The brown pelican is seen on Queen Bess Island in Louisiana in March 2021. Casey Wright / LDWF biologist
Who says you can't go home again?
<p>A brown pelican rescued from the BP Deepwater Horizon <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/oil-spill" target="_self">oil spill</a> in 2010 and relocated to Georgia has made the 700-mile trek back to Louisiana 11 years later.</p><p>"It's truly impressive that it made its way back from Georgia,'' Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Biologist Casey Wright said in a <a href="https://www.wlf.louisiana.gov/news/oilcovered-brown-pelican-transported-to-georgia-after-2010-deepwater-horizon-disaster-finds-its-way-back-to-louisiana" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p>
<p>The pelican was found covered in oil on June 14, 2010, on a rock jetty off of Bataria Bay, located on Louisiana's Queen Bess Island, <a href="https://www.wbrz.com/news/rescued-brown-pelican-found-during-2010-deepwater-horizon-disaster-flies-hundreds-of-miles-to-return-home/" target="_blank">WBRZ reported</a>. The <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/birds" target="_self">bird</a>, tagged "Red 33Z" by its rescuers, was first taken to a triage facility, then a rehabilitation facility in Louisiana. However, it couldn't be released near its home due to oil contamination. Instead, the pelican was flown to the U.S. Coast Guard station in Brunswick, Georgia, and released there on July 1, 2010.</p><p>It isn't known exactly when Red 33Z made it back home, but Wright spotted and photographed the bird on a Bataria Bay rock jetty in March. This isn't unheard of behavior for pelicans.</p><p>"Brown pelicans, like most seabirds, are thought to be hard-wired, genetically, to return to their birth colony to breed, despite moving long distances during the non-breeding season," LDWF Non-Game Ornithologist Robert Dobbs said in the press release. "That may be an overly simplistic generalization, but re-sighting data of banded pelicans often support that pattern.''</p><p>Other birds released in Georgia, Texas and Florida after the spill have also been spotted back in Louisiana.</p>
<p><br> It is thanks to careful restoration work that Red 33Z could return home. Queen Bess Island is an important nesting colony for sea birds and 15 to 20 percent of the state's brown pelicans are hatched there. But heavy damage from the spill left only five habitable acres. However, a restoration project raised that number to 36 acres by February 2020.</p><p>"Queen Bess is one of Louisiana's best redemptive wildlife stories," LDWF Secretary Jack Montoucet said in a <a href="https://www.gulfspillrestoration.noaa.gov/2020/02/queen-bess-island-restored-time-nesting-season" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">statement</a> announcing the completed restoration. "It was on this very island in 1968 that we began the process of bringing back the Brown Pelican after <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ingredients-used-pesticide-products/ddt-brief-history-and-status" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">pesticides</a> nearly wiped the species from the Louisiana landscape. Now we celebrate the birth of a healthy home for Brown Pelicans and many other bird species because of the marriage of science, wise planning, and the determination of state and federal governments to do the right thing."</p>However, not all birds had such a happy ending after the 2010 oil spill. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service estimated that 65,000 to <a href="https://www.fws.gov/southeast/news/2016/06/deepwater-horizon-oil-spill-killed-as-many-as-102000-birds-across-93-species/#:~:text=Deepwater%20Horizon%20oil%20spill%20killed,species%20%7C%20U.S.%20Fish%20%26%20Wildlife%20Service" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">102,000 birds</a> died in the disaster, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/wildlife-georgia-oil-spills-birds-louisiana-d3f21c8982e9295cd9ec2ee21d1042d1" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Associated Press reported</a>. Still, bird populations in the area have recovered their pre-spill numbers.
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A helicopter drops water on burning vegetation as the Bond Fire burns in Silverado, California on Dec. 3, 2020. Mark Rightmire / MediaNews Group / Orange County Register via Getty Images
2020 was the largest wildfire season in California's modern history, according to state agency Cal Fire. And, as the climate crisis continues to increase fire risk, there are concerns that 2021 could be just as devastating.
<p>To adapt to this new normal, California leaders Thursday announced a more-than half a billion dollar plan to prevent and prepare for wildfires.</p><p>"The hots are getting hotter. The dries are getting drier. There's a new reality," California Gov. Gavin Newsom said as he announced the plan, as <a href="https://www.mercurynews.com/2021/04/08/newsom-unveils-536-million-plan-for-california-wildfires/" target="_blank">The Mercury News reported.</a> "If you don't believe in climate change, if you don't believe in science, you believe your own damn eyes. Something is happening as it relates to the issue of climate that's exacerbating conditions and making the challenge of wildfire suppression and prevention that much more ominous."</p>
<div id="a209e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="70b2cc5fa1f538b8cd89ec845ca6a108"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1380282300110303234" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">CA isn't waiting until peak wildfire season to protect our communities.
We proposed more than $1B for wildfire res… https://t.co/OBCLeb4DKN</div> — Office of the Governor of California (@Office of the Governor of California)<a href="https://twitter.com/CAgovernor/statuses/1380282300110303234">1617919919.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>The $536 million Wildfire Prevention and Resiliency package earmarks $350 million for forest management, including vegetation thinning, as well as $25 million to help homeowners pay for prevention measures on their properties, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/apr/08/california-wildfire-plan-gavin-newsom" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Guardian reported</a>. Newsom also touted the importance of adapting controlled burning techniques that were practiced for centuries by the state's first inhabitants. These smaller, necessary fires were suppressed by European settlers, contributing to the buildup of dried vegetation that has fueled historic blazes in recent years.<br></p><p>The new measure is an arrangement with California state lawmakers and has been introduced in both the House and Senate, according to The Mercury News. It is expected to pass Monday and be signed by Newsom next Tuesday. It builds on Newsom's pledge last week to hire around 1,400 new firefighters.</p>
<p>"For every dollar we spend on wildfire prevention, our state saves $6 to $7 in damage. But it's not just about saving money – this is about saving Californians' lives, their homes, and their livelihoods," Senate President Pro Tempore Toni G. Atkins (D-San Diego) said in a <a href="https://sd39.senate.ca.gov/news/20210408-senate-applauds-agreement-wildfire-prevention-and-resiliency" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">statement</a>. "We've already had a wildfire break out in the San Gabriel mountains this month, and we're heading into a summer of hot, dry weather with another <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drought" target="_self">drought</a> upon us."</p>
<div id="bae17" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="e114632d229f8fd90ddcdd1aee36aaf4"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1380227283995271173" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">The $536M Wildfire Prevention and Resiliency package is an investment that is needed now more than ever.
