A “giant mercury bomb” is ticking in the Arctic. As the world warms with climate change, mercury that’s been stored in the permafrost for thousands of years threatens to be set free into the environment, potentially wreaking havoc on wildlife and human life. In a new study, scientists measured how much mercury could potentially seep into the ecosystem from thawed permafrost around the Yukon River. To find out, they headed to two northern villages in Alaska’s Yukon River Basin – Beaver and Huslia – and took core samples from the top 3 meters (9.8 feet) of permafrost. They paired this with satellite data that shows how the Yukon River is changing course.They found that significant amounts of mercury are released when riverbanks erode, but a smaller and more variable amount is redeposited as the rivers shift.In conclusion, they found the mercury from the permafrost could pose an environmental and health threat to the 5 million people living in the Arctic zone.“There could be this giant mercury bomb in the Arctic waiting to explode,” Josh West, study co-author and professor of Earth sciences and environmental studies at the University of Southern California - Dornsife, said in a statement. Mercury is a metal that’s a liquid at room temperature, owing to its very low melting point. The element is highly toxic, acting as a neurotoxin by binding to and inhibiting the function of enzymes and proteins critical for nerve cell function.It isn’t just found in science classrooms and thermometers. The metallic element circulates in small amounts through the natural world because it’s absorbed by plants, which then die and become part of the soil. It’s especially prolific in the Arctic, where the soil becomes frozen into permafrost, locking it away for generations. “Because of the way it behaves chemically, a lot of mercury pollution ends up in the Arctic. Permafrost has accumulated so much mercury that it could dwarf the amount in the oceans, soils, atmosphere and biosphere combined,” said West.It’s also a worrying problem for the northernmost parts of our planet because this region is warming up to four times faster than the global average and already feeling the sting of climate change,The threat of mercury increases as the metal accumulates in the food chain, from plants to small creatures, eventually ending up in the fish and other animals that humans eat. Since bioaccumulation is the problem, West explains that it’s not a problem similar to the Flint water crisis in Michigan. Nevertheless, the impact of mercury could be profound on communities living along the Yukon River and elsewhere in the Arctic.“Decades of exposure, especially with increasing levels as more mercury is released, could take a huge toll on the environment and the health of those living in these areas,” Smith said.The new study is published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. 

In a study that could redefine our understanding of extraterrestrial life, researchers have explored the possibility that plasmas in Earth’s upper atmosphere might represent a form of life or pre-life conditions. The research, published on ResearchGate, delves into the behavior of plasma-like entities observed in the thermosphere, suggesting these could be more than just physical phenomena but potentially biological or pre-biological entities. The study, titled “Extraterrestrial Life: Plasmas, UAP, Shape Shifters, Replicons, Thunderstorms, Unidentified Ocean Phenomenon,” compiles observations from various sources, including NASA’s space shuttle missions. A plasma materializes above and descends into the storm and the lower atmosphere. (Bottom): Note void/nuclei (top second row). Filmed by STS 80 These missions captured images of what appear to be self-illuminating, pulsating entities, often referred to as “plasmoids,” exhibiting behaviors akin to living organisms. These entities have been observed changing shape, velocity, and even interacting with each other in ways that suggest a form of communication or predation. One of the most intriguing aspects of this research is the hypothesis that these plasmas might incorporate “RNA-world” scenarios, where the plasma could host pre-life conditions with the potential for self-replication. This theory is supported by the presence of amino acids, nucleotides, and other organic compounds in space, which could be integrated into these plasma structures, leading to complex behaviors observed. The study also touches on the phenomenon of unidentified aerial phenomena (UAPs), often linked with extraterrestrial life in public discourse. While the research doesn’t confirm the extraterrestrial origin of these plasmas, it opens up the discussion on how life might exist in forms vastly different from what we traditionally recognize. The plasmas’ ability to shape-shift and their presence in extreme environments like thunderstorms and the thermosphere challenge our conventional biological models. Further, the research hints at these entities possibly being part of a “fourth domain of life,” distinct from the known categories of bacteria, archaea, and eukarya. This domain could encompass life forms that thrive in plasma states, potentially existing in the vastness of space or within planetary atmospheres. If plasmas in our atmosphere or space could be considered a form of life or pre-life, it would expand the search for extraterrestrial life beyond looking for water-based life forms to include plasma-based entities. This could revolutionize astrobiology, prompting new methods of detection and study in space exploration. However, the study also calls for skepticism and further research. The phenomena described require more empirical data to solidify these groundbreaking claims. The scientific community is now faced with the challenge of developing new experimental frameworks to either confirm or refute these observations, potentially rewriting the book on what constitutes life in the universe. The post New Research Suggests Plasma Entities Might Be Extraterrestrial Life appeared first on Anomalien.com.

