Portable Network Graphics

Portable Network Graphics ( PNG -LSB- ˈpɪŋ -RSB- ) is a raster graphics file format that supports lossless data compression . PNG was created as an improved , non-patented replacement for Graphics Interchange Format ( GIF ) , and is the most widely used lossless image compression format on the Internet .   PNG supports palette-based images ( with palettes of 24-bit RGB or 32-bit RGBA colors ) , grayscale images ( with or without alpha channel for transparency ) , and full-color non-palette-based RGB/RGBA images ( with or without alpha channel ) . PNG was designed for transferring images on the Internet , not for professional-quality print graphics , and therefore does not support non-RGB color spaces such as CMYK . A PNG file contains a single image in an extensible structure of `` chunks '' , encoding the basic pixels and other information such as textual comments and integrity checks .   PNG files nearly always use file extension PNG or png and are assigned MIME media type image/png . PNG was approved for this use by the Internet Engineering Steering Group on 14 October 1996 , and was published as an ISO/IEC standard in 2004 .


Portland, Oregon

Portland ( -LSB- ˈpɔrtlənd -RSB- ) is a port and the largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon and the seat of Multnomah County . It is in the Willamette Valley region of the Pacific Northwest , at the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia Rivers . The city covers 145 sqmi and had an estimated population of 639,863 in 2016 , making it the 26th most populous city in the United States . Approximately 2,424,955 people live in the Portland metropolitan statistical area ( MSA ) , the 25th most populous MSA in the United States . Its Combined Statistical Area ( CSA ) ranks 18th with a population of 3,160,488 . Roughly 60 % of Oregon 's population resides within the Portland metropolitan area .   Named after Portland , Maine , the Oregon settlement began to be populated in the 1830s near the end of the Oregon Trail . Its water access provided convenient transportation of goods , and the timber industry was a major force in the city 's early economy . At the turn of the 20th century , the city had a reputation as one of the most dangerous port cities in the world , a hub for organized crime and racketeering .   After the city 's economy experienced an industrial boom during World War II , its hard-edged reputation began to dissipate . Beginning in the 1960s , Portland became noted for its growing liberal political values , and the city has earned a reputation as a bastion of counterculture , which proceeded into the 21st century .   The city operates with a commission-based government guided by a mayor and four commissioners as well as Metro , the only directly elected metropolitan planning organization in the United States . The city government is notable for its land-use planning and investment in public transportation . Portland is frequently recognized as one of the world 's most environmentally conscious cities because of its high walkability , large community of bicyclists , farm-to-table dining , expansive network of public transportation options , and over 10000 acre of public parks . Its climate is marked by warm , dry summers and cool , rainy winters . This climate is ideal for growing roses , and Portland has been called the `` City of Roses '' for over a century . `` Keep Portland Weird '' is an unofficial slogan for the city .


Positive feedback

Positive feedback is a process that occurs in a feedback loop in which the effects of a small disturbance on a system include an increase in the magnitude of the perturbation .  That is , A produces more of B which in turn produces more of A . In contrast , a system in which the results of a change act to reduce or counteract it has negative feedback . Both concepts play an important role in science and engineering , including biology , chemistry , and cybernetics .   Mathematically , positive feedback is defined as a positive loop gain around a closed loop of cause and effect .  That is , positive feedback is in phase with the input , in the sense that it adds to make the input larger .  Positive feedback tends to cause system instability . When the loop gain is positive and above 1 , there will typically be exponential growth , increasing oscillations , chaotic behavior or other divergences from equilibrium . System parameters will typically accelerate towards extreme values , which may damage or destroy the system , or may end with the system latched into a new stable state . Positive feedback may be controlled by signals in the system being filtered , damped , or limited , or it can be cancelled or reduced by adding negative feedback .   Positive feedback is used in digital electronics to force voltages away from intermediate voltages into ' 0 ' and ' 1 ' states . On the other hand , thermal runaway is a positive feedback that can destroy semiconductor junctions . Positive feedback in chemical reactions can increase the rate of reactions , and in some cases can lead to explosions . Positive feedback in mechanical design causes tipping-point , or ` over-centre ' , mechanisms to snap into position , for example in switches and locking pliers . Out of control , it can cause bridges to collapse . Positive feedback in economic systems can cause boom-then-bust cycles . A familiar example of positive feedback is the loud squealing or howling sound produced by audio feedback in public address systems : the microphone picks up sound from its own loudspeakers , amplifies it , and sends it through the speakers again .


Post-glacial rebound

Post-glacial rebound ( also called either isostatic rebound or crustal rebound ) is the rise of land masses that were depressed by the huge weight of ice sheets during the last glacial period , through a process known as isostatic depression . Post-glacial rebound and isostatic depression are different parts of a process known as either glacial isostasy , glacial isostatic adjustment , or glacioisostasy . Glacioisostasy is the solid Earth deformation associated with changes in ice mass distribution . The most obvious and direct effects of post-glacial rebound are readily apparent in parts of Northern Eurasia , Northern America , Patagonia , and Antarctica . However , through processes known as ocean siphoning and continental levering , the effects of post-glacial rebound on sea level are felt globally far from the locations of current and former ice sheets .


Poverty in the United Kingdom

This article is about poverty within the population of the United Kingdom as distinct from UK policy on world poverty .   Despite being a developed country , those living at the lower end of the income distribution in the United Kingdom have a relatively low standard of living . Data based on incomes published in 2016 by Department for Work and Pensions ( DWP ) show that , after housing costs have been taken into consideration , the number of people living in the UK in relative poverty to be 13.44 m ( 21 % of the population ) In 2015 , a report by Institute for Fiscal Studies reported that 21.6 % of Britons were now in relative poverty . The report showed that there had been a fall in poverty in the first few years of the twenty-first century , but the rate of poverty had remained broadly flat since 2004/5 .   It has been found by the Poverty and Social Exclusion project at Bristol University in 2014 , that the proportion of households lacking three items or activities deemed necessary for life in the UK at that time ( as defined by a survey of the wider population ) has increased from 14 % in 1983 to 33 % in 2012 .


Power station

A power station , also referred to as a power plant or powerhouse and sometimes generating station or generating plant , is an industrial facility for the generation of electric power . Most power stations contain one or more generators , a rotating machine that converts mechanical power into electrical power . The relative motion between a magnetic field and a conductor creates an electrical current . The energy source harnessed to turn the generator varies widely . Most power stations in the world burn fossil fuels such as coal , oil , and natural gas to generate electricity . Others use nuclear power , but there is an increasing use of cleaner renewable sources such as solar , wind , wave and hydroelectric .


Precipitation

In meteorology , precipitation is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity . The main forms of precipitation include drizzle , rain , sleet , snow , graupel and hail . Precipitation occurs when a portion of the atmosphere becomes saturated with water vapor , so that the water condenses and `` precipitates '' . Thus , fog and mist are not precipitation but suspensions , because the water vapor does not condense sufficiently to precipitate . Two processes , possibly acting together , can lead to air becoming saturated : cooling the air or adding water vapor to the air . Precipitation forms as smaller droplets coalesce via collision with other rain drops or ice crystals within a cloud . Short , intense periods of rain in scattered locations are called `` showers . ''   Moisture that is lifted or otherwise forced to rise over a layer of sub-freezing air at the surface may be condensed into clouds and rain . This process is typically active when freezing rain is occurring . A stationary front is often present near the area of freezing rain and serves as the foci for forcing and rising air . Provided necessary and sufficient atmospheric moisture content , the moisture within the rising air will condense into clouds , namely stratus and cumulonimbus . Eventually , the cloud droplets will grow large enough to form raindrops and descend toward the Earth where they will freeze on contact with exposed objects . Where relatively warm water bodies are present , for example due to water evaporation from lakes , lake-effect snowfall becomes a concern downwind of the warm lakes within the cold cyclonic flow around the backside of extratropical cyclones . Lake-effect snowfall can be locally heavy . Thundersnow is possible within a cyclone 's comma head and within lake effect precipitation bands . In mountainous areas , heavy precipitation is possible where upslope flow is maximized within windward sides of the terrain at elevation . On the leeward side of mountains , desert climates can exist due to the dry air caused by compressional heating . The movement of the monsoon trough , or intertropical convergence zone , brings rainy seasons to savannah climes .   Precipitation is a major component of the water cycle , and is responsible for depositing the fresh water on the planet . Approximately 505000 km3 of water falls as precipitation each year ; 398000 km3 of it over the oceans and 107000 km3 over land . Given the Earth 's surface area , that means the globally averaged annual precipitation is 990 mm , but over land it is only 715 mm . Climate classification systems such as the Köppen climate classification system use average annual rainfall to help differentiate between differing climate regimes .   Precipitation may occur on other celestial bodies , e.g. when it gets cold , Mars has precipitation which most likely takes the form of frost , rather than rain or snow .


