Industrial snow: Factories trigger local snowfall by freezing clouds

Estonian Research Council

 

video: 

Weather radar images show a plume of snow downwind of the Rouyn-Noranda copper smelter in Canada. The weather radar is located near Landrienne, Canada.

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Credit: V. Toll, et al

Anthropogenic aerosols, tiny solid and liquid air pollution particles, have masked a fraction of global warming caused by anthropogenic greenhouse gases. Climate researchers have known for decades that anthropogenic aerosols perturb liquid clouds by enabling the formation of a larger number of cloud droplets, making clouds brighter. A new landmark study led by the University of Tartu suggests that anthropogenic aerosols may also influence clouds by converting cloud droplets to ice at temperatures below zero degrees Celsius.

Powerplant Snow

Using satellite observations, climate researchers discovered unique plumes of ice clouds and reduced cloud cover downwind of industrial hot spots in North America, Europe and Asia. Moreover, ground-based precipitation radar data revealed plumes of snowfall in the same areas where reduced cloud cover was observed in satellite images. Combining satellite and ground-based radar observations, researchers traced the physical processes from the formation of ice to snowfall to reduced cloud cover downwind of industrial hot spots. The lead author of the study, Assoc Prof V. Toll from the University of Tartu, highlighted that collaboration among researchers with diverse expertise was essential for developing the physical understanding of the identified anthropogenic snowfall events.

Supercooled Water

Water freezes at zero degrees Celsius, right? In fact, cloud droplets can stay liquid down to temperatures as low as about -40 degrees Celsius, known as the supercooling of water. This is because suitable aerosol particles are needed to convert cloud droplets to ice at temperatures between zero and -40 degrees Celsius. The study suggests that industries such as metallurgical and cement factories, coal-fired power plants, and oil refineries emit aerosol particles that cause freezing of supercooled liquid clouds, leading to snowfall. However, it is important to note that heat and water vapour emitted by industries may also play a role in the freezing of supercooled liquid clouds.

The discovered plumes of reduced cloud cover are local phenomena, and it remains unclear if anthropogenic aerosols induce ice formation in clouds at larger spatial scales. Further research is needed to understand the ability of various types of anthropogenic aerosols to initiate the formation of ice.

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adl0303 

Method of Research

Imaging analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Glaciation of Liquid Clouds, Snowfall, and Reduced Cloud Cover at Industrial Aerosol Hot Spots

Article Publication Date

15-Nov-2024

The weather radar image shows a plume of snow downwind of the Rouyn-Noranda copper smelter in Canada. The weather radar is located near Landrienne, Canada.

The satellite image shows a plume of reduced cloud cover downwind of the Rouyn-Noranda copper smelter in Canada.

Observations of reduced cloud cover and snowfall downwind of industrial air pollution hotspot

The satellite image shows a plume of snow on the ground downwind of the Fokino cement plant in Russia.

Industrial air pollution triggers ice formation in clouds, reducing cloud cover and boosting snowfall

Summary author: Walter Beckwith

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Pollution from industrial hotspots can trigger ice formation in supercooled clouds, altering their reflective properties and increasing regional snowfall, according to a new study. The findings shed light on poorly understood impacts of anthropogenic aerosols on climate and could help improve climate modeling and mitigation strategies. The impact of human-generated aerosols (tiny air pollution particles) on climate, particularly in counteracting greenhouse gas-induced warming, remains uncertain. These aerosols, in addition to influencing cloud formation as cloud condensation nuclei (CCN), may also act as ice-nucleating particles (INPs), crucial for ice formation in supercooled liquid-water clouds at temperatures above -36 °degrees Celsius (°C). Anthropogenic INPs have been proposed to explain the plume-shaped snowfall patterns observed downwind of industrial sites, where emissions of heat, water vapor, and particles can influence cloud formation. However, a lack of observational evidence has prevented accurate assessment of the role of anthropogenic INPs in ice formation – or glaciation – of supercooled clouds and its potential impact on cloud cover and radiative fluxes. Using remote sensing data, including near-infrared satellite images from the satellite-based Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument, Velle Toll and colleagues observed the glaciation of supercooled clouds downwind of 67 aerosol-emitting industrial sites, such as metal and cement factories, paper mills, and powerplants. Toll et al. found that cloud glaciation from industrial aerosols, logged at various facilities in Canada and Russia, reduces solar radiation reflection by 13.7%, cloud cover by 8.3%, and cloud optical thickness by 18% while enhancing infrared radiance by 4.2% compared to unaffected clouds nearby. Additionally, the authors found that glaciation-induced snowfall greatly impacted local precipitation, with daily accumulations reaching up to 15 millimeters (mm), despite an average snowfall rate of 1.2 mm per hour, highlighting a measurable effect of industrial aerosols on localized snowfall patterns. The findings suggest that glaciation from anthropogenic ice-nucleating particles (INPs) could mirror the effects of pollution tracks in liquid clouds, highlighting the need for further investigation into the precise impact of anthropogenic INPs on cloud properties and climate. Additionally, rare glaciation events near nuclear power plants suggest factors other than INPs may also influence glaciation, such as local lofting of nearby aerosols by warm plumes.

