Are you looking for an easy way to preserve fresh carrots from the garden? Let me teach you how to freeze carrots – with or without blanching, in any shape you desire! Then they’re ready and waiting to toss into future soup, stew, stir fry, baked goods, and more. This is one of my favorite quick ways to preserve homegrown carrots. This post will cover the easy step-by-step process of freezing carrots, address frequently asked questions, along with best practices on how to store, defrost, and cook frozen carrots too. Disclosure: Homestead and Chill is reader-supported. When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. RELATED: Get tips on how to plant and grow carrots here. In addition to freezing carrots, we like to make fermented carrot pickles and this delicious creamy roasted carrot and sweet potato soup to freeze and preserve our bounty. Frequently Asked Questions Do I have to peel carrots before freezing them? No, it’s not necessary to peel carrots before freezing. If you prefer your carrots peeled, you can of course, but we don’t! Some of the best nutrients and antioxidants found in carrots are most concentrated in the skin, so why get rid of it – and add an extra tedious step? We never peel carrots before eating them in general, especially since they’re homegrown. Can you freeze carrots without blanching? Yes, you can absolutely freeze carrots without blanching them first. It’s an extra quick and easy way to preserve them when you’re in a hurry! All you have to do is wash, chop, dry, pack, and freeze the carrots as explained below – simply skip the blanching and ice bath steps. However, keep in mind that raw (not blanched) carrots won’t hold up quite as long in the freezer. Blanched vs not blanched: what’s the difference? Blanching carrots in boiling water (or steam) quickly deactivates certain enzymes found in carrots, which in turn helps to slow the natural degradation process. This means blanched carrots retain better color, flavor, texture, and overall quality longer – for up to a year in the freezer. On the other hand, it’s best to use frozen carrots that were not blanched within a few months. The quality will start to decline thereafter. For instance, we often freeze raw carrots without blanching in the fall to use in soups that winter. So, if you want your frozen carrots to stay good for as long as possible, it’s best to blanch them first. Particularly if you hope to eat them on their own later, such as a side of sautéed carrots. Yet if they won’t be the star of your future meals (e.g. in something like soup) then freezing carrots raw is a great quick option! Supplies Needed Fresh carrots. The fresher, the better! I don’t recommend freezing carrots that are already going limp. Keep raw carrots fresh and crisp by storing them in the refrigerator inside a plastic bag with a tiny splash of water. For blanching: a large pot or steam blancher (what we prefer to use) along with a large mixing bowl to make an ice bath A baking sheet and clean lint-free towels for air drying Air-tight freezer containers of choice. I like to freeze carrots in these reusable silicone food storage bags or these durable BPA-free freezer containers with lids. Instructions Step 1: Wash and Cut Begin by thoroughly washing your carrots. I recommend scrubbing them with a clean brush to remove dirt from any cracks and crevices, especially if you are choosing not to peel them first. Next, trim off the stem end and cut the carrots into your desired shape or size, such as rounds or sticks. You could even leave small carrots whole. I like to cut ours into bite-size rounds and half-moons, perfect for future soup or stir fry. You can also use a box grater to make and freeze shredded carrots. (See more tips about freezing shredded carrots towards the end of this post.) Also cut out and discard any damaged spots. To freeze raw carrots without blanching, skip straight to step 4. Step 2: Blanch To blanch carrots before freezing, you can either use the boiling water method or a steam blanch. Have your ice bath ready and waiting too! Bring a large pot of water with a pinch of salt to a rolling boil, OR use a pot with a steamer basket insert and lid. If using a steamer, add enough water so that it covers the bottom of the pot but not so deep that it touches the steamer insert. Either way, ensure the pot is fully heated and steamy before adding the carrots. Once the water is boiling (or the pot is filled with steam), add the carrots. Cover the pot with a lid and set a timer right away. Do not overcook them! Blanch cut carrots for 2 minutes (3 minutes if steam blanching or boiling whole carrots). When boiling, start counting once the water returns to a boil after adding the carrots. When using a steamer, toss the carrots halfway through to promote even blanching. If blanching several batches, return the pot to a full boil/steam before processing the next batch. Step 3: Ice Bath Quickly transfer blanched carrots to an ice bath to stop the cooking process. Set up an ice bath (a large bowl of water and ice) and have it ready before you blanch the carrots. Immediately after blanching, carefully transfer the carrots into the ice water. Use tongs or a wire skimmer to fish them out of the boiling water, or simply lift and dump out the inner basket if using a steamer.  Allow the carrots to chill in the ice bath for 3 to 4 minutes.  Add more ice between batches as needed to keep the water icy cold.  