Presidency of Barack Obama

The presidency of Barack Obama began at noon EST on January 20 , 2009 , when Barack Obama was inaugurated as President of the United States , and ended on January 20 , 2017 . Obama , a Democrat , took office as the 44th United States president following a decisive victory over Republican John McCain in the 2008 presidential election . Four years later , in the 2012 election , he defeated Mitt Romney to win re-election . He was the first African American president , the first multiracial president , the first non-white president , and the first president to have been born in Hawaii . Obama was succeeded by Republican Donald Trump , who won the 2016 presidential election .   Obama 's first-term actions addressed the global financial crisis and included a major stimulus package , a partial extension of the Bush tax cuts , legislation to reform health care , a major financial regulation reform bill , and the end of a major US military presence in Iraq . Obama also appointed Supreme Court Justices Elena Kagan and Sonia Sotomayor , the latter of whom became the first Hispanic American on the Supreme Court . Democrats controlled both houses of Congress until Republicans won a majority in the House of Representatives in the 2010 elections . Following the elections , Obama and Congressional Republicans engaged in a protracted stand-off over government spending levels and the debt ceiling .   In his second term , Obama took steps to combat climate change , signing a major international climate agreement and an executive order to limit carbon emissions . Obama also presided over the implementation of the Affordable Care Act and other legislation passed in his first term , and he negotiated rapprochements with Iran and Cuba . The number of American soldiers in Afghanistan fell dramatically during Obama 's second term , though U.S. soldiers remained in Afghanistan throughout Obama 's presidency . Republicans took control of the Senate after the 2014 elections , and Obama continued to grapple with Congressional Republicans over government spending , immigration , judicial nominations , and other issues .


Presidency of Donald Trump

The presidency of Donald Trump began at noon EST on January 20 , 2017 , the day that Donald Trump was inaugurated as the 45th President of the United States , succeeding Barack Obama . Trump , a Republican , was a businessman from New York City at the time of his victory in the 2016 presidential election over Democrat Hillary Clinton . His running mate , former Governor Mike Pence of Indiana , took office as the 48th Vice President of the United States on the same day . Trump 's term in office is set to end on January 20 , 2021 , though he is eligible for election to a second term and has declared his intention to run .   During his first few months in office , , Trump has issued 36 executive orders and 25 presidential memoranda . The executive orders 13769 and 13780 dealing with denying admission to the US of people from several foreign countries have been blocked by federal courts . Trump 's nominee to the Supreme Court , Neil Gorsuch , was confirmed by the United States Senate on April 7 , 2017 .


Presidential transition of Barack Obama

The Presidential transition of Barack Obama began when Barack Obama won the United States presidential election on November 4 , 2008 , and became the President-elect . He was formally elected by the Electoral College on December 15 , 2008 . The results were certified by a joint session of Congress on January 8 , 2009 , and the transition ended when he was inaugurated at noon on January 20 , 2009 .


Probability

Probability is the measure of the likelihood that an event will occur . Probability is quantified as a number between 0 and 1 , where , loosely speaking , 0 indicates impossibility and 1 indicates certainty . The higher the probability of an event , the more certain that the event will occur . A simple example is the tossing of a fair ( unbiased ) coin . Since the coin is fair , the two outcomes ( `` heads '' and `` tails '' ) are both equally probable ; the probability of `` heads '' equals the probability of `` tails '' ; and since no other outcomes are possible , the probability of either `` heads '' or `` tails '' is 1/2 ( which could also be written as 0.5 or 50 % ) .   These concepts have been given an axiomatic mathematical formalization in probability theory , which is used widely in such areas of study as mathematics , statistics , finance , gambling , science ( in particular physics ) , artificial intelligence/machine learning , computer science , game theory , and philosophy to , for example , draw inferences about the expected frequency of events . Probability theory is also used to describe the underlying mechanics and regularities of complex systems .


Prognosis

Prognosis ( Greek : πρόγνωσις `` fore-knowing , foreseeing '' ) is a medical term for predicting the likely outcome of one 's chance of survival . When applied to large statistical populations , prognostic estimates can be very accurate : for example the statement `` 45 % of patients with severe septic shock will die within 28 days '' can be made with some confidence , because previous research found that this proportion of patients died . However , it is much harder to translate this into a prognosis for an individual patient : additional information is needed to determine whether a patient belongs to the 45 % who will die , or to the 55 % who survive .   A complete prognosis includes the expected duration , function , and description of the course of the disease , such as progressive decline , intermittent crisis , or sudden , unpredictable crisis .


Project Steve

Project Steve is a list of scientists with the given name Stephen/Steven or a variation thereof ( e.g. , Stephanie , Stefan , Esteban , etc. ) who `` support evolution '' . It was originally created by the National Center for Science Education as a `` tongue-in-cheek parody '' of creationist attempts to collect a list of scientists who `` doubt evolution , '' such as the Answers in Genesis ' list of scientists who accept the biblical account of the Genesis creation narrative or the Discovery Institute 's A Scientific Dissent From Darwinism . The list pokes fun at such endeavors to make it clear that , `` We did not wish to mislead the public into thinking that scientific issues are decided by who has the longer list of scientists ! '' It also honors Stephen Jay Gould .   However , at the same time the project is a genuine collection of scientists . Despite the list 's restriction to only scientists with names like `` Steve '' , which in the United States limits the list to roughly 1 percent of the total population , Project Steve is longer and contains many more eminent scientists than any creationist list . In particular , Project Steve contains many more biologists than the creationist lists , with about 51 % of the listed Steves being biologists .   The `` List of Steves '' webpage provides an updated total of scientist `` Steves '' who have signed the list . , Project Steve has 1,416 signatories .


Providence, Rhode Island

Providence is the capital of and most populous city in the U.S. state of Rhode Island , founded in 1636 , and one of the oldest cities in the United States . It is located in Providence County and is the third most populous city in New England , after Boston and Worcester . Providence has a city population of 179,154 ; it is also part of the Providence metropolitan area which extends into southern Massachusetts . The Providence metropolitan area has an estimated population of 1,604,291 , which exceeds that of Rhode Island as a whole by about 60 % . This can be considered , in turn , to be part of the Greater Boston commuting area , which contains 7.6 million people .   Providence was founded by Roger Williams , a religious exile from the Massachusetts Bay Colony . He named the area in honor of `` God 's merciful Providence '' , which he believed was responsible for revealing such a haven for him and his followers to settle . The city is situated at the mouth of the Providence River at the head of Narragansett Bay .   Providence was one of the first cities in the country to industrialize and became noted for its textile manufacturing and subsequent machine tool , jewelry , and silverware industries . Today , the city of Providence is home to eight hospitals and seven institutions of higher learning which have shifted the city 's economy into service industries , though it still retains some manufacturing activity . The city was once nicknamed the `` Beehive of Industry '' ; it began rebranding itself as the `` Creative Capital '' in 2009 to emphasize its educational resources and arts community .


Proxima Centauri

Proxima Centauri or Alpha Centauri C is a red dwarf , a small low-mass star , about 4.25 light-years from the Sun in the constellation of Centaurus . It was discovered in 1915 by the Scottish astronomer Robert Innes , the Director of the Union Observatory in South Africa , and is the nearest-known star to the Sun . With an apparent magnitude of 11.05 , it is too faint to be seen with the naked eye . Proxima Centauri forms a third component of the Alpha Centauri binary star system , currently with a separation of about AU and an orbital period of 550,000 years .   Because of Proxima Centauri 's proximity to Earth , its angular diameter can be measured directly . It is about one-seventh the diameter of the Sun . It has a mass about an eighth of the Sun 's mass , and its average density is about 40 times that of the Sun . Although it has a very low average luminosity , Proxima is a flare star that undergoes random dramatic increases in brightness because of magnetic activity . The star 's magnetic field is created by convection throughout the stellar body , and the resulting flare activity generates a total X-ray emission similar to that produced by the Sun . The mixing of the fuel at Proxima Centauri 's core through convection and its relatively low energy-production rate mean that it will be a main-sequence star for another four trillion years , or nearly 300 times the current age of the universe .   In 2016 , the European Southern Observatory announced the discovery of Proxima b , a planet orbiting the star at a distance of roughly 0.05 AU with an orbital period of approximately 11.2 Earth days . Its estimated mass is at least 1.3 times that of the Earth . The equilibrium temperature of Proxima b is estimated to be within the range where water could exist as liquid on its surface , thus placing it within the habitable zone of Proxima Centauri , although because Proxima Centauri is a red dwarf and a flare star , whether it could support life is disputed .  Previous searches for orbiting companions had ruled out the presence of brown dwarfs and supermassive planets .


Proxy (climate)

In the study of past climates ( `` paleoclimatology '' ) , climate proxies are preserved physical characteristics of the past that stand in for direct meteorological measurements and enable scientists to reconstruct the climatic conditions over a longer fraction of the Earth 's history . Reliable global records of climate only began in the 1880s , and proxies provide the only means for scientists to determine climatic patterns before record-keeping began .   Examples of proxies include ice cores , tree rings , sub-fossil pollen , boreholes , corals , lake and ocean sediments , and carbonate speleothems . The character of deposition or rate of growth of the proxies ' material has been influenced by the climatic conditions of the time in which they were laid down or grew . Chemical traces produced by climatic changes , such as quantities of particular isotopes , can be recovered from proxies . Some proxies , such as gas bubbles trapped in ice , enable traces of the ancient atmosphere to be recovered and measured directly to provide a history of fluctuations in the composition of the Earth 's atmosphere . To produce the most precise results , systematic cross-verification between proxy indicators is necessary for accuracy in readings and record-keeping .   Proxies can be combined to produce temperature reconstructions longer than the instrumental temperature record and can inform discussions of global warming . The distribution of proxy records , just like the instrumental record , is not at all uniform , with more records in the northern hemisphere .


