APES Current Events

 Noah Frack Scientist have discovered through the research of fossilized pollen samples that todays plant are changing at a rapid rate. This rate rivals that of plants at the end of the ice age retaking land the had previously been uninhabitable due to icy conditions. They adapted to the increase of temperatures by 10 degrees as the ice retreated to the poles. the changes of vegetation today have been correlated to the damages caused insensitive agriculture and creation of the earliest cities and civilizations.  This research brings my mind to the true scale of the earth and simply how little an individual is compared to the lifetime of the earth. When thinking about it, if plant are just now seeming to show signs of evolution from the creation of the earliest cities and begging of mankind's domination of the earth, it brings the realization of how slow this process is. It puts into perspective the true scale of the cosmic universe. Simultaneously give me fear of what is to come of

  As global warming worsens, so do hurricane seasons in which is expected to be very detrimental this year. Last year's hurricane season was so plentiful that we went through the whole alphabet in names and then resorted to Greek letters. Climate experts informed those on the Gulf and East Coast that they should prepare as there is a chance of a large storm greatly impacting them. The Thursday forecast announced that a  range of 13 to 20 named storms, six to 10  hurricanes , and three to five major  hurricanes  of Category 3 or higher in the Atlantic this season. The harsh hurricane seasons are related to climate change, greenhouse gases, and other human caused pollutants.  It's scary that we are the ones ruining our planet and can have such a large impact on disastrous storms. There is so much evidence behind humans being detrimental to the environment, but not enough people are stepping up to make the change. We just allow problems to persist and clean up after them rather th

 Malaria attacks and kills a child under the age of five every two minutes and for decades has been without a cure or a vaccine. Recently, researches restudied the R21 vaccine that has been in development in the UK and discovered that when used in a specific time period, is 77% effective at stopping malaria. This is providing a lot of hope as it is the first malaria vaccine to cross the 75% effectiveness line. Just in 2019 alone, 229 million cases of malaria killed about 405k of those infected. It is an extremely complex disease with over 140 vaccines in trial. However, this vaccine was not permitted yet as it must go through more trials and approvals to confirm it safe for use.  This is a really good leap in the development for an extremely dangerous disease as the WHO wanted this by 2030. The more people step in and work together to develop a vaccine as they did for Covid-19, the quicker new medical innovations will be created for diseases like malaria. Article

There's still not a lot of information but it has just been discovered that there has been chemicals found in the tissues of killer whales. These chemicals affect both the reproducing's of wildlife and environment. Polychlorinated biphenyls (toxic aromatic compound) has been found in the blubber of seven out eight found whales. Pollution that is in connection with top predators gives researchers an idea of how it effects the health of the ecosystem, and how the pollutants traveled the environment. This research is still being updated but as of now, scientists are  continuing to monitor the contaminants that was found in the Artic killer whales. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210519120706.htm

 IN this article we read about why factory farming is bad. We are informed that this produces too much animal waste for humans to dispose of correctly which polluted the ground. We also know that the factory farming hams animals in the process. Factory farming does nothing but harm us humans, the environment, and animals.  With all of this being said, we need to change this. Senator Cory Booker is in the process of abolishing the concentrated animal- feeding operations (CAFOs)  to get rid of factory farming. The quicker we do this, the better the environment and animals will be.  Link:  https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2020/04/06/senator-booker-is-right-about-factory-farming/ 

  Senator Cory Booker introduced  the Farm System Reform Bill of 2019 to the U.S. Senate. The bill would be used to decrease the amount of factory farms. Factory farms are dangerous for animals, and do not have any benefits to humans either. Factory farms can also have a risk of spreading pandemic diseases.  I think that there should be a law against factory farms. The treatment animals face is not fair, and a change needs to be made. They are usually packed into small spaces where they can barley move throughout their whole lives. Limbs such as pig tail, chicken beaks, etc. are also cut off without aesthetic.  https://www.nationalreview.com/magazine/2020/04/06/senator-booker-is-right-about-factory-farming/

           Let's start off with the fact that factory farming animals is absolutely terrible. The environment of these factory farms are very hazardous to humans with the untreated waste that is there. Which also elevates the risk of pandemic diseases. They are just breeding grounds for disease.  There is also an insane amount of animal cruelty that goes on.      Personally, I think the government should crack down on factory farming because they cause more harm than good. They also are a hazard to humans and animals alike. It doesn't help that the environment in the factory can increase the risk of disease which is very big and doesn't help our attempts to stop pandemic diseases from spreading. Link  

 This article is talking about how the Mikey way galaxy merged together about 10 billion years ago. It talks about how the stars formed and how they created new gasses and heat for the different planets. It talks about why stars form and what goes on inside of them. No star has ever been observed up close due to the fact that they are so far away and their heat will melt anything that gets too close.  -Colin Schaller  Link: sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/05/210517124938.htm 

 In Pennsylvania, the target for renewable energy is set to max out unless something is changed. They are supposed to buy 8% of power from renewable sources. Joanna McClinton, who is a democratic leader, said her party wants to raise the percentage. During an interview, she states, “We would like to be able to  see the preservation of good-paying jobs, while also being able to get our workforce up to speed to be able to pursue more clean energy,”  I think by the percentages going up, It will be beneficial, because it will cut carbon admissions by alot and help our environment.  https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2021/03/15/legislative-action-on-increasing-pennsylvanias-alternative-energy-goals-appears-unlikely/

 Before, scientists thought that orangutans were good at surviving from food shortages. But after doing further research, that's not the case. Scientists have been studying the muscle mass of the orangutans when there is a fruit shortage. On the island of Borneo, in Southeast Asia, studies show when there is less fruit available, the muscle mass of orangutans is lower. Deforestation is on the rise, and there needs to be a conservation plan in place to help save the orangutan species.  I think this article is very eye opening. We need to take action to help save animals in our environment, before they become endangered or extinct. Deforestation needs to stop because it is harming the animals that live in that habitat. A conservation plan needs to be put in place so we can save these orangutans. Article