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adl0303 

Article Title

Glaciation of liquid clouds, snowfall, and reduced cloud cover at industrial aerosol hot spots

Article Publication Date

15-Nov-2024

 

New study in Science finds that just four global policies could eliminate more than 90% of plastic waste and 30% of linked carbon emissions by 2050

Released on eve of UN plastic treaty negotiations in Busan, South Korea, comprehensive study reveals that an ambitious treaty can nearly eliminate plastic pollution — a threat to people, wildlife and the climate

University of California - Santa Barbara

Berkeley, CA/Santa Barabara, CA (14 November 2024) — A new study released in Science today determines that just four policies can reduce mismanaged plastic waste — plastic that isn’t recycled or properly disposed of and ends up as pollution — by 91% and plastic-related greenhouse gasses by one-third. The policies are: mandate new products be made with 40% post-consumer recycled plastic; cap new plastic production at 2020 levels; invest significantly in plastic waste management — such as landfills and waste collection services; and implement a small fee on plastic packaging. This policy package also delivers climate benefits, reducing emissions equivalent to taking 300 million gasoline-powered vehicles off the road for one year.

The study,  “Pathways to reduce global plastic waste mismanagement and greenhouse gas emissions by 2050,” by researchers at the University of California Berkeley and the University of California Santa Barbara, comes in advance of negotiations in Busan, Republic of Korea (November 25-December 1), where delegates from more than 190 countries are expected to iron out the final details of the world’s first legally binding treaty on plastic pollution.

“This is it. These upcoming negotiations in Busan are our one chance to come together as a planet and fix this problem,” said Dr. Douglas McCauley, Professor at UC Santa Barbara, Adjunct Professor at UC Berkeley. “One of the most exciting discoveries in this research is that it is actually possible to nearly end plastic pollution with this Treaty. I'm cautiously optimistic, but we can’t squander this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

If no action is taken in Busan, annual plastic consumption will rise 37% between 2020 and 2050, and plastic pollution will nearly double across the same period.

“This study demonstrates how far we have come in not just quantifying the manifold problems surrounding plastics, but also in identifying and evaluating potential solutions,” said Dr. Roland Geyer, Professor of Industrial Ecology, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara. “I am very proud of what our team was able to achieve in time for the final round of negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty.”

By continuing with business as usual, the world would generate enough litter between 2011 and 2050 to cover Manhattan in a heap of plastic ten times the height of the Empire State Building. In a business-as-usual future, greenhouse gas emissions related to plastic would jump 37% from 2020 levels to 3.35 gigatons of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2050 — this is the same as nearly 9,000 natural gas-fired power plants operating for one year or the energy use for more than 436 million homes for one year.

“There are multiple pathways available to negotiators, but it does require ambition,” said Sam Pottinger, Senior Research Data Scientist, Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center for Data Science and Environment at UC Berkeley. “The impact that we're really hoping to see on the treaty is that it is data-informed. As the treaty comes to its final conclusion before ratification, we want folks to be aware of how much progress they've actually made, at least according to the best science that we have available right now.”

Countries in the Global South will continue to bear the greatest burden of the plastic crisis. Financing mechanisms created in the treaty could drive much-needed investment into waste management and recycling infrastructure in these regions to reduce plastic pollution — thus helping to solve a major global environmental justice issue. 