Psychology

Psychology is the science of behavior and mind , embracing all aspects of conscious and unconscious experience as well as thought . It is an academic discipline and a social science which seeks to understand individuals and groups by establishing general principles and researching specific cases .   In this field , a professional practitioner or researcher is called a psychologist and can be classified as a social , behavioral , or cognitive scientist . Psychologists attempt to understand the role of mental functions in individual and social behavior , while also exploring the physiological and biological processes that underlie cognitive functions and behaviors .   Psychologists explore behavior and mental processes , including perception , cognition , attention , emotion ( affect ) , intelligence , phenomenology , motivation ( conation ) , brain functioning , and personality . This extends to interaction between people , such as interpersonal relationships , including psychological resilience , family resilience , and other areas . Psychologists of diverse orientations also consider the unconscious mind . Psychologists employ empirical methods to infer causal and correlational relationships between psychosocial variables . In addition , or in opposition , to employing empirical and deductive methods , some -- especially clinical and counseling psychologists -- at times rely upon symbolic interpretation and other inductive techniques . Psychology has been described as a `` hub science '' , with psychological findings linking to research and perspectives from the social sciences , natural sciences , medicine , humanities , and philosophy .   While psychological knowledge is often applied to the assessment and treatment of mental health problems , it is also directed towards understanding and solving problems in several spheres of human activity . By many accounts psychology ultimately aims to benefit society . The majority of psychologists are involved in some kind of therapeutic role , practicing in clinical , counseling , or school settings . Many do scientific research on a wide range of topics related to mental processes and behavior , and typically work in university psychology departments or teach in other academic settings ( e.g. , medical schools , hospitals ) . Some are employed in industrial and organizational settings , or in other areas such as human development and aging , sports , health , and the media , as well as in forensic investigation and other aspects of law .


Puerto Rico

Puerto Rico ( Spanish for `` Rich Port '' ) , officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico ( Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico , `` Free Associated State of Puerto Rico '' ) and briefly called Porto Rico , is an unincorporated territory of the United States located in the northeast Caribbean Sea .   It is an archipelago that includes the main island of Puerto Rico and a number of smaller ones such as Mona , Culebra , and Vieques . The capital and most populous city is San Juan . Its official languages are Spanish and English , though Spanish predominates . The island 's population is approximately 3.4 million . Puerto Rico 's rich history , tropical climate , diverse natural scenery , traditional cuisine , and attractive tax incentives make it a popular destination for travelers from around the world .   Originally populated by the indigenous Taíno people , the island was claimed in 1493 by Christopher Columbus for the Crown of Castile , and it later endured invasion attempts from the French , Dutch , and British . Four centuries of Spanish colonial government transformed the island 's ethnic , cultural and physical landscapes primarily with waves of African slaves , and Canarian , and Andalusian settlers . In the Spanish imperial imagination , Puerto Rico played a secondary , but strategic role when compared to wealthier colonies like Peru and Mexico . Such a distant administrative control continued right up until the end of the 19th century helping to produce a distinctive creole Hispanic culture and language that combined elements from the Natives , Africans , and Iberian people . In 1898 , following the Spanish -- American War , the United States appropriated Puerto Rico together with most former Spanish colonies under the terms of the Treaty of Paris .   Puerto Ricans are considered natural-born citizens of the United States . However , Puerto Rico does not have a vote in the United States Congress , which governs the territory with full jurisdiction under the Puerto Rico Federal Relations Act of 1950 . As a U.S. territory , American citizens residing on the island are disenfranchised at the national level and may not vote for president and vice president of the United States . However , Congress approved a local constitution , allowing U.S. citizens on the territory to elect a governor . A 2012 referendum showed a majority ( 54 % of those who voted ) disagreed with `` the present form of territorial status '' , with full statehood as the preferred option among those who voted for a change of status , although a significant number of people did not answer the second question from the referendum . A fifth referendum will be held in June 2017 , and `` Statehood '' and `` Independence/Free Association '' were initially the only available options . However , at the recommendation of the Department of Justice , a `` current territorial status '' option will be added .   In early 2017 , the Puerto Rican government-debt crisis posed serious problems for the government . The outstanding bond debt had climbed to $ 70 billion at a time with 12.4 % unemployment . The debt had been increasing during a decade long recession . This was the second major financial crisis to affect the island after the Great Depression when the U.S. government , in 1935 , provided relief efforts through the Puerto Rico Reconstruction Administration . On May 3 , 2017 , Puerto Rico 's financial oversight board in the U.S. District Court in Puerto Rico filed the debt restructuring petition which was made under Title III of PROMESA .


Quantum mind

The quantum mind or quantum consciousness group of hypotheses propose that classical mechanics can not explain consciousness . It posits that quantum mechanical phenomena , such as quantum entanglement and superposition , may play an important part in the brain 's function and could form the basis of an explanation of consciousness .


Quaternary extinction event

The Quaternary period saw the extinctions of numerous predominantly larger , especially megafaunal , species , many of which occurred during the transition from the Pleistocene to the Holocene epoch . However , this extinction wave did not stop at the end of the Pleistocene , but continued , especially on isolated islands , in human-caused extinctions , although there is debate as to whether these should be considered separate events or part of the same event . Among the main causes hypothesized by paleontologists are natural climate change and overkill by humans , who appeared during the Middle Pleistocene and migrated to many regions of the world during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene . A variant of the latter possibility is the second-order predation hypothesis , which focuses more on the indirect damage caused by overcompetition with nonhuman predators . The spread of disease is also discussed as a possible reason .


Quaternary glaciation

The Quaternary glaciation , also known as the Pleistocene glaciation or the current ice age , is a series of glacial events separated by interglacial events during the Quaternary period from 2.58 Ma ( million years ago ) to present . During this period , ice sheets expanded , notably from out of Antarctica and Greenland , and fluctuating ice sheets occurred elsewhere ( for example , the Laurentide ice sheet ) . The major effects of the ice age are erosion and deposition of material over large parts of the continents , modification of river systems , creation of millions of lakes , changes in sea level , development of pluvial lakes far from the ice margins , isostatic adjustment of the crust , and abnormal winds . It affected oceans , flooding , and biological communities . The ice sheets themselves , by raising the albedo , affect a major feedback on climate cooling .


Question mark

The question mark -LSB- ? -RSB- ( also known as interrogation point , query , or eroteme in journalism ) is a punctuation mark that indicates an interrogative clause or phrase in many languages . The question mark is not used for indirect questions . The question mark glyph is also often used in place of missing or unknown data . In Unicode , it is encoded at .


Rabbit, Run (film)

Rabbit , Run is a 1970 American independent film directed by Jack Smight adapted from John Updike 's 1960 novel by Howard Kreitsek | Howard B. Kreitsek , who also served as producer . The film starred James Caan as Rabbit Angstrom , Carrie Snodgress as Rabbit 's wife Janice , and Anjanette Comer as his girlfriend Ruth . The movie co-starred Jack Albertson as Coach Marty Tothero , Arthur Hill as Rev. Jack Eccles , and Henry Jones and Josephine Hutchinson as Rabbit 's parents .


Radiative forcing

Radiative forcing or climate forcing is the difference between insolation ( sunlight ) absorbed by the Earth and energy radiated back to space . Typically , radiative forcing is quantified at the tropopause in units of watts per square meter of the Earth 's surface . Positive forcing ( incoming energy exceeding outgoing energy ) warms the system , while negative forcing ( outgoing energy exceeding incoming energy ) cools it . Causes of radiative forcing include changes in insolation and the concentrations of radiatively active gases , commonly known as greenhouse gases and aerosols .


Radiocarbon dating

Radiocarbon dating ( also referred to as carbon dating or carbon-14 dating ) is a method for determining the age of an object containing organic material by using the properties of radiocarbon , a radioactive isotope of carbon .   The method was developed by Willard Libby in the late 1940s and soon became a standard tool for archaeologists . Libby received the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work in 1960 . The radiocarbon dating method is based on the fact that radiocarbon is constantly being created in the atmosphere by the interaction of cosmic rays with atmospheric nitrogen . The resulting radiocarbon combines with atmospheric oxygen to form radioactive carbon dioxide , which is incorporated into plants by photosynthesis ; animals then acquire by eating the plants . When the animal or plant dies , it stops exchanging carbon with its environment , and from that point onwards the amount of it contains begins to decrease as the undergoes radioactive decay . Measuring the amount of in a sample from a dead plant or animal such as a piece of wood or a fragment of bone provides information that can be used to calculate when the animal or plant died . The older a sample is , the less there is to be detected , and because the half-life of ( the period of time after which half of a given sample will have decayed ) is about 5,730 years , the oldest dates that can be reliably measured by this process date to around 50,000 years ago , although special preparation methods occasionally permit accurate analysis of older samples .   The idea behind radiocarbon dating is straightforward , but years of work were required to develop the technique to the point where accurate dates could be obtained . Research has been ongoing since the 1960s to determine what the proportion of in the atmosphere has been over the past fifty thousand years . The resulting data , in the form of a calibration curve , is now used to convert a given measurement of radiocarbon in a sample into an estimate of the sample 's calendar age . Other corrections must be made to account for the proportion of in different types of organisms ( fractionation ) , and the varying levels of throughout the biosphere ( reservoir effects ) . Additional complications come from the burning of fossil fuels such as coal and oil , and from the above-ground nuclear tests done in the 1950s and 1960s . Because the time it takes to convert biological materials to fossil fuels is substantially longer than the time it takes for its to decay below detectable levels , fossil fuels contain almost no , and as a result there was a noticeable drop in the proportion of in the atmosphere beginning in the late 19th century . Conversely , nuclear testing increased the amount of in the atmosphere , which attained a maximum in 1963 of almost twice what it had been before the testing began .   Measurement of radiocarbon was originally done by beta-counting devices , which counted the amount of beta radiation emitted by decaying atoms in a sample . More recently , accelerator mass spectrometry has become the method of choice ; it counts all the atoms in the sample and not just the few that happen to decay during the measurements ; it can therefore be used with much smaller samples ( as small as individual plant seeds ) , and gives results much more quickly . The development of radiocarbon dating has had a profound impact on archaeology . In addition to permitting more accurate dating within archaeological sites than previous methods , it allows comparison of dates of events across great distances . Histories of archaeology often refer to its impact as the `` radiocarbon revolution '' . Radiocarbon dating has allowed key transitions in prehistory to be dated , such as the end of the last ice age , and the beginning of the Neolithic and Bronze Age in different regions .