Step 4: Air Dry Whether raw or blanched, it’s important that carrots are fairly dry before freezing them. Too much extra moisture can easily lead to freezer burn, causing an unpleasant flavor. After the ice bath (or if freezing raw, after washing), let the carrots drip-dry in a strainer in the sink. Then lay the carrots out on a clean towel on a baking sheet or on the counter to air dry after their wash or ice bath. Use another clean towel to gently pat them dry or set a fan nearby to help expedite drying if needed. Step 5: Flash Freeze (Optional) Depending on how you plan to use your carrots, you may want to consider flash-freezing them before packing them into freezer containers. Flash freezing is the process of pre-freezing food in a single layer, which helps prevent them from sticking together. This makes it easier to take out just a handful of frozen carrots to use in a meal as needed. Or, you can skip this step and simply freeze the carrots in smaller portions that you can use all at once. Once the carrots are fairly dry, lay them out on a baking sheet or other freezer-safe tray that will fit inside your freezer. Spread the carrots in a single layer, touching as little as possible. Put the tray into the freezer for one to two hours, until the carrots are frozen solid. Once frozen, transfer the carrots into their final freezer storage containers. Step 6: Pack and Freeze Finally, pack up the carrots into freezer-safe containers of choice. I personally love to use these durable BPA-free freezer pint containers – the perfect size to add to a pot of soup. They come in other sizes too! We also like to freeze carrots in these reusable silicone food storage bags. It’s best to fill your containers nice and full (with as little empty air space as possible) to help reduce the risk of freezer burn. If you use freezer bags, try to press or suck out as much air as possible before sealing the bag. Be sure to date and label everything! Use blanched carrots within 12 months for the best quality, and unblanched carrots within two to three months. Can you freeze shredded carrots? Absolutely! Freezing shredded carrots is an ideal way to preserve carrots to use in future stir fry, baked goods, or other dishes that call for grated carrots. Shredded carrots are especially quick and easy to freeze raw. Use a box grater to shred them, pack them into containers, and put them in the freezer. You can also blanch them to increase quality and shelf life. Follow the same process explained above, but blanch for only one minute instead of two to three. Since they’ll all clump together, it’s best to freeze shredded carrots in small portions that will be easy to use later – such as in pint containers (2 cups) for your favorite carrot bread recipe. These 1-cup silicone molds are also really handy for freezing small portions. Simply pack, freeze, then pop them out of the silicone mold to store the small blocks together in an air-tight freezer bag. Defrosting and Cooking Frozen Carrots Like any frozen vegetable, you can’t expect frozen carrots to be the same as fresh. Don’t plan on snacking on them like raw carrot sticks! Yet since they’re so crunchy, carrots are more forgiving and less prone to getting mushy than other veggies. They make a perfect side dish, or addition to any recipe that calls for cooked carrots. To defrost frozen carrots, you can put the container in the refrigerator to defrost overnight or let it sit out on the counter for just a few hours. The smaller the pieces of carrot, the less time it will take. We often only let ours partially defrost before tossing them into a pot or pan (especially when using them in soup), and then let them finish defrosting as part of the cooking process. The key to avoiding mushy, soggy frozen carrots is to not overcook them. Cook only until they’re fork-tender, such as a quick saute in a frying pan with olive oil or butter. You can also cook frozen carrots in boiling water, a microwave, air fryer, instant pot, or roast them in the oven. Here is a simple guide on cooking frozen carrots. My favorite creamy roasted sweet potato and carrot soup Well folks, that concludes this lesson. I hope you found this guide to be useful. If so, please leave a review below – and feel free to ask any questions! Have more veggies to preserve? Get the best tips on how to freeze green beans, freeze basil in ice cube trays, freezing tomatoes whole, or two easy ways to freeze zucchini. Print How to Freeze Carrots – With or Without Blanching Learn how to freeze carrots – with or without blanching, in any shape you desire! This is a great way to preserve fresh carrots from the garden. Then they're ready and waiting to toss into future soup, stew, stir fry, baked goods, and more. We'll also cover tips on how to store, defrost and cook frozen carrots too. Course Preserved Food, Preserves, Side DishKeyword freeze carrots blanching, freeze carrots without blanching, freezing carrots, how to freeze carrots, preserving carrots Prep Time 10 minutes minutesCook Time 2 minutes minutesDrying 30 minutes minutes EquipmentLarge pot or steamer pot (if blanching)Large bowl for ice bath (if blanching)Lint-free towelsFreezer containers of choice Ingredientsfresh carrots InstructionsPrepWash and scrub the carrots clean. You do not need to peel them.Trim of the stem end, and cut carrots into desired size – such as sticks or bite-size rounds. You could also leave smaller carrots whole, or shred them with a box grater.If you're NOT blanching, skip to drying and packing the freezer