Transcript

2.6.25 · Science Show KY

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Speaker 1: Welcome to Radio Wized Diary of Science and Nature. Your
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reader is Kelly Taylor. I have articles related to the
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topics of science and nature. But first a reminder. RADIOI
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is a reading service intended for people who are blind
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or have other disabilities that make it difficult to read
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printed material. From Popular Science, we have an article that's
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called It's not Sci Fi Americans support asteroid defense spending.
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This is from January thirty. First, what are the odds
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of an asteroid of dangerous dimensions striking the planet if
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you wait long enough, it's one hundred percent. And they
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don't even have to be especially gargantuan to cause widespread harm.
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So called city killers football stadium size asteroids that can
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handily vaporize a metropolis with their nuclear weapons style explosion,
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disturbingly common in near Earth space. If we do find
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that a city killer is barreling toward us, there are
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only three possible outcomes. The asteroid hits the planet, impacts
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a densely populated area and millions of people perish. The
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asteroid impacts a remote spot in the desert or the
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middle of the ocean and nobody dies. Or the intruder
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is detected well in advance of its destined impact day,
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and we somehow manage to deflect it or blow it
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to smithereens. On paper, planetary defense is one of the
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easier global problems to solve. If you can find earth
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bound asteroids in space before they find us, and you've
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got the technology available to knock them away from our
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blue Marble, or if you are short on time the
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technology to obliterate them entirely, then you can rule out
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almost all but the smallest asteroid impacts. You can effectively
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cancel out an entire category of natural disaster. Remarkably, it
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seems we're well on our way to doing just that.
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NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test or dart rammed and uncrude
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spacecraft into a harmless city killer back in twenty twenty two,
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successfully deflecting it and demonstrating that humanity can rearrange the
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cosmos to keep the Earth safe, and before the decade's end,
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an asteroid hunting space based telescope, NASA's Near Earth Object
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Surveyor mission will be launched with its infrared eye. It
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is set to find almost all the city killers orbitting
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perilously close to the planet. Planetary defense is a global imperative,
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of course, but for the time being, NASA and by extension,
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the United States, is leading the charge. Other players, including
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the European Space Agency, Japan, and with their own imminent
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DART like mission, China, are also contributing to the fight
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against lethal asteroids for the moment, though the world appears
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to be America's to say yet. Planetary defense only operates
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if the government funds it and has space policies that
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prioritize it. NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office, which is responsible
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for things like DART, the Neo Surveyor mission, and America's
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suite of ground based asteroid detecting telescopes, gets funding from
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the federal government to work toward all its goals. The
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annual funding amount changes year on year, but it's risen
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from the single digit millions to well over one hundred
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million in just the past fifteen years. Now, it seems
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that the Department of Government Efficiency or DOGE, run by
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SpaceX CEO and billionaire Elon Musk, is said to take
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an axe to much of the federal government. Several agencies
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have already been cited as targets, perhaps including, as some
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of us suggested, NASA itself, with Musk's frequent overtures about
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sending astronauts to Mars, and with tech billionaire Jared Isaacman,
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who made the first private spacewalk with SpaceX, being nominated
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by Donald Trump to lead NASA, it's also not difficult
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to imagine a strong US pivot toward Mars with other
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key programs in the Space Agency's perview left in the dust.
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Quote elon, get those rocket ships going, because we want
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to reach Mars before the end of my term, Trump
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said during a campaign rally, according to a video clip
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of the speech tweeted by Musk in September. So the
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future of America's planetary defense research is uncertain, but there
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are reasons to be sanguine. The first is that, as
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of twenty twenty two, NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office gets
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around one hundred and fifty million dollars per year. That's
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almost a rounding error on a federal government spending spreadsheet.
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As a point of comparison, the Artemis program, which hopes
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to get American astronauts back to the lunar surface in
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the next few years, is costing tens of billions. For
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that low cost, the benefit is extremely high. Defending everyone
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on the planet, which is to state the obvious, also
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includes America, something that should hold sway with the new government.
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But perhaps more importantly, planetary defense has long been one
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of the few issues that has had strong bipartisan support,
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both inside and outside of Congress. In nineteen ninety eight,
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Congress gave NASA a legal requirement to find ninety percent
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of the kilometer size asteroids those capable of causing global
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devastation orbiting Near Earth as soon as possible. They managed
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it in twelve years. In two thousand and five, Congress
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also legally required NASA to find ninety percent of the
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Near Earth's city killers, a target they are still working on,
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but toward which they're rapidly making progress. Congressional acts, caucuses,
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and hearings involving planetary defense have often been given support
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by Democrats, Republicans, and independents. In Neeo's surveyor in particular,
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has garnered immovable bipartisan support in recent years. In twenty
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twenty two, NASA's senior leadership, which was struggling to manage
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ballooning planetary Science mission budgets, was reluctant to ask Congress
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for the full amount out of annual funding for the
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Surveyor mission. It needed one hundred and seventy million for
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twenty twenty three, but NASA asked for forty million. Congress
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gave them more than they requested anyway, ninety million dollars.
