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☆ Toxic ‘forever’ chemicals found in excessive levels in global groundwater, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-08 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Potentially toxic chemicals called PFAS (perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are found in surface and groundwaters around the world at levels much higher than many international regulators allow, a new study found. Groundwater can be contaminated by PFAS from food and consumer products added to landfills as well as from manufacturing facilities. Public concern led to a commitment by manufacturers in 2008 to phase out use of PFOA and PFOS, two of the most widely used chemicals. Generally PFAS concentrations are higher in urban areas or areas that used PFAS products extensively, O’Connell said, but it is also leached into the environment in ways that may not be obvious. “Another example is that PFAS used to be used in ski wax, so pristine environments, where people ski, have PFAS in their waters and soils,” he said.

Persons: Mario Tama, ”, David Andrews, Andrews, ” Andrews, “, Denis O’Connell, O’Connell, ” O’Connell Organizations: CNN, US Environmental Protection Agency, Health Canada, EPA, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine . Studies, Environmental, Agency, Toxic Substances, Disease, Nature, University of New, Geological Survey, NSF, National Sanitation Foundation Locations: Mount Everest, Medicine, University of New South Wales, Sydney

☆ The upcoming solar eclipse will cause shallow, cumulus clouds to disappear. Researchers explain why
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-30 | by ( Ayurella Horn-Muller | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

That’s at least what scientists expect to take place in swaths of Mexico, Canada and the United States during April 8’s total solar eclipse. They discovered that cumulus clouds dissipate during eclipses because of the relationship between solar radiation and the formation processes of the clouds. Shallow cumulus clouds, in particular, serve a critical function. But what exactly shallow cumulus clouds’ role is when it comes to the rapidly warming climate remains a long-standing subject of uncertainty in the scientific community. De Roode hopes those across North America gearing up for the next solar eclipse remember to keep an eye out for any vanishing low-lying cumulus clouds.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Victor Trees, Jake Gristey, Gristey, “, Kevin Knupp, Knupp, Stephan de Roode, de Roode, ” de Roode, ’ Gristey, De Roode, Ayurella, Muller Organizations: CNN, Environment, geoscience, Delft University of Technology, cumulus, Cooperative Institute for Research, Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, University of Alabama, Climate Locations: Mexico, Canada, United States, Netherlands, Africa, Huntsville, North America, Axios

☆ Scientists drilled an ice core from Antarctica and were alarmed by what they found
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

CNN —Evidence from a 2,000-foot-long ice core reveals that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet shrank suddenly and dramatically around 8,000 years ago, according to new research — providing an alarming insight into how quickly Antarctic ice could melt and send sea levels soaring. Map showing the location of the Skytrain Ice Rise, part of the Ronne Ice Shelf, from where the ice core was taken. The ice core analyzed in the study was drilled from Skytrain Ice Rise located at the edge of the ice sheet, near the point where the ice starts to float and become part of the Ronne Ice Shelf. Inside the drilling tent at Skytrain Ice Rise, scientists preparing the drill for its next drop into the borehole. University of Cambridge/British Antarctic SurveyInsulated boxes full of ice cores being loaded into the Twin Otter aircraft, Skytrain Ice Rise, Antarctica.

Persons: Eric Wolff, “ We’ve, we’ve, Wolff, Ted Scambos, “, that’s, ” Wolff, Isobel Rowell, ”, David Thornalley, Thwaites, Scambos Organizations: CNN, West, Empire, Nature, University of Cambridge, University of Colorado, Ronne Ice Shelf, University of Cambridge / British Antarctic Survey, Ronne, Shelf, Twin, British Antarctic Survey, University College London Locations: Antarctica, University of Colorado Boulder, West Antarctica

☆ AI is setting humanity on the path to a new age of discovery
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Hasan Chowdhury | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. AI is paving the way to the future tooBill Gates-backed company KoBold Metals has used AI to discover a huge new copper mine. Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesAs well as seeing AI be used to excavate the past, it seems to be getting used to forge a path to the future too. Clearly then, billions of dollars aren't just being spent on AI for the sake of achieving some productivity and efficiency hacks. AI could also help usher humans into a new age of discovery.