containers.BlanchingBring a large pot of water with a pinch of salt to a rolling boil, OR use a pot with a steamer basket insert and lid. Once the water is boiling (or the pot is filled with steam), add the carrots When steam blanching, don’t overfill the pot – leave some room to toss them. Cover the pot with a lid and set a timer right away. Don’t overcook them!Blanch cut carrots for 2 minutes maximum. If using a steamer, blanch for 3 minutes but stop and toss the carrots with tongs halfway through to promote even cooking. When boiling, start counting once the water returns to a boil after adding the carrots.If blanching several batches, return the pot to a boil/steam before processing the next batch.Ice BathImmediately after blanching, carefully transfer the carrotsto the ice water. Use tongs or a wire skimmer to fish them out of the boiling water, or simply lift and dump out the basket if using a steamer. Allow the carrots to soak and cool in the ice bath for 3 to 4 minutes. Add more ice between batches as needed to keep the water icy cold. DryTransfer the carrots from the ice bath into a colander or strainer to drip dry, gently shaking to remove excess water. Then lay them out in a single layer on a large baking sheet lined with a lint-free towel to dry further. If you’re processing a lot of carrots, it may be necessary to use several towel-lined pans or dry them right on the counter. Allow them to sit for 30 to 60 minutes until they’re decently dry.Using a fan nearby and/or patting dry with another towel can help expedite the drying process.  Pack and FreezePack cooled, dry carrots into freezer containers of choice – such as resealable freezer bags, reusable silicone bags, or other freezer-safe containers.Optional “flash freeze”: Before packing freezer bags, lay the carrots out in a single layer on a baking tray, freeze the whole tray for a 1-2 hours, and then pack the carrots into bags once frozen. Flash freezing prevents the carrots from sticking together in one big clump. Try to pack the containers as full as possible, and press out as much air as possible when sealing. Less air inside = less freezer burn and fresher carrotsDate and label your freezer containers.Frozen carrots will last in the freezer for up to a year, though quality (texture and flavor) decreases with time. Blanched carrots will be good for a year, while unblanched carrots are best to use within 2 to 3 months. Freezing Shredded CarrotsShredded carrots are especially quick and easy to freeze raw. Use a box grater to shred them, pack them into containers, and put them in the freezer. You can also blanch shredded to increase quality and shelf life. Follow the same process explained above, but for only blanch for one minute instead of two to three.Since they’ll all clump together, it’s best to freeze shredded carrots in small portions that will be easy to use later, such as one or two cup portions. Defrosting and Cooking Frozen Carrots Frozen carrots make a perfect side dish, or addition to any recipe that calls for cooked carrots.To defrost frozen carrots, put the container in the refrigerator to defrost overnight or let it sit out on the counter for a few hours. We often only let ours partially defrost before tossing them into a pot or pan (especially when using them in soup), and then let them finish defrost as part of the cooking process.The key to avoiding mushy, soggy frozen carrots is to not overcook them. Cook only until they’re fork-tender, such as a quick saute in a frying pan with olive oil or butter. You can also cook frozen carrots in boiling water, a microwave, air fryer, instant pot, or roast them in the oven.  You may also like: Creamy Roasted Tomato Basil Soup with Fresh Tomatoes (Vegan) Crunchy Refrigerator Pickles: Quick & Easy Homemade Dill Pickles Best Cowboy Candy Recipe (Candied Jalapeños) Canning or Refrigerator  7 Ways to Preserve Green Beans: Can, Freeze, Dry, Pickle and More Did you enjoy this article? Want to hear more? Stay in touch! Sign up below to receive weekly updates on new posts from Homestead and Chill. The post How to Freeze Carrots (With or Without Blanching) appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. From the EU to Brazil, the battle that X has to wage against censorship-prone governments is not winding down. It’s been months now that X, and its owner Elon Musk, have been embroiled in disputes over censorship demands coming out of Brazil, specifically its Supreme Federal Court (STF). Musk dubbed the demand for X to comply with yet another batch of censorship demands as, “not right.” And instead of, say, a meme, he included screenshots of the orders (in Portuguese) as he replied to a post featuring the news. But Musk did repeat the well-known accusation: that these demands in fact break Brazil’s own law. And a familiar figure, supposed to protect that law, signed the demands: Alexandre de Moraes. What has changed is the additions to a growing list of new names. X’s Brazilian branch is supposed to be silent on behalf of the government. This fresh list out of Moraes’ office includes a pastor, a serving parliamentarian, and the wife of a former legislator – all of them popular and critical of the government (i.e. former President Bolsonaro supporter) accounts. Or as Moraes would have it, those engaged in “illegal activities.” X was supposed to block the accounts within 24 hours, but keep access logs, connections, and other data associated with them. X will otherwise pay about $10,000 for