Greetings to one and all! After a few months on hiatus for health reasons, I’ve decided to resume the weekly blog with a subjective view of the top ten science reads from the past week. This post will be published every Saturday between 12:00pm and 2:00pm Central USA Time (1800 UTC – 200 UTC). As I mentioned, the selection will be subjective, but lean heavily towards what my followers in social media are interested in. There will be seasonal emphasis on the severe weather season across North America and the Atlantic hurricane season. During the next few weeks, there will be a few kinks to be ironed out, so expect a few bugs and/or changes to come along. The topics will be from a wide variety of science interests; astronomy, weather and meteorology, climate and climate change, environmental science topics, the occasional quixotic read, and much, much more. On a more personal note, I appreciate the ‘good vibes’ and wishes for a speedy recovery as I am in the middle of a long rehabilitation regime from prostate cancer surgery. I have a daunting challenge ahead of me and your kind and caring words mean the world to me. A medical situation such as this certainly has made me take pause and reevaluate the priorities in my life.
Without further delay, let’s get started on this week’s links.
- A thought provoking and very timely read on how the ‘echo chamber’ that exists in mass media and social media can work against us. You’ve heard it before, so it must be true.
- Here’s an important read on just one of many diseases that’s spread by the most dangerous creature that we share our planet with…the mosquito. “West Nile Virus: Causes, Symptoms and Prevention.“
- Have you ever wondered how a compass at the South Pole can point to the North Pole?
- Most of the Earth’s surface is covered by water. The question is, how did it get here in the first place?
- While on the topic of oceans…”Return of warm water ‘blob’ in the Pacific threatens marine life.“
- The phrase “climate change” has never been more volatile. The history behind this loaded term is explained in this essay. “What Should We Call ‘Climate Change’? It’s Political.”
- Speaking of climate change, coastal flooding resulting from sea level rise is a topic that will become very important in the years to come. In California, it has become a particularly volatile topic.
- Here’s a detailed look at how the Greenland ice sheet fared in 2019. As you can see on the map below, the red tinted areas are regions that have gone under a loss of ice.
- While the focus of this article in on hurricanes, it can easily apply to many other disasters; tornadoes, flash floods, blizzards, earthquakes, etc. “Cell Phone Service Must Be Restored Quicker after Hurricanes.“
- Last but not least, there are several more weeks left in the Atlantic hurricane season. While the tropics are quiet for now, it’s never too late to have a preparedness plan in place. My Hurricane Preparedness Page can be a helpful starting point to prepare for the storm you hope never happens.
That’s a wrap for this post! If you’re on Twitter, Instagram, or Tumblr, let’s connect. The links for my accounts are below. And thanks so much again for all the thoughtful comments I’ve received over the past few weeks. Cancer does not have to be a automatic death sentence, and I have no intention of giving up this fight and will accept nothing but absolute and total victory.
Cheers!
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