Steam and debris erupt again at Yellowstone thermal pool, webcam shows
According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the eruption occurred at 8:39 p.m. local time on Saturday, May 31, at Black Diamond Pool in Biscuit Basin, just north of Old Faithful. It was recorded by a newly installed webcam set up on May 14 to monitor activity at the site.
"It is likely that these small eruptions are a result of the hydrothermal plumbing system for the pool adjusting after the major disruption of the larger explosion last summer," USGS Scientist-in-Charge Michael Poland told USA TODAY.
Hydrothermal explosions occur when superheated water rapidly turns to steam underground, triggering sudden bursts of steam, rock and debris.
The July 2024 explosion at the same pool scattered boulders, destroyed nearby infrastructure and altered the shape of the pool itself. No injuries were reported.
As of June 3, the parking lot and boardwalk at Biscuit Basin remain closed due to continued risk of hydrothermal activity.
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USA Today
14 minutes ago
- USA Today
From electric grids to powering gadgets, sodium-ion batteries hold promise
On a special episode (first released on August 14, 2025) of The Excerpt podcast: Many of today's gadgets are powered by lithium-ion batteries, but that could be changing. Shirley Meng, a University of Chicago professor and materials scientist, joins USA TODAY's The Excerpt to dig into the potential of sodium-ion batteries. Hit play on the player below to hear the podcast and follow along with the transcript beneath it. This transcript was automatically generated, and then edited for clarity in its current form. There may be some differences between the audio and the text. Dana Taylor: Hello, I'm Dana Taylor, and this is a special episode of USA. Today's The Excerpt. From laptops to electric cars. Lithium-ion batteries are in so many of the products we use every day. It's hard to imagine there's an alternative, but a half century ago sodium-ion batteries were also on the table as an option today with metals like lithium are harder and more expensive to source, electronics firms are taking another look at sodium-ion to power our modern devices with greater availability, lower manufacturing costs, and more stable chemistry. Could sodium-ion batteries be the key to powering our future? To answer these questions more, I'm now joined by Shirley Meng, a University of Chicago professor and material scientists who studied sodium-ion batteries. Thanks for joining us on The Excerpt, Shirley. Shirley Meng: Pleasure to be here. Dana Taylor: Let's talk about sodium-ion versus lithium-ion batteries. What are the advantages and disadvantages of each? Shirley Meng: So imagine that the working ions is the bigger ions. So many people think the bigger ions will be slower, meaning when you charge, discharge the battery, the ions move at a slower speed. But that's the wrong assumption. Actually, scientifically, we have proven that sodium-ions can actually move very, very quickly between the negative and the positive electrodes. So one of the major advantages that sodium-ions provide is that the device tend to be more power and actually enabling more fast charging capability. So we are actually very excited about the physical properties of the sodium-ion. And the second very important consequences of the physical properties of the sodium-ion is that you can enable lower temperature operation. So I'm from Chicago. Sometimes Chicago's weather can be a little bit of problematic for lithium-ion batteries. Actually, sodium-ion can provide a solution for the lower temperature operation because the high reactivity of sodium-ion, they tends to perform very well at lower temperature. So these are just a couple examples of sodium-ion's advantages. I can go on and on for another 20 minutes, but let's talk a little bit about sodium-ion's disadvantage. So the voltage in the past, so in a battery, the electrochemical potential between, sorry I used the jargon, but basically the voltage between the positive and the negative electrodes in the sodium-ion batteries in the past has tends to be lower than that of the lithium-ion battery. So a lot of the transistors or a lot of the mobile devices, very difficult to build up the voltage to operate. However, we have solved this problem. Actually the varieties in sodium chemistry that allow the sodium-ion batteries to operate near four volt, just like lithium-ion has been invented. So I think although it's a nascent technology, it's still new. So of course we fell behind in terms of economy of scale. So the cost for sodium-ion batteries, even though eventually it will reach to a lower price. However, at the moment, sodium-ion cannot compete with lithium-ion for the cost. This is one of the major challenges all of us are facing. Because of the cost that cannot compete. So general public still cannot access the low-cost of sodium-ion batteries at this moment. So we are hoping some smart investors could see the potential of the sodium-ion batteries and really not thinking about sodium-ion batteries here to replace lithium-ion. Lithium-ion batteries are not replaceable. It will continue to be with us for the decades to come and power many of the important electronic devices around us. But sodium-ion batteries can provide additional values to our society. So I think we will see sodium-ion battery as a very good complement to the lithium-ion batteries. Dana Taylor: With regards to environmental impact, do sodium-ion batteries have an edge over lithium-ion? Shirley Meng: So this is a very good question, and it really deserves some explanations here. I think that