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What's the worst pollutant in the world?

Daniel Engber
PopSci
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 10:00 UTC
Toxic Sight
© Rudi Sebastian/Getty Images
That really depends on how you define pollutant. For the purposes of this column, let's put aside greenhouse gases and the eventual effects of climate change and focus on more tangible pollutants, starting with the ones that make their way from industry into communities nearby. A nonprofit group called the Blacksmith Institute reports on these at the end of every year.

The group's most recent study examined key pollutants at toxic sites in 49 countries and concluded that lead pollution from mining, smelting, and recycling (the latter often done from car batteries) accounted for the most pervasive risk to human health in 2012. The group estimates that lead affects at least 16 million people around the world.

Excessive lead exposure can lead to kidney problems, reduced IQ or learning disabilities, growth impairments, and nerve disorders. Acute poisoning may result in seizures and death. The only upside of environmental lead is that unlike, say, emissions of CO2, it may be on the wane.

Many countries have already phased out leaded gasoline, and others are soon to follow. Old cathode ray tubes were full of lead, but we're moving away from those as well.
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Bizarro Earth

David Attenborough: 'Humans are a plague on Earth'

Louise Gray
The Telegraph, UK
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 15:07 UTC
David Attenborough
© PA
Sir Attenborough said commentary from presenters like himself are becoming less necessary as camera work is able to tell a story.

The television presenter said that humans are threatening their own existence and that of other species by using up the world's resources.

He said the only way to save the planet from famine and species extinction is to limit human population growth.

"We are a plague on the Earth. It's coming home to roost over the next 50 years or so. It's not just climate change; it's sheer space, places to grow food for this enormous horde. Either we limit our population growth or the natural world will do it for us, and the natural world is doing it for us right now," he told the Radio Times.

Sir David, who is a patron of the Optimum Population Trust, has spoken out before about the "frightening explosion in human numbers" and the need for investment in sex education and other voluntary means of limiting population in developing countries.

"We keep putting on programmes about famine in Ethiopia; that's what's happening. Too many people there. They can't support themselves - and it's not an inhuman thing to say. It's the case. Until humanity manages to sort itself out and get a coordinated view about the planet, it's going to get worse and worse."
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Bizarro Earth

10 volcanic earthquakes rattle Philippines's Taal Volcano: Activity increases in the last 24 hours


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 13:55 UTC
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The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said Tuesday the seismic activity of Taal Volcano in Batangas province has increased in the past 24 hours. Phivolcs Director Renato Solidum, Jr. said the agency has recorded 10 volcanic quakes from 7 a.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday. But Solidum said no steaming has been observed in the past 24 hours and water temperature at the main crater lake decreased from 31.7 to 30.9 degrees Celsius.

The Phivolcs chief noted the volcano's Alert Level 1 will be maintained as "10 volcanic quakes are still appropriate for a volcano that is under abnormal level." He said that a volcano under Alert Level 1 means that abnormal volcanic activities are observed, though a hazardous eruption is not imminent. Since January 18, Solidum said Taal Volcano was relatively calm, with its seismic network recording "zero to eight" volcanic earthquakes in a day. - MST
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Bizarro Earth

Strong 5.8 magnitude earthquake kills 1 in Indonesia


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:50 UTC

Indonesia's meteorology and geophysics agency put the preliminary magnitude at 6.0 (5.9 USGS) and said the inland quake caused no tsunami. It was centered southwest of the city of Banda Aceh and 10 miles (6 kilometers) beneath the earth's crust, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. The quake hit about 5:22 a.m. (22:22 GMT Monday), rattling people awake in towns and villages across the Sumatra Island's northern tip. A magnitude-4.7 aftershock quake followed a few minutes later. Sarjani Abdullah, the district head of Pidie, said a 9-year-old girl was found dead in the ruins of her home. At least seven other people, including a 3-year-old, suffered cuts and broken bones.

Aceh province's disaster mitigation agency said at least 30 houses and a mosque were ruined in Pidie Jaya district and hundreds of people were moved to temporary shelters as authorities surveyed the extent of the damage. Some electricity poles were knocked down in Tangse village, crashing into homes and causing blackouts. "It's scared us. ... We are still traumatized by the earthquake. My wife was screaming, my children crying," said Masriadi, a Tangse resident. Fearing aftershocks, many people refused to go back inside for hours. Indonesia straddles a series of fault lines that makes the vast archipelago prone to volcanic and seismic activity. - ABC
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Bizarro Earth

Strong 5.8 magnitude earthquake strikes off east coast of Brazil - quake from a previously unknown fault?


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:46 UTC
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A rather shallow 5.8 magnitude earthquake struck the ocean floor just off the coast of Brazil, south of the popular tourist destination of Natal. The eastern coast of Brazil is relatively free from faults and is not located on the border of any major tectonic plates. So this earthquake is quite unusual. If we look at the seismic hazard map of Brazil (below), it's clear to see that most of Brazil's seismic hazards lie in the western part of the country. See local quake map of Brazil.

