Climate Crisis, Biosphere & Societal Collapse

English translation:

Simulation on plastic particles in the air

Microplastics settle in the nose and throat through breathing
People come into contact with microplastics all the time - they even breathe in the tiny particles. A model now shows how the particles can spread in the organism and where they are deposited.

The consequences of microplastics for the human body and health have not yet been conclusively investigated. What is certain, however, is that microplastics surround us all - they are in the soil, in the water and in the air we breathe. Researchers have now simulated how the potentially harmful plastic particles accumulate in the nose and at the back of the throat. They have published their results in the journal Physics of Fluids.

In 2022, studies found microplastics deep in the human respiratory tract for the first time. This is worrying, says Mohammad Islam, co-author of the current study. Every hour, humans inhale about 16.2 pieces of microplastic - adding up to the amount of a credit card in a week, the researchers conclude from previous research. Islam and the team wanted to find out how microplastic particles move in the human body.

To do this, the group simulated the process in the body in a model and fed it with different data - such as whether the microplastic is spherical, tetrahedral or cylindrical. They also varied the size of the particles and whether someone breathes quickly or slowly.

Nasal cavity and pharynx particularly affected

The result of the computer simulation: the tiny plastic particles accumulated in the model particularly in the nasal cavity and pharynx (oropharynx). "The complicated and highly asymmetric anatomical shape of the airways and the complex flow behavior in the nasal cavity and oropharynx cause the microplastic to deviate from the flow line and deposit in these areas," says Islam.

Respiratory conditions and the size of the microplastic also reportedly influenced how much microplastic could be deposited in the respiratory tract overall. According to the study, increased flow velocity resulted in less deposition, and the largest microplastics were deposited in the respiratory tract more frequently than their smaller counterparts.

Many parameters that could help determine how microplastics spread through the body were not considered in the current model. The researchers therefore want to adjust and, for example, analyze the transport of microplastics in a large-scale, patient-specific model of the entire lung that also takes into account environmental parameters such as humidity and temperature.

"Researchers are expressing alarm about a huge decline in insect populations around the world, warning of an emergency that has enormous ramifications for biodiversity and the food chain."

Insect populations are falling rapidly all over the world. Birds and plants are not far behind. This video (25min) contains a lot of great information about the commencing food chain collapse and why we should care from all the way up here at the top.

This is an old article from 2017, but I feel like today (12/06/2023) is a prudent time to post it, for anyone who might not have read it before, or wants to read it again.

It is related to societal collapse because even (or especially) the super-rich seem to be aware and preparing for the type of event that I would call the collapse of society as we currently know it.

Steve Huffman, CEO of Reddit, is featured and has this to say:

“Being around other people is a good thing. I also have this somewhat egotistical view that I’m a pretty good leader. I will probably be in charge, or at least not a slave, when push comes to shove.”

He also mentions:
"“If the world ends—and not even if the world ends, but if we have trouble—getting contacts or glasses is going to be a huge pain in the ass,” he told me recently. “Without them, I’m fucked.”

Remember everyone: if things go Mad Max one day, STEAL STEVE HUFFMAN'S GLASSES.

Short answer: Yes

Today, June 12th, 2023, marks the beginning of a groundbreaking climate change trial between the state of Montana and sixteen young residents who say "this case is one big opportunity for the state to become a leader in preserving a safe, beautiful and prosperous future for Montana."

From the article: "Filed in March 2020, the lawsuit, Held v Montana, will mark the first-ever constitutional climate trial in US history.
...
Held v Montana follows the highly publicized 2015 Juliana v United States in which 21 young people sued the US government for violating their constitutional rights to life, liberty and property by enacting pro-fossil fuel policies that drove climate change. Last week, a US district court ruled in favor of the youth plaintiffs, allowing that their claims can be decided at trial in open court."

Homelessness is a growing crisis all over Canada, including in Toronto, where the number of tents and structures is resuming again after falling somewhat during the COVID pandemic.

