Cows-->Environmentally Friendly
With methane production affecting the global atmosphere, one of the main sources is cows. As cows digest their food, they release gases(methane) that harms our environment. However, getting rid of livestock butchering would be almost impossible in the status quo, as most Americans eat meat often. The reason the problem is further exacerbating is due to where the livestock is. The hot spots of methane are North America, Central and Eastern Europe, and Asia. This is significant because in these places cows are in dry environments where plants are naturally modified to be tougher to last droughts and arid weather. This makes the digestion process longer for these foods, ultimately releasing more methane into the atmosphere.
The way to solve this, or the way this is currently being solved, is by researching what plants are the most nutritious for the cows and the meat we will be eating, but as well the plants that are the least dry, and most importantly, what plants will not release as much methane as others. This is increasingly different as well being pressured by not using foreign plants to avoid an invasive species.
This will impact almost everyone that involves their life with meat as this increase in time and spending to monitor what the cows eat and making sure the right crops are grown will only further increase prices for the consumers. As well, with the growing population, this problem will only get worse and worse and eventually a line will have to be drawn. At this point, the question is, what is the line and will it be drawn before it is too late?
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170329122607.htp
The way to solve this, or the way this is currently being solved, is by researching what plants are the most nutritious for the cows and the meat we will be eating, but as well the plants that are the least dry, and most importantly, what plants will not release as much methane as others. This is increasingly different as well being pressured by not using foreign plants to avoid an invasive species.
This will impact almost everyone that involves their life with meat as this increase in time and spending to monitor what the cows eat and making sure the right crops are grown will only further increase prices for the consumers. As well, with the growing population, this problem will only get worse and worse and eventually a line will have to be drawn. At this point, the question is, what is the line and will it be drawn before it is too late?
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2017/03/170329122607.htp
Dead Sea Explains Droughts
The Dead Sea or in the native Hebrew language, the Sea of Salt has been drastically dropping lower under sea level. Currently the shores sit around 1300 feet below sea level, while some crevices dropping even 900 feet lower than that. The reason this is occurring is due majorly to the rapid increase in population that the Middle East is seeing. The Jordan River is the main source that fills the Dead Sea, however with that river also extending into Lebanon and Syria, the water is being sucked away. With this two impacts occur. First, the water drops drastically each year. Secondly, the water continues to get saltier and saltier.
This is where the story gets interesting, this salt content makes connections to geological past times. The picture to the left shows a slab of rock. The white is salt and the big chunk to the right indicates the time between the two major ice ages. The white between the two black slivers more towards the left are from the time between the most recent ice age and now. Scientists found that the salt correlates to when the sea was most likely drained from the temperature changes causing the Jordan River to not reach the Dead Sea. However, there is not 100% assurance that this is a direct correlation, the implications are huge that the salt levels indicate when the next drought will be or how far the next drought is away.
This is where the story gets interesting, this salt content makes connections to geological past times. The picture to the left shows a slab of rock. The white is salt and the big chunk to the right indicates the time between the two major ice ages. The white between the two black slivers more towards the left are from the time between the most recent ice age and now. Scientists found that the salt correlates to when the sea was most likely drained from the temperature changes causing the Jordan River to not reach the Dead Sea. However, there is not 100% assurance that this is a direct correlation, the implications are huge that the salt levels indicate when the next drought will be or how far the next drought is away.
3RD QUARTER^
Bats
1/12/17
The common tales of creepy caves and bats screeching as you walk in are slowly becoming a myth for the Caribbean Islands. Bats and other mammals thrived before human involvement on these islands, especially Cuba and Jamaica. With this human interaction, bats in the area are becoming extinct as we speak. A study was done to see about how long it would take for the bats to fully repopulate to the numbers they had 20,000 years ago, before human interaction. The process would take 8 million years naturally. This is significantly detrimental due to the fact that bats are one of the only remaining mammal native to these islands that have not yet gone extinct. Now, not certain this extinction is due to humans, the correlation is present. When humans came to the islands, over half the population of mammals died in the following years. All in all, there is only one way to solve this, and it is to start preserving the natural land that these bats live in. Tourists have overstepped their boundaries and if Cuba and Jamaica are able to deter tourism from bat natural habitats, the bat species may be able to survive.
https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=190744&org=NSF&from=new
https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=190744&org=NSF&from=new
2ND SEMESTER ^^^^^
HOT TUBSSSS!!!