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That year, several Republicans on the House Science Committee demanded
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that NASA make sure the mission gets the funding it needed.
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Writing to then NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, they complained that
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NASA's senior leadership wasn't doing enough to find potentially hazardous asteroids,
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that they had no plan to replace the collapsed Arecibo
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Observatory in Puerto Rico, a radar facility that, among other things,
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helped characterize asteroids, and seemed to be dawdling with Neo
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Surveyor's budget unnecessarily. Referring to the two thousand and five
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Act that directed NASA to find those city killers, they
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wrote that NASA failed to plan, develop, and implement a
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program to achieve this goal. The makeup of the House
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of Representatives and the Senate has ebbed and flowed dramatically
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over the past three decades, but it seems that no
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matter which party has control, planetary defense even if it
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lingers deep in the background, gets its due. Perhaps that's
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because the benefits of protecting the world from asteroid strikes
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is obvious to politicians, especially if the US can take credit.
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Or perhaps it's because the Electorate two seemed to be
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very keen on planetary defense. In recent years, the Pew
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Research Center has surveyed the American public regarding their opinions
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on NASA and asked them what its objective should be.
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Its twenty twenty three survey revealed that monitor asteroids other
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objects that could hit Earth came in at number one,
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with sixty percent of respondents saying it should be a
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top priority for NASA, although the thirty percent said it
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shouldn't be of paramount importance but still something NASA should pursue.
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Pew's twenty eighteen survey on the same subject had similar results.
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Among respondents, both Democrats sixty four percent and Republicans fifty
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seven percent said that monitoring potentially earthbound asteroids should be
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a top priority. As it happens, sending asteroids astronauts to
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the Moon and Mars ranked at the bottom of the
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list of priorities, something that probably won't affect Musk's incorrigible
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enthusiasm for the Red planet. At the bare minimum, then
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NASA's ongoing planetary defense work should tick along as planned,
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with any of surveyor continuing to be funded, as well
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as its ground based asteroid questing telescopes. Casey Dryer, chief
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of space policy at the Planetary Society, a nonprofit planetary
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exploration and planetary defense advocacy group, recently wrote that it's
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difficult to predict what's going to happen with NASA during
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the second Trump administration. The Artemis program is likely to
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be a huge focus during the transition. Planetary defense hasn't
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emerged as a talking point for the administration. It is
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worth noting, though, that during Trump's first urn, the administration
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made moves to secure greater funding for planetary defense research,
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and in its final days, it released a report looking
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into America's asteroid impact emergency protocols, suggesting that planetary defense
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is an issue that it sees as important. If Republicans
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remain die hard fans of planetary defense, there is also
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a chance that anti asteroid efforts will be accelerated over
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the next four years. DART is a method of planetary
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defense known as a kinetic impactor, partly autonomous spacecraft slims
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into an asteroid just at the right speed and angle
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to get onto a different orbit around the Sun, one
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that doesn't terminate in a violent collision with Earth. Deflecting
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an asteroid with something like dark clearly works well, but
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if miscalculated and that asteroid is punched with too much oomph,
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it could fracture the asteroid, turning an earth bound cannonball
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into a shotgun spray of still lethal objects. But there
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are many more methods of planetary defense, it's just that
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for now they are purely conceptual. Take the gravity tractor,
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for example, if you park a hefty spacecraft next to
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an asteroid, you could potentially use that spacecraft's own gravity
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to gradually pull the asteroid out of Earth's way. This
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is a concept that's spoken about not just in planetary
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defense circles, but in asteroid capture and mining discussions. Such
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a program would require many years, perhaps decades, of work,
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but it's a more precise, gentler method of planetary defense.
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Some officials at NASA and those further AFFELD are keen
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to try out alternative methods of planetary defense, including something
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like a gravity tractor. Others, meanwhile, want to proceed with
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dark IWO to impact other types of asteroids. Not all
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of the objects have the same structure, size, or composition,
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and some act more like boulders flying in formation than
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anything rigid and monolithic. So these experts say we need
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to deflect a variety of space rocks to see if
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they all respond the same way to a kinetic impactor.
