In last years, there was a big interest in developing new technologies to produce energy in a more efficient way and furthermore from renewable sources. The growth of population and the the consequent growth of energy request as well as the use and consumption of oils and C-based fuels and the produce of carbon dioxide raised up the research for new sources of energy based on renewables. One of the most interesting renewable source is the algae biomass. Actually there are some experimental plants that use microalgae to convert carbon dioxide or other types of feeding substances like waste water and sun light to biodiesel. These plants are called photobioreactors. The lipid content depends on the type of microalgae and could be really high up to 70 % in dry weight. This is a promising renewable sources since some types of algae can grow also in saline system and there will be the possibility to couple water remediation with the production of biodiesel and energy.
In the last years, the problem of energy policies was one of the most discussed in the majority of western countries. We need energy and need to plan the supply of energy for the future generation in a sustainable way. In Italy the government wants to consider again the nuclear energy as an alternative way to produce energy for the country. But there are always problems that we have to take into considerations like: High costs Uranium supplies limited Production of nuclear wastes Security problems Accidents problems of the plants There are several facts about these problems that everybody can analyze in a better way, but the conclusion is that we need to reduce our needs of energy by starting to live in a more sustainable way!
Absinthe is a distilled, highly alcoholic (45%–74% ABV) beverage with a flavor of anise. It derives from herbs, including the flowers and leaves of the herb Artemisia absinthium, commonly referred to as "grande wormwood". The color of Absinthe traditionally ranges from a light yellow to a natural green color but it can also be colorless. It is commonly referred to in historical literature as "la fée verte" (the Green Fairy). Absinthe is not bottled with added sugar and is therefore classified as a spirit. Absinthe is unusual among spirits in that it is bottled at a very high proof but is normally diluted with water when consumed. Absinthe originated in the canton of Neuchâtel in Switzerland. It got a great popularity in late 19th- and early 20th-century in France, particularly among Parisian artists and writers. Due partly to its association with bohemian culture, Absinthe was opposed by social conservatives and prohibitionists. One of the opposition to the consume of Absinthe was the presence of high levels of thujone, a monoterpene, with a menthol odor, found in the leaves of Artemisia absinthium. Recently chemical analysis with GC-MS, even about old samples of Absinthe, found contents of thujone between 2 and 20 mg/kg, under the limits of 35 mg/kg of the recent EU regulations. This is due to the fact the thujone is extremely volatile compound and that it looses during the dry of the Artemisia absinthium leaves and of course by cutting the head of the distillation of the mix of herbs during the preparation of this beverage. No worries when you drink a good Absinthe, but be worried because it is not easy to find a good one on the market. There are some rules to follow, the famous 5 rules: It has to be a spirit distilled from a specific mix of herbs (Artemisia absinthium, anise, melissa, coriander and others) It has to be highly alcoholic (45%–74% ABV) It has to become opalescent when cold water is added It has to contain green anise instead of star anise It has to be balanced in the global aroma Here a video with a method of preparation of the Absinthe! Cheers mate!!
