How researchers mapped the magnetic field of our Local Bubble for the first time #shorts Seeker 2023-01-20 | Our solar system exists in a giant bubble of dust and gas in space, and researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have just mapped its magnetic field for the first time. This new research is part of a larger effort to better understand the nature of superbubbles and our cosmic neighborhood.
Check out the magnetic field of our Local Bubble #shorts Seeker 2023-01-19 | Our solar system exists in a giant bubble of dust and gas in space, and researchers at the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics have just mapped its magnetic field for the first time. The bubble is called the Local Bubble, and it's home to many star-forming regions.
NASA just greenlit the latest batch of futuristic research #shorts Seeker 2023-01-17 | NIAC just greenlit a bunch of futuristic research that could one day be on future missions. Check out some of the wild ideas.
NASA’s Curiosity rover found a surprising evidence on Mars #shorts Seeker 2023-01-13 | NASA's Curiosity rover discovered opal on Mars, which could be a potential water resource for future human exploration on the Red Planet.
Is gravity science’s biggest mystery? #shorts Seeker 2023-01-12 | Here's what we know (and don't know) about gravity in 60 seconds.
Watch a mock space station go BOOM! #shorts Seeker 2022-12-26 | Sierra Space just exploded their mock module for a future space station design. Here's how it went down.
NASA’s InSight lander has lost power. RIP #shorts Seeker 2022-12-21 | After four years, NASA's InSight lander has lost power. Here's a look back at everything it was able to accomplish on Mars.
What caused the coolant leak in Russia’s Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft? #shorts Seeker 2022-12-15 | Russia’s Soyuz MS-22 spacecraft had a coolant leak the other night, causing mission control to cancel an upcoming spacewalk for two cosmonauts. The leak lasted a few hours and did not pose a threat to any of the crew at the ISS.
This is what a Martian dust devil sounds like #shorts Seeker 2022-12-15 | NASA's Perseverance Rover recorded a colossal dust devil inside the Jezero Crater. Scientists then used the acoustic signals to figure out how many particles there were in the dust clouds.
Researchers just reached fusion ignition for the first time #shorts Seeker 2022-12-13 | The Department of Energy just announced a big step in reaching fusion energy. Here's what it means.
NASA’s Orion spacecraft just returned to Earth #shorts Seeker 2022-12-11 | NASA’s Orion spacecraft splashed down in the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, December 11th. The successful return marks the end of NASA’s Artemis I, the first in a series of missions to create a long-term human presence on the moon.
Meet the dearMoon crew #shorts Seeker 2022-12-09 | SpaceX’s dearMoon crew has been announced and here’s who got a free trip to the moon.
We bought moon dirt off the internet (and blew it up) #shorts Seeker 2022-12-02 | We "launched" a rocket to try and understand why moon dirt could be a problem for future space missions. And this is how it went. Watch our full video here. youtu.be/rRoz-2rbxeU
What Elon Musks latest Neuralink update is all about #shorts Seeker 2022-12-01 | Elon Musk said Neuralink is six months away from inserting an implant into a human brain. Here’s what else Musk had to say.
This is why moon dust is such a problem for NASA Seeker 2022-11-28 | With the launch of Artemis 1, the new Moon race has kicked into a higher gear. Government agencies like NASA are joining private companies to return to our trusty satellite and potentially usher in a new lunar economy. And to prep for all these missions, they’re relying on an unsung hero of the Moon biz: lunar regolith simulant, or fake Moon dirt. We acquired some real samples of fake lunar regolith from the Exolith lab at the University of Central Florida, and put it to the test to demonstrate a phenomenon that could jeopardize our grandest ambitions for the Moon.Read more: http://bit.ly/3Vdqzli0:00 Intro 0:27 What is lunar regolith simulant? 0:57 What the Apollo missions taught us about lunar regolith 2:18 The new race to the Moon 2:56 How to make fake Moon dirt 4:18 Experiments with lunar regolith simulant 4:51 Landing a rocket on the Moon 7:00 The potential geopolitics of Moon dust 8:04 Looking to the Moon & beyond 9:05 Outro & Credits Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker Like Seeker by The Verge on Facebook: facebook.com/SeekerMedia Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/seeker Follow on Instagram: instagram.com/seeker
This lunar mission could make history, here’s how #shorts Seeker 2022-11-23 | This next mission could be the first commercial company to land onto the moon's surface.
