The water in the reservoirs has lowered the sea level by about 1.2 inches. Accounts of the effects of the stored water in the reservoirs have appeared recently. Doug McInnis reported on them in the June 1996 issue of Earth. The New York Times for 3 March 1996 also reported Dr. Fong Chao's findings. The Times, however, hastened to assure its readers that the changes in the motions posed no danger to people or the global environment.
Tiny companies starting up ten years ago now ring in revenues in the millions.
One solar panel can power two light bulbs, a television, and a radio. A solar system is virtually maintenance-free, and intensive research aimed at bringing down the price per watt of the panels seems promising. A showcase of solar power applications will be in the Olympics this summer, where the swimming and diving competitions will be held under the world's largest solar rooftop. The article is enriched with graphs of solar energy capacity both in the U.S. and abroad. Developed countries have practically eliminated this scourge, but now comes a long article in The New York Times for 4 June 1996 detailing the finding that in rural areas of China there may be as many as 500 million cases of iodine deficiency of the most extreme kind.