Persons: —, Nat Friedman, Bill Gates, Chip Somodevilla, Jeff Bezos, Josh Goldman reckons Organizations: Service, Business, KoBold Metals, KoBold, Democratic Locations: Rome, Egypt, Switzerland, Zambia, Democratic Republic of Congo

☆ Scientists discovered a surprising cooling trend on glaciers in Mount Everest 10 years ago. Now they think they know what's causing it.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-06 | by ( Saugat Bolakhe | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

It's been collecting hourly data on measurements like the mountain's air temperature, total precipitation, humidity, and wind speed since the early '90s. On warm days, as sunlight heats the glaciers, the air just above the glacier's surface warms and rises. This creates a vacuum causing the cold air around the snowy peaks to rush down due to gravity. Then at night, the ice releases some of that stored heat energy, preventing the air temperature from dropping too low. The terrain has also gotten more technical as melting glaciers open up huge crevasses.

Persons: Everest, It's, Yifei Fang, Franco Salerno, Gordon Janow, Mount Rainier, We're, it's Organizations: Service, Nature, Business, Researchers, National Research Council, Institute of Polar Sciences Locations: Mt, Milan, Janow, Mount

☆ Lunar Anthropocene: Humans may have kicked off a new geological period on the moon
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Ashley Strickland | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Touching down on the lunar surface is incredibly difficult, as evidenced by numerous crashes that have made their mark and created new craters. Ultimately, 12 NASA astronauts walked on the lunar surface between 1969 and 1972. Declaring a Lunar Anthropocene could make it clear that the moon is changing in ways it wouldn’t naturally due to human exploration, the researchers said. But a propulsion issue noticed hours after liftoff means that Peregrine won’t be able to attempt a moon landing, and currently, its fate is uncertain. NASA/JSCThe Apollo 11 lunar landing marked the first time humans set foot on another world.

Persons: —, ”, Justin Holcomb, ” Holcomb, bootprints, NASA’s, Micrometeorites, Eugene A, Cernan, It's, ‘, landers, Russia’s Luna, Astrobotic, Peregrine won’t, “, we’re Organizations: CNN, NASA, Geoscience, Kansas Geological Survey, University of Kansas, ”, Humanity, ASU, Apollo, JSC, Navajo Locations: Soviet, Mare Imbrium, Kansas, Canada, ’, Africa

SAN FRANCISCO, Nov 12 (Reuters) - A lively crowd gathered on a sunny Sunday in San Francisco to protest a meeting of cross-Pacific political leaders and a wide spectrum of other issues, prominently including those calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. The home of 1960s counterculture, San Francisco has retained an anti-authoritarian sensibility even as tech companies and employees have made the city a global influencer. The action could become confrontational on Wednesday, with protesters calling to block attendees from entering the San Francisco conference center. San Francisco is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic slower than many cities, with some major retailers abandoning Market Street. San Francisco tourism is much reduced from pre-pandemic levels, according to data from hotel analytics firm STR published in June.

Persons: Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Roberto Ruiz, Sarah R, Marty Brewer, Ann Saphir, Matt McKnight, Peter Henderson, Grant McCool Organizations: FRANCISCO, Pacific, Protesters, Economic Cooperation, Police, APEC, San, Market, Geoscience, Thomson Locations: San Francisco, Israel, Francisco's, Asia, Francisco, Gaza

☆ APEC San Francisco Protesters Span Gamut of Political Issues
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-12 | by ( Nov. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Ann Saphir and Matt McKnightSAN FRANCISCO (Reuters) - A lively crowd gathered on a sunny Sunday in San Francisco to protest a meeting of cross-Pacific political leaders and a wide spectrum of other issues, prominently including those calling for a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war. The home of 1960s counterculture, San Francisco has retained an anti-authoritarian sensibility even as tech companies and employees have made the city a global influencer. The action could become confrontational on Wednesday, with protesters calling to block attendees from entering the San Francisco conference center. San Francisco is recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic slower than many cities, with some major retailers abandoning Market Street. San Francisco tourism is much reduced from pre-pandemic levels, according to data from hotel analytics firm STR published in June.

Persons: Ann Saphir, Matt McKnight, Joe Biden, Xi Jinping, Biden, Roberto Ruiz, Sarah R, Marty Brewer, Peter Henderson, Grant McCool Organizations: FRANCISCO, Reuters, Pacific, Protesters, Economic Cooperation, Police, APEC, San, Market, Geoscience Locations: San Francisco, Israel, Francisco's, Asia, Francisco, Gaza

☆ Asteroid that doomed the dinosaurs halted key process for life on Earth, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

This dust blocked the sun to an extent that plants were unable to photosynthesize, a biological process critical for life, for almost two years afterward. Pim KaskesAn unexpected killing mechanismTo reach their findings, scientists developed a new computer model to simulate the global climate after the asteroid strike. Fossilized fish found at the site have revealed that the asteroid struck off Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula in springtime. The team determined that this fine dust could have remained in the atmosphere for up to 15 years after the asteroid strike. The researchers suggested the global climate may have cooled by as much as 15 degrees Celsius.

