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Diverging Reports Breakdown
1906 shipwreck is filled with rare oysters to boost marine species
A cargo ship lying at the bottom of the sea off the Belgian coast has been fitted with a new treasure chest. A load of 200,000 oyster larvae attached to biodegradable materials was deposited about 100 feet under the sea in the ship’s hull. The environmental project, named Belreefs, aims to turn the wreckage into a biodiversity sanctuary. Flat oysters form reefs that purify water and that other sea animals, from fish to algae, use as breeding and feeding grounds, explained engineer Vicky Stratigaki. The 1906 wreckage, located about 20 miles off the coastal city of Ostend, was selected to house the pilot as fishing and other disruptive activities are banned around it. The project is the culmination of two years’ work for the Belgian government.
Molluscs have mostly disappeared from the North Sea due to human activity, including overfishing.
Now, a Belgian project is trying to reintroduce it in a move scientists believe will help boost other marine species.
“We have to bring them back because they are essential elements in our marine ecosystems,” Vicky Stratigaki, an engineer working on the restoration project, told AFP.
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In mid-July, a load of 200,000 oyster larvae attached to biodegradable materials was deposited about 100 feet under the sea in the ship’s hull.
The environmental project, named Belreefs, aims to turn the wreckage into a biodiversity sanctuary.
Flat oysters form reefs that purify water and that other sea animals, from fish to algae, use as breeding and feeding grounds, explained Stratigaki.
“There is a lot of predation in the sea, it’s a wild environment,” she said, with about 30,000 of the oyster larvae expected to survive their first year at sea. “Then they will start reproducing, extending the reef and also supporting the biodiversity of the reef.”
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The laying of the oyster stash is the culmination of two years’ work for the Belgian government project, which is supported by European Union funding.
“Until around the 1850s, the North Sea and the European waters were full of these oyster reefs,” Stratigaki explained.
Then overfishing, the spreading of an imported parasite called Bonamia and “climatic adverse effects” caused them to disappear, she said.
The 1906 wreckage, located about 20 miles off the coastal city of Ostend, was selected to house the pilot as fishing and other disruptive activities are banned around it.
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“In Belgium every wreck that is for more than one hundred years on the sea bottom gets protected automatically as cultural heritage, because it’s nice for divers to go there,” said Merel Oeyen, a marine environment expert at the Belgian ministry of health. “It’s also a hot spot for biodiversity.”
A 2023 paper published in BioScience found that shipwrecks provide important ecological resources for a wide variety of organisms, from tiny microbes to large marine creatures.
“Small fish and mobile crustaceans often find shelter in the crevices of the sunken material, and larger baitfish and predators use shipwrecks as feeding grounds and rest stops as they swim from one place to another,” according to NOAA, which helped conduct the study.
However, scientists also warned shipwreck can also cause damage to existing marine life in the area, or carry harmful cargo, such as oil.
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Still, the study’s author, Avery Paxton, said shipwrecks can have “second lives” as homes to a variety of marine life.
“A ship’s transformation from an in-service vessel into a thriving metropolis for marine life has a fairy-tale quality to it,” Paxton said in an article published by the Washington Post after the study was released.
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Hold on to your fans: Fall in Oklahoma could be warmer this year
Long-range forecast from the Old Farmer’s Almanac says fall will begin warmer than usual in September. The average temperature that month is forecast to be 69 degrees in the region, which is one degree above normal. Oklahoma is expected to receive below-average rainfall throughout the fall months.
But according to a long-range forecast from the Old Farmer’s Almanac, autumn will be warmer than usual. Sorry.
Summer heat lingers in fall forecast
The publication reported that fall will begin warmer than usual in September. The average temperature that month is forecast to be 69 degrees in the region, which is one degree above normal.
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After several rounds of heavy rainfall and flooding experienced this summer, Oklahoma is expected to receive below-average rainfall throughout the fall months.
The almanac says Oklahomans should expect most days to be sunny, with brief cool spells and a chance for light storms.
Cooldown begins in October
Finally in October, average temperatures should return to normal. Meteorologists at the Old Farmer’s Almanac, however, expect some warm temperatures to bookend the month with a cold snap in the middle.
Rainfall should be average, the almanac said on its website.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: Farmer’s Almanac expects hot Oklahoma weather through September
Scientists discover promising new method to remove invisible threat from drinking water: ‘There is a growing need’
Scientists have identified a promising all-natural way to remove dangerous microplastics from water. They compared two natural powder coagulants — derived from the seeds of the clearing nut tree and chickpeas — with the synthetic coagULant alum. The natural solutions performed better when it came to smaller polyamide microplastic under 500 micrometers, removing up to 95.81% of them. Meanwhile, alum did better with largermicroplastics. The study adds to a growing body of research that explores methods for removing these tiny plastics from water; one group found that it’s possible to remove them using modified egg whites.
