Science
SpaceX launched 60 more Starlink satellites but failed to stick the landing – Yahoo News Canada
CBC
Alberta slaughterhouse to close temporarily amid growing COVID-19 outbreak that has claimed one life
Darwin Doloque’s friends describe him as an eternal optimist, one who couldn’t say no to anyone who needed help. On Jan. 28, the 35-year-old permanent resident who immigrated to Canada from the Philippines was found dead at his home in Red Deer, Alta. The cause of death was attributed to a case of COVID-19 linked to his work at the city’s Olymel meat-processing plant. Late Monday — nearly three weeks after Doloque’s death and in an abrupt change of position hours after telling CBC News it planned to remain open — Olymel said it would temporarily shut down the plant, due to the rapidly growing COVID-19 outbreak at the facility. As of Monday, 326 employees at the plant had tested positive for COVID-19, nearly double the count of 168 on Feb. 6. Of those, 192 remain active. CBC News spoke to six employees of Olymel for this story and agreed to withhold their names because they fear they could lose their jobs if they are identified. During the interviews, workers said they were afraid to go to the plant, fearing for their own health and the health of their families. Several described negative effects on their mental wellbeing, as the outbreak continued to spread. Operations to cease over next few days The company said Monday that management now believes the plant can no longer continue normal operations in a safe and efficient manner. Operations will cease over the next few days, Olymel said, and the company will continue to investigate how the outbreak grew so large. Less than four hours earlier, company spokesperson Richard Vigneault had said neither Alberta Health Services (AHS), the provincial government, nor the company, itself, had yet come to the conclusion that the Red Deer plant should temporarily close. The company’s statement Monday evening did not state the reason for the change, but Vigneault said an assessment of the situation that afternoon led the company to a new conclusion. The rapid increase in cases had drawn a warning from AHS, which on Thursday sent a letter to the company cautioning the outbreak “has become a concern for public health.” In the letter, which was obtained by CBC News, AHS said around one in five workers was believed to be infected and spreading the virus. The plant has a workforce of close to 1,850 and about 60 per cent of the staff hold at least one other job outside the slaughterhouse. A spokesperson for Alberta’s labour minister said Sunday that occupational health and safety officials had inspected the facility 14 times, remotely and in-person, since the outbreak began in mid-November, deeming the plant safe to remain open. AHS said it was not involved in the plant’s decision to close. Struggling to breathe One worker, who has tested positive for COVID-19, struggled to gather the breath to share his story between bouts of coughing. “We workers, we feel insecure. We feel unsafe inside the plant,” he said over the weekend, before Monday’s announcement. “We are hoping that they will close temporarily.” “We don’t know what to do.… We are hoping the government will help us.” His illness started with a headache. Before he realized he was symptomatic, he had spread the infection to his entire family. With everyone sick, he said he worries how they will make rent. “We are all positive and now we don’t have work,” he said. “We have a big problem.” We don’t know what to do…. We are hoping the government will help us regarding this. – Worker at Olymel pork-processing plant in Red Deer, Alta. The union that represents employees at the plant said more than 90 per cent of approximately 600 workers it surveyed through a text-message poll said they wanted the plant to close temporarily, and that 80 per cent of respondents reported feeling unsafe at work. Tom Hesse, president of the United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Local 401, said Sunday the union had been in contact with the provincial government and the company to discuss concerns the workplace had become dangerous, but both had been largely unresponsive. “We’ve been very disappointed that, even at this stage, we haven’t seen big corporations and the government of Alberta be responsive to what’s become the terror of Albertans,” Hesse said. The union had called for a temporary shutdown of the facility on Feb. 5. On Monday, the union said in a release that it was grateful to see the concerns expressed by workers had led to a resolution that will save lives. “It’s clear that mounting pressure, from the union and the media, succeeded in forcing action on this dangerous situation,” Hesse said. Vigneault said earlier on Monday that Olymel has fully co-operated with AHS “to support various actions on our site to control the outbreak.” Those actions included COVID-19 testing, regular information updates provided to employees, and maintaining a list of employees’ close contacts, he said. These are in addition to a variety of other measures “already in place since the beginning of the pandemic,” Vigneault said. The company said the union and its hog suppliers have been informed of the pending closure. Concerns over swab testing Other workers said they felt the procedures surrounding testing were insufficient given the numbers of their co-workers who have tested positive for the virus. When Doloque died, people “started to get paranoid,” said one worker. That employee said they asked the company nurse if they should continue to work while awaiting the results of their COVID-19 test. “Yes, because you guys need money,” the worker said the nurse told them. The company said it did not have information relating to that specific case, but would investigate. Another worker also raised concerns about swab tests. “They send the people back inside without the result, and they get the result and they end up tested positive. So it’s already inside,” said the worker, who has also tested positive for COVID-19. “After that man passed away, there were a lot of people who were a close contact, and then