“I’m optimistic about a sustainable future,” said Dr. Nivedita Biyani, Researcher on Global Plastic Modeling, Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at UC Santa Barbara. “This policy work shows that we can reach minimal mismanaged plastic waste if we can come together in action. This provides policymakers with a novel tool that isn’t prescriptive — they can combine various policies as they see fit. Going forward, I think a mechanism to gather data on plastic production and trade will be a key factor. We need supply chain transparency here."

The study is built on insights from an AI-generated tool developed by a team of plastic researchers, data scientists, and AI researchers at the Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory and Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at University of California Santa Barbara, and the Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center for Data Science & Environment at University of California Berkeley. The tool uses machine learning to combine information about population growth and economic trends to forecast the future of plastic production, pollution and trade.

###

Available for Interviews:

Dr. Douglas McCauley, Professor, UC Santa Barbara, Adjunct Professor, UC Berkeley

Dr. Roland Geyer, Professor of Industrial Ecology, Bren School of Environmental Science & Management at UC Santa Barbara

Dr. Nivedita Biyani, Researcher on Global Plastic Modeling, Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at UC Santa Barbara

Mr. A Sam Pottinger, Senior Research Data Scientist, Eric and Wendy Schmidt Center for Data Science and Environment at UC Berkeley  

Mr. Neil Nathan, Marine Science and Policy Specialist, Benioff Ocean Science Laboratory at UC Santa Barbara

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adr3837 

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Pathways to reduce global plastic waste mismanagement and greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

Article Publication Date

14-Nov-2024

Global plastic waste set to double by 2050, but new study offers blueprint for significant reductions

Summary author: Walter Beckwith

American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)

Without intervention, global plastic waste could double by 2050, a new machine learning study predicts. However, according to simulations by the study’s authors, a mix of policy interventions could cut plastic waste by more than 90% and it could cut plastics-related emissions by a third. With UN treaty negotiations underway, these findings provide a crucial blueprint for tackling the plastic crisis. Plastic production has increased relentlessly for decades, leading to surging plastic waste generation and environmental mismanagement. As plastic degrades, it fragments into micro- and nano-plastics, which harm ecosystems globally – from the Arctic to deep ocean habitats – and pose significant health risks, including heightened cancer risks, cardiovascular disease, and reproductive issues. The plastic lifecycle also intensifies climate change through emissions from oil and gas extraction, production, and waste processing. The disproportionate plastic waste burden on the Global South and the frequency of situating plastic facilities near marginalized communities have sparked pressing environmental justice concerns. Recently, there has been global momentum to address these issues, culminating in a 2022 United Nations resolution to negotiate a legally binding treaty to curb plastic pollution.

 

To help in this effort, Samuel Pottinger and colleagues developed a novel machine learning model to forecast trends in global plastic production, trade, and waste management to 2050. They also simulated the effects of eight plausible policy interventions to mitigate waste and emissions. Pottinger et al. found that, without interventions, annual mismanaged plastic waste is anticipated to almost double by 2050, reaching 121 million metric tons. Concurrently, annual greenhouse gas emissions from the global plastic system are projected to rise by 37% over the same period. However, the authors also show that a combined policy intervention approach involving a production cap, recycling mandate, packaging tax, and infrastructure investment could reduce mismanaged plastic waste by up to 91% and decrease 2050 plastics-related emissions by about a third. “Collectively, these observations provide timely insight into how to maximize the impact of the UN plastic pollution treaty both as it is being drafted and over the longer time horizon of its implementation,” write Pottinger et al. “It is clear from these results that, with sufficient political will, there is enough technical potential to dramatically reduce mismanaged plastic waste and meaningfully address some of the more insidious associated issues.”

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adr3837 

Article Title

Pathways to reduce global plastic waste mismanagement and greenhouse gas emissions by 2050

Article Publication Date

14-Nov-2024

 FLUE GAS

Breakthrough in capturing 'hot' CO2 from industrial exhaust

A metal-organic framework, or MOF, is capable of capturing CO2 at extreme temperatures

University of California - Berkeley

 

image: 

At center left is one of the crystalline building blocks of a thermally stable metal-organic framework (MOF), known as ZnH-MFU-4l, that is able to reversibly and selectively capture the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from a mix of many industrially relevant gases. CO2 is highlighted at left, among nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen, carbon monoxide and water molecules. The MOF can capture CO2 over many cycles at 300 C, which is a typical temperature of the exhaust streams from cement and steel plants. The zinc hydride groups in the MOF reversibly bind and release the carbon dioxide molecules (right). Light-blue, gray, blue, red, and white spheres represent Zn, C, N, O, and H atoms, respectively.

