Technology and Geography- Which one is better?

All of your topics seem to be extremely interesting. Each provide a completely different area of research and each seem to have massive amounts of information documented about them. However, none of your topics seem to be one that have any real advantage to being tracked. Fuel cell technology is quickly being replaced by hybrid-electric, at least in cars, and nano-technology can experience a breakthrough every few years at best. I am not attempting to state that none of your topics will work. I just think that you should refine them more. If you are interesting in nano-technology, research and select one lab to follow their daily achievements. Or pick one potential product that will use fuel-cell technology and follow that. If you narrow your research much more, maybe even down to the level of one small research group or even researcher, I think you will be suprised with the information that will come out of the haze. Costa Rica however, allows for a completely different approach. I agree that it is a very broad topic. However, I am also aware of the fact that the country is having troubles with the massive amounts of tourists that visit it every year. Even though it is the biggest income to the country, it is slowly destroying it. Perhaps you could choose to follow the steps being taken to try and counteract the destruction occuring in the country. All of these topics really do have great potential, however, alone, none of them seem fast moving enough or constantly changing. If I were you, I would do some more research on these topics in order to uncover a more defined topic that might allow you more freedom in your research.

Liam Mullen
10/23/08

I-Search Topics
After searching databases for my three topics I have gathered 5 articles on each of them. Most of the information I have gathered comes from journals and some are from newspaper articles although, some of the Costa Rica articles are from encyclopedias and world geography websites. I have found a number of articles on fuels-cells but it has been a little difficult finding a scientific journal explaining how a fuel-cell works.

During this research project, I have learned many facts about Costa Rica. Almost a quarter of Costa Rica's land area falls under the protection of the national park system. I found it interesting that 10% of the worlds bird species are found there, as well as 100 species of bats! Ecotourism is one of the most important industries in Costa Rica. Many people visit national parks like Manuel Antonio, with its beaches, Monteverde Cloud Forest and Braulio Carrillo, with their rain forests, and Poas, with its volcano. Because of the money brought in by ecotourism encourages both the government and the private sector to protect Costa Rica's natural treasures. I found most of this information at http://www.worldgeography.abc-clio.com/.
Before I started researching, I knew that fuel-cells convert the energy in hydrogen to electricity with the only waste products, water and heat. Through my research I have learned that fuel cells can have up to two or three times the efficiency of traditional combustion engines. They operate quietly, have fewer moving parts and are well suited to a variety of uses. They can be used for primary and back up power, portable power sources that typically use batteries and for transportation including space vehicles, cars, trucks, buses, and ships.

I knew of few specific detail in nanotechnology, before I started investigating this topic. Nanotechnology is technology developed at the atomic, molecular, or macromolecular level on a scale of one to 100 nanometers (one billionth of a meter). This technology is used to create and use structures, devices, and systems that have novel properties and functions because of their small and/or intermediate size. Nanotechnology research and development includes manipulation under control of the nanoscale structures and their integration into larger material components, systems, and architectures. Important areas for nannotechnology research include:

Nano-electronics, optoelectronics, and magnetics;
Advanced healthcare, therapeutics, and diagnostics;
Nanoscale processes for improving the environment;
Efficient energy conversion and storage;
Microcraft and robotics;
Bio-nanosensor;
Applications in economical and safe transportation; and
National security.

I received this information from http://web.ebscohost.com.prxy2.ursus.maine.edu/ehost/detail?vid=1&hid=6&sid=37e45252-90b2-413c-80c7-7dfaf17df5ff%40sessionmgr8&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=f5h&AN=14763653.

After these two classes spent researching in the library, I have gained a better understanding of the amount of information on each of my topics. I think that the general topic of “Costa Rica” is a little to broad for this assignment. I could narrow it down to one aspect of Costa Rica such as its national park system and nature, but it still seems very broad and maybe not as interesting for a blog. While I am interested in the progression of nanotechnology and fuel-cells, it has been difficult finding interesting and fully developed resources for nanotechnology. Since nanotechnology has comercial uses, developments may be kept secret. For these reasons, I have been leaning towards fuel-cells as my I-Search topic. I think that it has great potential for being the most valuable energy source of the future. The sources were very informative and interesting, and I think this would be a great blog topic since it ties into other people's topics regarding global warming, alternative energy, and oil dependance.