Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Nova Scotia, where unusually large fires have led to the evacuation of thousands of people. The photograph, which was captured by an astronaut on the International Space Station, shows smoke rising from a fire near the town of Shelburne on May 29, 2023.



"By the morning of May 31, after four days of burning, the fire had scorched 17,000 hectares (66 square miles) near the southern tip of Nova Scotia," says NASA. "It became the largest forest fire in the province’s history, according to CBC Nova Scotia, exceeding the area burned by a fire in Guysborough County over six days in June 1976."



"Fires have burned in Canada for weeks, as the western part of the country experienced a record-breaking streak of hot weather in mid-May."&nbsp;



"Several regions in Canada also had an abnormally dry spring; Nova Scotia received about half of the usual amount of rainfall in April. Authorities classified both the Halifax and Shelburne County fires as uncontrolled on May 31 and expected the fires to grow as dry and windy conditions continued."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Smoke rises from fires in Nova Scotia

Today's Image of the Day from NASA Earth Observatory features...

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Lake Hamun, a seasonal lake in the Sistan region on the Afghanistan-Iran border. The lake and surrounding wetlands have been shrinking as a result of persistent drought, leading to reduced vegetation and exposed dust. These changes have transformed the basin into a major source of dust storms.



"While dust storms are most common in the summer, they happen year-round as long as the lake is dry and the winds are strong. That was the case on January 12, 2023, when the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) on the NOAA-20 satellite captured this image of dust streaming from the dry lake bed," says NASA.



In January 2023, a team of experts led by UCLA reported that airborne dust has likely increased by 55 percent on a global scale since pre-industrial times. The researchers said this is largely due to more frequent dust storms in Asia and North Africa.&nbsp;



The team estimates that the cooling effect of airborne dust has likely masked about eight percent of the warming caused by greenhouse gases since the preindustrial era.



“Our findings imply that greenhouses gases alone could cause even more climate warming than models currently predict,” said UCLA atmospheric physicist Jasper Kok. “This is of tremendous importance because better predictions can inform better decisions of how to mitigate or adapt to climate change.”



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Lake Hamun is a major source of dust storms

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features Typhoon Mawar, also known as "Betty," which is the first typhoon of the season in the northwest Pacific. The intense storm struck Guam and the Philippines before heading toward Taiwan and southern Japan.



"With sustained winds that reached 295 kilometers (185 miles) per hour on May 25, the super typhoon grew to be one of the strongest May storms on record," says NASA.&nbsp;



"The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this natural-color image of Mawar at 05:20 Universal Time on May 30, 2023. Though the storm appeared to be bearing down on Taiwan, it was in the process of turning north and away from the island."



"After rapidly intensifying between May 24 and 25, Mawar then weakened significantly as it encountered cooler water temperatures and less favorable wind shear conditions as it neared Taiwan."



NASA reports that although Mawar did not strike the Philippines or Taiwan directly, the outer bands of the storm brought heavy rains to northern Luzon and rough seas to the eastern coast of Taiwan.



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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Typhoon Mawar is one of the strongest May storms on record

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features the Messina Strait, a channel in the Mediterranean Sea that separates Sicily and Calabria. The photograph was captured by an astronaut onboard the International Space Station



The Messina Strait is 20 miles long with a depth of 820 feet, and joins the Tyrrhenian Sea to the north and the Ionian Sea to the south.&nbsp;



"Waves that follow the tide from west to east are visible in the right half of the photo. These are caused by internal waves, a process where stratified water layers of changing density and increasing depth horizontally propagate beneath the water surface. The waves are illuminated by sunglint—an optical phenomenon that occurs when sunlight is directly reflected off the water and into a satellite’s sensor, or in this case, the astronaut’s camera," explains NASA.



"Alternating currents, relatively low water temperature, and high levels of phosphorus and nitrogen contribute to the region’s aquatic biodiversity. The strait hosts several deep-sea fish species such as Sloane’s viperfish (a predatory dragonfish) as well as commercially valuable fish like yellowtail and snapper. On the left side of the image, thin, white lines are likely ship wakes, some of which may belong to fishing boats."



