UNFORTUNATELY FOR SENATOR MURKOWSKI OF ALASKA THERE IS NOWHERE TO CHILL IN HER HOME STATE THANKS TO GLOBAL WARMING THAT NEITHER HER PARTY NOR TRUMP BELIEVE IN
Climate change is causing the Arctic to become GREENER
Saturday, February 01, 2020
MURKOWSKI TO CHILL IN WARMING ALASKA
Lisa Murkowski lashes out at ‘all sides’ after her vote against impeachment trial witnesses: ‘I’m just going to chill’
UNFORTUNATELY FOR SENATOR MURKOWSKI OF ALASKA THERE IS NOWHERE TO CHILL IN HER HOME STATE THANKS TO GLOBAL WARMING THAT NEITHER HER PARTY NOR TRUMP BELIEVE IN
Climate change is causing the Arctic to become GREENER
UNFORTUNATELY FOR SENATOR MURKOWSKI OF ALASKA THERE IS NOWHERE TO CHILL IN HER HOME STATE THANKS TO GLOBAL WARMING THAT NEITHER HER PARTY NOR TRUMP BELIEVE IN
Climate change is causing the Arctic to become GREENER
Rare 1,300-year-old coin featuring the face of an obscure Saxon king could sell for £15,000 at auction after its owner spent three years trying to prove its historical importance
Metal detectorist Andy Hall, 55, found the coin during a trip to Wiltshire farmland
However, experts and scholars questioned the authenticity of the silver penny
Tests have now shown it consistent with coins of the time and 95 per cent silver
The penny depicts Ludica, who ruled Mercia for just one year from 826–827 AD
Its existence proves that old London did not fall to the West Saxons until 827 AD
By IAN RANDALL FOR MAILONLINE 31 January 2020
A rare 1,300-year-old coin featuring the face of an obscure Saxon king could sell for £15,000 at auction after its owner spent three years trying to prove its authenticity.
Experts and scholars dismissed the silver penny Andy Hall unearthed in a muddy field in Wiltshire, as it featured the head of a virtually-unknown Saxon king.
Moreover, the date it was hammered — 826 AD — would also have meant that the history books on Britain would have to be re-written.
Undeterred, the 55-year-old metal detectorist was determined to prove them wrong.
He spent the next three years having his coin examined by other experts and even paid £300 for it to be metallurgically analysed.
The scientific tests confirmed that the coin was 95 per cent silver and ‘completely consistent with coinage in the period 810–840 AD’.
A rare 1,300-year-old coin featuring the face of an obscure Saxon king could sell for £15,000 at auction after its owner spent three years trying to prove its authenticity
The face depicted on the coin is that of the Saxon king Ludica, who ruled for a single year from 826–827 AD in Mercia — a kingdom which included London, or 'Lundenwic' as it then was.
According to the historical record, London fell to the Wessex King Ecgberht as a result of the outcome of the Battle of Ellendun in 825 AD.
However, Mr Hall's coin proves that Mercia still retained London in 826 AD.
It did not fall under Ecgberht’s control, therefore, until after Ludica was killed fighting the East Angles in 827 AD.
The coin features the bust of Ludica facing right, with the legend LUDICA REX MER, while the reverse features the inscription LUN/DONIA/CIVIT across three lines.
Mr Hall has now offered his coin for sale with London auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb, who have given it an estimate of £15,000.
'I have a love for history and numismatics and so wanted the historical importance of this coin recorded and as the finder I felt I had a responsibility to do so,' said Mr Hall.
'The process took just over three years and cost £300 in total.'
'I was over the moon when I first read the analysis results, I re-read them about five times. Even though I was expecting a positive result I felt enormous relief.'
'I knew I had dug it up, but there is always the thought that it may have been a contemporary forgery or a 19th century fantasy piece.'
'I felt that at last my patience and determination over the last three years had paid off, even though it seemed impossible at times.'
'It’s very satisfying to have made a very tiny contribution to our knowledge of the period.'
Experts and scholars dismissed the silver penny Andy Hall, (pictured) unearthed in a muddy field, as it featured the head of a virtually-unknown Saxon king
Andy found the penny buried around four inches deep in the mud during a one-off visit to farmland at Coombe Bisset, Wiltshire, in the January of 2016.
'I saw that it was a Saxon silver penny and when I got it home I gently washed off the mud with distilled water,' Hall explained.
'I then had to Google Ludica to find out who the monarch was,' he added.
'I then sent photos and details to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, as that is where new discoveries of early medieval coins are registered.'
When he tried to auction the coin the following June, however, he was told by a leading historian and expert in Anglo-Saxon coins that there were concerns about the penny's authenticity.
'I agreed to take the coin back and approach specialists myself,' Mr Hall said.
'I organised a meeting at the Fitzwilliam Museum and received a positive reception —although the issue was still concern over its authenticity.'