Persons: ”, Cem Berk Senel, Pim Kaskes, ” Senel, Alfio Alessandro Chiarenza, Chiarenza Organizations: CNN, Royal Observatory of, …, University of Vigo Locations: Mexico, Royal Observatory of Belgium, “, North Dakota, Spain

☆ Dinosaur-killing asteroid impact fouled Earth's atmosphere with dust
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The total amount of dust, they calculated, was about 2,000 gigatonnes - exceeding 11 times the weight of Mt. While prior research highlighted two other factors - sulfur released after the impact and soot from the wildfires - this study indicated dust played a larger role than previously known. "It was cold and dark for years," Vrije Universiteit Brussel planetary scientist and study co-author Philippe Claeys said. "While the sulfur stayed about eight to nine years, soot and silicate dust resided in the atmosphere for about 15 years after the impact. "Without the impact, my guess is that mammals - including us - had little chance to become the dominant organisms on this planet."

Persons: grâce, Cem Berk Senel, Philippe Claeys, Özgür Karatekin, Karatekin, Claeys, Will Dunham, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Royal Observatory of, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Nature, Dinos, Thomson Locations: North Dakota, WASHINGTON, Yucatan, Everest, Dakota, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Vrije, Belgium

☆ New ‘supercontinent’ could wipe out humans and make Earth uninhabitable, study suggests
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-26 | by ( Amy Woodyatt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The formation of a new “supercontinent” could wipe out humans and all other mammals still alive in 250 million years, researchers have predicted. They found it would be extremely hot, dry and virtually uninhabitable for humans and mammals, who are not evolved to cope with prolonged exposure to excessive heat. Humans – along with many other species – would expire due to their inability to shed this heat through sweat, cooling their bodies,” Farnsworth added. This grim outlook is no excuse for complacency when it comes to tackling today’s climate crisis, the report authors warned. “While we are predicting an uninhabitable planet in 250 million years, today we are already experiencing extreme heat that is detrimental to human health.

Persons: ” Alexander Farnsworth, ” Farnsworth, Farnsworth, ” Benjamin Mills, Eunice Lo, ” Lo Organizations: CNN, University of Bristol, Nature, University of Leeds Locations: United Kingdom, UN

☆ Mammals’ Time on Earth Is Half Over, Scientists Predict
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-25 | by ( Carl Zimmer | More About Carl Zimmer | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

It’s been about 250 million years since reptile-like animals evolved into mammals. Now a team of scientists is predicting that mammals may have only another 250 million years left. The researchers built a virtual simulation of our future world, similar to the models that have projected human-caused global warming over the next century. Using data on the movement of the continents across the planet, as well as fluctuations in the chemical makeup of atmosphere, the new study projected much further into the future. Alexander Farnsworth, a paleoclimate scientist at the University of Bristol who led the team, said that the planet might become too hot for any mammals — ourselves included — to survive on land.

Persons: It’s, Alexander Farnsworth, —, Dr, Farnsworth Organizations: University of Bristol, Nature

☆ There Might Be Less Plastic in the Sea Than We Thought. But Read On.
▼ + stars: | 2023-08-07 | by ( Delger Erdenesanaa | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

The LatestThere’s less plastic pollution flowing into the ocean from land than scientists previously thought, according to a study published Monday in the journal Nature Geoscience. The researchers estimated that about 500,000 metric tons of plastic end up in the ocean each year, with about half from land. The other half comes from the fishing industry in the form of nets, ropes, buoys and other equipment. An earlier, widely publicized study in 2015 estimated that about 8 million metric tons of plastic were entering the ocean each year from rivers alone. Within 20 years, the amount of plastic on the sea surface could double, the authors found.

Organizations: Nature Geoscience

☆ Rapidly retreating Arctic glaciers are triggering the release of ancient methane. Here's why scientists are worried.
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-07 | by ( Marianne Guenot | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The springs were exposed by retreating glaciers in Svalbard, a Norwegian archipelago in the Arctic Ocean. Scientists think the methane in the Svalbard springs comes from somewhere else. The researchers estimate springs across the archipelago alone could represent about 2,000 tonnes of methane emissions a year. Scientists have found springs full of methane bubbling near retreating glaciers in Svalbard. Kleber suspects these methane emissions are only one of several "invisible feedback loops that we're just not aware of."