Every $… https://t.co/Nk6VXAJprC</div> — Senator Toni Atkins (@Senator Toni Atkins)<a href="https://twitter.com/SenToniAtkins/statuses/1380227283995271173">1617906802.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>Indeed, San Francisco is in the midst of its second driest two-year stretch in recorded history, according to The Mercury News. The state's rainy season this winter was the third driest on record and the snowpack of the Sierra Nevada mountains was just 59 percent of its historic average as of April 1.</p><p>This leads experts to predict another devastating fire season. California Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot warned reporters thursday that summer of 2021 promised "more of the same," as <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/california-pour-536-million-fire-prevention-amid-drought-concerns-n1263536" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NBC News reported</a>.</p><p>"The science is clear: Warming winter temperatures and warming summer temperatures are creating more dangerous and challenging wildfire conditions," he said. "Clearly much more needs to be done on a proactive, upfront basis to reduce the risk of catastrophic wildfire."</p>
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boonchai wedmakawand / Moment / Getty Images
Delta-8 THC is a cannabis product that has become a bestseller over the past few months, as many consumers find they can legally purchase it from CBD retailers. Its proponents say that Delta-8 THC will give you a nice little buzz, minus some of the more intense feelings (including paranoia) that are sometimes associated with marijuana.
Delta-8 THC is being marketed as a legal option for consumers who either don't live in a state with legal cannabis, or are a little apprehensive about how traditional psychoactive THC products will affect them. But is it all it's cracked up to be? Let's take a closer look, exploring what Delta-8 THC is, how it differs from other THC products, and whether it's actually legal for use.
<h2>What is Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>To better understand <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/health/marijuana-hemp-delta-8-thc.html" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a>, it helps to cover some basics about THC and cannabis.</p><p>Cannabis plants come chock full of different <a href="https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/cannabis-marijuana-and-cannabinoids-what-you-need-to-know" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"><em>cannabinoids</em></a>. These are naturally-occuring chemical compounds that bind with receptors throughout your body. They can offer a wide range of mental, emotional, and physical effects; indeed, the healing and therapeutic properties marijuana or <a data-linked-post="2648563694" href="https://www.ecowatch.com/strongest-cbd-oil-2648563694.html" target="_blank">CBD products</a> offer can be attributed to cannabinoids.</p><p>One of the most common cannabinoids is what's known as Delta-9 THC. Simply put, this is the part of marijuana that gets you "high." It's worth noting that Delta-9 THC remains illegal in many states, except for in the most minute doses, and is still illegal at the federal level. CBD products are made with trace amounts of THC, ensuring that consumers can enjoy positive health effects in a perfectly legal way, without the risk of getting high.</p><p>On a chemical level, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/27/health/marijuana-hemp-delta-8-thc.html" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a> is not too different from Delta-9 THC; the distinction comes down to just a few molecules. But those molecules make a big practical impact: Delta-8 THC will give you a buzz, but the psychoactive effects are considerably milder than with Delta-9 THC.</p><p>More specifically, many cannabis enthusiasts report that Delta-8 THC helps them feel good but also leaves them relatively clear-headed; and, it doesn't produce the anxiety or jitteriness that often characterize a Delta-9 THC high.</p><p>Additionally, because of the way the law is written regarding Delta-9 THC, some CBD companies now sell Delta-8 THC products in places where traditional cannabis is still illegal.</p><h2>What's the Difference Between Delta-9 THC and Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>Here are the primary differences to note between Delta-9 and Delta-8 THC:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-9 THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient found in marijuana. In other words, it's the part that gets you high.</li><li>Though some states have found workarounds, Delta-9 THC is still illegal under federal law.</li><li>Delta-8 THC is also found in the cannabis plant, though it's not quite as powerful or as well-known. </li><li>Delta-8 THC is milder in its psychoactive effects. And, it's not <em>technically </em>illegal under current law.</li></ul><p>These are just a few of the key distinctions to keep in mind. Delta-8 THC is popular among consumers who want a smoother high, and don't want to violate federal law.</p><h2>Is Delta-8 THC Legal?</h2><p>We noted that Delta-8 THC is not <em>technically </em>illegal. Here, we need to get into some of the nuanced legal considerations that surround this substance.</p><p>First of all, there are plenty of cannabis companies that actively promote Delta-8 THC as a legal way to get high. Again, that's technically true, but is still a point of debate for some.</p><p>For one thing, it's not explicitly listed as an illegal substance. While federal laws, and some state laws, specifically ban Delta-9 THC, Delta-8 THC is never mentioned. More to the point, though, many proponents will cite the<a href="https://www.usda.gov/farmbill" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> 2018 Farm Bill</a>. This law legalized several industrial hemp products on a national level, including CBD.</p><p>The Farm Bill also includes some fairly nuanced positions regarding THC. In summary, the law says that hemp and cannabis-derived products are legal so long as they contain less than 0.3 percent Delta-9 THC.</p><p>With that said, some lawyers contend that Delta-8's heyday may soon come to an end. That's because the Farm Bill clears it only so long as it's derived directly from hemp; most of the Delta-8 THC products sold today aren't made from hemp, but rather from synthetically-altered CBD.</p><p>Some of these issues are a little fuzzy, and <a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/culture/culture-features/delta-8-thc-legal-weed-explained-1113859/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">the legal future of Delta-8 THC</a> remains a little uncertain. For now, though, many experts would argue that it is legal to purchase.</p><h2>What Kinds of Delta-8 THC Products Are Available?</h2><p><em>Each product featured here has been independently selected by the writer. If you make a purchase using the links included, we may earn commission.</em></p><p>If you're looking to try Delta-8 THC products, you'll certainly find plenty of different products. Dispensaries and legal cannabis stores currently have a trove of products that use this cannabinoid. Some examples include:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Vape cartridges, tinctures, and capsules.</li><li>Beverages made with Delta-8 THC, including some seltzers.</li><li>Edibles, including Delta-8 THC gummy bears, chocolate bars, and more.</li></ul><p>The cannabis industry has really been running with Delta-8 THC, finding creative ways to bring it to market. And chances are, even more products will be springing up in the weeks and months to come. </p><p>It's very important to note that you should only purchase Delta-8 THC products from reputable brands and established cannabis retailers. We do not recommend purchasing any products that contain Delta-8 THC from gas stations or vape shops. If you are looking for a reputable place to explore these products, here are a few brands that we trust and recommend:</p>