Rain

Rain is liquid water in the form of droplets that have condensed from atmospheric water vapor and then precipitated -- that is , become heavy enough to fall under gravity . Rain is a major component of the water cycle and is responsible for depositing most of the fresh water on the Earth . It provides suitable conditions for many types of ecosystems , as well as water for hydroelectric power plants and crop irrigation .   The major cause of rain production is moisture moving along three-dimensional zones of temperature and moisture contrasts known as weather fronts . If enough moisture and upward motion is present , precipitation falls from convective clouds ( those with strong upward vertical motion ) such as cumulonimbus ( thunder clouds ) which can organize into narrow rainbands . In mountainous areas , heavy precipitation is possible where upslope flow is maximized within windward sides of the terrain at elevation which forces moist air to condense and fall out as rainfall along the sides of mountains . On the leeward side of mountains , desert climates can exist due to the dry air caused by downslope flow which causes heating and drying of the air mass . The movement of the monsoon trough , or intertropical convergence zone , brings rainy seasons to savannah climes .   The urban heat island effect leads to increased rainfall , both in amounts and intensity , downwind of cities . Global warming is also causing changes in the precipitation pattern globally , including wetter conditions across eastern North America and drier conditions in the tropics . Antarctica is the driest continent . The globally averaged annual precipitation over land is 715 mm , but over the whole Earth it is much higher at 990 mm . Climate classification systems such as the Köppen classification system use average annual rainfall to help differentiate between differing climate regimes . Rainfall is measured using rain gauges . Rainfall amounts can be estimated by weather radar .   Rain is also known or suspected on other planets , where it may be composed of methane , neon , sulfuric acid , or even iron rather than water .


Random variable

In probability and statistics , a random variable , random quantity , aleatory variable , or stochastic variable is a variable quantity whose value depends on possible outcomes . As a function , a random variable is required to be measurable , which rules out certain pathological cases where the quantity which the random variable returns is infinitely sensitive to small changes in the outcome .   It is common that these outcomes depend on some physical variables that are not well understood . For example ,  when you toss a coin , the final outcome of heads or tails depends on the uncertain physics . Which outcome will be observed is not certain . Of course  the coin could get caught in a crack in the floor , but such a possibility is excluded from consideration . The domain of a random variable is the set of possible outcomes . In the case of the coin , there are only two possible outcomes , namely heads or tails . Since one of these outcomes must occur , either the event that the coin lands heads or the event that the coin lands tails must have non-zero probability .   A random variable is defined as a function that maps outcomes to numerical quantities ( labels ) , typically real numbers . In this sense , it is a procedure for assigning a numerical quantity to each physical outcome , and , contrary to its name , this procedure itself is neither random nor variable . What is random is the unstable physics that describes how the coin lands , and the uncertainty of which outcome will actually be observed .   A random variable 's possible values might represent the possible outcomes of a yet-to-be-performed experiment , or the possible outcomes of a past experiment whose already-existing value is uncertain ( for example , due to imprecise measurements or quantum uncertainty ) . They may also conceptually represent either the results of an `` objectively '' random process ( such as rolling a die ) or the `` subjective '' randomness that results from incomplete knowledge of a quantity . The meaning of the probabilities assigned to the potential values of a random variable is not part of probability theory itself but is instead related to philosophical arguments over the interpretation of probability . The mathematics works the same regardless of the particular interpretation in use .   A random variable has a probability distribution , which specifies the probability that its value falls in any given interval . Random variables can be discrete , that is , taking any of a specified finite or countable list of values , endowed with a probability mass function characteristic of the random variable 's probability distribution ; or continuous , taking any numerical value in an interval or collection of intervals , via a probability density function that is characteristic of the random variable 's probability distribution ; or a mixture of both types . Two random variables with the same probability distribution can still differ in terms of their associations with , or independence from , other random variables . The realizations of a random variable , that is , the results of randomly choosing values according to the variable 's probability distribution function , are called random variates .   The formal mathematical treatment of random variables is a topic in probability theory . In that context , a random variable is understood as a function defined on a sample space whose outputs are numerical values .


Raptor conservation

Raptor conservation concerns are threats affecting the population viability of birds of prey . Because of their hunting lifestyle , raptors face distinct conservation challenges . As top predators , they are important for healthy ecosystem functioning , and by protecting them many other species are safeguarded . Their extensive habitat requirements make regional conservation strategies necessary for protecting birds of prey .


Rate of return

In finance , return is a profit on an investment . It comprises any change in value and interest or dividends or other such cash flows which the investor receives from the investment . It may be measured either in absolute terms ( e.g. , dollars ) or as a percentage of the amount invested . The latter is also called the holding period return .   A loss instead of a profit is described as a negative return .   Rate of return is a profit on an investment over a period of time , expressed as a proportion of the original investment . The time period is typically a year , in which case the rate of return is referred to as annual return .   To compare returns over time periods of different lengths on an equal basis , it is useful to convert each return into an annual equivalent rate of return , or annualised return . This conversion process is called annualisation , described below .   Return on investment ( ROI ) is return per dollar invested . It is a measure of investment performance , as opposed to size ( c.f. return on equity , return on assets , return on capital employed ) .


Reaganomics

Reaganomics ( -LSB- reɪgəˈnɒmɪks -RSB- a portmanteau of -LSB- Ronald -RSB- Reagan and economics attributed to Paul Harvey ) refers to the economic policies promoted by U.S. President Ronald Reagan during the 1980s . These policies are commonly associated with supply-side economics , referred to as trickle-down economics or voodoo economics by political opponents , and free-market economics by political advocates .   The four pillars of Reagan 's economic policy were to reduce the growth of government spending , reduce the federal income tax and capital gains tax , reduce government regulation , and tighten the money supply in order to reduce inflation .


Reason

Reason is the capacity for consciously making sense of things , applying logic , establishing and verifying facts , and changing or justifying practices , institutions , and beliefs based on new or existing information . It is closely associated with such characteristically human activities as philosophy , science , language , mathematics , and art and is normally considered to be a definitive characteristic of human nature .  Reason , or an aspect of it , is sometimes referred to as rationality .   Reasoning is associated with thinking , cognition , and intellect . Reasoning may be subdivided into forms of logical reasoning ( forms associated with the strict sense ) : deductive reasoning , inductive reasoning , abductive reasoning ; and other modes of reasoning considered more informal , such as intuitive reasoning and verbal reasoning . Along these lines , a distinction is often drawn between discursive reason , reason proper , and intuitive reason , in which the reasoning process -- however valid -- tends toward the personal and the opaque . Although in many social and political settings logical and intuitive modes of reason may clash , in other contexts intuition and formal reason are seen as complementary , rather than adversarial as , for example , in mathematics , where intuition is often a necessary building block in the creative process of achieving the hardest form of reason , a formal proof .   Reason , like habit or intuition , is one of the ways by which thinking comes from one idea to a related idea . For example , it is the means by which rational beings understand themselves to think about cause and effect , truth and falsehood , and what is good or bad . It is also closely identified with the ability to self-consciously change beliefs , attitudes , traditions , and institutions , and therefore with the capacity for freedom and self-determination .   In contrast to reason as an abstract noun , a reason is a consideration which explains or justifies some event , phenomenon , or behavior . The field of logic studies ways in which human beings reason formally through argument .   Psychologists and cognitive scientists have attempted to study and explain how people reason , e.g. which cognitive and neural processes are engaged , and how cultural factors affect the inferences that people draw . The field of automated reasoning studies how reasoning may or may not be modeled computationally . Animal psychology considers the question of whether animals other than humans can reason .


Recycling

Recycling is the process of converting waste materials into new materials and objects . It is an alternative to `` conventional '' waste disposal that can save material and help lower greenhouse gas emissions ( compared to plastic production , for example ) . Recycling can prevent the waste of potentially useful materials and reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials , thereby reducing : energy usage , air pollution ( from incineration ) , and water pollution ( from landfilling ) .   Recycling is a key component of modern waste reduction and is the third component of the `` Reduce , Reuse , and Recycle '' waste hierarchy .   There are some ISO standards related to recycling such as ISO 15270:2008 for plastics waste and ISO 14001:2004 for environmental management control of recycling practice .   Recyclable materials include many kinds of glass , paper , and cardboard , metal , plastic , tires , textiles , and electronics . The composting or other reuse of biodegradable waste -- such as food or garden waste -- is also considered recycling . Materials to be recycled are either brought to a collection centre or picked up from the curbside , then sorted , cleaned , and reprocessed into new materials destined for manufacturing .   In the strictest sense , recycling of a material would produce a fresh supply of the same material -- for example , used office paper would be converted into new office paper or used polystyrene foam into new polystyrene . However , this is often difficult or too expensive ( compared with producing the same product from raw materials or other sources ) , so `` recycling '' of many products or materials involves their reuse in producing different materials ( for example , paperboard ) instead . Another form of recycling is the salvage of certain materials from complex products , either due to their intrinsic value ( such as lead from car batteries , or gold from circuit boards ) , or due to their hazardous nature ( e.g. , removal and reuse of mercury from thermometers and thermostats ) .


Reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation and the role of conservation , sustainable management of forests and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries ( REDD + ) was first negotiated under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change ( UNFCCC ) since 2005 , with the objective of mitigating climate change through reducing net emissions of greenhouse gases through enhanced forest management in developing countries . Most of the key REDD + decisions were completed by 2013 , with the final pieces of the rulebook finished in 2015 .   In the last two decades , various studies estimate that land use change , including deforestation and forest degradation , accounts for 12-29 % of global greenhouse gas emissions . For this reason the inclusion of reducing emissions from land use change is considered essential to achieve the objectives of the UNFCCC .   During the negotiations for the Kyoto Protocol , and then in particular its Clean Development Mechanism ( CDM ) , the inclusion of tropical forest management was debated but eventually dropped due to anticipated methodological difficulties in establishing -- in particular -- additionality and leakage ( detrimental effects outside of the project area attributable to project activities ) . What remained on forestry was `` Afforestation and Reforestation '' , sectoral scope 14 of the CDM . Under this sectoral scope areas of land that had no forest cover since 1990 could be replanted with commercial or indigenous tree species . In its first eight years of operation 52 projects had been registered under the `` Afforestation and Reforestation '' scope of the CDM . The cumbersome administrative procedures and corresponding high transaction costs are often blamed for this slow uptake . Beyond the CDM , all developed countries that were parties to the Kyoto Protocol also committed to measuring and reporting on efforts to reduce net greenhouse gas emissions from forests . The United States also measures and reports on the net greenhouse gas sequestration in its forests .   In response to what many perceived to be a failure to address a major source of global greenhouse gas emissions , the Coalition for Rainforest Nations ( CfRN ) was established and in 2005 they proposed to the Conference of the Parties to the UNFCCC policy approaches and positive incentives for the reduction of emissions of greenhouse gases stemming from tropical deforestation and forest degradation as a climate change mitigation measure .


Reef

A reef is a bar of rock , sand , coral or similar material , lying beneath the surface of water . Reefs may be up to 261 feet below the surface .   Many reefs result from abiotic processes -- deposition of sand , wave erosion planing down rock outcrops , and other natural processes -- but the best-known reefs are the coral reefs of tropical waters developed through biotic processes dominated by corals and calcareous algae . Artificial reefs such as shipwrecks are sometimes created to enhance physical complexity on generally featureless sand bottoms in order to attract a diverse assemblage of organisms , especially fish .


Reforestation

Reforestation is the natural or intentional restocking of existing forests and woodlands that have been depleted , usually through deforestation . Reforestation can be used to rectify or improve the quality of human life by soaking up pollution and dust from the air , rebuild natural habitats and ecosystems , mitigate global warming since forests facilitate biosequestration of atmospheric carbon dioxide , and harvest for resources , particularly timber , but also non-timber forest products .   The term reforestation is similar to afforestation , the process of restoring and recreating areas of woodlands or forests that may have existed long ago but were deforested or otherwise removed at some point in the past . Sometimes the term re-afforestation is used to distinguish between the original forest cover and the later re-growth of forest to an area . Forestation is the establishment of forest growth on areas that either had forest or lacked it .   Special tools , e.g. tree planting bars , are used to make planting of trees easier and faster .


Regime shift

In ecology , regime shifts are large , abrupt , persistent changes in the structure and function of a system . A regime is a characteristic behaviour of a system which is maintained by mutually reinforced processes or feedbacks . Regimes are considered persistent relative to the time period over which the shift occurs . The change of regimes , or the shift , usually occurs when a smooth change in an internal process ( feedback ) or a single disturbance ( external shocks ) triggers a completely different system behavior . Although such non-linear changes have been widely studied in different disciplines ranging from atoms to climate dynamics , regime shifts have gained importance in ecology because they can substantially affect the flow of ecosystem services that societies rely upon , such as provision of food , clean water or climate regulation . Moreover , regime shift occurrence is expected to increase as human influence on the planet increases -- the Anthropocene -- including current trends on human induced climate change and biodiversity loss .


Regional effects of global warming

Regional effects of global warming are long-term significant changes in the expected patterns of average weather of a specific region due to global warming . The world average temperature is rising due to the greenhouse effect caused by increasing levels of greenhouse gases , especially carbon dioxide . When the global temperature changes , the changes in climate are not expected to be uniform across the Earth . In particular , land areas change more quickly than oceans , and northern high latitudes change more quickly than the tropics , and the margins of biome regions change faster than do their cores .   Regional effects of global warming vary in nature . Some are the result of a generalised global change , such as rising temperature , resulting in local effects , such as melting ice . In other cases , a change may be related to a change in a particular ocean current or weather system . In such cases , the regional effect may be disproportionate and will not necessarily follow the global trend . The increasing temperatures from greenhouse gases have been causing sea levels to rise for many years .   There are three major ways in which global warming will make changes to regional climate : melting or forming ice , changing the hydrological cycle ( of evaporation and precipitation ) and changing currents in the oceans and air flows in the atmosphere . The coast can also be considered a region , and will suffer severe impacts from sea level rise .


Regression analysis

In statistical modeling , regression analysis is a statistical process for estimating the relationships among variables . It includes many techniques for modeling and analyzing several variables , when the focus is on the relationship between a dependent variable and one or more independent variables ( or ` predictors ' ) . More specifically , regression analysis helps one understand how the typical value of the dependent variable ( or ` criterion variable ' ) changes when any one of the independent variables is varied , while the other independent variables are held fixed . Most commonly , regression analysis estimates the conditional expectation of the dependent variable given the independent variables -- that is , the average value of the dependent variable when the independent variables are fixed . Less commonly , the focus is on a quantile , or other location parameter of the conditional distribution of the dependent variable given the independent variables . In all cases , the estimation target is a function of the independent variables called the regression function . In regression analysis , it is also of interest to characterize the variation of the dependent variable around the regression function which can be described by a probability distribution . A related but distinct approach is necessary condition analysis ( NCA ) , which estimates the maximum ( rather than average ) value of the dependent variable for a given value of the independent variable ( ceiling line rather than central line ) in order to identify what value of the independent variable is necessary but not sufficient for a given value of the dependent variable .   Regression analysis is widely used for prediction and forecasting , where its use has substantial overlap with the field of machine learning . Regression analysis is also used to understand which among the independent variables are related to the dependent variable , and to explore the forms of these relationships . In restricted circumstances , regression analysis can be used to infer causal relationships between the independent and dependent variables . However this can lead to illusions or false relationships , so caution is advisable ; for example , correlation does not imply causation .   Many techniques for carrying out regression analysis have been developed . Familiar methods such as linear regression and ordinary least squares regression are parametric , in that the regression function is defined in terms of a finite number of unknown parameters that are estimated from the data . Nonparametric regression refers to techniques that allow the regression function to lie in a specified set of functions , which may be infinite-dimensional .   The performance of regression analysis methods in practice depends on the form of the data generating process , and how it relates to the regression approach being used . Since the true form of the data-generating process is generally not known , regression analysis often depends to some extent on making assumptions about this process . These assumptions are sometimes testable if a sufficient quantity of data is available . Regression models for prediction are often useful even when the assumptions are moderately violated , although they may not perform optimally . However , in many applications , especially with small effects or questions of causality based on observational data , regression methods can give misleading results .   In a narrower sense , regression may refer specifically to the estimation of continuous response variables , as opposed to the discrete response variables used in classification . The case of a continuous output variable may be more specifically referred to as metric regression to distinguish it from related problems .


Reinforcement

In behavioral psychology , reinforcement is a consequence that will strengthen an organism 's future behavior whenever that behavior is preceded by a specific antecedent stimulus . This strengthening effect may be measured as a higher frequency of behavior ( e.g. , pulling a lever more frequently ) , longer duration ( e.g. , pulling a lever for longer periods of time ) , greater magnitude ( e.g. , pulling a lever with greater force ) , or shorter latency ( e.g. , pulling a lever more quickly following the antecedent stimulus ) .   Rewarding stimuli , which are associated with `` wanting '' and `` liking '' ( desire and pleasure , respectively ) and appetitive behavior , function as positive reinforcers ; the converse statement is also true : positive reinforcers provide a desirable stimulus . Reinforcement does not require an individual to consciously perceive an effect elicited by the stimulus . Thus , reinforcement occurs only if there is an observable strengthening in behavior . However , there is also negative reinforcement , which is characterized by taking away an undesirable stimulus . An ibuprofen is a negative reinforcer because it takes away pain .   In most cases , the term `` reinforcement '' refers to an enhancement of behavior , but this term is also sometimes used to denote an enhancement of memory ; for example , `` post-training reinforcement '' refers to the provision of a stimulus ( such as food ) after a learning session in an attempt to increase the retained breadth , detail , and duration of the individual memories or overall memory just formed . The memory-enhancing stimulus can also be one whose effects are directly rather than only indirectly emotional , as with the phenomenon of `` flashbulb memory , '' in which an emotionally highly intense stimulus can incentivize memory of a set of a situation 's circumstances well beyond the subset of those circumstances that caused the emotionally significant stimulus , as when people of appropriate age are able to remember where they were and what they were doing when they learned of the assassination of John F. Kennedy or of the September 11 , 2001 , terrorist attacks .   Reinforcement is an important part of operant or instrumental conditioning .


