Inside a rare-earth mineral mine Video
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CNET's Jen Haley talks to senior writer Jay Greene at the site of a rare-earth elements mine about how minerals become essential components in iPhones.
Ep. 51: The human cost of gadgets
Did you ever wonder where the raw materials for your phone or camera or laptop came from, who assembled it, and in what conditions? Today we discuss the high human cost conflict minerals coming from the Democratic Republic of Congo, and the human rights issues in Chinese manufacturing plants. But there is hope: We also cover about what can be done to make gadget manufacture more ethical and humane.
Planetary Resources' plan to mine asteroids
Planetary Resources co-founders Peter Diamandis and Eric Anderson discuss the space startup's goal to mine nearby asteroids for water, platinum, and other natural minerals for use on Earth.
Today we listened in on Mark Zuckerberg's awesome announcement which we found to be not so awesome. Skype is being integrated into Facebook but I think we are more excited about Spotify finally coming to the U.S! Apple Passes RIM In U.S. Smartphone Market Share and Microsoft wants Samsung to pay a smartphone fee of about $15 for every phone it makes. Yikes! And Japan Discovers Rare Minerals in the Pacific Seabed. All this as well as your calls and emails on today's Buzz Out Loud.
When Josey Aimes (Academy Award winner Charlize Theron) returns to her hometown in Northern Minnesota after a failed marriage, she needs a good job. A single mother with two children to support, she turns to the predominant source of employment in the region -- the iron mines. It's an industry long dominated by men, in a place unaccustomed to change. Encouraged by her old friend Glory (Academy Award winner Frances McDormand), one of the few female miners in town, Josey joins the ranks of those laboring to blast ore from rock in the gaping quarries. She is prepared for the back-breaking and often dangerous work, but coping with the harassment she and the other female miners encounter from their male coworkers proves far more challenging. When Josey speaks out against the treatment she and her fellow workers face she is met with resistance -- not only from those in power but from a community that doesn?t want to hear the truth, her disapproving parents and many of her own colleagues who fear she is only making things worse. In time, even her friendship with Glory will be tested, her already difficult connection with her father, a lifelong miner, will be pushed to its limit and elements of her personal life exposed to scrutiny. The fallout from Josey's battle to make a better future for herself and her children will affect every aspect of her life, including her relationship with her young daughter and her sensitive teenage son, who must first cope with the embarrassment of his mother's sudden notoriety and then face harsh details of her past she was hoping he would never have to know. Through these struggles Josey will find the courage to stand up for what she believes in -- even if that means standing alone. Inspired by a true story, North Country follows Josey's journey on a road that will take her farther than she ever imagined, ultimately inspiring countless others, and leading to the nation's first-ever class action lawsuit for sexual harassment. Directed by Niki Caro. Also starring Sissy Spacek and Woody Harrelson.
Two brothers, 14-year-old Basilio and 12-year-old Bernardino, work deep inside the silver mines of Cerro Rico, Bolivia. In the mines, which date back to the sixteenth century, it is said the devil determines the fate of those who enter. The devil is everywhere, watching - carved statues called "Tios" are scattered throughout the tunnels, and the miners, including the young brothers, bring offerings to them daily. Raised without a father and living in virtual poverty with their family on the slopes of the mine, Basilio and his brother must work to help support their family and afford supplies vital to their education. As we come to know them, we see their fears and hopes for their future, and occasionally glimpse childlike souls peeking through their stoic faces. Trusting in an ancient belief that the devil determines the fate of all those who work in the mines, Basilio believes only the mountain devil's generosity will allow them to earn enough money to continue the new school year - their only chance of escaping their destiny in the silver mines.
Take a Hubble tour with Google Earth
Google Earth guides you through a tour of amazing Hubble images.
Its Earth Day! Get tips from the big tech companies and your fellow tech enthusiasts on how to save Mother Earth. Plus, find out which mobile phone carrier the pope prefers. And LG wants you to become a rock star. Find out why the electronics manufacturer has a Web-based social network.
The Green Show: A fully electric jet ski
We get a look at a solar-powered light from PiSAT Solar. Also, there's an application from Earth 911 that can help you properly dispose of your recyclables, and the company EcoWatercraft unveils the first electric jet ski.
Ep. 1551: We all spend way too much time on Facebook
The 404's Wilson Tang joins us today to discuss Microsoft's Build Conference currently taking place in Anaheim California. Stephen gives out his random temporary phone number on his new iPhone App called Ring Shuffle and receives around 40 calls within 20 minutes. Good times! Look for those voice mails on tomorrow's show. Also the Kepler Telescope has discovered 6 new Earth like planets giving us more options when we need to get off this rock. All that and more on today's Buzz Out Loud.