We just found the closest ever black hole to Earth #shorts Seeker 2022-11-21 | Astronomers just discovered the closest stellar-mass black hole to Earth.
NASA’s JWST just made another exciting discovery #shorts Seeker 2022-11-17 | NASA's JWST just found the earliest galaxy we've ever seen. 🔭
NASA’s Artemis mission has finally launched! #shorts Seeker 2022-11-16 | NASA's Artemis mission has finally launched and will begin the 26-day journey to the moon and back to Earth.
NASA’s Artemis mission faces more challenges as Tropical Cyclone Nicole moves in #shorts Seeker 2022-11-11 | NASA's Artemis mission is having some bad luck getting off the ground. The most recent delay is thanks to Nicole, now a tropical cyclone. It hit Florida's coast early Thursday as a hurricane, but winds have since slowed. NASA's SLS rocket and Orion capsule were left on the launchpad to brave the weather. SLS was designed to withstand high winds, but public data from the NWS suggests that gusts exceeded the rocket's threshold. Time will tell if the mission will be ready for a launch attempt on November 16, 2022.
SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy has lifted off! #shorts Seeker 2022-11-01 | SpaceX’s Falcon Heavy successfully launched for the first time in over three years. Here’s how it went down.
Is the future of solid-state batteries 3D-printed? Seeker 2022-10-28 | The race to create a solid-state battery that could compete with today’s lithium-ion cells is heating up. In the past few years, there’s been a lot of R&D around solid electrolytes that promise to be safer and more powerful. In this video, we visit Sakuú, a company that doesn’t just want to make solid-state batteries, they also want to 3D-print them. Camera: Leo MacoRead more: bit.ly/3faqJdZ0:00 Intro 0:29 Battery basics feat. a potato 1:29 Lithium-ion batteries 1012:18 What is a solid-state battery? 3:28 Intro to Sakuú4:00 Why 3D-printing? 5:35 3D-printing prototype6:25 Customized battery shapes7:34 Challenges of total reinvention 8:09 Looking forwardCorrection: 0:40 The positive end (cathode) is the copper penny and the negative end (anode) is the zinc coated nail.Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker Like Seeker by The Verge on Facebook: facebook.com/SeekerMedia Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/seeker Follow on Instagram: instagram.com/seeker
These drones can 3D-print towers #shorts Seeker 2022-10-27 | Researchers have created a new technique for a group of drones to 3D print towers. Check out the research paper here: nature.com/articles/s41586-022-04988-4
Falcon Heavy is back on the launchpad, here’s what you need to know #shorts Seeker 2022-10-25 | The world's most powerful operational rocket is finally back on the launchpad. It's expected to launch from NASA's Kennedy Space Center on October 31, 2022.
There’s an Adderall shortage, here’s what you need to know #shorts Seeker 2022-10-19 | The FDA has officially said there’s a shortage of Adderall. Here’s why.
Answering your solar gravitational lens questions #shorts Seeker 2022-10-14 | Thanks for the questions on our solar gravitational lens video - we've got some answers for you!
NASA’s DART mission was a success, here’s what you need to know #shorts Seeker 2022-10-12 | Early results from NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission reveal it was a smash hit. It's also the first time humans have purposely changed the movement of an object in space.
What composting a human body could look like #shorts Seeker 2022-10-07 | Ever wonder how human composting works?
NASA’s wild plan to turn the sun into a telescope Seeker 2022-10-04 | We can find exoplanets with the James Webb Space Telescope, but it can't take a high resolution image of one. Luckily, NASA is studying a mission that plans to use gravitational lensing to get us that elusive picture. All we need to do is point a telescope directly at the Sun.Read more: bit.ly/3fDtvZ80:00 - Intro 0:50 - The NASA mission1:34 - The necessary tech2:18 - Solar Gravitational lens 1013:55 - Einstein ring5:13 - How to create a detailed image of exoplanet5:57 - Telescope location7:12 - Telescope size 7:39 - Answering big questionsSubscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker Like Seeker by The Verge on Facebook: facebook.com/SeekerMedia Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/seeker Follow on Instagram: instagram.com/seeker
Why SpaceX built Starship #shorts Seeker 2022-09-29 | Our team spent a week in Boca Chica, Texas watching Starbase. Check out our bio to learn more about our trip in a new documentary, Rocketland: The SpaceX superfans uprooting their lives for Elon's Starship.
