Author: Alex Trent

Recent research by scientists has detected the presence of microplastics in clouds floating in two different Japanese mountains. These mountains, Fuji and Oyama, have dangerous amounts of microscopic plastic particles that could have far-reaching consequences for the world’s climate, plants, and water supply. It is suspected that the existence of these microplastics in clouds means the problem is highly mobile and will be hard to address before the consequences make themselves apparent. Recent Peer-Reviewed Paper Source: Pixabay/Pexels A paper published in Environmental Chemistry Letters called “Airborne Hydrophilic Microplastics in Cloud Water at High Altitudes and Their Role in Cloud Formation”…

Vermont is the latest state to propose a plan to tax its wealthiest residents in the name of equality and funding the government. “Tax the rich” has become a popular political slogan among progressive Democrats and activists. There is a general unwillingness among the Democratic base to accept government cuts, which means the only option Democratic leaders can take is to increase taxes to cover budget shortfalls. Vermont’s Plan for Wealth Taxes Source: Kevin Davison/Unsplash Government lawmakers in Vermont have put forward two separate proposals for adding wealth taxes to the state. One plan would involve putting a 3% additional…

Education journalist Benjamin Herold’s new book “Disillusioned” looks with a critical lens at the American suburb. The book focuses on suburban communities like Ferguson and Penn Hills, with Herold’s goal being to discover how many American suburbs have changed. In the book, Herold converses with Charles Marohn, who suggests that the declining American suburbs have become similar to a Ponzi scheme. Following Five Families Source: Pedro Lastra/Unsplash Herold’s method in writing the book was to follow five different families who moved to the suburbs following promises of the American dream. These families moved to America’s suburbs in Chicago, Atlanta, Dallas,…

The situation in the Red Sea has become critical after recent world events. Starting in November, Houthi rebels increased the frequency of their attacks in the Red Sea area near Yemen. The goal of these attacks is to disable vessels or take them over with missile attacks. Despite the rise in missile attacks from the rebels, no injuries have been reported from crew members so far. Damage to Vessels Intentisfy Source: W. Bulach/Pexels Houthi rebels have succeeded in striking numerous vessels shipping products in the Red Sea. Many ships operating in the area are shipping vessels delivering products and conducting…

President Biden’s move toward improving internet connections in North Carolina rural zones without SpaceX has sparked criticism from tech billionaire Elon Musk. The FCC had previously offered Elon Musk-owned company SpaceX a deal to provide this internet coverage to U.S. citizens. This deal was later revoked in 2022. The decision to reject Starlink drew criticism online, with concerns that the math on the decision didn’t add up. Biden’s Announcement Source: Joe Biden/X Joe Biden announced on the social media platform X, owned by Elon Musk, that his administration is investing $82 million into fiber-optic cable to provide high-speed internet to…

Japan’s Kansai International Airport is making headlines as it slowly sinks beneath the waters of the eastern part of the Seto Inland Sea. The airport, which serves Japan’s second-largest city, Osaka, was built on top of the water over three decades ago. However, it has sunk over 38 feet since then, and experts surmise parts could be fully submerged by 2056. Construction of Kansai Airport Source: Freepik In the 1980s, Japanese politicians and business people concluded that the small airport of Kansai, which served major cities including Osaka and Kyoto, wasn’t big enough (via MSN). Many were quick to say…

California’s new minimum wage laws are impacting four Fatburger franchises in Los Angeles. Marcus Walberg, owner of the franchises, feels he has no choice but to raise his prices in response to these new changes. In addition to increasing the price of menu items, he will also cut hours for employees and paid time off. Walberg maintains that these changes are necessary to keep his business afloat. Fatburger’s Payroll Costs Source: Håkan Dahlström/Wikimedia Walberg estimates that his new payroll costs will increase by as much as 30% for his business to conform to the new minimum wage standards (via MSN).…

The housing market just received a bad report from the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the BBC reported. The fewest number of homes were purchased by Americans since 1995. Many factors have contributed to this 30-year low, with economists speculating that the current trajectory of the housing market is unsustainable. Americans are starting to see the prospect of homeownership as increasingly unattainable and unaffordable. Economist Warns of Negative Effects Source: Pixabay Lawrence Yun, a NAR economist, warned, “If price increases continue at the current pace, the country could accelerate into haves and have-nots” (via BBC). He suggests that the way…