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Credit: Rachel Rohde, Kurtis Carsch and Jeffrey Long, UC Berkeley

Industrial plants, such as those that make cement or steel, emit copious amounts of carbon dioxide, a potent greenhouse gas, but the exhaust is too hot for state-of-the-art carbon removal technology. Lots of energy and water are needed to cool the exhaust streams, a requirement that has limited adoption of CO2 capture in some of the most polluting industries.

Now, chemists at the University of California, Berkeley, have discovered that a porous material can act like a sponge to capture CO2 at temperatures close to those of many industrial exhaust streams. The material — a type of metal-organic framework, or MOF — will be described in a paper to be published in the Nov. 15 print edition of the journal Science.

The dominant method for capturing carbon from power or industrial plant emissions employs liquid amines to absorb CO2, but the reaction only works efficiently at temperatures between 40 and 60 C (100–140 F). Cement manufacturing and steelmaking plants produce exhaust that exceeds 200 C (400 F), and some industrial exhaust approaches 500 C (930 F). New materials that are now being piloted, including a subclass of MOFs with added amines, break down at temperatures above 150 C (300 F) or work far less efficiently.

"A costly infrastructure is necessary to take these hot gas streams and cool them to the appropriate temperatures for existing carbon capture technologies to work," said UC Berkeley postdoctoral fellow Kurtis Carsch, one of two co-first authors of the paper. "Our discovery is poised to change how scientists think about carbon capture. We've found that a MOF can capture carbon dioxide at unprecedentedly high temperatures — temperatures that are relevant for many CO2 emitting processes. This was something that was previously not considered as possible for a porous material."

"Our work moves away from the prevalent study of amine-based carbon capture systems and demonstrates a new mechanism for carbon capture in a MOF that enables high temperature operation," said UC Berkeley graduate student and co-first author Rachel Rohde.

Like all MOFs, the material features a porous, crystalline array of metal ions and organic linkers, with an internal area equivalent to about six football fields per tablespoon — a huge area for adsorbing gases.

"As a result of their unique structures, MOFs have a high density of sites where you can capture and release CO2 under the appropriate conditions," Carsch said.

Under simulated conditions, the researchers showed that this new type of MOF can capture hot CO2 at concentrations relevant to the exhaust streams of cement and steel manufacturing plants, which average 20% to 30% CO2, as well as less concentrated emissions from natural gas power plants, which contain about 4% CO2.

Removing CO2 from industrial and power plant emissions, after which it is either stored underground or used to make fuels or other value-added chemicals, is a key strategy for reducing greenhouse gases that are warming Earth and altering the climate globally. While renewable energy sources are already reducing the need for CO2-emitting, fossil fuel-burning power plants, industrial plants that make intense use of fossil fuels are harder to make sustainable, so flue gas capture is essential.

"We need to start thinking about the CO2 emissions from industries, like making steel and making cement, that are hard to decarbonize, because it's likely that they're still going to be emitting CO2, even as our energy infrastructure shifts more toward renewables," Rohde said.

Moving from amines to metal hydrides

Rohde and Carsch conduct research in the lab of Jeffrey Long, UC Berkeley professor of chemistry, chemical and biomolecular engineering, and of materials science and engineering. Long has been conducting research on CO2-adsorbing MOFs for more than a decade. His lab created a promising material in 2015 that was further developed by Long's startup company, Mosaic Materials, which in 2022 was acquired by the energy technology company Baker Hughes. This material features amines that capture the CO2; next-generation variants are being tested as alternatives to aqueous amines for CO2 capture in pilot-scale plants, and as a way to capture CO2 directly from ambient air.

But those MOFs, like other porous adsorbents, are ineffective at the elevated temperatures associated with many flue gases, Carsch said.

Amine-based adsorbents, like those developed by Long, have been the focus of carbon capture research for decades. The MOF studied by Rohde, Carsch, Long and their colleagues instead features pores decorated with zinc hydride sites, which also bind CO2. These sites turned out to be surprisingly stable, Rohde said.