of course they went to work and they didn’t get tested,” the employee said. “The next thing you know, they tested positive. It’s all over the place.” Before Monday’s announcement, Vigneault said Olymel’s policy dictates employees showing or declaring symptoms are not allowed to work. Close contacts who chose not to be tested would have to complete the 14-day isolation as a minimum, he said. ‘We feel unsafe’ One worker said he feared he’d bring the virus home to his daughter, who is immunocompromised. He said while Olymel has provided workers with face shields and encourages hand washing, there are areas of the workplace where those measures didn’t feel like enough. “Our cafeteria is very congested,” he said. “When we get a break we take off our mask, right? So that we can eat.” In a recent email to staff, employees were warned they could face $1,200 fines for violating public health orders and expect discipline, even termination, should they not comply with company’s COVID-19 policies. Vigneault said the company’s surveillance in terms of sanitary measures in place at the plant may reflect “the quality of information and honesty,” of the employee. “We have strong controls to know where a worker was during the work shift but our weakness is how an employee behaved in private,” Vigneault said. “So we rely on the employee’s honesty to help us.” Company was compliant with public health orders: AHS AHS said its inspectors had been in daily contact with the company and visited the site on multiple occasions since the start of the outbreak to identify areas for improvement, should those arise. The company remains compliant with public health orders, AHS said. “Many measures were previously undertaken early on in the pandemic, and the site continues to take proactive steps to enhance their practices and mitigation measures,” AHS said. It said health workers provided a second round of on-site testing for COVID-19 between Feb. 3 and 5. Other meat plants battle outbreaks Meat plants have been home to many of the worst outbreaks of the pandemic. There are currently eight outbreaks at meat processing or packing facilities in Alberta, including one at Cargill in High River, where 950 workers tested positive. A class-action lawsuit and police investigation are underway in that case. Workers at Cargill told CBC News at the time they were instructed to return to work after testing positive for COVID-19 and while symptomatic. Workers at both plants describe similar environments — a majority- immigrant population working a fast-paced, high-stress job in close quarters and feeling like they have little recourse. Those people who have more access to power and privilege seem to get better protections than those who do not. – Sheila Block, senior economist with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives “I find that we are here again a giant failure of public policy,” said Sheila Block, with the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives. “We’ve learned a lot about this disease over the last 11 months and it seems like the lessons that we’ve learned aren’t applied equally … those people who have more access to power and privilege seem to get better protections than those who do not.” Block said the prevalence of outbreaks in low-wage, marginalized communities shows a need to look at instituting further supports both in and outside of the workplace — ensuring people have safe ways to travel to and from work, widespread access to workplace testing and income supports that allow them to stay home if sick. Plant had been ramping up production In the letter sent by AHS to the company, it largely focuses on staff responsibility — reminding workers to self-isolate, notify all employers of a positive test, or risk a fine. The letter makes two requests of management: that employees be required to be tested if they have previously not been swabbed or have tested negative, and that management monitor breaks to ensure employees keep distance from one another. Block said, in her view, it’s immoral to lay blame at the feet of individual employees. She said it’s the government’s responsibility to set and enforce baseline rules to keep workers safe. “These are the workers that allow those of us, who have the privilege to do so, to continue to work from home and be safe,” she said. “We absolutely have to have government step up and value these workers’ lives as much as they value the lives of people who can afford to protect themselves,” she said. Olymel is currently hiring, and the union had said that prior to Monday’s late-day announcement, the plant had been ramping up production.
Science
April 20: Why this Indigenous researcher thinks we can do science differently and more… – CBC.ca
Quirks and Quarks54:00Why this Indigenous researcher thinks we can do science differently, and more…
On this episode of Quirks & Quarks with Bob McDonald:
This researcher wants a new particle accelerator to use before she’s dead
Quirks and Quarks9:05This researcher wants a new particle accelerator to use before she’s dead
Physicists exploring the nature of reality need ever more capable particle colliders, so they’re exploring a successor to the Large Hadron Collider in Europe. But that new machine is at least decades away. Tova Holmes, an assistant professor at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, is one of the physicists calling for a different kind of collider that can come online before the end of her career – or her life. This device would use a particle not typically used in particle accelerators: the muon.
Is venting the best way to deal with anger? The scientist says chill out.
Quirks and Quarks6:51Is venting the best way to deal with anger? The scientist says chill out
It turns out that acting out your anger might not be the best way to get rid of it. Sophie Kjaervik, a researcher at Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Va., analyzed 154 studies of the different ways to deal with anger. Her results, published in the journal Clinical Psychology Review, suggest that techniques that reduce your heart rate and calm your mind are more effective than blowing off steam.