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



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By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



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Messina Strait in the Mediterranean Sea

Today's Image of the Day from <a href="https://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/">NASA Earth Observatory</a> features an astronaut photograph of the Amazon River in Brazil. This particular stretch of river is located near the port city of Parintins.



"The river is the largest on Earth and allows seagoing ships to reach Parintins even though it is 800 kilometers (500 miles) inland from the Atlantic Ocean," says NASA.



"Seagoing ships can progress 3,600 kilometers (2,200 miles) up the Amazon River - more than halfway across the South American continent - to the port of Iquitos in Peru."&nbsp;



The muddy color of the river is tied to the Andes Mountains, a major source of sediments and mineral nutrients. According to NASA, the sediment erodes from the Andes Mountains located to the west and is carried generally eastward toward the ocean.&nbsp;



Image Credit: NASA Earth Observatory&nbsp;



---



By <a href="mailto:csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Editor



Check us out on <a href="https://www.earth.com/earthsnap/">EarthSnap</a>, a free app brought to you by Eric Ralls and Earth.com.

The lower Amazon River in Brazil

Tree,At,Spring,Against,The,Sun,And,Photovoltaic,Panel

As the world grapples with soaring energy prices, a landmark shift towards renewable energy is taking place. Solar power, in particular, is enjoying a remarkable boom, a phenomenon detailed in a new report released Thursday by the <a href="https://www.iea.org/">International Energy Agency</a> (IEA).&nbsp;



The global drive to embrace clean energy, spurred by Russia's attack on Ukraine and resultant fossil fuel price hikes, is set to result in a record-breaking addition to the world's renewable energy capacity this year.



IEA's report predicts that solar and wind power installations are on track to reach 440 gigawatts in 2023. To put this into perspective, it's an increase of about one-third compared to the capacity added in the previous year. This will push the world's total installed capacity to an impressive 4,500 GW, a figure comparable to the combined power output of the United States and China.



Fatih Birol, the IEA's executive director, explained the significance of this shift. "The global energy crisis has shown renewables are critical for making energy supplies not just cleaner but also more secure and affordable,” he stated.&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-more-nations-are-embracing-renewable-energy">More nations are embracing renewable energy</h2>



Governments around the world are acknowledging this, expediting their deployment of renewable energy resources. Recent incentives from the Biden administration, for instance, are already accelerating renewable adoption in the United States.



The surge in renewable power capacity this year will predominantly be driven by photovoltaic (PV) technology, accounting for about two-thirds of the increase. Both large-scale solar farms and small-scale consumer rooftop installations are experiencing significant growth, thanks to the booming manufacturing capacity for PV components, especially in China.



The construction of new wind farms is also anticipated to rebound following a period of subdued growth. However, the IEA report pointed out an important bottleneck: unlike the solar sector, supply chains for wind turbines are not expanding quickly enough to meet the increasing demand.



<h2 id="h-power-grids-must-adapt-and-be-upgraded">Power grids must adapt and be upgraded</h2>



Alongside this surge in renewable energy, Birol highlighted the need for power grids to adapt. Solar and wind power, with their intermittent nature, require a fundamental shift in the way network operators handle energy compared to conventional coal, gas or nuclear plants. Grids must be upgraded and expanded to accommodate this new energy landscape.



By 2024, several European countries, including Spain, Germany, and Ireland, are expected to witness a combined contribution of wind and solar power amounting to over 40% of their overall annual electricity generation.



Transitioning the global economy away from fossil fuels is a crucial step in the fight against climate change. Experts suggest that to achieve the Paris climate accord’s target of restricting global temperature increase to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels, emissions must be reduced by half by 2030 and reach 'net zero' by mid-century.



The <a href="https://www.irena.org/">International Renewable Energy Agency</a>, a separate entity from the IEA, is urging for a substantial increase in wind and solar investments. The global community is expected to discuss an international target for renewable energy deployment during this year's U.N. climate summit in Dubai. This signals a shared commitment to a sustainable, renewable-powered future.



