Latest Science News
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SpaceX lost another Falcon booster to the sea
This morning, at 10:05AM ET, SpaceX successfully launched its fifth batch of Starlink internet satellites via a Falcon 9 rocket. Unfortunately, it did not manage to land the rocket's booster as planned. Mon, 17 Feb 2020 12:34:00 -0500
Jeff Bezos pledges $10 billion to combat climate change
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos announced today he plans to contribute $10 billion toward fighting climate change through the creation of a new philanthropic project called the Bezos Earth Fund. "Climate change is the biggest threat to our planet," Bezos wrote in an Instagram post. "I want to work alongside others both to amplify known ways and to explore new ways of fighting the devastating impact of climate change on this planet we all share." Mon, 17 Feb 2020 14:35:00 -0500
The beginning of the end for the flu season?
All of the lower 48 states are reporting widespread cases of flu, with the exception of Oregon, which is seeing regional cases as of the week ending Feb. 8, 2020. (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) The latest flu data can be viewed with optimism, since it appears the flu season is starting to wind down. The data also offers a cold dose of reality: 24 United States states showed either record-high flu activity or numbers that were higher than ever for this time of year."While flu remains quite active throughout the nation, the season is beginning to weaken and slow down," Dr. Bryan Lewis, a professor at the Biocomplexity Institute at the University of Virginia, told AccuWeather. "However, make no mistake, this season is strong and still in full swing."CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APPVisits to health care providers for influenzalike illnesses (ILI) increased for a fourth straight week to 6.8 percent compared to 6.6 percent the previous week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). That's the second-highest level of activity this season; it reached 7 percent in the last week of 2019.It's the 13th straight week flu activity is above baseline normal (2.4 percent). Last year, levels of ILI in the U.S. were at or above baseline for 21 straight weeks. Cesar Gonzalez reacts to getting an influenza vaccine shot in Mesquite, Texas. This week's flu data showed the second-highest level of activity this season. (AP File Photo/LM Otero) While ILI activities continue to rise, this second surge of activity is showing signs of slowing, according to researchers at the Biocomplexity Institute who work in a research partnership with AccuWeather. Fewer states (32) reported an increase in the most recent surveillance report and overall magnitude of increase at the national level is plateauing, Dr. Lewis and his team note."It seems likely that things will continue to gently slow down, though there seems to be a bit of activity still in store in the Northeast," Lewis told AccuWeather. "Many parts of the South seem to be on the final descent for this season."Dr. Lewis and his team foresee activities in the Northeast to increase, mainly from the mid-Atlantic through New England. ILI activities in the South and West are expected to plateau and start declining, though activity could remain high in Montana, Utah, Colorado and California.Nationally, the secondary peak of ILI activity should occur in the coming week and start to decline, according to the researchers.An estimated 26 million people have experienced flu illnesses in the U.S. this season, with 250,000 hospitalizations and 14,000 deaths from the flu, according to the CDC. Indicators that track overall severity (hospitalizations and deaths) are not high at this point in the season.All but six states in the U.S. are considered to be at a high level of ILI activity, the CDC notes; Nevada, Oregon, Alaska, Florida and Idaho are the exceptions, with Delaware reporting data that was insufficient to calculate an ILI activity level.Flu season typically begins in October, peaks between December and February and lasts well into March, although activity can last as late as May. Flu viruses are more stable in cold air and the low humidity allows the virus particles to remain in the air, according to Peter Palese, who was the lead author on a key flu study in 2007.Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios. Mon, 17 Feb 2020 13:10:39 -0500
'Ice volcanoes' erupt on a Lake Michigan beach. Here's what they look like.