each day of non-compliance. Moraes is stressing the censorship push requires “confidentiality” in the interest of an investigation – that doesn’t seem to be working so well for him, at least where X is concerned. Other than Musk’s post, the social media company’s Global Affairs actually disclosed the censorship orders, adding, “We believe the Brazilian people should know what is being asked of us.” Another post from the same team revealed that even more demands came from Brazil, seeking users’ personal information and that this time, people in Argentina and the US are also affected. Again, Moraes’ desire to do his censorship work in the shadows seems to be ignored, and even taunted a bit: “We share those (orders) here in the interests of essential transparency,” wrote X’s Global Affairs. Meanwhile, it came to light that the letters came on August 8, but the accounts were still standing on X as of the 14th. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post X Defies Brazil’s Censorship Demands Again appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. A legal battle, seen as a major privacy rights issue, came down to the extent to which the Stored Communications Act (SCA) protects user data, and is now headed to the Supreme Court of California. This comes after the California Court of Appeal ruled in the Snap, Inc. v. Superior Court case that the majority of remotely stored messages are not covered by the Act’s law designed to prevent unlawful access to stored communications – Section 2702. The CSA is there to stop platforms that provide online communications and storage from sharing contents of users’ online accounts (messages, emails, photos…). There are some exceptions in the legislation itself, e.g., unless the government obtains a warrant, that sets the bar relatively high. But now, it looks like Big Tech’s “standard” business model – exploiting user data for massive profits – is coming back to haunt those users in yet another way. Namely, the California Court of Appeal has found that if providers of that stored user data already have access to it, in order to monetize this content, then that content is effectively already disclosed and CSA has no business trying to protect it. We obtained a copy of the opinion for you here. And if this ruling stands, then tech companies can be asked to turn over user data without a warrant – a subpoena, the civil variety included – could potentially suffice. The state’s appellate court does draw the distinction between companies monetizing remotely stored data and those who refrain from accessing their users’ accounts in any way other than what is technically necessary to provide the service. Unfortunately for privacy rights overall, and obviously not only in the context of this ruling, this standard doesn’t apply to those involved here, Meta’s Instagram and Facebook, and Snap’s Snapchat. The proceedings originate from a murder case where the defendant, accused of killing his brother, asked (via subpoenas) to access the contents of the victim’s Instagram, Snapchat, etc., accounts, as a way to help his defense. Meta and Snap refused, citing Section 2702, but the Court of Appeals for reasons explained, ordered them to comply. Now both companies are asking the California Supreme Court to review this decision. If you're tired of censorship and dystopian threats against civil liberties, subscribe to Reclaim The Net. The post California Appeals Court Limits Privacy Rights of Online Messages appeared first on Reclaim The Net.

More Walz Ties to Islamist Terrorists

Archaeological evidence of shark attack victims is extremely rare, so when the story of a 3,000-year-old Japanese victim was published in 2021, it caught people’s attention. At the time, the victim was thought to be the oldest recorded case of a shark attack victim, but soon after the study was published, other researchers identified what may be an even older case that dates back 6,000 years. So what do we know about these two ancient victims?Individual No. 24Around 3,000 years ago, sometime between 1370 and 1010 BCE, a man was fishing in the waters of the Seto Inland Sea of the Japanese archipelago when he was attacked by a large shark. Despite being recovered by his companions, the man suffered serious and extensive injuries. He had at least 790 deep, serrated wounds which were mostly confined to his arms, legs, and the front of his chest and abdomen.After his death, the individual was buried in his people’s community cemetery, an archaeological site known as the Tsukumo Shell-mound cemetery site, which was excavated in the early 20th century.For a long time, the man’s remains baffled researchers who could not figure out how someone could receive such extensive and varied injuries from another human using stone tools. Nor could they think of any commonly reported animal that may have been able to produce such marks.However, further examination of the skeleton as part of a larger project looking into violence in prehistoric Japan gave researchers a new opportunity to explore possible causes. The team, led by J. Alyssa White at the University of Oxford, noted that the lesions on the bones were extremely similar to reports of shark attack victims found on modern and archaeological remains.Individual No. 24 was found with extensive wounds that suggest he was killed by a large shark, probably a tiger or a white shark.Image credit: Kyoto UniversityBy working with George Burgess, Director Emeritus of the Florida Program for Shark Research, the team were able to reconstruct a picture of the Japanese individual’s fate. As they said in a statement, “Given the injuries, he was clearly the victim of a shark attack. The man may well have been fishing with companions at the time, since he was recovered quickly. And, based on the character and distribution of the tooth marks, the most likely species responsible was either a tiger or white shark.”The victim, known as “Individual No. 24” belonged to the Neolithic Jmon people of Japan, a semi-sedentary culture that lived mostly in pit dwellings arranged around open spaces. They were hunter-gathers, who were known to exploit a range of marine resources.