Data capturing hot spots and burned acres show Canada wildfire season off to wild start
While images of wildfires capture their ferocity, data can provide insight into how bad a fire season is.
Such is the case with two graphics, powered by satellite data, that showcase a Canadian wildfire season off to a wild — and scary — start.
Twice a day a NASA satellite sends images to the ground, giving a real-time view of where fires are burning. This is especially useful for remote areas where no sensors are stationed.
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Axios
36 minutes ago
- Axios
The White House adviser who fueled the Trump-Musk NASA feud
Shortly after President Trump unexpectedly withdrew Elon Musk 's pick to lead NASA last weekend, one name quickly surfaced as a major force behind the surprise decision: top White House aide Sergio Gor. Why it matters: Trump acknowledged Thursday that canceling Jared Isaacman 's NASA nomination had "upset" Musk, who's close to Isaacman. It was a factor, among many, that led to Thursday's shocking falling out between the president and his one-time "First Buddy," the world's richest person. Musk spent the afternoon flaming Trump on X. It left presidential advisers stunned — and some of them angry at Gor, whose tense relationship with Musk was a backdrop to the controversy. Senate Republicans also blamed Gor for helping undermine the NASA nomination to settle a score with Musk, who had been critical of Gor's management of the White House personnel office. Gor declined to comment. But one senior White House official called Axios on Gor's behalf to praise his "brilliance, hard work and dedication." Zoom in: Gor is one of the most influential Trump advisers in the White House, and co-founded Winning Team Publishing with Donald Trump Jr. The imprint publishes books by Trump and his allies, and put much-needed cash in Trump's pocket during his isolation after the Jan. 6 riot at the Capitol. Gor, a frequent presence at Mar-a-Lago, has a close relationship with former Marvel executive Ike Perlmutter, one of Trump's closest friends and a major donor. Gor was a top fundraising official on Trump's 2020 re-election campaign, and founded a pro-Trump super PAC during the 2024 campaign that spent nearly $72 million. Zoom out: As the man in charge of vetting political appointees, Gor implemented loyalty tests to make sure new hires support Trump's agenda wholeheartedly — and that they haven't given to Democrats. Of all of Trump's picks, Isaacman — a wealthy entrepreneur — stood out for having contributed to Democrats during the last election cycle. Trump cited that Saturday when he withdrew Isaacman's nomination. Trump, however, had been made aware of Isaacman's donations months ago and said nothing. Now, the nation's space agency won't have a chief confirmed by the Senate for at least nine months, officials say. Flashback: Musk and Gor had a tense relationship that surfaced in March during a heated Cabinet meeting in which Musk got into an argument with Secretary of State Marco Rubio, The New York Times reported at the time. Gor wasn't mentioned in the Times story, a conspicuous absence in the eyes of two senior administration officials who say Gor resented Musk's involvement in personnel matters. "Sergio let it be known he didn't like Musk's attitude ... and he didn't like getting called out [by Musk] in front of the Cabinet," said one White House official who attended the meeting. The intrigue: In a Wednesday discussion on the "All-In Podcast," Isaacman said he believes his fate was linked to Musk's deteriorating standing in the White House and "an influential adviser coming in and saying [to Trump]: 'Look, here's the facts and I think we should kill this guy.''' "It's crazy," a Trump adviser involved in the NASA director process said. "Isaacman is eminently qualified. He's a billionaire. He has been to space. He was a Democrat — exactly the type of voter we want. And now look at it." Gor has told others he wasn't responsible — and that GOP senators were, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, chair of the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, which oversees NASA. Advisers in several GOP Senate offices involved in the nomination, including Cruz's, say they didn't know of any senators or staffers who opposed Isaacman. Cruz, indeed, raised objections in December, when Musk persuaded Trump to nominate Isaacman to lead NASA. Cruz raised two issues then: Isaacman had contributed to Democrats opposing GOP senators Tim Sheehy of Montana and Bernie Moreno of Ohio last year. Isaacman, like Musk, wants NASA to focus on colonizing Mars, but Cruz is focused on moon exploration. The Texas senator wants to compete with the Chinese space efforts there — and keep the Johnson Space Center in Houston operational as mission control for the Artemis program. Behind the scenes: Musk called Cruz when he heard of his objections. Isaacman then promised he would prioritize Artemis. Sheehy and Moreno said they had no problems with Isaacman. Cruz held a confirmation hearing on April 30 for Isaacman, whose nomination was approved by the committee 19-9. Three Senate sources and two White House insiders said they expected Isaacman to get 70 or 80 votes on the Senate floor, a rarity in the closely divided chamber. "I thought we were going to confirm him this week," Cruz told Axios. Asked if he had any input in scuttling Isaacman's confirmation, Cruz said: "That's not accurate." Meanwhile, Gor"spun up the president by just constantly mentioning the donations," a Trump adviser said. On May 30, before a joint press conference with Musk to announce his departure from the White House — which appeared amicable at the time — Gor dropped off a background file on Isaacman with Trump at the Oval Office. Musk later entered the room and Trump asked him about Isaacman. "This guy gave to Democrats," Trump said to Musk, according to a person familiar with the meeting. "It's not like Elon really defended him. He said, 'He's really competent. But yeah, he gave to Democrats,'" the source said.
