The ozone hole over Antarctica grows and closes up again each year – having a hole at all isn’t ideal‚ but scientists know roughly when to expect it. However‚ its appearance is now persisting later and later into the year‚ which according to a new study‚ could present a danger to the wildlife on the continent below.In the past‚ the depletion of the ozone layer (aka the hole) over Antarctica usually peaked between September and October‚ a time when its inhabitants tend to be at their least active.  This wrapped things up long before the onset of the Antarctic summer‚ when the protection of ice and snow melts away and dormant animals emerge.But for the last four years‚ the hole ended up staying for the start of summer‚ persisting into December – last year’s ozone hole was also one of the biggest on record. The problem‚ as the study’s authors point out‚ is that with ozone depletion also comes exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation.“Once we get to December‚ in the Southern Hemisphere the sun is much higher in the sky and the radiation coming down to earth is higher‚” said study author Professor Sharon Robinson in a statement. “We’re seeing a UV index of 14 in Antarctica in December‚ up from pre-ozone hole levels of 6. A UV index of 14 is extreme – what we’d experience during summer in Sydney or San Diego.”Because this coincides with wildlife waking up below‚ Robinson explained that this “means that Antarctica’s animals and plants are exposed to more than twice as much UV radiation as they were in the 1970s.”In humans‚ this bump-up in exposure would be risky business‚ at least without slapping on plenty of sunscreen. UV rays‚ particularly UVB‚ are known to damage the skin and increase the risk of developing skin cancer.Though the precise effects of UV radiation on wild Antarctic animals are unclear‚ the authors point out several ways in which the persistent ozone hole could impact wildlife – particularly for the penguins and seals whose breeding season occurs at this time.“The doubling of UV-radiation from mid-October to early December could be damaging‚ especially to young animals. Reflection of radiation from the sea ice surface will increase UV exposure for animals that breed on the ice. The timing of exposure is likely to be important‚” the authors write.It could be bad news for smaller organisms too‚ such as plankton‚ who might attempt to adapt by making their own “sunscreen” and in doing so‚ use up valuable energy. “The extended UV radiation may not kill things‚ but we know that there's a cost to creating sun protection and that takes away from the other things the animals and plants are able to do‚” said Robinson.That being said‚ the study does caveat that some organisms might have natural defenses to UV damage. Macaroni and rockhopper penguins‚ for example‚ have pigments including melanin that are thought to help protect their eyes from UV rays.But where damage might be possible‚ the authors also highlight that the persistence of the ozone hole doesn’t exist in isolation.“The biggest thing we can do to help Antarctica is to act on climate change – reduce carbon emissions as quickly as possible so we have fewer bushfires and don't put additional pressure on ozone layer recovery‚” Robinson concluded‚ adding that this would also help animals out by keeping “as much sea ice as possible.”The study is published in Global Change Biology.

NBC Late Night host Seth Meyers used his Thursday show to condemn Columbia for using the police to clear the illegal encampments and building occupations instead of surrendering to the campers like Brown University. At the same time‚ Meyers ignored what the leaders of the movement say about Zionism and continued to pretend that they are simply critical of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. On the police sweep‚ Meyers ranted‚ “As a New Yorker‚ I just wanna say‚ I really appreciate knowing this is where my tax dollars are going‚ using drones to round up co-eds rather than say keeping librarians open‚ building affordable housing‚ or making sure the F Train isn't a total piece of [bleep].” After a digression about the F Train’s lack of punctuality‚ Meyers got back on track by sarcastically remarking‚ “So‚ the NYPD responded with advanced technology and unprecedented force to a college protest. Columbia and New York City officials said they were left with no choice. And I mean‚ let's face it. It's not like they had any alternatives. Unfortunately‚ there's just no other way for a college to deal with a protest like this.”     