Day: September 25, 2019💾

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European agency concludes controversial ‘neonic’ pesticides threaten bees | Science | AAAS

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European agency concludes controversial ‘neonic’ pesticides threaten bees | Science | AAAS

Controversial insecticides known as neonicotinoids pose a danger to wild bees and managed honey bees, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in Parma, Italy, said in a report released today. Bayer, a maker of so-called neonics, disputed EFSA's findings. But the report is likely to give a boost to those pushing for tighter European regulation of the chemicals.

“This report certainly strengthens the case for further restrictions on neonicotinoid use,” entomologist Dave Goulson of the University of Sussex in Brighton, U.K., said in a statement. The European Commission last year proposed—but has not yet adopted—extending a partial ban on neonics to all field crops.

Neonicotinoids are systemic pesticides. Often, they are used to coat seeds to protect them when they are planted in the ground. After the seed germinates, the pesticide spreads throughout the growing plant and guards it against nibbling insects. But the insecticide is also present in the nectar and pollen, meaning pollinators get dosed, too. Many studies have shown that the chemicals can affect the ability of honey bees to learn and forage, although industry scientists have disputed whether the experiments are realistic enough.

In 2013, the commission banned the use of three neonics—imidacloprid, clothianidin, and thiamethoxam—on flowering field crops such as corn, sunflower, and rapeseed. The pesticides can still be used in greenhouses, winter cereals, and for spraying certain crops after they flower. The ban was based on a review by EFSA.

Slow-Moving Atlantic Storms Like Imelda and Dorian are Growing More Common | Weather Underground

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Slow-Moving Atlantic Storms Like Imelda and Dorian are Growing More Common | Weather Underground

melda, Dorian, Florence, Harvey, and Idai are examples of storms we have been seeing more often in recent decades: ones that move more slowly over land, resulting in increased flooding and damage. The forward speed of tropical cyclones (which includes all hurricanes, tropical storms, and tropical depressions) has decreased globally by about 10% since 1949, according to a 2018 paper in the journal Nature by NOAA hurricane scientist Dr. Jim Kossin. As a result of their slower forward motion, these storms are now more likely to drop heavier rains, increasing their flood risk. Most significantly, the study reported a 20% slow-down in storm translation speed over land for Atlantic storms, a 30% slow-down over land for Northwest Pacific storms, and a 19% slow-down over land for storms affecting the Australia region.
Map: Mountain House Trail and North Mountain

conservation’s orange flag – Adirondack Explorer

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Monarch butterflies: conservation’s orange flag – Adirondack Explorer

In the 1990s and early 2000s, Jenkins said, he would tag hundreds of monarchs in a week. Now, like many others across the continent, he sees fewer monarchs each year, though there are occasional influxes. Some years, the number he tags drops to single digits.

Jenkins is witnessing the North American monarchs’ rapid decline firsthand. Eastern monarch populations have decreased by at least 80 percent in the past two decades, according to Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation. The Western monarch, which migrates only on the coast of California, has declined by 99 percent. The entire North American population is currently under review to be placed under the Endangered Species Act.

Dangerous USB phone chargers

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It's often okay when building small electronic projects to use inexpensive Chinese-manufactured microprocessors and electronic components. If they go bad, especially in self-build projects, you can replace them. But you should never cheap out on power supplies, as the built in isolation of the power supplies is what keeps you safe from fire and potentially deadly shock. Good quality USB phone chargers aren't that expensive, and buying them a reputable source like a big box store is much safer then getting them over the internet.

Terrain Map: Berne Topography