September 2020

Scientists have revealed the possibility of salt ponds and a large underground lake lurking beneath the South Pole of Mars. Could it be teeming with Martian life? Italian scientists believe it is possible.

In a new study, a team of researchers reported the findings that followed the discovery of a large underground lake, detected two years ago. Since then, the team has extended the search area by hundreds of kilometers and used 9 years of radar data (2010-2019) from the European Space Agency. Mars Express Orbiter.

The team led by Sebastian Emanuel Lauro of the University of Roma Tre used a radar technique that was used on Earth to find lakes deep under Antarctica and the Canadian Arctic. Called Mars advanced radar for subsoil and ionosphere sounding (MARSIS), the method relies on sound waves bouncing off different materials on a planet’s surface to indicate what kind of object it might be – rock, ice, etc., such as reports Nature.

The results further support the existence of a lake about a mile below the ice at the South Pole. While the previous research on the lake was based on 29 observations, the new study relied on a dataset that included 134 more recent observations.

The lake is about 12 to 18 miles in diameter, scientists suggest. Next to the lake, researchers detected three other bodies of water – possible smaller ponds, each more than a mile wide. Overall, the area with potential water is about 29,000 square miles, or about one-fifth the size of Germany.

“We identified the same body of water, but we also found three other bodies of water around the main one”, Explain the planetologist co-author of the article, Elena Pettinelli of the University of Rome, adding: “It is a complex system.”

colony of Mars: humanity’s greatest quest | Michio Kaku, Bill Nye and more | Great reflectionwww.youtube.com

The presence of so much water on Mars offers tantalizing speculation about the potential microbial life that could live there. The salt content of the lake probably keeps the icy water from freezing. It is estimated to be as low as 172 degrees Fahrenheit (-113 degrees Celsius) on the surface of the South Pole of Mars.

Future missions should target this area for further investigation.

England, 2020. Every river and lake is polluted beyond legal limits. None are free from toxic chemicals from industries past and present. Water companies dump untold volumes of raw human sewage into them, while agricultural fertilizers and pesticides seep insidiously into rivers, accompanied by runoff of slurry.

Meanwhile, runoff from cities and roads carries dangerous substances such as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and lead in our waterways. And sneaky old landfills, mines and industrial sites – thankfully forgotten – quietly leave their long-banned substances in streams and groundwater.

And that’s just what we know. Nanomaterials, microplastics and pharmaceuticals also cross our rivers, with a multitude of unknown consequences.

If you think I sound a little paranoid, you would be right. But also wrong. The latest round of river health assessments conducted by the Environment Agency and released last week by the government laid bare the precarious state of our water bodies and, as recognized by the Environment Minister Rebecca Pow, that made the reading “uncomfortable”.

Assessments have shown that all rivers and lakes in England are polluted beyond legal limits in accordance with EU law, which requires countries to report on their ecological and chemical status.

Embarrassingly for the Environment Agency, there has been no improvement in the ecological health of water bodies since they were last surveyed, in 2016, when only 14% of rivers have reached the level. They have been declining for years – in 2014, the proportion of rivers in good condition was set at 17%, but it fell to 15% in 2015, and then to 14% in 2016, where it remained.

Assessments were done annually until someone decided it would be best if the frequency was changed to once every three years. No prizes for guessing why this might be.

But perhaps the most shocking aspect of the results is that all rivers failed on their chemical status. In 2016, 97% were classified in good chemical health, up from 0% last year. The agency explained that it’s just because they have better ways of identifying a wider range of chemicals this time around, as if that might provide some comfort.

Some chemicals are worryingly described by the agency as “ubiquitous”. These included flame retardants – probably crouching on your couch – which bioaccumulate and have been found in large predators such as gulls and seals. In humans, some of these have been linked to effects on the thyroid system, with potential endocrine disrupting properties, not to mention reproductive and neurodevelopmental toxicity.

Then there is PFOS, from a family of synthetic substances known as “forever chemicals” because they just don’t give up. PFOS has been used for its non-stick properties in consumer and industrial products and in fire fighting foam. It was bound thyroid disease, increased cholesterol, low birth rate, reduced response to vaccines, liver damage, and kidney and testicular cancer.

Mercury is another ubiquitous chemical, but I don’t think it needs much introduction. Other substances causing particular problems to our rivers and regulators include the insecticide cypermethrin and PCBs, which have been used as components in electrical and hydraulic equipment as well as in lubricants.

So it’s no surprise that Environment Agency chief executive James Bevan has said he’d like to see existing water quality rules have been changed in a way that would see more rivers classified as healthy, claiming that the current configuration minimizes any improvements to water bodies. The green groups do not agree.