Eventually, after another 18 months, the coin was sent off for analysis, at which point it was verified.
Mr Hall has now offered his coin for sale with London auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb, who have given it an estimate of £15,000
'Ludica is only mentioned briefly in the Anglo Saxon chronicles, so this coin shows he retained London during his reign,' said Dix Noonan Webb expert Nigel Mills.
'Ludica is first recorded as a military commander in 824 AD, under the Mercian king Beornwulf.'
'Beornwulf was defeated by the Wessex king Ecgberht in 825 AD and it was believed that he then took control of south eastern England.'
'This coin shows that Mercia still retained London in 826 AD and that it did not fall under Ecgberht's control until after Ludica was killed in 827 AD.'
The coin is scheduled to be sold on March 10, 2020, with Mr Hall sharing the proceeds with the owner of the land on which the coin was found.
According to the historical record, London fell to the Wessex King Ecgberht (pictured) as a result of the outcome of the Battle of Ellendun in 825 AD. However, Mr Hall's coin proves that Mercia still retained London in 826 AD
Andy found the penny buried around four inches deep in the mud during a one-off visit to farmland at Coombe Bisset, Wiltshire, in the January of 2016
Metal detectorist Andy Hall, 55, found the coin during a trip to Wiltshire farmland
However, experts and scholars questioned the authenticity of the silver penny
Tests have now shown it consistent with coins of the time and 95 per cent silver
The penny depicts Ludica, who ruled Mercia for just one year from 826–827 AD
Its existence proves that old London did not fall to the West Saxons until 827 AD
By IAN RANDALL FOR MAILONLINE 31 January 2020
A rare 1,300-year-old coin featuring the face of an obscure Saxon king could sell for £15,000 at auction after its owner spent three years trying to prove its authenticity.
Experts and scholars dismissed the silver penny Andy Hall unearthed in a muddy field in Wiltshire, as it featured the head of a virtually-unknown Saxon king.
Moreover, the date it was hammered — 826 AD — would also have meant that the history books on Britain would have to be re-written.
Undeterred, the 55-year-old metal detectorist was determined to prove them wrong.
He spent the next three years having his coin examined by other experts and even paid £300 for it to be metallurgically analysed.
The scientific tests confirmed that the coin was 95 per cent silver and ‘completely consistent with coinage in the period 810–840 AD’.
A rare 1,300-year-old coin featuring the face of an obscure Saxon king could sell for £15,000 at auction after its owner spent three years trying to prove its authenticity
The face depicted on the coin is that of the Saxon king Ludica, who ruled for a single year from 826–827 AD in Mercia — a kingdom which included London, or 'Lundenwic' as it then was.
According to the historical record, London fell to the Wessex King Ecgberht as a result of the outcome of the Battle of Ellendun in 825 AD.
However, Mr Hall's coin proves that Mercia still retained London in 826 AD.
It did not fall under Ecgberht’s control, therefore, until after Ludica was killed fighting the East Angles in 827 AD.
The coin features the bust of Ludica facing right, with the legend LUDICA REX MER, while the reverse features the inscription LUN/DONIA/CIVIT across three lines.
Mr Hall has now offered his coin for sale with London auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb, who have given it an estimate of £15,000.
'I have a love for history and numismatics and so wanted the historical importance of this coin recorded and as the finder I felt I had a responsibility to do so,' said Mr Hall.
'The process took just over three years and cost £300 in total.'
'I was over the moon when I first read the analysis results, I re-read them about five times. Even though I was expecting a positive result I felt enormous relief.'
'I knew I had dug it up, but there is always the thought that it may have been a contemporary forgery or a 19th century fantasy piece.'
'I felt that at last my patience and determination over the last three years had paid off, even though it seemed impossible at times.'
'It’s very satisfying to have made a very tiny contribution to our knowledge of the period.'
Experts and scholars dismissed the silver penny Andy Hall, (pictured) unearthed in a muddy field, as it featured the head of a virtually-unknown Saxon king
Andy found the penny buried around four inches deep in the mud during a one-off visit to farmland at Coombe Bisset, Wiltshire, in the January of 2016.
'I saw that it was a Saxon silver penny and when I got it home I gently washed off the mud with distilled water,' Hall explained.
'I then had to Google Ludica to find out who the monarch was,' he added.
'I then sent photos and details to the Fitzwilliam Museum in Cambridge, as that is where new discoveries of early medieval coins are registered.'
When he tried to auction the coin the following June, however, he was told by a leading historian and expert in Anglo-Saxon coins that there were concerns about the penny's authenticity.
'I agreed to take the coin back and approach specialists myself,' Mr Hall said.
'I organised a meeting at the Fitzwilliam Museum and received a positive reception —although the issue was still concern over its authenticity.'
Eventually, after another 18 months, the coin was sent off for analysis, at which point it was verified.