He then played a clip of CNN’s Jim Sciutto reporting that Brown reached an agreement with the demonstrators to “hold a vote on divestment from Israel later this year.” Meyers thought Columbia also should’ve caved to the lawlessness and inflammatory demands‚ “But‚ what about our drones&;#63; If there's a peaceful settlement‚ what are we going to do with all our drones&;#63; I know. Maybe instead of taking the F train‚ the drones could fly us to work.” Later‚ Meyers introduced a clip of Sen. Bernie Sanders by lamenting the demonstrators’ message has been lost‚ “I would hope that there's maybe one thing we can all agree on. No matter how you feel about the protesters‚ we should spend less time arguing about college kids and more time focusing on what the protests are about. A point Senator Bernie Sanders made on Wednesday.” In the clip‚ Sanders suggested‚ “CNN and maybe some of my colleagues here‚ maybe take your cameras just for a moment off of Columbia and off of UCLA. Maybe go to Gaza and take your camera and show us the emaciated children who are dying of malnutrition because of Netanyahu's policies.” Meyers agreed‚ “He's right. The story is what's happening in Gaza. That's what the protests are about… As we said on this show before‚ the misery and devastation in Gaza is horrifying. It must end. At the same time‚ it's important to be clear. Anti-Semitism is vile‚ must be rejected in all its forms. Anti-Semitic harassment has no place anywhere‚ including on a college campus. And the constitutional right to protest‚ the actions of any government should be protected. And Jewish students should feel safe at school. All of these things can and should be true at once. To quote my favorite college professor‚ that just seems to me like—” The sentence was concluded by My Pillow CEO Mike Lindell at a Donald Trump rally‚ saying “bucket of common sense.” Meyers wants to separate the protestors message from the ant-Semitism‚ but he can’t. The leaders of these movements are not simply Netanyahu critics who are a bunch of na&;iuml;ve peaceniks who think a ceasefire will bring peace‚ they are radicals who think Zionism is a form of racism and therefore Israel needs to be destroyed‚ which is a form of anti-Semitism. They say this on tape and on their signs‚ but Meyers and Sanders chose to ignore it despite the fact that the people they are defending would consider both of them as guilty as Netanyahu for simply believing Israel should continue to exist. Here is a transcript for the May 2-taped show: NBC Late Night with Seth Meyers 5/3/2024 12:46 AM ET SETH MEYERS: As a New Yorker‚ I just wanna say‚ I really appreciate knowing this is where my tax dollars are going‚ using drones to round up co-eds rather than say keeping librarians open‚ or building affordable housing‚ or making sure the F Train isn't a total piece of [bleep]. I like the delays. It gives me a chance to do the Wordle. There's even a new special F train Wordle where the words are twice as long.  The other day my train was trapped for 50 minutes between stocks because Pizza Rat was on the tracks and all the other rats wanted a photo. There were even two tourist rats from Germany. You could tell from their lederhosen. Oh‚ my god‚ I fought -- I fought so hard to get that in and it was such a dud.  So‚ the NYPD responded with advanced technology and unprecedented force to a college protest. Columbia and New York City officials said they were left with no choice. And I mean‚ let's face it. It's not like they had any alternatives. Unfortunately‚ there's just no other way for a college to deal with a protest like this. JIM SCIUTTO: We also have news just out of Brown University‚ which has come to agreement with protesters there. The university says it will hold a vote on divestment from Israel later this year. That is ending investments in Israel. It's a key demand from students. Students have said that in response to that‚ well‚ they will disband the encampment by 5:00 P.M. Eastern today. MEYERS: But‚ what about our drones&;#63; If there's a peaceful settlement‚ what are we going to do with all our drones&;#63; I know. Maybe instead of taking the F train‚ the drones could fly us to work … MEYERS: I would hope that there's maybe one thing we can all agree on. No matter how you feel about the protesters‚ we should spend less time arguing about college kids and more time focusing on what the protests are about. A point Senator Bernie Sanders made on Wednesday. BERNIE SANDERS: Well I suggest to CNN and maybe some of my colleagues here‚ maybe take your cameras just for a moment off of Columbia and off of UCLA. Maybe go to Gaza and take your camera and show us the emaciated children who are dying of malnutrition because of Netanyahu's policies. MEYERS: He's right. The story is what's happening in Gaza. That's what the protests are about.  And always I will say‚ I love Bernie's delivery. Really helps him drive home the point he's making. He's like a grandpa reminding everyone to stop texting during dinner. [BERNIE SANDERS IMPRESSION] &;quot;Maybe take your eyes off your phones. And make eye contact at the table. In my day there was no such thing as a gif. When we were surprised‚ we just did this. And then if somebody missed‚ you would just loop it and do it again.&;quot;  [NORMAL VOICE] As we said on this show before‚ the misery and devastation in Gaza is horrifying. It must end. At the same time‚ it's important to be clear. Anti-Semitism is vile‚ must be rejected in all its forms. Anti-Semitic harassment has no place anywhere‚ including on a college campus. And the constitutional right to protest‚ the actions of any government should be protected. And Jewish students should feel safe at school. All of these things can and should be true at once. To quote my favorite college professor‚ that just seems to me like MIKE LINDELL: Bucket of common sense. 

