Scientists grow plants in lunar dirt, next stop moon

By MARCIA DUNN

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In this 2021 photo provided by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, a researcher harvests a thale cress plant growing in lunar soil, at a laboratory in Gainesville, Fla. For the first time, scientists have used lunar soil collected by long-ago moonwalkers to grow plants, with results promising enough that NASA and others already are envisioning hothouses on the moon for the next generation of lunar explorers. 

(Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS via AP)


CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. (AP) — For the first time, scientists have grown plants in soil from the moon collected by NASA’s Apollo astronauts.

Researchers had no idea if anything would sprout in the harsh moon dirt and wanted to see if it could be used to grow food by the next generation of lunar explorers. The results stunned them.

“Holy cow. Plants actually grow in lunar stuff. Are you kidding me?” said Robert Ferl of the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences.

Ferl and his colleagues planted thale cress in moon soil returned by Apollo 11′s Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin, and other moonwalkers. The good news: All of the seeds sprouted.

The downside was that after the first week, the coarseness and other properties of the lunar soil stressed the small, flowering weeds so much that they grew more slowly than seedlings planted in fake moon dirt from Earth. Most of the moon plants ended up stunted.

Results were published Thursday in Communications Biology.

In this 2021 photo provided by the University of Florida, Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences, a researcher places a thale cress plant grown during a lunar soil experiment in a vial for genetic analysis, at a laboratory in Gainesville, Fla. For the first time, scientists have used lunar soil collected by long-ago moonwalkers to grow plants, with results promising enough that NASA and others already are envisioning hothouses on the moon for the next generation of lunar explorers.

 (Tyler Jones/UF/IFAS via AP)

The longer the soil was exposed to punishing cosmic radiation and solar wind on the moon, the worse the plants seemed to do. The Apollo 11 samples — exposed a couple billion years longer to the elements because of the Sea of Tranquility’s older surface — were the least conducive for growth, according to scientists.

“This is a big step forward to know that you can grow plants,” said Simon Gilroy, a space plant biologist at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, who had no role in the study. “The real next step is to go and do it on the surface of the moon.”

Moon dirt is full of tiny, glass fragments from micrometeorite impacts that got everywhere in the Apollo lunar landers and wore down the moonwalkers’ spacesuits.

One solution might be to use younger geologic spots on the moon, like lava flows, for digging up planting soil. The environment also could be tweaked, altering the nutrient mixture or adjusting the artificial lighting,

Only 842 pounds (382 kilograms) of moon rocks and soil were brought back by six Apollo crews. Some of the earliest moon dust was sprinkled on plants under quarantine with the Apollo astronauts in Houston after returning from the moon.



Most of the lunar stash remained locked away, forcing researchers to experiment with simulated soil made of volcanic ash on Earth. NASA finally doled out 12 grams to the University of Florida researchers early last year, and the long-awaited planting took place last May in a lab.

NASA said the timing for such an experiment was finally right, with the space agency looking to put astronauts back on the moon in a few years.

The ideal situation would be for future astronauts to tap into the endless supply of available local dirt for indoor planting versus setting up a hydroponic, or all-water, system, scientists said.

“The fact that anything grew means that we have a really good starting point, and now the question is how do we optimize and improve,” said Sharmila Bhattacharya, NASA’s program scientist for space biology,

The Florida scientists hope to recycle their lunar soil later this year, planting more thale cress before possibly moving on to other vegetation.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

NASA says 'monster marsquake' on Red Planet strongest quake ever measured off Earth


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NASA's Mars Perseverance rover snapped this photo on the surface of the Red Planet on February 24, 2021. Scientists said this week that the marsquake registered a magnitude of 5.0.

 File Photo by NASA/UPI | License Photo

May 11 (UPI) -- NASA's state-of-the-art equipment that's sitting on the surface of Mars has detected the most powerful earthquake ever recorded on the Red Planet -- or any other world away from the Earth, for that matter.

Scientists at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California said that the InSight Mars lander measured the "monster" marsquake -- which was a 5.0-magnitude temblor.

The InSight lander, which has been on Mars since late 2018, has a highly sensitive seismometer to study the deep interior of the planet. The previous record-holder was a 4.2-magnitude quake that occurred last August.

Scientists said that the new strong quake was measured on May 4 -- 1,222 Martian days, or sols, since the lander has been there.

"Since we set our seismometer in December 2018, we've been waiting for 'the big one,'" Bruce Banerdt, InSight principal investigator at JPL, said in a statement.

NASA's InSight Mars Lander captured this image not long after it landed on the Red Planet on November 26, 2018. Equipment on the lander measured the 5.0-magnitude quake on May 4. File Photo by NASA/UPI


"This quake is sure to provide a view into the planet like no other. Scientists will be analyzing this data to learn new things about Mars for years to come."

As seismic waves pass through or reflect off material in Mars' crust, mantle and core, they change in ways that seismologists can study to determine the depth and composition of those layers, scientists said.

"What scientists learn about the structure of Mars can help them better understand the formation of all rocky worlds, including Earth and its Moon," NASA said in a statement.