"Molecular metal hydrides can be reactive and have low stability," Rohde said. "This material is highly stable and does something called deep carbon capture, which means it can capture 90% or more of the CO2 that it comes into contact with, which is really what you need for point-source capture. And it has CO2 capacities comparable to the amine-appended MOFs, though at much higher temperatures."

Once the MOF is filled with CO2, the CO2 can be removed, or desorbed, by lowering the partial pressure of CO2, either by flushing with a different gas or putting it in a vacuum. The MOF is then ready to be reused for another adsorption cycle.

"Because entropy favors having molecules like CO2 in the gas phase more and more with increasing temperature, it was generally thought to be impossible to capture such molecules with a porous solid at temperatures above 200 C," Long said. "This work shows that with the right functionality — here, zinc hydride sites — rapid, reversible, high-capacity capture of CO2 can indeed be accomplished at high temperatures such as 300 C."

Rohde, Long and their colleagues are exploring variants of this metal hydride MOF to see what other gases they can adsorb, and also modifications that will allow such materials to adsorb even more CO2.

"We’re fortunate to have made this discovery, which has opened up new directions in separation science focused on the design of functional adsorbents that can operate at high temperatures,” said Carsch, who has taken a faculty position in the Department of Chemistry at The University of Texas at Austin. "There’s a tremendous number of ways we can tune the metal ion and linker in MOFs, such that it may be possible to rationally design such adsorbents for other high-temperature gas separation processes relevant to industry and sustainability.”

Other authors of the paper are Jeffrey Reimer, a UC Berkeley professor of chemical and biomolecular engineering, whose lab provided evidence from NMR spectroscopy to support the unique mechanism of CO2 capture by the zinc hydride sites in the MOF; Craig Brown of the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Gaithersburg, Maryland, who also provided critical structural data supporting the proposed mechanism; and UC Berkeley chemistry professor Martin Head-Gordon, whose lab provided a computational understanding of the high-temperature CO2 capture behavior. Other UC Berkeley authors include Andrew Minor, a UC Berkeley professor of materials science and engineering, and Matthew Dods, Henry Jiang, Alexandra McIsaac, Hyunchul Kwon, Sarah Karstens, Yang Wang, Adrian Huang, Jordan Taylor, Yuto Yabuuchi, Nikolay Tkachenko, Katie Meihaus, Hiroyasu Furukawa and Kaitlyn Engler.

Rohde was supported by a graduate fellowship from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, while Carsch was supported by a postdoctoral fellowship from the Arnold O. Beckman Foundation.

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Journal

Science

DOI

10.1126/science.adk5697 

Article Title

High-temperature carbon dioxide capture in a porous material with terminal zinc–hydride sites

Article Publication Date

15-Nov-2024

 

Firefighters exposed to chemicals linked with breast cancer

Study identifies 12 toxic chemicals that put female firefighters at increased risk for the disease

Silent Spring Institute

It’s well documented that firefighters have significantly higher rates of cancer than the general population, and these elevated rates have been associated with exposures to toxic chemicals on the job. However, most research on cancer in firefighters has been done in men and less is known about the risks in women.

Now a new study by Silent Spring Institute has identified multiple chemical exposures that firefighters face on the job that could increase their risk of developing breast cancer.

“With more and more women entering the profession, it’s important to understand the impact of workplace exposures on their health so that we can inform policies to reduce exposures and create a safer work environment,” says study-co-author Ruthann Rudel, director of research at Silent Spring Institute.

The study appears in the journal Toxics as part of a special issue on firefighters’ occupational exposures and health risks.

Rudel and her colleagues searched through databases from the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) and the U.S. National Toxicology Program to identify chemicals that cause mammary tumors in animals, because these chemicals are likely to increase breast cancer risk. In addition, the team searched for chemicals that have been associated with breast cancer in human studies.

The researchers then identified more than a hundred studies that describe the different chemicals firefighters encounter on the job and screened these studies to see which of these workplace exposures also raise the risk of breast cancer.

The analysis revealed 12 chemicals or classes of chemicals that firefighters are highly exposed to on the job and are associated with breast cancer risk. The chemicals include benzene, PAHs, acetaldehyde, styrene, dioxins, flame retardants, PFAS, and PCBs among others.