On Thursday, Comedy Central’s Desi Lydic welcomed New York Magazine writer-at-large Rebecca Traister and Rutgers Prof. Brittney Cooper to The Daily Show to gush over Kamala Harris and breathe a sigh of relief that she, and not Republican Nikki Haley, may be the first female president. Lydic began, “There’s been a real vibe shift here with Kamala Harris entering the race. She would be the first female president. She'd be the first black female president. She would be the first South Asian person to be president. This is obviously something to be celebrated and incredibly meaningful for so many reasons.” She’s not lying about the vibe shift. Before, Lydic was mocking Harris’s meandering thoughts, but now that she’s at the top of the ticket, it’s all praise, all the time. Still, Lydic did seem to be aware that not everyone is as obsessed with Harris’s identity as she is, “But at the same time, how should we be talking about this? How much should the campaign be leaning into this, and how much might it undermine how qualified she is as just being the right person for the job right now?”     Traister, too, tried to have it both ways, “I think it is a really tricky balance. Because on the one hand, you don't want to fixate on these firsts and the pure identity changes and representative changes because there has to be substance along with that too, right? We could be talking about Nikki Haley and have some of the same firsts and we'd be feeling very differently about that.” Amid crosstalk and laughter, Traister made clear she meant liberal substance, “So, I want to say that just talking about the representative firsts isn't enough. And yet, we cannot behave in this country as though we are a nation that has ever previously managed to elect a woman in 250 years, right?” She added, “So, we can't trick ourselves either into thinking that there is not a lot happening in this campaign and on these stages, that we do not have models for, that we need to turn to different degrees of faith. That we need to sit in our anxiety about whether we as a country can become better, right? And become different and do things differently and imagine so it would be silly to pretend that those things don't come into it, and I think deeply dishonest about who we are as a country. And about the possibility of who we could become as a country.” Later in the interview, Traister continued with the effusive Harris praise, “I want to pick up on that joyful thing. What is being projected by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on those stages is unfettered joy. The beauty of being able—the happiness of being able to envision a future that looks different from our past.” Lydic then turned to Cooper, “There are 80 more days to go until the election. What is the proper, healthy way to channel all of these feelings of anger and rage and uncertainty and positivity and joy?” Cooper replied that the country could learn something from Harris, “what it means to be a black person in this country is that we have to fight every day for new possibilities for ourselves and I think that's the lesson that America can take from having a black woman run for the presidency. That is what black people have taught this country, is that, if we want it, we have to fight for it. And so, let's go! That's where I am. Let's [bleep] go!” Apparently, The Daily Show thinks female minorities with R’s next to their name don’t know about fighting and determination. Here is a transcript for the August 15 show: Comedy Central The Daily Show 8/15/2024 11:24 PM ET DESI LYDIC: I am so excited to have you both on in this moment in particular. There’s been a real vibe shift here with Kamala Harris entering the race. She would be the first female president. She'd be the first black female president. She would be the first South Asian person to be president. This is obviously something to be celebrated and incredibly meaningful for so many reasons. But at the same time, how should we be talking about this? How much should the campaign be leaning into this, and how much might it undermine how qualified she is as just being the right person for the job right now? REBECCA TRAISTER: I think it is a really tricky balance. Because on the one hand, you don't want to fixate on these firsts and the pure identity changes and representative changes because there has to be substance along with that too, right? We could be talking about Nikki Haley and have some of the same firsts and we'd be feeling very differently about that.  [Laughter and Crosstalk] So, I want to say that just talking about the representative firsts isn't enough. And yet, we cannot behave in this country as though we are a nation that has ever previously managed to elect a woman in 250 years, right?  So, we can't trick ourselves either into thinking that there is not a lot happening in this campaign and on these stages, that we do not have models for, that we need to turn to different degrees of faith. That we need to sit in our anxiety about whether we as a country can become better, right? And become different and do things differently and imagine so it would be silly to pretend that those things don't come into it, and I think deeply dishonest about who we are as a country. And about the possibility of who we could become as a country. ... TRAISTER: I want to pick up on that joyful thing. What is being projected by Kamala Harris and Tim Walz on those stages is unfettered joy. The beauty of being able — the happiness of being able to envision a future that looks different from our past.  LYDIC: That's right. That’s right. There are 80 more days to go until the election. What is the proper, healthy way to channel all of these feelings of anger and rage and uncertainty and positivity and joy? BRITTNEY COOPER: Here's the thing. I believe in faith and hope because I come from working-class black people in the Deep South who didn't grow up with a lot of possibility, who didn't have a lot of possibility, but who kept getting up every day and trying again and so, it is always the height of a certain kind of access and privilege when I see people assuming that we get the benefit and the indulgence of our cynicism, the indulgence of our disaffection.  All — what it means to be a black person in this country is that we have to fight every day for new possibilities for ourselves and I think that's the lesson that America can take from having a black woman run for the presidency. That is what black people have taught this country, is that, if we want it, we have to fight for it. And so, let's go! That's where I am. Let's [bleep] go! 