With more and more CO2 being released into the atmosphere the more CO2 ultimately getting into the ocean. Now, this is somewhat common sense, however, what most people do not know is that this actually heats up the ocean along with it causing to rise. The reason this is is because the carbon is reacting with other particles underwater and causing combustion reactions to occur. This not only causes the ocean to heat up, but causes lose of fish as well because they are eating animals and plants that have exessive amount of carbon dioxide in them. The solve to this? Some say it is impossible, that we have had too much of a detriment to the glaciers already and the only hope is to reduce it. However, other scientists say that there are solvents but have not been introduced yet because they are not completely perfect. With this in mind, the scientists also conclude that if neccesary this program will be released before testing is complete in order to really save the environment from too much CO2 and rising ocean levels.
https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=190514&org=NSF&from=news
https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=190514&org=NSF&from=news
Baby ARkstorm
Now, on my website before I have mentioned the recent light of the ARkstorm that could potentially occur in the United States(particulary in California). So, I bid you welcome to a pre emptive ARkstorm running across the entire United States where increases of rain could be seen from 100-400 percent and three times the amout of normal thunderstorms per season. The reason this is occuring is because as the ice caps melt and there is more and more water on earth, the more and more water that is in the water cycle. The impact of this is significant because no matter what we do now we are going to feel some type of imapact which include: major habitat loss, infrastructure loss, and ultimately MASSIVE land slides. The impacts of this storm increase have led to scientists becoming more and more involved in pre emptive ways to prepare the buildings for this drenching of rain. Now, since this has a high probability to occur, this poses this question: how soon is the ARkstorm actually away?
https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=190537&org=NSF&from=news
https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=190537&org=NSF&from=news
Fish as Lucky as Cockroaches
The title sums is up in a couple of words. The Atlantic Killfish is becoming what will soon be the cockroach of our time, but in a fish form. The reason that this can occur is due to the fish's genomes and genetic variation. The amount of variations that occur each offspring cycle is greater than that of any other invertibrate. These fish are even known to adapt faster than humans even with all the technology that we have today. The reason this is so important is because these fish that have all these adaptations are able to live in the environments that we have set forth for them. All the plastics, DDT, and other pesticides that get into the water all have detrimental causes to other fish but the killfish. THis means that they not only help themselves to survive, but because they can survive they also provide a mean of prey for other species that are struggling to survive. But, don't bank on the fact that all fish are going to do this, so continue with the decrease of usage of plastics and what not. This fish is definitely an exception and hopefully one day we can make it a reality to where all fish and even humans can adapt this fast.
https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=190457&org=NSF&from=news
https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=190457&org=NSF&from=news
Frozen Volcanoes
10/13/16
Yes, the title is right, Frozen Volcanoes. Personally never thought I would come across that in my life. However in many places where there are volcanoes as well as huge glacier and ice patches in the high mountains these two can intertwine and react with one another. Since these mountains that volcanoes are apart of are so high up in elevation they freeze when snow hits them or water hits them during the dormant period. What makes these so interesting is that when the volcano eventually does erupt the lava does not always shoot up in the sky so vigorously. This process is almost majestic because sometimes the magma will actually flow inside the ice's naturally created "hallways." These hallways are like paths guiding the magma. Now the next question might be, "Why doesn't the magma just melt the ice?" This is because when trying to melt mass quantities of ice, the magma needs more head because the total heat is getting mitigated. Overall, the odds of this happening in Turlock is slim to to none so do not get your hopes up.
https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=189959&org=NSF&from=news
https://www.nsf.gov/discoveries/disc_summ.jsp?cntn_id=189959&org=NSF&from=news
Another Place to Live!!
10/6/16
This is not the most recent article, excuse me for this, but I did this keep up because this "island" was brought up in my spanish class the other day. This "island" is made completely of garbage and has formed because of the circular ocean currents sweeping plastics away from the shore and bringing them into the current. The trash and plastics would catch onto this garbage island and just sits there. This harms the environment in many ways. First off and most obvious, this is pollution of the environment and flat out makes us look bad to other countries. Second off, and not as obvious, the way this affects the species in the ocean is indescribable. The problem that may be thought as the biggest is the huge pieces of trash being eaten or wrapped around the animals in the ocean. Yes, this is a huge problem however what proves more and more difficult to solve for is the small pieces of plastic that are floating around that stab into the intestines and heart of the animals that are consuming the plastics.