A cold front brought some interesting phenomena to Lake Michigan: first ice balls, now ice volcanoes. Mon, 17 Feb 2020 11:50:09 -0500
Video shows the moment a double-tiered Airbus A380 made a sideways 'crab' landing while battling 50 mph winds at Heathrow Airport
Winds from Storm Dennis pummeled London Heathrow Airport on Saturday, which forced the huge A380 into a nerve-wracking "crosswind landing." Mon, 17 Feb 2020 11:01:08 -0500
Tech after death: Researchers work on new ways to handle your remains, in the flesh and online
It's hard enough protecting your personal information while you're alive, but you also have to worry about it after you die. For example, what will happen to all those postings and profiles you'll be leaving behind on social media? Researchers addressed that conundrum — as well as other issues at the intersection of technology and mortality — today in Seattle during the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Faheem Hussain, an expert on technology policy at Arizona State University's School for the Future of Innovation in Society, said people's digital remains are often overlooked in… Read More Mon, 17 Feb 2020 00:23:16 -0500
Blue Origin lays out ambitious plan for rocket engine production as it opens Alabama factory
Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin space venture opened the doors of its engine factory in America's Rocket City today, and promised that next-generation BE-4 engines would be rolling off the production line within a few months. It was up to Blue Origin CEO Bob Smith to cut the ribbon on the company's 350,000-square-foot, $200 million factory in Huntsville, Ala., where rocket engines for America's space effort have been developed since the days of Wernher von Braun. "We couldn’t be prouder to call this our home for engine production,” Smith said. The very first BE-4 engines are being made at… Read More Mon, 17 Feb 2020 20:04:40 -0500
Door-to-door evacuations continue in Mississippi as Pearl River crests
Mississippi officials expressed cautious optimism on Monday as they announced the swollen Pearl River had crested at a height lower than initially feared.The crest came after what Mississippi Gov. Tate Reeves called a "long weekend" due to rising floodwaters and additional evacuations throughout the waterlogged capital city of Jackson and broader central Mississippi area.The river, which reached major flood stage over the weekend, crested near Jackson on Monday at around 36.67 feet, down slightly from a projected crest height of 38 feet, according to the Pearl River Valley Water Supply District. Still, a 38-foot water height was reported along the river in the area of Highway 25 north to the Barnett Reservoir dam.Officials with the reservoir said efforts began Monday morning to reduce outflows through the dam.John Sigman, general manager of the Pearl River Water Supply District, said water levels at the 33,000-acre lake had dropped below 298 feet Monday morning. A discharge of 75,000 cubic feet per second was instituted during the overnight hours, but that had dropped to 70,265 at 9:15 a.m. local time. Another reduction was scheduled for Monday evening."We still need to create storage space in the lake for the rain in the forecast for this week and balance that with the flood concerns downstream. The good news is that inflows into the lake are falling and will fall very rapidly going forward," Sigman said in a statement.Authorities have been going door-to-door in the hardest-hit areas to tell people to evacuate. Local law enforcement conducted another 16 assisted evacuations on Monday.The record crest for the Pearl River is 43.28 feet, set in 1979. The river has topped 36 feet only seven times and not once since 1983, but that changed on Saturday night as the water level rose above 36 feet for the eighth time.CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APPReeves issued a state of emergency declaration on Saturday to deploy the necessary resources to help those impacted."This is a historic, unprecedented flood," Reeves said on Twitter over the weekend.More rain is in the forecast this week, as persistent rounds of storms take aim at the South.AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said that even though more storms are expected this week, rainfall is not likely to be as intense as that of recent systems."Rainfall totals for all of this week may be in the neighborhood of 1-5 inches," Sosnowski said. "The past 10 days have brought 5-7 inches of rain in the area. The next big, single rain event may hold off until late-February."Even with the additional rain in the forecast, officials said they expect river levels in the area to