Reliability engineering

Reliability engineering is engineering that emphasizes dependability in the lifecycle management of a product . Dependability , or reliability , describes the ability of a system or component to function under stated conditions for a specified period of time . Reliability may also describe the ability to function at a specified moment or interval of time ( Availability ) . Reliability engineering represents a sub-discipline within systems engineering . Reliability is theoretically defined as the probability of success , as the frequency of failures ; or in terms of availability , as a probability derived from reliability , testability and maintainability . Testability , Maintainability and maintenance are often defined as a part of `` reliability engineering '' in Reliability Programs . Reliability plays a key role in the cost-effectiveness of systems .   Reliability engineering deals with the estimation , prevention and management of high levels of `` lifetime '' engineering uncertainty and risks of failure . Although stochastic parameters define and affect reliability , according to some expert authors on reliability engineering ( e.g. P. O'Conner , J. Moubray and A. Barnard ) , reliability is not ( solely ) achieved by mathematics and statistics . You can not really find a root cause ( needed to effectively prevent failures ) by only looking at statistics . `` Nearly all teaching and literature on the subject emphasize these aspects , and ignore the reality that the ranges of uncertainty involved largely invalidate quantitative methods for prediction and measurement . ''   Reliability engineering relates closely to safety engineering and to system safety , in that they use common methods for their analysis and may require input from each other . Reliability engineering focuses on costs of failure caused by system downtime , cost of spares , repair equipment , personnel , and cost of warranty claims . Safety engineering normally emphasizes not cost , but preserving life and nature , and therefore deals only with particular dangerous system-failure modes . High reliability ( safety factor ) levels also result from good engineering and from attention to detail , and almost never from only reactive failure management ( reliability accounting / statistics ) .


Remote sensing

Remote sensing is the acquisition of information about an object or phenomenon without making physical contact with the object and thus in contrast to on-site observation . Remote sensing is used in numerous fields , including geography , land surveying and most Earth Science disciplines ( for example , hydrology , ecology  , oceanography , glaciology , geology ) ; it also has military , intelligence , commercial , economic , planning , and humanitarian applications .   In current usage , the term `` remote sensing '' generally refers to the use of satellite - or aircraft-based sensor technologies to detect and classify objects on Earth , including on the surface and in the atmosphere and oceans , based on propagated signals ( e.g. electromagnetic radiation ) . It may be split into `` active '' remote sensing ( i.e. , when a signal is emitted by a satellite or aircraft and its reflection by the object is detected by the sensor ) and `` passive '' remote sensing ( i.e. , when the reflection of sunlight is detected by the sensor ) .


Renewable energy

Renewable energy is energy that is collected from renewable resources , which are naturally replenished on a human timescale , such as sunlight , wind , rain , tides , waves , and geothermal heat . Renewable energy often provides energy in four important areas : electricity generation , air and water heating/cooling , transportation , and rural ( off-grid ) energy services .   Based on REN21 's 2016 report , renewables contributed 19.2 % to humans ' global energy consumption and 23.7 % to their generation of electricity in 2014 and 2015 , respectively . This energy consumption is divided as 8.9 % coming from traditional biomass , 4.2 % as heat energy ( modern biomass , geothermal and solar heat ) , 3.9 % hydro electricity and 2.2 % is electricity from wind , solar , geothermal , and biomass . Worldwide investments in renewable technologies amounted to more than US$ 286 billion in 2015 , with countries like China and the United States heavily investing in wind , hydro , solar and biofuels . Globally , there are an estimated 7.7 million jobs associated with the renewable energy industries , with solar photovoltaics being the largest renewable employer . As of 2015 worldwide , more than half of all new electricity capacity installed was renewable .   Renewable energy resources exist over wide geographical areas , in contrast to other energy sources , which are concentrated in a limited number of countries . Rapid deployment of renewable energy and energy efficiency is resulting in significant energy security , climate change mitigation , and economic benefits . The results of a recent review of the literature concluded that as greenhouse gas ( GHG ) emitters begin to be held liable for damages resulting from GHG emissions resulting in climate change , a high value for liability mitigation would provide powerful incentives for deployment of renewable energy technologies . In international public opinion surveys there is strong support for promoting renewable sources such as solar power and wind power . At the national level , at least 30 nations around the world already have renewable energy contributing more than 20 percent of energy supply . National renewable energy markets are projected to continue to grow strongly in the coming decade and beyond . Some places and at least two countries , Iceland and Norway generate all their electricity using renewable energy already , and many other countries have the set a goal to reach 100 % renewable energy in the future . For example , in Denmark the government decided to switch the total energy supply ( electricity , mobility and heating/cooling ) to 100 % renewable energy by 2050 .   While many renewable energy projects are large-scale , renewable technologies are also suited to rural and remote areas and developing countries , where energy is often crucial in human development . United Nations ' Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon has said that renewable energy has the ability to lift the poorest nations to new levels of prosperity . As most of renewables provide electricity , renewable energy deployment is often applied in conjunction with further electrification , which has several benefits : Electricity can be converted to heat ( where necessary generating higher temperatures than fossil fuels ) , can be converted into mechanical energy with high efficiency and is clean at the point of consumption . In addition to that electrification with renewable energy is much more efficient and therefore leads to a significant reduction in primary energy requirements , because most renewables do n't have a steam cycle with high losses ( fossil power plants usually have losses of 40 to 65 % ) .   Renewable energy systems are rapidly becoming more efficient and cheaper . Their share of total energy consumption is increasing . Growth in consumption of coal and oil could end by 2020 due to increased uptake of renewables and natural gas .


Renewable energy commercialization

Renewable energy commercialization involves the deployment of three generations of renewable energy technologies dating back more than 100 years . First-generation technologies , which are already mature and economically competitive , include biomass , hydroelectricity , geothermal power and heat . Second-generation technologies are market-ready and are being deployed at the present time ; they include solar heating , photovoltaics , wind power , solar thermal power stations , and modern forms of bioenergy . Third-generation technologies require continued R&D efforts in order to make large contributions on a global scale and include advanced biomass gasification , hot-dry-rock geothermal power , and ocean energy . As of 2012 , renewable energy accounts for about half of new nameplate electrical capacity installed and costs are continuing to fall .   Public policy and political leadership helps to `` level the playing field '' and drive the wider acceptance of renewable energy technologies . Countries such as Germany , Denmark , and Spain have led the way in implementing innovative policies which has driven most of the growth over the past decade . As of 2014 , Germany has a commitment to the `` Energiewende '' transition to a sustainable energy economy , and Denmark has a commitment to 100 % renewable energy by 2050 . There are now 144 countries with renewable energy policy targets .   Renewable energy continued its rapid growth in 2015 , providing multiple benefits . There was a new record set for installed wind and photovoltaic capacity ( 64GW and 57GW ) and a new high of US$ 329 Billion for global renewables investment . A key benefit that this investment growth brings is a growth in jobs . The top countries for investment in recent years were China , Germany , Spain , the United States , Italy , and Brazil . Renewable energy companies include BrightSource Energy , First Solar , Gamesa , GE Energy , Goldwind , Sinovel , Trina Solar , Vestas , and Yingli .   Climate change concerns are also driving increasing growth in the renewable energy industries . According to a 2011 projection by the ( IEA ) International Energy Agency , solar power generators may produce most of the world 's electricity within 50 years , reducing harmful greenhouse gas emissions .   Renewable power has been more effective in creating jobs than coal or oil in the United States .


Renewable energy in Kenya

The renewable energy sector in Kenya is among the most active in Africa . In Kenya , investment grew from virtually zero in 2009 to US$ 1.3 billion in 2010 across technologies such as wind , geothermal , small-scale hydro and biofuels . This is not saying that Kenya was never active in the renewable energy sector . Kenya is Africa 's first geothermal power producer and the world leader in the number of solar power systems installed per capita . It is still the largest producer of geothermal power in Africa today at 200 MW with only one other African country producing geothermal power , Ethiopia . Connectivity to the national grid in Kenya currently stands at 28 % . In 2011 , Kenya was also the first country in Africa to open a carbon exchange .


Renewable energy in Scotland

The production of renewable energy in Scotland is an issue that has come to the fore in technical , economic , and political terms during the opening years of the 21st century . The natural resource base for renewable energy is extraordinary by European , and even global standards , with the most important potential sources being wind , wave , and tide .   In 2015 , Scotland generated 59 % of its electricity consumption through renewable sources , exceeding the country 's lofty goal of 50 % renewable energy by 2015 . Moving forward , the Scottish Government 's energy plan calls for 100 % of electricity consumption to be generated through renewable sources by 2020 , and 50 % of total energy consumption ( including transportation ) by 2030 .   At the start of 2016 , Scotland had 8,055 megawatts ( MW ) of installed renewable electricity capacity . Renewable electricity generation in Scotland was 21,983 GWh in 2015 , up 15.2 % on 2014 . Scottish renewable generation makes up approximately 26.4 % of total UK renewable generation ( down from 32 % in 2014 ) . In 2014 , Scotland exported over 24 per cent of generation .   Continuing improvements in engineering and economics are enabling more of the renewable resources to be utilised . Fears regarding peak oil and climate change have driven the subject high up the political agenda and are also encouraging the use of various biofuels . Although the finances of many projects remain either speculative or dependent on market incentives , it is probable that there has been a significant , and in all likelihood long-term change , in the underpinning economics .   In addition to planned increases in large-scale generating capacity and microsystems using renewable sources , various related schemes to reduce carbon emissions are being researched . Although there is significant support from the public , private and community-led sectors , concerns about the effect of the technologies on the natural environment have been expressed . There is also an emerging political debate about the relationship between the siting , and the ownership and control of these widely distributed resources .


Renewable energy in the European Union

The countries of the European Union are the number two global leaders in the development and application of renewable energy . Promoting the use of renewable energy sources is important both to the reduction of the EU 's dependence on foreign energy imports , and in meeting targets to combat global warming .


