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