Science

Many Smartwatch Wristbands Hold High Levels of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Study Finds

Many Smartwatch Wristbands Hold High Levels of PFAS ‘Forever Chemicals,’ Study Finds

Wearable tech devices like fitness trackers and smartwatches have become the constant companions of many who rely on them for alerts, transactions and health and location information day and night. What wearers of these devices may not know is that many of them contain elevated levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) “forever chemicals” that […]

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    A Marine Heatwave Killed 4 Million of Alaska’s Murre Seabirds

    A Marine Heatwave Killed 4 Million of Alaska’s Murre Seabirds

    Beginning in late fall 2014 and lasting into 2016, an anomalous, massive marine heatwave nicknamed “the Blob” developed off the western coast of the U.S., covering all of Alaska’s coastwater and extending as far south as Southern California, raising ocean temperatures by several degrees Celsius. The Blob had an extreme effect on Alaska in particular. […]

    Higher PFAS Levels in Blood Linked to Neighborhood Factors

    Higher PFAS Levels in Blood Linked to Neighborhood Factors

    In a new study, researchers at University of Southern California (USC) have associated certain neighborhood factors — such as food access or proximity to Superfund sites — with higher levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in human blood. The researchers examined the levels of certain types of PFAS, including PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, PFPeS and […]

    For the First Time, Scientists Observe One of Earth’s Largest Glacial Floods in Greenland

    For the First Time, Scientists Observe One of Earth’s Largest Glacial Floods in Greenland

    Scientists have, for the first time, observed the unleashing of an enormous glacial lake flooding event in East Greenland. The rare outburst involved 3,000-plus billion liters of meltwater bursting forth in a matter of weeks. Witnessed by researchers from the University of Copenhagen, the natural phenomenon provides insight into the powerful and potentially dangerous forces […]