"The science team will need to study this new quake further before being able to provide details such as its location, the nature of its source, and what it might tell us about the interior of Mars.

The InSight lander is part of NASA's Discovery program, which is exploring detailed facts about the Red Planet.

Chinese rover detects water existed on Mars more recently than thought


Scientists used instruments to analyze rocks and minerals on the surface of Mars, 

finding evidence there was substantial liquid water on the planet more recently 

than previously thought. 

Photo courtesy of the China National Space Administration

May 11 (UPI) -- Nearly one year after landing on Mars, scientists say China's Zhurong rover collected data indicating water may have existed on the planet over a longer period of time than previously thought.

A study published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances said Zhurong detected evidence that the Utopia Planitia basin had "substantial" liquid water during its most recent epoch of geologic history -- the Amazonian. Scientists previously believed this time period, about 700 million years ago, to be cold and dry and liquid water activities to be "extremely limited."

Before assessing the new data, scientists believed that Mars lost much of its water after its Hesperian period, about 3 billion years ago.

The Zhurong rover touched down on Mars' surface May 15 as part of the Tianwen-1 mission. The main point of the mission was to search for signs of life, ice and water.

Scientists from China's National Space Science Center and the Chinese Academy of Sciences analyzed data gathered from a laser-induced breakdown spectrometer, telescopic microimaging camera and short-wave infrared spectrometer to study minerals to determine the amount of liquid water that would have been at the site millions of years ago.

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NASA’s Curiosity Mars rover used two different cameras to create this panoramic selfie, comprised of 60 images, in front of Mont Mercou, a rock outcrop that stands 20 feet tall on March 26, 2021, the 3,070th Martian day, or sol, of the mission. These were combined with 11 images taken by the Mastcam on the mast, or "head," of the rover on March 16. The hole visible to the left of the rover is where its robotic drill sampled a rock nicknamed "Nontron." The Curiosity team is nicknaming features in this part of Mars using names from the region around the village of Nontron in southwestern France. 

Photo courtesy of NASA/JPL-Caltech/MSSS

Wealthy nations carving up space and its riches, leaving others behind

By Theodora Ogden, Arizona State University
 THE CONVERSATION

A Mercury Redstone stands silhouetted on Complex 5 as SpaceX launches 53 Starlink satellites from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida on Friday. 
RELATED SpaceX rocket launch leaves 'space jellyfish' in its wake

Photo by Joe Marino/UPI | License Photo

May 12 (UPI) -- Satellites help run the Internet and television and are central to the Global Positioning System. They enable modern weather forecasting, help scientists track environmental degradation and play a huge role in modern military technology.

Nations that don't have their own satellites providing these services rely on other countries. For those that want to develop their own satellite infrastructure, options are running out as space fills up.

I am a research fellow at Arizona State University, studying the wider benefits of space and ways to make it more accessible to developing countries.

Inequity is playing out in access to satellites. In the not-so-distant future, the ability to extract resources from the moon and asteroids could become a major point of difference between the space haves and have-nots. As policies emerge, there is the risk that these inequities become permanent.

RELATED Experts issue call to regulate space debris as levels of junk mount


Where to park satellite

Thanks to the rapid commercialization, miniaturization and plummeting costs of satellite technology in recent years, more countries are able to reap the benefits of space.

CubeSats are small, cheap, customizable satellites that are simple enough to be built by high school students. Companies such as SpaceX can launch one of these satellites into orbit for relatively cheap -- from $1,300 per pound. However, there are only so many places to "park" a satellite in orbit around Earth, and these are quickly filling up.

RELATED Kamala Harris announces U.S. ban on anti-satellite missile tests

The best parking is in geostationary orbit, around 22,250 miles above the equator. A satellite in geostationary orbit rotates at the same rate as Earth, remaining directly above a single location on Earth's surface -- which can be very useful for telecommunications, broadcasting and weather satellites.

There are only 1,800 geostationary orbital slots, and as of February, 541 of them were occupied by active satellites. Countries and private companies have claimed most of the unoccupied slots that offer access to major markets, and the satellites to fill them are being assembled or awaiting launch. If, for example, a new spacefaring nation wants to put a weather satellite over a specific spot in the Atlantic Ocean that is already claimed, they would either have to choose a less optimal location for the satellite or buy services from the country occupying the spot they wanted.

Orbital slots are allocated by an agency of the United Nations called the International Telecommunication Union. Slots are free, but they go to countries on a first-come, first-served basis. When a satellite reaches the end of its 15- to 20-year lifespan, a country can simply replace it and renew its hold on the slot. This effectively allows countries to keep these positions indefinitely. Countries that have the technology to utilize geostationary orbit have a major advantage over those that do not.

While geostationary orbital slots are the most useful and limited, there are many other orbits around Earth. These, too, are filling up -- adding to the growing problem of space debris.

Low-Earth orbit is around 1,000 miles above the surface. Satellites in low-Earth orbit are moving fast in a highly congested environment. While this may be a good place for Earth imaging satellites, it is not ideal for single communication satellites -- like those used to broadcast television, radio and the Internet.