Unusual: Is this quake from a previously unknown fault this close to the shoreline or might other factors be at work here...like the area of growing weakness of the planet's magnetic field in the South Atlantic Anomaly? Natal is virtually near the epicenter of the SAA. The South Atlantic Anomaly (SAA) is an area where the Earth's inner Van Allen radiation belt comes closest to the Earth's surface dipping down to an altitude of 200km (124mi). This leads to an increased flux of energetic particles in this region and exposes orbiting satellites to higher than usual levels of radiation. The effect is caused by the non-concentricity of the Earth and its magnetic dipole, and the SAA is the near-Earth region where the Earth's magnetic field is weakest. -The Extinction Protocol
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Bizarro Earth

Eruptive activity on the rise at two sites on Big Island's Kilauea volcano


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:42 UTC
Eruptive activity at the Big Island's Kilauea volcano is picking up at the Pu u Oo vent and Halemaumau Crater. At the Pu u Oo vent, situated in the volcano's East Rift Zone, lava flows are sporadically spilling onto the east flank of the vent. The volume of lava streaming to ocean entry is increasing slightly, with small entry points now spread along the coastline near Kupapu Point on both sides of Hawaii Volcanoes National Park. The current ocean-entry flow has been under way since mid-November. This month marks the 30th anniversary of Kilauea volcano's ongoing East Rift Zone eruption. During its first three years, spectacular lava fountains spewed from the Pu u Oo vent.
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Since then, nearly continuous flow has built a vast plain of slow-moving pahoe hoe lava stretching from the volcano's rift zone to the Big Island's shoreline. Also, in recent months, at Kilauea volcano's summit caldera, the lava lake swirling in Halemaumau Crater has been rising to record levels. Since March 19, 2008, when an explosive eruption formed the lava lake, its surface level has remained mostly below the inner ledge (about 100 feet below the floor of Halemaumau Crater).
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Bizarro Earth

Puyehue-Cordon Caulle volcano erupts in Chile


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:40 UTC
A new (so far small) eruption began yesterday from Caulle volcano, local sources reported. Ash emissions reaching 11,000 ft (3.4 km) altitude were reported by Buenos Aires VAAC. Local news report ash fall over Puyehué, Entre Lagos and Osorno today. - Volcano Discovery
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Bizarro Earth

Tavurvur volcano erupts in Papua New Guinea, ash cloud diverts flights


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:38 UTC
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Eruptions of Papua New Guinea's Mt Tavurvur have forced some flights in and out of New Britain to be cancelled. The ash and vapor blowing from the volcano affected flights to Tokua Airport. Air Niugini says the flight suspension came into effect on Monday and will continue for an indefinite period. Newspaper reports say low to loud roaring and rumbling noises were heard on Sunday night when the volcano erupted. Tavurvur is an active volcano that lies near Rabaul in Papua New Guinea. It is a sub-vent of the Rabaul caldera and lies on the eastern rim of the larger feature. The volcano is most well known for its devastating eruptions over Rabaul. Mt Tavurvur is the most well known volcano in Rabaul caldera, and has erupted as recently as January 2009. The last time the volcano erupted was in 2011. - Radio New Zealand Wikipedia
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Bizarro Earth

Authorities report volcanic eruptions and earthquakes intensifying in Kamchatka


The Extinction Protocol
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 07:36 UTC
Three volcanoes in Russia's Kamchatka continue to send steam and ash into the air while lava flows down their slopes. Volcanic activity on the peninsula has dramatically intensified. Aviation authorities issued an orange security level in the area. The volcanoes Shiveluch, Kizimen and Plosky Talbachek are erupting in different parts of the peninsula simultaneously, causing dozens of local earthquakes, as the vibrations accompanying the eruptions of the giants continue to increase. The biggest and most active is Shiveluch, Kamchatka's northernmost volcano and 3,283 meters high. Over the last days it made several eruptions of gases, steam and ash, the highest of which reached the 4,900 m above sea level. Unceasing earth tremors send avalanches down its slopes.
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Bizarro Earth

Experts warn of New Zealand's White Island eruption


NZ Herald
Tue, 22 Jan 2013 01:01 UTC

Hydrothermal activity at White Island has increased and an expert says there is "significant concern" the volcano could erupt with little or no warning.

GNS volcanologist Brad Scott visited the island - situated 48km from the Bay of Plenty coastline - and confirmed hydrothermal activity in the small "hot lake" had increased.

"The hydrothermal activity is some of the most vigorous I have seen at White Island for many years. This type of activity usually leads to stronger volcanic activity and is a significant concern," Mr Scott said.
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