“It's not clear if Tsukumo 24 was deliberately targeting sharks or if the shark was attracted by blood or bait from other fish,” co-author Dr Mark Hudson explained. “Either way, this find not only provides a new perspective on ancient Japan, but is also a rare example of archaeologists being able to reconstruct a dramatic episode in the life of a prehistoric community.”Peru’s ancient victimSoon after the story of Individual No. 24 broke, two researchers looked back at archaeological work they conducted several decades ago. In 1976, bioarchaeologist Robert Benfer of the University of Missouri, Columbia, and Jeffrey Quilter, an anthropological archaeologist at Harvard University, helped excavate the remains of a teenage boy at a Peruvian village site called Paloma, whose skeleton exhibited marks that appeared consistent with those of a fatal shark attack – his left leg was missing, while his right hip and right forearm showed signs of deep serrated bite marks.If the boy was attacked by a shark, then the wounds likely occurred as he tried to fend it off, raising his arm to protect him as the animal bit down. Similarly, successful shark bites often involve tearing actions that, when applied to humans, can rip off limbs, especially legs.According to radiocarbon dating, the boy met his traumatic fate around 6,000 years ago before being buried among his community. If their assessment is correct, this would make the boy the oldest recorded example of a shark attack victim.The boy’s village was located about 3.5 kilometers (2.2 miles) from the Pacific Coast of Peru. Between 7,800 and 4,000 years ago, various small communities intermittently lived in the area. They, like the Jmon people of Japan, exploited marine resources to survive, including fishing, diving for shellfish, and gathering plants.When the boy’s remains were excavated, they were found in a long, oval pit in an open area. His body had ben placed under some sort of covering made of canes tied together with mats. He had several grave items with him, including a seashell, a flat rock, and several ropes.After the excavation, Quilter described the young man’s injuries in two paragraphs of his book, Life and Death at Paloma, which was published in 1989. The results of this work were never published in any academic journals, so were unknown to White and her colleagues when they were researching Individual No. 24. The researchers have since been in touch, but it is still unclear whether the Peruvian case is definitely an example of a shark attack. Perhaps future research will confirm this tragic but fascinating fate.[H/T: Science News]

The world record for the widest female tongue has just been broken for the first time in 10 years. No need to adjust your display settings – you read that just right.The proud owner of the gargantuan glossa is Texan Brittany Lacayo. Her tongue measures 7.9 centimeters (3.11 inches) at its widest point. That’s about the width of a credit card. The total length of her tongue is only 2.5 centimeters (1 inch) more than that, making it almost a square – there's a fun fact for you!  IFLScience is not responsible for content shared from external sites.Guinness World Records confirmed that attorney Lacayo’s tongue has surpassed the previous record of 7.33 centimeters (2.89 inches), which had been held by fellow American Emily Schlenker for 10 years. Schlenker’s father Byron also held the corresponding male record for a short time, before he was gazumped by Brian Thompson, whose tongue width was measured at an as-yet unbeaten 8.88 centimeters (3.49 inches).It was a video of Schlenker that inspired Lacayo to measure her own tongue to see how it matched up. Her family had often joked about the size of it when she was a kid, but she’d never seriously considered it might be record-breaking.“It is neat and kind of funny,” she said, adding that most people react with either “shock” or “curiosity” when they see her tongue for the first time… which is pretty much how we felt when we saw the pictures.The world records for the longest tongues have also gone unchallenged for some years. The female record was achieved by Chanel Tapper in 2010, an astonishing 9.75 centimeters (3.8 inches). Meanwhile, the male record stands at 10.1 centimeters (3.97 inches), set by Nick Stoeberl in 2012.But if you think those are impressive, they pale into insignificance when compared with certain members of the animal kingdom. The giant anteater (Myrmecophaga tridactyla) holds the record for longest tongue among land mammals, with reports of them extending as far as 61 centimeters (2 feet).And if you’re wondering whether your licker might be a record-breaker, it might be time to ask yourself: How well do you know your tongue?        

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.