       For the past 17 years, cicadas have been tunneling and feeding beneath the soil. During the summertime, they come back to the surface to mate. Cicadas begin to emerge when the soil reaches 64 degrees Fahrenheit. This year, this group is called Brood X. They call it that because it is going to be the largest group of cicadas.  They were supposed to come in late April, but, Scientists don't know the precise reasons behind the cicada schedules, and do not know why they have not arrived yet. Cicadas do not harm animals or humans, they only like to buzz around you. But they do benefit gardens. When the insects emerge from the soil, they create holes that increase aeration and water penetration. Over the cicada life cycle, exoskeletons and dying adults will fall to the ground, breaking down into organic matter and nutrients that feed the soil. This affects our society as a whole because we’re all going to have to deal with the cicadas. The article informs us more about cicadas and

 There is an experiment called the Beal Seed Viability Experiment.  This experiment is attempting to figure out how long seeds can lie in the soil dormant without losing their ability to germinate.  This experiment has lasted for about 142 years.  This experiment is important to help with storing crop seeds or restoring damaged ecosystems.  In 1879, William James Beal filled 20 bottles with thousands of seeds each (50 each of 21 species).  He planned for his future successors to dig one up every 5 years and plant the preserved seeds.  For the first 20 years of the experiment, most of the seeds flourished.  They slowly started to drop off 1 by 1 leaving the Verbascum blatteria, which is still blooming despite being underground for over a century.  At this point in the experiment, one bottle is dug up every 20 years.  The most recent one was dug up in 2021 and was found based on a map of where all the bottles were buried.  In 2040, the next bottle will be dug up by handing down the map t

Wind energy is surging in popularity across the US and world as a whole. As of last year, 8% of the country's energy was generated using wind turbines. However, turbines kill an average of 140,00 - 500,000 birds a year due to collisions- a number that is expected to increase to 1.4 million a year if the US achieves its goal of having 20% of the country's energy come from wind by 2030. To avoid this avian massacre, scientist are calling for the use of citizen science and bird migration data to help decide what area are the best to build more wind turbines in, and which should be avoid on part of birds and environment. Citizen science is advantageous because it allows normal citizens to participate in scientific studied/ research, by providing informational data to scientists across the entire US, the entire year- a feat often impossible for more traditional, limitedly staffed research projects. It has already proven successful for conservation scientist Viviana Ruiz-Gutierrez an

 May Current Event Francine Parks 5 - 4 - 21 Why California is Planning to Ban Fracking     In an effort to protect the environment & prevent future damage to the land, California is moving to put a ban on fracking by 2024. Since fracking causes harm to waterways, ecosystems, & individual organisms, California Governor Gavin Newsom hopes to eliminate it. In order to do this, they would need to find a new way to produce oil needed in California households, along with relying more heavily on alternative ways already in existence. This would be a big step towards a healthier environment, so a lot of thought would have to be put into the process & how to make it become reality.     I definitely think this is a great step to take, & I hope it works. Although fracking isn't the only thing currently destroying the Earth & its climate, it is a major factor. After this has been achieved, we could focus on other issues & forms of pollution that we can try to remove, o

Wildflowers serve more purposes than people might think. Their color attracts bees and butterflies that encourage pollination, but the flowers also have a purpose when they aren't in bloom. Their roots are able to store water and carbon which keeps carbon from being released into the atmosphere. Restoring wildflower areas can aid other endangered species in making a comeback as well. Some examples are the American Bumblebee, the Monarch Butterfly, Lark Buntings, and even a mammal called the pronghorn. I think this is something good to teach about because people would be willing to take this step for the environment. While wildflowers are good for the environment, they are also pretty to look at. It is a seemingly simple step we could take to improve biodiversity and keep carbon contained. Also, wildflower seeds are inexpensive.  Article

Nolan Miller Heagerty  Period 1     In the American West, wildfires are a common summer occurrence. However, studies show that these fires are gradually growing and emitting more smoke, a factor that could greatly affect the air quality of the region. As a result of this, researchers believe that these areas may have a hard time meeting air quality standards in as little as 15 years. The situation is being closely monitored, and efforts are being made to help forest management as well as find a way to intervene and limit the amount of emissions produced. I think that it crazy that in just 15 years, air in these areas could fail to meet standards. However, I understand why this is the case. If more and more smoke and chemicals are emitted by these fires, it is only so long before the air deteriorates to an unsafe point.  Link

           With climate change on the inevitable rise, due to carbon emissions, as well as other plentiful greenhouse gases, the threat of speeding up this world ending disaster is a serious issue, as it may limit our time in trying to reverse it's affects. Recently, forest fires have been a serious issue, and under the watchful eye of environmentalists who are worried about global warming. Computer simulations used for decades have been found to been underestimating the effects of global warming simply due to the fact of these forest fires.      The estimate has been that forests capture about 30% of all human related CO2 emissions, which may be inaccurate, due to the large amount of data that has been misrepresented. Due to these large outbreaks in forest fires, northern forests have been increasingly dense in carbon, not only perpetuating the issue through causing more fires, but also generally heating up the immediate area.      The first step to improving this situation, as wi