One of the most interesting parts of watching the climate crisis unfold in real time is how the perspective of the media is changing. This article from the BBC comes across as an ELI5 for those who don't know what climate change is.
For someone like me, who has been trying to stay informed about climate-related issues since the late 90s, none of the information presented here surprises me. What does surprise me, though, is that a news organization of this size and scope now feels comfortable publishing articles like this for their less-informed viewers.

I don't know if I'm going crazy, but I am almost certain that even 10 years ago you would never have seen a BBC article that begins with the following words:

"World temperatures are rising because of human activity, and climate change now threatens every aspect of human life.

Left unchecked, humans and nature will experience catastrophic warming, with worsening droughts, rising sea levels and mass extinction of species."

It could still be too little, too late, but I am encouraged by the frankness that even large news publications are now using when it comes to these topics.

What do you think?

"Here is how platforms die: first, they are good to their users; then they abuse their users to make things better for their business customers; finally, they abuse those business customers to claw back all the value for themselves. Then, they die."

This is related to societal collapse because the Internet is the modern-day Library of Alexandria, and the way a handful of bug-eyes salamanders constantly enshittify, monetize and control platforms is indicative of a culture that values greed over the accessibility to modern humanity's collective knowledge.

Outstanding excerpts:

"Victoria Fulfer, a visiting scientist from the University of Rhode Island at the National Oceanography Centre (NOC) in the UK, [said] “We are seeing much higher concentrations this year, which can be a sign of increased pollution, but also is related to the increased sensitivity of our analysis.”

"The highest concentrations of microplastics were found close to coasts and urban areas, such as readings of 816-1,712 per cubic metre off the coast of South Africa, and also in the “garbage patch” areas of the sea."

"The most abundant chemical in the plastics is polyethylene, which is used for single-use packaging, plastic bags and containers such as bottles."

This thread is for discussion of collapse-related issues that you're personally experiencing or have experienced. AKA things you don't have to read the news to know are happening (although links to relevant news articles are encouraged).

Fish and other sea creatures have yet another problem to contend with as a result of rising sea temperatures. Not only are cold-water fish having to migrate further towards the poles in order to survive, and heatwaves causing giant algae blobs to form, but there's also less oxygen in the water.
This is part of biosphere collapse for what I think are obvious reasons.

Canada's wildfire has started early and furiously. Not only are climate change and El Nino causing unprecedented temperatures and turning massive Canadian boreal forests into a tinderbox, but Canada is also experiencing a firefighter shortage which could exacerbate the issues.

This thread is for questions about the community, meta posts, constructive criticism, etc.
Please be respectful and keep discussion high quality.

In the Uruguayan capital of Montevideo, where about half the population of this small South American country resides, they are undergoing such severe drought that the regulating bodies are adding salt water to the public water supply, while encouraging residents to purchase bottled water.
Angry at being forced to spend money on what should be a human right, Uruguayans have taken to the streets in protest.

(Note for clarity: This is NOT a case of brackish water backing up from the ocean into potable water supplies, which can happen. It's a deliberate tactic by the government to stretch out water supplies.)

cross-posted from: https://reddthat.com/post/4452

For the past several years, our planet has been undergoing a La Niña phenomenon. This is part of ENSO, where we study the movement and interaction of massive, warm and cool, air and water streams around the world, which affects temperatures all over the globe.

There are three phases - La Niña, which gives us cooler than normal temperatures, neutral, and El Niño, which gives us warmer than normal temperatures.

Despite this longer-than-usual La Niña, for the past few years we've experienced record-breaking heat across the globe.

Now, after a brief "neutral" phase, Earth is now heading into El Niño phase , which is expected to last through winter.
BBC - https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-65839060
What is El Niño? - Climate.gov
El Niño weather predictions, April 2023 - The Weather Network
El Niño weather predictions, June 2023 - The Hill