<h2>What are the Pros and Cons of Delta-8 THC?</h2><p>As you consider whether Delta-8 THC is worth your time, it may be helpful to weigh the pros against the cons.</p><p><strong>Pros</strong></p><p>Let's start with some of the positives:</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-8 THC does have psychoactive effects, but it's a milder effect than with traditional Delta-9 THC.</li><li>Delta-8 THC is currently legal and widely accessible in multiple states.</li><li>There are a wide number of products that use Delta-8 THC.</li></ul><p><strong>Cons</strong></p><p>Now, a few of the downsides.</p><ul class="ee-ul"><li>Delta-8 THC isn't quite as commonplace as other cannabis products, including CBD, and some of the options on the market are expensive.</li><li>While this substance is technically legal, there are plenty of uncertainties over its legal future. It's something you want to keep in mind.</li><li>As a relatively new product, Delta-8 THC products are not regulated by the FDA and there is not independent testing in place to verify that it is safe or pure.</li></ul><p>As with any cannabis product, Delta-8 THC has its pros and cons. As you seek the cannabis product that's best for you, it's largely a matter of personal preference.</p><p>Also note that smoking, vaping, or otherwise imbibing any kind of cannabis-related product can carry some medical risks and negative health consequences. If you have any specific concerns, we recommend consulting with your doctor before you try any Delta-8 THC product.</p><p><em><strong>Josh Hurst </strong></em><em>is a journalist, critic, and essayist. He lives in Knoxville, TN, with his wife and three sons. He covers natural health, nutrition, supplements, and clean energy. His writing has appeared in Health, Shape, and Remedy Review.</em></p>
NuLeaf Naturals Full Spectrum Delta 8 THC Oil
<img class="rm-lazyloadable-image rm-shortcode" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNjAzNjAyMy9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMTMxMjAyNX0.wRpb_E9ZFZFNgkYsYh6cleNbTezo16rUeTmifcP_yCk/img.jpg?width=980" id="60683" width="400" height="400" data-rm-shortcode-id="32630bf41fd6909a232194b540c570eb" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />nuleafnaturals.com
<p><a href="https://nuleafnaturals.com/product/full-spectrum-delta-8-thc-oil-30mg-ml/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">NuLeaf Naturals Full Spectrum Delta 8 THC Oil</a> is made from organic hemp and organic virgin hemp seed extract. It's available in a 150 mg bottle and a 450 mg bottle, which both provide 15 mg of Delta 8 THC per serving. This formula is also available in a soft gel.</p>
$20
Botany Farms Delta-10 THC Vape Cartridge
<img class="rm-lazyloadable-image rm-shortcode" type="lazy-image" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNjAzNjE2Ni9vcmlnaW4uanBnIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2OTcwNTgzM30.opm4l5-rSqV1HfvrbVE16EEVZvqxI42xgqnsQfL9p2M/img.jpg?width=980" id="2c749" width="400" height="400" data-rm-shortcode-id="a678e76d8cd5e13bae95d9c3ae664b85" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" />botanyfarms.com
<p>The <a href="https://www.botanyfarms.com/product/delta-10-thc-vape-cartridge/?aff=14" target="_blank">Botany Farms Delta-10 THC Vape Cartridge</a> actually contains both Delta-10 and Delta-8 THC.This is designed to provide the desired effects of Delta-8 THC but without the drowsiness. They also offer a vape cartridge with a 1:1 concentration of <a href="https://www.botanyfarms.com/product/delta-10-delta-8-thc-vape-cartridge/?aff=14" target="_blank">Delta-8 THC</a> and Delta-10 THC. Note that while vape products can be used to aid in smoking cessation, we do not recommend vaping or smoking because of the negative health effects they can cause.</p>
$60
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An algal bloom on a pond in Heather Farm Park, Walnut Creek, California on Oct. 8, 2016. Smith Collection / Gado / Getty Images
Harmful algal blooms may be even more harmful than we thought.
<p>They have already been shown to kill the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/toxic-algae-blooms-florida-1915716568.html" target="_self">fish that swim</a> in the water they infest or the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/toxic-algae-dogs-nyc-2640040842.html" target="_self">animals that drink</a> from it. Now, new research indicates they could even poison the air. In a<a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/10402381.2021.1881191" target="_blank"> study published in Lake and Reservoir Management this month</a>, scientists for the first time detected an airborne instance of the algal toxin anatoxin-a (ATX), also known as "very fast death factor."</p><p>"ATX is one of the more dangerous cyanotoxins produced by harmful algal blooms, which are becoming more predominant in lakes and ponds worldwide due to global warming and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate change</a>," study lead author Dr. James Sutherland of the Nantucket Land Council said in a <a href="https://www.scimex.org/newsfeed/algal-blooms-can-release-very-fast-death-factor-toxin-into-the-air" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p>
<p>ATX is a toxin made by cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae. Despite their name, these single-celled organisms are not plants but rather bacteria that can photosynthesize. The toxin can cause loss of coordination, muscular twitching and respiratory paralysis. It has been known to kill livestock, pets and other animals that drink contaminated water.</p><p>"Although no previous studies have documented the capture of airborne ATX molecules or cyanobacteria cells containing ATX, we hypothesized that ATX could become airborne under certain environmental conditions," the study authors wrote.</p><p>To test this idea, the scientists devised a way to sample the air above a pond in Nantucket, Massachusetts dealing with a harmful algal bloom (HAB). They brought an air sampling device to the shore on windy days and collected airborne particles on filters. They also tested the water for the presence of the toxin.</p>
<p>The scientists collected their samples between July and October of 2019. They detected ATX in the water at concentrations as high as 21 nanograms per milliliter, <a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/scientists-have-found-that-a-dangerous-algal-bloom-toxin-can-be-found-in-the-air" target="_blank">Science Alert reported</a>. And, on one foggy and windy day in September, they detected it in the air also. They recorded an average of 0.87 nanograms per filter on their air sampling device, which would equal an airborne exposure of 0.16 nanograms per meter squared.</p><p>The researchers are not sure how the toxin ended up in the air, but think the wind might have blown it in small droplets from the pond, and then the fog allowed it to persist for longer than usual. In any case, it is a problem worth investigating further.</p><p>"These findings indicate that emission of ATX molecules, or cyanobacteria containing ATX, during HABs presents a potential human health exposure not previously examined," the researchers wrote.</p>
<p>Harmful algal blooms are a problem for many other reasons, of course. They can deprive water of oxygen as they decompose, killing fish and degrading water quality, the press release explained. They are also made worse by human activity, according to Science Alert. They are fed partly by excess nutrient pollution from agricultural runoff. As Sutherland noted, they are also <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/harmful-algal-blooms-2646107064.html" target="_self">exacerbated</a> by the climate crisis. The cyanobacteria prefer warmer water temperatures, and heavy rain from extreme weather events can wash more fertilizer and other nutrients into bodies of water.</p><p>The research just signals another reason to be wary of pond scum.</p><p>"People often recreate around these lakes and ponds with algal blooms without any awareness of the potential problems," Sutherland said in the press release. "Direct contact or inhalation of these cyanotoxins can present health risks for individuals, and we have reported a potential human health exposure not previously examined."</p>
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Trending
An explosion at an Ohio paint factory injured eight people, two of them critically.