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Planetary defense experiments are inherently imaginative, almost sci fi esque,
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so the appeal to people of any political persuasion seems obvious,
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particularly with how ingrained dangerous asteroids and its are in
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our collective pop culture infused psyche. But conducting these space
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based experiments also shores up humanity's ability to prevent a
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cosmic catastrophe. In twenty twenty one, Lindley Johnson, who was
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then the head of the NASA's Planetary Defense Coordination Office,
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said during an interview quote, I think we've gotten the
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planetary defense program at NASA now to about the right
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level of resource and attention, before before adding our challenge
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will be to keep it there. The hope back then
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is the same as it is now, that no matter
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who holds political power, NASA gets to keep looking up
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and is granted the ability to protect the only home
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we know. So let's turn now to an article from
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National Geographic alarming levels of microplastics found in human brains.
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This is from February three. Microplastics plastic particles fewer than
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five millimeters in size have infiltrated the environment at an
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alarming rate as worldwide plastic use increases. Levels of microplastics
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found in the environment have surged in the past few decades,
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with current plastic production at more than three hundred million
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tons annually and an estimated two and a half million
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tons floating in the world's oceans as of twenty twenty three,
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over ten times the two thousand five level. A new
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study in Nature Medicine finds that microplastics and nanoplastics, which
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are even smaller at one to one thousand nanometers in size,
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accumulate at higher levels in the human brain than in
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the liver and kidneys. The study also finds significantly higher
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concentrations of microplastics and nanoplastics in twenty twenty four samples
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compared to twenty sixteen samples, and higher levels in brains
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from people diagnosed with dementia. Although the study does not
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establish a cause and effect relationship between these plastic particles
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and dementia, it raises questions about the possible health consequences
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of exposure to plastics. While scientists know these plastics are
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in our bodies, how the impact our health is unclear. Quote.
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We think this is simply mirroring the environmental build up
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and exposure, says study author Matthew Kampen, professor of pharmaceutical
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sciences at the University of Mexico. Quote, People are being
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exposed to ever increasing levels of micro and nanoplastics In quote.
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Micro and nanoplastics or abbreviated MNP, can be invisible to
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the naked eye and come from larger plastic products like
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soda bottles, shopping bags, and styrofoam containers breaking down in
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the environment. Scientists have studied MNPs in the ocean since
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the nineteen seventies. Marine animals have been found to have
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microplastics in their bodies, absorbed from the water and from
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eating contaminated fish. Microplastics also accumulate in the tissues of
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other animals that people eat, like pigs, cows, and chickens.
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MNPs can end up in the air too. Indoor air
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especially tends to contain more MNPs than outdoor air due
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to shedding of particles from plastics and clothing, furniture, and
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household products. After we inhale these particles, they can try
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travel through the body and end up in various organs.
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Studies have found MNPs and human lungs, placentas, blood vessels,
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and bone barrow. A twenty twenty four study found evidence
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that MNPs can pass through the blood blood brain barrier,
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a selective filter that controls what can enter the brain
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from the bloodstream. While it was previously thought only the
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smallest nanoplastics could pass the barrier, this study found larger
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microplastics can enter the brain too. This study, published today
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confirms the presence of MNPs in the brain and at
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shocking levels. The study examined fifty two human brain samples
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from twenty sixteen and twenty twenty four, all taken from
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the frontal cortex, the part of the brain responsible for judgment,
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decision making, and muscle movement. The researchers also looked at
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livery kidney samples from the same bodies, analyzing all tissue
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using microscope imaging and molecular analysis to identify the chemical composition.
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Brain and liver samples from twenty twenty four had significantly
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higher concentrations of MMPs compared with those from twenty sixteen.
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The total mass of plastics in the brains that were
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studied increased by about fifty percent between twenty sixteen and
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twenty twenty four, and the researchers suggest drastically increasing concentrations
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of MMPs in our homes, air and water could be
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to blame. Quote. I am quite shocked by the amount
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of microplastics they find, says Emma Castile, a neurotoxicologist at
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Utrecht University in the Netherlands. It was a lot higher
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than I would have expected. Growing levels of microplastics in
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the environment are reflected in the new findings, says Castile,
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with more exposure likely the cause of more plastic particles
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in the organs. The brain samples overall had seven to
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thirty times more MNPs compared with the liver and kidney samples.
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Particles found in the brain were mostly tiny shards or
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flakes of polyethylene, one of the most common plastics in
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the world, often used in packaging. It makes sense that
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MNPs accumulate more in the brain compared to other organs,
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says Castile. Inhalation through the nose to what's called the
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old factory bulb, the part of the brain that processes smell,
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gives MNPs in the air a more direct route to
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the brain than to other organs. Kempin points out the
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age of the person was not associated with the amount
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of plastic in the organs, meaning the body does clear
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the plastic in some way. If not, older individuals, organs
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would just continue to accumulate more and more plastic over
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the years. Another notable finding was that MMP levels were
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about three to five times higher in twelve brains from
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people who had been diagnosed with dementia. The researchers clarify
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this does not necessarily mean MMP's cause dementia, but it
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shows an association that should be studied further. Castile says
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the connection is likely because people with dementia tend to
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have blood brain barriers that don't function as well as
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a filter, meaning the high concentration of MMPs could be
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a consequence of dementia rather than a cause. While scientists
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don't fully understand the health impacts of MMPs in the brain.
