Greetings once again to one and all! Here’s a review of my intro from the last three weeks. After a few months on hiatus for health reasons, I’ve decided to resume this weekly blog which contains my personal choices of the top ten science reads from the past week. This post will be published every Saturday between 12:00pm and 3:00pm Central USA Time (1700 UTC to 2000 UTC). The subject matter will be subjective, but catered towards what my followers in social media are interested in and cover topics that I feel are of scientific importance. 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 things to be ironed out, so the usual bugs and/or changes are likely to happen. 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 personal note, I appreciate the many best wishes for a speedy recovery. I am in the middle of a long rehabilitation regime from prostate cancer surgery and to say it is a daunting challenge is an understatement. I have many long months ahead 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.
On that note, let’s get started and take a look at this week’s reads.
- The California fire season has gotten a devastating start…and it’s likely to only get worse. “Grab your apocalypse bag — it’s fire season in California.”
- Speaking of California, a myriad of hazards to residents is making life in the USA’s most populous state challenging and potentially dangerous to millions.
- The ramifications of the wildfires in California have given biologists a chance to study a very important topic…the health risks to humans from all that potentially lethal smoke.
- Nothing good can come from this. “Formal U.S. Withdrawal from Paris Climate Agreement Looms.”
- This scenario was inevitable. “Cape Canaveral launch sites threatened by rising seas.”
- As many as 630 million people are currently living on land masses that are under threat from flooding due to rising sea levels. As of 2019, the greatest increase in risk has been found in Asian megacities.
- While on the topic of flooding and climate change, it’s no surprise that even the dead cannot escape the effects of sea level rise in certain regions that are prone to flooding or near/below sea level.
- Lightning is one of the most elusive, difficult to study, fascinating, and yet deadly elements of even the most modest of thunderstorms. A type of lightning known as a ‘megaflash’ is a new area of study. One 2017 megaflash traveled from Texas, crossed Oklahoma, and ended in Kansas…more than 500 kilometers!
- The latest US Drought Monitor is out. Several areas in the southern half of the contiguous USA have become quite dry in recent weeks.
- Last but certainly not least, it’s Movember…one month out of the year when men around the globe grow some facial hair in support of conscious raising efforts to bring awareness of specific men’s health issues. For more information, please check out the Movember website!
That’s a wrap for this post! If you’re on Twitter, Instagram, or Tumblr, pay me a visit and let us connect. I’d like to thank so many of you again for all the thoughtful comments I’ve received over the past few weeks. As of this post, I’m recovering well from surgery. 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. If you’re a male over the age of 40, you should discuss with your doctor about getting your PSA tested. The Prostate Cancer Foundation is only one of many reputable sites with further information.
Cheers…and Good Luck!
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