Mr Hall has now offered his coin for sale with London auctioneers Dix Noonan Webb, who have given it an estimate of £15,000
'Ludica is only mentioned briefly in the Anglo Saxon chronicles, so this coin shows he retained London during his reign,' said Dix Noonan Webb expert Nigel Mills.
'Ludica is first recorded as a military commander in 824 AD, under the Mercian king Beornwulf.'
'Beornwulf was defeated by the Wessex king Ecgberht in 825 AD and it was believed that he then took control of south eastern England.'
'This coin shows that Mercia still retained London in 826 AD and that it did not fall under Ecgberht's control until after Ludica was killed in 827 AD.'
The coin is scheduled to be sold on March 10, 2020, with Mr Hall sharing the proceeds with the owner of the land on which the coin was found.
According to the historical record, London fell to the Wessex King Ecgberht (pictured) as a result of the outcome of the Battle of Ellendun in 825 AD. However, Mr Hall's coin proves that Mercia still retained London in 826 AD
Andy found the penny buried around four inches deep in the mud during a one-off visit to farmland at Coombe Bisset, Wiltshire, in the January of 2016
Climate change is causing the Arctic to become GREENER as warmer temperatures cause trees and plants to flourish in the frozen world
Scientists are using drones and satellites to track levels of Arctic greenery
The Arctic is normally a vast and barren expanse of frozen land with little foliage
But recent analysis has found trees and plants are thriving in the Arctic
By JOE PINKSTONE FOR MAILONLINE 31 January 2020
Ecologists are on 'red alert' as warmer temperatures caused by climate change causes the Arctic to become greener.
The Arctic is normally a vast and barren expanse of frozen land but higher temperatures are now allowing foliage to thrive.
Trees and plants are being found in areas that were once perennially frozen, according to a new study.
The worrying phenomenon - branded 'Arctic greening' - is being studied by researchers using drones and satellites to study the change of Arctic permafrost (pictured)
The worrying phenomenon - branded 'Arctic greening' - is being studied by researchers using drones and satellites.
A group of 40 scientists from 36 institutions, led by two National Geographic Explorers, are behind the huge project.
As Arctic summer temperatures warm, snow is melting earlier and plants are coming into leaf sooner in spring.
Tundra vegetation is spreading into new areas and in the areas where plants have always survived, they are now flourishing.
Study lead author Dr Isla Myers-Smith, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, said: 'New technologies including sensors on drones, planes and satellites, are enabling scientists to track emerging patterns of greening found within satellite pixels that cover the size of football fields.'
Changes in vegetation alter how carbon is captured and released into the atmosphere.
The Arctic is normally a vast and barren expanse of frozen land (pictured) but higher temperatures are allowing foliage to thrive
Small changes to this balance could significantly impact efforts to keep warming below 1.5°C – a key target of the Paris Agreement.
But researchers in Europe and North America also found Arctic greening, which can be seen from space, is caused by various factors.
Ground warming is important, researchers found, but so are changes to the timing of snow melt and the wetness of landscapes.
The new study was published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
The team behind it say it is vital for understanding global climate change because tundra plants act as a barrier between the warming atmosphere and huge stocks of carbon stored in frozen ground.
Co-lead author Dr Jeffrey Kerby, who was a Neukom Fellow at Dartmouth College while conducting the research, said: 'Besides collecting new imagery, advances in how we process and analyse these data - even imagery that is decades old - are revolutionising how we understand the past, present, and future of the Arctic.'
Alex Moen, Vice President of Explorer Programmes at the National Geographic Society, added: 'We look forward to the impact that this work will have on our collective understanding of the Arctic for generations to come.'
WHAT DO EXPERTS PREDICT FOR THE FATE OF THE PLANET'S PLANTS AND ANIMALS?
Nature is in more trouble now than at any time in human history with extinction looming over one million species of plants and animals, experts say.
That's the key finding of the United Nations' (UN) first comprehensive report on biodiversity - the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat.
The report - published on May 6, 2019 - says species are being lost at a rate tens or hundreds of times faster than in the past.
Many of the worst effects can be prevented by changing the way we grow food, produce energy, deal with climate change and dispose of waste, the report said.
The report's 39-page summary highlighted five ways people are reducing biodiversity:
- Turning forests, grasslands and other areas into farms, cities and other developments. The habitat loss leaves plants and animals homeless. About three-quarters of Earth's land, two-thirds of its oceans and 85% of crucial wetlands have been severely altered or lost, making it harder for species to survive, the report said.
- Overfishing the world's oceans. A third of the world's fish stocks are overfished.
- Permitting climate change from the burning of fossil fuels to make it too hot, wet or dry for some species to survive. Almost half of the world's land mammals - not including bats - and nearly a quarter of the birds have already had their habitats hit hard by global warming.
- Polluting land and water. Every year, 300 to 400 million tons of heavy metals, solvents and toxic sludge are dumped into the world's waters.