<h2 id="h-more-about-solar-energy">More about solar energy&nbsp;</h2>



Solar energy, one of the most popular forms of renewable energy, harnesses the power of the sun's radiant light and heat. It's a clean, abundant, and renewable source of energy that can be used for a multitude of applications, including generating electricity, providing light or comfortable interior environments, and heating water for domestic, commercial, or industrial use.



To capture and convert the sun's energy into usable forms, several technologies are available:



<h3 id="h-solar-photovoltaics-pv">Solar Photovoltaics (PV)</h3>



Photovoltaics is the most well-known method for harnessing solar energy. Solar PV systems convert sunlight directly into electricity using semiconductor materials (often silicon-based) through the photovoltaic effect. The cells generate electric current when photons from the sun hit the cell and energize the electrons.



<h3 id="h-concentrated-solar-power-csp">Concentrated Solar Power (CSP)</h3>



CSP plants generate electricity by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate a large area of sunlight onto a small area. The concentrated light is then used as a heat source for a conventional power plant. There are several types of CSP technologies, including parabolic trough, compact linear Fresnel reflector, Stirling dish, and solar power tower systems.



<h3 id="h-solar-heating-and-cooling-shc">Solar Heating and Cooling (SHC)</h3>



SHC technologies collect thermal energy from the sun and use it for heating and cooling purposes. They can be used for water heating, space heating, space cooling, and process heat applications.



<h3 id="h-passive-solar">Passive Solar</h3>



Passive solar design takes advantage of the sun's energy to maintain a comfortable temperature in a building without the need for mechanical systems. It involves designing buildings with efficient insulation, strategic window placement, and reflective coatings on walls, windows, and roofs.



Solar energy has numerous advantages. It's sustainable, renewable, and abundant, and it emits no greenhouse gases when producing electricity. It's also versatile, capable of powering everything from small devices to entire buildings and even cities.



<h2 id="h-challenges-of-using-solar-energy">Challenges of using solar energy</h2>



However, it does come with some challenges. Solar energy production is intermittent since it's dependent on daylight hours and weather conditions. Hence, it requires storage solutions or supplementary power sources for periods of low production.&nbsp;



Additionally, while the cost of solar technologies has dropped significantly in recent years, initial setup and installation can be high.



Given these factors, continued advancements in solar technology, energy storage solutions, and grid management will play a crucial role in expanding the role of solar power in our global energy mix. The future of solar energy remains promising, and it's expected to be a major contributor to the world's transition to sustainable energy.



<h2 id="h-more-about-wind-energy">More about wind energy</h2>



Wind energy is another form of renewable energy that harnesses the natural power of the wind to generate electricity. As the wind moves across the surface of the earth, it carries kinetic energy with it. Wind turbines capture this kinetic energy and convert it into mechanical power, which can then be converted into electricity.



<h3 id="h-there-are-two-main-types-of-wind-turbines">There are two main types of wind turbines:</h3>



<ol>
<li>Horizontal Axis Wind Turbines (HAWTs): These are the most commonly recognized type of wind turbine. They consist of a tower with three blades rotating around a horizontal axis, similar to traditional windmills.</li>



<li>Vertical Axis Wind Turbines (VAWTs): These turbines have a vertical rotor and can capture wind from all directions without needing to be repositioned, unlike HAWTs. VAWTs are less commonly used than HAWTs, but they can be advantageous in areas where wind direction is highly variable or in urban environments.</li>
</ol>



Wind turbines can be installed both onshore and offshore. Onshore wind farms are typically cheaper to install and maintain, but offshore wind farms can capture more energy due to higher wind speeds over the <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/plastic-pollution-is-making-the-ocean-more-acidic/">ocean</a>.



One of the main benefits of wind energy is that it's a clean, renewable form of energy that doesn't release harmful emissions. It's also abundant, particularly in certain regions with high wind potential. Wind farms, especially those onshore, can be built relatively quickly compared to other types of large-scale energy infrastructure.



<h3 id="h-challenges-of-using-wind-for-energy-supply">Challenges of using wind for energy supply</h3>



However, there are also challenges associated with wind energy. Wind is intermittent, and its availability does not always coincide with electricity demand, necessitating effective energy storage solutions or backup power sources.&nbsp;



Wind turbines also require a significant amount of space, which can lead to land use conflicts. Furthermore, they have been associated with noise and aesthetic concerns, as well as impacts on wildlife, particularly birds and bats.