This accidental computer model shows a rare X-shaped galaxy #shorts Seeker 2022-09-27 | Researchers were using a computer model to study supermassive black holes when it accidentally created a rare X-shaped galaxy. This simulation suggests that galaxies take on an X-shape for a period of time, potentially making them much less rare than we thought.Credit: Aretaios Lalakos/Northwestern University
NASA’s DART is headed for impact #shorts Seeker 2022-09-23 | NASA will crash a spacecraft into an asteroid in the name of planetary defense on September 26, 2022. To learn more about this mission, check out our video here: youtu.be/o9fxIxH8LqM
Why SpaceX chose Boca Chica for Starbase #shorts Seeker 2022-09-21 | Our team spent a week in Boca Chica, Texas watching Starbase. Learn more about our trip in a new documentary, Rocketland: The SpaceX superfans uprooting their lives for Elon's Starship. Watch on The Verge's YouTube channel.
Someone’s ashes were smuggled into space! #shorts Seeker 2022-09-16 | Would you send your ashes to space?
NASA’s MOXIE produced oxygen on Mars #shorts Seeker 2022-09-09 | MOXIE could transform future missions to Mars. Learn more about MOXIE here. youtu.be/UkQHCSZQvv0
Do spiders dream? #shorts Seeker 2022-09-07 | Recent research found some surprising results about jumping spiders.
NASA revealed what a black hole sounds like… and it’s pretty metal #shorts Seeker 2022-08-31 | NASA recently released audio of what a black hole sounds like and it sounds pretty... metal? At least The Verge's Matt Morales thinks so.
How researchers hack bacteria to dye blue jeans Seeker 2022-08-23 | To give jeans their signature blue hue and fading abilities, it’s estimated that over 70,000 tons of synthetic indigo dye are made each year. One team of scientists is reverse engineering indigo molecules using microbes and sugar to clean up the process. Read more: bit.ly/3PGMdLy00:00 Intro 00:40 Why indigo? 01:12 Natural vs. synthetic indigo dye01:56 Dying demo 03:06 Environmental impact of dyes04:01 How Huue makes biosynthetic indigo dye from microbes 07:22 Regulation and voluntary efforts 07:45 Jeans can be slow fashion Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribeseekerLike Seeker by The Verge on Facebook: facebook.com/SeekerMedia Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/seekerFollow on Instagram: instagram.com/seeker
Unboxing uranium ore #shorts Seeker 2022-08-16 | This isn't your typical unboxing video...it's a radioactive one. 😳 Learn more about why the US needs Russian uranium here: youtu.be/cWs9tNZqNpE
Why the US needs Russian uranium Seeker 2022-08-09 | The Russia-Ukraine war is exposing a problem that doesn’t get that much coverage: the nuclear fuel supply chain. Back in March 2022, President Biden announced sanctions on Russia’s energy exports, oil and gas. But uranium was left off the list. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribeseekerLike Seeker by The Verge on Facebook: facebook.com/SeekerMedia Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/seekerFollow on Instagram: instagram.com/seeker00:00 Introduction00:36 Russia-Ukraine War 01:19 Why uranium? 01:41 How uranium becomes nuclear fuel 04:12 The future of nuclear power 06:34 The debate behind nuclear power Russia is a huge player on the global stage when it comes to nuclear energy and particularly when it comes to the uranium supply chain. The US can pretty easily turn its back on Russian oil and gas and has and has not been able to pull the trigger on uranium because we rely on Russia for a significant chunk of our uranium.It supplies about 16% of the US’s uranium supply and upwards of that when it comes to the global uranium supply. Nuclear power is a highly contested energy source, but it still makes up about half of our carbon pollution free electricity in the U.S. Right now, the Biden administration is investing a lot of money and resources into its expansion, from extending the life span of old plants to building new ones.#Uranium #RussiaUkraineWar #NuclearEnergy #NuclearFuel #NuclearPower #Seeker #TheVergeRead more: The US Can’t Seem to Quit Russian Uranium theverge.com/2022/3/31/23003494/war-ukraine-nuclear-energy-uranium-russia-supply-chainThe US’s exclusion of uranium from energy sanctions “was very frustrating because we understand that this is part of the Russian war machine,” says Kostiantyn Krynytskyi, head of the energy department at Ukrainian environmental organization Ekodia. That uranium ore found at a Grand Canyon museum isn’t as scary as it soundstheverge.com/2019/2/19/18232027/uranium-ore-grand-canyon-museum-radiation-safety-health-risksWe know that prolonged exposure to one of the decay products of uranium or radon gas in high concentrations increases your chance of getting cancer. But three buckets of ore sitting in a basement or in a closet is a lot different than somebody going down into a mine and working for 30 years mining uranium ore. It’s not just the dose rate, but it’s the total dosage you get is what determines your risk.