- Allowing invasive species to crowd out native plants and animals. The number of invasive alien species per country has risen 70 per cent since 1970, with one species of bacteria threatening nearly 400 amphibian species.
Scientists are using drones and satellites to track levels of Arctic greenery
The Arctic is normally a vast and barren expanse of frozen land with little foliage
But recent analysis has found trees and plants are thriving in the Arctic
By JOE PINKSTONE FOR MAILONLINE 31 January 2020
Ecologists are on 'red alert' as warmer temperatures caused by climate change causes the Arctic to become greener.
The Arctic is normally a vast and barren expanse of frozen land but higher temperatures are now allowing foliage to thrive.
Trees and plants are being found in areas that were once perennially frozen, according to a new study.
The worrying phenomenon - branded 'Arctic greening' - is being studied by researchers using drones and satellites to study the change of Arctic permafrost (pictured)
The worrying phenomenon - branded 'Arctic greening' - is being studied by researchers using drones and satellites.
A group of 40 scientists from 36 institutions, led by two National Geographic Explorers, are behind the huge project.
As Arctic summer temperatures warm, snow is melting earlier and plants are coming into leaf sooner in spring.
Tundra vegetation is spreading into new areas and in the areas where plants have always survived, they are now flourishing.
Study lead author Dr Isla Myers-Smith, of the University of Edinburgh's School of GeoSciences, said: 'New technologies including sensors on drones, planes and satellites, are enabling scientists to track emerging patterns of greening found within satellite pixels that cover the size of football fields.'
Changes in vegetation alter how carbon is captured and released into the atmosphere.
The Arctic is normally a vast and barren expanse of frozen land (pictured) but higher temperatures are allowing foliage to thrive
Small changes to this balance could significantly impact efforts to keep warming below 1.5°C – a key target of the Paris Agreement.
But researchers in Europe and North America also found Arctic greening, which can be seen from space, is caused by various factors.
Ground warming is important, researchers found, but so are changes to the timing of snow melt and the wetness of landscapes.
The new study was published in the journal Nature Climate Change.
The team behind it say it is vital for understanding global climate change because tundra plants act as a barrier between the warming atmosphere and huge stocks of carbon stored in frozen ground.
Co-lead author Dr Jeffrey Kerby, who was a Neukom Fellow at Dartmouth College while conducting the research, said: 'Besides collecting new imagery, advances in how we process and analyse these data - even imagery that is decades old - are revolutionising how we understand the past, present, and future of the Arctic.'
Alex Moen, Vice President of Explorer Programmes at the National Geographic Society, added: 'We look forward to the impact that this work will have on our collective understanding of the Arctic for generations to come.'
WHAT DO EXPERTS PREDICT FOR THE FATE OF THE PLANET'S PLANTS AND ANIMALS?
Nature is in more trouble now than at any time in human history with extinction looming over one million species of plants and animals, experts say.
That's the key finding of the United Nations' (UN) first comprehensive report on biodiversity - the variety of plant and animal life in the world or in a particular habitat.
The report - published on May 6, 2019 - says species are being lost at a rate tens or hundreds of times faster than in the past.
Many of the worst effects can be prevented by changing the way we grow food, produce energy, deal with climate change and dispose of waste, the report said.
The report's 39-page summary highlighted five ways people are reducing biodiversity:
- Turning forests, grasslands and other areas into farms, cities and other developments. The habitat loss leaves plants and animals homeless. About three-quarters of Earth's land, two-thirds of its oceans and 85% of crucial wetlands have been severely altered or lost, making it harder for species to survive, the report said.
- Overfishing the world's oceans. A third of the world's fish stocks are overfished.
- Permitting climate change from the burning of fossil fuels to make it too hot, wet or dry for some species to survive. Almost half of the world's land mammals - not including bats - and nearly a quarter of the birds have already had their habitats hit hard by global warming.
- Polluting land and water. Every year, 300 to 400 million tons of heavy metals, solvents and toxic sludge are dumped into the world's waters.
- Allowing invasive species to crowd out native plants and animals. The number of invasive alien species per country has risen 70 per cent since 1970, with one species of bacteria threatening nearly 400 amphibian species.
RIP Spitzer: NASA bids an emotional farewell to its infrared space telescope that has been capturing stunning images of the Milky Way and cradles of newborn stars for over 16 years
After more than 16 years studying the universe in infrared light since its launch in 2003, NASA has switched off the Spitzer Space Telescope (main image), bringing its mission to an end. Since its launch, Spitzer studied comets and asteroids in our own solar system, detailed the seven rocky exoplanets in the TRAPPIST-1 star system and found a previously unidentified ring around Saturn (bottom right). The infrared telescope also captured stunning images of the Cat's Paw nebula (bottom left) and Helix nebula (top left) and composed an extensive map of our Milky Way galaxy (top right)
how global climate crisis inaction will lead to an explosion of civil unrest
Related video: Sir David Attenborough warns short governments could hinder climate action
As Asia’s youngest cabinet minister, this is how global climate crisis inaction will lead to an explosion of civil unrest
I am terrified for the future of young people. Instead of pointing fingers at each other, industrialised and developing countries need to go further
Syed Saddiq
To borrow from Greta Thunberg's powerful reminder at the World Economic Forum last week, it is our youth – those who will inherit the planet – who will be most affected by the decisions we make today.
