing girls in the latest census data. Indian families are showing a preference for sons and because of a surge in sex selection tests, many female fetuses are being aborted.

In China, after decades of forced family planning where urban families are allowed on child and rural families two children, the population growth has slowed rapidly. Perhaps too rapidly. Soon, China will have a shortage of young people to take care of a massive elderly population.

Like India, China has a gender gap. The United Nations says there are 43 million missing Chinese girls because parents restricted to one child opted to abort female fetuses.

In the western world France and the U.S. have the steadiest growth rates, both bolstered by immigration. Italy and Spain are both facing people shortages to help with a rapidly aging population. For the last consecutive four years more people have died in Italy than have been born.

But Lagos, Nigeria is clipping along at a six percent annual population growth. With 15 million and growing in the capital city, Nigeria is Africa’s most populous country with over 160 million. In Nigeria, 60 percent of the population is under 30 and needs education, training and access to healthcare.

Ndyanabangi Bannet, the U.N. Populations Fund’s representative in Nigeria says, “It is a plus if it is taken advantage of but if it is not harnessed, it can be a challenge, because imagine what hordes of unemployed young people can do.”

A recent article in the journal Nature suggests that with drastic changes in agriculture we can accommodate a bigger population. University of Minnesota ecologist Jonathan Foley says there are five key changes we need to make to boost food output and accommodate a bigger global population.
1. Stop farming in places like tropical rainforests, which have high ecological value and low food output
2. Improve crop yields in regions of Africa, Latin America, and Eastern Europe where farmland isn’t meeting its potential
3. Change farming practices to better manage water, nutrients, and chemicals
4. Shift diets away from meat
5. Stop wasting food (up to one-third of all food grown is wasted either in production, transport, or after purchase)

But with 696,000,0000 million able bodies under the age of 30 in India and Nigeria alone, we have the opportunity to change the world for the better before the next 3 billion arrive.

We all know that dolphins are smart. And we know they have more senses than people, adding echolocation to the senses of sight, sound, smell, taste and touch. Now scientists have tested and confirmed a seventh sense in at least one species of dolphins.

The Guiana dolphins, which live in the muddy coastal and river waters of South and Central America, have the ability to sense electrical fields. Sharks possess the same bioelectric capability but theirs is much stronger than dolphins.

Scientists made this discovery after ten years of study. When the studied little pits around the dolphin beaks where whiskers used to grow, they discovered they were not useless vestigial features but contained nerves. Eventually, researchers found that the vibrissal crypts are key sensing organs.

German biologist Wolfe Hanke from University of Rostock led the team that made the sensory discovery. He says, “We were really surprised to find this in the dolphin. Nobody had expected it.”

To test the theory, marine biologists trained a dolphin to place its head on a rest station where electrodes delivered a tiny electrical signal in the water. If the signal was present the dolphin would receive a reward for swimming away and if there was no signal the dolphin would be rewarded for staying at the rest station.

When researchers covered the vibrissal crypts to block the signal, the dolphin could no longer perform the task accurately, leaving scientists to conclude that the little snout craters are keen bioelectrical sensors that help Guiana dolphins find prey by mapping out the weak electrical signal given off by fish.

This discovery makes dolphins the first mammals to have this special sense, called electroreception.

The 2011 State of the Union address, delivered by President Barack Obama, painted a solid picture of the future. Not surprisingly the President finds a secure and prosperous future filled with scientific and technological innovation. To create more jobs, he stresses better education including concentration on math and science. He emphasizes energy innovation and more investments in basic research. But overall he pressed all citizens to be creative and use their imaginations to conceive a better and brighter future where responsible government is open and accessible to the citizenry and where all people are given the same freedoms and choices.

Here’s a science, technology, engineering and math snapshot of our state of the union. Excerpts from President Obama’s January 25, 2011 speech before Congress and the American people.

Race to be #1 in Science
The U.S. is not going to be able to hold its lead over other nations as long as we lag behind in education and investment in research and technology. During his speech, the President said…

“Meanwhile, nations like China and India realized that with some changes of their own, they could compete in this new world. And so they started educating their children earlier and longer, with greater emphasis on math and science. They’re investing in research and new technologies. Just recently, China became the home to the world’s largest private solar research facility, and the world’s fastest computer.” (13:32-14:00)

Applied Materials Solar Technology Center is the biggest solar research facility in the world. And it’s located in Xi’an, China. Although, Applied Materials is a California-based company, it operates in 21 different countries.