Firefighters can be exposed to an array of toxic chemicals when putting out fires—building fires, wildfires, and vehicle fires. They also encounter harmful substances in their protective gear, fire station air and dust, and diesel exhaust from firefighter trucks.

Several years ago, Rudel and her collaborators in California published a study in which they found female firefighters in San Francisco have higher blood levels of cancer-causing PFAS than women working in downtown San Francisco offices. The researchers also found female firefighters have much higher levels of flame retardants, which are also carcinogenic, in their bodies.

Manufacturers add PFAS to firefighter turnout gear and firefighting foams. “But we don’t know where the flame retardants are coming from—they could be coming from the gear or another source,” says Rudel. “If it turns out the chemicals are being added to turnout gear, that would be important to know so that they can be replaced with safer alternatives.”

Similarly, diesel exhaust from fire trucks contains PAHs, so switching to electric trucks would help lower exposures as well, she says. “It’s important to look at all the equipment and materials that firefighters routinely use.”

Understanding the risks women face on the job can not only help change policies to improve worker safety, but also it could help ensure female workers receive the medical care and other benefits they need should they develop breast cancer.

“This study fills an important research gap by underscoring the unique health risks female firefighters face from occupational exposures to toxic chemicals, specifically chemicals linked with breast cancer,” says Dr. Dan Whu, Chief Medical Officer at the International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF).

According to the IAFF, 20 states currently have presumptive laws that specify breast cancer as an occupational illness. This entitles firefighters to workers' compensation, disability, medical leave, and medical expense coverage if they are diagnosed with the disease. Another 16 other states have laws with less specific language that could allow the inclusion of breast cancer. On the other hand, at the federal level, the current cancer presumptive legislation does not include breast cancer.

“That means there are a lot of places in the country where female firefighters are not protected,” says Rudel. “Hopefully, the findings from our study will change that.”

 

Funding for this work came from the California Breast Cancer Research Program Grants #19UB-2900 and # 23BB-1700 and Silent Spring Institute’s Safer Chemicals Program, which is funded by charitable gifts.

Reference: Cardona B., K.M. Rodgers K.M., J. Trowbridge, H.B. Buren, R.A. Rudel. 2024. Breast Cancer-Related Chemical Exposures in Firefighters. Toxics. 12(10):707. DOI: 10.3390/toxics12100707

About Silent Spring Institute: Silent Spring Institute, located in Newton, Mass., is the leading scientific research organization dedicated to uncovering the link between chemicals in our everyday environments and women's health, with a focus on breast cancer prevention. Founded in 1994, the institute is developing innovative tools to accelerate the transition to safer chemicals, while translating its science into policies that protect health. Visit us at www.silentspring.org. 

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Journal

Toxics

DOI

10.3390/toxics12100707 

Method of Research

Data/statistical analysis

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Breast Cancer-Related Chemical Exposures in Firefighters

  

Beloved Disney classics convey an idealized image of fatherhood

University of Oulu, Finland

For decades, Disney animations have shaped perceptions of family relationships and gender roles. Although much focus has traditionally been on princesses and female characters, a new study shifts attention to fatherhood and the evolving ideals of masculinity.

"In the history of Disney films, female characters and princess imagery have been widely analyzed, yet the role of masculinity has been explored far less. My research aims to deepen our understanding of the male ideals Disney has constructed and how they reflect the values of their time," says MA Aino Isojärvi, who will defend her thesis on the subject at the University of Oulu, Finland, on November 29.

Isojärvi's dissertation focuses on Disney classics from 1940 to 1970, which laid the groundwork for the company’s animation style and storytelling.

According to Isojärvi, Disney's portrayal of fatherhood reflects Western societies' social values and ideals of masculinity. Her research reveals how these interpretations have been passed down through generations, especially since Disney films are now a part of modern childhood as well.

Disney father figures, such as Jiminy Cricket from Pinocchio and Baloo from The Jungle Book, exemplify men who often shape the social dynamics and plot of the films, guiding viewers toward a happy ending. While later Disney father figures, like Mufasa from The Lion King, reinforced the image of an omnipotent, protective, and guiding father, Disney’s portrayals of fatherhood encompass a range of interpretations.