Low-Earth orbit can be used for communications if multiple satellites work together to form a constellation. Companies like SpaceX and Blue Origin are working on projects to put thousands of satellites into low-Earth orbit over the next few years to provide Internet across the globe. The first generation of SpaceX's Starlink consists of 1,926 satellites, and the second generation will add another 30,000 to orbit.

At the current rate, the major space players are rapidly occupying geostationary and low-Earth orbits, potentially monopolizing access to important satellite capabilities and adding to space junk.

Access to resources

Orbital slots are an area where inequity exists today. The future of space could be a gold rush for resources -- and not everyone will benefit.

Asteroids hold astounding amounts of valuable minerals and metals. Later this year, NASA is launching a probe to explore an asteroid named 16 Psyche, which scientists estimate contains over $10 quintillion worth of iron. Tapping huge resource deposits like this and transporting them to Earth could provide massive boosts to the economies of spacefaring nations while disrupting the economies of countries that depend on exporting minerals and metals.

Another highly valuable resource in space is helium-3, a rare version of helium that scientists think could be used in nuclear fusion reactions without producing radioactive waste. While there are considerable technological obstacles to overcome before helium-3 is a feasible energy source, if it works, there are enough deposits on the moon and elsewhere in the solar system to satisfy Earth's energy requirements for several centuries. If powerful spacefaring countries develop the technology to use and mine helium-3 -- and choose not to share the benefits with other nations -- it could result in lasting inequities.

Existing international space laws are not well suited to handle the complicated web of private companies and nations competing for resources in space. Countries are organizing into groups -- or "space blocs" -- that are uniting on goals and rules for future space missions. Two notable space blocs are planning missions to set up bases and potential mining operations on the moon: the Artemis Accords, led by the United States, as well as joint Chinese and Russian plans.

Right now, the major players in space are establishing the norms for exploiting resources. There is a risk that instead of focusing on what is best for everyone on Earth, competition will drive these decisions, damaging the space environment and causing conflict. History shows that it is hard to challenge international norms once they are established.

Moving forward

Access to space is critical for the functioning of a modern nation. Space access will only become more important as humanity rapidly advances toward a future of space hotels and colonies on Mars.

The 1967 Outer Space Treaty, the founding document of space law, says that space should be used "for the benefit and in the interests of all countries." The policies taking shape today will dictate whether this is the case in the future.


Theodora Ogden is a research fellow in emerging space countries at Arizona State University.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article.

The views and opinions expressed in this commentary are solely those of the author.

Almost 5,000 were injured in Astroworld stampede last fall, 

court filing says


Ten people died from injuries received when hoards of fans rushed the stage at the festival last November 5 as rapper Travis Scott started performing. File Photo by Ken Murray/EPA-EFE


May 12 (UPI) -- The deadly stampede at the Astroworld Music Festival in Texas last year caused thousands of injuries to concert-goers, some of whom needed to be hospitalized, according to a court filing that's part of the legal actions against the organizers.

Attorneys for the thousands of people who are suing Astroworld promoters said in the filing Thursday that more than 700 of the injuries required extensive medical treatment while those to another 1,600 were a little less severe.

Injuries to another 2,500 people are still being reviewed, the attorneys said

.

Rapper Travis Scott performs at the MTV Video Music Awards at Radio City Music Hall in New York City on August 20, 2018. Scott and organizers of Astroworld are named in dozens of lawsuits related to the deadly stampede last November. 

File Photo by John Angelillo/UPI

Ten people died from injuries received when hoards of fans rushed the stage at the festival at Houston's NRG Stadium last Nov. 5 as rapper Travis Scott started performing.

Hundreds of lawsuits were filed against Scott, Live Nation, concert promoter Scoremore LLC and others just a few days after the accident. All of them are now consolidated under one judge. They allege gross negligence and failures in planning and staging the concert safely.

Earlier this month, Scott performed publicly for the first time since the Astroworld concert when he took the stage at the Billboard Awards. He said immediately following the stampede that he was "devastated" by what happened.

"I have a responsibility to figure out what happened here. I have a responsibility to figure out the solution," he told a radio show a few weeks after the accident, according to ABC News.

Costa Rica declares emergency after gov't systems hit by notorious hacker gang

U.S. officials say that a notorious hacker gang is behind perhaps the "costliest strain of ransomware ever documented."


Authorities said that a user linked to Conti, one of the world's most active 

ransomware gangs, claimed responsibility for the attack on a dark web site.

File Photo by Ritchie B. Tongo/EPA


May 12 (UPI) -- Officials have declared a state of emergency in Costa Rica after government computers there were targeted by a crippling ransomware attack, authorities said.

Investigators said that hackers tapped into the country's finance ministry computer system a month ago and the attack quickly spread to other areas, including government science, technology and telecommunications infrastructure and Costa Rica's National Meteorological Institute.

"The government has been really, really affected," Leon Weinstok, director of Costa Rican law firm BLP, said according to NBC News. "It is impossible to quantify the losses at this time."

