NUCLEAR BOMBS CAN CAUSE GEOMAGNETIC STORMS
Over on spaceweather.com is this interesting recap of the impact of Starfish Prime, a 1962 low orbit nuclear test.
Environment
Yep, it’s bleak, says expert who tested 1970s end-of-the-world prediction
In the Guardian, Yep, it’s bleak, says expert who tested 1970s end-of-the-world prediction, A controversial MIT study from 1972 forecast the collapse of civilization – and Gaya Herrington is here to deliver the bad news
Paul Auerbach, pioneer of wilderness and disaster medicine, dies at 70
In a Washington Post obituary, accomplishments and life of Dr. Paul Auerbach, pioneer of wilderness and disaster medicine, are detailed. Even with his extensive training in medical emergencies, Dr. Auerbach was unprepared for the devastation he encountered when he volunteered to travel to Haiti to care for victims of the earthquake that struck the Caribbean … [Read more…]
Joe Manchin – The Democrat blocking progressive change is beholden to big oil.
The Democrat blocking progressive change is beholden to big oil. Surprised? The Guardian – Alex Kotch 20-JUL-2021 Joe Manchin owns millions of dollars in coal stock, founded an energy firm and Exxon lobbyists brag about their access to him. Republicans fund raise on his behalf
Why are our cities built for 6ft-tall men?
Over on the Guardian, a review of a retrospective on 80s design activists Matrix who, as the pull quote states: The female architects who fought back – Fed up living in a world designed by and for men, 80s design activists Matrix declared war on every urban obstacle in their way. And their impact is … [Read more…]
Are Fossil Fuels Impoverishing Middle America?
On IEEE Spectrum – a discussion on the Resource Curse Are Fossil Fuels Impoverishing Middle America? IEEE Spectrum 12-MAY-2021 In our analysis, what we have basically found is that for that entire region (Appalachia) — which has a population of almost a million people, if you aggregate all of the counties—we can only see evidence … [Read more…]
Lasers Could Clear Space Junk From Orbit
Lasers Could Clear Space Junk From Orbit Adaptive optics proposal would allow tracking and steering of small but still damaging orbital debris
Chad Kalepa Baybayan
Chad Kalepa Baybayan Seafarer Who Sailed Using the Stars, Dies at 64 He was a torchbearer for the celestial navigation art known as wayfinding, which ancestral Polynesian sailors used to navigate the Pacific Ocean. From a NYT obituary, May 15,2021
The Shrinking Stratosphere
The Guardian, again, posts some good information about the Anthropocene effects on climate in Climate emissions shrinking the stratosphere, scientists reveal. Thinning indicates profound impact of humans and could affect satellites and GPS. Meanwhile, on the NYTimes, another study showing that the increase of CO2 is causing a thinning via loss of density in the … [Read more…]
The humble shrub that’s predicting a terrible fire season
Over at Ars-Technia, an interesting view on “Chamise is kind of a crystal ball for understanding how badly California might burn. ” And nothing scares a fire weather scientist quite like a year with dehydrated chamise. If it’s dry, then that’s a good indicator that everything is dry. “Right now, these are the lowest April … [Read more…]