As Malaysia’s youth minister – and Asia’s youngest cabinet minister – her stark words resonate with me deeply. I have seen first hand how young people across the region and the wider Muslim world are disillusioned with the business-as-usual approach to the planet.
Thunberg represents a new generation of young people across rich and poor countries who are demanding urgent reform. They won’t be silenced. Their anger is not just about the climate emergency, but about everything: corruption, economic inequalities, hunger.
In the Muslim world, this wave of unrest extends the same outbreak of rage we saw in 2011. The food, climate and economic drivers of that unrest are now worse than ever.
A decade ago, unemployment in Muslim nations was the highest in the world. Since then, it has grown more than anywhere else. Now nearly a third of young people across the Middle East and North Africa are unemployed – over double the international average.
Climate change: Decade's defining issue in pictures
Show all 20
Across the region, economic growth is sluggish; economies are dependent on diminished revenues from oil exports; public services are languishing and science spending is less than 0.5 per cent of GDP. Meanwhile, Muslim-majority nations are among the most corrupt in the entire world.
But the biggest threat of all is the climate crisis. The region has faced almost continuous regional drought since 1998; floods in Saudi Arabia; heat waves in Kuwait; and rising sea levels in the Egyptian coastal city of Alexandria. Within 30 years, large areas of the Middle East and north Africa could become “uninhabitable”.
As a government minister representing the issues that young people face, I am terrified of what's in store for our youth in this region.
South Asia could face extreme drought and food insecurity as early as the 2030s. Bangladesh could experience a sea-level rise on a scale that could force tens of millions from the homes. Progress on poverty alleviation by Malaysia and Indonesia could be reversed due to climate-induced economic losses being bigger than anywhere else. The impact of the climate on agriculture, tourism and fishing, for example, could shave off a tenth of the region’s GDP, and as much as 50 per cent of rice yields.
Neither the east nor west can tackle these challenges alone. Western nations are right to point out how developing nations resort to environmentally-destructive practices. But they are responsible for creating a highly unequal global system dependent on fossil fuels, the legacy of empire.
One area where we desperately need co-responsibility is global deforestation – the world’s second-largest source of carbon emissions from human activities.
Undoubtedly, oil palm plantations have been among the main drivers of deforestation in southeast Asia. But shortly after winning landslide elections overthrowing decades of corruption, my government was the first to declare a moratorium on oil palm expansion to conserve forest cover at no less than 50 per cent, while introducing mandatory standards to make oil palm production 100 per cent sustainable.
Yet within months, the European Union snubbed these efforts and declared a ban on palm oil for biodiesel. My country did not have a chance.
I’m not convinced that this was about deforestation. The EU sought a trade deal with Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay last year, although this would see European beef imports escalate. Yet beef consumption is the single biggest driver of climate-linked deforestation.
I don’t believe we can simply ban our way to a more sustainable and inclusive world – there’s a real risk of displacing rising demand onto to other commodities.
Numerous scientific studies by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, Oxford University, and York University among others show that replacing palm oil with soy, rapeseed or corn would drive great levels of deforestation. They are less efficient and use more land, fertiliser and pesticides.
Similarly, killing off livestock industries would degrade soils irreparably under continuous crop production. In contrast, sustainable approaches like "mob-grazing" cattle can help reverse climate change by increasing soil’s capacity to store carbon.
Malaysia’s efforts to transition to sustainable palm oil are not perfect and there remains much work to be done. Yet instead of working with us, the EU has simply ignored our efforts while fuelling greater causes of deforestation elsewhere.
Read more
Will planting a trillion trees actually solve the climate crisis?
Instead of pointing fingers at each other, industrialised and developing countries must work together to support more sustainable production practices. In the Amazon, that means rearing cattle in ways which protect and nurture the rainforest. In Malaysia, that means cultivating sustainable palm oil in a way which allows precious species like the Orangutan to not just survive, but thrive – as we are trying to do.
Across the east and west, we must find ways to support each other. If we don’t, civil unrest will not only become a perfect storm, it will be the new normal. That means co-responsibility and collaborative approaches not just on problems like deforestation, but on the urgent task of building new kinds of societies where governments and businesses provide for citizens within planetary boundaries.
This is the only future where the next generation has a chance, not just of surviving but thriving. If we political leaders do not work towards that, we can expect to be removed from power: the next generation will make sure of it.