In speeches throughout his time in office (and in particular starting with the 2022 midterms)‚ President Biden has warned a second Trump term would herald the “end of democracy.” But if anything‚ Biden is late to the party. The corporate media were doomsaying about democracy’s brutal demise as far back as early 2021‚ and their rhetoric has only grown more absurd since then.     The most obvious issue with this dire warning‚ other than its absurd overuse by journalists loyal to liberals‚ is that it always entails an almost comically vague‚ ever-changing definition of “democracy.” For three years‚ washed-up security analysts have warned that‚ unless former President Trump goes to prison for his alleged role in January 6‚ democracy is dead. But that trend started as far back as even January of 2021‚ when MSNBC contributor and former Watergates prosecutor Jill Wine-Banks pontificated: “It is the end of democracy if we do not take and hold the President accountable for what he inspired.” By that point‚ the DNC operatives in the news media had already branded Republicans the anti-democracy party. On October 12 of 2021‚ CNN contributor and former Clinton aide Paul Begala warned that‚ if Democrats ever lost power again‚ democracy would be over forever: I’ve got a piece coming out tonight or tomorrow [about this] on cnn.com — shameless plug — and I really don’t think this is hysterical. I’m a pretty moderate guy. If the Democrats fail‚ it might be the end of American democracy. In December of 2022‚ MSNBC host Ali Velshi remarked while filling in on The Last Word that Moore v. Harper — a gerrymandering case concerning the North Carolina redistricting map — “could be the end of democracy if it goes the wrong way.” Velshi was far from alone in his assessment. In October of that same year‚ the ACLU put out a podcast episode about Moore titled‚ “This Supreme Court Case Could Upend Democracy.” In June 2023‚ MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell agreed enthusiastically with Mount Holyoke College president-elect Danielle Holley when she remarked that the Dobbs decision was “a case that could end democracy.” A few weeks later‚ the Los Angeles Times published an opinion piece titled‚ “How the end of Roe turned into a threat to American democracy.” Do these ideologues really think any of these events will result in the mass-disenfranchisement of millions of Americans&;#63; Presumably not‚ but then what is their definition of democracy&;#63; The truth‚ as most have probably realized‚ is that “democracy” is simply a stand-in term for the DNC agenda. The Republican-favored North Carolina congressional map threatened “democracy” because it would’ve made it harder for the Democrats to win seats in that state. The overturning of Roe v. Wade also threatens “democracy” because it strips abortion‚ a sacred calf of the Democratic Party‚ of its constitutional body armor. But a Trump presidency would be most dangerous of all for “democracy” since a Republican in the White House would threaten all of the “progress” the Democratic Party has made over the last three and a half years.

