Storm chasers battle brutal hail in name of science
A team of meteorologists is using radar and cameras to monitor hail and improve forecasting.
ICECHIP, the first US hail-focused field campaign in over 40 years, aims to differentiate between storms producing baseball-sized versus golf ball-sized hail, according to co-lead scientist Victor Gensi.
The goal is to provide more precise forecasts to better serve the public with targeted information.
Watch the video in full above.
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BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
UK weather: Will we get another heatwave this summer?
The first half of summer gave us warmth, sunshine - and three over the last week things have changed drastically with heavy rain bringing some of the wettest weather of the season so most schools on summer holiday, the UK's highest temperatures are typically recorded during July and you may well be wondering whether sunshine and warmth will return and if another heatwave could be on the cards. What happened to the heat? High pressure has dominated our summer so brought prolonged dry spells and three separate heatwaves with temperatures peaking at 35.8C (96.4F) at Faversham (Kent) on 1 since then we have seen a big change in our weather jet stream has dipped southwards sending areas of low pressure towards our has generated enough rain to give flash flooding in some places - including parts of Northern Ireland and eastern England - but not nearly enough to allow hosepipe bans to be lifted. Some places have had thunderstorms and there was even a tornado in County changes like this are common in meteorology - one type of weather can last for several weeks before changing to something totally different. Will there be another heatwave this summer? For the rest of this week and into the weekend, we will find ourselves between high pressure and low pressure, with neither particularly strongly in means less rain, more dry weather and some sunshine - although a few showers will also feature. This will give mostly westerly winds - rarely a source of heat for the will rise a little, generally reaching 18-24C (64-75F) but perhaps peaking at 28C (82F) in south-east England on values are a little above the seasonal average but certainly do not come close to a heatwave. What chance of an August heatwave? Long-term outlooks from BBC Weather - and also from the Met Office, external - suggest that August is likely to start on a rather breezy note with westerly winds and some rain, particularly in the north of the UK. Drier conditions are more likely further south and on the exact wind direction temperatures may be around, just below or just above the seasonal norm.A few computer model runs do hint at some heat developing in the south but at the moment this looks quite unlikely. There are some signs that high pressure may start to take more control as we head deeper into August, with more chance of dry and settled it sticks around for long enough - and if southerly or easterly winds develop - some very warm or hot weather could return. However, long-range forecasting is always prone to uncertainty and different computer models provide different ideas of exactly what might be coming our is worth saying that dry, hot weather is far from guaranteed in August. In fact it tends to be the wettest of the summer months, with the UK typically recording more rainfall overall than in June or the rest of summer plays out you can keep up to date with your local forecast by downloading the BBC Weather app.
The Independent
4 hours ago
- The Independent
One of the biggest microplastic pollution sources revealed – and it's not straws or bags
Every few years, the tires on your car wear thin and need to be replaced. But where does that lost tire material go? The answer, unfortunately, is often waterways, where the tiny microplastic particles from the tires' synthetic rubber carry several chemicals that can transfer into fish, crabs and perhaps even the people who eat them. We are analytical and environmental chemists who are studying ways to remove those microplastics – and the toxic chemicals they carry – before they reach waterways and the aquatic organisms that live there. Microplastics, macro-problem Millions of metric tons of plastic waste enter the world's oceans every year. In recent times, tire wear particles have been found to account for about 45% of all microplastics in both terrestrial and aquatic systems. Tires shed tiny microplastics as they move over roadways. Rain washes those tire wear particles into ditches, where they flow into