In terms of economic considerations, while the cost of wind energy has been decreasing, the initial investment can still be high. However, once a wind farm is set up, the cost of operation and maintenance is relatively low.



Despite these challenges, wind energy plays a crucial role in the transition towards sustainable and clean energy sources. Advancements in technology, like more efficient turbine designs and better energy storage solutions, are continually improving the feasibility and efficiency of wind energy.



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The world's renewable energy capacity will take a record leap this year

As the world grapples with soaring energy prices, a landmark...

Our world is becoming hotter. This isn't simply a matter of sweltering summer afternoons. It's a complex, global shift that's altering seasonal patterns, intensifying <a href="https://www.earth.com/news/extreme-weather-is-becoming-more-difficult-to-predict/">weather</a> extremes like severe droughts and punishing heat waves, and consequently affecting our food supply.



A freshly published study led by a dedicated team at the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at <a href="https://www.tufts.edu/">Tufts University</a> brings these issues into sharp focus.&nbsp;



The study centers on the increased likelihood of extreme temperatures that could devastate crop yields, specifically focusing on the wheat-producing regions of the U.S. and China.



"Imagine heat waves that used to happen once every hundred years in 1981," explained study lead author Erin Coughlan de Perez. "Our data shows that these are now likely to happen once every six years in the Midwestern U.S., and once every 16 years in Northeastern China."&nbsp;



<h2 id="h-preparing-instead-of-reacting-is-the-key">Preparing instead of reacting is the key</h2>



This forecasts a range of conditions for which we must prepare, even though we have yet to experience them. "The historical record is no longer a good representation of what we can expect for the future," said Coughlan de Perez.



Published in the journal <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s41612-023-00361-y">Climate and Atmospheric Science</a>, the paper warns that we live in a changed climate, and people are underestimating current day possibilities for extreme events.



The research pivots on a telling fact from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: the average global surface temperature in the last decade was 1.1 degrees Celsius higher than it was between 1850 and 1900.



<h2 id="h-how-the-study-was-conducted">How the study was conducted</h2>



To examine the food simply impacts of this increase on our risk of extreme weather, Coughlan de Perez and her team have meticulously collected a massive ensemble of seasonal forecasts from the past 40 years. These were used to generate thousands of potential temperature and rainfall variations, essentially painting a picture of all the weather outcomes that could have occurred in any given year.



Their unique method, dubbed the Unprecedented Simulated Extreme Ensemble or UNSEEN approach, allowed the researchers to estimate the likely frequency of extreme temperatures that exceed critical growth thresholds for wheat.



Let's look at winter wheat crops. They kick off their growth in the fall and get harvested the following summer. High spring temperatures, when the plant is flowering, can impact the wheat’s development.&nbsp;



At temperatures over 27.8 degrees Celsius (about 82 degrees Fahrenheit), the plants start to experience heat stress. Beyond 32.8 degrees Celsius (about 91 degrees Fahrenheit), vital enzymes in the wheat start to deteriorate.



"In the Midwest, we used to witness seasons with an average of maybe four or five days exceeding this enzyme breakdown threshold - it was quite uncommon," said Coughlan de Perez. "However, our research revealed potential alternate realities of today's climate, showing up to 15 days above this threshold, which would likely cause substantial damage."



<h2 id="h-extreme-heat-normally-coincides-with-extreme-drought">Extreme heat normally coincides with extreme drought</h2>



To make matters worse, record-breaking heat often coincides with record-breaking drought. These two threats combined could drastically reduce the growing season.&nbsp;



Given that the U.S. and China are substantial grain producers for the world, simultaneous crop failures or concurrent failure with other staple crops could profoundly impact global food prices and availability.



The study's results hint that we've been fortunate in these regions in recent years. While weather has an element of randomness, akin to rolling a six-sided die, these areas have been consistently "rolling" low numbers, experiencing cooler weather than they could have.&nbsp;



However, climate change has effectively "changed the die," raising the highest number. Consequently, these regions have yet to experience the worst of what could occur, and may not be adequately prepared.