<p>The fire ignited just after midnight on Thursday at Yenkin-Majestic Paints in Columbus, Ohio, <a href="https://www.nbc4i.com/news/local-news/firefighters-battle-two-alarm-blaze-at-east-columbus-paint-factory/" target="_blank">NBC4 reported</a>. Firefighters arriving on the scene were met with employees exiting the building, five of whom were injured and needed to be taken to a hospital.</p><p>"Two other employees were trapped inside the building and had to be rescued. They are in critical condition at OSU Main," Columbus Fire Battalion Chief Steve Martin told <a href="https://abcnews.go.com/US/injured-reported-explosion-paint-plant-columbus-ohio/story?id=76938444" target="_blank">ABC News</a>.</p><p>Everyone harmed in the fire are plant employees. One person remains missing; the<a href="https://www.facebook.com/ColumbusDivisionOfFire/posts/3516181915153256" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank"> Columbus Division of Fire wrote on Facebook</a> that they had searched the entire building.</p>
<div class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="353b2c88151a80cad01c7bec0858c804"><div class="fb-post" data-href="https://www.facebook.com/ColumbusDivisionOfFire/posts/3516181915153256"></div></div>
<p> Martin told the paper that firefighters were doing everything they could to find the missing person. About 40 employees were in the plant when the fire started, <a href="https://www.dispatch.com/story/news/2021/04/08/columbus-ohio-paint-manufacturing-plant-explosion/7137210002/" target="_blank">The Columbia Dispatch reported</a>.The explosion that started the fire damaged part of the building where it ignited, making the search and rescue effort more difficult. The spreading fire triggered other explosions, including one in another building within 100 feet from the first building that caught fire.</p><p>Firefighters managed to contain the blaze by 5:15 a.m., according to the Columbus Division of Fire.</p><p>"There will still be visible black smoke rising from the original fire building as we let some of the products burn off," the division wrote on Facebook.</p><p>The cause of the fire remains under investigation. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) workers checked the surrounding air and water for chemicals, <a href="https://twitter.com/KristaWBNS/status/1380109150978461708?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1380109150978461708%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.10tv.com%2Farticle%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Ffirst-responders-investigating-report-of-explosion-in-northeast-columbus%2F530-02f3d2e5-024f-4dac-bb9a-da1de48aa03c" target="_blank">WBNS reported</a>.</p>
<div id="a1ba7" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="5f59642d4c2d79983c05a7ae3fcbff50"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1380109150978461708" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">This is what we’re seeing now at the explosion site near the east side of Columbus. I know EPA workers were out he… https://t.co/V12NDLXRRk</div> — Krista10TV (@Krista10TV)<a href="https://twitter.com/KristaWBNS/statuses/1380109150978461708">1617878637.0</a></blockquote></div><p><br>Yenkin-Majestic Paint Corporation is a family-owned business that makes coatings. There are explosion risks in the paint-making process, according to the <a href="https://www.iloencyclopaedia.org/part-xii-57503/chemical-processing/item/380-paint-and-coating-manufacture" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Encyclopedia of Occupational Health and Safety</a>.<br></p><p>"Flammable solvents, combustible powders (especially nitrocellulose used in lacquer production) and oils are all fire or explosion risks if ignited by a spark or high temperatures. Sources of ignition can include faulty electrical equipment, smoking, friction, open flames, static electricity and so forth. Oil-soaked rags can be a source of spontaneous combustion," the entry states.</p>
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Study Links Pesticide Exposure to Childhood Central Nervous System Tumors
07 April
Health + Wellness
A helicopter sprays pesticide on a crop field in California. Jeff Foott / Photodisc / Getty Images
A new study adds to the evidence that pesticides harm children's health.
<p>The study, published in <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0013935121003728#tbl1" target="_blank">Environmental Research</a> last week, found that children were more likely to develop central nervous system (CNS) tumors if their mothers had lived within 2.5 miles of land where pesticides were being sprayed when they were born.</p><p>"This study is the first, to our knowledge, to estimate effects for a large number of specific pesticides in relation to CNS tumor subtypes," Julia Heck, a study coauthor and the associate dean for research at the University of North Texas College of Health and Public Service said, as <a href="https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/study-cites-childhood-tumor-risk-for-pesticide-exposure-during-pregnancy/2565696/https://www.nbclosangeles.com/news/local/study-cites-childhood-tumor-risk-for-pesticide-exposure-during-pregnancy/2565696/" target="_blank">NBC Los Angeles reported</a>.</p>
<p>The research looked at the California Cancer Registry to identify cases of certain <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/cancer" target="_self">cancers</a> in children under six years old, the study explained. They focused on mothers who lived in rural areas and gave birth between 1998 and 2011 to identify 667 cases of childhood central nervous system tumors and 123,158 controls. They then compared these cases to data from the California Department of Pesticide Regulation's (CDPR) Pesticide Use Reporting (PUR) system to identify whether <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/chemicals" target="_self">chemicals</a> classed as possible carcinogens by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had been sprayed within 2.5 miles of the mothers' homes at birth.</p><p>One important implication of the study is that the mothers did not have to be directly working in <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/agriculture" target="_self">agriculture</a> in order for their children to face dangerous exposure.</p>
<p>"California's agricultural work force numbers more than 800,000, according to <a href="https://nam04.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fescholarship.org%2Fuc%2Fitem%2F3qt5n6t1&data=04%7C01%7CJulia.Heck%40unt.edu%7C32414441535d41f7a65308d8f555248e%7C70de199207c6480fa318a1afcba03983%7C0%7C1%7C637529093332138948%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C2000&sdata=I5wDhhneyBfHkqdcbywIIjYwK9qTwbOfasnrC4aVa7M%3D&reserved=0" target="_blank">state estimates</a>," Dr. Christina Lombardi, study co-author and epidemiologist with the Samuel Oschin Comprehensive Cancer Institute at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, told <a href="https://beyondpesticides.org/dailynewsblog/2021/04/living-within-2-5-miles-of-chemical-farming-increases-risk-of-childhood-brain-tumors/" target="_blank">Beyond Pesticides</a>. "In addition to the negative health effects of pesticides on workers there are large numbers of pregnant women and young children living adjacent to treated fields who may experience detrimental health effects as well."</p><p>This risk is exacerbated by the fact that farmland and residential land is not always clearly delineated in the state.</p><p>"This transition from farmland to residential neighborhoods is abrupt across California, and, of course, constantly changing as farmland is developed," study co-author Myles Cockburn of the University of Southern California told Beyond Pesticides.</p>
<p>The researchers found that some of the chemicals they studied increased tumor risk as much as 2.5 times. Overall, exposure to the pesticides chlorthalonil, bromacil, thiophanate-methyl, triforine, kresoxim-methyl, propiconazole, dimethoate and linuron all increased tumor risk.</p><p>This is far from the first study to show that pesticide exposure is a danger to pregnant mothers and children. In fact, researchers have been studying the link between pesticides and childhood cancer since the 1970s, according to NBC Los Angeles.</p><p>The report authors called for government action to better protect mothers and children.</p><p>"Policy interventions to reduce pesticide exposure in individuals residing near agricultural fields should be considered to protect the health of children," coauthor and UCLA's Fielding School of Public Health epidemiology professor Beate Ritz told NBC Los Angeles.</p>
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An airplane view shows a lake of meltwater in the Greenland ice sheet on August 04, 2019 near Ilulissat, Greenland. Sean Gallup / Getty Images
A new study of Greenland's glacial rivers has important implications for how scientists might model future ice melt and subsequent sea level rise.