Persons: —, hasn't, Gabrielle Kleber, Kleber, Andy Hodson, ", Rick Spinrad Organizations: Service, University of Cambridge, Nature Geoscience, International Energy Agency, NOAA Locations: Svalbard, Norwegian, Alaska, Norway

What lies at the bottom of the oceanWhile what’s considered the deep ocean extends from 3,280 feet to 19,685 feet (1,000 meters to 6,000 meters) beneath the surface, deep-sea trenches can plunge to 36,000 feet (11,000 meters), according to the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts. Alessandro Mancini/Alamy Stock PhotoWhy mapping the ocean is so challengingFrom a strictly scientific perspective, touristic trips to the ocean floor do little to advance our understanding of the ocean’s mysteries. “We want to go to the highest, the lowest, the longest.”But only a “very small percentage of the deep ocean, and even the middle ocean, has been seen by human eyes — an infinitesimal amount. “However, 150 years of modern oceanography have led to better understanding of many aspects of the ocean such as the life it contains, its chemistry and its role in the Earth system.”Mapping the ocean “helps us to understand how the shape of the seafloor affects ocean currents, and where marine life occurs,” Rogers added. Researchers say the ocean and the life it contains could provide answers to some of medicine’s biggest challenges, such as antibiotic drug resistance.

Persons: ”, Gene Feldman, Jamie Pringle, Pringle, Cornelis Drebbel, Auguste Piccard, Feldman, ” Feldman, Jacques Piccard, Don Walsh, what’s, “, Robert Ballard, Alvin, Ballard, Alessandro Mancini, Alamy, Alex Rogers, ” Rogers Organizations: CNN, National Oceanic, Atmospheric Administration, Oceanographic, NASA, OceanGate Expeditions, England’s Keele University, bathyscaphe, Keystone, Hulton, NOAA, Bluegreen, Sea Ventures, of Ocean Exploration, Research, University of Oxford Locations: Cape Cod , Massachusetts, Washington, Dutch, Trieste, bathyscaphe Trieste, Italy, Massachusetts, Japan, United Kingdom

☆ Rare North American dinosaur named for two-faced Roman god
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-07 | by ( Mindy Weisberger | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Investigating a new speciesThe newfound species, named Iani (YAH-nee) smithi, is the first early ornithopod from this part of the Cretaceous to be discovered in North America. Terry Gates and Lindsay Zanno excavated the bones of Iani smithi from the Cedar Mountain Formation in Utah in 2014. The braincase of Iani smithi was recovered during excavations. Drawers of Iani smithi bones can be seen in the collections at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. “Perhaps ornithopod species evolved a certain way or adopted certain behaviors to succeed,” she said.

Persons: —, ornithopods, Ornithopods, Darla Zelenitsky, Terry Gates, Lindsay Zanno, Matt Zeher, ” Zelenitsky, Janus, Zanno, ” Zanno, smithi, Mark Thiessen, Becky Hale, Zelenitsky, ” Organizations: CNN, geoscience, University of Calgary, North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences, North Carolina State University, Geographic Locations: Utah, North America, Canada, Raleigh, Europe, Australia

☆ Melbourne rocked by largest earthquake in over 120 years
▼ + stars: | 2023-05-29 | by ( Tara Subramaniam | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +2 min

CNN —Melbourne was shaken Sunday by a rare and shallow earthquake – the largest earthquake to hit the Australian city in over a century – swaying buildings but ultimately causing very little damage. Adam Pascale, chief scientist at the Victoria-based Seismology Research Centre, said the earthquake was the largest within 40 kilometers of Melbourne since a magnitude 4.5 quake hit in 1902. “Felt like a plane crashed next to my house or something,” one resident said, according to CNN affiliate 7News. Earthquakes are not as common in Australia though the continent does experience seismic activity due to tectonic plate movement. In 2021, Victoria experienced a magnitude 5.9 earthquake that caused some minor structural damage in Melbourne despite hitting nearly 200 kilometers away.

☆ The moon could have up to 297 billion tons of water stored in tiny glass beads on its surface, scientists say
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-28 | by ( Matthew Loh | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Researchers say glass beads found on the moon's surface could contain billions of tons of water. The scientists say the water was created from solar winds, which blow hydrogen — one of the two elements in water — onto the lunar surface. The glass beads themselves form when small meteorites hit the surface of the moon and melt with material on the surface, per the study. Hu said the water extracted from the glass beads shows promise that it could be used in future lunar missions. NASA also plans to once again send astronauts to the Moon in 2025, 50 years after man last set foot on the lunar surface.