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/plastics.html
http://serc.carleton.edu/NAGTWorkshops/health/case_studies/plastics.html
Back to #1?
9/15/16
As the United States of America, our number one goal has always been to be superior to everyone else, whether the topics is economics, politics, sports, etc. The list could go on and on, however in the recent years, the U.S. has noticed that we are no longer at the top of the leaderboards in developing of our nation. In 2013 our national Research and Development (R&D) spending was $456.6 billion dollars. The next year there was a $21.1 billion dollar increase that brings our total up to $477.7 billion dollars. In 2015, the spending hit $499.3 billion dollars. Now, one may think that this amount of money is what is putting us further and further in national debt. However, most of the money used for research is funded by private business's.
Now the reason this has any weight in the science world today is because with an increase of money there are numerous things that can be done to help the environment. The money could be used to install more solar plants, increase the amount of windmills, and find a cheaper way to allow business's and homeowners to convert to an energy efficient home. These are all great, however one of the biggest things that I think the nation would benefit from is more hydro-powered dams. Creating a dam not only allows for water to be blocked where it needs to be, but it also produces lots and lots of energy.
https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=189779&org=NSF&from=news
Now the reason this has any weight in the science world today is because with an increase of money there are numerous things that can be done to help the environment. The money could be used to install more solar plants, increase the amount of windmills, and find a cheaper way to allow business's and homeowners to convert to an energy efficient home. These are all great, however one of the biggest things that I think the nation would benefit from is more hydro-powered dams. Creating a dam not only allows for water to be blocked where it needs to be, but it also produces lots and lots of energy.
https://www.nsf.gov/news/news_summ.jsp?cntn_id=189779&org=NSF&from=news
Where are the Elephants Going?
9/8/16
Every 15 minutes an elephant is killed in Africa/Asia for the ivory in their tusks. Ivory is a white cream colored substance that is used to make billiards balls, piano keys, and many other goods that satisfy the human needs. However the human "needs/wants" has to decrease if the world ever wants to see an elephant again. This elephant in the picture can produce about 200-300 pounds of ivory from its tusks. From this elephant alone, poachers could make from $300,000-$450,000. However, this one elephant does not meet anywhere near the demand for ivory. Thousands of elephants have to be killed just to reach the quota.
A proposition has been made to save the elephants, but not only is it unrealistic, it's almost impossible. The U.S. proposed the idea of setting the quota lower (37% of what the quote is now) so not as much ivory is used, as well the U.S. would ask all poachers to bring forth their stockpiles. Then all the naturally dead elephants would be harvested for their tusks and added to the big pile that is already collected. The ivory would then be metted out little by little to satisfy as much as the quota as possible without harvesting at all. Over the next couple years, the U.S. hopes that there will be a natural increase in elephants and then poaching can continue again to only meet these low quotas that are regulated not only by the U.S. but all the other nations that will be almost forced to comply.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/09/wildlife-legal-ivory-trade-not-sustainable-study/
A proposition has been made to save the elephants, but not only is it unrealistic, it's almost impossible. The U.S. proposed the idea of setting the quota lower (37% of what the quote is now) so not as much ivory is used, as well the U.S. would ask all poachers to bring forth their stockpiles. Then all the naturally dead elephants would be harvested for their tusks and added to the big pile that is already collected. The ivory would then be metted out little by little to satisfy as much as the quota as possible without harvesting at all. Over the next couple years, the U.S. hopes that there will be a natural increase in elephants and then poaching can continue again to only meet these low quotas that are regulated not only by the U.S. but all the other nations that will be almost forced to comply.
