Wed.Jul 24, 2024

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Altering Consciousness with Advanced Meditation

Scientific American

Advanced meditation is changing how we think about consciousness. Hear neuroscience researcher Matthew Sacchet explain his journey to studying what happens to the brain during a deeper engagement with meditation.

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Early humans began wiping out elephant relatives 1.8 million years ago

New Scientist

Elephant-like species started going extinct faster when early humans evolved, and the rate of extinction rose even higher when modern humans appeared

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Shell Petrochemical Plant Asks DEP To Classify Chemical Makeup, Flow Rate Of Gases Going To Be Burned Off By Flares, Air Pollution Sources, Control Equipment Operating At The Plant Confidential Business Information

PA Environment Daily

On April 12, 2024, the Shell Petrochemical Plant requested the Department of Environmental Protection to classify the composition and flow rate of gases going to be burned off at flares and the air pollution sources and pollution control equipment operating at the Beaver County facility confidential business information. DEP routinely requested and Shell provided this information as part of more than 80 facility inspections from May 16, 2023 through April 1, 2024.

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Egyptian pyramid may have been built using a water-powered elevator

New Scientist

Ancient Egyptians may have relied on a vertical shaft that could be filled with water, along with a network of water channels and filtration structures, to build the Step Pyramid of Djoser 4500 years ago

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The Key to Sustainable Energy Optimization: A Data-Driven Approach for Manufacturing

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. ♻️ Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets. 📊 Join us for a practical webinar hosted by Kevin Kai Wong of Emergent Ene

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How Student Athletes Can Avoid Heatstroke

Scientific American

An athletic trainer explains why bodies need time to acclimatize to extreme heat and what risks to watch out for to avoid heat illness in student athletes

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Why many studies wrongly claim it’s healthy to drink a little alcohol

New Scientist

It is becoming clear that any amount of alcohol is harmful, so why do so many studies claim that moderate drinking could help you live longer?

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More Trending

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Epic images show old mines transformed into a library, lab and museum

New Scientist

Amazing images of an open-air library, underground lab and design museum show the reincarnation of dead mines, captured in a new book, 102 Things to Do With a Hole in the Ground

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Hidden Hazards: Oversight Voids in Gas Gathering Lines

NRDC

PHMSA lacks complete information on gathering line routes and operating status. Recent accidents confirm these pipelines pose unknown hazards beneath our feet.

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Jurassic fossils show modern mammals grow faster than ancient ones

New Scientist

The 166-million-year-old fossils of an adult and a juvenile of the same extinct mammal species reveal that they had longer "childhoods" and lifespans than similar species today

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Shade Creek Watershed Assn. Celebrates 25th Anniversary Sept. 21 In Somerset County

PA Environment Daily

The Shade Creek Watershed Association will celebrate its 25th Anniversary on September 21 with an open house at its offices at 1221 No. 1 Road in Cairnbrook, Somerset County from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. The Association is an all volunteer nonprofit organization founded in 1999 to protect and restore water and fish habitat of the Shade Creek Watershed. Its primary focus is water monitoring and treatment on Dark Shade Creek and its tributaries.

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Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

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Moon bases will need to be 3 metres underground to avoid radiation

New Scientist

To keep long-term moon residents safe from harmful radiation, lunar bases will need to be built several metres under the surface or inside caves or lava tubes

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New Way of Making Superheavy Elements May Bring ‘Island of Stability’ within Reach

Scientific American

A novel way of making superheavy elements could soon add a new row to the periodic table, allowing scientists to explore uncharted atomic realms

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Trees have an extra climate benefit thanks to methane-eating microbes

New Scientist

Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is converted to CO2 by microbes in tree bark, meaning trees are even better for the climate than we thought

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Regulating Pollution and Contaminated Sites in Alberta: Case Study of the Verte Homesteader Community

Environmental Law Centre

Cover Photo – “Fencing around the old Domtar site” Photograph. 2021. CTV News Edmonton. [link] Imagine that you invested your life savings in buying a home. One day, you. The post Regulating Pollution and Contaminated Sites in Alberta: Case Study of the Verte Homesteader Community appeared first on Environmental Law Centre.

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Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

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Lunar samples reveal exactly when the moon’s largest crater formed

New Scientist

By analysing lunar samples from NASA's Apollo missions, researchers calculated exactly when – and why – the moon was once covered with magma

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Penn State Extension Begins 10-Part Pennsylvania Forests Online Seminar Series Sept. 10

PA Environment Daily

A ten-part online Pennsylvania Forest Seminar Series hosted by Penn State Extension will begin its 17th season on September 10 with a program on using geographic information systems to track forest management at Noon and 7:00 p.m. Pennsylvania Forest Online Web Seminar series will be held once a month from September through June on the second Tuesday of each month.