The president of Columbia University begged New York City's finest — &;quot;with the utmost regret — to come to the rescue of her leftist institution Tuesday after Hamas-endorsed student radicals seized control of a building on campus. The New York City Police Department obliged Minouche Shafik‚ sending a small army of officers to restore order. Despite the concern-mongering of ideologically compromised professors and Democratic officials such as Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.)‚ the operation was ultimately great success — just not according to Democratic Councilwoman Tiffany Caban of District 22. For Caban‚ this fair and nonfatal enforcement of the law amounted to &;quot;a horrifying affront to democracy and free speech‚ and an abject failure of public safety.&;quot; Whereas the NYPD exercised incredible restraint when dealing the pro-Hamas radicals at Columbia University‚ its patrol chief unleashed on Caban over her &;quot;garbage&;quot; hot take. NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell made clear that Caban is a &;quot;person who hates our city&;quot; and got the facts wrong. Background Pro-Hamas radicals illegally camped outside Columbia University for over a week‚ disrupting classes and making anti-Semitism an unavoidable fixture on campus. In addition to spouting off genocidal rhetoric‚ they demanded that the university divest from Israel. When negotiations failed‚ the university set multiple deadlines for the protesters to clear out. These deadlines went unheeded‚ prompting the university to give an ultimatum on Monday: Leave the encampment or face suspension. That ultimatum similarly proved ineffective. Pro-Hamas radicals ended up taking over the university's Hamilton Hall‚ busting doors and windows inside‚ barricading the entrances‚ and scrawling anti-Israel messages on the interior walls. Shafik ultimately pleaded for the NYPD to intervene‚ stressing that the &;quot;takeover of Hamilton Hall and the continued encampments raise serious safety concerns for the individuals involved and the entire community.&;quot; Shafik also suggested that &;quot;the actions of these individuals are unfortunately escalating.&;quot; The mayor gave the radicals yet another opportunity to leave ahead of the police intervention. Hours later‚ hundreds of police arrived on the scene. Using a mobile ramp system‚ officers entered the second story of the building and made quick work of the radicals inside. — (@) Outside‚ scores of officers cleared out the illegal encampment‚ hauling away the violent radicals who had elected to dig in and fight. — (@) Caban's alternate reality Tiffany Caban is a radical race obsessive backed by the Democratic Socialist Alliance who has made no secret of her loathing for the police and the rule of law. In recent years‚ the &;quot;queer&;quot; socialist has called for an end to the prosecution of so-called &;quot;crimes of poverty&;quot;; racial and economic impact analyses for every criminal charge; an end to cash bail; shorter sentences for felonies; and the prosecution of Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents who enforce federal immigration law in New York. When running for office in 2021‚ she handed out &;quot;Defund the NYPD&;quot; sweatshirts with her name on the back. Unsurprisingly‚ when a funded NYPD cracked down on crime this week‚ Caban was less than pleased. Following the NYPD's successful removal of the illegal pro-Hamas occupation at Columbia University‚ Caban issued a statement smearing the police‚ Mayor Eric Adams‚ and the university's administration. &;quot;Last night's authoritarian conduct by Columbia University administrators and Mayor Adams' NYPD were a colossal disgrace‚ a horrifying affront to democracy and free speech‚ and an abject failure of public safety‚&;quot; wrote Caban. Caban called the student radicals' anti-Israel protest a &;quot;courageous stand&;quot; and suggested they should be honored &;quot;the way we would if they were Russian or Iranian students.&;quot; &;quot;Our leaders are teaching students that not only won't their peaceable assembly and petition of government result in a redress of their grievances‚ in fact it will land them in jail‚&;quot; continued the Democrat. &;quot;This is an extremely dangerous lesson to teach‚ and will come back to haunt those teaching it.&;quot; After making what appears to have been a veiled threat‚ Caban wrote‚ &;quot;Shame on [the political leaders responsible for this crackdown.] Solidarity with the students. Ceasefire now.&;quot; Reality check NYPD Chief of Patrol John Chell responded on X‚ writing‚ &;quot;I started to read this garbage and quickly realized this is coming from a person who hates our city and certainly does not represent the great people of NYC.&;quot; Chell picked up on Caban's effort to rewrite history and decided he'd try his hand at the &;quot;word replacement game.