recede rapidly in the coming days. But Reeves warned that this is not the time for residents to rush back to their homes."Please do not move back into your neighborhood, or into your home until authorities and officials give you the OK to do so," he said.As the week progresses, the flood threat is expected to focus on areas farther downstream, which includes the city of Columbia in Marion County. Current forecasts show the river reaching moderate flood stage and cresting at around 24 feet on Friday."We as a state are not in the clear yet," Reeves said, adding that government officials were working to prepare a response to deliver immediate aid for cities and counties depending on what the river does in the next couple of days.There have been no reports of injuries at this time, officials said at the press conference, but Greg Michel, executive director of the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) said they expect the number of damaged homes to be in the "hundreds" and possibly near a thousand. A more detailed damage estimate was expected later in the week as authorities begin the recovery phase after the floodwaters diminish.Michel credited residents in the evacuation areas for following orders and not jeopardizing the lives of first responders.Over 156,000 sandbags have been distributed throughout the area and the Jackson Police Training Academy, which was being used as a temporary shelter, still had space for those who needed to evacuate, according to Reeves.The Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) said crews continued to monitor and address flood-related issues across the state. A stretch of Interstate 55 that had been closed was reopened Sunday after a drop in water levels.Road closure equipment will remain on shoulders until the flood threat is over, and MDOT crews staged dynamic message boards to alert motorists of road conditions."MDOT crews will continue working around the clock to monitor flood conditions and respond as needed until roadways are clear for travel," said central transportation commissioner Willie Simmons.AccuWeather Staff Writer Mark Puleo contributed reporting. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios. Mon, 17 Feb 2020 14:58:56 -0500
Video captures dramatic moment a landslide crumbles a Tennessee home
An angry landslide in Tennessee ripped through Hardin County, Tennessee, on Saturday and Sunday, shredding a pair of homes in its path. The two homes were previously in danger of collapsing before heavy rain triggered the landslide that swept the large residences into the Tennessee River.Both homes, located just north of Savannah, were unoccupied at the time of collapse, although one was still being actively lived in. According to Hardin County Fire officials, the occupied home was evacuated on Saturday night, about an hour before the landslide destroyed the vacant residence. On Sunday afternoon, the second home was also swept away, officials reported. Footage shows one of the homes succumbing to raging landslide. (Facebook / Hardin County Fire) Drone photos taken later in the day depicted the widespread swath of destruction the landslide left in its wake.AccuWeather Meteorologist Isaac Longley said a winter full of numerous storm systems is to blame for the destruction that unfolded this past weekend."There have been numerous storm systems to track up the Mississippi and Tennessee River valleys this winter, bringing copious amounts of rainfall to the region," Longley said. "With an abundance of moisture to tap into from the Gulf of Mexico, these storms have brought rounds of heavy rain to parts of Tennessee."One part, in particular, is the city of Savannah. Longley added rainfall totals this winter are up 200 percent higher than the area's historical average. In recent weeks, that heavy rain left soil waterlogged and has led to flooding and landslides. Aerial footage captured the destruction in the aftermath of the landslide. (Facebook / Hardin County Fire) According to the National Weather Service (NWS), at its most flooded point, the Tennessee River crested at 388.72 feet just north of Savannah early Sunday morning, which ranks as the 14th most historic crest for the country's 12th longest river.Footage of the now-destroyed homes, located on Glendale Road, emerged on Facebook by way of video shared by the fire department. Glendale Road has remained closed for safety precautions. In other videos of the region shared by the department, widespread flooding has inundated the region through Sunday and Monday.According to Longley, conditions are expected to remain dangerously wet for the near future."Unfortunately, wet weather will continue to affect these areas as another system will bring rain and potentially some heavier thunderstorms to the lower Mississippi and Tennessee valleys through the middle part of the week." Mon, 17 Feb 2020 12:55:27 -0500