Many Christians see the definition of pro-life as defending the lives of the unborn. However, over time, the meaning of the term has shifted — and it’s made its way into the church. “They’ve been very propagandized into believing that any restriction on abortion, the overturning of Roe v. Wade, all that stuff, they will not say that restrictions are good,” Allie Beth Stuckey of “Relatable” tells the founder of the 1916 Project, Seth Gruber. “They’ll say, ‘Well, I’m holistically pro-life,' or 'I’m womb to tomb pro-life,’ which really just means that they’re for like liberal immigration law, they’re against the death penalty, but they’re for abortion,” Stuckey adds. “The redefinition of pro-life has been a war that’s been waging for probably over a decade now,” Gruber agrees. “It’s been progressives who call themselves Christians and act full-blown, anti-God, atheist, materialist progressives who have seeked to influence people like David Platt, Matt Chandler, Russell Moore, Lecrae, Jackie Hill Perry, T.D. Jakes — shall I continue?” These progressives have been able to influence people through the twisting the word of God, which has manifested in ways other than abortion. “You got to take the jab, because you know, you don’t want people to die, love your neighbor,” Gruber mocks, adding that “what they’ve done is they’ve defined pro-life from the protection of life in the womb to the allegedly quality of life outside the womb.” This, Gruber says, has been pushed by Russell Moore, who used to be at the ERLC. The ERLC is the political arm of the largest Protestant denomination in the country. He’s now the editor in chief of Christianity Today. “A lot of these people,” Gruber explains, “have done a lot to influence believers to accept this new redefinition of pro-life. And so, he who fights everywhere fights nowhere. So if now to be pro-life means that I’ve got to do all this other stuff that allegedly improves quality of life outside the womb, then how the heck am I supposed to ever end the killing of babies in the womb?” “It’s very important for us to be clear and push back on what pro-life actually means, and so I have lost a lot of friends and I’ve watched a lot of people capitulate over the last few years because they’ve accepted this new redefinition,” he adds. Want more from Allie Beth Stuckey?To enjoy more of Allie’s upbeat and in-depth coverage of culture, news, and theology from a Christian, conservative perspective, subscribe to BlazeTV — the largest multi-platform network of voices who love America, defend the Constitution, and live the American dream.