<p>Previously, researchers thought they could measure ice melt simply by looking at the amount of meltwater sitting on top of <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/glaciers" target="_self">glaciers</a> and in moulins — shafts in the glacier that empty rivers from the surface to the interior, <a href="https://earther.gizmodo.com/hundreds-of-glacial-rivers-are-pouring-into-the-belly-o-1846627516" target="_blank">Earther explained</a>. But the new study, published in <a href="https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1029/2020GL091418" target="_blank">Geophysical Research Letters</a> on Monday, found that a glacier's speed increased when water pressure rapidly changed beneath the ice sheet, <a href="https://www.nasa.gov/feature/goddard/2021/what-a-glacial-river-reveals-about-the-greenland-ice-sheet" target="_blank">NASA explained</a>.</p><p>"These findings will help to refine ice sliding models, which are critically important for predicting future ice sheet contributions to global sea level rise," Laurence Smith, study coauthor and Brown University environmental studies professor, told Earther.</p><p>The Greenland ice sheet is extremely important when it comes to global sea level rise. The size of Mexico, it currently contributes more to rising sea levels than any other source, NASA reported. If all of Greenland's ice sheet were to melt, it would increase water levels by 20 feet, according to Earther.</p><p>"The number one reason we are here is all about global sea level rise," Smith said in a video documenting the research. "Greenland is the single largest melting chunk of ice in the world. What really matters is how much of that water in the ice sheet gets out to the ocean."</p>
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<p>To better understand the dynamics driving this melt, Smith and his team traveled to the Russell Glacier in southwestern Greenland in 2016 and studied a glacial river, NASA said. The researchers recorded the forward motion of the glacier itself, the amount of meltwater pouring into the moulin and the amount of meltwater pouring out from beneath the glacier at the water's edge. They determined that changes in subterranean water pressure were driving the glacier's overall speed.</p><p>"Even if the cavities are small, as long as the pressure is ramping up very fast, they will make the ice slide faster," Smith explained.</p><p>NASA Glaciologist Dr. Lauren Andrews compared a glacier moving over subterranean meltwater to car tires sliding on a wet road.</p><p>"If you have a rapid perturbation of water going into the subglacial system, you overwhelm the system, and so you create essentially a layer of water at the interface that's not contained in channels or cavities anymore," Andrews said.</p><p>The way that water pressure drives glacier speed had never been studied in the field before, NASA said. This new research now adds 168 hours of "rare in situ" measurements to understand the dynamics of glacial rivers, which had previously been overlooked.</p><p>"In 2015 when we started this study, there was surprisingly little attention paid to the hydrology of streams and rivers on the ice sheet, especially inland away from the ice edge, and we felt that this was a critical scientific gap," Smith said in the video.</p><p>The research supports the team's initial feeling.</p><p>"These findings affirm the importance of supraglacial rivers to subglacial water pressure and ice dynamics, even in relatively thick ice," the researchers wrote.</p>
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Tourists on a whale-watching boat of the California coast were treated to a marvel of marine life last month: a dolphin "stampede!"
That word for the phenomenon was coined by Dana Point Whale Watching, who posted a Youtube video of hundreds to thousands of common dolphins swimming in one direction March 19.
<p>"This is pretty phenomenal," a voice can be heard exclaiming in the footage. </p>
<p>The tour company, which has operated out of the Orange County city that gives it its name for the last 50 years, kept pace with the massing dolphins for around four hours, <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/dolphin-stampede-pod-california-orange-county_n_606b860fc5b6c00165c455d4" target="_blank">HuffPost reported</a>.</p><p>"The dolphins take off so fast they turn up the water making it white water," the tour company wrote in the video description. "You can hear them swimming through the rushing water. They are so graceful even in the frenzied behavior and we are so amazed to see them right of[f] our coast."</p><p>A large group of dolphins is actually known as a super or mega pod, according to HuffPost. The marine mammals usually travel in pods of 200 or fewer. But sometimes, they merge when food concentrates in a single area.</p><p>This isn't the first time the phenomenon has been recorded. One of the most spectacular instances was in 2013, when as many as 100,000 dolphins were spotted off the San Diego coast, as <a href="https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/thousands-of-dolphins-spotted-near-san-diego/2053820/" target="_blank">NBC 7 San Diego reported at the time</a>. The superpod covered a five by seven mile stretch of ocean.</p><p>"They're definitely social animals, they stick together in small groups," Marine mammal expert Sarah Wilkin told NBC7 San Diego at the time. "But sometimes, the schools come together."</p><p>What is unique to Dana Point Whale Watching is their word choice. Some commenters objected to the term dolphin stampede.</p><p>"'Stampede' is a poor description," one Youtube commenter wrote. "It implies that this is a panicked, clumsy mass movement of animals. I have driven in a boat through a super-pod such as this, and these animals are anything but that. They are graceful and controlled. It's a beautiful thing to see."</p><p>However, most internet users were just grateful for the sight. The video went "viral" with around 25,000 views and more than 400 likes as of Monday, <a href="https://thehill.com/changing-america/sustainability/environment/546526-spectacular-sighting-of-1000-dolphin-stampede-off" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Hill reported</a>. As of Tuesday, the number of views had nearly doubled to 45,625.</p><p>As the tour company wrote on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/CMkxNQ8AOe2/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Instagram</a>, "Who doesn't love a dolphin stampede!"</p>
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Wisconsin DNR fire crews battle a wildfire in Menomonee Falls that burned nearly 450 acres of marshland on Friday, and has since been contained. Wisconsin DNR / Marc Sass, DNR Cooperative Area Forest Ranger
Wisconsin Gov. Tony Evers declared a state of emergency on Monday due to heightened wildfire risk.