High intensity wildfires may release toxic forms of metals
Quirks and Quarks8:37High intensity wildfires may release toxic forms of metals
Wildfire smoke might be more dangerous than you think. A recent study in the journal Nature Communications found that when wildfires pass over soils or rocks rich in a normally harmless metal called chromium, it is transformed into a toxic form. The hotter and more intense the wildfire is, the more of this metal becomes toxic. Scott Fendorf, an Earth system science professor at Stanford University, said this study shows we should factor in the type of geology wildfires pass over to provide more targeted air quality warnings about smoke risks.
AI might help solve the problem of runaway conspiracy theories
Quirks and Quarks7:35AI might help solve the problem of runaway conspiracy theories
Conspiracy theories seem to have multiplied in the internet era and so far, we haven’t had much luck in debunking these beliefs. The preliminary findings of a new study on PsyArXiv, a site for psychology studies that have yet to be peer-reviewed, suggests that artificial intelligence may have more success. Thomas Costello, a postdoctoral psychology researcher at MIT was the lead author on this study, and said their findings can provide a window into how to better debunk conspiracy beliefs.
An Indigenous scientist explores the medicine the Earth needs
Quirks and Quarks19:12An Indigenous ecologist on why we need to stop and listen to save the planet
Earth day is April 22. And Earth is not in great shape to celebrate the day. Overheated, overpopulated, overexploited – we’re not being particularly careful with our planet. We talk to Indigenous ecologist Jennifer Grenz of the University of British Columbia about her new book, which is part memoir, part prescription for the medicine our planet needs – a compound of science and traditional wisdom. Her book is Medicine Wheel for the Planet: A journey toward personal and ecological healing.
READ MORE: An Indigenous ecologist on why we need to stop and listen to save the planet
In a remarkable development, NASA has given the green light to the Dragonfly mission, a revolutionary rotorcraft designed to investigate the complex chemistry of Saturn‘s moon Titan.
This confirmation allows the mission to proceed with the final design, construction, and testing of the spacecraft and its scientific instruments.
Deciphering the prebiotic chemistry on Titan
The Dragonfly mission, led by Dr. Melissa Trainer of NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, will carry a cutting-edge instrument called the Dragonfly Mass Spectrometer (DraMS).
This powerful tool will help scientists delve into the intricate chemistry at work on Titan, potentially shedding light on the chemical processes that led to the emergence of life on Earth, known as prebiotic chemistry.
“We want to know if the type of chemistry that could be important for early pre-biochemical systems on Earth is taking place on Titan,” explains Dr. Trainer, a planetary scientist and astrobiologist specializing in Titan.
Titan: Dragonfly’s target
Titan, the largest moon of Saturn, is shrouded in a dense nitrogen-rich atmosphere, bears a striking resemblance to Earth in many ways. With a diameter of 5,150 kilometers, Titan is the second-largest moon in our solar system, surpassed only by Jupiter’s Ganymede.
Dense atmosphere and unique climate
One of Titan’s most distinctive features is its thick atmosphere, which is composed primarily of nitrogen and methane. This dense atmosphere creates a surface pressure 1.5 times higher than Earth’s, making it the only moon in our solar system with a substantial atmosphere.
The presence of methane in Titan’s atmosphere leads to a fascinating hydrological cycle, similar to Earth’s water cycle, but with methane as the primary liquid.
Titan’s surface is dotted with numerous lakes and seas of liquid hydrocarbons, predominantly methane and ethane. These liquid bodies, some of which are larger than the Great Lakes on Earth, are the result of Titan’s unique climate and atmospheric conditions.
The Cassini mission, which explored the Saturn system from 2004 to 2017, provided stunning images and data of these extraterrestrial lakes and seas.
Dragonfly mission to search Titan for prebiotic chemistry and life
The complex chemistry occurring on Titan’s surface and in its atmosphere has drawn significant attention from astrobiologists.
With its abundant organic compounds and the presence of liquid methane, Titan is considered a prime candidate for studying prebiotic chemistry and the potential for life to emerge in environments different from Earth.
Beneath Titan’s icy crust lies another intriguing feature: a global subsurface ocean of liquid water and ammonia. This ocean, which is believed to be salty and have a high pH, may potentially host microbial life.
The presence of this subsurface ocean, along with the unique chemistry on Titan’s surface, makes this moon a fascinating target for future exploration and scientific research.
Pushing the boundaries of rotorcraft exploration
Nicky Fox, associate administrator of the Science Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters, emphasized the significance of the Dragonfly mission, stating, “Exploring Titan will push the boundaries of what we can do with rotorcraft outside of Earth.”
Titan’s unique characteristics, including its abundant complex carbon-rich chemistry, interior ocean, and past presence of liquid water on the surface, make it an ideal destination for studying prebiotic chemical processes and the potential habitability of an extraterrestrial environment.
