Are Texas Blackouts a Warning About the Follow-on Effects of Climate Change?

This week in America, “continent-spanning winter storms triggered blackouts in Texas, Oklahoma, Mississippi and several other states,” reports the New York Times. But that was just the beginning… One-third of oil production in the nation was halted. Drinking-water systems in Ohio were knocked offline. Road networks nationwide were paralyzed and vaccination efforts in 20 states were disrupted. The crisis carries a…

Can Oklahoma Return Its $2 Million Stockpile of Hydroxychloroquine?

A nonprofit watchdog news site in Tulsa, Oklahoma reports:
The Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office has been tasked with attempting to return a $2 million stockpile of a malaria drug once touted by former President Donald Trump as a way to treat the coronavirus. In April, Gov. Kevin Stitt, who ordered the hydroxychloroquine purchase, defended it by saying that while it may not…

Substance Found In Antarctic Ice May Solve a Martian Mystery

sciencehabit shares a report from Science Magazine: Researchers have discovered a common martian mineral deep within an ice core from Antarctica. The find suggests the mineral — a brittle, yellow-brown substance known as jarosite — was forged the same way on both Earth and Mars: from dust trapped within ancient ice deposits. It also reveals how important these glaciers were on…

Bill aims to establish ‘Bigfoot hunting season’

An Oklahoma lawmaker is hoping to establish an official hunting season in the state for the enigmatic cryptid. While there are many people who are ske… Source: https://www.unexplained-mysteries.com/news/343268/bill-aims-to-establish-bigfoot-hunting-season…

Is There a Tech Worker ‘Exodus’ From the San Francisco Bay Area?

The New York Times reports on an “exodus” of tech workers from the San Francisco Bay Area, where “Rent was astronomical. Taxes were high. Your neighbors didn’t like you” — and your commute could be over an hour. The biggest tech companies aren’t going anywhere, and tech stocks are still soaring… But the migration from the Bay Area appears real. Residential…

How will the U.S. space program fare under Joe Biden?

Joe Biden is the United States presidential election winner, but his plans for NASA remain unclear. And while citizens digest the election results, the space industry is left wondering what comes next. Source: https://earthsky.org/human-world/how-will-the-u-s-space-program-fare-under-joe-biden…

Due to Covid-19, Apple Closes Nearly a Fifth of Its Retail Stores

“New COVID-19 restrictions and worsening outbreaks have compelled Apple to temporarily close nearly one fifth of its retail stores during one of the busiest shopping weeks of the holiday season,” reports 9to5Mac. 401 of Apple’s 509 locations worldwide remain open as of publication. Most open locations in the US are limited to Express storefront pickup of online orders and Genius Support….

Are America’s Hospitals Becoming Overwhelmed?

New Mexico’s governor announced plans to allow hospitals “to ration care depending on a patient’s likelihood of surviving,” according to the Washington Post. But in fact, many of America’s hospitals are now “overwhelmed,” reports CBS News, adding “A record-breaking 227,00 new cases were reported in the U.S. on Friday alone — the first time the daily case count has topped 220,000,…

Bridenstine to step down as NASA administrator

Jim Bridenstine is leaving the post of NASA chief administrator. Source: https://earthsky.org/space/bridenstine-to-step-down-as-nasa-administrator…