Where will animals fit into the future of lab-grown meat? #shorts Seeker 2022-08-02 | We wanted to look into what the future of lab-grown meat could look like and specific thought experiment which led us to a front yard pig named Bosco. To learn more about this thought experiment, check out our video: youtu.be/IiSBsFxTsa8
Rethinking the future of lab-grown meat Seeker 2022-07-27 | In 2021, cultured meat companies raised $1.8 billion dollars in investment. But with so many roadblocks ahead and lots of different visions for the future, it’s hard to know exactly what shape the industry will take. Perhaps more importantly, what role will that future play into our lives and tastes as consumers? Watch our new video to learn more — and meet a friendly neighborhood pig.Read more: bit.ly/3ouDNvC00:00 Intro00:44 What is lab-grown meat?01:30 Pros and cons of lab-grown meat02:11 How to grow lab-grown meat03:58 Challenges of lab-grown meat04:41 The future of lab-grown meat05:54 The pig in the backyardSubscribe: http://bit.ly/subscribeseekerLike Seeker by The Verge on Facebook: facebook.com/SeekerMedia Follow on Twitter: http://twitter.com/seekerFollow on Instagram: instagram.com/seeker
Scientists react to NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope images #shorts Seeker 2022-07-19 | NASA released the first full-color images from the James Webb Space Telescope and we wanted to hear directly from the scientists whose lives would be altered by the release and hear what they had to say. Learn more here: youtube.com/watch?v=9VXHPvI6kv8&t=3s&ab_channel=Seeker
NASA’s JWST first images: everything you need to know Seeker 2022-07-13 | NASA just released the first full-color images from the James Webb Space Telescope. These images, including the deepest infrared image of our universe ever, are a preview to how JWST will change our understanding of the cosmos. So what else does this first batch of photos reveal? » Subscribe to Seeker! http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker00:00 - 00:31 Intro00:31 - 01:00 About JWST 1:00 - 01:39 Commissioning Phase 1:39 - 02:18 Deepest Image Ever 02:18 - 02:48 Carina Nebula 02:48 - 03:05 Southern Ring03:05 - 03:20 Stephan’s Quintet 03:20 - 03:54 Exoplanet Spectrum03:54 - 05:04 Scientist Reactions05:04 - 05:16 End Credits NASA showed off the first full-color images captured by the James Webb Space Telescope. And these images are just a glimpse into what JWST can really do. It took two and a half decades to build and launch JWST, the largest and most advanced space telescope ever built. Unlike its predecessor Hubble, Webb can observe way farther into the infrared part of the spectrum, giving it an even better look at the first galaxies formed after the Big Bang. The telescope will help us understand how the cosmos began, and whether we’re alone out there. First, we have the deepest and sharpest infrared image ever taken of our universe. It’s a region full of thousands of galaxies. And because the light from these distant objects takes so long to reach us, we’re seeing them as they were when the universe was less than a billion years old. Then there’s the Carina Nebula, a stellar nursery. This image provides a glimpse into how stars form. It was imaged by Hubble…but this new view reveals new stars…and some new mysteries.On the other end of the stellar life cycle, there’s the Southern Ring. It’s a region of cosmic dust and gas that surrounds a dying star. The telescope captured two views in different chunks of the infrared spectrum, revealing a clearer view of the binary star at the nebula’s center.Then there’s Stephan’s Quintet, a compact group of five galaxies. Highlights here are two galaxies in the process of merging, and a region of extremely bright gas being pulled into a black hole.And finally, this is the telescope’s first spectrum of an exoplanet’s atmosphere. This graph reveals the atmospheric composition of a large, hot planet far from our own solar system. Data like this can reveal whether a world may sustain life as we know it....in this case, we can see the tell-tale signs of water vapor. Read more:Marvel At The First Batch Of Full-Color Images From NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope theverge.com/2022/7/12/23203307/jwst-first-full-color-images-nasa-reveal Today’s images each showcase an exciting ability of the observatory — and they’re only a jumping-off point of what’s to come. It’s got approximately 20 years left in its lifespan to serve up more delicious astronomical treats.How Engineers Got The World’s Most Powerful Space Telescope Ready to Do Science theverge.com/2022/7/7/23188300/nasa-jwst-space-telescope-mirror-alignment-commissioning-engineersBut, before JWST can start collecting all these baby pictures of the cosmos, NASA and STScI, which oversees the telescope’s operations and science, needed to know that all of JWST’s state-of-the-art instruments and hardware could actually work in tandem to get the job done. What to Expect From NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope Launch theverge.com/22826899/james-webb-space-telescope-jwst-launch-mission-what-to-expect“I really do think that this telescope will be transformational for astrophysics,” says Straughn. “I think that we will learn things about the Universe that completely surprise us, and that’s one of the most exciting prospects about any time we put a big, bold telescope like this into space. We learn things that we never expected.”
