(C) Daily Kos This story was originally published by Daily Kos and is unaltered. . . . . . . . . . . Overnight News Digest - Science Saturday - Universe, Philosophy, Reading, Methane, Climate [1] ['This Content Is Not Subject To Review Daily Kos Staff Prior To Publication.'] Date: 2023-08-19 Welcome to Overnight News Digest- Saturday Science. Since 2007 the OND has been a regular community feature on Daily Kos, consisting of news stories from around the world, sometimes coupled with a daily theme, original research or commentary. Editors of OND impart their own presentation styles and content choices, typically publishing each day near 12:00 AM Eastern Time. Topics in tonight’s digest include: Plant-based filter removes microplastice from water Five views on the philosophy of death Spike in atmospheric methane could be the beginning of a major reorganization of earth’s climate system Mercury may have hastened the Maya’s downfall Why did an ancient culture burn their houses every 60-80 years? Video of decomposing cigarettes The never-ending war in the science of reading The 13 measurable scales that define our physical universe Links to climate mass action New Atlas by Paul McClure Plant-based filter removes up to 99.9% of microplastics from water Researchers may have found an effective, green way to remove microplastics from our water using readily available plant materials. Their device was found to capture up to 99.9% of a wide variety of microplastics known to pose a health risk to humans. The health problems posed by nano- or microplastics and developing efficient ways to extract them from water have been the focus of recent research. Currently, there’s no practical technology available to universally and rapidly capture microplastics. But researchers from the University of British Columbia in Canada may have devised a biodegradable, renewable solution. The Collector by Igor Zanetti The Philosophy of Death: 5 Mind-Blowing Views From the first theories about the afterlife conceived in Ancient History, to the obsession over death in the Middle Ages, or the controversial views of some Modern authors, the philosophy of death has taken many forms throughout our history. In this article we will be looking at some of the most interesting philosophical perspectives on death. There are few things that we can know for sure during our journey in life and, ironically, one of these things is the fact that eventually our lives will end. While we know nothing for certain about what happens before we are born or after we die, death marks an unavoidable destination in the path of every human being, which can be a relieving certainty or a looming threat, depending on how you look at it. It would be safe to assume that every person who has walked on this planet has had thoughts about their own mortality at one point or another, and so did the greatest minds of the human race. Many philosophers have written extensive works on the matter. Some of these perspectives are essential for understanding the intellectual development of western civilization; some can even help us better understand the zeitgeist of pivotal periods of history. Live Science by Sasha Pare We could be 16 years into a methane-fueled 'termination' event significant enough to end an ice age Methane emissions from tropical wetlands have been soaring since 2006 and accelerating at the same breakneck speed as when Earth's climate has flipped from a glacial to an interglacial period. A dramatic spike in atmospheric methane over the past 16 years may be a sign that Earth's climate could flip within decades, scientists have warned. Large amounts of methane wafting from tropical wetlands into Earth's atmosphere could trigger warming similar to the "termination" events that ended ice ages — replacing frosty expanses of tundra with tropical savanna, a new study finds. Researchers first detected a strange peak in methane emissions in 2006, but until now, it was unclear where the gas was leaking from and if it constituted a novel trend. "A termination is a major reorganization of the Earth's climate system," study lead author Euan Nisbet , a professor emeritus of Earth sciences at Royal Holloway, University of London, told Live Science. "These repeated changes have taken the world from ice ages into the sort of interglacial we have now." Big Think by Ross Pomeroy The Maya coveted mercury. It may have hastened their downfall. KEY TAKEAWAYS Over the past few decades, evidence has built that the Maya of Central America extensively used a mercury-containing compound for decoration and art. Mercury was so prevalent that archaeological sites are still heavily contaminated today. Tellingly, scientists reported that two water reservoirs in the heart of the ancient city of Tikal contained toxic levels of mercury, raising the possibility that the Maya suffered adverse health effects. Big Think by Tim Brinkhof “Burned house” mystery: Why did this ancient culture torch its own homes every 60 years? KEY TAKEAWAYS The Cucuteni-Trypillia culture of Eastern Europe built some of the largest structures of their time. Archeological evidence suggests they set those structures ablaze every 60 to 80 years. Experiments involving life-size reconstructions indicate this was done deliberately. Why? My Modern Met ​​​​​​​by Regina Sienra Hypnotic Timelapse Shows What Happens to Cigarettes in Soil for a Year Nature works in ways we sometimes can't fully grasp. This is especially true for slower processes that take months or years. For example, to shed light on how soil can decompose familiar objects, a creator known as Photo Owl produces enlightening timelapses that show what earth can do over a long period of time. In one of their most compelling videos, Photo Owl places three cigarettes inside a glass jar and tops it with dirt before closing it for an entire year. The results of this unique experiment are simply fascinating. Vox ​​​​​​​by Rachel M. Cohen The new “science of reading” movement, explained For over a century, a pendulum has swung back and forth on the best way to teach kids to read. On one side are advocates of phonics, an instructional approach focused on the relationships between sounds and letters; on the other, various methods, championed by educators, that emphasize word recognition and context clues. This fight has occasionally grown so vicious it’s been dubbed the Reading Wars. But in the last five years, one camp has scored a victory that, if not permanent, is at least decisive. Big Think ​​​​​​​by Ethan Siegel The 13 scales that define our physical Universe KEY TAKEAWAYS On the smallest of physical scales, we have the fundamental, elementary particles, which build up to assemble nuclei, atoms, molecules, and even larger structures. On larger scales, we have planets, stars, stellar systems, galaxies, clusters of galaxies, and vast voids between them, all contributing to the enormous cosmic web. Overall, there are many different scales to view the Universe on. Here's the grand cosmic tour, from the extremely tiny to the unfathomably large. DailyKos ​​​​​​​by Gardening Toad Climate Crisis: Mass Action begins with you In order to combat the climate crisis, action is needed on every level; international, national, regional, state, local, and individual. Nearly all of us are able to work at some level. Some people are good at interacting with bureaucrats and organizing large groups, others are excellent at mentoring small groups, others are best at solitary work and sharing their information and experiments. Play to your strengths. I’m especially interested in ecosystem restoration, resilient living, and food growing. I’m one of those solitary types, but I like to share information. Here’s a list of my favorite resources for individual action on various levels: This is an open thread where everyone is welcome, especially night owls and early birds, to share and discuss the science news of the day. Please share your articles and stories in the comments. [END] --- [1] Url: https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2023/8/19/2188082/-Overnight-News-Digest-Science-Saturday-Universe-Philosophy-Reading-Methane-Climate Published and (C) by Daily Kos Content appears here under this condition or license: Site content may be used for any purpose without permission unless otherwise specified. via Magical.Fish Gopher News Feeds: gopher://magical.fish/1/feeds/news/dailykos/