Renewable energy in the United States

Renewable energy in the United States accounted for 13.44 percent of the domestically produced electricity in 2015 , and 11.1 percent of total energy generation . As of 2016 , more than 260,000 people work in the solar industry and 43 states deploy net metering , where energy utilities buy back excess power generated by solar arrays .   Renewable energy reached a major milestone in the first quarter of 2011 , when it contributed 11.7 percent of total U.S. energy production ( 2.245 quadrillion BTU of energy ) , surpassing energy production from nuclear power ( 2.125 quadrillion BTU ) . 2011 was the first year since 1997 that renewables exceeded nuclear in US total energy production .   Hydroelectric power is currently the largest producer of renewable power in the U.S. . It produced around 6.14 % of the nation 's total electricity in 2015 which was 45.71 % of the total renewable power in the U.S. . The United States is the fourth largest producer of hydroelectricity in the world after China , Canada and Brazil . The Grand Coulee Dam is the 5th largest hydroelectric power station in the world .   U.S. wind power installed capacity now exceeds 72,000 MW and supplies 4.1 % of the nation 's electricity . Texas is firmly established as the leader in wind power development , followed by Iowa and California . Since the U.S. pioneered the technology in 1981 with Solar One , several solar thermal power stations have also been built . The largest of these solar thermal power stations are the Ivanpah Solar Power Facility ( 392 MW ) , southwest of Las Vegas , and the SEGS group of plants in the Mojave Desert , with a total generating capacity of 354 MW . Large photovoltaic power plants in the USA include Solar Star ( 579 MW ) , near Rosamond , California , the Desert Sunlight Solar Farm , a 550 MW solar power plant in Riverside County , California and the Topaz Solar Farm , a 550 MW photovoltaic power plant , in San Luis Obispo County , California . The Geysers in Northern California is the largest complex of geothermal energy production in the world .   The development of renewable energy and energy efficiency marks `` a new era of energy exploration '' in the United States , according to President Barack Obama . In a joint address to the Congress on February 24 , 2009 , President Obama called for doubling renewable energy within the next three years . In his 2012 State of the Union address , President Barack Obama restated his commitment to renewable energy and mentioned the long-standing Interior Department commitment to permit 10,000 MW of renewable energy projects on public land in 2012 .


Republican Party (United States)

The Republican Party , commonly referred to as the GOP ( abbreviation for Grand Old Party ) , is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States , the other being its historic rival , the Democratic Party . The party is named after republicanism , the dominant value during the American Revolution . Founded by anti-slavery activists , modernists , ex-Whigs , and ex-Free Soilers in 1854 , the Republicans dominated politics nationally and in the majority of northern States for most of the period between 1860 and 1932 .   There have been 19 Republican presidents , the most from any one party . The first was 16th president Abraham Lincoln , who served from 1861 to 1865 , when he was assassinated , and the most recent being 45th and current president Donald Trump , who took office on January 20 , 2017 .   The Republican Party 's current ideology is American conservatism , which contrasts with the Democrats ' more progressive platform ( also called modern liberalism ) . Further , its platform involves support for free market capitalism , free enterprise , fiscal conservatism , a strong national defense , deregulation , and restrictions on labor unions . In addition to advocating for conservative economic policies , the Republican Party is socially conservative , and seeks to uphold traditional values based largely on Judeo-Christian ethics . The GOP was strongly committed to protectionism and tariffs from its founding until the 1930s , when it was based in the industrial Northeast and Midwest . Since 1952 there has been a reversal against protectionism and the party 's core support since the 1990s comes chiefly from the South , the Great Plains , the Mountain States and rural districts in the North . as well as from conservative Catholics , Mormons , and Evangelicals nationwide .   As of 2017 , the Republican Party is documented as being at its strongest position politically since 1928 . In addition to holding the Presidency ( via Trump and Vice President Mike Pence ) , the Republicans control the 115th United States Congress , having majorities in both the House of Representatives and the Senate . The party also holds a majority of governorships ( 33/50 ) and state legislatures ( full control of 32/50 , split control of six others ) .


Respiratory system

The respiratory system ( called also respiratory apparatus , ventilatory system ) is a biological system consisting of specific organs and structures used for the process of respiration in an organism . The respiratory system is involved in the intake and exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide between an organism and the environment .   In air-breathing vertebrates like human beings , respiration takes place in the respiratory organs called lungs . The passage of air into the lungs to supply the body with oxygen is known as inhalation , and the passage of air out of the lungs to expel carbon dioxide is known as exhalation ; this process is collectively called breathing or ventilation . In humans and other mammals , the anatomical features of the respiratory system include trachea , bronchi , bronchioles , lungs , and diaphragm . Molecules of oxygen and carbon dioxide are passively exchanged , by diffusion , between the gaseous external environment and the blood . This exchange process occurs in the alveoli ( air sacs ) in the lungs .   In fish and many invertebrates , respiration takes place through the gills . Other animals , such as insects , have respiratory systems with very simple anatomical features , and in amphibians even the skin plays a vital role in gas exchange . Plants also have respiratory systems but the directionality of gas exchange can be opposite to that in animals . The respiratory system in plants also includes anatomical features such as holes on the undersides of leaves known as stomata .


Retractions in academic publishing

In academic publishing, a retraction is the action by which a published paper in an academic journal is removed from the journal. Online journals typically remove the retracted article from online access.


Retreat of glaciers since 1850

The retreat of glaciers since 1850 affects the availability of fresh water for irrigation and domestic use , mountain recreation , animals and plants that depend on glacier-melt , and , in the longer term , the level of the oceans . Studied by glaciologists , the temporal coincidence of glacier retreat with the measured increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases is often cited as an evidentiary underpinning of global warming . Mid-latitude mountain ranges such as the Himalayas , Alps , Rocky Mountains , Cascade Range , and the southern Andes , as well as isolated tropical summits such as Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa , are showing some of the largest proportionate glacial losses .   Glacier mass balance is the key determinant of the health of a glacier . If the amount of frozen precipitation in the accumulation zone exceeds the quantity of glacial ice lost due to melting or in the ablation zone a glacier will advance ; if the accumulation is less than the ablation , the glacier will retreat . Glaciers in retreat will have negative mass balances , and if they do not find an equilibrium between accumulation and ablation , will eventually disappear .   The Little Ice Age was a period from about 1550 to 1850 when the world experienced relatively cooler temperatures compared to the present . Subsequently , until about 1940 , glaciers around the world retreated as the climate warmed substantially . Glacial retreat slowed and even reversed temporarily , in many cases , between 1950 and 1980 as global temperatures cooled slightly . Since 1980 , a significant global warming has led to glacier retreat becoming increasingly rapid and ubiquitous , so much so that some glaciers have disappeared altogether , and the existences of many of the remaining glaciers are threatened . In locations such as the Andes of South America and Himalayas in Asia , the demise of glaciers in these regions has the potential to affect water supplies in those areas .   The retreat of mountain glaciers , notably in western North America , Asia , the Alps and tropical and subtropical regions of South America , Africa and Indonesia , provide evidence for the rise in global temperatures since the late 19th century . The acceleration of the rate of retreat since 1995 of key outlet glaciers of the Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets may foreshadow a rise in sea level , which would affect coastal regions .


Richard Lindzen

Richard Siegmund Lindzen ( born February 8 , 1940 ) is an American atmospheric physicist known for his work in the dynamics of the middle atmosphere , atmospheric tides , and ozone photochemistry . He has published more than 200 scientific papers and books . From 1983 until his retirement in 2013 , he was Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Meteorology at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology . He was a lead author of Chapter 7 , `` Physical Climate Processes and Feedbacks , '' of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 's Third Assessment Report on climate change . He has criticized the scientific consensus about climate change and what he has called `` climate alarmism . ''


Richard Tol

Richard S. J. Tol ( born 2 December 1969 , Hoorn , the Netherlands ) is a professor of economics at the University of Sussex . He is also professor of the economics of climate change at the Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam . He is a member of the Academia Europaea .


Rick Perry

James Richard Perry ( born March 4 , 1950 ) is an American politician who is the 14th and current United States Secretary of Energy , serving in the Trump Administration . Prior to his cabinet position , Perry served as the 47th Governor of Texas from December 2000 to January 2015 . A Republican , he was elected Lieutenant Governor of Texas in 1998 and assumed the governorship in December 2000 when then-governor George W. Bush resigned to become President of the United States . Perry was the longest-serving governor in Texas history .   Perry was elected three times to full gubernatorial terms and is the fourth Texas governor ( after Allan Shivers , Price Daniel and John Connally ) to serve three terms . With a tenure in office of 14 years , 30 days , Perry was , at the time he left office , the second longest-serving current U.S. governor ( after Terry Branstad of Iowa ) . Perry ran unsuccessfully for the Republican nomination for President of the United States in 2012 and 2016 . On December 14 , 2016 , Donald Trump announced his intention to nominate the longtime Texas governor as his Secretary of Energy . On March 2 , 2017 , he was confirmed by the United States Senate in a 62 -- 37 vote .


Rick Perry 2012 presidential campaign

The Rick Perry presidential campaign of 2012 began when Rick Perry, four-term Governor of Texas, announced via a spokesman on August 11, 2011, that he would be running for the 2012 Republican Party nomination for president of the United States.Perry was considered as a potential candidate since as early as the 2008 presidential election, initially denying he was interested in the office but later becoming more open-minded. He formally launched his campaign on August 13, 2011, in Charleston, South Carolina. While he was initially successful in fundraising and was largely considered a serious contender for the nomination, he struggled during the debates and his poll numbers began to decline. After finishing fifth with just over 10% of the vote in the Iowa caucuses on January 3, 2012, Perry considered dropping out of the presidential race but did not. After a poor showing in New Hampshire and with "lagging" poll numbers in South Carolina, Perry formally announced he was suspending his campaign on January 19, 2012.