Short Film: The Hidden Reason Bees Are Being Wiped Out Seeker 2022-06-03 | What if bees are not the herbivores we thought they were? Scientists have unveiled the secret microbial world that is vital to bees’ population, and our food supply. Special thanks to HHMI Tangled Bank Studios» Subscribe to Seeker! http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker» Catch up on Seeker Indie! bit.ly/3cpNPcfWhile they may not be our favorite part of eating outside, bees are really important to our ecosystem. They’re prolific natural pollinators and are a huge part of our modern agriculture. A lot of the food we eat relies on pollination from bees! Unfortunately though, they’re also in serious danger. 4,000 species across the U.S are in decline. And there isn’t one specific reason as to why this is happening. The scientists in our next film, SymBeeOsis, might have discovered one cause. And it could change everything we know about bees and their ecosystem, starting with a microscopic world that we never knew existed, until now.This is SymBeeOsis, from Day’s Edge Productions.#Bees #Herbivores #FoodSupply #Ecosystem #Pollination #Agriculture #Seeker____________________Seeker empowers the curious to understand the science shaping our world. We tell award-winning stories about the natural forces and groundbreaking innovations that impact our lives, our planet, and our universe. Subscribe now! youtube.com/user/dnewschannel?sub_confirmation=1Seeker on Twitter http://twitter.com/seekerSeeker on Facebook facebook.com/SeekerMedia Seeker http://www.seeker.com
Short Film: Plastic Pollution Is Too Big to Ignore in This Beach Paradise Seeker 2022-05-31 | Tourism is huge for the economy of Mexico, but at what cost to the natural landscape of the region? One diver shows the impact of plastic pollution off the coast of the most popular beaches. » Subscribe to Seeker! http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker» Catch up on Seeker Indie! bit.ly/3cpNPcfThe Caribbean coastline of the Yucatán Peninsula is famous for its beautiful beaches, clear blue water, and diversity of wildlife. But under the surface of the water lies a different story. As the world continues to churn out millions of tonnes of plastic each year, more and more of it ends up in the ocean and on our shores. If we don’t reduce our plastic use, experts say that by 2050 there will be more plastic in the ocean than there are fish. This film follows diver Tamara Adame as she battles the growing plastic waste that plagues Yucatán’s fragile reefs, marine life, and even her own livelihood. This is Mermaids Against Plastic: Tamara, a Free Roaming Studios production. #Plastic #PlasticPollution #Mexico #YucatanPeninsula #Ocean #MarineLife #Seeker____________________Seeker empowers the curious to understand the science shaping our world. We tell award-winning stories about the natural forces and groundbreaking innovations that impact our lives, our planet, and our universe. Subscribe now! youtube.com/user/dnewschannel?sub_confirmation=1Seeker on Twitter http://twitter.com/seekerSeeker on Facebook facebook.com/SeekerMedia Seeker http://www.seeker.com
Science Can’t Figure Out Why Some Liquids Flow Seeker 2022-05-30 | Scientists are still trying to understand why not all liquids flow in the same way. One recent study dove into the complexities of pusher fluids used for extracting oil and solved a decades-old mystery. » Subscribe to Seeker! http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker » Watch more Elements! http://bit.ly/ElementsPlaylistFluids are a necessary part of day to day life. After all, without water you couldn’t live, and without chocolate syrup, well, what would be the point? But have you ever noticed that not all liquids behave the same? In fact, some of them do some totally bewildering stuff under the right circumstances, and even after decades of research scientists are no closer to understanding why. One question about strange fluids may have finally been answered thanks to some glass beads and laser beams. All liquids that we encounter in the real world can be boiled down to one of two kinds. They’re either Newtonian, or non-Newtonian. Newtonian fluids are pretty easy to grasp. Well, not literally in some cases—a Newtonian fluid like water would squirt right out of your hand. A Newtonian fluid obeys Newton's Law of Viscosity which means its viscosity is constant. It doesn’t change when a force is applied to it. Non-Newtonian fluids, on the other, less sticky hand, do change their viscosity…which can lead to some pretty zany shenanigans.Still there are many more weird non-Newtonian behaviors scientists don’t have answers