"My hope is to make people aware that their die has changed," said Coughlan de Perez. "You can roll something extremely harsh. Perhaps you won’t roll an eight for some time, but it’s essential to establish plans for when that happens.”



<h2 id="h-predicting-the-future-by-studying-the-atmosphere">Predicting the future by studying the atmosphere</h2>



Furthermore, the researchers pinpointed regional and global atmospheric circulation patterns that could trigger severely hot and dry events. They even highlight a worst-case scenario where both the U.S. and China's wheat production suffer in the same season. This information could prove crucial in crafting climate adaptation plans and ensuring stakeholders are prepared for these unprecedented future events.



"I think, with climate change, we’re suffering from a failure of imagination," said Coughlan de Perez. "If we’re not envisioning the kind of extremes that could occur, then we won’t be ready for them." She strongly believes we don't need to be caught off guard. "We can use tools at our disposal to try to understand what’s possible and be ready when it happens."



<h2 id="h-more-about-wheat">More about wheat&nbsp;</h2>



Wheat is one of the major food crops of the world, serving as a staple diet for more than a third of the global human population, according to the Food and Agriculture Organization. Its diverse varieties allow it to be grown in a range of geographic regions, from the plains of the U.S. Midwest to the steppes of Russia and the fields of China.&nbsp;



Wheat supplies about 20% of the food calories for the world's population. Consequently, disruptions to wheat harvests can have profound impacts on food security, availability, and prices, affecting human nutrition and potentially leading to social and economic instability.



Climate change, however, poses significant risks to the sustainability of wheat production. Rising temperatures, changing rainfall patterns, and increased frequency and intensity of extreme weather events like heatwaves and droughts are all aspects of climate change that can adversely impact wheat crops.



High temperatures, particularly during the critical flowering stage, can significantly reduce wheat yields. Heat stress during this period can lead to lower grain numbers and smaller grain sizes.&nbsp;



As noted in the study led by Erin Coughlan de Perez, the temperatures at which wheat plants start to suffer from heat stress and critical enzymes begin to break down are 27.8 degrees Celsius (about 82 degrees Fahrenheit) and 32.8 degrees Celsius (about 91 degrees Fahrenheit), respectively.



<h3 id="h-impact-of-climate-change-on-wheat-production">Impact of climate change on wheat production</h3>



Moreover, research indicates that climate change may exacerbate the incidence of pests and diseases that affect wheat, adding to the challenges facing wheat production. Changing weather patterns can also disrupt the usual planting and harvesting cycles, causing further uncertainties for farmers.



A study published in Nature Climate Change in 2017 suggests that if global temperatures increase by 2 degrees Celsius, wheat yields could fall by 6% on average globally. This decline may not seem significant, but considering the billions of people who rely on wheat as a staple food, the impact could be substantial.



To mitigate these impacts, farmers and researchers are exploring various adaptation strategies. These include developing new, heat-resistant wheat varieties, altering planting and harvesting schedules to avoid periods of likely heat stress, and improving irrigation practices to cope with changing rainfall patterns.



<h3 id="h-global-societal-action-is-needed">Global societal action is needed</h3>



However, while these adaptations can help, they may not entirely offset the potential impacts of climate change on wheat production. As such, broader societal action to limit global warming is essential to ensure the long-term sustainability of wheat and other critical food crops.&nbsp;



Moreover, policy measures are needed to support farmers in adopting sustainable practices and to provide safety nets for those affected by crop failures due to extreme weather events.



In conclusion, the challenges posed by climate change to wheat production are substantial but not insurmountable. With careful planning, scientific innovation, and global cooperation, it is possible to safeguard this vital crop for future generations.



—-



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Record-breaking heat is threatening wheat and the global food supply

Our world is becoming hotter. This isn't simply a matter...

In an echo of strategies employed by the tobacco industry, the chemical sector has been implicated in concealing vital information about the detrimental health effects linked to PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) exposure.&nbsp;



This finding emerges from an examination of previously confidential industry papers by a team of researchers at <a href="https://www.ucsf.edu/">UC San Francisco</a> (UCSF).