&;quot; &;quot;Last night's criminal conduct by entitled non accountable students and the support they receive from Councilmember Tiffany Caban is a colossal disgrace. A horrifying affront to democracy and proper behavior from people who are not accountable for their behavior‚&;quot; wrote Chell. &;quot;This was an abject failure of how civilized people are expected to behave in society while continually acting like a perpetual victim.&;quot; Chell‚ who previously told Ocasio-Cortez that &;quot;good SAT scores and self-entitlement do not supersede the law‚&;quot; added what appears to have been a note to voters: &;quot;Remember everyone‚ if you want change‚ seek the change you want by getting involved. Then you know what to do.&;quot; The chief posted his response twice. He appears to have deleted the initial post following a pile-on from leftist council members. Democratic Councilwoman Pierina Sanchez claimed‚ &;quot;This post incites violence against a government official.&;quot; Democratic Councilwoman Nantasha William wrote‚ &;quot;Regardless of how you feel and where you stand ideologically this is dangerous and a gross use of an official Government account&;#33;&;quot; Failed Democratic gubernatorial candidate and NYC public advocate Jumaane Williams wrote‚ &;quot;If you've ever wondered what a Giuliani NYPD would look like with social media‚ wonder no more...&;quot; Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

The latest Nintendo remake of a Mario game faced the axe of censorship in one of its opening scenes‚ changing dialogue that would likely be deemed too offensive for woke audiences.Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door was first released in 2004‚ but it seems developers found that some dialogue from the original didn't pass the woke test for the game's 2024 reboot.In one of the opening scenes of the game‚ the paper characters come across some typical Mario enemies‚ Goombas‚ as a way to set up a tutorial. As Bounding into Comics reported‚ the original version of the game had one of the enemies say‚ &;quot;Hey&;#33; Hey‚ man&;#33; What’s up&;#63; Who’s the hottie you got there with you&;#63;&;quot;A second villain then said‚ &;quot;Wassup‚ baby&;#63; Why don’t you hang with us for a while&;#63; We play real nice&;#33;&;quot;&;quot;Man‚ what’s a FINE-lookin’ Goomba doin’ with a tubby mustache man like that&;#63;&;#33;&;#63;” said the third Goomba.The female character then replied‚ &;quot;Oh‚ it is‚ like‚ SO sweet that you boys think I’m cute&;#33; Seriously&;#33; Yeah‚ guys like you make me feel like…TOTALLY BARFING&;#33; Now get out of our way&;#33;”The original scene is shown on PlayFrame‚ with narration from the host. Despite the female character being disgusted by the advances of the cartoon baddies‚ this did not stop the game's new release from changing the dialogue completely.A first look at the relaunched version on CG Magazine revealed that the dialogue strayed away from any type of aggressive flirting from the characters‚ who instead decided to pick on Mario.&;quot;Hey&;#33; Hey‚ man&;#33; What’s up&;#63; You think it’s cool to just waltz your way into OUR underground&;#63;&;quot; the first Goomba says‚ noticeably not mentioning the female character.The second enemy‚ again not mentioning the girl‚ stuck to calling the characters snobs.&;quot;Typical&;#33; You surface-level snobs are so stuck-up. 'OoOoh‚ I get to see the sun&;#33; I like to breathe clean air&;#33; OoOoh&;#33;'&;quot;The third villain no longer calls Mario &;quot;tubby.&;quot;&;quot;Heh&;#33; Yeah&;#33; Come on over here‚ scruffy mustache man. … We're gonna teach you some proper manners …&;quot;Instead of rejecting their advances‚ the female character says to &;quot;leave [Mario] alone&;quot; and mocks the enemies for living in a place that &;quot;stinks.&;quot;The only line that stayed the same in the sequence was one enemy's response of &;quot;Ouch&;#33; That was cold&;#33;&;quot;However‚ the line &;quot;What‚ you're too good for us&;#63;&;quot; was changed to &;quot;What‚ you're too good for a fight&;#63;&;#33;&;quot;Nintendo has yet to make any public comment about the new dialogue; however‚ it is typical for games to change before they get a full release. The remake of Paper Mario: The Thousand-Year Door is set for release on May 23‚ 2024.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