streams, lakes, rivers and oceans. Along the way, fish, crabs, oysters and other aquatic life often find these tire wear particles in their food. With each bite, the fish also consume extremely toxic chemicals that can affect both the fish themselves and whatever creatures eat them. Some fish species, like rainbow trout, brook trout and coho salmon, are dying from toxic chemicals linked to tire wear particles. Researchers in 2020 found that more than half of the coho salmon returning to streams in Washington state died before spawning, largely because of 6PPD-Q, a chemical stemming from 6PPD, which is added to tires to help keep them from degrading. But the effects of tire wear particles aren't just on aquatic organisms. Humans and animals alike may be exposed to airborne tire wear particles, especially people and animals who live near major roadways. In a study in China, the same chemical, 6PPD-Q, was also found in the urine of children and adults. While the effects of this chemical on the human body are still being studied, recent research shows that exposure to this chemical could harm multiple human organs, including the liver, lungs and kidneys. In Oxford, Mississippi, we identified more than 30,000 tire wear particles in 24 liters of stormwater runoff from roads and parking lots after two rainstorms. In heavy traffic areas, we believe the concentrations could be much higher. The Interstate Technology and Regulatory Council, a states-led coalition, in 2023 recommended identifying and deploying alternatives to 6PPD in tires to reduce 6PPD-Q in the environment. But tire manufacturers say there's no suitable replacement yet. What can communities do to reduce harm? At the University of Mississippi, we are experimenting with sustainable ways of removing tire wear particles from waterways with accessible and low-cost natural materials from agricultural wastes. The idea is simple: Capture the tire wear particles before they reach the streams, rivers and oceans. In a recent study, we tested pine wood chips and biochar – a form or charcoal made from heating rice husks in a limited oxygen chamber, a process known as pyrolysis – and found they could remove approximately 90% of tire wear particles from water runoff at our test sites in Oxford. Biochar is an established material for removing contaminants from water due to its large surface area and pores, abundant chemical binding groups, high stability, strong adsorption capacity and low cost. Wood chips, because of their rich composition of natural organic compounds, have also been shown to remove contaminants. Other scientists have also used sand to filter out microplastics, but its removal rate was low compared with biochar. We designed a biofiltration system using biochar and wood chips in a filter sock and placed it at the mouth of a drainage outlet. Then we collected stormwater runoff samples and measured the tire wear particles before and after the biofilters were in place during two storms over the span of two months. The concentration of tire wear particles was found to be significantly lower after the biofilter was in place. The unique elongated and jagged features of tire wear particles make it easy for them to get trapped or entangled in the pores of these materials during a storm event. Even the smallest tire wear particles were trapped in the intricate network of these materials. Using biomass filters in the future We believe this approach holds strong potential for scalability to mitigate tire wear particle pollution and other contaminants during rainstorms. Since biochar and wood chips can be generated from agricultural waste, they are relatively inexpensive and readily available to local communities. Long-term monitoring studies will be needed, especially in heavy traffic environments, to fully determine the effectiveness and scalability of the approach. The source of the filtering material is also important. There have been some concerns about whether raw farm waste that has not undergone pyrolysis could release organic pollutants. Like most filters, the biofilters would need to be replaced over time – with used filters disposed of properly – since the contaminants build up and the filters degrade. Plastic waste is harming the environment, the food people eat and potentially human health. We believe biofilters made from plant waste could be an effective and relatively inexpensive, environmentally friendly solution. Boluwatife S. Olubusoye is a PhD Candidate in Chemistry at the University of Mississippi. James V. Cizdziel is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Mississippi.