New Costa Rican President Rodrigo Chaves Robles, who took office this week, said that there are many cybercriminals and cyberterrorists in the Central American nation.

The hackers who breached the systems had attempted to extort the Costa Rican government and former President Carlos Alvarado out of $10 million, officials said.

Authorities said that a user linked to Conti, one of the world's most active ransomware gangs, claimed responsibility for the attack on a dark web site. Last week, the U.S. State Department offered a $10 million reward for information leading to perpetrators associated with Conti.

"[This] ransomware group has been responsible for hundreds of ransomware incidents over the past two years," department spokesman Ned Price said in a statement.

Price added that federal investigators believe there have been more than 1,000 cyberattacks worldwide worth $150 million associated with Conti, and that the group is behind the "costliest strain of ransomware ever documented."

California Gov. Newsom allots $57M to strengthen abortion access

California Gov. Gavin Newsom poses for a photo with supporters of Planned Parenthood LA earlier this month.

 Photo courtesy of Planned Parenthood LA/Twitter

May 11 (UPI) -- As the Supreme Court appears poised to strike down abortion's federal protections, California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Wednesday announced an additional nearly $60 million to strengthen the state's access to the medical procedure and to cover an anticipated influx of out-of-state patients seeking it.

The Democratic governor announced the $57 million increase to his Reproductive Health Package unveiled in January, bumping the proposal's top line to $125 million.

From the new funding, $40 million has been set aside for grants to reproductive healthcare providers to help cover the cost of abortion services for low- and moderate-income individuals without health insurance and those from out of state.

An additional $15 million has also been allotted for grants to community reproductive health, rights and justice organizations for sexual and reproductive health outreach and education with another $1 million for a website to inform the public on state abortion laws, reproductive healthcare providers and ways to cover reproductive health services.

"California will not stand idly by as extremists roll back our basic constitutional rights," he said in a statement. "We're going to fight like hell, making sure that all women -- not just those in California -- know that this state continues to recognize and protect their fundamental rights."

He also said they will offer incentives to court businesses to relocate to California from states with abortion bans and laws restricting the rights of LGBTQ people. His office further explained that the incentive programs will provide additional consideration for such companies that "share California's values."

"We're expanding access to these critical services, welcoming businesses and their employees fleeing anti-abortion states and reaffirming our commitment to continuing to work closely with the legislature and reproductive rights stakeholders to further solidify California's leadership on abortion rights," Newsom said.

The announcement was made as Republican-led states have sought through legislature to increasingly restrict access to abortion and nearly two weeks after a draft opinion by the Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe vs. Wade that provided the medical procedure with federal protections was leaked to the press.

Democrats nationwide protested the decision with Newsom announcing an amendment to enshrine the right to access abortion in the state's constitution hours after the draft decision was leaked

On Wednesday, the divided U.S. Senate voted down a largely symbolic Democrat-pushed proposal to codify Roe vs. Wade into federal law.

Planned Parenthood President and CEO Jodi Hicks called the budget increase announced Wednesday not only a step toward maintaining access to abortion in California but an expansion of it.

"The more than $100 million in investments will go a long way in protecting and expanding sexual and reproductive healthcare, including abortion access, for those who live here and those who may be forced to seek care here," Hicks said in a statement. "As we prepare for the Supreme Court to overturn Roe vs. Wade and witness other states stripping access to abortion, this investment is crucial to ensuring the future of abortion access in California."

According to the Guttmacher Institute, last year was "the worst" for abortion rights in 50 years with 108 abortion restrictions enacted by state legislatures. The previous high was 89 set in 2011.

So far this year, 37 such restrictions have been enacted, it said.

NHL closing in on seeing its first female coach

By JOHN WAWROW

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This image provided by Hockey Canada Images, Canada's assistant coach Kori Cheverie. Cheverie’s ascension coupled with the growing number of women entering pro hockey management and developmental roles has rapidly sped the timetable on when — not if — there will be a woman working behind an NHL bench. 

(Dave Holland/Hockey Canada Images via AP)


Kori Cheverie reflects fondly on the conversations she had with her grandfather growing up in Nova Scotia, where he encouraged her to believe anything was attainable in sports.

First woman to play for the Toronto Blue Jays? Sure. Hoist the Stanley Cup over her head while representing the Toronto Maple Leafs? Go for it.

Though doing so as a player is now out of the question, Cheverie’s gender-breaking aspirations appear far more achievable today to the 34-year-old, who has spent the past five years chipping away at hockey’s male-only coaching barrier.

In 2017, Cheverie became the first female assistant coach of a men’s hockey team at the Canadian university level (at Ryerson). This month, after serving as an assistant on the Canadian women’s Olympic championship team, she completed a stint as Hockey Canada’s first woman behind the bench of a men’s team at the Under-18 world championships.

“It’s kind of funny, looking back and reflecting on those conversations as a kid, because I am the first to do quite a few things on the men’s side of hockey,” said Cheverie, recalling the talks with her grandfather, Jack Rehill. “They speak to the limitless childhood that I had growing up, and what I was told I could be capable of.”