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What happens at a black hole's edge? It depends on your perspective

New Scientist

To find out what happens at the centre of a black hole, we may need to consider its event horizon - and think about where we're looking from, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

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New York City’s Marshes, Resplendent and Threatened

Inside Climate News

Productive ecosystems for shorebirds and other fauna, the marshes are relentlessly pounded by sea level rise and storm surges. Heavy metals remain from their industrial past. By Lauren Dalban NEW YORK—Walter Mugdan looks out at the marshes that make up part of Udall’s Cove Park and Preserve in Little Neck, Queens. He points out the ospreys that inhabit one of the nesting platforms in the area, hoping to catch one of them diving down into the marsh for food.

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Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

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Komodo dragons have teeth capped with a layer of iron

New Scientist

An orange layer on the tips of Komodo dragons’ teeth may give the enamel extra strength for ripping apart their prey

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NASA Cancels Its VIPER Moon Rover

Scientific American

The VIPER lunar rover promised a revolution in our understanding of the moon’s precious deposits of ice.

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How much exercise do children really need – and what type?

New Scientist

Better fitness in children is linked to better cognition and health in later life, but the majority in the US and UK don't get nearly enough.

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Clean Transportation: Another Form of Indigenous Resistance to Big Oil

NRDC

A deep dive into tribal clean transportation with the executive director of Electric Nation, Bob Blake.

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We may finally know how the placebo effect relieves pain

New Scientist

A brain circuit discovered in mice could explain why placebo treatments ease pain in people

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New York’s Marshes Plagued by Sewage Runoff and Lack of Sediment

Inside Climate News

The combination tricks plants into thinking they don’t have to sink deep roots. By Lauren Dalban NEW YORK—New York City marshes are not only impacted by storm surge and rising sea levels, they are also threatened by the outflows of sewage and stormwater that the city releases into the waterways during rainstorms, as well as the high nitrogen levels present in treated water.

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AI can predict tipping points for systems from forests to power grids

New Scientist

Combining two neural networks has helped researchers predict potentially disastrous collapses in complex systems, such as financial crashes or power blackouts

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PennEnvironment: New Interactive Map Spotlights State, National Parks With Access To Electric Vehicle Charging

PA Environment Daily

Tens of millions of Americans are expected to hit the highways this summer for road trips, often to state or national parks. For many drivers, 2024 marks their first year behind the wheel of an electric vehicle. A new interactive map from PennEnvironment Research and Policy Center, Environment America Research and Policy Center, U.S. PIRG Education Fund, and Frontier Group helps those newbies, as well as early adopters of EVs, find state and national parks where they can plug in their electric v

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Collision between boat and basking shark captured by camera tag

New Scientist

Researchers are calling for greater protection for basking sharks after a camera on a tagged shark recorded a collision for the first time

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Centre County Recycling & Refuse Authority Will Be Accepting Applications For Recycling Mini Grants Starting Aug. 12

PA Environment Daily

On July 23, the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority announced it will be accepting applications for recycling mini-grants from Centre County municipalities, businesses, recycling collection haulers, schools, healthcare institutions and non-profits. Grant applications will be accepted online from August 12 to October 4. The CCRRA mini-grant program is intended to provide reimbursement grant funds for Centre County-based projects that improve recycling education and collection of material

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Are there times when we should cut ties with a toxic family member?

New Scientist

Happy family relationships are in the minority, finds some research.

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The Supreme Court Significantly Alters the Landscape for Reviewing and Challenging Federal Agency Action

SPR Law

Within a three-day period at the tail end of its term, the Supreme Court issued two decisions that significantly affect the federal administrative law landscape, and will necessarily influence environmental regulations and enforcement in years to come. Loper Bright Enterprises, et al. v. Raimondo, et al. On June 28, 2024, in a decision authored by… The post The Supreme Court Significantly Alters the Landscape for Reviewing and Challenging Federal Agency Action appeared first on Sive Paget

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How fast do we get out of shape and is there a way to slow the loss?

New Scientist

When we take a break from exercise, it can feel feel like we quickly go back to square one.

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Upcoming Ohio Supreme Court decisions could make it even harder to develop solar power in the state 

Environmental News Bits

Read the full story from Energy News Network. A pair of upcoming decisions by Ohio’s top court could further empower local opponents to block clean energy in what is already one of the hardest states to site new renewable projects.

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How to use psychology to hack your mind and fall in love with exercise

New Scientist

If the idea of exercise is more attractive than the reality, you aren't alone.

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