☆ More Water Found on Moon, Locked in Tiny Glass Beads
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Eric Niiler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The moon’s surface contains a new source of water found embedded in microscopic glass beads, which might one day help future astronauts produce drinking water, breathable air and even rocket fuel, scientists say. The findings come from a Chinese rover that spent two weeks on the moon in 2020. The Chang’e 5 rover drilled several feet into the lunar surface and returned 3.7 pounds of material, among which were the glass beads from an impact crater, according to a paper published Monday in the journal Nature Geoscience.

☆ Intriguing moon water source found in glass beads from impacts
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

The researchers see promise in obtaining water from the glass beads, perhaps through a heating process to release vapor that would then turn into liquid through condensation. "We can simply heat these glass beads to free the water stored in them," said planetary scientist and study co-author Hejiu Hui of Nanjing University in China. The glass beads were found to hold a water content of up to about 2,000 parts per million by weight. Hu said he believes that such impact glass beads are a common part of lunar soils, found globally and spread evenly. The interaction of the solar wind with lunar surface materials could sustain a water cycle on the moon, with the glass beads absorbing the water and acting as a repository for it, the researchers said.

☆ The mysterious iron ball at the center of the Earth may have stopped spinning and reversed direction
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Chris Panella | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: 1 min

The Earth's inner core may have recently stopped rotating and reversed direction, a new study found. Published in "Nature Geoscience" this week, the peer-reviewed research suggests that the solid inner core of the Earth could experience changes in its rotation every several decades. The inner core, which is mostly composed of pure, solid iron, is long thought to have rotated, differing from the liquid outer core and the other layers of the Earth. The study may help shed further light on the mysterious nature of the inner core and how it interacts with Earth's other layers. Please check back for updates.

☆ Earth’s Inner Core May Be Reversing Its Rotation, Study Finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Eric Niiler | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A team of researchers from China believe the Earth’s inner core has reversed its rotation after they analyzed earthquake-driven seismic waves as they pass through the Earth. In a study published Monday in the journal Nature Geoscience, researchers said the reversal of the inner core rotation would shorten the length of the day by a fraction of a millisecond over the course of a year, and might have a small effect on Earth’s magnetic field, but wouldn’t affect life on the surface. The Earth’s inner core is made of iron and nickel and is separated from the rest of the solid Earth by the liquid outer core, enabling it to rotate differently than the rest of the planet.

☆ Tackling the threat of mudslides in soaked California
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-16 | by ( The Associated Press | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +7 min

Matt Udkow / Santa Barbara County Fire Department via AP fileWhy is California prone to mudslides? Since New Year’s Eve, the California Department of Conservation’s landslide mapping team has documented more than 300 landslides. Lancaster said California has dramatically increased its efforts to identify hotspots since the Montecito mudslides. After the 2018 mudslides hit Montecito, the Los Angeles Times reported that debris basins above the community were undersized and hadn’t been sufficiently emptied. The organization hired an engineering company to map the canyons and installed debris nets.

☆ I moved to the US to pursue a career in academia before realizing it's a broken system. Here's how I pivoted to climate tech and found a job that made me happier than ever.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-29 | by ( Aaron Mok | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

He was on track to become an academic but pivoted to climate tech for a better work-life balance. But now I work in climate tech, and I've never been happier. Building an online presence helps candidates stand out in a competitive job marketBuilding my online presence really set me apart from the typical candidate. I also launched a newsletter called Geospatial Jobs to compile open positions in climate tech for thousands of subscribers. Take advantage of the high demand for climate-tech jobs todayNow is the best time to break into climate tech.

☆ I'm a scientist and a model. My days include tagging alligators, hunting pythons, and posing at luxury events in heels and full makeup.
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-04 | by ( Kelsey Vlamis | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

When people who know her as a model discover she's a scientist, they respect her more, she said. We always had four wheelers and creeks and stuff like that, so I think that's definitely why I'm outdoorsy. I also do other things on the side, including python hunting, shark diving, and tagging of various species like alligators. Now I have contracts with some clothing and drink companies, and I'm also signed with an agency that does luxury event modeling. As a model, when you're talking to somebody and they find out you're a scientist it's almost like the respect for you changes.

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