 Airports are supposedly starting to use solar power to start powering their own airports. But what if the solar power can be linked with the cities that the airports are based out of? An airport in Australia is now capable of powering over 136,000 homes when their large scale rooftop solar systems are installed. If the airports could install more of these solar panels, it will generate 10 times more power than the 17,000 residential solar panels that the city has. This is a big thing for the environment in cities as well. With most of the power coming from solar panels, it will be offsetting 151.6 kilotons of green house gasses annually. It would also reduce the amount of nonrenewable fossil fuels that these large cities are using. All in all it would be a big benefit to get these solar panels installed to any major airports.  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/04/210426140855.htm 

  https://www.cnn.com/2021/04/19/world/mars-helicopter-ingenuity-first-flight-scn-trnd/index.html     T he first powered, controlled flight on another planet took place at   3:34 a.m.  It  successfully completed its flight on Mars safely and landed back on the surface.  The flight was originally scheduled for April 11, but plans shifted after a command-sequence issue was discovered when the helicopter went through a system of preflight checks with its software. The Ingenuity team received data on April 16 showing that the helicopter successfully completed its rapid spin test after they had made a tweak to the command sequence. Without the help of the Team, the helicopter fl ew for  about 40 seconds  through the thin Martian atmosphere.  "We can now say that human beings have flown a rotorcraft on another planet," said MiMi Aung, Ingenuity project manager at JPL.  The 4-pound helicopter spun up its two 4-foot blades, rose up 10 feet in the air, hovered, made a turn, took a pho

  Link Logan Scholl Heagrety April 27, 2021 The 2020 carbon emission decline was staggering.     In 2020 we faced a pandemic, which was a blessing and a curse. It helped the world bring carbon emission to a low, and help it heal. The carbon emissions fell 7% in the U.S from 2019 to 2020. Daily Global carbon emissions fell by 17%. These are huge drops, espicially in China which has suffered from severe pollution for a long time. The pandemic gave us a new lessons and a achieveable goal to improve climate change.

The farming method of dhap is common in Bangledesh and is about 400 years old. The people of Bangledesh have adapted their farming techniques to the constantly changing water levels. They don't use dirt to farm but rather an invasive aquatic weed. The weed allows for the crop to float, so the food grown is not washed away every time the water levels rise. The gardens rise and fall making life in Bangledesh possible.  Want To Read More??   The creativity and efficiency of the dhap gardens can inspire many different climates to find ways to farm. The part I am most excited for is that soil is not being destroyed from farming and an invasive plant is being used. Slowly, I am seeing more farms turning to environmentally friendly habits and methods. Hopefully, the creativity of the dhap farming will encourage and inspire potential farmers to be more open minded when farming. There are plenty of farming methods to study and use as long as people are willing to try them.     

 There is a giant wastewater pond in Piney Point, Florida caused by industrial and agricultural sites.  This pond was recently in danger of catastrophic danger.  After the threat of collapse had passed (after pumping millions of gallons out of ponds into local waterways), residents could return to their homes after being forced to evacuate.  These ponds are vital to major industries, but cause major environmental damage.  When metals and radium are left in this pond, they are left to evaporate into our atmosphere.  This is one of the causes of global warming.  These ponds are starting to run out of capacity for more wastewater.  As previously mentioned, the way they stop these ponds from overflowing is by releasing millions of gallons into nearby waterways.  This will damage those waterways and kill some organisms living in them.  This waste also ends up on the land eventually as it moves down the waterways. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/06/climate/florida-ponds-toxic-waste.html I th

The documentary follows a young couple on an eco friendly farming experiment. The goal is to farm along side nature rather than farming nature. Everything works together and the more diverse the farm is the more efficent it will be. Throughout the documentary, pest and preditorial problems were constantly affecting the production of the farm, but come the seventh year, the ecosystem on the farm balanced itself out. Problems solved themselves due to biodiversity. The benefits of working with the land  proved to be worth the experiment after an extended drought. A mass amount of rain flooded many local farms, removing the topsoil. The biodiversity of the farm is eco friendly and productive.  *The Biggest Little Farm can be viewed on Hulu with subscription Farming has had to accommodate larger masses of people, causing it to expand. In the process, farming has become more destructive to the environment. Using biodiversity when farming has proven to be the better option for the long term w

     Back in 2019 a lightning strike had been spotted by one of the researchers in the artic. Up until this point this phenomenon had been unheard of as lighting in the artic is such a rare occurrence. With the use of satellite data researchers can estimate the amount of lightning strikes in the artic increasing by 100%. This discovery lead researchers to calculating the amount of lighting strikes in the area in the past. 2015 in particular was a year with record breaking amount of forest fires with lightning strike found to be causing some of these fires. With the changing climate scientists believe that if temperature continue to rise and lighting strikes continues or increase forest fires there could be big problems. Some consist of: burning ground brush allowing more trees to grow and trap more of the suns heat, fires burning away initial ground moss and beginning to defrost the permafrost of the soil in many areas of the arctic that store greenhouse gasses.      The issues are ver

   For a select few in the domesticated rabbits breed known as sautuer d'Alfort, walking quickly on their front paws has become more practical than hopping. Researchers from PLOS Genetics report that this abnormal form of movement may be the result of a defect in a gene related to limb movement (RORB). Similarly, Stephanie Koch, a neuroscientists at the University College of London, has reported that mice containing this same genetic defect, have the same tendencies. Both animals hike their back legs up into the air then waddle forward on both front paws. A study was conducted on the rabbits where hop-less sauteur a-Alfort males were bred with New Zealand white female rabbits that could hop. The genetic makeup of the offspring was then scanned to look for mutations in the babies that couldn't hop as compared to the ones that could. The mutation of the RORB gene showed as the most likely cause. This particular mutation created faulty copies of genetic code cell use to make prote

 Link Logan Scholl Heagrety April, 6 Florida faces 'imminent' pollution catastrophe from phosphate mine pond          Crews were dumping millions of gallons of contaminated waste into a florida bay on sunday morning. This caused immediate pollution which is really bad because we are already are polluted so much. This cause a disaster, because the pond started to flood. Officials had to evacuate citizens out of the area of flooding around the pond. The pond was used to get water for some of the people around the area, and now that its contaminated thats a huge problem.