for. They may have just solved one riddle that’s stood for over 50 years. #Liquid #Chemistry #LawsOfMotion #Gravity #IsaacNewton #SeekerRead More: An Injection of Chaos Solves Decades-Old Fluid Mystery quantamagazine.org/an-injection-of-chaos-solves-decades-old-fluid-mystery-20220104 One such long-standing puzzle, first articulated nearly 55 years ago, arises when certain liquids stream through cracks and holes in a porous landscape such as spongy soil.Your Next Surgeon Could Be a Slime Robotcnet.com/science/your-next-surgeon-could-be-a-magnetic-slime-robot Created by a team of researchers at the Chinese University of Hong Kong, the Slime Robot is a non-Newtonian fluid, meaning it can behave both as a solid and a liquid. This slime is made from a mixture of PVA and borax, but you can also make your own non-Newtonian fluid at home using cornstarch and water. SCIENTISTS FINALLY KNOW WHY OREO FILLING ALWAYS STICKS TO ONE SIDEinverse.com/science/oreology-milks-favorite-scientific-field Owens was measuring the solution’s viscosity, or thickness. She loaded the solution between two parallel plates in her rheometer and rotated them. Rotating and shearing, or separating, the solution between two plates allows Owens to measure its resistance to separating, which is its viscosity.____________________Elements is more than just a science show. It’s your science-loving best friend, tasked with keeping you updated and interested in the compelling, innovative, and groundbreaking science that's happening all around us. Join our passionate hosts as they help break down and present fascinating science, from quarks to quantum theory and beyond.Seeker empowers the curious to understand the science shaping our world. We tell award-winning stories about the natural forces and groundbreaking innovations that impact our lives, our planet, and our universe. Subscribe now! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=dnewschannel Seeker on Twitter http://twitter.com/seekerSeeker on Facebook facebook.com/SeekerMedia Seeker http://www.seeker.com
The Sahara Desert Used to Look Like This…And May Again Seeker 2022-05-18 | Thousands of years ago, the Sahel region of Africa was a green, lush, tropical paradise. The Great Green Wall initiative is on a mission to restore that greenery in that region across the entire continent. » Subscribe to Seeker! http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker » Watch more Elements! http://bit.ly/ElementsPlaylistThe Great Green Wall is an epic project that aims to grow an 8,000 kilometer belt of vegetation across the entire width of the African continent. If completed, it would be three times larger than the Great Barrier Reef, and be the largest living “structure” on the planet. But can this massive geo-engineering project transform the landscape into the fertile, tropical place it once was? So here’s the thing: this part of Africa is heating up. Particularly in the Sahel, which sits between the southern edge of the world’s largest hot desert, the Sahara, and humid savannas to the south. Vegetation is scarce in this semi-arid belt of land, and the U.N. has identified it as a hotspot for climate change. Temperatures in the Sahel region are increasing 1.5 times faster than the rest of the world, and the Sahara desert is now 10% larger than it was in 1920. Periodic drought, deforestation, and unsustainable agricultural practices have reduced the productivity of the Sahel, causing desertification. This has led to massive food insecurity and displacement of people in the region. And with temperatures expected to be 3-5°C warmer by 2050, these problems are projected to get worse.But not all is lost! Remember when we said the Sahara used to be green? Well, that was about 11,500 years ago. Back then there was grass, lakes, and animals like hippos and antelopes! Dubbed the African Humid Period, also known as the “Green Sahara,” this era was the result of intense West African monsoons, which were stronger and brought more summer rainfall than today. #SaharaDesert #Sahara #Africa #Algeria #ClimateChange #Environment #Desertification #SeekerRead More: Africa’s ‘Great Green Wall’ shifts focus to hold off desert politico.com/news/2021/11/13/africa-great-green-wall-521292 The project called the Great Green Wall began in 2007 with a vision for the trees to extend like a belt across the vast Sahel region, from Senegal in the west to Djibouti in the east, by 2030. But as temperatures rose and rainfall diminished, millions of the planted trees died. Could the Sahara ever be green again? livescience.com/will-sahara-desert-turn-green.html Sometime between 11,000 and 5,000 years ago, after