Last fall American parts helped China speed past the U.S. in the computer race. It’s not quite as exciting as the space race 50 years ago but it’s still a mark of status to have the world’s fastest computer. And now that honor lies with Tianhe-1A which has a 2.507 petaflop system. That is currently 30 percent faster than any U.S. machine.

Though the U.S. had a hand in helping China reach these milestones, President Obama called for the U.S. to start innovating. He said…

“We need to out-innovate, out-educate, and out-build the rest of the world.” (15:59-16:02)

“Our free enterprise system is what drives innovation. But because it’s not always profitable for companies to invest in basic research, throughout our history, our government has provided cutting-edge scientists and inventors with the support that they need. That’s what planted the seeds for the Internet. That’s what helped make possible things like computer chips and GPS.” (17:39-18:01)

New Moon Shot
During his speech the President called upon all Americans to dig deep and be creative to help build a stronger economy. He said…

“Half a century ago, when the Soviets beat us into space with the launch of a satellite called Sputnik, we had no idea how we would beat them to the moon. The science wasn’t even there yet. NASA didn’t exist. But after investing in better research and education, we didn’t just surpass the Soviets; we unleashed a wave of innovation that created new industries and millions of new jobs.”
“This is our generation’s Sputnik moment. Two years ago, I said that we needed to reach a level of research and development we haven’t seen since the height of the Space Race. And in a few weeks, I will be sending a budget to Congress that helps us meet that goal. We’ll invest in biomedical research, information technology, and especially clean energy technology.” (18:10-19:08)

Ready for the Challenge
The President told the American people that it’s up to the scientists, engineers, teachers and entrepreneurs, not the government to solve the big problems we face. He said…

“We’re not just handing out money. We’re issuing a challenge. We’re telling America’s scientists and engineers that if they assemble teams of the best minds in their fields, and focus on the hardest problems in clean energy, we’ll fund the Apollo projects of our time.” (20:12-20:25)

He added…

“At the California Institute of Technology, they’re developing a way to turn sunlight and water into fuel for our cars.” (20:27-20:34)

Sossina Haile at Cal Tech is taking a chemical ordinarily used in self-cleaning ovens — called cerium oxide — and is using it to concentrate solar energy in order to turn carbon dioxide and water into fuel. He said…

“At Oak Ridge National Laboratory, they’re using supercomputers to get a lot more power out of our nuclear facilities.” (20:36-20:40)

The Jaguar supercomputer at the Department of Energy’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory may have slipped to #2 in the world of speed but it’s still number 1 for many scientists, including those using it to build a virtual nuclear reactor to simulate ways for future reactors to last longer and burn at a higher energy efficiently rate and with less waste.

Revive Alt Energy
The President reached across the political aisle while talking about energy. The energy future requires all types of alternative energy, from solar and wind to clean coal and natural gas. He said…

“With more research and incentives, we can break our dependence on oil with biofuels, and become the first country to have a million electric vehicles on the road by 2015.” (20:41-20:52)

With the $4 billion President Obama says will be cut from annual oil subsidies, he will direct that money into electric car development. That includes:

$7,000 instant rebate when purchasing an electric car
30 percent increase in R&D for vehicle technology, including an energy innovation hub for batteries and storage
30 communities will get $10 million grants once they demonstrate a concrete plan to streamline regulations, develop infrastructure, make fleet conversions or offer electrical vehicle incentives, such as commuter lane access

He said…

“So tonight, I challenge you to join me in setting a new goal: By 2035, 80 percent of America’s electricity will come from clean energy sources. Some folks want wind and solar. Others want nuclear, clean coal and natural gas. To meet this goal, we will need them all — and I urge Democrats and Republicans to work together to make it happen.” (21:42-22:15)

STEM the Education System
All of the innovation the President envisions won’t be possible without future generations of competent workers. And that all starts in schools, which are not keeping students competitive, globally. President Obama said…

“The quality of our math and science education lags behind many other nations. America has fallen to ninth in the proportion of young people with a college degree.” (22:58-23:08)

Before the State of the Union, the 2009 report card on the nation’s schools was released. Secretary Arne Duncan was disappointed with the results, especially in math and science.

He says, “When only 1 or 2 percent of children score at the advanced levels on NAEP, the next generation will not be ready to be world-class inventors, doctors, and engineers.”