<p>The state's wildfire season got an early start thanks to an early snow melt, <a href="https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/local/wisconsin/2021/04/05/evers-issues-state-emergency-wildfires-blaze-across-wisconsin/7094810002/" target="_blank">the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported</a>. So far this year, more than 320 fires have scorched more than 1,500 acres, nearly reaching the total of 1,630.13 acres that were burned in all of 2020, according to the declaration.</p><p>"With nearly the entire state experiencing high or very high fire risk, protecting Wisconsinites from the destructive dangers of wildfires is a top priority," Evers said when announcing the order, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.</p><p>The emergency order gives the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (DNR), which usually handles firefighting in the state, additional resources. It will now receive support from other state agencies, as well as the Wisconsin National Guard and their Black Hawk helicopters, the DNR noted in a <a href="https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/newsroom/release/42726" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p><p>The announcement comes three days after brush fire erupted in Menomonee Falls, forcing some people to evacuate their homes, <a href="https://www.wisn.com/article/firefighters-battle-multiple-brush-fires-in-menomonee-falls/36017496#" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WISN reported</a>. The fires burned 400 acres of marshland, the largest single burn so far this year, but luckily all of the homes were spared. Only a deer stand burned down.</p><p>However, the dry and windy conditions that fueled those fires are expected to persist in the state, leading Evers to declare an emergency.</p>
<p>"[B]ased upon weather predictions from the National Weather Service, Wisconsin will experience a period of warmer temperatures, lower humidity, and high winds that can quickly ignite wildland and create rapidly spreading fires," the order read.<br></p><p>Dry leaves and grass are also fueling the flames, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported. The majority of counties are at high risk for fire, <a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/wisconsin-state-emergency-wildfire-risks-over-1-400-acres-already-n1263088" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">NBC News reported</a>, and the DNR has suspended annual burning permits while asking people to avoid setting fires.</p><p>"To help us keep Wisconsinites safe, the DNR is asking you to avoid all outdoor burning including limiting the use of campfires and making sure to extinguish and dispose of cigarettes properly," the DNR said in its press release.</p><p>While wildfires can occur in Wisconsin any time of the year, the primary season runs from March until May, <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/live/2021/04/06/us/wisconsin-wildfire" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The New York Times reported</a>. The state's wildfire risk may also be increasing because of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a>. The group Climate Power 2020 told the <a href="https://wisconsinexaminer.com/brief/climate-group-says-wisconsins-risk-of-wildfires-may-be-growing/#:~:text=Climate%20Power%202020%20also%20says,burned%205%2C768%20acres%20of%20land.&text=Climate%20change%20in%20Wisconsin%20is,keep%20the%20fire%20risks%20down." rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Wisconsin Examiner</a> that wildfires were becoming more common. While high humidity usually lessens fire risk, Wisconsin experienced two climate-related <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/drought" target="_self">droughts</a> between 2009 and 2016 that cost $45.9 billion in damages, and future droughts could increase fire danger.</p><p>Nationwide, the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/extreme-weather-climate-change-2647639196-2647639196.html" target="_blank">climate crisis is certainly driving fire risk</a>; 2020 alone brought a devastating wildfire season to the Western U.S., NBC noted. However, this spring wildfires have taken off in the Upper Plains, Rockies, Great Lakes and Southwest.</p><p>"Fire season can be at any time," Bureau of Land Management Spokesperson Carrie Bilbao told NBC News. "We just don't really have those wet seasons consistently anymore."</p>
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An illustration of deep seabed mining. WWF
For the first time, major companies are adding their voices to the call for a ban on deep-sea mining.
<p>Google, BMW, Volvo and Samsung SD all signed a WWF <a href="https://www.noseabedmining.org/" target="_blank">statement</a> last Wednesday calling for a moratorium on the controversial practice until its environmental impacts are thoroughly understood, <a href="https://www.reuters.com/article/us-mining-deepsea/google-bmw-volvo-and-samsung-sdi-sign-up-to-wwf-call-for-temporary-ban-on-deep-sea-mining-idUSKBN2BN0I6" target="_blank">Reuters reported</a>.</p><p>"We welcome this important step, and call on other companies who care about the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/ocean" target="_self">ocean</a> to join these leaders by signing on to the <a href="https://www.noseabedmining.org/" target="_blank">statement</a>," WWF International Global Ocean leader John Tanzer said in a <a href="https://wwf.panda.org/wwf_news/press_releases/?1909966/Brands-Back-Call-for-Moratorium-on-Deep-Seabed-Mining" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">press release</a>. "It is a clear message to those who are swayed by the false promise that deep seabed mining is a 'green' and attractive investment proposition. It is not so."</p>
<p>Deep-sea mining would involve the extraction of mineral-rich, potato-sized nodules from the ocean floor, as <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-56607700" target="_blank">BBC News explained</a>. These nodules contain elements like cobalt that are necessary for building <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/electric-vehicles" target="_self">electric vehicle</a> batteries. Proponents therefore argue that mining the seafloor is an important tool for fighting the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a> while being less damaging than mining on land.</p><p>But WWF <a href="https://wwfint.awsassets.panda.org/downloads/in_too_deep_what_we_know_and_don_t_know_about_deep_seabed_mining_1.pdf" target="_blank">counters</a> that the practice could be extremely damaging for little-understood deep-sea ecosystems, harm fisheries and disrupt nutrient and carbon cycles. This argument has proved persuasive to some companies.</p><p>"It's the fear that everything we do down there could have irreversible consequences," senior BMW sustainability expert Claudia Becker told BBC News. "Those nodules grew over millions of years and if we take them out now, we don't understand how many species depend on them – what does this mean for the beginning of our food chain? There's way too little evidence, the research is just starting, it's too big a risk."</p>
<p>In signing WWF's statement, BMW and the other companies are pledging not to source minerals from the seabed, not to permit them into their supply chains and not to fund any mining exploration. They are asking the moratorium be kept in place until three conditions are met:</p><ol><li>The risks are clearly understood.</li><li>All alternative mineral sources have been used up.</li><li>It is clear the mining can be done in a way that preserves marine ecosystems and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/biodiversity" target="_self">biodiversity</a>.</li></ol><p>Despite WWF's concerns, mining companies are moving ahead with exploring the possibilities of deep-sea mining. DeepGreen, GSR and UK Seabed Resources, a UK Lockheed Martin subsidiary, all hold exploratory licenses, Reuters reported. Norway has said it could license companies to begin the practice as soon as 2023.</p>
<p>DeepGreen, which plans to mine in the Pacific, argued that the mining was necessary to fight the climate crisis and was less harmful than other ways of accessing key minerals.</p><p>"Where exactly will BMW get the battery metals it needs to fully electrify its products, and with what impact to our climate?" the company said in a statement reported by BBC News. "Will Volvo customers really prefer rainforest metals in their EVs once they realise their dire impacts on freshwater ecosystems, indigenous peoples, charismatic megafauna and carbon-storing forests?"</p><p>However, WWF argued that these are the wrong questions.</p><p>"The pro-deep seabed mining lobby is creating their own narrative by choosing to portray only some of what we know and don't know. They are selling a story that companies need deep seabed minerals in order to produce electric cars, batteries and other items that reduce carbon emissions," Jessica Battle, leader of WWF's No Deep Seabed Mining Initiative, said in the press release. "But savvy companies that are committed to sustainability are seeing through that false narrative. Deep seabed mining is an avoidable environmental disaster. We can decarbonize through innovation, redesigning, reducing, reusing and recycling."</p>
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Florida Governor Ron DeSantis speaks at a press conference on March 21, 2021. Paul Hennessy / SOPA Images / LightRocket / Getty Images
Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency Saturday after a leak at a wastewater pond posed a major flooding threat and prompted more than 300 homes to be evacuated.