Published in the journal <a href="https://annalsofglobalhealth.org/">Annals of Global Health</a>, a shocking paper casts light on how companies like DuPont and 3M, the largest PFAS manufacturers, employed various tactics to delay the public awareness of PFAS toxicity. This deliberate stalling strategy further slowed the formulation of regulations governing the use of these chemicals.



PFAS, notoriously known as "forever chemicals," are extensively used in various household goods, clothing, and food products. Their resistance to degradation has not only resulted in their prevalence in our environment but also in their omnipresence in human bodies.



Tracey J. Woodruff, PhD, professor and director of the UCSF Program on Reproductive Health and the Environment (PRHE), and senior author of the paper, said: “These documents reveal clear evidence that the chemical industry knew about the dangers of PFAS and failed to let the public, regulators, and even their own employees know the risks.”



Woodruff, a former senior scientist and policy advisor at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), used this opportunity to analyze the PFAS industry documents for the first time through the lens of exposing tobacco industry tactics.



<h2 id="h-harmful-and-toxic-effects-had-been-known-for-decades">Harmful and toxic effects had been known for decades</h2>



The concealed industry documents were unearthed during a lawsuit launched by attorney Robert Bilott, known for successfully suing DuPont over PFAS contamination, and whose story inspired the film “Dark Waters.”&nbsp;



Bilott forwarded these documents, spanning from 1961 to 2006, to the creators of the documentary, “The Devil We Know.” They, in turn, contributed them to the UCSF Chemical Industry Documents Library.



“Having access to these documents allows us to see what the manufacturers knew and when, but also how polluting industries keep critical public health information private," said lead researcher Dr. Nadia Gaber.



She also stressed the importance of this research in informing policy decisions and pushing towards a precautionary principle in chemical regulation.



The researchers emphasized that public knowledge regarding PFAS toxicity remained minimal during the first five decades of their usage. This lack of transparency persisted despite industry having numerous studies showing adverse health effects at least 21 years before these were made public.



The paper reports that DuPont suppressed evidence from internal animal and occupational studies demonstrating PFAS toxicity. Instead of sharing these results with the EPA as required by TSCA, they were marked "confidential." The paper further indicates instances where industry executives explicitly expressed their desire to have such incriminating memos destroyed.



<h2 id="h-borrowing-the-suppression-strategy-from-the-tobacco-industry">Borrowing the suppression strategy from the tobacco industry</h2>



The paper lays out a timeline of the chemical industry's knowledge of PFAS risks versus public awareness. It uncovers strategies used by the chemical industry to suppress vital information and protect their harmful products.&nbsp;



In 1961, a company report revealed that Teflon's Chief of Toxicology discovered that Teflon materials had “the ability to increase the size of the liver of rats at low doses,” and warned that the chemicals “be handled ‘with extreme care’ and that ‘contact with the skin should be strictly avoided.’”



A 1970 internal memo from DuPont-funded Haskell Laboratory declared C8 (one of thousands of PFAS) as “highly toxic when inhaled and moderately toxic when ingested.” By 1979, Haskell labs found that dogs exposed to a single dose of PFOA “died two days after ingestion.”



In 1980, DuPont and 3M discovered two birth defects among eight pregnant employees working in C8 manufacturing. However, they failed to disclose this finding or inform their employees about it. In a contradictory move, an internal memo in the following year claimed, “We know of no evidence of birth defects caused by C-8 at DuPont.”



Yet, DuPont reassured its employees in 1980, comparing the toxicity of C8 to that of table salt. They further downplayed reports of PFAS groundwater contamination near one of their plants in a 1991 press release, stating, “C-8 has no known toxic or ill health effects in humans at concentration levels detected.”



As lawsuits in 1998 and 2002 raised media attention to PFAS contamination, DuPont contacted the EPA, pushing for a swift public statement. They urged, “We need EPA to quickly (like first thing tomorrow) say the following: That consumer products sold under the Teflon brand are safe and to date there are no human health effects known to be caused by PFOA.”



In 2004, the EPA penalized DuPont for withholding their findings on PFOA. Despite the $16.45 million settlement being the largest civil penalty under U.S. environmental statutes at the time, it constituted a mere fraction of DuPont’s $1 billion annual revenues from PFOA and C8 in 2005.