Medscape
40 minutes ago
- Medscape
Music Strikes a Chord for Brain Health
Music's influence on the brain is documented in conditions ranging from dementia, to epilepsy. Both music participation and appreciation are tied to improvements in executive function and memory so how close are we to harnessing music as a targeted therapeutic tool. One researcher at the forefront of this work is Edward Large, PhD, a professor at the University of Connecticut in Storrs, Connecticut, and director of its Music Dynamics Laboratory. He told Medscape Medical News that he is optimistic about research suggesting that music can help, 'not just with depression and anxiety but with more profound neurological and psychological disorders.' However, he added that music's benefits aren't yet fully understood. Robert Zatorre, PhD, founding co-director of the International Laboratory for Brain, Music, and Sound Research in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, cautions against overstating its therapeutic power. 'Music is not a magic pill; it's not a panacea; it doesn't cure everything,' said Zatorre who is also a professor at the Montreal Neurological Institute at McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Instead, it's important to define under what circumstances music could be beneficial and in what ways. 'And that's where the research is right now' he said. Robert Zatorre, PhD One challenge is music's deeply personal nature — what resonates with one person may leave another unmoved. Variables such as culture, age, personal history, social context, and even the nature of the neurological condition can influence how someone will respond to music-based interventions, said Zatorre. Brain Rhythms and Memory Large, a former president of the Society for Music Perception and Cognition and a musician himself, believes that one of the most important messages from research is the effect that music has on the rhythm of the brain. Brain rhythms or waves, also known as neural oscillations, are patterns of brain activity associated with various cognitive processes and behaviors. In healthy brains, slow theta waves (4-8 Hz) and fast gamma waves (30-100 Hz) work together (coupling) to encode and retrieve new memories. Alzheimer's disease (AD) is characterized by disruptions in gamma waves and atypical cross-frequency coupling. Edward Large, PhD 'Music is really the most powerful stimulus we have for synchronizing brain rhythms,' said Large. His group is testing whether stimulating synchrony in the gamma frequency can help treat AD. 'That's the frequency at which neurons in the hippocampus synchronize when they're retrieving a memory', he said. Noninvasive, gamma-frequency, auditory-visual stimulation has been shown to improve AD-related biomarkers and memory in animal models. Large is CEO of Oscillo Biosciences which is developing music based interventions for humans. He explained how such interventions might work: The individual listens to self-selected music and watches a rhythmic light stimulus that is synchronized to the music as their brain waves are monitored via electroencephalography. The light show works in concert with the music to stimulate theta and gamma neural rhythms and phase-amplitude coupling (See photo). It takes both the music and the synchronized light to have a similar effect to that seen for transcranial alternating-current stimulation, he said. An early test of Oscillo Biosciences' music-based intervention for AD Parkinson's Disease (PD) In addition to its potential memory boosting, music can help improve motor control. A music app was shown to improve gait and mood in patients with PD. Daniel J. Levitin, PhD, a neuroscientist and professor emeritus of psychology at McGill University noted in a recent interview with CBC Radio, that music's steady beat can act as 'an external timekeeper' for patients with PD, helping them to walk better because of the auditory stimulation. For multiple sclerosis (MS), Levitin said that music can activate non-demyelinated circuits in order to help with motor control. He echoed Zatorre's view that while the idea of a music prescription is appealing, what works best for a patient seems to be highly individualized. 'It's not like there is a single healing song or a list of healing songs,' he said in the interview. Instead, brain scans show that different types of songs can produce 'almost identical' brain activity in the limbic system, which is closely involved in experiencing pleasure, Levitin added. The Pleasure Principle The pleasure that music brings may be the source of its positive effects. 'I'm convinced that a lot of the benefits of these musical interventions act via the reward system,' said Zatorre who has conducted several related studies and authored a chapter on ' Musical Enjoyment and the Reward Circuits of the Brain ' for a book on Music and Mind edited by opera singer Renée Fleming. By engaging the reward system 'it has knock-on effects on a lot of behaviors and cognitions, including social cognition and memory and language,' he said. Zatorre theorized that music heard by a patient with a memory disorder will activate the reward pathway and simultaneously enhance the retrieval of certain memories. 