Rigour

Rigour ( British English ) or rigor ( American English ; see spelling differences ) describes a condition of stiffness or strictness . Rigour frequently refers to a process of adhering absolutely to certain constraints , or the practice of maintaining strict consistency with certain predefined parameters . These constraints may be environmentally imposed , such as `` the rigours of famine '' ; logically imposed , such as mathematical proofs which must maintain consistent answers ; or socially imposed , such as the process of defining ethics and law .


Ringed seal

The ringed seal ( Pusa hispida or Phoca hispida ) , also known as the jar seal and as netsik or nattiq by the Inuit , is an earless seal ( family : Phocidae ) inhabiting the Arctic and sub-Arctic regions . The ringed seal is a relatively small seal , rarely greater than 1.5 m in length , with a distinctive patterning of dark spots surrounded by light grey rings , hence its common name . It is the most abundant and wide-ranging ice seal in the Northern Hemisphere : ranging throughout the Arctic Ocean , into the Bering Sea and Okhotsk Sea as far south as the northern coast of Japan in the Pacific , and throughout the North Atlantic coasts of Greenland and Scandinavia as far south as Newfoundland , and include two freshwater subspecies in northern Europe . Ringed seals are one of the primary prey of polar bears and have long been a component of the diet of indigenous people of the Arctic .


Rio Grande

The Rio Grande ( -LSB- ˈriːoʊ_ˈɡrænd -RSB- or -LSB- ˈriːoʊ_ˈɡrɑːndɛ -RSB- Río Bravo del Norte , -LSB- ˈri.o ˈβɾaβo ðel ˈnorte -RSB- or simply Río Bravo ) is one of the principal rivers in the southwest United States and northern Mexico ( the other being the Colorado River ) . The Rio Grande begins in south-central Colorado in the United States and flows to the Gulf of Mexico . Along the way , it forms part of the Mexico -- United States border . According to the International Boundary and Water Commission , its total length was 1896 mi in the late 1980s , though course shifts occasionally result in length changes . Depending on how it is measured , the Rio Grande is either the fourth - or fifth-longest river system in North America .   The river serves as part of the natural border between the U.S. state of Texas and the Mexican states of Chihuahua , Coahuila , Nuevo León , and Tamaulipas . A very short stretch of the river serves as part of the boundary between the U.S. states of Texas and New Mexico . Since the mid -- 20th century , heavy water consumption of farms and cities along with many large diversion dams on the river has left only 20 % of its natural discharge to flow to the Gulf . Near the river 's mouth , the heavily irrigated lower Rio Grande Valley is an important agricultural region . The Rio Grande is one of 19 Great Waters recognized by America 's Great Waters Coalition .   The Rio Grande 's watershed covers 182200 sqmi . Many endorheic basins are situated within , or adjacent to , the Rio Grande 's basin , and these are sometimes included in the river basin 's total area , increasing its size to about 336000 sqmi .


Rio de Janeiro

Rio de Janeiro ( -LSB- ˈriːoʊ_di_ʒəˈnɛəroʊ , _ - deɪ_ʒə - , _ - də_dʒə - -RSB- -LSB- ˈʁi.u d ( ʒi ) ʒɐˈnejɾu -RSB- ; River of January ) , or simply Rio , is the second-most populous municipality in Brazil and the sixth-most populous in the Americas . The metropolis is anchor to the Rio de Janeiro metropolitan area , the second-most populous metropolitan area in Brazil and sixth-most populous in the Americas . Rio de Janeiro is the capital of the state of Rio de Janeiro , Brazil 's third-most populous state . Part of the city has been designated as a World Heritage Site , named `` Rio de Janeiro : Carioca Landscapes between the Mountain and the Sea '' , by UNESCO on 1 July 2012 as a Cultural Landscape .   Founded in 1565 by the Portuguese , the city was initially the seat of the Captaincy of Rio de Janeiro , a domain of the Portuguese Empire . Later , in 1763 , it became the capital of the State of Brazil , a state of the Portuguese Empire . In 1808 , when the Portuguese Royal Court transferred itself from Portugal to Brazil , Rio de Janeiro became the chosen seat of the court of Queen Maria I of Portugal , who subsequently , in 1815 , under the leadership of her son , the Prince Regent , and future King João VI of Portugal , raised Brazil to the dignity of a kingdom , within the United Kingdom of Portugal , Brazil , and Algarves . Rio stayed the capital of the pluricontinental Lusitanian monarchy until 1822 , when the War of Brazilian Independence began . This is one of the few instances in history that the capital of a colonising country officially shifted to a city in one of its colonies . Rio de Janeiro subsequently served as the capital of the independent monarchy , the Empire of Brazil , until 1889 , and then the capital of a republican Brazil until 1960 when the capital was transferred to Brasília .   Rio de Janeiro has the second largest municipal GDP in the country , and 30th largest in the world in 2008 , estimated at about R$ 343 billion ( IBGE , 2008 ) ( nearly US$ 201 billion ) . It is headquarters to Brazilian oil , mining , and telecommunications companies , including two of the country 's major corporations -- Petrobras and Vale -- and Latin America 's largest telemedia conglomerate , Grupo Globo . The home of many universities and institutes , it is the second-largest center of research and development in Brazil , accounting for 17 % of national scientific output according to 2005 data .   Rio de Janeiro is one of the most visited cities in the Southern Hemisphere and is known for its natural settings , Carnival , samba , bossa nova , and balneario beaches such as Barra da Tijuca , Copacabana , Ipanema , and Leblon . In addition to the beaches , some of the most famous landmarks include the giant statue of Christ the Redeemer atop Corcovado mountain , named one of the New Seven Wonders of the World ; Sugarloaf Mountain with its cable car ; the Sambódromo ( Sambadrome ) , a permanent grandstand-lined parade avenue which is used during Carnival ; and Maracanã Stadium , one of the world 's largest football stadiums .   Rio de Janeiro was the host of the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2016 Summer Paralympics , making the city the first South American and Portuguese-speaking city to host the events , and the third time the Olympics were held in a Southern Hemisphere city . The Maracanã Stadium held the finals of the 1950 and 2014 FIFA World Cups , the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup , and the XV Pan American Games .   The city is divided into 33 administrative regions .


Rise of the Olympian

`` Rise of the Olympian '' is a Wonder Woman story arc written by Gail Simone with art by Aaron Lopresti .


Rise of the Ottoman Empire

The foundation and rise of the Ottoman Empire is a period of history that started with the emergence of the Ottoman principality in , and ended with the conquest of Constantinople on May 29 , 1453 . This period witnessed the foundation of a political entity ruled by the Ottoman Dynasty in the northwestern Anatolian region of Bithynia , and its transformation from a small principality on the Byzantine frontier into an empire spanning the Balkans and Anatolia . For this reason , this period in the empire 's history has been described as the Proto-Imperial Era . Throughout most of this period , the Ottomans were merely one of many competing states in the region , and relied upon the support of local warlords and vassals to maintain control over their realm . By the middle of the fifteenth century the Ottoman sultans were able to accumulate enough personal power and authority to establish a centralized imperial state , a process which was brought to fruition by Sultan Mehmed II ( r. 1451-1481 ) .   The cause of Ottoman success can not be attributed to any single factor , and they varied throughout the period as the Ottomans continually adapted to changing circumstances .   The earlier part of this period , the fourteenth century , is particularly difficult for historians to study due to the scarcity of sources . Not a single written document survives from the reign of Osman I , and very little survives from the rest of the century . The Ottomans , furthermore , did not begin to record their own history until the fifteenth century , more than a hundred years after many of the events they describe . It is thus a great challenge for historians to differentiate between fact and myth in analyzing the stories contained in these later chronicles , so much so that one historian has even declared it impossible , describing the earliest period of Ottoman history as a `` black hole . ''


Rise of the Planet of the Apes

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a 2011 American science fiction film directed by Rupert Wyatt and starring James Franco , Freida Pinto , John Lithgow , Brian Cox , Tom Felton , David Oyelowo , and Andy Serkis . Written by Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver , it is 20th Century Fox 's reboot of the Planet of the Apes series , intended to act as an origin story for a new series of films . Its premise is similar to the fourth film in the original series , Conquest of the Planet of the Apes ( 1972 ) , but it is not a direct remake of that film .   Rise of the Planet of the Apes was released on August 5 , 2011 , to critical and commercial success . The film was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects . It was also nominated for five Saturn Awards including Best Director for Wyatt and Best Writing for Jaffa and Silver , winning Best Science Fiction Film , Best Supporting Actor for Serkis and Best Special Effects . Serkis ' performance as Caesar was widely acclaimed , earning him many nominations from many associations which do not usually recognize performance capture as traditional acting . A sequel to the film , Dawn of the Planet of the Apes , was released on July 11 , 2014 , and a third film , War for the Planet of the Apes , is planned for a July 14 , 2017 release .


Risk

Risk is the potential of gaining or losing something of value . Values ( such as physical health , social status , emotional well-being , or financial wealth ) can be gained or lost when taking risk resulting from a given action or inaction , foreseen or unforeseen . Risk can also be defined as the intentional interaction with uncertainty . Uncertainty is a potential , unpredictable , and uncontrollable outcome ; risk is a consequence of action taken in spite of uncertainty .   Risk perception is the subjective judgment people make about the severity and probability of a risk , and may vary person to person . Any human endeavor carries some risk , but some are much riskier than others .