In one of the few standing ovations of the evening during his State of the Union address, President Obama said to celebrate science not celebrity. He said…

“We need to teach our kids that it’s not just the winner of the Super Bowl who deserves to be celebrated, but the winner of the science fair.”(23:39-23:46)

Get to Work
As test scores show that the U.S. is slipping behind other countries and losing its leading educational edge, the President told people to go to work and become teachers or get retrained and work in biotechnology. He said…

“And over the next 10 years, with so many baby boomers retiring from our classrooms, we want to prepare 100,000 new teachers in the fields of science and technology and engineering and math.” (27:21-27:33)

“One mother of two, a woman named Kathy Proctor, had worked in the furniture industry since she was 18 years old. And she told me she’s earning her degree in biotechnology now, at 55 years old, not just because the furniture jobs are gone, but because she wants to inspire her children to pursue their dreams, too. As Kathy said, “I hope it tells them to never give up.” (29:18-29:44)

We are a nation of immigrants. And those who come here are looking for a better life and for opportunity. Our schools still provide that service for foreign students. President Obama said…

“Others come here from abroad to study in our colleges and universities. But as soon as they obtain advanced degrees, we send them back home to compete against us. It makes no sense.” (30:55-31:06)

“But tonight, let’s agree to make that effort. And let’s stop expelling talented, responsible young people who could be staffing our research labs or starting a new business, who could be further enriching this nation.” (31:42-31:55)

Infrastructurovation
Building new roads, transportation and technology infrastructure have been endeavors that the U.S. has always done first and best. But our aging systems are causing us to lose ground to other nations. The President said…

“Our infrastructure used to be the best, but our lead has slipped. South Korean homes now have greater Internet access than we do. Countries in Europe and Russia invest more in their roads and railways than we do. China is building faster trains and newer airports. Meanwhile, when our own engineers graded our nation’s infrastructure, they gave us a “D.” (32:34-32:49)

South Korea offers its citizens the Internet everywhere and as a result 95.9% of Koreans enjoy that connectivity. In the U.S. the number of people with Internet access is growing but only at 63.5% of the population has an Internet connection.

China is investing 9 percent of its gross domestic product in roads and railways while Europe is investing 5 percent. The U.S. is only spending two percent of GDP on transportation infrastructure. But with the largest GDP in the world — at $15.2 trillion — our two percent is equal to $304 billion a year. China and Europe are still investing more at $576 billion and $805 billion respectively.

The Future Will be Open
With all the technology that has been created and built in the last 30 years now able to connect people more with the government, President Obama pledges to let the people see where the money is being spent. He said….

“Because you deserve to know exactly how and where your tax dollars are being spent, you’ll be able to go to a website and get that information for the very first time in history.” (49:57-50:07)

“The 21st century government that’s open and competent. A government that lives within its means. An economy that’s driven by new skills and new ideas. Our success in this new and changing world will require reform, responsibility, and innovation.” (50:50-51:17)

The American Dream
Every year a quintessential American story highlights the President’s address. This year a Pennsylvania drill operator held the dream. After hearing that the 33 Chilean miners who were trapped underground last August wouldn’t be freed until Christmas he knew his company had the technology to drill a hole through the hard, volcanic rock much faster. President Obama highlighted the tale of the American who helped save the Chilean miners last year. He said…

“And that dream is the story of a small business owner named Brandon Fisher. Brandon started a company in Berlin, Pennsylvania, that specializes in a new kind of drilling technology. And one day last summer, he saw the news that halfway across the world, 33 men were trapped in a Chilean mine, and no one knew how to save them.

But Brandon thought his company could help. And so he designed a rescue that would come to be known as Plan B. His employees worked around the clock to manufacture the necessary drilling equipment. And Brandon left for Chile.

Along with others, he began drilling a 2,000-foot hole into the ground, working three- or four-hour — three or four days at a time without any sleep. Thirty-seven days later, Plan B succeeded, and the miners were rescued. (Applause.) But because he didn’t want all of the attention, Brandon wasn’t there when the miners emerged. He’d already gone back home, back to work on his next project.
And later, one of his employees said of the rescue, “We proved that Center Rock is a little company, but we do big things.”(64:33-66:07)

And, science helps us do big things.

Here are a few future leaders, who had the privilege of sitting in the First Lady’s box during the State of the Union.

