News Bytes

Largest economic stimulus package in US history has been passed:

The largest economic stimulus package in the history of the US has been approved. Exactly four weeks after taking office, President Barack Obama signed the economic stimulus package into law in Denver. The $787 billion package was designed to strengthen the American economy. Obama said the stimulus package marked the “beginning of the end” of the economic crisis. The president exuded optimism concerning future economic development when he was signing the bill. “Now, I don’t want to pretend that today marks the end of our economic problems,” he said. “But today does mark the beginning of the end.“ He said the plan was “the beginning of the first steps to set our economy on a firmer foundation, paving the way to long-term growth and prosperity.” The President described the bill as “the most sweeping recovery package in our history,” and added: “We have begun the essential work of keeping the American dream alive in our time.” Obama expects the economic stimulus package to save or create at least 3.5 million jobs. Unemployment in the US had reached 7.6 % in January, the highest percentage of the past 16 years.

Astronaut training in the US for German students

Students between 16 and 19 years of age can now apply for a one-week astronaut training in the US. At the end of the training will be a simulated shuttle mission. One female and one male student from Germany will be sent to the International Space Camp this year, according to Uwe Beckmeyer, leader of Bremen’s SPD (social democratic party) and member of the Bundestag (German parliament). The training will take place in the US, in Huntsville, Alabama, from July 25 to July 31. The German participants for the competition are identified by the Parlamentsgruppe Luft- und Raumfahrt des Bundestages (German parliament group for aerospace) and the Zentrum für Luft- und Raumfahrt (German Aerospace Center). Requirements are very good English, an interest in sciences and the willingness to work as part of an international team. More information is available here. Applications must be submitted to SpaceCamp@dlr.de no later than April 27.

Researchers find mammoth’s skeleton in the middle of Los Angeles

Tree trunks, snakes, saber-toothed tigers – Los Angeles is a regular treasure trove where fossils are concerned. Now, researchers found a nearly intact mammoth skeleton with tusks three meters (ten feet) long. Those remains out of the elephant family’s extinct mammoth species are now affectionately called “Zed” by the paleontologists. This discovery is no coincidence: researchers find thousands of bones in the La Brea tar pits in LA every year. The pits, situated between world-famous museums, multi-storied buildings, and busy streets, are filled with natural tar. Up to 40,000 years ago they proved to be a deadly trap for tens of thousands of different animals. Apart from mammoths, the bones of saber-toothed tigers and smaller animals like turtles, snakes, mussels, and fishes, as well as entire tree trunks and layers of oak leaves have been excavated there. “This gives us the opportunity to get a detailed picture of what life was like 10000 to 40000 years ago,” says curator John Harris, who is responsible for the collection of fossils in Los Angeles.

Recession causes fast food boom

The economic crisis in the US has also had an impact on general everyday life. According to the BBC, fast food restaurants are gaining in popularity again. Organic produce, which has sold increasingly well over the past years, has now become one of the victims of recession. In Europe, however, things are still a bit different, because there, fast food restaurants are not at all as cheap as they are in the US. “In the US, fast food really is more economical, because real restaurants are indeed very expensive. European restaurants at least often have daily lunch offers that are actually even cheaper than fast food,” explains nutrition expert Petra Rust from the University of Vienna.

The best example for the seriousness of the situation in the US is the organic produce chain Whole Foods Market. The company that was growing at a rate almost unheard of in American economy now has to seriously lower its sights with regard to the former ambitious expansion plans. The economic crisis, which is gradually invading all aspects of life in the US, does not spare organic produce. By now, it is 10-30% more expensive than conventional food from the supermarket.