Reflecting on the implications of the paper, Woodruff said, “As many countries pursue legal and legislative action to curb PFAS production, we hope they are aided by the timeline of evidence presented in this paper.” She noted that this timeline reveals significant flaws in the existing U.S. regulations on harmful chemicals.



<h2 id="h-more-about-forever-chemicals">More about forever chemicals&nbsp;</h2>



PFAS, or per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are a group of human-made chemicals that have been manufactured and used in a variety of industries around the world since the 1940s. They are used in a wide range of products because of their unique properties, such as their resistance to heat, water, and oil.



PFAS can be found in:



<ul>
<li>Food packaging materials, such as microwave popcorn bags and pizza boxes</li>



<li>Stain- and water-repellent fabrics</li>



<li>Nonstick products, such as Teflon</li>



<li>Polishes, waxes, paints, and cleaning products</li>



<li>Fire-fighting foams (a major source of groundwater contamination at airports and military bases where firefighting training occurs)</li>
</ul>



PFAS are known as "forever chemicals" because they are extremely resistant to breaking down in the environment. They are stable, persistent, and bioaccumulate, meaning their concentration can increase over time in the environment and in organisms.



Studies have indicated that exposure to certain PFAS may lead to adverse human health effects. Some of the health effects linked with PFAS exposure include:



<ul>
<li>Effects on growth, learning, and behavior of infants and older children</li>



<li>Lower fertility and interference with the body’s natural hormones</li>



<li>Increased cholesterol levels</li>



<li>Elevated risk of cancer, particularly kidney and testicular cancers</li>



<li>Impact on the immune system</li>



<li>Increased risk of thyroid disease</li>
</ul>



The most studied PFAS chemicals are PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) and PFOS (perfluorooctanesulfonic acid). Both of these are no longer manufactured in the United States, but they are still produced internationally and can be imported into the US in consumer goods.



Due to their widespread use and persistence in the environment, most people in the US have been exposed to PFAS. They can be detected in blood, and in certain cases, in drinking water supplies.



There’s increasing concern about the health effects of PFAS exposure, and a growing push for stricter regulation of these chemicals. Various states in the US have enacted legislation or issued guidance regarding PFAS, and there is ongoing research to better understand the impacts of these substances on human health and the environment.



—-



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Creators of forever chemicals covered up the toxic dangers for decades

In an echo of strategies employed by the tobacco industry,...

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Some hummingbirds are designed for fighting Today&#8217;s Video of the Day from the <a href="https://www.berkeley.edu/">University of California, Berkeley</a> provides new insight into the behavior of hummingbirds. 

Some hummingbirds have bills that are designed perfectly for sipping nectar. 
The researchers discovered, however, that the bills of male hummingbirds in the South American tropics are designed for much more aggressive behaviors, such as biting, pulling, and fighting. 
According to the experts, the tropical male hummingbirds likely evolved more rugged features in response to competition in the jungle for food and mates. Yes, there is some species of hummingbirds that fight other species for dominance. One example is the Rufous species who will fend off the Anna&#8217;s, Broad-tailed, Calliope and Black-chinned hummingbirds.
Hummingbirds fight to defend their food supply and the food supply of their offspring. However, if this fighting spoils your enjoyment when watching hummingbirds, there are things you can do. First, remember that the birds have the fastest metabolism of any bird. Nectar is the end result of all fighting. Bear in mind that displays of aggression can be incredibly common in spring, rufous hummingbirds can continue being angry and fight-prone well into the fall. This is also true of any hummingbird that is gearing up for migration. Wintering birds tend to be more adaptable to the local climate and less likely to fight over perceived shortages. Some hummingbirds are designed for fighting as shown above in video, it will show you the technique they use.
The study is published in the journal <a href="https://academic.oup.com/iob/pages/About">Integrative Organismal Biology</a>.
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By <a href="http://csexton@earth.com">Chrissy Sexton</a>, <a href="https://www.earth.com/staff/">Earth.com</a> Staff Writer 
Video Credit: UC Berkeley