And she’s not done dreaming.

Cheverie’s ascension coupled with the growing number of women entering pro hockey management and developmental roles has rapidly sped the timetable on when — not if — there will be a woman working behind an NHL bench.

As much as Pittsburgh Penguins president Brian Burke believes the glass ceiling should have been shattered yesterday, he balances his impatience by noting the inroads the league is making to blow up its image as an old boys club.

“I think it’s basically we’ve been bound by our past, which is white people playing hockey and going into management,” Burke told The Associated Press.

“It might be a slower build than people like,” he added. “But I’m greatly encouraged by the change in the last two years of the role of women in hockey, which has gone from nonexistent to significant in a very short time.”

In four years since Hayley Wickenheiser opened the door by becoming the Toronto Maple Leafs’ assistant director of player development, the league’s female hockey-related ranks have increased to nearly 30. And that doesn’t include five NHL teams featuring female presidents.

The Penguins are among the NHL teams leading the way. With two women already on their hockey staff, the Penguins expanded the list by naming U.S. Olympian Amanda Kessel as the first participant in the team’s executive management program last month. Vancouver is the first NHL team to hire not one but two assistant general managers in Cammi Granato and Emilie Castonguay.

“I think it’s pretty nearsighted if people didn’t think that ultimately there’d be some sort of equalization between genders, not just in hockey but in every industry,” NHL Coaches’ Association president Lindsay Artkin said. “It wouldn’t be unrealistic to see a female hired in the NHL after next season.”

The NHLCA has played a role in fast-tracking the movement. With the backing of her male coaching membership, Artkin launched a female developmental program two years ago.

The program identified 50 women —- including Cheverie — at various levels to work directly with NHL coaches in advanced training sessions. Aside from exchanging ideas, the program also provided women networking opportunities they previously lacked in getting on the radar as potential coaching candidates.

While Artkin said NHL coaches are impressed by the wealth of knowledge the women bring, the female participants find the sessions reinforced the belief of being equals when working with men.

“It’s absolutely validating,” said University of St. Thomas assistant women’s coach Bethany Brausen. “The terminology might be slightly different, but we’re all speaking the same language.”

Whatever apprehensions Brausen had about overseeing men melted away when one male coach said most players don’t care about gender but just one thing: Does the coaching make them better?

“That’s a very simple thing to say,” Brausen said. “But I think hearing a male, coaching at that level, explicitly say that, it’s `Of course.′ As soon as he said that, I’m like, `Why would it matter how you look or, frankly, what your background is?’”

A conversation during a 25-minute drive with Christine Bumstead was all it took to convince former Winnipeg Jets coach Paul Maurice how knowledgeable she was in recommending her to the program.

“Christine is going to be a great coach. She is one now,” Maurice said of Bumstead, who just completed her first year as an assistant for the University of Saskatchewan women’s team. “There’s a lot of really intelligent young coaches, some of them are male, some of them are female, and they now have an opportunity that just wasn’t there 20 years ago.”

He’s confident the gender barrier will be broken, much like other walls have fallen in recalling how Canadian Junior Hockey Leagues once shunned American-born players.

“If you’re not willing to change and evolve as a coach, you’re done,” Maurice said, before noting “men don’t have the market cornered on communication.”

“You listen to Jennifer Botterill on TV. She talks about the game differently,” he said of the Canadian Olympian-turned-broacaster. “It’s just a different perspective at times. It may or may not have anything to do with her being a women. But she’s interesting.”

The NHL has lagged behind North America’s three other major pro sports in hiring women.

In 2019, Rachel Balkovec became major league baseball’s first full-time female hitting coach and this year became the game’s first female minor league manager. The NBA featured seven female assistants this year. And the NFL’s ranks of female coaches grew to 12 last season.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said he expects the process of women being hired as coaches to evolve, rather than imposing quotas or implementing rules.

“I’m hoping we don’t need that,” Bettman said. “I’m hoping that it evolves to the point where it just becomes a part of how you function where you don’t need arbitrary rules for people to be doing the right things.”

The chances of that happening have vastly improved, NHL vice president Kim Davis said, in crediting the developmental program for providing women direct access to those who have hiring authority.

“The fact that they have access and you have women in these roles, it’s going to ultimately result in those women ascending to these top positions as GMs, as coaches,” Davis said. “So I’m hugely encouraged by our progress. We have a lot more to do. By no means are we taking a victory lap.”

As much as Cheverie would most certainly like to be the first woman hired to coach in the NHL, she stressed the opportunity would have to be the right fit in working on a staff and a team open to hearing her voice.

“I would love to be in the NHL. Of course, I think, many female coaches would. But it’s not the be-all, end-all for me. I want to do the best that I can do,” she said.

“I’m really looking forward to the day where this isn’t a conversation,” Cheverie added. “I wish that day was today and it’s just us talking about a coach coaching a team and trying to help them win versus how does a female fit into a group of males in a sporting setting.”

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AP Hockey Writer Stephen Whyno contributed.

