Fernanda Avelar Santos, Geologist:“The place where we found these samples (of plastic) is a permanently preserved area in Brazil, near the place green turtles lay their eggs. The island’s only human inhabitants are members of the Brazilian navy - which maintains a base on the island and protects the nesting turtles.But its remoteness did not stop human activity from interfering. STORY: This is the Brazilian island of Trindade.Its geology has fascinated scientists for years.But the latest discovery on this remote turtle refuge, has terrified them.These rocks are made from plastic debris.Melted plastic has become intertwined with rocks on the island - located more than 700 miles away from the mainland.And scientists say it's proof of mankind's growing influence over earth's geological cycles.Trindade Island is one of the world's most important conservation spots for green turtles - with thousands arriving each year to lay their eggs. You can get a unit as early as October if you choose to pre-order this round, but if you're unsure and want to know more, check out Engadget Spanish's Sphere write-up. And, since the device is open source, tech-savvy users can upgrade it as they please. Based on the device's original Kickstarter page, these are but some of the things the Sphere can do, as it comes equipped with ZigBee radio for more advanced home automation and a USB port where you can plug in Arduino-based projects, cameras, speakers and more sensors. The device can also serve as a hub for Philips Hue, Belkin WeMo, and Dropcam, among other high-tech systems for the home. It can even tell you if one of the things you've tagged has been moved and gives you the option to activate cameras in the room, if available. Since the Sphere can connect to Bluetooth Low Energy devices, it can locate pets and items tagged with those small BLE locators like Gecko. With the proper IFTT recipes in place, it also lets you switch on the heater or AC before you get home, or switch on the lights at a set time using a phone or even a smartwatch. Ninjablocks touts it as a veritable multi-tasker that sends alerts if you've left appliances running when you go out and let you turn them off using your phone. But, what can a Ninja Sphere do in the first place? Well, this gesture-controlled device can monitor temperature, lighting and even energy usage, but that's just one of the things it's capable of. Now, its creators (Ninjablocks) has started accepting its first pre-orders outside the crowdfunding website for $329 per unit. Back in January, a smart home device called Ninja Sphere made over $650,000 on Kickstarter.
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