The team, which published its findings in Frontiers in Environmental Science, compared two natural powder coagulants — derived from the seeds of the clearing nut tree and chickpeas — with the synthetic coagulant alum.
It found that the natural solutions performed better when it came to smaller polyamide microplastics under 500 micrometers, removing up to 95.81% of them. Meanwhile, alum did better with larger microplastics.
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Going one step further to test real-world applicability, the scientists tried the same coagulants on locally collected lake water. The clearing nut tree’s powder maintained high removal efficiencies of over 90% for microplastics under 500 micrometers, outperforming alum. This natural substance also gained an advantage over the alum when it came to larger plastics. However, the chickpeas’ efficiency dropped to moderate, removing up to 83.49% of the smaller microplastics and up to 85.26% of the larger ones, which was slightly lower than alum.
While research is still emerging, studies have tied microplastic exposure to a number of health problems, including dementia, cancer, and impaired blood flow in the brain. In addition to water, humans can take in microplastics through food and inhalation.
This new study adds to a growing body of research that explores methods for removing these tiny plastics from water. For instance, one group of scientists found that it’s possible to remove most microplastics from water using modified egg whites.
Microplastics are often the result of large plastics breaking down, so it’s also important that we stop them at the source. You can help by avoiding single-use plastics whenever possible. Invest in a reusable water bottle, bring a reusable shopping bag to the market, and bring to-go containers to restaurants.
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Meanwhile, the authors of the new study advocated for further investigation into natural coagulants for microplastics removal, as they noted that the use of synthetic coagulants is associated with issues such as residual toxicity, increased operational costs, environmental persistence, and potential health risks due to excessive aluminum levels in water.
“There is a growing need to explore alternative, sustainable, and eco-friendly approaches for the removal of microplastics from water, including the utilization of natural coagulants and innovative treatment technologies,” they concluded. “Plant-derived materials, particularly seeds from select plant species, have emerged as promising and eco-friendly alternatives for water and wastewater treatment applications.”
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Here’s where road construction is going on in Sioux Falls this week
A number of projects are in new phases of their construction, and several more have begun as July continues on.ADA improvements on 41st Street and Minnesota Avenue will include work on accessible sidewalks as well as driveway restorations and concrete curb and gutter repairs. A $45 million project to extend part of the city’s sewer system has currently closed parts of West Madison and 264th streets and is expected to continue into 2026. The $2.8 million 12th Street Overlay from Ellis Road to Marion Road will close lanes and intersections as it progresses to its Nov. 14 completion date. South Cliff Avenue and I-229 Interchange work is one of the longest currently planned in the city, with a completion date currently set for June 25, 2027. The work has closed Cliff Avenue from just north of the northbound on and off ramps to 38th Street. The construction of South Veterans Parkway from Cliff to Sycamore avenues is currently underway, closing Southeastern and Sycamores avenues near the future intersections.
A number of projects are in new phases of their construction, and several more have begun as July continues on.
ADA improvements on 41st Street and Minnesota Avenue
The multiphase project, which has no listed completion date, will include work on accessible sidewalks as well as driveway restorations and concrete curb and gutter repairs on 41st Street between Western and Westport avenues, and on Minnesota Avenue between 11th and 18th streets.
A road closed sign is shown on the street on Thursday, July 3, 2025 along 28th Street in Sioux Falls.
Lane closures are expected during the work on 41st Street, including the outside southbound lane of Minnesota Avenue starting on July 7.
Traffic signal improvements on Cliff Avenue and 17th Street
This $311,647 project may occasionally close lanes and sidewalks while work is underway. Completion is expected on Dec. 5.
Basin 15 Sanitary Sewer
The $45 million project to extend part of the city’s sewer system has currently closed parts of West Madison and 264th streets. Construction is expected to continue into 2026.
12th Street Overlay from Ellis Road to Marion Road
The $2.8 million project began on July 7 and is expected to be done on Sept. 12. One lane of traffic will be open at all times during the construction.
12th Street connection to Lewis and Clark Water System
This $2.7 million project will close lanes and occasionally intersections as it progresses to its Nov. 14 completion date as a water main is installed under the street.
South Cliff Avenue Concrete Rehab
Construction is ongoing as concrete is replaced on Cliff Avenue between the Big Sioux River Bridge and Tomar Road. The $2 million project currently is set to complete Aug. 15, with traffic remaining open in both directions despite lane closures.