Amy Chyao
Richardson, TX

Amy, a sixteen-year-old high school junior from Richardson, Texas, has developed a photosensitizer for photodynamic therapy (PDT), an emerging cancer treatment that uses light energy to activate a drug that kills cancer cells. With her work, Amy won the first place Gordon E. Moore Award at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair, a program of Society for Science & the Public, in May 2010. Amy met the President at the October 2010 White House Science Fair.

Brandon Ford
Philadelphia, PA

Brandon, a junior at West Philadelphia High School, is a leader of the West Philly Hybrid X Team, which includes students from an afterschool program at the West Philadelphia High School Academy of Automotive and Mechanical Engineering. Brandon and the Hybrid X team recently entered two cars in the Progressive Automotive X PRIZE competition, a global challenge that sought to deliver production-ready, highly fuel efficient vehicles. They successfully went head-to-head with corporations, universities and other well-funded organizations, even advancing to an elimination round with their Ford Focus that got an official 65.1 MPGe.

Mikayla Nelson
Billings, MT

Mikayla Nelson is currently a freshman at Central Catholic High School in Billings, Montana. As a middle schooler at Will James Middle School, she led her Science Bowl team to a 1st place finish at the National Science Bowl for the design document of their solar car. They also won 5th place in the U.S. Dept of Energy’s Junior Solar Sprint. Mikayla met the President at the October 2010 White House Science Fair where she represented her Science Bowl team and exhibited their solar car.

Kathy Proctor
Winston-Salem, NC

Kathy Proctor grew up in Trinity, North Carolina where, after graduating, she went to work in the furniture industry like many others in the area. When she was laid off in 2009, Kathy began taking classes in biotechnology at Forsyth Technical Community College. Kathy will graduate in July 2011, with an Associate Degree in Science, and hopes to attain a job working as a bio-fuels analyst. Kathy met the President when he visited Forsyth Tech in early December 2010.

Diego Vasquez
Phoenix, AZ

Diego Vasquez, currently a freshman at South Mountain Community College in Phoenix, Arizona, was a member of the team from Cesar Chavez High School in Laveen, Arizona that won a grant through the Lemelson-MIT Program’s InvenTeams initiative for their design of a fully adjustable motorized chair for persons who could primarily use it for physical therapy. Diego met the President at the October 2010 White House Science Fair where he represented his team and demonstrated their chair.

While most serious scientists are wringing their hands, wondering who will win the Nobel prizes, a different group of scientists is celebrating the lighter–but just as bona fide–side of science.

The 19th First Annual Ig Nobel Prize ceremony shined a silly look at science at Harvard last week. Here’s a breakdown of the winners in each category. The Ig Nobel goes to…

Economics:
Icelandic bank management and auditors–for demonstrating how to bankrupt a national economy.

Math:
Gideon Gono, governor of Zimbabwe’s Reserve Bank–for printing currency ranging from one cent to 100 trillion dollars.

Public Health:
Elena Bodnar–for inventing a bra that’s good during an emergency.

Physics:
Katherine Whitcome, Daniel Lieberman and Liza Shapiro–for answering the question: Why don’t pregnant women tip over?

Medicine:
Donald Unger–for proving his mother wrong and discovering that knuckle cracking doesn’t cause arthritis.

Veterinary Medicine:
Catherine Douglas and Peter Rowlinson–for discovering that cows with names give more milk at dairy farms.

Peace:
Stephan Bollinger–for determining that empty beer bottles will do more damage then full ones when smashed over someone’s head.

Chemistry:
Javier Morales, Miguel Apatiga and Victor Castano–for making diamonds out of tequila.

Biology:
Fumiaki Taguchi, Song Guofu and Zhang Guanglei–for finding a bacteria in panda poop that eats kitchen garbage.

Literature:
Ireland’s Police Service–for writing more than 50 traffic tickets to Prawo Jazdy, the most frequent driving offender in Ireland. The name in Polish means…”Driving License.”

The United States is in a recession. The signs are all around. But how is an official recession calculated or determined? The National Bureau of Economic Research announced that a recession began in December 2007. It took a year of housing foreclosures, bank failures and massive layoffs to slow economic growth after a long 15-year run.

science_of_a_recession_120208.mp3

When the tax man comes calling most people do not feel a sense of satisfaction or pleasure. But new research from Oregon may have found the part of the brain that enjoys giving money away—especially if it’s voluntary.