Amount of gold in the world.

The amount of gold produced by man according to yearly quantity records and estimates of the gold production of recent, classical and modern history is a cube about 25 (82 feet) meters on each side. Platinum is even more scarce to the point that all of the platinum in the world would fit in a 6.3 meter (20 foot) cube.
http://money.howstuffworks.com/question213.htm

Ancient Capital Wilted When Water Ran Low

It has recently been uncovered that the ancient city of Angkor, known for its large stone monuments and intricate water system, might have suffered multiple droughts and was possibly ended by one. Studies show that sediment stopped flowing to the end of the canals and rivers during a certain time, and there soil may have been overused due to a growing population, which lead to famine. The ancient Cambodians had many of the water technologies we use today and could be seen as a microcosm to foretell what could one day happen to our society.

Sony's bio battery turns waste paper into electricity

Sony has released a prototype of a battery that uses paper to generate electricity. They use an enzyme called cellulose and break down the paper into sugar which they then can use to power small electric objects such as a fan. This technology is completely eco friendly as they do not use any harmful chemicals or metals. This battery was inspired by real processes found in nature that Sony recreated to generate electricity. These batteries will be able to top off the power of a phone battery or other electronic device.

Self Cleaning Cotton

Scientists have developed a cloth that cleans itself of microbes and stains when exposed to sunlight. They did this my coating it with titanium dioxide which is found already in sunscreen, some foods, self cleaning windows and many other things. This could be beneficial to the environment because it could reduce the number of aerosol and ammonia products used in the home which could prevent waste and reduce ozone depletion.

Sewage Treatment Plants May Contribute to Antibiotic Resistance Problem

This article was about the part sewage treatment plants play in creating antibiotic resistant genes in bacteria. Even the most high tech of plants such as Duluth, are contributing. The bacteria are becoming resistant to antibiotics that range from acne and std's to anthrax and the bubonic plague. This is a huge problem and the plants might have to revise their methods.

Pesticides in Cultivated Fish

Scientists are doing research to test if fish grown on farms are accumulating pesticides in their bodies due to the food pellets they are given. Up until now the means to do this research has been impossible. Students in Fraunhofer Institute for Molecular Biology and Applied Ecology IME in Schmallenberg have created a method for testing it by using radioactive materials to trace the pesticides which will show if they are making their way into the fishes fat cells. The test results will be published in late fall of 2011.

How a Population Reaches 7 Billion

http://www.npr.org/2011/10/31/141816460/visualizing-how-a-population-grows-to-7-billion

We have reached 7 billion people, which the majority come from Asia. Now it has switched though and the most rapid population increase is in Africa. Although there is a rapid birthrate in Africa, many people are dying there too which keeps it in check mostly. This also covers that the human population has grown by about 7 times in the past 200 years, from 1 billion to 7 billion which is astounding. The U.N believes that the population will level out at about 10 billion, it is just a matter of if we can sustain that amount.