Cliff and I-229 Interchange
Construction works near Lincoln High School on the road and highway on Thursday, July 3, 2025, along South Cliff Avenue in Sioux Falls.
This interchange work is one of the longest currently planned in the city, with a completion date currently set for June 25, 2027. The $49 million project will see significant changes, including bridge replacement, a new entrance for Lincoln High School and pedestrian tunnels. The work has closed Cliff Avenue from just north of the northbound on and off ramps to 38th Street.
South Veterans Parkway
Construction of South Veterans Parkway from Cliff to Sycamore avenues is currently underway, closing Southeastern and Sycamore avenues near the future intersections. Other ongoing work has begun near Bison Trail and Southeastern Avenue and is expected to be complete before school resumes, with broader construction work expected through 2026. The cost of the segment is estimated at $64.2 million.
Pump Station 240
Two different sections of sanitary sewer force main are being constructed through across two projects, which also involves grading and surfacing 57th Street east of Six Mile Road. Combined, the projects cost $34 million and are expected to be complete Nov. 19.
Cars merge into one lane while construction is in progress on Thursday, July 3, 2025, along Minnesota Avenue in Sioux Falls.
Veterans Concrete Restoration and Joint Reseal
This $528,000 project has currently closed the outside lanes of Veterans Parkway from Arrowhead Parkway to 26th Street, with construction expected to finish Nov. 14.
Arrowhead Parkway and Veterans Parkway
This $39.2 million project will keep Arrowhead Parkway closed east of Veterans Parkway for all of the 2025 construction season, with work expected to continue until May 14, 2027.
Active street closures
Arrowhead Parkway between East 10th Street and Veterans Parkway, March 26 through most of 2025.
South Big Stone Avenue north of West Windmill Ridge Street, July 14 to July 21
West Broek Drive between Ronsiek Avenue and Lancaster Drive, July 21 to July 28
West 56th Street between South Sertoma Avenue and South Plateau Trail, July 16 to July 23
South Roberts Drive on the south side of 15th Street, July 21 to July 28
North Walts Avenue between Brookings Street and Madison Street, July 16 to July 30
North loop ramps of the I-90/I-29 interchange, July 10 to Aug. 15
Southbound on- and off-ramps at exit 4 of I-229 near 41st Street
East 41st Street from east of South Carter Place to South Cliff Avenue, April 14 to August
Cliff Avenue from north of I-229 exit ramps to 38th Street, May 27 to August
South Southeastern Avenue between Bison Trail to 85th Street, no reopening date listed.
Sycamore Avenue between 69th to 85th streets, no reopening date listed.
East 26th Street between Veterans Parkway and Six Mile Road, July 7 to August
This article originally appeared on Sioux Falls Argus Leader: Here’s where road construction is going on in Sioux Falls this week
Cincinnati weather: Storms, scorching temps for Cincinnati Music Festival
The National Weather Service in Wilmington says there will be a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 a.m. July 21. The Queen City will look to dry up as heat begins to build during the middle of the week. However, the chances of rain and thunderstorm return on Friday and persist until Sunday. The dog days of summer are in full swing, with temperatures reaching the lower to mid-90s by the end of this week. The chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.
Things will look to dry up starting Monday night, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington. The NWS stated there will be a chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 a.m. July 21, followed by a chance of showers and storms after noon. The Queen City will look to dry up as heat begins to build during the middle of the week.
The dog days of summer are in full swing, as the rest of the week returns to normal with temperatures reaching the lower to mid-90s. However, the chances of rain and thunderstorms return on Friday and persist until Sunday.
Cincinnati 7-day detailed forecast
Monday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms before 11 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after noon. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Calm wind becoming northeast around 6 mph in the afternoon. The chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts are possible in thunderstorms.
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Monday night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 63. Northeast wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday: Sunny, with a high near 88. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Tuesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 65. Light east wind.
Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 93. Calm wind.
Wednesday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 72.
Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 95.
Thursday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 74.
Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. The chance of precipitation is 50%.
Friday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 74. The chance of precipitation is 50%.
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Saturday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. The chance of precipitation is 70%.
Saturday night: Showers and thunderstorms are likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. The chance of precipitation is 60%.
Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. The chance of precipitation is 50%.
Fans wait as a weather delay of the MLB game between Cincinnati Reds and Minnesota Twins at Great American Ball Park in Cincinnati on Wednesday, June 18, 2025.
Source: National Weather Service, Wilmington.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati weather: Storms, high temps persist throughout the week