'That's something that has been observed anecdotally in many patients with neurodegenerative disorders,' he said. There is evidence that the connectivity of the auditory and reward systems is preserved in people with mild cognitive impairment and early AD opening up a potential pathway for early treatment. 'I'm not sure we're there yet. But it's something that people are excited about,' said Zatorre. Familiar music tends to elicit a greater neural response, especially in older people, because once we reach a certain age, we know what we like and sticking to that brings enjoyment, which is linked to dopamine, explained Zatorre. The reward system is highly reactive in younger people. 'We not only fall in love with people [more easily] at that age, we fall in love with all sorts of things and places and movies and music. And that tends to stay with us,' Zatorre said. Large is currently conducting a functional MRI study in patients with AD that compares music that is self-selected and 'meaningful' to the participants with music that is merely familiar. The meaningful music activates important parts of the brain such as the auditory cortex, hippocampus, and reward centers more than the familiar music, he reported. 'So if you're trying to have an impact on your brain, I think you should listen to the music that you love.' Sing Like There's Nobody Listening? A number of recent studies have suggested that physically participating in music may be even better for the brain than passively listening (Figure). In a large nested study published last year, playing a musical instrument was linked to better executive function in older adults, with stronger links for woodwind instruments. Keyboard playing was associated with better working memory compared to not playing any instrument. This study did not show any significant associations between listening to music and cognitive performance but singing was associated with better executive function. Group singing may be particularly beneficial. A Finnish study tied singing in a choir to enhanced brain-structure connectivity across the lifespan of participants with no neurologic diagnoses at baseline. Another recent study in 50 patients with chronic aphasia after stroke found that those assigned to participate in weekly sessions of group singing had improved communication and responsive speech production 5 months later compared to those who received standard of care. 'It has to do with the vocal motor control, the ability to control your larynx and your breathing and your articulators, as well as the vocalization that singing requires as opposed to speaking,' said Zatorre, who was not involved with the research. He added that the social aspect of the intervention is also important, especially the 'singing together with other people who are suffering the same difficulties as you.' Hope for the Tone Deaf But what about people with congenital amusia ie, the tone deaf? Zatorre noted that about 50% of people who are tone deaf have perfect rhythm. 'They may not have the pitch correct, but they still are on time. So they can clap, or tap, or march, or dance, along to the beat,' he said. While many may think they are tone deaf, it's estimated that only 1.5%of the general population have true congenital amusia and even fewer also have no rhythm. 'They may not enjoy the music itself but could enjoy the more social aspects of it. It's enjoying bonding with others, even if you're singing off-key,' said Zatorre. He pointed out that patients with aphasia usually don't sing very well, 'but that's not the point.' Instead, the goal is improved outcome, he added. As the saying goes 'sing like there's nobody listening.' Music As Preventive Medicine? Could music be used as a preventive intervention to stave off, say, dementia in younger at-risk individuals? 'I think the answer is [that] we don't really know,' Large said. Although there are still questions about whether amyloid beta (Aβ) plaques are a cause or a symptom of AD, it's been shown that there is a desynchrony of rhythms in the gamma frequency band before a buildup of Aβ plaques occurs, he explained. 'I think that offers some hope that these rhythm-based therapies might have a preventive impact,' said Large. Zatorre acknowledged that research on music as a preventive intervention is 'quite scarce,' but noted that adding music can still improve quality of life. 'Music is an important art form that almost all people are sensitive to. If you're having a better quality of life, that will enhance everything. Even if it doesn't prevent the formation of plaques in your brain, you will still have a happier existence. And then if you do develop any type of degenerative disorder, you'll have more tools in your toolbox to help you cope,' he said. However, Zatorre noted that the same could be said for cooking or exercise or anything else that gives pleasure to an individual. 'I worry that music may have been a bit oversold to people, especially from those who are promoting a website or some type of self-help product. So I think caution is in order,' he said.