Journalist and podcaster Tim Pool has sponsored the car of professional driver Cody Dennison‚ with the driver revealing that he's faced backlash over the deal from a few &;quot;tribal&;quot; voices.Pool announced on X that he &;quot;did a thing‚&;quot; that being sponsoring driver Dennison ahead of an upcoming race‚ the Tide 150 at the Kansas Speedway. The race is in the ARCA Menards Series‚ which is one of the feeder leagues into the NASCAR racing system‚ for which there are three leagues in the ladder.&;quot;The whole reason we're gonna be able to race all year is I met with Tim PooI ... and we talked about it‚ and he was super interested in just doing the whole year [of sponsorship]‚&;quot; Dennison said in an interview with Chrissie Mayr.Dennison explained that the conversation about the sponsorship came up while he and Pool were playing a game of billiards.&;quot;He was really interested‚&;quot; Dennison recalled. The driver said that Pool asked‚ &;quot;What does it feel like to go fast&;#63;&;quot; about the G-force at play‚ and‚ &;quot;What do you have to do when you have to p***&;#63;&;quot;The conversation continued‚ and when Dennison noted that he'd been looking for a sponsorship‚ Pool cut him off and asked about the pricing. &;quot;I just told him the rough estimate‚ and he was like‚ 'Yeah I'll do that‚ 100% let's do it.'&;quot;Dennison also explained that some people in his life were angry to learn about the sponsorship.&;quot;The people that are angry about this are always angry because they're tribal. So‚ they have sides of whatever conflict they think they're on‚ but they always end up on the side of people that are entirely self- serving‚ and they don't do stuff like this‚&;quot; he added. WEEWWW BOI. We are looking SHARP for Kansas. Can't wait to take this thing to 185 mph. Saturday on FS1&;#33;&;#33; Thanks so much to @Timcast — (@) Dennison has been in the public eye for some time as a YouTuber since 2013 and was eventually widely publicized in 2019 after his story about being fired from a GameStop went viral. Dennison spoke about the alleged mistreatment of employees and the company's dwindling stock prices at the time.In a statement to the Post Millennial regarding why he chose to sponsor Dennison‚ Pool stated that &;quot;Cody is a friend&;quot; and that he &;quot;wanted to support his efforts and thought it would be a cool thing to do.&;quot;The Tide 150 takes place on May 4‚ 2024‚ at the Kansas Speedway in Kansas City‚ Kansas.Like Blaze News&;#63; Bypass the censors‚ sign up for our newsletters‚ and get stories like this direct to your inbox. Sign up here&;#33;

The world may be on the brink of a &;quot;hybrid World War 3&;quot; should Russia be successful in its horror invasion of Ukraine. Russian president Vladimir Putin has pushed troops further into Donetsk and should…

Today’s episode of Friday Flashbacks was originally and was originally Episode-598- Paul Wheaton from Permies.com on Permaculture‚ Hugelkultur‚ Survival Housing and More and was originally recorded on 1-27-11.   This was Paul Wheaton’s first appearance on TSPC.  We discussed a huge variety … Continue reading →

If you’ve taken it upon yourself to get ready for those disasters and crises that life can sometimes throw our way‚ you’ve probably heard of an EMP before. In the context of prepping and survival‚ this is the event that will knock out much of our electrical grid‚ and destroy any equipment or vehicles that rely on circuit boards and other‚ similar components. Seriously worrisome stuff‚ and depending on who you ask they can be damaging on a regional level or even borderline apocalyptic at the national level. But just what is an EMP anyway&;#63; An EMP‚ or electromagnetic pulse‚ is a short burst or pulse of electromagnetic energy. Created by natural phenomena or man-made technology‚ EMPs can disrupt‚ damage‚ or destroy electrical grids and equipment. When you hear EMPs discussed in the context of a survival situation or catastrophe‚ most folks are talking about major events that could knock out society or most electronics‚ but EMPs can actually be really small and relatively weak‚ too‚ doing little more than disrupting communication signals or causing electronics to behave erratically. The proliferation of weapons that can cause massively powerful EMPs‚ though‚ means that this is one threat that you must learn about and get ready for. Keep reading and learn more… The Science Behind EMPs As mentioned‚ an EMP is defined as an electromagnetic pulse‚ and maybe broadly categorized as a type of transient electromagnetic disturbance.  However it is created‚ an EMP typically covers a very wide band of frequencies‚ ranging from very low to high‚ specifically excludes infrared‚ visible‚ ultraviolet‚ X-ray‚ and gamma ranges despite the source. Because of this wide frequency range‚ emps might have a visual component in the form of aerial lightning or sparking and arcing from conductive materials‚ though this isn’t the main threat of the event. If you were to look at an EMP as a pulse waveform model on a diagram‚ you would see that it would have a sharp spike‚ the build-up to the maximum intensity of the EMP‚ followed by a relatively slow decay. This is the typical form of instantaneous EMPs like lightning strikes‚ nuclear detonations‚ and similar “one shot” instances. However‚ in the case of EMP generators‚ prolonged solar activity like coronal mass ejections‚ and even specific phases of a nuclear EMP‚ might take place as a succession of pulses‚ with a form that looks like a rising and falling wave repeated at mostly regular