Innovative design and cutting-edge technology
The Dragonfly robotic rotorcraft will leverage Titan’s low gravity and dense atmosphere to fly between different points of interest on the moon’s surface, spanning several miles apart.
This innovative approach allows the entire suite of instruments to be relocated to new sites once the previous one has been thoroughly explored, providing access to samples from diverse geological environments.
DraMS, developed by the same team responsible for the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite aboard the Curiosity rover, will analyze surface samples using techniques tested on Mars.
Dr. Trainer emphasized the benefits of this heritage, stating, “This design has given us an instrument that’s very flexible, that can adapt to the different types of surface samples.”
Dragonfly mission challenges and funding
The Dragonfly mission successfully passed its Preliminary Design Review in early 2023. However, due to funding constraints, the mission was asked to develop an updated budget and schedule.
The revised plan, presented and conditionally approved in November 2023, hinged on the outcome of the fiscal year 2025 budget process.
With the release of the president’s fiscal year 2025 budget request, Dragonfly is now confirmed with a total lifecycle cost of $3.35 billion and a launch date set for July 2028.
This reflects a cost increase of approximately two times the initially proposed cost and a delay of more than two years from the original selection in 2019.
Despite the challenges posed by funding constraints, the COVID-19 pandemic, supply chain issues, and an in-depth design iteration, NASA remains committed to the Dragonfly mission.
Additional funding has been provided for a heavy-lift launch vehicle to shorten the mission’s cruise phase and compensate for the delayed arrival at Titan.
Rigorous testing and validation
To ensure the success of the Dragonfly mission, researchers on Earth have conducted extensive testing and validation of the designs and models for the nuclear-powered, car-sized drone.
The mission team has carried out test campaigns at NASA’s Langley Research Center, utilizing the Subsonic Tunnel and the Transonic Dynamics Tunnel (TDT) to validate computational fluid dynamics models and gather data under simulated Titan atmospheric conditions.
Ken Hibbard, Dragonfly mission systems engineer at APL, emphasized the importance of these tests, stating, “All of these tests feed into our Dragonfly Titan simulations and performance predictions.”
As the Dragonfly mission progresses, it marks a new era of exploration and scientific discovery. Dr. Trainer expressed her excitement, saying, “Dragonfly is a spectacular science mission with broad community interest, and we are excited to take the next steps on this mission.”
Turning science fiction into fact with the Dragonfly mission
In summary, the Dragonfly mission embodies the essence of human curiosity and the relentless pursuit of knowledge. As NASA prepares to send this revolutionary rotorcraft to the alien world of Titan, we stand on the brink of a new era of exploration and discovery.
With its innovative design, cutting-edge technology, and the unwavering dedication of the mission team, Dragonfly will unlock the secrets of prebiotic chemistry and shed light on the potential for life beyond Earth.
As we eagerly await the launch of this titanic mission, we can only imagine the wonders that await us on Saturn’s enigmatic moon. The Dragonfly mission is a testament to the indomitable human spirit and our boundless capacity to push the frontiers of knowledge.
In the words of Ken Hibbard, “With Dragonfly, we’re turning science fiction into exploration fact,” and that fact will undoubtedly inspire generations to come.
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Science
Marine plankton could act as alert in mass extinction event: UVic researcher – Langley Advance Times
A University of Victoria micropaleontologist found that marine plankton may act as an early alert system before a mass extinction occurs.
With help from collaborators at the University of Bristol and Harvard, Andy Fraass’ newest paper in the Nature journal shows that after an analysis of fossil records showed that plankton community structures change before a mass extinction event.
“One of the major findings of the paper was how communities respond to climate events in the past depends on the previous climate,” Fraass said in a news release. “That means that we need to spend a lot more effort understanding recent communities, prior to industrialization. We need to work out what community structure looked like before human-caused climate change, and what has happened since, to do a better job at predicting what will happen in the future.”
According to the release, the fossil record is the most complete and extensive archive of biological changes available to science and by applying advanced computational analyses to the archive, researchers were able to detail the global community structure of the oceans dating back millions of years.
A key finding of the study was that during the “early eocene climatic optimum,” a geological era with sustained high global temperatures equivalent to today’s worst case global warming scenarios, marine plankton communities moved to higher latitudes and only the most specialized plankton remained near the equator, suggesting that the tropical temperatures prevented higher amounts of biodiversity.
“Considering that three billion people live in the tropics, the lack of biodiversity at higher temperatures is not great news,” paper co-leader Adam Woodhouse said in the release.
Next, the team plans to apply similar research methods to other marine plankton groups.
Read More: Global study, UVic researcher analyze how mammals responded during pandemic
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