Politico
an hour ago
- Politico
Moon over Musk
Presented by The Spotlight The alliance between Donald Trump and Elon Musk — to borrow a phrase from the space community — has undergone a rapid unscheduled disassembly. Yet amid all the fireworks Thursday from the duo's public meltdown, one area of the space world seems to have a brighter future: the moon mission. Context: Musk, the SpaceX founder and well-known Mars enthusiast, has argued against returning astronauts to the lunar surface. But the stunning forced exit of the billionaire's hand-picked nominee for the top NASA job and Musk's massive rupture with the president has handed moon backers in Congress and industry an opening — and they're seizing it. What's happening, Part I: A ton of major space companies — just not SpaceX — are launching an ad campaign going big on the moon, according to two industry officials granted anonymity to discuss the effort. The move is the first sign of real pushback against the behemoth space company and its founder, who only days ago seemed to lock down government contracts every time he blinked. A television ad funded by the companies, who do not go by an umbrella name, will appear on television in the coming days with a pitch clearly aimed at Trump. A narrator, underlaid by dramatic images of America's Apollo missions, implores voters to call senators in support of the moon mission and 'keep America first in space.' A separate letter addressed to the Senate Commerce Committee and obtained by POLITICO backs investments in the moon, and is signed by a lengthy slate of prominent space companies — but not (you guessed it) SpaceX. What's happening, Part II: The Senate Commerce Committee on Thursday evening unveiled a new reconciliation bill that would channel $10 billion to NASA, much of it for the space agency's effort to return to the moon through the Artemis program. The White House's NASA budget had proposed major cuts to Artemis, including slashing a planned lunar space station and moon missions. 'Anybody who's following space will have noticed how deeply committed [the committee is] to getting back to the moon, particularly before the Chinese get there,' said a committee aide, who was granted anonymity to discuss the bill. SpaceX'd Out: All of this is happening amid Musk's very public fall from grace. Trump, during the social media showdown with his former confidante, threatened to cancel Musk's contracts with the government. The SpaceX founder responded by saying he would end the Dragon spacecraft contract, which is the U.S.'s only reliable way of accessing the International Space Station. (But he also suggested late Thursday night that he might not actually do so.) And of course, Trump last week abruptly pulled the NASA administrator nomination for Musk ally Jared Isaacman, just days ahead of his likely confirmation by the Senate. Isaacman, speaking on a podcast this week, linked his ouster to Musk's provocative departure from the White House. 'I don't think the timing was much of a coincidence,' he said. What next: This all means Congress may now have a stronger hand in negotiations with the White House over the NASA budget, which was written before Musk's break from Trump and heavily favors Mars. The administration's budget proposes major cuts to spending for the moon in favor of nearly $1 billion for landing an astronaut on Mars. SpaceX, thanks to provisions in the bill, was likely to snag a lucrative contract to build the landing system for any red planet mission. That seems much less feasible now. Senators from states with large NASA centers — think Alabama and Louisiana — are particularly keen to latch onto moon funding. Trump has voiced support for a Mars mission, meaning the idea may not have completely faded. But with Musk's implosion and the latest moon push, a return to the lunar surface is on firmer ground than it was just a week ago. WELCOME TO POLITICO PRO SPACE. It's our inaugural edition and a telling time to start. We've seen deep slashes to NASA's budget, the space agency's nominee pulled, and a feud explode between the world's biggest space contractor and the president. We can't wait for next week. Email me at sskove@ with tips, pitches and feedback, and find me on X at @samuelskove. We're offering this newsletter for free over the next few weeks. After that, it will be available only to POLITICO Pro subscribers. Read all about what we're doing here. Galactic Government MAKE A DEAL: Florida Rep. Mike Haridopolos, who chairs the House's subcommittee on space and aeronautics, told me Wednesday that he was against the White House's massive NASA cuts — making him one of the first Republicans to publicly voice opposition. 