Daily Mail
4 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Breakthrough for MALE birth control pill: Experimental hormone–free tablet passes its first safety test in men
For decades, the responsibility of taking a birth control pill has been placed firmly on the shoulders of women. But that could soon change – as an experimental pill for men that works by blocking sperm production has just passed its first safety test in humans. The hormone–free contraceptive tablet, called YCT–529, has already been found to prevent 99 per cent of pregnancies during experiments in mice. It works by blocking access to vitamin A in the testes, preventing sperm production without affecting testosterone levels – meaning libido is not impacted. The male pill, which experts hope will be available this decade, is the only one currently being tested in humans. For the latest trial, researchers recruited 16 men who were put on different doses of the pill across several days. Instead of testing how effective it was in humans – all of the men had undergone vasectomies – the aim was to discover if there were any side–effects. Analysis revealed there were no concerning changes in heart rate, hormone function, inflammation, mood or sexual function. Next, the team will test the pill in larger trials that will look at how effective it is in preventing sperm production in humans. The results of the safety trial, published in the journal Communications Medicine, are a critical first step toward getting the pill approved, experts said. 'We really need more reversible contraceptive methods for men,' Dr Stephanie Page, an endocrinologist at the University of Washington School of Medicine and who wasn't involved in the study, told Scientific American. Currently, the other male birth control options are vasectomies – a surgical procedure that involves cutting and sealing the tubes that carry sperm from the testicles – or condoms. Vasectomies, also known as 'the snip', can be reversed but the success rate of reversal procedures vary widely. Earlier tests in male primates also found the drug lowered sperm counts within just two weeks. Crucially, both mice and non–human primates fully regained fertility after stopping the drug and no side effects were detected in either species. Mice regained fertility within six weeks, while non–human primates fully recovered their sperm count in 10 to 15 weeks. How does it work? Researchers have understood for decades that vitamin A is essential for male fertility. YCT–529 is a retinoic acid receptor–alpha (RAR–a) inhibitor that prevents production of sperm cells in the testes as well as their release. It does this by blocking RAR–alpha – one of three nuclear receptors that bind retinoic acid, a form of vitamin A. YCT–529 is being worked on as part of a collaboration between University of Minnesota College of Pharmacy, Columbia University in New York and San Francisco–based firm YourChoice Therapeutics. 'A safe and effective male pill will provide more options to couples for birth control,' Gunda Georg, chemist and pharmacist at the University of Minnesota, said earlier this year. 'It will allow a more equitable sharing of responsibility for family planning and provide reproductive autonomy for men.' Both the animal studies and the human trial results suggest that the approved pill would likely be taken once a day, but further trials will confirm that dosing. 'The positive results from this first clinical trial laid the groundwork for a second trial, where men receive YCT–529 for 28 days and 90 days, to study safety and changes in sperm parameters,' the study authors wrote in their paper, published in the journal Communications Medicine. Currently, around a quarter of women who use contraception take an oral birth control pill, but there are no equivalent methods available for men. If the male pill proves to be as effective in humans as it is in mice, it would be on a par with the female birth control medication. Lead author and YourChoice Therapeutics' Chief Science Officer Nadja Mannowetz said: 'A peer–reviewed publication for our first–in–human study reinforces YCT–529's strong safety profile. 'It also shows "the Pill for men" had no effect on sexual desire or mood.' Nearly half of all pregnancies globally are unintended, suggesting an urgent need for more male contraceptive options. There is also high demand for new methods. A recent study showed men are very interested in using new male contraceptive options and women are confident they'll take them correctly. 'Studies and surveys continue to show that men want to share the burden of pregnancy prevention with their partners,' Akash Bakshi, CEO of YourChoice Therapeutics, said. 'But they have just one non–permanent contraceptive option—condoms—and it's 170 years old. Innovation is long overdue. 'Data show men favour an oral contraceptive and one that's hormone–free, positioning YCT–529 as potentially transformative for a healthcare segment that's been stagnant for more than a century and a half.' Women have several birth control options available including short–term rapid methods like birth control pills and patches and a contraceptive cap or diaphragm. They also have long–term options such as implants, which produce hormones that stop the release of an egg. Some opt for an intrauterine device – a T–shaped device placed into the uterus to prevent an egg from implanting. The birth control pill or patches are about 93 per cent effective at preventing pregnancies. However long–term devices like the intrauterine device are more than 99 per cent effective. There have been few changes in male contraception compared with the range of options available to women. Although there's ongoing research into a male contraceptive pill, there is not one available yet. At the moment, the 2 contraceptive methods available to men are: Condoms – a barrier form of contraception that stops sperm from reaching and fertilizing an egg Vasectomy – a minor, usually permanent, surgical procedure that stops sperm from reaching the semen ejaculated from the penis The withdrawal method of taking your penis out of your partner's vagina before ejaculating is not a method of contraception. This is because sperm can be released before ejaculation and cause pregnancy.