Syed Saddiq is Malaysia’s minister for youth and sports, and Asia’s youngest ever cabinet minister. He is also youth chief of the Malaysian United Indigenous Party in the ruling Pakatan Harapan coalition
Japan planning to release over a million tonnes of radioactive water into sea from Fukushima power plant
Coolant contains toxic element which cannot be removed
Neighbouring South Korea has retained a ban on imports of seafood from Japan’s Fukushima region imposed after the nuclear disaster and summoned a senior Japanese embassy official last year to explain how the Fukushima water would be dealt with, Reuters reported.
South Korean athletes are planning to bring their own radiation detectors and food to the Games.
Experts say there is no established method to fully separate tritium from water, but it is not a problem in small amounts. Government officials also say tritium is routinely released from existing nuclear power plants around the world.
The report acknowledges the water releases would harm industries that still face reluctant consumers despite safety checks. It promised to reinforce monitoring of tritium levels and food safety checks to address safety concerns.
Additional reporting by agencies
Coolant contains toxic element which cannot be removed
Harry Cockburn
Friday 31 January 2020 20:03
Tanks containing contaminated water at the Fukushima nuclear plant ( AP )
Massive amounts of radioactive water being stored at Japan’s Fukushima power plant could be released into the sea under plans provisionally accepted by the country’s government.
Tokyo Electric has collected nearly 1.2 million tonnes of contaminated water from cooling pipes used to keep fuel cores from melting since the plant was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami which hit eastern Japan in 2011.
The water, containing 62 radioactive elements, is stored in huge tanks on the site of the now disabled power plant, but Tokyo Electric has said it will run out of room to store the water by 2022.
The water has been treated and Tokyo Electric said it is able to remove all radioactive particles from the water to levels not harmful to humans, except tritium, an isotope of hydrogen which is more difficult to separate from water.
A panel of experts working for Japan’s economy and industry ministry concluded that letting the water run into the sea was the best option after looking at other proposals. The only other viable option considered was to let the water evaporate.
Inside the twisted remains of Fukushima nuclear plant
Tokyo Electric Power Company officials and journalists
Friday 31 January 2020 20:03
Tanks containing contaminated water at the Fukushima nuclear plant ( AP )
Massive amounts of radioactive water being stored at Japan’s Fukushima power plant could be released into the sea under plans provisionally accepted by the country’s government.
Tokyo Electric has collected nearly 1.2 million tonnes of contaminated water from cooling pipes used to keep fuel cores from melting since the plant was devastated by the earthquake and tsunami which hit eastern Japan in 2011.
The water, containing 62 radioactive elements, is stored in huge tanks on the site of the now disabled power plant, but Tokyo Electric has said it will run out of room to store the water by 2022.
The water has been treated and Tokyo Electric said it is able to remove all radioactive particles from the water to levels not harmful to humans, except tritium, an isotope of hydrogen which is more difficult to separate from water.
A panel of experts working for Japan’s economy and industry ministry concluded that letting the water run into the sea was the best option after looking at other proposals. The only other viable option considered was to let the water evaporate.
Inside the twisted remains of Fukushima nuclear plant
Tokyo Electric Power Company officials and journalists
and journalists visited the site yesterday
In Friday’s proposal, the ministry said the controlled release to the sea is superior because its route is predictable and easier to sample and monitor.
“Compared to evaporation, ocean release can be done more securely,” the committee said, pointing to common practice around the world where nuclear power stations operating under normal conditions routinely release water containing tritium into the sea.
But the decision will alarm neighbouring countries and comes ahead of Japan’s hosting of the 2020 Olympic Games, with some events due to be held less than 60km away from the Fukushima site.
Fishermen and residents also fear health effects from releasing the radioactive water as well as harm to the region’s image and farm industries.
In Friday’s proposal, the ministry said the controlled release to the sea is superior because its route is predictable and easier to sample and monitor.
“Compared to evaporation, ocean release can be done more securely,” the committee said, pointing to common practice around the world where nuclear power stations operating under normal conditions routinely release water containing tritium into the sea.
But the decision will alarm neighbouring countries and comes ahead of Japan’s hosting of the 2020 Olympic Games, with some events due to be held less than 60km away from the Fukushima site.
Fishermen and residents also fear health effects from releasing the radioactive water as well as harm to the region’s image and farm industries.
Neighbouring South Korea has retained a ban on imports of seafood from Japan’s Fukushima region imposed after the nuclear disaster and summoned a senior Japanese embassy official last year to explain how the Fukushima water would be dealt with, Reuters reported.
South Korean athletes are planning to bring their own radiation detectors and food to the Games.
Experts say there is no established method to fully separate tritium from water, but it is not a problem in small amounts. Government officials also say tritium is routinely released from existing nuclear power plants around the world.
