Latest news with #BrianOliver
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Moon dust is less toxic than urban air pollution, scientists discover
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. Moon dust may not be as harmful to humans as had been thought, with a new experiment showing that the typical air pollution on a busy street is more toxic than inhaling lunar dust. "The results contribute to the safety case for returning humans to the moon," said Brian Oliver, who is a Distinguished Professor of Life Sciences at the University of Technology Sydney, in a statement. Concerns about the toxicity of moon dust arose during the Apollo missions. Lunar dust is statically charged, allowing it to adhere to astronauts' space suits. After the astronauts clambered back inside their lunar lander following a moonwalk, the dust became airborne in the cabin and was inhaled, leading to the astronauts suffering respiratory problems that faded after about 24 hours. Apollo 17 astronaut Harrison Schmitt described it as like having "lunar hay fever," with stinging eyes, sneezing and a sore throat. Moreover, back on Earth, the Apollo flight surgeon reported similar problems after unpacking the used spacesuits. In their case, they reported that the symptoms grew worse after every mission, suggesting that repeated exposure to lunar dust exacerbates its toxicity. Nevertheless, the anecdotal evidence is not a quantitative measure of the potential harm that lunar dust can do to humans. So Michaela Smith, who is a PhD student at the University of Technology Sydney's Respiratory Research Group, set about finding out. Smith performed experiments using two lunar simulants – replicas of real lunar dust, since samples of real lunar dust are limited – that are analogous to moon dust found in the moon's dark volcanic lowland plains and its more ancient highlands, respectively. The simulant particles are smaller than 2.5 microns (millionths of a meter), small enough to be inhaled and then trapped in the lower airways of the lungs. To represent lungs, Smith introduced the simulant dust to two different types of lung cell, namely bronchial and alveolar cells, representing the upper and lower regions of the lungs, respectively. Smith then conducted the same experiment but with airborne particulate matter sampled from a busy Sydney street, and compared the effects of lunar dust with that of air pollution. Smith found that while the irregular shape and roughness of the lunar dust still irritates the lungs, its effects are significantly less than that of air pollution. "It's important to distinguish between a physical irritant and a highly toxic substance," said Smith. "Our findings suggest that while lunar dust may cause some immediate irritation to the airways, it does not appear to pose a risk for chronic, long-term diseases like silicosis, which is caused by materials like silica dust [as on a construction site, for example]." This is good news for NASA, who are still taking the health challenges of moon dust seriously as they plan the Artemis 3 mission that will see humans return to the surface of the moon for the first time since 1972. RELATED STORIES: — NASA proves its electric moon dust shield works on the lunar surface — Astronauts could mix moon dust with old satellites to make fuel — Moon dust may help astronauts power sustainable lunar cities. Here's how. For example, one strategy is to have the astronaut's spacesuits affixed to the exterior of the lunar lander, and the astronauts enter and leave the suits through an airlock within the lander without bringing the moon dust stuck to the suits inside the cabin. However, thanks to Smith's work, the problem of moon dust is perhaps no longer quite as serious as had been anticipated. Smith's findings have been published in Life Sciences in Space Research.
CBS News
20-06-2025
- CBS News
Police ramp up patrols at Colorado's Flagstaff Mountain in effort to limit illegal activity, reduce Boulder wildfire danger
Authorities in Boulder are adding extra law enforcement patrols and stepping up enforcement of overnight parking at Flagstaff Mountain. The changes for the summer season are being made in an effort to stop anyone from breaking the law late at night. CBS "If there's people drinking underage, of course, if there's minors involved, marijuana, any of those things, then those deputies will take the appropriate action," said Boulder County Sheriff's Office spokesperson Vinnie Montez. One of the biggest reasons for the added security is to prevent wildfires. That's something Brian Oliver, Boulder Fire Rescue's Wildland Fire Division Chief, is always on alert for. "We're one of the highest rated wildfire risk communities in the state," Oliver said. "We try to limit any of those human ignitions, but there's always folks that don't abide by those rules." Each wildfire, even small ones like what was spotted at a park in Boulder on Saturday, can take a big toll on first responders. "Not any one fire department can really handle a large emerging wildland fire by themselves," Oliver said. "It took 20 people an hour-and-a-half to 2 hours to contain the fire. The cause of the weekend fire isn't known yet, but as the weather dries up, Oliver hopes humans won't spark the next one. "It's not just, you know, 'So what, I flicked my cigarette butt on the on the sidewalk or in the ditch' -- that fire then can displace communities, burn down homes," Oliver said. Flagstaff Road will remain open overnight because there are homes along the roadway, but authorities are hoping the increased patrols will keep people out of trouble.
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Boulder enters agreement with Xcel Energy to quicken wildfire safety upgrades
DENVER (KDVR) — The city of Boulder announced Monday that it had entered into a settlement agreement with Xcel Energy and other parties that the city said would bring faster, more equitable wildfire safety upgrades to the community. The settlement must be approved by the Colorado Public Utilities Commission, but the agreement was filed as part of Xcel's Wildfire Mitigation Plan that guides the company's priorities. The agreement will ensure Xcel prioritizes Boulder and other wildfire-prone communities for wildfire safety investments during the next three years. Xcel Energy proposes rate hikes, power shutoffs in $1.9B Wildfire Mitigation Plan 'This is a significant step toward making our community safer and more resilient in the face of growing wildfire threats,' said Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde, Boulder city manager, in a release. 'I am proud of the work our city team did to ensure the voices of our community, and our neighboring communities, were heard and to help shape a plan that better protects the people and places most at risk.' According to Boulder's city website, the plan from Xcel was submitted to the PUC last summer. Boulder intervened in the PUC proceedings to help shape the plan and advocate for local priorities. Earlier this year, the city and the utility provider joined other stakeholders to present unified recommendations to the PUC, and on April 18, the comprehensive, unanimous settlement was agreed upon. Boulder, alongside state agencies and other organizations, helped negotiate the agreement to ensure high fire risk communities are better protected from the threat of utility-ignited wildfire, such as the Marshall Fire. The company is facing hundreds of complaints, according to information the company gave investors, after the Boulder County Sheriff's Office pointed to the electric and natural gas supplier as a possible second-ignition cause of the Marshall Fire on Dec. 30, 2021. Then, in April 2024, Xcel Energy shut off power for tens of thousands of Denver metro customers due to high winds in the area. The action was the first of its kind to be taken in Colorado and frustrated many residents, including those who had medical needs that required power. Xcel Energy: Proposed natural gas, energy prices may add more than $2.50 to Colorado residential bills 'The safety and wildfire resiliency of our community is a shared responsibility,' said Chief Brian Oliver, the city of Boulder Fire-Rescue's wildland division chief, in a release. 'Being able to partner with regional organizations like Xcel on wildfire resiliency is just as important as the role the city plays and the role each member of our community plays in creating defensible space and hardening homes. These efforts also go a long way in assisting response efforts.' Xcel is assuring that its plan will accelerate wildfire safety upgrades in and around Boulder, with anticipated actions to be taken including replacing aging poles and installing stronger, more fire-resistant equipment. The utility provider also said that it will work with the city to improve how planned outages are communicated, especially for vulnerable community members. Xcel also agreed to provide better data and clearer communication to help Boulder plan and respond to wildfire risks. The PUC is expected to review and release a decision on the settlement later this year. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