Storm Dennis punishes UK, northern Europe with damaging winds and flooding rain
Rescue and recovery efforts continued across parts of northern Europe Monday in the wake of Storm Dennis which ripped through the region over the weekend. The storm is to blame for at least two deaths, devastating flooding and travel delays.Dennis swept through Ireland and the United Kingdom and into north-central Europe, spreading damaging wind gusts and areas of heavy rain.Many of these locations were still recovering after receiving the wrath of Storm Ciara just a week before.The British Army was deployed to help areas still recovering from Ciara prepare for the next deluge of rain.In Iceland's capital of Reykjavik, a 70-mph wind gust was reported around 8 a.m., local time Friday, but farther west of the city, an 89-mph gust was reported in the town of Keflavik.> Another reason to avoid driving during StormDennis. It isn't just the rain and standing water, high winds cause debris and the potential for fallen trees. pic.twitter.com/wyYW72LC4Z> > -- Insp Si Jenkinson (@RPTInsp) February 15, 2020Strong wind gusts persisted throughout the weekend across the U.K. Wind gusts of 40-60 mph were common across most areas, while stronger gusts were reported along the coast and in higher elevations.The highest wind gusts from Dennis were 189 km/h (118 mph) in Aonach Mor and 180 km/h (112 mph) in Bealach Na Ba, both in the Scottish Highlands. The Liverpool airport reported wind gusts of 75 km/h (47 mph) on Saturday evening.The fierce winds caused issues for maritime interests, specifically in Scotland when a ferry had a difficult time docking. The storm caused the ferry to violently rock back and forth as it made its way into port in the town of Ardrossan. An emergency worker rescues a girl in a flooded street after Storm Dennis in Hereford, Britain, Feb. 17, 2020. REUTERS/Phil Noble Damaging winds spread farther south and east across northern Europe on Sunday as Dennis continued to advance across the region. A gust of 173 km/h (107 mph) in Brocken, Germany, was the highest outside of the U.K.Strong winds knocked over trees across the region. Four flats had to be evacuated after a tree crashed threw a window, injuring a young girl.Potent winds caused trees to topple over into roadways and across train tracks in Germany which caused a number of weather-related crashes. At least nine people were injured.Airports across northern Europe faced delays amid the strong winds. London Heathrow Airport was reporting delays of around 30 minutes on Saturday evening because of the storm, according to FlightAware. Between Heathrow and Gatwick airports, over 170 flights were canceled on Saturday, plus another 150 cancellations and 800 delays on Sunday.Any planes that landed at Heathrow Airport battled a strong crosswind.> Video captures impressive Etihad A380 crosswind landing at London Heathrow during Storm Dennis today (Video: speedbirdtv). https://t.co/5JO5x17wSE pic.twitter.com/wxVkhSkxP0> > -- Breaking Aviation News (@breakingavnews) February 15, 2020As Dennis spread rain across northern Europe, it led to areas of localized flooding, but the heaviest was concentrated across England and Wales.CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APPWidespread rainfall totals of 50-100 mm (2-4 inches) were reported across the U.K. throughout the weekend. Crai Reservoir in Wales recorded the highest rainfall amount of 157.6 mm (6.20 inches) in just 48 hours.A major incident was been declared by officials in southern Wales as a dangerous situation unfolds. Rounds of heavy rain on Saturday and Saturday night have turned streets into rivers and caused landslides in the area.A "red warning" was issued by the UK Met Office, the highest level, for parts of South Wales on Sunday as heavy rain was stationary over the area for a time. This is the first one issued since 2015.Rounds of downpours caused rivers to rise across the region along with hundreds of flood warnings and alerts across the U.K., with a record number of flood alerts and warnings in England alone. Emergency services worked to evacuate residents in southern Wales after River Taff flowed over its banks.