<p>Officials said that water pouring out too quickly posed the greatest risk. The latest projection shows that 340 million gallons of wastewater could rush out within minutes, potentially creating a wall of water 20 feet high.</p><p>"What we are looking at now is trying to prevent and respond to, if need be, a real catastrophic flood situation," DeSantis said at a press conference, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/floods-florida-wastewater-tampa-ron-desantis-e89153cffa62c07d51ba1e3438966237" target="_blank">The AP</a> reported on Sunday.</p><p>Officials first detected the leak on Friday in a Piney Point reservoir pond located in the Tampa Bay area. The pond is 33 hectares and 25 feet deep and contains millions of gallons of water contaminated with phosphorus and nitrogen from an old phosphate plant, <a href="https://apnews.com/article/bradenton-floods-florida-wastewater-environment-e75729feefc882d68fa5f818f48eb483" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The AP</a> reported on Saturday. This led the Manatee County Public Safety Department to send out two evacuation notices Friday evening warning of an "imminent uncontrolled release of wastewater," <a href="https://www.wfla.com/news/local-news/manatee-county/emergency-evacuation-order-issued-near-piney-point-due-to-imminent-uncontrolled-wastewater-release/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">WFLA 8 reported</a>.</p><p>A total of 316 homes were impacted by the evacuation orders, The AP reported. To prevent flooding, officials are now pumping water out of the reservoir at a rate of 22,000 gallons per minute and transferring it to Port Manatee. Manatee County Administrator Scott Hopes said that they were hoping to increase that rate with more workers, and that the risk of collapse should decrease by Tuesday.<span></span></p><p>The water contained in the wastewater pond is not radioactive and "meets water quality standards for marine waters with the exception of pH, total phosphorus, total nitrogen and total ammonia nitrogen," The Florida Department of Environmental Protection said, according to <a href="https://www.npr.org/2021/04/04/984301265/state-of-emergency-evacuations-in-florida-county-over-wastewater-pond-leak" target="_blank">NPR</a>. "It is slightly acidic, but not at a level that is expected to be a concern."</p>
<p>However, officials are worried that a collapse of the leaking pond could destabilize other nearby ponds that are more polluted.<br></p><p>"The pond is basically salt water. We saw ducks yesterday, there are snooks swimming in there. It's sustaining wildlife. That's not the case for the other two pools," Hopes told The AP on Saturday.</p><p>The ponds are located amidst a stack of phosphogypsum, the radioactive waste from processing phosphate ore into phosphoric acid for fertilizer, and the incident calls attention to the problems of storing this waste.</p><p>"This environmental disaster is made worse by the fact it was entirely foreseeable and preventable," Jaclyn Lopez, Florida director at the Center for Biological Diversity, said in a <a href="https://biologicaldiversity.org/w/news/press-releases/imminent-failure-of-phosphogypsum-stack-in-tampa-bay-exposes-phosphate-industry-risks-2021-04-03/" target="_blank">press release</a>. "With 24 more phosphogypsum stacks storing more than one billion tons of this dangerous, radioactive waste in Florida, the EPA needs to step in right now. Federal officials need to clean up this mess the fertilizer industry has dumped on Florida communities and immediately halt further phosphogypsum production."</p><p>Phosphogypsum contains radium-226, which has a half life of 1,600 years. The waste product can also contain toxins such as arsenic, lead and mercury. Its storage is an ongoing problem for Florida and other states. In 2004, a breach at a stack in Riverview, Florida, sent millions of gallons of polluted water into Tampa Bay. In 2016, a sinkhole opened beneath a different phosphogypsum site and contaminated an aquifer with 215 million gallons of waste. Meanwhile, in Louisiana, a stack began to shift in 2019, prompting emergency action. There are also phosphogypsum stacks in Arkansas, Idaho, Illinois, Iowa, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, Texas, Utah and Wyoming.</p><p>"Phosphogypsum stacks are getting bigger and more dangerous by the minute, and Piney Point's fate could befall them all," Environmental Attorney Rachael Curran said in the press release. "We need real solutions that start with halting the addition of any phosphogypsum and process water to active stacks so that we can deal with the problem we already have. Underground injection control wells or building radioactive roads out of phosphogypsum are dangerous, unacceptable distractions."</p>
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An artist''s impression of Llukalkan aliocranianus. JORGE BLANCO AND JOURNAL OF VERTEBRATE PALEONTOLOGY
Move over, Tyrannosaurus rex! There's a new top dinosaur in town.
Scientists have discovered a new species from the abelisauridae family of predatory dinosaurs in Argentina and named it the "one who causes fear."
