Fracking blamed for spike in earthquakes

Pro-business pundits ridicule studies, yet officials in the state of Oklahoma acknowledge link.

Deadly hornet attacks on rise in China

At least 28 people have been killed by swarms of Giant Asian Hornets in China this summer, with hundreds being sent to hospitals. The insects, which have for years menaced rural populations in the region, have been particularly violent this year. Scientists are not 100% certain as to why, although they speculate that the unusually hot summer has caused in influx in breeding.

Giant Asian Hornet

Hornets are considered some of the most toxic insects on the planet, with as little as ten stings potentially being fatal to a healthy, allergy-free individual. Carnivorous in nature, they are one of the primary predators for bees, capable of wiping out whole colonies; since bees are regarded as critical to the cycle of life on Earth, the rise in hornet populations is causing grave concerns amongst many researchers.

Authority in China is taking whatever measures it can to assist the afflicted (including covering medical costs for impoverished victims), although they admit they are limited in fighting the hornets themselves. They assure citizens that the arrival of winter temperatures should bring a halt to the attacks, but until then everyone involved is at the mercy of the massive swarms.

If left untreated hornet stings can cause anaphylactic shock and renal failure in human victims. Doctors recommend seeking medical attention as quickly as possible if an individual is stung, especially if allergic to the insect's poison.

Photo: Joe Carey, via Wikipedia.

Containment of Yosemite wildfire nears

Firefighters have finally begun making headway with the Rim Fire in northern California, which has thus far scorched 357 square miles while destroying 11 homes and 100 non-residential structures. The blaze, which started August 17, reached into the famed Yosemite National Park as well, where 94 square-miles have been razed; investigators have yet to determine a cause for the fire.

Rim, which now ranks as the fourth-worst blaze in California history, has caused issues beyond the directly affected area. Both the electrical and aquatic infrastructures serving San Francisco were either damaged or threatened, while air-quality as far away as Carson City, Nevada became so poor that an emergency was declared, with dozens going to hospitals complaining of eye and throat irritation.

Long-term environmental ramifications of this mega-fire remain unclear; while the amount of carbon dioxide from the blaze alone is serious, the damage done to the natural carbon sinks in the forest is potentially disastrous. As for the immediate emergency, officials are cautiously optimistic that - with 60% containment now achieved - an end is in sight; they are predicting complete containment by September 20.

2013 has been a bad year for major wildfires in the US and across the globe. One of those events, the massive Elk Complex blaze in Idaho, destroyed 83 structures (38 of which were homes) and 131,000 acres before being contained just this last weekend.

Fuel spills into Columbia River from boat sinking

The pleasure craft Granby sank while moored near Willow Grove Park on Tuesday, a Washington-state recreational island on the Columbia River. The 75-foot wood-hulled trawler, aged 84 years, was carrying up to 600 gallons of diesel fuel, which began gushing into the river when the boat was damaged. While up to 250 gallons of that fuel was safely pumped into on-shore tanks as much as 100 gallons did spill, leaving a prismic sheen on the water's surface. As of this writing there is no estimated time-frame for cleanup.

Officials disagree over how much, or even if, the accident will affect fish and wildlife on and around the island park. The state's Ecology Department is warning that the immediate area (along with downstream wetlands) is in danger of being negatively impacted, while a Coast Guard [CG] Marine Science Chief asserted there was no risk to the environment. The CG official had also confidently stated that the sheen would evaporate off the surface 'within a few hours,' something which has clearly not occurred.

Willow Grove Park, approximately 55 miles downstream from the Portland, Oregon, is normally a popular place for beach-goers and water sports enthusiasts; bird-watchers also enjoy the island, with red-shouldered hawks being a major draw. Until clean-up from the sinking of the Granby is complete the park has been closed, with all water-activities being suspended.

Observation: Yes, I am aware of the fact this story is not exactly 'potentially cataclysmic' in nature (although the wildlife in the area might disagree, if they had a voice), but I decided to cover it as a reminder of an important point: even in minor incidents such as this, government officials - those who would be trusted by the apathetic majority to direct citizens through a worst-case scenario - are often conflicted and clueless. Something to bear in mind - SB.

New data raises concerns over ice sheets

Scientists studying declassified maps of the glaciers in Antarctica have discovered the ice-sheet covering the frozen continent advances and recedes to the same degree as the average global temperature fluctuates. Once thought to be nearly impervious to climate shifts, the new data demonstrates these mile-deep ice shelves are subject to rapid changes of mass, changes which appear to be synchronized with time periods of warming and cooling. 

This research is causing alarm amongst climatologists, for the combination of ice-thickness and sub-zero temperatures had lead them to conclude Antarctica's ice shelves were stable. Discovering otherwise will dramatically alter their forecast models, accelerating the rapidity of global catastrophe should a warming spree resume.