 Nolan Miller April 5, 2021 AP Environmental Science     The National Weather Service reported in 2019 the first known lightnings within 300 miles of the North Pole. Lighting strikes in this area are almost unheard of, but reports show that the number of lighting strikes is likely to increase by 100% in the following years. The impacts of this will be great, with lighting likely to cause fires burning plants, trees, and more crucial to the artic and tundra ecosystems. In addition to this, increased heat will melt the permafrost, leading to the release of greenhouse gasses.      I think this is interesting, as I did not know lighting was uncommon near the North Pole. I do think it may be alarming that this increase in lightning could lead to certain problems, but I don't think it is anything to worry about.  Article

 Pennsylvania's targets for renewable energy are set to max out this year, unless action is taken. Democratic leader, Joanna McClinton, said her party would like to raise the standards to help increase new green energy. But, the private sector is the one who ultimately makes the choice. Advocates for renewable energy say the state needs to increase there standards. The amount of carbon emissions keeps increasing, and action needs to be taken.  Climate change is a huge topic today. Everyday, we are contributing more and more to a changing climate. PA needs to take action now and help contribute to bettering our environment for our future. Funding is necessary, but the environment is more important. Both sides need to work together in order to save Earth in the future.   https://stateimpact.npr.org/pennsylvania/2021/03/15/legislative-action-on-increasing-pennsylvanias-alternative-energy-goals-appears-unlikely/

         The Wolf administration has agreed to a 15 year purchase agreement which will supply half the state's electricity. Governor Wolf  had an executive order on climate change called for at least 40% of the common wealth's electricity. It will go across 191 counties. It would most likely be a good boost for jobs and tax revenue for communities.      Honestly, I think this could be great for our state. If PA does this, it could great a good test state and could create an example for other states. It will also be beneficial to our state as well.  link!

 The government spends more than $500 billion dollars on their operations each year. This makes them a big consumer. If the government made ecofriendly decisions on the goods and services they chose, they would be able to make a big difference completely on their own. If the government spends money on sustainable options, they can improve and create more for the public. The government is planning on purchasing electric vehicles for their federal transportation. While this isn't that many vehicles, it funds the small, private businesses that make these cars. It could also be beneficial to have their buildings run on clean energy. I think it is a good idea for the government to go clean. They can make a big impact because of the amount of resources they use. Also, in areas where they might not make a big impact, they are still setting an important example. The people are supposed to look up to the government, so it could encourage them to consider clean options as well. If the govern

      Lake Michigan, the 5th largest lake in the world, is warming deep under the surface of the water. After 30 years of monitoring, the lake has not changed much- but now, it is warming, almost seemingly out of nowhere. Ice is melting, and the organisms that live within the lake are being put under massive stress over the 'early' change in temperature, and the overall possibility of a greater temperature over the summer.      A lot of blame for this increase in temperature comes solely to climate change. The monitoring of this lake, as well as the creatures that live within are considerably essential in order to track not only the progress of climate change, but to also keep note of Lake Michigan itself, and to protect the creatures that dwell in the lake. This change signifies a great turning point for greenhouse gasses and climate change as a whole. This increase in temperature is important to note and keep in mind, moving into the future of pollution control and energy pro

      Recently, species native to tropical areas, like Florida, have begun to move northward. Due to climate change, there has been a reduced amount of cold days in places where these animals live, causing some of them to move up the US coast. These species include not only animals native to the US already, but also invasive species such as Cuban tree frogs, Burmese pythons, & buffelgrass. Since the weather has been so unpredictable due to climate change, long amounts of time can go by without freezing temperatures, allowing these organisms to make their way further & further north. If this keeps happening, when the cold weather does hit, many specialist species will also be hit & will have their population be greatly reduced.  This is obviously concerning since tropical species were meant to stay in tropical areas. By combining tropical species with more northern species, there may be all kinds of conflict & harm between populations. Another problem is the potential en

  People have begun planting grass in places they shouldn't, which is affecting the deserts environment. The grass that is creating these problems is called Buffelgrass. It is a  perennial arid climate-adapted grass from Africa. It was planted thr ough Arizona, Texas, and Mexico to control soil erosion in the 1930's. It has spread so much that it is labeled a noxious weed, and has spread through many states, and invaded undisturbed deserts. The main reason it is bad is because it is major fuel for fire. It was the main cause of some of the largest fires in Arizona.  I think this is a major problem, especially since it has been spreading so rapidly. It is a great idea that volunteers were going into national parks to remove the Buffelgrass. It will take more, but anything will help.  https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/volunteers-help-fight-invasive-buffelgrass-in-sonoran-desert-parks

https://www.cnn.com/2021/03/02/americas/titanosaur-fossil-argentina-intl-hnk-scli-scn/index.html           Scientists have unearthed fossils of what may be the oldest-known member of the dinosaur group known as titanosaurs. Titanosaurs' are known to be the largest land animals in Earth's history.  Scientists have unearthed fossils of what may be the oldest-known member of the dinosaur group known as titanosaurs that includes the largest land animals that we know of.  They identified Ninjatitan as a titanosaur, a group of long-necked plant-eating dinosaurs that walked on four pillar-like legs.  The dinosaur's incomplete skeletal remains were discovered in Argentina's Patagonian wilderness, south of the city of Neuquen.  The researchers said Ninjatitan demonstrated that the titanosaurs, as a group, first appeared longer ago than what we think.  

University of California - San Diego. "Fine particulate matter from wildfire smoke more harmful than pollution from other sources: Researchers call for revisions to air-quality monitoring guidelines to consider the sources of emissions." ScienceDaily. ScienceDaily, 5 March 2021. <www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210305080124.htm>.          Researchers at Scripps Institution of Oceanography at UC San Diego  have been examining the  data of  hospital admissions  from the past  14 years. They can conclude that the fine particles in wildfire smoke can be several times more harmful to the lungs of humans and other animals, than particles of matter from other sources, such as car exhaust or other gas appliances. While there have been many laboratory experiments, the new study confirms it at a population level. W ildfire smoke can penetrate the human respiratory tract and can enter the bloodstream or impair vital organs.  To isolate wildfire-produced PM2.5 from other sour

Cameras are placed in the wild to capture pictures of different ecosystems and the wildlife living in them. The cameras are put in areas where the most food is located to capture the most activity and variety. The information collected, is used to study the patterns of different animals. The cameras offer scientists the opportunity to study wildlife without disturbing it. Click Here For More!!!   The cameras offer a great way to study different species that may be close to extinction and moniter their populations more closely. The cameras could also aid in protecting an environment from harmful activity by humans. The cameras create a fun and beneficial way to study wildlife without disturbing it.