The report acknowledges the water releases would harm industries that still face reluctant consumers despite safety checks. It promised to reinforce monitoring of tritium levels and food safety checks to address safety concerns.
Additional reporting by agencies
Friday, January 31, 2020
Front-line protesters Wing and Tony, two 18-year-olds who began dating after attending many Hong Kong protests together, pose for a portrait. Normally quiet and reserved, the two have joined thousands of local teenagers in clashes with riot police, in a pro-democracy movement that has upended the city for seven months.
Picture taken December 9, 2019. REUTERS/Leah Millis
Reuters / Tuesday, January 28, 2020
TRUMP'S WHITE TRASH
Photos of the week
Reuters / Wednesday, January 29, 2020
Folding chairs and trash remain at the Wildwood convention center parking lot after the end of President Donald Trump's campaign rally in Wildwood, New Jersey, January 28, 2020. New Jersey supporters of Trump welcomed his first campaign rally in the state the same way they celebrate heroes from the New York Jets football team to native son Bruce Springsteen - with a tailgate party. REUTERS/Jeenah Moon
MY MEME
TRUMP'S PEACE PLAN A SHOE IN PALESTINE
A Palestinian man places a shoe on a television screen broadcasting the announcement of U.S. President Donald Trump's Middle East peace plan, in a coffee shop in Hebron in the Israeli-occupied West Bank January 28, 2020. Trump proposed creating a Palestinian state as part of the plan, drawing Palestinian condemnation for imposing strict conditions and agreeing to let Israel maintain control of long-contested West Bank settlements. It includes what Trump called a four-year freeze by Israel on new settlement activity. REUTERS/Mussa Qawasma
MY MEME
How your clothes become microfibre pollution in the sea
AFP/File / ODD ANDERSENA major source of marine pollution -- microscopic bits of polyester, nylon and acrylic -- has up to now gone largely unnoticed
From the polar ice cap to the Mariana Trench 10 kilometres below the waves, synthetic microfibres spat out by household washing machines are polluting oceans everywhere.
The world has woken up over the last year to the scourge of single-use plastics, from bottles and straws to ear swabs and throw-away bags, resulting in legislation to restrict or ban their use in dozens of countries.
A lot of this visible debris winds up in the sea, where it gathers in huge floating islands called gyres, entangles wildlife from turtles to terns, and hangs suspended in water like dead jellyfish.
But a major source of marine pollution -- microscopic bits of polyester, nylon and acrylic -- has up to now gone largely unnoticed, experts say.
Most people don't realise it, but "the majority of our clothes are made from plastic," said Imogen Napper, a researcher at the University of Plymouth.
"We wash our clothes regularly, and hundreds of thousands of fibres come off per wash," she told AFP, "This could be one of the main sources of the plastic pollution into the environment."
"How do we remove something that is so small?", she added.
A 2015 report from the Ellen McArthur foundation estimated that half-a-million tonnes of microfibres leached into waterways every year, with 53 million tonnes of new textiles produced annually.
The average family in the United States and Canada unleashes more than 500 million microfibres into the environment each year, according to the Ocean Wise organisation.
- Buy less clothing -
The vast majority of those minuscule bits of textile -- whether synthetic or not -- are intercepted during water treatment, but nearly 900 tonnes winds up in the ocean all the same.
In less developed countries, however, far more of those particles will not get intercepted, adding to the flood of plastic streaming into the sea.
Microplastics, say marine biologists, are almost certainly as harmful to microscopic ocean creatures as flimsy shopping sacs are to sea turtles.
But forensic clues are hard to come by, explains Peter Ross, co-author of the Ocean Wise report.
"The evidence disappears quickly, with weak or dead micro-organisms eaten by other species," he explained.
From the polar ice cap to the Mariana Trench 10 kilometres below the waves, synthetic microfibres spat out by household washing machines are polluting oceans everywhere.
The world has woken up over the last year to the scourge of single-use plastics, from bottles and straws to ear swabs and throw-away bags, resulting in legislation to restrict or ban their use in dozens of countries.
A lot of this visible debris winds up in the sea, where it gathers in huge floating islands called gyres, entangles wildlife from turtles to terns, and hangs suspended in water like dead jellyfish.
But a major source of marine pollution -- microscopic bits of polyester, nylon and acrylic -- has up to now gone largely unnoticed, experts say.
Most people don't realise it, but "the majority of our clothes are made from plastic," said Imogen Napper, a researcher at the University of Plymouth.
"We wash our clothes regularly, and hundreds of thousands of fibres come off per wash," she told AFP, "This could be one of the main sources of the plastic pollution into the environment."
"How do we remove something that is so small?", she added.
A 2015 report from the Ellen McArthur foundation estimated that half-a-million tonnes of microfibres leached into waterways every year, with 53 million tonnes of new textiles produced annually.
The average family in the United States and Canada unleashes more than 500 million microfibres into the environment each year, according to the Ocean Wise organisation.
