Friday, March 27, 2026

Humans in The Andes Appear to Have Evolved a Strange Genetic Ability : ScienceAlert

Here's a story about people in a region of Argentina, high in the Andes, who have evolved to be able to process high levels of arsenic. 

Humans have lived there for over 7,000 years, and the arsenic level in the water is 200 times what is considered the safe limit. Yet, these people have thrived there. 

Another amazing example of adaption and a form of evolution to meet the surroundings. 

Aside: there are some among us who stupidly ask why there are still monkeys if we evolved from them. I would ask why are they still here if some have evolved to process arsenic? That's clearly an ability they don't have, ergo they shouldn't exist, right?

https://www.sciencealert.com/chernobyl-fungus-seems-to-have-evolved-an-incredible-ability#

Check this out. Inside of the still very radioactive reactor at Chernobyl, scientists have found a fungus clinging to the wall. And it's thriving. They believe the way it lives is through a process is something like photosynthesis, but they're calling it radiosynthesis given the way it soaks up radiation. 

Life seems to always find a way. 

Incredible new NASA images reveal Saturn in a new light — and it's all thanks to a telescope team-up from Webb and Hubble | Space

Using the Hubble Space Telescope, scientists took some amazing visible light photos of Saturn. 

Then, they turned the James Webb Space Telescope to it, and got some incredible infrared shots of Saturn. 

Using both, they currently have a pretty detailed look at our celestial neighbor. 






ISS observes an unknown phenomenon 55 miles above Earth - Earth.com

NASA is using some high tech equipment to view atmospheric disturbances - literally waves in the Mesosphere that can't be seen with the naked eye - in order to better understand how our weather functions. 

In particular, they used the telemetry to watch hurricane Helene, so they could see how the hurricane formed and moved. 

I look forward to seeing how they use this data to help better understand hurricanes and maybe protect against them. 

But please don't tell anyone in this administration that we're looking at climate science. 

Friday, March 20, 2026

Jared Kushner’s conflicts of interest become even more controversial

Son-in-law and "Jack of all trades" made his way into the news once again.  There's some reporting by the NY Times (behind a paywall), and a summary in the second link.  The first includes another summary plus a clip of Rachel Maddow talking about it.

As a summary, Kushner has had *private dealings* with Saudi Arabia in his business of private equity.  They (the country and prominent individuals) have invested significant sums (like, billions) into his company and he is helping broker a deal for them to purchase Electronic Arts (you know, an American gaming company, which would now be foreign owned - Make America Great!).  

He is also the chief envoy to middle east affairs.  He has met in a weirdly official US capacity with Iran, Israel, and Saudi Arabia - without any official title (and likely in violation of federal law).  Conflict of interests abound, and because he doesn't have a title, he doesn't have to report on the money he accepts.

Anyway, Saudi Arabia rather publicly lobbied for the US to attack Iran, and then we did.  And perhaps not surprisingly, since the attack began, Sadia Arabia's crown prince has shown up on the White House call log frequently. 

The thing to remember is that for T-rump its always. ALWAYS.  About the money, and enriching himself.

If only we had some means of looking into this and holding everyone accountable for their actions.  Too bad the DOJ is totally corrupt, and Congress turns a blind eye, isn't it?