     Senator Cory Booker’s has helped bring up the  Farm System Reform Bill of 2019 to the U.S. Senate. This is because they are tired of all the animal feeding operations, also known as factory farms. They are not only effecting animals, but humans too. Many of the large pandemics in America have formed from animals to humans, that came from these factory farms. Not only is the risk or bacteria and viruses high, but also the impact on the animals. They are getting abused and have no way of getting around it or out of it. The meat then gets sold cheaper than if you would buy it from a fresh farm, where they are raised properly. Senator Booker is trying his very hardest to pass this bill and help the US.  From this article, I feel like there needs to be more done about this problem. It shouldn't be only one person that is making an effort to the higher up. It is affecting everyone in the US, physically and emotionally. They are becoming sick or very unhealthy.  The animals should al

 From the Reading Eagle - a court has decided that Duke Reality can move the graveyard to build the warehouse in Maxatawny township. The judge ruled that the decedents are too far removed. 

 -Colin Schaller  Summary: This article is about how monkeys, but mainly apes are receiving the covid vaccines. This is due to the facts that some of the apes tested positive in January. It goes on to talk about how these apes are just as important to get the vaccine than humans. I personally do not believe that the vaccine should have been used on them. This is a waste. Humans should be taken care of first not monkeys in a zoo.  Link: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/first-great-apes-at-us-zoo-receive-coronavirus-vaccine-made-for-animals 

 The Kitefin Shark is the largest glow-in-the-dark species with a spine that was discovered on the planet.  Researchers went ahead with the study of this shark by attempting to catch them and transferring them to dark, cold tanks so pictures could be taken.  Skin was dissected in order to try to examine and understand the luminosity of these sharks.  It was also compared to the Tiny Lantern Sharks, which also glow.  Many bioluminescent organisms glow is controlled by their nervous system, but that was not the case.  Instead, this shark's glow is controlled by the hormone melatonin.  In humans, this hormone helps us sleep, but for this shark species, it makes them glow. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/05/science/biggest-glowing-shark.html?searchResultPosition=1 I think this shows just how much of the ocean is undiscovered.  There is this 6-foot shark that glows swimming around in the ocean and we just discovered it now.  There could be many other species like it that you think would

      As of the morning of February 26, a giant iceberg 20 times the size of Manhattan broke off from Antarctica's Brunt Ice Shelf. Scientists had been tracking the crack that causes the split since November 2020, and were not at all surprised or alarmed by its final break away. This "North Rift" crack was the third to form in the past decade. In January, the crack was recorded to grow northeast at an average rate of 0.6 miles per day, speeding up to widen by a few hundred meters in a couple of hours on the day it broke off. Currently, there is no direct evidence the split was caused by climate change. It is a completely natural process for icebergs to break off of ice shelves and the Brunt Ice Shelf routinely calves icebergs according to scientific study. This particular iceberg is very large however, and has a size of about 490 square miles, making this particular calving a rare and fascinating event. The Brunt Ice Shelf currently houses the BAS (British Antarctic Surve

 As the world begins its return towards normalcy the amount of carbon emissions are rising at a staggering rate. The quarantine that started almost a year ago caused shutdowns all over the world and brought many economies to a halt. During this time carbon emission dropped by 7%. This kind of emissions drop put the world on the right path towards net zero carbon emissions in 2050. Although as the economy opens back up the amount of carbon emissions is recovering towards its previous state. China is one of the worlds biggest greenhouse gas emitter and they say a 12% carbon emissions drop during their lockdown but now as their economy recovers they are emitting 5% more emissions than they were in previous years. This article shows the absolute neglect the world has for the environment. The amount of carbon emissions reduced during lockdown is a great indicator of what is takes to work towards net zero emissions. If there would be work towards green energy to a degree large enough to make

      Studies have showed that when people buy their first car, it tends to be very fuel efficient car because people want to save money. But, people's second purchased car is normally a less fuel efficient car that is not very environmentally friendly.      Most of the pollution that cars give off is from people driving cars that aren't fuel efficient. Gas pollution goes down 57% when driving a car when you put it in ecoboost mode. This is what scientists in this field are telling people to do instead of one, buying cars that aren't fuel efficient and two, trying to put your car in ecoboost mode more ofter than not while driving. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/03/210302130642.htm 

 The invasive grass, buffelgrass, is continuing to spread and putting many things in danger. Not only does this grass prevent other growth of different plants, but also spreads the chances of a forest fire. This grass lights up quickly, intensifying the wild fires, but also spreading them. Many volunteers are out trying to pull the grass out to get rid of the threat, but it is much harder than you expect. The roots grow deep and the seeds are viable for years. You need actual equipment to pull them out, but they need constant pulling to prevent them from growing again.  In order to prevent this species from spreading, volunteers from all around need to come together and help get this grass out of the ground. It will take tons of time, speaking that it is spreading more and more every day. This grass is putting other species at risk by invading their habit, along with putting us at danger by adding to the possibility of wildfires.  Link: https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article

 Planting trees is an efficient way to soak up carbon emissions. People are pushing for reforestation to help improve our climate. We would need to grow a lot of trees for them to be able to capture and store all the carbon dioxide. But the US isn't reaching there current goal. We have too little seedlings being planted right now. Studies show that tree nurseries would have to increase their production to at least 3 billion seedlings per year, doubling there current production.  The seedlings being produced now, are just replacing the trees being taken down due to deforestation. There are no additional trees being planted currently to help change the way our climate is.  I think that planting trees is a great idea. Trees give us oxygen to breathe, so they would be useful for other things also. Planting trees is good for the environment in many ways. It gives us oxygen, gives food sources to animals, and a habitat to animals. Trees could be what helps save our environment, so I thin