While there is much debate (even within the scientific community) over what is causing our current round of climate change, there is little doubt that it is occurring. Whether it be at the hands of man or at the behest of nature, if we were to experience an extended global warming trend the amount of fresh-water melt-off, this study asserts, could devastate coastal regions worldwide.

New study pinpoints arsenic hot-spots

Swiss and Chinese researchers have created a computer model to gauge which regions of China are most susceptible to groundwater being poisoned by arsenic. Using geological maps, they have determined that between 19.5 to 20 million people are in heavy-risk zones. Identifying these regions should help scientists isolate which ground-water wells need immediate attention, as there is over ten million such wells which require screening.

This issue is far-reaching, well beyond the drinking-water concern, because rice - a dietary staple for over half the world's population - appears to naturally absorb arsenic. This makes monitoring ground-water in China a critical practice, for it is the Asian nation's primary agricultural export; even in U.S., which grows a substantial volume of the cereal grain, seven percent of all rice consumed here is imported from China.

Although arsenic is a natural chemical element [symbol *As] which serves industrial purposes, ingestion can lead to a myriad of serious health concerns. Headaches, chronic vomiting and severe diarrhea can occur in the early stages of poisoning, with bloody urine, extreme muscle cramps, convulsions and certain cancers arising in acute cases; if left unchecked arsenic poisoning will eventually lead to death by coma.

It is estimated that 140 million people across the globe drink water laced with unsafe levels of *As. While arsenic seeping into groundwater is a naturally-occurring event, there is contentious debate over whether or not the practice of fracking contributes to the crisis.

From The Apocalyst: New study: Arsenic in groundwater at fracking sites

Carbon sinks becoming 'saturated' warns report

In a recent report scientists in Europe are sounding alarms about 'carbon sinks' becoming too saturated to continue to absorb CO2. They fear that, if left unchecked, the natural cycle of the atmosphere could be irreversibly altered, dramatically affecting our ability to exist on the planet.

Carbon sinks are reservoirs which provide long-term storage for the gas; oceans, rocks, and soil are natural sinks which researchers consider vital to maintaining the balance between carbon and oxygen in the atmosphere. Trees play an important role in collecting carbon into the soil, but scientists are concerned by two factors: 1) There are too few trees to compensate for the volume of carbon being ejected, by both man-made and natural processes, and 2) Those trees which do exist are mature-growth, which by virtue of age collect and store less carbon into their root systems.

Scientists also note that forest fires (which are more dangerous than ever, courtesy of mismanagement and/or neglect of the denser forests which exist) play a large part in this, not only due to the destruction of the carbon-absorbing trees but also for releasing previously-stored carbon. Volcanic activity is also credited by some with playing a role, albeit minor.

They conclude that if these carbon sinks reach saturation points-of-no-return CO2 will eventually pollute our atmosphere beyond breathable levels. While artificial carbon reservoirs continue to be developed and deployed, without the natural sinks doing their part it will only be a matter of time before the planet is overwhelmed, and oxygen-breathing species - including homo-sapiens - will experience severe drops in populations, if not outright extinctions.

Oil spill off South African Coast

A cargo ship which ran aground near a South African nature reserve last Thursday dumped over three tons of oil into the waters, reports conclude. The Kiani Satu was damaged when adverse weather conditions forced the ship into the shoreline, causing the leak which allowed the crude to escape. As of Saturday the ship was no longer spilling fuel, and has now been moved safely off-shore.

While dozens of water foul were successfully rescued, cleaned, and placed into rehabilitation facilities, conservationists say the clean-up of the reserve could take years. They are further uncertain what long-term effects the incident will have on the affected estuaries, along with the fish which call the surrounding waters home.

Officials note the situation could have been much worse; the ship was hauling three hundred tons of the fossil fuel, thus a major accident could have been catastrophic. The oil still on board has been successfully transferred to the upper containment decks of the ship, and no further leakage is anticipated.

New study: Arsenic in groundwater at fracking sites

A growing body of research continues to cast a pall on fracking. A recent study by the University of Texas at Arlington found excessive levels of arsenic in the groundwater near such sites within the state, causing concerns about the long-term ramifications of the practice.

Supporters of fracking allege it has greatly expanded production of energy-providing resources, adding much to the economy and overall quality of life. Opponents assert that the poisoning of groundwater has both immediate and long-ranging consequences, well beyond the location of the practice; 20% of all fresh water on the planet exists as groundwater.

While the current study is considered inconclusive at best, anti-fracking forces are combining it with other studies to request a halt on the practice, at least until more research can be conducted. Fracking is a slang term for hydraulic fracturing, a procedure of injecting high-pressure fluids into the cracks of rock formations at drilling sites, widening said-cracks. This allows oil and natural gas to flow more freely, which in turn makes such sites more profitable.