- Buy less clothing -
The vast majority of those minuscule bits of textile -- whether synthetic or not -- are intercepted during water treatment, but nearly 900 tonnes winds up in the ocean all the same.
In less developed countries, however, far more of those particles will not get intercepted, adding to the flood of plastic streaming into the sea.
Microplastics, say marine biologists, are almost certainly as harmful to microscopic ocean creatures as flimsy shopping sacs are to sea turtles.
But forensic clues are hard to come by, explains Peter Ross, co-author of the Ocean Wise report.
"The evidence disappears quickly, with weak or dead micro-organisms eaten by other species," he explained.
AFP/File / Gillian HANDYSIDERecent research has focused on how to reduce the volume of micro-pollution shed when we wash clothes
Recent research has focused on how to reduce the volume of micro-pollution shed when we wash clothes -- besides the obvious step of simply washing them less often.
"When you do the laundry, you can reduce the impact by lowering the temperature -- above 30 degrees Celsius textiles break down more easily," said Laura Diaz Sanchez, a campaigner for NGO Plastic Soup Foundation.
"Liquid detergent is better than powder, which has a scrubbing effect," she added. "Also, don't use a dryer."
Buying less clothing is likewise important: studies have shown first-time washings release by far the most microfibres.
"This is something we can stop," insisted Mojca Zupan, founder of the Slovenian-based startup PlanetCare.
"Your car has filters, your washing machine should have them too," she said, explaining how the ones she makes -- endorsed by the Plastic Soup Foundation -- are self-installing. "Every machine made from now on should be neutral to the environment."
- 'Fast fashion' culture -
There are other laundry gadgets that make environmental claims, some of them contested.
Spiky laundry balls -- themselves made of plastic -- and mesh bags to contain a load are also promoted as eco-friendly accessories for use in dryers.
"It may be useful to stop big entanglements but it doesn't do anything for tiny fibres," said Francesca de Falco, a researcher at the Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials in Italy.
Bottom line? There are no miracle solutions. "The only one would be to not wear any clothes at all," said Sanchez.
Recent research has focused on how to reduce the volume of micro-pollution shed when we wash clothes -- besides the obvious step of simply washing them less often.
"When you do the laundry, you can reduce the impact by lowering the temperature -- above 30 degrees Celsius textiles break down more easily," said Laura Diaz Sanchez, a campaigner for NGO Plastic Soup Foundation.
"Liquid detergent is better than powder, which has a scrubbing effect," she added. "Also, don't use a dryer."
Buying less clothing is likewise important: studies have shown first-time washings release by far the most microfibres.
"This is something we can stop," insisted Mojca Zupan, founder of the Slovenian-based startup PlanetCare.
"Your car has filters, your washing machine should have them too," she said, explaining how the ones she makes -- endorsed by the Plastic Soup Foundation -- are self-installing. "Every machine made from now on should be neutral to the environment."
- 'Fast fashion' culture -
There are other laundry gadgets that make environmental claims, some of them contested.
Spiky laundry balls -- themselves made of plastic -- and mesh bags to contain a load are also promoted as eco-friendly accessories for use in dryers.
"It may be useful to stop big entanglements but it doesn't do anything for tiny fibres," said Francesca de Falco, a researcher at the Institute for Polymers, Composites and Biomaterials in Italy.
Bottom line? There are no miracle solutions. "The only one would be to not wear any clothes at all," said Sanchez.
AFP/File / Manan VATSYAYANABuying less clothes also decreases microfibre pollution because first-time washings release by far the most microfibres
The best approach to tackle the problem is with separate solutions tailored to each step of the process -- clothing manufacture, washing, and treatment plants, said de Falco.
Each synthetic material has properties, such as the way in which it is woven, that may have an impact.
In an effort to do better, some brands work with scientists to test clothes particularly prone to shedding microplastics, such as down jackets and stretch T-shirts.
Are natural fibres the answer? Not so simple, experts say. Cotton, for example, requires huge quantities of water and pesticide when grown.
"Switching to natural alternatives is not really the answer because it can be very expensive and they have their own environmental problems," said Napper.
"We live in a 'fast fashion' culture -- when you consider how much we actually buy, it is quite scary."
The best approach to tackle the problem is with separate solutions tailored to each step of the process -- clothing manufacture, washing, and treatment plants, said de Falco.
Each synthetic material has properties, such as the way in which it is woven, that may have an impact.
In an effort to do better, some brands work with scientists to test clothes particularly prone to shedding microplastics, such as down jackets and stretch T-shirts.
Are natural fibres the answer? Not so simple, experts say. Cotton, for example, requires huge quantities of water and pesticide when grown.
"Switching to natural alternatives is not really the answer because it can be very expensive and they have their own environmental problems," said Napper.
"We live in a 'fast fashion' culture -- when you consider how much we actually buy, it is quite scary."
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)