 Deserts in Arizona over the past couple of years have start to become more like grasslands. And that's where the problem starts. Buffelgrass, which is native to Africa, was brought to the US in the 1930s. It was planted in the Southern US and Mexico. Only after 50 years of being planted, real issues started to show up with the grass. The grass began fueling wildfires and now its labeled as a noxious weed in Arizona. This grass has spread from the South to areas such as Hawaii and Florida. It is so invasive that it takes over native plants to an area and destroys them. There is a group called the Buffel Slayers and they volunteer to take control of the grass. They will take crowbars to the grass to destroy it and get it out of the soil. Buffelgrass is both invasive and fuels the fires in the South.  I think this is a serious situation we need to focus on. Wildfires contribute to our climate and the effects it has on the air. Many people lose their homes each year due to wildfires.

During the recent loss of power in Texas because of the snow and cold weather, families with solar paneled houses and batteries maintained power. Their houses were used as safe houses for other people to warm up and shower. During extreme weather, solar panels become much more dependable because they aren't relying on the grid. Also using batteries to store energy is helpful when the sun isn't shining because of a storm. Also on a larger scale, extra solar energy could be stored on larger batteries that could be used to prevent blackouts like this. I think this article is important because it shows that solar energy not only helps to reduce climate change, but protect people from the extreme weather that is already being caused by climate change. Why continue using unsuitable energy that is less reliant and more expensive. This article also shows solar energy expanding and being used in grids instead of just private. Article

 Nolan Miller Heagerty  Period 1     A rare bee species has recently been found in Australia. Only 6 individuals of this species have ever been found, and the last recorded instance was in 1923. The rarity of this bee, which was thought to be extinct, is largely due to the fragmented habitats where they live, with 40% of forests having been cleared. If this continues, the species may very well become extinct.      I think it is very amazing that there are only six times that this species has been found, and the last one was nearly 100 years ago. It is quite amazing to think that these bees have been living somewhere for all that time without anyone finding them. I also think it is a bad thing that they may very well go extinct as a result of habitat loss.  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210225143923.htm

    The evidence towards a 9th planet at the edge of our solar system might be fake according to more recent studies. Previous findings showed that a bunch of objects in the edge of our solar system are being drawn into a cluster by an invisible planet around 10 times the size of Earth. This unseen planet has been named Planet 9 or Planet X. However a new study of 14 of these remote objects shows no evidence of clustering, which removes the main reason to believe in a 9th planet.  Caltech planetary scientists Mike Brown and Konstantin Batygin used some these objects to help find some of the properties of this planet and found its orbit to be between 500-700 times the size of Earth's, or between 16-23 times larger than Neptune's orbit. Old studies only relied off of a handful of objects we found where we looked, Gary Bernstein states "Its important to know what we didn't see, in addition to what we did". Bernstein's team then ran 10 billion simulations with the

 In order to avoid catastrophes regarded our climate, the amount of emissions produced would have to be cut in half by 2030. New pledges submitted by United Nations would only cut it down by 1%, which is nowhere close to good. It's far from the promises made by many countries. Paris fell back and didn't reach their goal of limiting global temperature increase which was expected by the end of 2020. The United States was pulled out from this plan by Donald Trump, but is now back in and planning on submitting their 2030 goals by April 22. The US is a huge issue, producing more greenhouse gases than any other country. China is also a huge issue in emission production and has not yet submitted their goals either. China has expectations of being carbon neutral by 2060. Some countries submitted plans without change, and Mexico seems to be retreating from their original clean energy plan. On the brighter side, 63 countries raised their targets. The Paris Agreement is not allowed to dic

In this study it explains how air pollution affect children in the long run. If a child is exposed to any type of air pollution (wildfire smoke for example), even for one day, they have a high risk of getting heart disease or any other illness in adulthood. Researchers explain how air pollution affects children's immune and cardiac system. Researchers have found out that exposed air pollution correspond with white blood cells, this increases the ability for a child to get heart disease when they're an adult. Air pollution affects everyone, more and more Americans are dying from this. Death caused by a respiratory disease is the second most common way to die globally.  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210222124613.htm

A research team from Princeton University created a new sensor that could be an important asset to the oil and gas industry. The research team demonstrates their new sensor, which is detecting methane concentrations. This sensor uses cascade light emitting device, where wavelengths can measure chemicals. With this sensor, the research team is hoping that this would lead to more accurate methane measurements. We can have a better understanding of how methane emissions work from livestock and from dairy farms. We can also get a better understanding of climate change with this sensor. Methane sensing has been used with mid-IR LEDs but the performance of it was limited because of low light intensities. When the research team used ICLED (which was by far more powerful), the performance for methane sensing was improved. To see how the sensor works, the sensor measures infrared light through pure air, and then measure it through a methane contained room. The researchers tested out the new sen

 Industrial Agriculture creates major pollution, which can cause public health problems and have a bad impact on the environment. This is actually the leading cause of water pollution in the United States. This can have negative impacts on people, animals, and the environment. The pollution in the water comes from the contents in the fertilizers. For instance, Nitrogen fertilizer is used for farm fields in the Midwest, and will eventually travel into the gulf of Mexico, contaminating the water. It will create what is called the Dead zone. No fish or other organisms can survive in this area. I think this is a major problem and more should be done to control it. Especially since this is the leading cause of pollution in the US, it should be a wake up call to make a change.  https://foodprint.org/issues/how-industrial-agriculture-affects-our-water/ 