'Will a 26 percent cut to NASA hold? Absolutely not,' he said. 'We're going to be talking with the president and his team, with OMB about the paramount importance of space.' China: Haridopolos emphasized competition with China as a driving reason not to slash the space agency's funding. The proposed cancellation of Gateway — a lunar space station partnership with the European Space Agency — opens the way for Chinese influence, he said. Sen. Ted Cruz, the Texas Republican who leads the committee that oversees NASA, underscored a remarkably similar message during Isaacman's confirmation hearing. The Florida lawmaker said he was optimistic that the cuts wouldn't come to fruition. Trump 'believes in the space program,' he said. 'He knows that we want there's no second place to space.' TICKET TO RIDE: Sens. John Cornyn, Ben Ray Luján, Rick Scott, and Mark Kelly introduced a bill Thursday that would streamline licensing processes for commercial space companies, opening the way to a boom in rocket launches. The bill, dubbed the Launch Act, would allow the Federal Aviation Administration to eliminate overly bureaucratic steps in the application process. The law would also create a streamlined process for licensing commercial satellites used to observe the Earth. And it would move the Office of Space Commerce from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and place it directly under the Transportation secretary, a move that would elevate the office's access to key decision makers. Why it matters: Companies such as SpaceX have long complained about the slow pace of launch licensing. Streamlining the process could lead to a significant uptick in an already booming schedule. Companies launched 145 U.S. rockets in 2024, up from 109 the previous year. Military SPACE COMMAND: Lawmakers pressed Air Force Secretary Troy Meink on Thursday to keep U.S. Space Command in Colorado as the Trump administration weighs moving the headquarters to Alabama. The Defense Department established the command in 2019 and temporarily placed it in Colorado while the Air Force evaluated permanent sites. Trump chose Alabama as the permanent headquarters but former President Joe Biden reversed that decision and selected Colorado. What he said: Meink, in a House Armed Services Committee hearing, conceded that Space Command would see civilian employees quit if the HQ moved from Colorado to Alabama. 'It would be very important that we manage that move over a period of time, if that occurs,' the Air Force chief said. Rep. Jeff Crank (R-Colo.) called for the Pentagon to resume headquarters construction at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado Springs, calling it the 'most effective' home for Space Command. Context: Officials have paused construction because of a legal requirement to hold off until the Pentagon inspector general and the Government Accountability Office released their reports on the Biden administration's 2023 basing decision. Those reports are out, but Meink said the Air Force is still reviewing the GAO's findings. The Reading Room — Senate Commerce reconciliation bill proposes new space launch fee: POLITICO — Space Force awards BAE $1.2B for missile warning sats in MEO: Breaking Defense — Impulse Space Raises $300M Series C: Payload — Space Force shifts upfront range upgrade costs to commercial firms: Defense News — Some parts of Trump's proposed budget for NASA are literally draconian: Ars Technica Event Horizon TUESDAY: Axiom-4 launches private astronauts to the International Space Station. The Hudson Institute holds a discussio n on defending in outer space with Rep. Jeff Crank. Rep. George Whitesides speaks with SpaceNews on space issues. FRIDAY: The FAA ends public comments on a launch licensing-related issue. Photo of the Week
