PROBLEM SOLVED: BRISTOL ACADEMICS CLAIM BRANSON'S PRIZE

Null Hypothesis, the Journal of Unlikely Science, 28 February 2007 

 HYPERLINK "javascript:ol('http://www.ccnmatthews.com/news/releases/show.jsp?action=showRelease&sea');" http://www.ccnmatthews.com/news/releases/show.jsp?action=showRelease&sea

rchText=false&showText=all&actionFor=637979

FEBRUARY 28, 2007 - 19:01 ET   

Bristol academics claim Branson's prize 

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM--(CCNMatthews - March 01, 2007) - Scientists at

the University of Bristol have cracked climate change. Less than a month

into Richard Branson's five-year competition, academics will take their

winning idea to Virgin Earth and walk away with a cool $25 million.

The solution, published online by The Journal of Unlikely Science, is

remarkably simple, requiring no technological wizardry or financial

investment. It is quite simply, stop breathing; or at least breathe

less.

The authors of the study say those who exercise a lot could be doing no

end of damage to the Earth's atmosphere by breathing too much. "All that

time that the super-fitties among us spend exercising, they're guzzling

extra oxygen and belching out tonnes of CO2."

Undertaking strenuous exercise causes an individual's metabolic rate to

increase by at least 50%, leading to increased amounts of carbon dioxide

produced in the body and expelled during breathing. At a rough estimate,

the average person exercising at the recommended level of thirty minutes

five times a week could be adding as much as 1.3kg of extra carbon

dioxide to the atmosphere each year. Multiplied across a global

population of 6.5 million, this equates to a lung-busting 14 million

tonnes.

Research has failed to show any clear cut difference between the

metabolic rates of the "super-fit" and less active members of the

population when resting. Therefore, claim the authors, contrary to

earlier studies that hold the obese accountable for global warming,

those who eat more and exercise less are actually doing the world a

favour.

Although, said lead researcher, Dr. Mark Steer, "The amount of carbon

dioxide saved by remaining sedentary is nothing compared to what you

would save by running somewhere instead of driving there."

But according to the study, we can all make a difference just by

breathing less. "If we merely cut out one breath in three, we could

decrease the amount of CO2 entering the atmosphere each year by a

staggering 0.63 gigatonnes. That's the same effect as saving 5 million

acres of land (an area the size of Wales) from deforestation."

Read the full article online at:

 HYPERLINK "javascript:ol('http://www.null-hypothesis.co.uk/science/strange-but-true/profs-probings');" http://www.null-hypothesis.co.uk/science/strange-but-true/profs-probings

/carbon_virgin_earth_climate_breathing 

Press photo at:

 HYPERLINK "javascript:ol('http://www.null-hypothesis.co.uk/photos/2007_02_28_Research_CarbonHighRe');" http://www.null-hypothesis.co.uk/photos/2007_02_28_Research_CarbonHighRes.jpg 

Image caption: Doctors Impey and Steer prepare for their big climate

win.

Please quote Null Hypothesis, The Journal of Unlikely Science, in any

articles.  HYPERLINK "javascript:ol('http://www.null-hypothesis.co.uk/');" http://www.null-hypothesis.co.uk/