     Recently, the discovery of an increased amount of hydrocarbons found within oceans, specifically the Gulf of Mexico has been made. These increases in material found may indicate a different type of organism spawned, and it a large detriment to the immediate surrounding habitable area. This is because the amount of hydrocarbons found is roughly 500 times more than the sum of all other types of petroleum inputs to the ocean, manmade or otherwise. This stunning uncovering may mean that manmade intervention, in order to prevent the damage that these hydrocarbon-producing organisms are creating. I feel that this relates directly to our work in class, as it makes main focal points on manmade pollution being a cause for concern, but overall takes a look at how the environment can be harmed because of a simply overproduction of one material. Source Used

 With Covid-19 shutting nearly anything indoors down, many more people are enjoying nature. The number of people to visit state parks increased by almost 26% having more than 47 million people attending. With that being said, there have been many complaints about the restrictions on pets. A lot of people want to be able to bring their pet along with them as they are getting exercise, they can't get out much either. Because of that, pets will be permitted at 130 new sites in the year 2022. Now, pets will be allowed at 2,556 parks out of 6,277. With the parks opening up more to animals, more people will be persuaded to go. Some people might prevent themselves from going to the parks that don't allow them because they don't know what they will do with their pets. The pets will be just as happy, if not happier, than the humans being out there. This is beneficial for everyone. The parts will get more funding from the more people that go; the parkgoers will feel more obligated to

 Multiple types of bacteria living just millimeters away from sea stars are depleting oxygen from the water around them and the sea stars. These microbes thrive in warm waters with high levels of organic matter As a result of insufficient oxygen, sea stars begin to "melt" into a puddle of slime. This phenomenon was previously named the Sea Star Wasting Disease, identified as lethal symptoms of decaying and loss of limbs in sea stars. It was first noticed in 2013 when sea stars off the U.S. Pacific coast were dying off in large numbers. Though it was originally thought to be caused by a virus or bacterium, no link was ever found between the suspected virus (the subject of another 2014 study in a virus making various animals ill) and dissolving sea stars. The truth was discovered by a team of marine biologists at Cornell University that examined the types of bacteria living around healthy seas stars as compared to those living around ones with wasting disease. Seas stars were f

      A missive wildfire burnt through San Lorenzo Valley in August, destroying almost 1,500 structures and exposing many others to high heat. Before the fire was put out benzene levels in the water were measured at 9.1 parts per billion in residential water, which is around 9 times higher than the maximum safety level. When plastic drinking water pipes are exposed to heat high enough to melt and damage the pipes, but hot enough to destroy them, the dangerous chemicals in the plastic flow into the drinking water. Andrew Welton is an environmental engineer at Perdue University, he exposed 11 different types of pipes to 200 degrees Celsius to 400 degrees Celsius. They then put the pipes in water and found that over 100 harmful chemicals (including benzene) leached into the water from 10/11 pipes. Benzene can cause skin and throat irritation, and even leukemia in the long term.     I was always aware that there were some chemicals slipping into drinking water once in awhile, but over 100

  Over the past summer, a group of doctors, including Dr. Michael Mina, had gotten together to collaborate on the Global Immunological Observatory. Together, they're planning to develop a technique in which they will be able to collect blood samples from all over the world to test for the antibodies of hundreds of viruses. Their collection of samples dates begins back in January of 2020. This is beneficial in tracking new viruses before they are spread. It will give the scientists insight on the patient's reaction to the virus and how they may have been infected - things that would have been good to know about the Coronavirus before it became a pandemic. They're able to look far back into the history of your body's  viruses through this little vial of blood. This type of testing is called serology which is different than just virus testing. It provides information in which they are able to see the amount of immunity a given population has to a virus.  It's crazy tha

 Colin Schaller  Summary:  This article is about the benefits of switching from gas powered cars to electric powered cars. It goes into the rising price of gas in the last moth, and talks about if this continues is the switch to all electric really worth it. It talks about how electric cars do cost more than gas powered cars, but in the long run it is well worth it. Especially since you do not need to pay for gas to fill up the tank every week or two, depending on the type of car you own. I personally believe that we should do our best to help the environment. However I am very skeptical about how long these electric cars last compared to gas cars. Also the maintenance keep on them. It relates to our class when we were talking about how the pollution of pesticides can effect our environment and atmosphere.   Link:  https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/16/learning/gas-or-electric-thinking-algebraically-about-car-costs-emissions-and-trade-offs.html

       A group of scientists have found that fermented foods can boost bacteria and increase crop growth. After doing this, they have also descovered that it will make planst more resistant from pathogens which will reduce carbon emmisions. In this situation, they are using good kinds of bacteria from the fermented foods and waste. The scientists tested this experiment out first in a greenhouse, so they were preserved within a closed watering system area. A main point of their research was to creat a sustained cycle where the water was contained in a irrigation system while being added to the crop growth in order to complete it.      I found this process to be incredibly intersting because they are using old food to create new food. I think that this is a good way for humans to use our non-renweable resources in order to create something that we need in order to live. It also just uses our wasted food that may have been trasted anyways, so it helps with not wasting as many things that

 California has a rainy season every year where it just, rains for days upon days. Around 60 years ago, this rainy season normally occured late in the year around November/December. Except this year, it happened about a month later. This year California's rainy season hit during January of the new year.  I believe that the rainy season has occured late in California due to global warming, and how it is altering the atmosphere in ways that will allow less precipitation. Also due to these changes, California could potientially not even have a rainy season in the upcoming future.  https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/02/210204101651.htm  

      Research has shown that the Covid-19 pandemic may actually result in the shortening of life expectancy. For blacks, this reduction is ~2 years to 72, for Latinos, ~3 years to 78, and for whites ~0.6 years to 77. The last time a drop in life expectancy this drastic occurred was during the 1918 influenza pandemic, in which it dropped 7-12 years. A majority of the change occurring now is largely thought to be as a result of living conditions, and as mortality rates seem to rise, it is predicted that this drop in life expectancy may continue.  To me, this is a bit scary, but I also feel like it is a bit untrustworthy as well. Data on Covid-19 has been largely skewed and so studies based on this data may ultimately be flawed in one way or another. Of course, the thought of a lowered life expectancy is a bit scary as well, but that just gives you more reason to make the change to healthier life habits.  Link