Disney fatherhood is tied to its time. The absoluteness and hierarchy of wartime masculinity are best seen in Bambi (1942), where Bambi’s father treats him like a general would a recruit. In the 1950s, the nuclear family and home take on special importance, defining the father’s role as the responsible breadwinner. In Lady and the Tramp (1955), Tramp has spent a romantic night with Lady but then leaves, raising disapproval over their premarital relationship. Ultimately, Tramp takes responsibility for his actions, is adopted into Lady's family, and assumes a role as father and example to his pups. The sexual liberation of the 1960s pushed against previous conventions. In The Aristocats (1970), even a blended family is formed.

However, the freer fatherhood of the 1960s did not achieve the same foothold in storytelling, as newer Disney films have drawn from the wartime guiding father ideal and the postwar role of the father as head of the family.

VHS brought Disney into homes

The generational bond with Disney films was strengthened during the VHS era of the 1980s–1990s when films could be watched repeatedly at home. Disney’s commercially significant renaissance era is closely tied to the VHS format. As the movies could be marketed as classics on videotapes, many films achieved iconic status, visible today in the growing popularity of remakes.

"The legacy of VHS culture is also seen in how remakes of animated films are expected to resonate with contemporary viewers. Beloved stories are revisited because people have become accustomed to watching them even regularly."

Isojärvi's research is the first of its kind to examine Disney fatherhood so broadly from a cultural-historical perspective. It provides an in-depth look at how Disney has constructed various portrayals of men and how these images have influenced perceptions of masculinity across different eras. At the same time, it brings new discussions to the study of popular film and emphasizes that these are cultural stories that impart moral and social values to generations.

"Disney films not only entertain but shape perceptions of family relationships and gender roles. It’s just as important to study portrayals of masculinity and fatherhood as those of female characters, as all of these are essential to the appeal and societal impact of Disney stories," Isojärvi summarizes.

The company itself also appears aware of the modern expectations placed on entertainment. Disney animation films of the 2020s are already more diverse and modern in values. They do not emphasize fatherhood in the same way as before and instead present a broader range of experiences of womanhood, girlhood, and motherhood.

The dissertation became a fan project

Aino Isojärvi’s interest in Disney animation began with her master’s thesis. "I was complaining to my mother that I couldn’t think of a topic for my thesis. She pointed out that I had spent years collecting animated films, hoarding animation books, and watching documentaries about animated movies. She suggested, ‘Why not write your thesis on animation?’"

Isojärvi’s personal favorite has always been 101 Dalmatians (1961). In her view, it’s almost anarchistic within the Disney world: modern and flamboyant. The film features a couple whose roles do not conform to the male and female roles typically depicted in 1950s American media culture. Roger lacks career-driven ambition doesn’t leave home to work and finds fulfillment in fleeting bursts of creativity. His future wife Anita is shown reading and writing, not as a domestic caretaker. The couple doesn’t have children—this is never even hinted at; instead, they end up with over a hundred dogs.

The film’s villain, Cruella de Vil, is a uniquely empowering figure. According to Isojärvi, the film’s line work has an appealingly sketch-like, non-hierarchical quality, and the whole creation is topped off with effervescent jazz.

"In a certain way, my dissertation could even be seen as a long-term fan project driven by curiosity, which is a common pitfall for Disney researchers."

Aino Isojärvi is believed to have one of the largest 101 Dalmatians memorabilia collections in Finland.

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Master of Arts Aino Isojärvi will defend her dissertation at the University of Oulu on Friday, November 29, 2024. The dissertation, in the field of Film Studies, is titled Animated Paternity: The History of Disney Fatherhood. The Composition, Development, and Legacy of Paternal Discourse and Depictions of Fatherhood in Walt Disney Animated Feature Films 1940–1970. The opponent will be Docent Outi Hakola from the University of Eastern Finland, and Professor Kuisma Korhonen will serve as the custos. The public defense will begin at the University of Oulu, Linnanmaa campus, in hall L6, and can also be followed remotely at: https://oulu.zoom.us/j/61987274488

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Article Title

Animated Paternity: The History of Disney Fatherhood. The Composition, Development and Legacy of Paternal Discourse and Depictions of Fatherhood in Walt Disney Animated Feature Films 1940–1970

Article Publication Date

22-Nov-2024

Men often struggle with transition to fatherhood amid lack of targeted information and support

Greater focus needed on their unique experiences of perinatal period, say researchers

BMJ Group

Men often struggle with the transition to fatherhood amid a lack of information and emotional support targeted to their needs, suggests a review of the available qualitative evidence, published in the open access journal BMJ Open.