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More AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports

US Army poised to revamp Alaska forces to prep for Arctic fight

By LOLITA C. BALDOR

FILE - Capt. Corey Wheeler, front, commander of B Company, 1st Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment at Fort Wainwright, Alaska, walks away from a Chinook helicopter that landed on the glacier near Denali, April 24, 2016, on the Kahiltna Glacier in Alaska. The U.S. Army helped set up base camp on North America's tallest mountain. The U.S. Army is poised to revamp its forces in Alaska to better prepare for future cold-weather conflicts, and it is expected to replace the larger, heavily equipped Stryker Brigade there with a more mobile, infantry unit better suited for the frigid fight, according to Army leaders. 

(AP Photo/Mark Thiessen, File)


JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska (AP) — The U.S. Army is poised to revamp its forces in Alaska to better prepare for future cold-weather conflicts, and it is expected to replace the larger, heavily equipped Stryker Brigade in the state with a more mobile infantry unit better suited for the frigid fight, Army leaders say.

Army Secretary Christine Wormuth said she expects to make a final decision soon about the Alaska troop change, saying she will likely convert the Stryker unit, which uses heavy, eight-wheeled vehicles, to an infantry brigade.

“I think right now the purpose of Army forces in Alaska is much more about creating an extreme cold weather capable formation” that could be used in Europe or the Indo-Pacific, Wormuth told The Associated Press on a recent trip to Alaska to meet with senior commanders and troops. “We’re trying to get to a place where we have Arctic capable forces — forces that can survive and operate in that environment.”

The U.S. has long viewed the Arctic as a growing area of competition with Russia and China, particularly as climate change brings warmer temperatures and opens the sea lanes for longer periods of time. But officials have acknowledged that the U.S. lags behind those nations. Russia has taken steps to increase its military presence there, and China views the region as economically valuable for shipping and natural resources.

The changes in the Army were under consideration well before U.S. tensions with Russia soared following its invasion of Ukraine.

Under the new Army plan, the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, now based in Alaska, would be converted to a light infantry brigade. Combined with the division’s 4th Infantry Brigade Combat team, the two units will become the 11th Airborne Division, based in Alaska. And the large Stryker vehicles, which are somewhat old, would be replaced by other vehicles that are more suitable for the icy and snowy terrain, Wormuth said.

The greater focus on cold-weather war includes a move to conduct major training exercises for the Alaska-based troops in their home state, under the weather conditions they would face in an Arctic fight. The troops had been scheduled to go to the Joint Readiness Training Center at Fort Polk, Louisiana, in March, but Army leaders decided to keep them in Alaska so they could train under the frigid temperatures and frozen terrain that they would encounter in any cold-weather battle.

“I think it really makes sense to have forces trained in the Arctic environments that they would be used for,” Wormuth said after spending two days at the still snowy base. “If we’re going to have ground forces in Alaska, that’s what we need them to be able to do. They can’t get that experience going to the Mojave Desert or to Fort Polk.”

Last year, in an initial trial event, Pacific-based forces stayed in Hawaii for their scheduled exercises at the National Training Center in California’s Mohave Desert. Commanders said they have learned from these first two moves, as they try to recreate conditions and relocate personnel and equipment from well-established training centers to more remote locations.

During her visit to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Wormuth met with commanders who called the training shift a success. Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commander of U.S. Army Alaska, said the benefits outweighed any shortfalls created by the need to build the infrastructure for the training exercise in the remote north.

“You’re getting the best of both worlds, without losing too much,” Eifler said. “We did get a lot more out of it than we thought we would.”

Eifler said that while they didn’t have as many training observers or civilian role players as they would have at one of the training centers, the trainers that did come were able to learn more about Arctic weather operations.

In addition, Eifler said, the change avoided the costly and time-consuming shipment of vehicles, weapons and other equipment to Louisiana and back. The lengthy packing and shipping process before and after a training exercise in Louisiana or California often forces troops to be without their weapons systems and other equipment for weeks.

During briefings at the Alaska base, commanders said the training included large-scale combat operations under extreme weather conditions in what they called the “most challenging environment on earth.” They said that 10,000 troops — including Canadian Army and Air forces — were involved in the exercise.

But they said the exercise also underscored the need for better cold-weather vehicles, including those capable of carrying Arctic infantry forces.

Gen. Joseph Martin, the vice chief of the Army who was in Alaska this year, said the service has been studying what would be the best type of vehicle for the troops. “Is the Stryker the right vehicle for an Arctic warrior? In the winter, you need vehicles that can move across snow,” he said.

In addition, he said, the vehicle also needs to be able to operate in the spring or summer thaw, when the ground turns to mud.

As Wormuth wrapped up her visit, she suggested that the decision on the Stryker Brigade is moving forward soon. Any final decision would need approval from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin.

“If you’re going to do big movements of equipment and things like that, the summer is a pretty important window because it’s a lot easier to move vehicles around than doing it in the dead of winter,” she said.

And in conversations with congressional lawmakers, including during a hearing this week, she made clear that the change would not reduce the number of soldiers in Alaska. Instead, she said that while the infantry brigade will be smaller, the Army would offset that loss by increasing the size and capabilities of the headquarters.