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They are calling for more research to better understand whether
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they are harmful. Studies have shown MNPs in arteries can
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be a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, and the cancer
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cells in the stomach can spread faster after contact with MNPs.
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More and more studies show that plastics are present in
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the brain, including this new one, and they shouldn't be there,
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says Castile. We don't know that much about the health effects,
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but the fact is that they are there and they
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shouldn't be there, and maybe that's worrying enough. Canpin's research
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team wants to look at the whole brain next to
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understand if there's more plastic accumulation in one specific area
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and to see if that links to any specific health outcomes.
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While there is no way to completely avoid exposure to plastics,
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Castile says that on a personal level, there are small
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choices you can make. The canrid use exposure, minimize single
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use plastics, ventilating your home well and vacuuming regularly to
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remove dust and plastic debris, and avoiding cosmetic products that
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intentionally add MMPs, like scrubs with plastic beads. Scientists are
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also developing solutions to reduce microplastics in the environment. There's
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a type of worm that eats polystyrene and fungi and
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microbes that break down plastics in the environment. Scientists are
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developing new types of filters to remove MMPs from drinking water. Quote.
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Plastic is everywhere. Most people cannot imagine a world without plastic.
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Even if we stop producing plastic right now, the world
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will still be full of microplastics, says Castele. So it's
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good to think about mitigation measures, applying a precautionary principle
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and seeing what we could do to minimize exposure to
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maybe prevents certain health risks that there might be. And
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now to USA today, these US cities they say growing
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rat problem and scientists say they know why. This is
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from February three. Scientists have some good news for rats
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and some bad news for city dwellers. Rat populations are
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rising in cities including Washington, d C. And San Francisco,
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reports a study released Friday that includes data from sixteen
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global cities. Primary among the reasons found for the growing
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problem warmer average temperatures due to climate change, warmer winters,
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denser living conditions, less vegetation, and limited rat control resources
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also contributed to the growth in urban rat populations and
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was most notable in Washington, d C. San Francisco, and
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Toronto among the cities that were included in the study.
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Quote most concerning of these connections we found is the
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link between climate warming and rat trends, as global temperatures
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are beyond the control of individual cities, said study lead
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author Jonathan Richardson. He's from the University of Richmond. According
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to the research, rats tendency to infiltrate buildings and spoil
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supplies can cause billions of dollars of damage to cities
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where they live in the highest numbers. According to Richardson,
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while there aren't good studies on how wild rats respond
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to temperature changes, we do expect that the warmer temperatures,
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particularly during the colder times of the year, will increase
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the time rats spend above ground foraging for food. An
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extra week or two of foraging can result in one
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or two more reproductive st cycles, accelerating population growth, he said. Overall,
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the study found that increases in average temperature, winter temperature,
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and living density, alongside decreases in vegetation and funding for
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rat control, correlates with faster urban rat expansion of these
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The variable most tightly tied to rat increase was change
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in average ambient temperature over time. Quote. Cities need to
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be prepared for the potential for climate warming to exacerbate
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current rodent pest infestation levels. More financial and personal resources
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will need to be dedicated to municipal rodent control efforts.
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The study said which city had the highest rat growth rate? Washington,
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d C has the fastest growth in rats of all
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the cities in the study. Richardson said. After Washington, the
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next four cities with fastest growth rates include San Francisco, Toronto,
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New York City, and Amsterdam. Within these top five, the
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researchers saw large differences in the magnitude of that growth.
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For example, Washington, DC had one and a half times
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greater growth in rat populations than New York City. Unfortunately,
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we don't have the data necessary to estimate raw abundance
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of rats in these cities, just trends in the changes,
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he told USA Today. Researchers analyzed and average of about
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twelve years of rat sightings, trapping reports, and inspection records
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from sixteen international cities and compare the data to patterns
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in human density. Annual minimum temperatures and average ambient temperatures
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over time. They also compared rat population changes with trends
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in vegetation abundance and accessibility to rat control resources. The
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study found that eleven of sixteen cities, sixty nine percent
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had significant increasing trends in rat numbers. Only by confronting
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the environmental factors that allow rats to thrive and by
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giving municipal rodent managers the resources and tools they need,
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can we hope to bin in a growing rat problem.
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Richardson said. The study was published Friday in the peer
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reviewed journal Science Advances, a publication of the American Association
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for the Advancement of Science. Well, that will be all
27:39
for today's a Diary of Science and Nature. Your reader
27:43
was Kelly Taylor. Thanks for listening, and now you can
27:49
stay tuned for the Health Corner on RADIOI