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/2016/09/wildlife-legal-ivory-trade-not-sustainable-study/
Edible Plastics
9/1/16
As of late the use of plastics that are just sitting around in landfills have become more and more noticeable. This is not only noticeable just to environmentalist, the population of America is starting to notice the amount of plastics as well. Chemists' at USDA have been researching an alternative to plastic bagging for quite some time now. The alternative that they have found is milk. Yes, the protein casein found in milk is a flexible and strong material that keeps food fresh. Actually it keeps food 500 times more fresh as regular plastics can. However as scientists test the "milk plastic" they notice that it is delicate to human touch so the another item was added. Citrus pectin not only allows the material to be stronger, but it will allow the material to be handled without gloves. Not only will this be used for plastic wrapping, but it can be an alternative to put on cereal to keep the crunch. As of now cereal companies are using sugar coats to keep cereal from getting soggy when put with milk, this new wrapping could be sprayed on before packaging and would add a crunch to cereal.
Another interesting factor to this new packaging is it is also edible. Yes, now you can get two times the food for the same price and double the nutrition. Since the material is made from protein, it is extremely nutritious for the body. Who does not want plastic taste-less protein? No need to worry about that either because these scientists are actually figuring out how to flavor the packaging as well. Now the best part about this is that vegan's do not have to fret about not being able to use this either. Furthering their studies even more, the scientists are just starting to think of ways to synthesis the DNA to make it completely vegan.
Now, beware this is not happening in the next few months. This process is expected to take years more of perfecting before being released in the United States. However this will benefit the environment more than most would think. Without the plastics, oceans would be cleaner, there would be a decline in the need for landfill space, and finally the natural environment would be happier.
http://www.care2.com/causes/meet-a-surprising-plastic-alternative-milk.html
Another interesting factor to this new packaging is it is also edible. Yes, now you can get two times the food for the same price and double the nutrition. Since the material is made from protein, it is extremely nutritious for the body. Who does not want plastic taste-less protein? No need to worry about that either because these scientists are actually figuring out how to flavor the packaging as well. Now the best part about this is that vegan's do not have to fret about not being able to use this either. Furthering their studies even more, the scientists are just starting to think of ways to synthesis the DNA to make it completely vegan.
Now, beware this is not happening in the next few months. This process is expected to take years more of perfecting before being released in the United States. However this will benefit the environment more than most would think. Without the plastics, oceans would be cleaner, there would be a decline in the need for landfill space, and finally the natural environment would be happier.
http://www.care2.com/causes/meet-a-surprising-plastic-alternative-milk.html
Using the Seas' to Predict the FUTUREEEEEE
8/25/16
At the University of Arizona scientists have been working diligently for many years on figuring out a correlation that seems so insignificant to others. These studies consist of using the rising and falling of the sea level to predict how warm or cold the weather will be. Using the titling of the earth and how much water is in the ocean, University of Arizona scientist Peyser discovered that the temperature changes in correlation to where the water rise. Peyser states, "What I found was that during years when the tilt was steep in the western Pacific, global average temperature was cooler, and when the seesaw is tilted more toward the eastern Pacific, it's warmer." With this, the scientists also include that the more the tilt occurs the more the change in temperature will be seen. However this method of correlation does not always hold true. This weather correlation "resets" during the times of El Niño and La Niña. This is because during these time periods the heat from the water is naturally released before bringing about wet warm seasons. With all the information scientists have already gained, the University of Arizona does not plan to stop. The University plans on eventually finding out exactly what the average temperatures will be for every month of the year.
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160818212759.htm
https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2016/08/160818212759.htm
THE ARKSTORM
8/19/16
Although not the most current topic that could be chosen, the ARkstorm is seemingly finding more interest among many top scientists. This is because the reality of the natural disaster is becoming more and more surreal. Along with scientists getting involved, the Multi Hazard Demonstration Project (MHDP) has been trying to convince the federal government into thinking of a plan of attack in case California gets attacked by this storm. The storm would start almost randomly and would cause more than 1.5 million residents to move further inland as there would be 300 miles long by 20 or more miles of flooding. Although most of the destruction would mainly be from the flooding, wind speeds could hit 120mph causing hurricanes from all the water sitting around. The destruction of this event could cost up to 725 billion dollars. This is three times the amount that a similar earthquake disaster could cause in damage, however the earthquake is way more on the radar then the ARkstorm. This is quite interesting because both events have the same probability of happening however no government action has taken place for the ARkstorm.
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1312/
http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1312/