Moun t  Pinatubo is home to many species, including the  Pinatubo Volcano Mouse.  This volcano erupted on June 15, 1991, in the  Philippines. There were avalanches, toxic gas, debris, a destroyed forest and a 1.5 mile hole.  Many people thought this species of mice, which lived on the top of the volcano, didn't survive.  The  Pinatubo Volcano Mice survived and thrived, even though the volcano exploded.  They decided to research into why this occurred.  Traditionally, invading rats from the lower elevations of the mountain would invade the higher elevations.  This was not the case.  The mice went in small patches of woodland that survived, and eventually came back out.  It is thought that these eruptions had happened in the distant past, and the mice now thrive. https://www.nytimes.com/2021/02/04/science/volcano-mice-pinatubo.html I think this is really interesting because these mice found a way to survive something that most species can't.  It shows that species are adapting an

 Researchers have found that the cost to transfer to net zero carbon emissions is lowering with the lowering cost of the technologies required to clean energy. If we start our reduction of carbon emissions by 2030 we will be able to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050. If this is achieve the main effects of global warming will be avoided. In order to reach this goal massive transfers to clean energy would be required and the changing of the infrastructure of oil companies as well as others. Individuals would need to transfer to clean heating and clean electric. This is important information to know and understand. We need to change the course of global warming in order to stop its catastrophic effects. Knowing that the cost of transferring is lowering is greatly important as it can assist many peoples and the worlds transfer to clean energy.  Source: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210127122410.htm

 Link Logan Scholl Heagrety Feb, 5 2020 tied for the warmest year on record     2020 being the warmest year on record is not good because eventhough corona was a huge part of the year, global warming still was very bad. The article states " The last seven years have been the warmest seven years on record, typifying the ongoing and dramatic warming trend." With Joe Biden becoming president and him wanting to convert everything to eco friendly we have to hope he sticks to his word. If he does not I do not know if the human race will see 2100. The more time we wait the harder and longer it takes to reverse the actions.

      As climate change worsens, & temperatures & weather become more unpredictable, it's important to find things that lessen the damage. One discovery on this topic has been that dams are able to decrease the amount of flooding due to climate change. After researching dams, scientists have found that they reduce the number of people exposed to floods by 15%. Since floods are only expected to get worse within the upcoming years, this information could be helpful in keeping them at bay.     I think this could be useful if we know how to use it to our advantage. If we build more dams in places where they won't be inconvenient, it could help prevent people from facing damage due to floods. We could also strengthen existing dams in anticipation of future climate disasters. This is just one way we can try to withstand against climate change while we work to fix the damage we've already caused. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/01/210122084954.htm

Wetlands are important for several reasons. For some Indigenous tribes, like the Manobo, marshes supply food and a place to live. Also, wetlands are a place for biodiversity to thrive. Mindanao Island is home to more than 200 species of birds. Pollutions and destruction affect these precious lands in several ways. Pollutants affect the water's quality, and many wetlands are drained to make more room for industry. While some countries have taken steps to preserve wetlands, they haven't been very affective. Today, people are trying to show that they plan hasn't done enough, and we are losing a major source of freshwater. Along with natural benefits from wetlands, they also happen to be a protective factor. They can lesson damage from a costal storm on a town. Also, wetlands act like a filter for water pollutants. This article is important because I don't think a lot of people know how important these areas are. When you think about conserving land, you probably think of f

Strictly environmental impacts

While you are learning about the food you eat and it's environmental impact, I wanted to share this about the fashion industry.  If you do not know what fast fashion is I recommend you watch this and learn.  The fashion industry has a HUGE environmental impact, and in some areas even more than food production.  Names you will recognize, Zara, Forever 21 and H & M.    

      Major Jim Kenney stated that Philly will try to become carbon neutral by 2050. This goal is going to align with Joe Biden's plans to help decrease global warming. Biden's goals, like rejoining the Paris Climate Agreement will help Philly in achieving these goals. Christine Knapp states that, "Climate does not exist just in one department." I am inclined to agree with that statement. Climate effects almost all of what we do in our daily lives, and in the government.  Link!

The mega-warehouse king? Pa. corridor that includes Lehigh Valley landed most 1 million-square-foot leases in U.S. in 2020 Did the other communities where they were built have issue like the residents do around here?

      On November 6th, 2020, the EPA had finally announced that a rule revising pesticide crop regulations for herbs and spices, essentially saving costs of the growers around $52 millions dollars annually. In this rule, the EPA revises commodity definitions, reducing the burden that the aforementioned spice and herb growers have to carry by reducing not only the amount paid towards the government for certain actions, but also international trade and purchases, and especially in regards to pesticide regulations and fees, however, maintaining the health standards that the EPA has normally set as a precedent. Overall, the EPA has allowed these spices and herbs, and especially those with increased value, specifically medicinal herbs, etc, to be produced on a more extensive basis.      Although not very in-depth in terms of the goings-on mentioned within the actual event itself, this decision is very influential throughout the spice and herb growing within America, as well as greatly affec

A peach farm throws away up to 70% of their years harvest due to markings from growing. There are so many peaches wasted, the company struggles to find people with enough space to take the produce. Even after giving the peaches to local shelters and companies who would benefit, there is still a great amount of food wasted. A young couple, in hopes to reduce the amount of food they waste, lived off of packaged food thrown away from expiration dates or other reasons. In the process, they found themselves running out of storage space for food that nobody else wanted or that was a little past company listed expiration dates.   Click Here!!! There are so many amazing new methods used for growing more food with higher harvest rates and to see most of it being thrown away is unsettleing. Food is being wasted for reasons as small as a mark on a peach. Realistically, an increase in farm land needed is not entirely due to population growth, but from the necessity of perfect produce for sellers.