Greater focus is needed in clinical practice, antenatal services, and research on men’s unique experiences of the perinatal period, which encompasses pregnancy and the first 12 months after the birth, say the researchers.

Pregnancy and childbirth can be an anxious time for new parents, and the transition to fatherhood—defined as physical, psychological, and social changes in the lives of fathers from as early as conception to after the birth—can be a stressful and isolating experience, demanding significant lifestyle changes for them, point out the researchers.

They therefore wanted to explore how first time and experienced fathers find the transition to fatherhood, and how well supported they feel during the perinatal period, focusing on the concerns and challenges that may affect their mental health and wellbeing.

They scanned research databases for relevant qualitative studies, and included 37 out of an initial haul of 2475. These were carried out in: the UK (11); Europe (9); Australia (7); Asia (6); North America (2); and the Middle East (2).

Most of the studies variously included in-depth interviews, focus groups, and phone calls (646 fathers) or online surveys (1005 fathers). Thirty focused on fathers’ mental health and wellbeing during the transition to fatherhood; the remainder explored their experiences of antenatal classes, interventional support, and helplines during the perinatal period.

The researchers also involved two first time and two experienced fathers from different ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds, to help them tease out the principal themes from the studies.

Synthesis of the findings showed that some fathers had a positive experience with no mental health repercussions, but most faced challenges throughout the perinatal period, which had a detrimental impact on their overall mental health and wellbeing.

Four principal themes emerged from the findings: the changed relationship with their partner; confusion over their identity as provider or protector and what their in-laws and society expected of them; feeling left out and unvalued, including by healthcare staff; and struggles with masculine ideals of fatherhood.

Fathers said they often felt ill prepared for the exhaustion and new responsibilities prompted by the arrival of a new baby, which left little time for intimacy and quality time with their partners and that this strained the relationship. 

They often felt excluded from the mother-child relationship, an exclusion which started during the pregnancy when they felt like bystanders because of the unique physical experiences their partners were going through, all of which undermined their confidence in their ability to parent. 

They didn’t feel there was enough tailored information or antenatal classes that addressed their needs during the transition to fatherhood. Involving them in the content of parental information and educating them about what to expect during the antenatal period just wasn’t considered important, they said. 

In nearly half of the included studies, fathers particularly felt that they needed to be better informed on parenting in general, but especially breastfeeding issues and practical advice on what to do when things went wrong so that they could better support their partners.

Fathers in 26 of the studies said they were physically and emotionally tested to breaking point, at times, experiencing bouts of exhaustion and postnatal depression symptoms. But they felt unable to reach out for help, on the grounds that they weren’t supposed to be the ones finding new parenthood difficult and that they felt they should have been able to cope.

But in any case, even when they recognised they didn’t need to go it alone, they didn’t feel there was any specific emotional/mental health support available for them, or anywhere they could turn for help.

The researchers acknowledge that most (29) of the included studies were from westernised cultures, limiting global perspectives and cultural comparisons. And most of the participants were White British and highly educated, so limiting the generalisability of the findings. Further research on fatherhood is needed to address these and other gaps, they suggest.

But in the meantime, the researchers recommend that clinical guidelines should be developed for paternal perinatal mental health support and management, drawing on the best available evidence. Health practitioners should also ensure adequate time is allocated to acknowledge fathers’ wellbeing during perinatal appointments, they suggest.

They conclude: “By addressing fathers’ wellbeing concerns and challenges during the transition to fatherhood through the development of clinical guidelines on the management of paternal perinatal mental health, as well as effective practitioner/organisational engagement and inclusion of fathers, may assist in removing stigma and gender expectations that society still follows.” 

They add: “It is clear that fathers require equal emotional and practical support to mothers during this period, and therefore it is important that future tailored support is provided and that fathers are not considered a ‘forgotten entity’, [so] creating a more positive transition and parenting experience.”

 

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Journal

BMJ Open

DOI

10.1136/bmjopen-2023-078386 

Method of Research

Systematic review

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

Exploration of fathers’ mental health and well-being concerns during the transition to fatherhood, and paternal perinatal support: scoping review

Article Publication Date

12-Nov-2024