intervals. The interactions of each wave‚ or pulse‚ will have various effects depending on the material or device that is interacting with. If the resulting voltage surge is enough to create a spark‚ that can start a fire or ignite flammable materials or vapors. More complicated devices relying on precisely controlled currents will be disabled or overloaded‚ potentially damaging or even igniting. Sensitive materials like hard drives‚ tapes‚ and magnetic media will be disrupted or completely wiped clean of data. Even more mundane materials like wood could potentially be ignited in the right circumstances by the heat-induced. Ultimately‚ the science behind an EMP is relatively easy to understand‚ but the interactions it has with other materials and technology are incredibly complex. How are EMPs Created&;#63; EMPs can be created and projected by a wide variety of different phenomena‚ including natural events. When it comes to substantial‚ damaging‚ or massively destructive EMPs‚ the two biggest concerns are nuclear electromagnetic pulses and non-nuclear electromagnetic pulses‚ or NEMPs and NNEMPs respectively. As it turns out‚ you don’t only have to worry about the apocalyptic blast and flash of a nuclear warhead: the donation will actually create a powerful EMP as an additional effect by changing electric and magnetic fields. This will then have negative interactions with all sorts of electronics and various electrical systems‚ typically in the form of a massive and damaging voltage surge. A nuclear bomb that is detonated high up in the atmosphere is actually even worse when it comes to creating an EMP‚ because the gamma rays that are generated will ionize free electrons‚ and the whole pulse will have a much wider area of effect‚ even if the effects of the blast are greatly lessened or mitigated entirely due to altitude. Non-nuclear EMPs take the form of a specialized generator-type weapon system‚ not a bomb. Other than that‚ lightning strikes create potent‚ localized EMPs as can strong electrostatic discharges resulting from friction or other sources. Another EMP source‚ one that is wildly varying in strength‚ is a coronal mass ejection‚ or solar storm. When the resulting solar winds strike Earth‚ they can once again cause havoc with electrical systems‚ and sometimes even cause widespread damage as with the 1859 Carrington event. Nuclear EMP Phases Concerning the most likely EMP threats that preppers face today‚ nuclear EMPs‚ the pulse will have three distinct phases even though‚ to us‚ the event seems to occur basically instantly. Understanding the discrete phases of an EMP also provides clues into how it can damage vulnerable technology and materials. These phases‚ broken down into E1‚ E2 and E3‚ are detailed below. E1. Early phase. This is the sharp spike or leading edge of the pulse‚ producing high-intensity effects over a very wide bandwidth‚ though it is extremely short in duration. The E1 component lasts no longer than a couple of microseconds. The E1 component of a nuclear EMP is produced by the emitted radiation interacting with the atmosphere around the detonation. This is the component of the pulse that typically propagates along power lines‚ cables‚ antennas‚ and other similar conductive materials and induces high voltages and current. Highly likely to severely damage or destroy all electronics and sensitive materials. E2. Intermediate phase. Also created from the interaction of radiation and the surrounding atmosphere. Significantly longer than the E1 phase‚ lasting up to a couple of seconds by itself. Notably‚ this phase of the EMP is highly similar to the EMP created by natural phenomena like lightning strikes‚ although there is no attendant current surge as with the E1 phase. This is equivalent to a severe static discharge concerning electronics and other vulnerable assets.  E3. Late phase. Created by the relatively slow particles propelled by the nuclear fireball interacting with Earth’s own magnetic field. Although relatively weak‚ this phase can potentially last upwards of several minutes though it could be over in seconds. Though this is the “weakest” of the phases‚ it’s the longest lasting and shows a marked similarity to natural EMPs produced by coronal mass ejections and other cosmic activity. That said‚ it’s considerably more powerful than even the strongest recorded natural event. The sustained nature of this phase can produce immense current surges across all conductive lines and materials‚ and is likely to result in overload‚ overheating‚ and damage. Can You See an EMP&;#63; Not usually‚ though you can often see the source or its interactions with various things‚ and sometimes see the visual side-effects. Lightning is one good example‚ and solar storms can cause visual phenomena akin to the Aurora Borealis in the atmosphere. Potent EMPs can also cause sparking and overheating of some systems. Obviously‚ you’ll likely be able to see an EMP that is created by any