> BREAKING: we now have the most flood warnings and alerts in force (594) in England than any other day on record. Stay safe and updated here https://t.co/K5GUW3z87V pic.twitter.com/0IEdWBAOpi> > -- John Curtin (@johncurtinEA) February 16, 2020Warnings and alerts were still in effect on Monday, including severe flood warnings for River Lugg, River Severn and River Wye. Rivers are expected to continue to rise before reaching peak level on Tuesday.In addition to the winds and heavy rain, Dennis produced impressive wave heights.As the storm began lashing Iceland on Friday, it stirred up terrifying surf, with some swells in the North Atlantic reaching as high as 64 feet over the open ocean. Closer to land, the wave heights topped 40 feet, according to the National Weather Service Ocean Prediction Center (OPC).> The Monkey hut St Portreath being battered by Storm Dennis pic.twitter.com/isk0JymUgR> > -- Paul Ashby-Johnson (@Paj998) February 15, 2020The waves caused coastal flooding and erosion ahead of and through the duration of the storm in western parts of Ireland, Northern Ireland and Scotland, and caused a ferry to be tossed around in the wind and waves.Rough seas from Storm Dennis are believed to be responsible for the storm-related deaths, as of Sunday.Blustery conditions are expected to continue across the U.K. and northern Europe into Monday, as the unsettled pattern remains throughout this week.Storm Dennis, as it was officially named earlier last week, exploded into a bomb cyclone on Thursday after its central pressure plummeted 1.38 inches of mercury (46 mb) in 24 hours. The drop was recorded from 29.4 to 28.1 inches of mercury (996 mb to 950 mb).Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios. Mon, 17 Feb 2020 12:25:57 -0500
![SpaceX lost another Falcon booster to the sea](http://l1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/WmcxBIpbiqXEjBpyAL2Cfg--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?crop=4198%2C2621%2C0%2C0&quality=85&format=jpg&resize=1600%2C999&image_uri=https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-images/2020-02/a277e230-51a9-11ea-ae76-3860ea257a05&client=a1acac3e1b3290917d92&signature=3b7b8d778ddfd6a8a22fc0050ff5095e45e893e5" width="130" height="86" alt="SpaceX lost another Falcon booster to the sea)
![Jeff Bezos pledges $10 billion to combat climate change](http://l2.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/Hj5DtvDOehsQ06cLF0qzVA--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://o.aolcdn.com/images/dims?resize=2000%2C2000%2Cshrink&image_uri=https://s.yimg.com/os/creatr-images/2020-02/728169f0-4f85-11ea-9c7e-83937d5d78a5&client=a1acac3e1b3290917d92&signature=980bb42aa40f2ad04057b08abf68bcd408d24457" width="130" height="86" alt="Jeff Bezos pledges $10 billion to combat climate change)
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!['Ice volcanoes' erupt on a Lake Michigan beach. Here's what they look like.](http://l1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/KBmPBfTur4kmz4CoY4CFAQ--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/en-us/usa_today_news_641/42deb0de7ccac5e9bc93c8f877b4c627" width="130" height="86" alt="'Ice volcanoes' erupt on a Lake Michigan beach. Here's what they look like.)
![Video shows the moment a double-tiered Airbus A380 made a sideways 'crab' landing while battling 50 mph winds at Heathrow Airport](http://l1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/aayMt_booW2T7j0msYnjDg--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/EN/business_insider_articles_888/4bdf44ef47dc1fcf53aa8a3f35fae6a0" width="130" height="86" alt="Video shows the moment a double-tiered Airbus A380 made a sideways 'crab' landing while battling 50 mph winds at Heathrow Airport)
![Tech after death: Researchers work on new ways to handle your remains, in the flesh and online](http://l1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/XHyN1RWV.i8fpGRg7QMGNg--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/en-US/geekwire_312/04862f3a631475132473a88018049a21" width="130" height="86" alt="Tech after death: Researchers work on new ways to handle your remains, in the flesh and online)
![Blue Origin lays out ambitious plan for rocket engine production as it opens Alabama factory](http://l2.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/AXkDrKtcz04lwfqJ4UJ_7A--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/en-US/geekwire_312/93a78145ff5030a93d7918357fc89ad4" width="130" height="86" alt="Blue Origin lays out ambitious plan for rocket engine production as it opens Alabama factory)
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![Storm Dennis punishes UK, northern Europe with damaging winds and flooding rain](http://l1.yimg.com/uu/api/res/1.2/nt1MZhKqeQJqaYPmKb0uZA--/YXBwaWQ9eXRhY2h5b247aD04Njt3PTEzMDs-/https://media.zenfs.com/en-us/accuweather_297/bf663a26cc950917c7a99aeda22b076f" width="130" height="86" alt="Storm Dennis punishes UK, northern Europe with damaging winds and flooding rain)