For now, the rules are safe. EU environmental law has largely been transferred to UK law, so no changes will be made in the short term. But once the Brexit transition period is over, the Environment Secretary will have the power to change the green rules, if he gets Parliament’s approval to do so.

Even so, the Defra may want to get their house in order before they start playing with regulation. It has cut the budget of the Environment Agency, which is perhaps why agency officials have repeatedly told me that its river sampling regime is “”useless, “Unscientific” and a “waste of money,” begging the question: how robust are assessments anyway? Could the real picture be even worse?

One person who’s had more than he can take is the former Undertones leader, longtime fisherman and now river activist Feargal Sharkey, who plans to launch a a judicial review against Defra and the Environment Agency, which he describes as a “hotbed of mediocrity” for its management of waterways.

None of the above makes reading enjoyable for anyone who’s spent the summer heat waves splashing around in the local river, but it’s not that bad. I’ve heard that stand-up paddleboards have great resale value.

CLIFTON PARK, NY – Supporters for a private firm’s proposal to build a downtown brewery and restaurant have started to rally online.

Southern Saratoga County resident Marcel Wing created his petition in support of the Druthers Brewing Company’s proposal for a location in Clifton Park late last month on Change.org. As of Tuesday, the petition had 68 signatories.

The Druthers plan calls for the construction of a 10,000 square foot building on a vacant five acre lot at the corner of Maxwell Drive and Southside Drive. The land, owned by DCG Development, is at the west end of Village Square (Hannaford) across from Southside Drive from a Staples store.

The site also sits across from the planned 37-acre municipal park.

The building will have brewing facilities, dining rooms, kitchens and bathrooms. There will be an outdoor dining area which can also provide opportunities for recreation, musical performances and private events. Parking for 120 cars is provided with an overflow area reserved for 130 cars.

Opposition to the proposal arose almost immediately with a number of letters to the planning department from residents living in Bentley Condominiums, a four-story building focused on senior living. The building is within walking distance of the Druthers site.

Reading the seething opposition to the brewery’s plans in the media, Wing created a page on the popular website to show that there is support in town for the business as well.

The descriptive paragraph of the petition focused on a changing community, with luxury hotels and apartment complexes in a bustling city center. This downtown area, according to the petition, is a key part of the city itself.

“Bringing a local business as esteemed as Druthers to the city center will not only spark new interest, but also create a greater sense of community,” Wing wrote in his petition.

In an email, Wing said he had never worked for Druthers and was nothing more than a grateful customer who appreciates a local alternative to the proliferation of sports bars and chains. establishments in town. These types of watering holes, he said, attract a specific crowd he is not drawn to.

“I know that the others are not [drawn] too, “he wrote.” Druthers are a different breed of bar. Not only are Druthers a local business, they support local talent with live music and create a more welcoming environment than people of all ages. appreciate.

He pointed to the positive effect the arrival of Uncommon Grounds coffee has had on the community and said Druthers could do much the same, if not more. With all the new luxury apartments in town, Wing said bringing in a Druthers is another step in giving those who live in the city an alternative to Saratoga Springs.

Referring to the opposition coming from the senior community in the Bentley and beyond, he wondered how many people are actually opposed to the plan.

“When I go to the other Druthers sites, I see people of all ages including the demographics of those at The Bentley and they love Druthers as much as I do, if not more,” Wing said.

With a shifting demographics, which Wing says tends towards a younger population, he asked older people opposed to the plan to see the city as it is, not as it was.

“There are a lot more young people in this town than before and I know for a fact from my petition that they would like something different from what Clifton Park has to offer,” he said. “Druthers is a stepping stone to making Clifton Park an even better place to live, work and play. We must live up to our motto.

In recent weeks, a letter has been delivered to the Bentley Community Association from Druthers President Christopher Martell clarifying the planned business transaction for Clifton Park.

The letter provided residents with a planning proposal story; a detailed description of what is requested from the town planning council.

In the story, Martell discussed what is planned for the site in addition to the building, the noise that can be generated by alfresco dining and musical performers and its reduction, planned emergency access, potential smells , drainage and landscaping.

“I present the above in the hope of better understanding our plans,” wrote Martell. “It would be a pleasure to meet with you to provide additional information and discussion, as well as any comments, questions and concerns that you or the residents of the Bentley may have.”

A copy of the letter was emailed to all residents of the Bentley and a copy was posted on the building’s bulletin board.

The project was to be presented to the Town Planning Council for a first review on Wednesday, September 9.