<p>"This is a particularly important discovery because it suggests that the diversity and abundance of abelisaurids were remarkable, not only across Patagonia, but also in more local areas during the dinosaurs' twilight period," lead author and National University of San Luis, Argentina paleontologist Dr. Federico Gianechini said in a <a href="https://newsroom.taylorandfrancisgroup.com/the-one-who-causes-fear-new-meat-eating-predator-discovered-and-it-ruled-in-the-late-cretaceous/" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p><p>Abelisaurids were a dinosaur family that lived throughout contemporary South America, Africa, India, Australia and Antarctica around 80 million years ago. They were similar in appearance to T. Rex, with the same <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v7JaStGH-AQ" target="_blank">infamously short arms</a>. However, they had unique skulls that were both short and deep, with crests, bumps and horns.</p>
<p>The new dinosaur had an especially remarkable skull, and that is reflected in its name: <em>Llukalkan aliocranianus</em>. While Llukalkan means "one who causes fear" in the language of Patagonia's Indigenous Mapuche community, aliocranianus means "different skull" in Latin, according to a write-up of the discovery published in the <em><a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/02724634.2020.1877151" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">Journal of Vertebrate Paleontology</a> </em>Tuesday.</p><p>The new dinosaur would have been about as long as an elephant, with sharp teeth, a powerful bite and large claws on its feet, according to the press release. However, its different skull shape would have made it an even more fearsome predator. It had an air-filled sinus in its middle ear zone that would have given it different, and probably superior, hearing to other abelisaurids.</p>
<p>"A peculiarity of this dinosaur is that it has cavities in the ear area that other abelisaurids did not have, which could have given this species different auditory capacities, possibly a greater hearing range. This, together with its keen sense of smell, would have given great capabilities as a predator to this species," Gianechini told <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/30/americas/dinosaur-patagonia-llukalkan-aliocranianus-scn/index.html" target="_blank">CNN</a>.</p><p>Its hearing would have been about as good as today's crocodiles, the researchers thought.</p><p>The new dinosaur was discovered by accident in 2015. Researchers were working in La Invernada, near the city of Rincón de los Sauces in Argentina's Patagonia to unearth a plant-eating sauropod dinosaur and noticed the predator's bones sticking out towards the end of their dig. It was also discovered 700 meters (approximately 2,296 feet) from another abelisaurid called <em>Viavenator exxoni</em>, <a href="https://www.huffpost.com/entry/llukalkan-aliocranianus-one-who-causes-fear_n_606631e6c5b67785b7779677" target="_blank">HuffPost reported</a>.</p><p>There are now nearly 10 known species of abelisaurid, according to the press release, but the researchers said that there are likely more waiting to be unearthed. And they were thriving until dinosaurs were wiped out 67 million years ago, CNN noted.</p><p>"These dinosaurs were still trying out new evolutionary pathways and rapidly diversifying right before they died out completely," co-author Dr. Ariel Mendez from the Patagonian Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Argentina said in the press statement.</p>
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Scientists Identify Tipping Points for Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier for First Time
02 April
Science
A large, long-running crack is visible across the Pine Island Glacier on Oct. 14, 2011. NASA ICE / Wikimedia Commons / CC by 2.0
Antarctica's Pine Island Glacier is currently losing more ice than any other glacier in Antarctica, but could it collapse entirely?
<p>This has been a matter of debate and concern for <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/scientists" target="_self">scientists</a>. Now, for the first time, researchers have identified the tipping points that would send the glacier into an irreversible retreat and published their findings in <a href="https://tc.copernicus.org/articles/15/1501/2021/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">The Cryosphere</a> on March 25. This retreat is a big deal because it could lead to the entire West Antarctic Ice Sheet collapsing and <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/tag/sea-level-rise">sea levels</a> rising almost 10 feet.</p><p>"The possibility of Pine Island Glacier entering an unstable retreat has been raised before, but this is the first time that this possibility is rigorously established and quantified," Hilmar Gudmundsson, study author and University of Northumbria professor of glaciology and extreme environments, said in a <a href="https://www.northumbria.ac.uk/about-us/news-events/news/antarctic-tipping-point/" target="_blank">press release</a>.</p>
<div id="d4870" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="773afeeacaa927b59d2686dadd851d66"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet twitter-custom-tweet" data-twitter-tweet-id="1377622853516980232" data-partner="rebelmouse"><div style="margin:1em 0">Our @NUGeog researchers have confirmed for the first time that Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica could cross t… https://t.co/o84C7Mmrei</div> — Northumbria Uni (@Northumbria Uni)<a href="https://twitter.com/NorthumbriaUni/statuses/1377622853516980232">1617285857.0</a></blockquote></div>
<p>West Antarctica is feeling the impacts of the <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/climate-change/" target="_self">climate crisis</a> more than East Antarctica. The West Antarctic Peninsula is warming five times faster than the global average, the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research <a href="https://scied.ucar.edu/learning-zone/climate-change-impacts/warming-antarctica" target="_blank">found</a>. In West Antarctica, the Pine Island Glacier and its neighbor, the Thwaites Glacier, are two of the glaciers most impacted by warming temperatures, and there is <a href="https://www.ecowatch.com/doomsday-glacier-antarctica-crack-2647666896.html" target="_self">evidence</a> that the ice shelf supporting them is beginning to crack.</p><p>Even now, the two glaciers are responsible for around 10 percent of global sea level rise, the press release explained, which is why researchers are so concerned about their eventual collapse. However, while scientists have raised the possibility of collapse before, they have not been able to identify if or how it would happen.</p><p>Until now. The University of Northumbria team developed an ice-flow model that enables them to identify key tipping points for the glacier.</p><p>"Many different computer simulations around the world are attempting to quantify how a changing climate could affect the West Antarctic Ice Sheet, but identifying whether a period of retreat in these models is a tipping point is challenging," Dr. Sebastian Rosier, study lead author and a Vice-Chancellor's Research Fellow in Northumbria's Department of Geography and Environmental Sciences, said in the press release. "However, it is a crucial question and the methodology we use in this new study makes it much easier to identify potential future tipping points."</p>
<p>Using their model, the researchers identified three potential tipping points for the Pine Island Glacier.</p><p>"The third and final event, triggered by an ocean warming of approximately 1.2 degrees C from the steady-state model configuration, leads to a retreat of the entire glacier that could initiate a collapse of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet," the study authors warned.</p><p>While Gudmundsson was pleased with the results on a scientific level, they also alarmed him on a human level.</p><p>"[T[he findings of this study also concern me. Should the glacier enter unstable irreversible retreat, the impact on sea level could be measured in meters, and as this study shows, once the retreat starts it might be impossible to halt it," he said.</p>
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