More broadly, she talked with commanders in Alaska about the potential need for more changes as the U.S. military’s Arctic strategy evolves.

The U.S., Wormuth said, has resisted moves to militarize the Arctic, even as Russia has expanded its military presence and basing there. But, she said, “will that mindset continue given what the Russians are doing in Ukraine? Or will that get revisited? Will that create a window to think about things differently?”

Commanders said there are questions about whether one of the Pentagon’s combatant commands — such as European Command or Northern Command, based in Colorado — should take full ownership of the Arctic and the U.S. military role there. Wormuth said the issue needs further discussion, and any decision may be years away.

EXPLAINER: Why Finland, Sweden joining NATO will be big deal

By LORNE COOK

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Reservists of the Karelia Brigade shoot with live rounds during the Etel'-Karjala 22 (South Karelia 22) local defence exercise in Taipalsaari, south-eastern Finland, on March 9, 2022. Finland appears on the cusp of joining NATO. Sweden could follow suit. By year's end, they could stand among the alliance's ranks. Russia's war in Ukraine has provoked a public about face on membership in the two Nordic countries. They are already NATO's closest partners, but should Russia respond to their membership moves they might soon need the organization's military support.

(Lauri Heno/Lehtikuva via AP)


BRUSSELS (AP) — It’s likely to be the quickest NATO enlargement ever and one that would redraw Europe’s security map. Finnish leaders announced Thursday their belief that Finland should join the world’s biggest military organization because of Russia’s war in Ukraine. Sweden could soon follow suit.

Should they apply for membership, the move would have far-reaching ramifications for Northern Europe and trans-Atlantic security.

No doubt, it will also anger their large neighbor Russia, which blames, at least in part, its war in Ukraine on NATO’s continued expansion closer to its borders. It’s unclear how Russian President Vladimir Putin might retaliate. The Kremlin said Thursday that it certainly won’t improve European security.

The following is a brief look at what Finland and Sweden’s membership in the 30-country NATO alliance could mean, with the Nordic partners expected to announce their intention to join within days.

FINLAND AND SWEDEN

Not neutral like Switzerland, Finland and Sweden traditionally think of themselves as militarily “nonaligned.”

But Russia’s war in Ukraine and Putin’s apparent desire to establish a Moscow-centered “sphere of influence” has shaken their security notions to the core. Just days after he ordered the Feb. 24 invasion, public opinion shifted dramatically.

Support in Finland for NATO membership has hovered around 20-30% for years. It now stands at over 70%. The two are NATO’s closest partners but maintaining good ties with Russia has been an important part of their foreign policy, particularly for Finland.

Now they hope for security support from NATO states — primarily the United States — in case Moscow retaliates. Britain pledged on Wednesday to come to their aid.

THE NORDIC REGION

NATO membership for the two, joining regional neighbors Denmark, Norway and Iceland, would formalize their joint security and defense work in ways that their Nordic Defense Cooperation pact hasn’t.

NORDEFCO, as it’s known, focuses on cooperation. Working within NATO means putting forces under joint command.

Accession would tighten the strategic Nordic grip on the Baltic Sea — Russia’s maritime point of access to the city of St. Petersburg and its Kaliningrad exclave.


Finland and Sweden also join them, along with Iceland, at the heart of the triangle formed with the North Atlantic and maritime areas in the Arctic, to where Russia projects its military might from the northern Kola Peninsula. Integrated NATO military planning will become a lot simpler, making the region easier to defend.

NATO

Finland and Sweden are NATO’s closest partners. They contribute to the alliance’s operations and air policing.

Most importantly, they already meet NATO’s membership criteria, on functioning democracies, good neighborly relations, clear borders and armed forces that are in lock-step with the allies. After the invasion, they formally boosted information exchanges with NATO and sit in on every meeting on war issues.

Both are modernizing their armed forces and investing in new equipment. Finland is purchasing dozens of high-end F-35 warplanes. Sweden has top quality fighter jets, the Gripen.

Finland says it’s already hit NATO’s defense spending guideline of 2% of gross domestic product. Sweden too is ramping up its military budget and expects to reach the target by 2028. The NATO average was estimated at 1.6% last year.

RUSSIA

Putin has demanded that NATO stop expanding and in his May 9 speech blamed the West for the war.

But public opinion in Finland and Sweden suggests that he has driven them into NATO’s arms.

If Finland joins, it would double the length of the alliance’s border with Russia, adding a further 1,300 kilometers (830 miles) for Moscow to defend.

Putin has promised a “military, technical” response if they join. But many troops from Russia’s western district near Finland were sent to Ukraine, and those units suffered heavy casualties, Western military officers say.

So far, Moscow is doing nothing obvious to dissuade the two — apart perhaps from a couple of incidents where Russian planes entered their airspace. The Kremlin said Thursday that its response could depend on how close NATO infrastructure moves toward Russia’s borders.

Some at NATO worry that the Russians might deploy nuclear weapons or more hypersonic missiles to the Kaliningrad exclave, across the Baltic Sea wedged between allies Poland and Lithuania.