kind of nuclear detonation‚ though one that is caused by a specialized generator or other weapon system might likely be invisible and undetectable. You’ll only know it has occurred by the effects it has on the electrical grid and your electronics. Are EMPs Harmful to People&;#63; To a human being‚ not typically. The EMP component doesn’t directly affect flesh and blood‚ be it people or animals though intense magnetic fields can cause mental or visual disturbances in some cases. As a rule of thumb‚ even a powerful EMP is unlikely to directly injure humans‚ but it’s still possible that the strongest‚ or those with an origin point nearby‚ can cause harm. If you’re in contact with a conductor during the event‚ letting go could result in a shock‚ especially if you move away from it. Likewise‚ it’s not impossible that any extremely strong electric field could cause a breakdown of the very molecules in the air and then a dangerous or even deadly arc of electricity. These effects on humans have not been widely studied concerning nuclear non-nuclear EMPs‚ but a basic rule of thumb is that any field strength under 200 kv/m will not result in serious injury. Keep in mind‚ though‚ that whatever causes the EMP itself as a secondary effect might well be deadly or very harmful‚ as in the case of lightning‚ switching electrostatic discharge‚ nuclear weapons‚ etc. EMPs Can Easily Cause Injury or Death from Secondary and Tertiary Effects The real problem for people is what the EMP will do to the things we rely on. Vehicles may shut down without warning‚ computers will turn off‚ aircraft can go out of control‚ and vital infrastructure we depend on may be destroyed. The grid will almost certainly be severely damaged or even totaled outright‚ bringing society to a screeching halt and sending us back to the Pre-Industrial Age in the blink of an eye. Refrigeration‚ life support‚ water supply systems and so much more that are entirely dependent on electricity and increasingly on computerized control interfaces‚ will be out of commission or operating at greatly reduced efficiency. The follow-on effects of such widespread and total damage or disruption will of course place entire regions‚ maybe even the entire country or large parts of the globe‚ in severe jeopardy. How Bad Can EMPs Be for Electronics&;#63; The effects on electronics and electrical systems depend entirely on the strength of the EMP and the sensitivity of the components or system in question to electromagnetic interference and voltage fluctuations. A minor but still significant EMP might cause computers to malfunction‚ monitors to flicker‚ and cause static‚ popping‚ or “washout” type interference of communications‚ be it a cell phone‚ radio‚ or something else. More intense EMPs‚ or vulnerable systems like unshielded circuit boards‚ might be overloaded to the point of damage necessitating various components to be replaced before proper function can be restored. A sustained EMP in the form of a solar storm might also result in a total communications whiteout that is equivalent to ongoing jamming. Lastly‚ the most powerful EMPs‚ especially if the origin is very close to your location‚ can result in dangerous overload and attendant burnout‚ causing widespread fires and total destruction that can only be corrected by a thorough overhaul of the electrical grid or replacement of all affected parts. Some electronics will simply be utterly destroyed and have to be replaced entirely. What Should You Do to Prepare for an EMP&;#63; Preparing for an EMP is first about protecting vulnerable but essential gear‚ vehicles‚ and other possessions‚ ensuring redundant capability in case of loss‚ and preparing for the second and third-order effects that will invariably strike society and maybe even the nation in the wake of a powerful and widespread event. Smaller electronics can be shielded from even potent EMPs by placing them in a Faraday cage‚ usually in the form of a bag‚ can‚ or box that has a fine metal mesh enclosing all sides that will basically intercept the damaging emissions before they reach your electronics. When it comes to preparing for the aftermath‚ it’s all about the basics: You’ll need food‚ water‚ a generator‚ tools‚ and everything you need to sustain yourself and your family for quite a long time‚ likely. In the case of equipment that is susceptible to EMPs and difficult to shield‚ like vehicles‚ choosing an older make and model that relies less on electronic control means that your ride is less likely to be damaged in the first place‚ or even totally immune to event. Vehicles that have only a few such computerized components might be better prepared for the event by having Faraday-shielded spare parts on hand and the know-how to replace them yourself. That will get you back on the road. The post So… What Exactly Is an Emp&;#63; All Its Phases Explained appeared first on Survival Sullivan.

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