Greetings to everyone! I hope everyone out there is staying healthy and faring well in the midst of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. As usual, we’ve plenty of interesting topics to cover this week. In atmospheric science, our changing climate is proving to be a continuing daunting challenge and finding a long-term path of human adaptation is far easier said than done. The 2020 Atlantic hurricane season has also gotten off to a historic start with, as of this post, six named storms having taken place. We’ll also take a look at summer heat safety and much more with this week’s picks…so let’s get started.
- Misinformation concerning the COVID-19 pandemic spreads as fast as the virus itself. This spread of misinformation has a lot to say about human behavior.
- Take a look at this amazing image of our Sun. The more we study this amazing star, the more we realize that it is anything but a bright light in the sky.
- A sobering read on a new study that shows a previously undiscovered source of microplastic pollution…road traffic.
- Methane is the most important greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. Its concentration reached a new record in 2019 that is more than two and a half times preindustrial levels.
- Many facets to this study. “Climate change will cause more extreme wet and dry seasons, researchers find.“
- The deadly heat wave that killed over 700 people in the Chicago metro areas in 1995 was a watershed event in summer heat disasters for the USA. Lessons learned from that lethal heat event are now being used to prepare urban areas which, for a variety of reasons, tend to take the brunt of heat waves.
- It’s hurricane season in the Atlantic. These amazing floating robots are set to send back to meteorologists amazing data that isn’t available from weather satellites.
- The Arctic recently has seen unprecedented high temperatures. This not only means melting ice, but ocean waves that are higher than ones previously seen.
- The Atlantic basin has no active hurricanes as of this post. It’s still early in the season and that means it’s the perfect time to prepare for the hurricane you hope never happens. NOAA has a great website to help you get ready with plenty of helpful tips and infographics to help you get the supplies you may need.
- Summer heat is responsible for up to 600 deaths annually in the USA alone. Most of these deaths and heat illnesses are preventable. NOAA has a very comprehensive Heat Safety and Resources page that has excellent information. Check out the inforgraphics below for more summer safety tips.
SUMMER HEAT SAFETY
The summer heat is fully settled in across much of the Northern Hemisphere. With that comes an increase in heat related illnesses. These handy infographics from NOAA will help you stay safe in the coming weeks.
This handy checklist from the American Red Cross is an excellent starting point for anyone assembling an emergency kit. Even if you live in an area that is not prone to severe weather or hurricanes, an emergency kit is an essential part of a home and workplace.
That’s a wrap for this post! I’d like to extend a warm welcome to my new followers in social media. I’m glad you’re along for the fun! If you’re on Twitter, Instagram, or Tumblr, let’s connect! Once again I’d like to thank so many of you for all the thoughtful comments I’ve received as of late regarding my prostate cancer treatment. I’m doing well and am further bolstered by your words of encouragement and support. If you’re a male over the age of 40, you should discuss getting your PSA tested with your doctor. The Prostate Cancer Foundation is an excellent website with further information. As for COVID-19, please stay home if possible, practice good personal hygiene, mind your social distancing, sport a spiffy mask, stay safe, and stay healthy!
Cheers…Stay Healthy…and Good Luck!
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