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Karl Ritter in Stockholm, and Jari Tanner in Helsinki, contributed to this report.

EXPLAINER: What’s behind the baby formula shortage?

By MATTHEW PERRONE

A sign is posted at a CVS pharmacy indicating a shortage in the availability of baby food Tuesday, May 10, 2022, in Charlotte, N.C. Parents in much of the U.S. are scrambling to find baby formula after a combination of supply disruptions and safety recalls have swept many of the leading brands from store shelves. 

(AP Photo/Chris Carlson)


WASHINGTON (AP) — Many parents are hunting for infant formula after a combination of short- and long-term problems hit most of the biggest U.S. brands.

Millions of babies in the U.S. rely on formula, which is the only source of nutrition recommended for infants who aren’t exclusively breastfed.

Here’s a look at what’s behind the problem and what parents can do:

WHY IS THERE A SHORTAGE?

Ongoing supply disruptions have combined with a recent safety recall to squeeze supplies.

The problems began last year as the COVID-19 pandemic led to disruptions in labor, transportation and raw materials — economy-wide issues that didn’t spare the formula industry. Inventory was further squeezed by parents stockpiling during COVID-19 lockdowns.

Then in February, Abbott Nutrition recalled several major brands of powdered formula and shut down its Sturgis, Michigan, factory when federal officials began investigating four babies who suffered bacterial infections after consuming formula from the facility.

Abbott is one of only a handful of companies that produce the vast majority of the U.S. formula supply, so their recall wiped out a large segment of the market.

WHAT IS IN BABY FORMULA?

Most formulas are made from protein from cow’s milk that’s been altered to be easier to digest and enhanced with extra nutrients needed for growth and development. The Food and Drug Administration sets specific nutritional requirements, including minimum amounts of protein, fat, calcium and a number of vitamins. Formula makers achieve those levels by adding various sugars, oils and minerals.

The formulas are designed to mimic breast milk, though studies have repeatedly shown better health outcomes for babies who are breastfed.

WHY CAN’T ALL MOTHERS RELY ON BREAST MILK?

Health professionals recommend exclusively breastfeeding babies until they are 6 months old. But federal figures show that only 1 in 4 are relying solely on breast milk at that age.

Mothers face a number of challenges to long-term breastfeeding, including returning to work and finding the time and equipment needed to pump breast milk. About 60% of mothers stop breastfeeding sooner than they had planned, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

State and federal laws have been enacted to encourage breastfeeding by requiring break time and accommodations for mothers of infants.

Rates of breastfeeding have consistently been lower among Black babies than other groups. About three quarters of Black babies are breast fed in infancy, below the national average of 84%, according to the CDC.

WHAT SHOULD PARENTS DO IF THEY ARE HAVING TROUBLE FINDING FORMULA?

Talk with your pediatrician or call a local food bank to see if they can help locate some options. Experts also recommend checking with smaller stores and pharmacies, which may still have supplies when larger stores run out.

Most regular baby formulas contain the same basic ingredients and nutrients, so parents shouldn’t hesitate to buy a different brand if they’re having trouble finding their regular one.

Some infants require specialty formulas due to allergies, digestive problems and other medical conditions. Parents should talk to their doctor if they can’t find those products, which manufacturers usually distribute through pharmacies and clinics.

Families that qualify for WIC — a federal program similar to food stamps that serves mothers and children — can also contact their local agency.

Health officials also warn against buying formula via social media websites or outside of conventional retailers because they could be counterfeit.

WHY ARE PARENTS TOLD NOT TO USE MAKE-YOUR-OWN FORMULA RECIPES ONLINE?

Many do-it-yourself formula recipes are made from cow’s milk and granular sugar that may be difficult for young babies to digest. They also lack the specific vitamins and proteins found in breastmilk and FDA-approved formulas that are needed for basic nutrition.

“Particularly for small babies, many of these formulas and mixtures that are found online don’t contain even the most basic nutrient mixes that babies need to survive,” said Dr. Steven Abrams, a pediatrician at the University of Texas, Austin.

Abrams also stressed that parents should never dilute infant formula.

WHEN ARE SUPPLIES LIKELY TO IMPROVE?

Health regulators recently announced several steps designed to boost supply, including allowing faster importation of formula made overseas.

The FDA is working with Abbott to fix the violations that triggered the shutdown of its Michigan plant, which produces Similac, EleCare and several other leading powdered formulas.

The Chicago-based company said this week that, pending FDA approval, it could restart manufacturing at its plant within two weeks. After that it would take another six to eight weeks before new products hit store shelves.

The company says its products have not been directly linked to the bacterial infections in children, pointing out that genetic samples collected from its factory did not match those found in several infants who got sick.

But even then, experts caution that many of the industrywide issues will continue to restrain supplies.

“This is going to be a problem and it’s not going away for at least a period of several months,” Abrams said.

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Follow Matthew Perrone on Twitter: @AP_FDAwriter

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Department of Science Education. The AP is solely responsible for all content.