RRREEEEEEE! CNN Panel Goes Stark Raving Insane on Nancy Mace Over Kamala's Name (Watch)

Lake Bolsena, a volcanic lake in central Italy, has yielded a 3,000-year-old clay figurine, believed to represent an ancient goddess. This figurine was discovered at the Gran Carro archaeological site, thought to be the submerged remains of an Iron Age village dating back to the 10th or 9th century BC. Remarkably, after 3000 years of submersion, the figure still bears the fingerprints of its maker. A Rare Glimpse into Early Iron Age Rituals The discovery was made by the personnel of the Underwater Archaeology Service, followed by the recovery and initial conservation treatment carried out by the underwater restorers of CSR Restauro Beni Culturali, reports LBV. The figurine measures approximately 6 inches (15 centimeters) in length, and is crudely finished, almost like it is a work in progress. The fingerprints offer a tangible connection to the ancient sculptor of the past. The impression of a fabric pattern on the figurine suggests that it was originally clothed, possibly as part of a domestic ritual. Archaeologists believe the figurine was used in votive practices, where prayers or offerings were directed to the figurine, indicating its role in the spiritual life of the Iron Age inhabitants, explains Live Science. Read moreSection: ArtifactsOther ArtifactsNewsHistory & ArchaeologyRead Later 

House GOP are demanding answers from DHS Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on what they characterize as the "massive fraud" that caused the pause of travel authorizations as part of its "unlawful mass-parole" program for Cubans, Haitians, Nicaraguans, and Venezuelans.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump on Friday announced the formation of Trump Vance 2025 Transition Inc., which he said will ensure that his administration would be ready to "govern effectively on Day One."

The FBI impeded further investigation into the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump by releasing the alleged shooter's body for cremation little more than a week after the incident, a U.S. congressman said.

Jamie Lee Curtis was deservedly recognized as a Disney Legend during the D23 Expo at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California last Sunday. Other recipients of the Disney Legends Award include Angela Bassett, Harrison Ford, composer John Williams, James L. Brooks and Miley Cyrus—who was the youngest awardee. During the event, Lindsay Lohan and Jodie Foster gave a tribute to Jamie as the induction ceremony was ongoing. Jamie teared up as she relished the moment before giving her short speech and making the audience sing one of her favorite Disney World songs. Jodie thanks Jamie for looking out for her boobs LOS ANGELES – JUN 6: Jodie Foster at the AFI Honors Denzel Washington at the Dolby Theater on June 6, 2019 in Los Angeles, CA Jodie’s speech about Jamie was rather hilarious, as she revealed how the “Scream Queen” loves to gift her friends. She recalled receiving the best bras she had ever owned from Jamie and thanked her for being so thoughtful and kind. Foster proceeded to present Jamie with an adorable pair of embroidered Mickey Mouse ears. RELATED: Jamie Lee Curtis Brings Jodie Foster To Tears During Tribute Speech At 2024 Oscars Lohan took the stage earlier with a presentation of Jamie’s most iconic roles, before giving a touching speech about the star of the moment. Lohan called Jamie a timeless actress who brought a unique twist to every role. She admitted to feeling lucky about their friendship and getting to work with her on Freaky Friday. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA, USA – SEPTEMBER 25: Actress Jamie Lee Curtis wearing a dress by Alex Perry arrives at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures Opening Gala held at the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures on September 25, 2021 in Los Angeles, California, United States. (Photo by Xavier Collin/Image Press Agency) Jamie gives a sing-song reaction to her award Moved by the moment, Jamie asked the tens of thousands of attendees to join her in singing the theme song of her favorite Disney ride, The Carousel of Progress. She asked the audience to take in the lyrics, which read, “There’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow shining at the end of every day. There’s a great, big, beautiful tomorrow and tomorrow’s just a dream away.” June 22, 2016 – Lindsay Lohan attending 2016 Caudwell Butterfly Ball, The Grosvenor House Hotel in London, UK. Jamie—who is currently filming for Freaky Friday 2—revealed that the six-decade-old song by the Sherman Brothers has been stuck in her head since childhood. She also told the attentive audience that legends are not formed but created through nurturing and education. Click for next Article The post Lindsay Lohan And Jodie Foster Honor Jamie Lee Curtis At Disney Legends Ceremony appeared first on DoYouRemember? - The Home of Nostalgia. Author, Peace A