the last ice age ended, the Sahara Desert transformed. Green vegetation grew atop the sandy dunes and increased rainfall turned arid caverns into lakes. About 3.5 million square miles (9 million square kilometers) of Northern Africa turned green, drawing in animals such as hippos, antelopes, elephants and aurochs (wild ancestors of domesticated cattle), who feasted on its thriving grasses and shrubs. Africa’s ‘Great Green Wall’ could have far-reaching climate effects sciencenews.org/article/africa-great-green-wall-trees-sahel-climate-change To investigate those possible impacts, Pausata created high-resolution computer simulations of future global warming, both with and without a simulated wall of plants along the Sahel. Against the backdrop of global warming, the Great Green Wall would decrease average summertime temperatures in most of the Sahel by as much as 1.5 degrees Celsius.____________________Elements is more than just a science show. It’s your science-loving best friend, tasked with keeping you updated and interested in the compelling, innovative, and groundbreaking science that's happening all around us. Join our passionate hosts as they help break down and present fascinating science, from quarks to quantum theory and beyond.Seeker empowers the curious to understand the science shaping our world. We tell award-winning stories about the natural forces and groundbreaking innovations that impact our lives, our planet, and our universe. Subscribe now! http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=dnewschannel Seeker on Twitter http://twitter.com/seekerSeeker on Facebook facebook.com/SeekerMedia Seeker http://www.seeker.com
Short Film: How Clear Cutting Could Lead to Massive Floods Seeker 2022-05-17 | In the last few years, the city of Grand Forks in British Columbia has been hit with unprecedented floods; wiping out homes in the region. We follow one resident and her journey to document this issue before it’s too late.Special thanks to Jackson Wild » Subscribe to Seeker! http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker» Catch up on Seeker Indie! bit.ly/3cpNPcfBritish Columbia is well-known for its stunning natural beauty, especially their lush forests of old growth trees. But did you know that over the last few years, much of the landscape has undergone “clear-cutting”? This is where forests are logged and left with large swaths of empty land. This is a huge problem for the future climate. Residents in cities, like Grand Forks, B.C., are facing the consequences of clear-cutting head on. Join us in this next film to see how this community is at risk of flooding and much more. From Ramshackle Pictures, this is Waterlogged #ClearCutting #Logging #Forest #Forestry #Environment #NaturalDisasters #Seeker____________________Seeker empowers the curious to understand the science shaping our world. We tell award-winning stories about the natural forces and groundbreaking innovations that impact our lives, our planet, and our universe. Subscribe now! youtube.com/user/dnewschannel?sub_confirmation=1Seeker on Twitter http://twitter.com/seekerSeeker on Facebook facebook.com/SeekerMedia Seeker http://www.seeker.com
Short Film: How a 90-year-old Balinese Fisherman Fights Plastic Pollution Seeker 2022-05-10 | Each year, just about 30,000 metric tonnes of plastic pollution enter Indonesia’s waters. How does one man plan to clean it up?Special thanks to Jackson Wild » Subscribe to Seeker! http://bit.ly/subscribeseeker» Catch up on Seeker Indie! bit.ly/3cpNPcfIn Indonesia, the ocean plays a critical role in people’s livelihood; from their food to their careers. But that important life source is under threat from overwhelming amounts of plastic. Unfortunately, this pollution is fueled from one of Indonesia’s most popular tourist destinations, Bali. This, combined with plastic from the rest of the world, washes up on beaches, gets hooked by local fishermen, and damages marine ecosystems. This film follows Wayan, a 90-year-old Balinese fisherman using all his resources and knowledge to tackle this growing problem, one net of trash at a time. This is Voice Above Water, a production from Turning Tides Films. #PlasticPollution #Oceans #PlasticWaste #Plastic #Pollution #Environment #Seeker____________________Seeker empowers the curious to understand the science shaping our world. We tell award-winning stories about the natural forces and groundbreaking innovations that impact our lives, our planet, and our universe. Subscribe now! youtube.com/user/dnewschannel?sub_confirmation=1Seeker on Twitter http://twitter.com/seekerSeeker on Facebook facebook.com/SeekerMedia Seeker http://www.seeker.com