the first thing I would really emphasize is that all batteries, lithium-ion or sodium-ion batteries are not renewables. So batteries are made with chemical elements. So we start from mining these elements from the ground, from sodium brine or lithium brine that we have to extract those elements. And inside a device, we also have transition metals like iron, manganese, cobalt, nickel. Although in the sodium-ion batteries, the chemistry we invented can completely eliminate cobalt and nickel, like what we need in lithium-ion batteries, a lot of nickel, a lot of cobalt were used. But in sodium-ion batteries, we have the options not to using those elements. One more thing is sodium-ion batteries also do not use copper as the current collector. Copper is actually a very important current collector. Basically it's a component to allow the electrons to flow, but in the sodium-ion batteries we can just use the cheap aluminum. So in principle, yes, sodium-ion batteries has the potential to have lower environmental impact because we don't use what we call the critical elements like lithium, cobalt, nickel, copper. But in the bigger picture, all of us have to recognize that any batteries we have to mine elements, we have to do manufacturing, we have to do the recycling. So I think when we talk about the true environmental impact of battery device, we need to think about how we can ensure the circularity of battery materials. So until the scientists like us or engineers like us figure out the ultimate way to recycle a hundred percent all the materials in the batteries, I think we still have a lot of work to do to ensure the environmental minimum impact of environment for sodium ion batteries. Dana Taylor: The US is lagging behind China in the manufacture and development of sodium ion technology. Why is that and what would it take for the US to catch up? Shirley Meng: I would share some of my personal experience from year 2000. That's the year when I started doing my PhD in lithium ion batteries. Japan just commercialized lithium ion battery in 1992. So a few years later, every country, every continent started looking at this lithium ion battery manufacturing production. And at that time, I would say that based my own observation, I think a lot of companies in the western Hemisphere decided not to go after the manufacturing because of the low profit margin and the failure to recognize what batteries can empower, what batteries can enable. So let me be very clear, I think sodium ion battery manufacturing will follow similar pathway as lithium ion batteries. So the manufacturing itself is difficult, it's hard, it is low profit margin. However, we must look beyond what the battery itself, the cost. However we should think about what they can enable. For example, lithium ion batteries had the revolution in the mobile devices. Apple would not be successful without lithium ion batteries. And Tesla would not be so successful without lithium ion batteries. So let's imagine what the sodium ion batteries could enable on our modern grid, on our future home. So I really think that we will face the same challenge because the manufacturing as a whole western part of the world have fell behind because the requirement for the supply chain, for the manpower and also profit margin. But let me say this, I think in the attempt to bring manufacturing back to US, I think along the pathway, we are going to see lithium ion batteries coming back to the US for manufacturing. And while we build up the expertise, the know-how of lithium-ion batteries, the manufacturing for sodium-ion batteries will benefit and we will catch up. I certainly hope that many of the companies who are involved in this business competing for price with China is not smart strategies. Throughout the history, I think the US and Europe have always produced the things that people desire and compete at performance, compete at what values we provide for the product. So I think we can focus on that. Then the next generation modern sodium-ion batteries can and will be produced in US in the soil. Dana Taylor: A persistent hurdle for clean energy development here in the US has been how to store it for later use. This applies to both wind and solar power. Meanwhile, China has been using sodium-ion batteries for energy storage systems to create stable power networks. How might that work here in the US and what kind of investment would that take? Shirley Meng: So this question is very difficult to answer. One of the main reasons is that US grid and the China grid are two completely different systems. Actually, China's grid is nationalized, so they have a very uniform rules about how the grid is run. And the US's grids are very fragmented and privatized. So I think the two sides of the coin is on one side, yes, sodium-ion batteries will be able to play a very significant role, just like lithium-ion batteries. If you check the California ISO system, lithium-ion batteries already been playing key critical role in stabilizing the grid. So lithium-ion batteries can do the same. However, penetration of lithium-ion batteries have over the past two decades met many obstacles and still facing a lot of challenges, particularly in the market, like longer duration. Maybe four to eight hours overnight shifts and something like that. So I think that the other side of the coin is really the policy, the incentives that provide to the battery providers that how we can accelerate the implementation of the sodium-ion batteries. And the last missing piece for all of those using batteries for the grid storage is because the battery size is going to be gigantic. We are talking about hundreds of megawatt-hours. So imagine it's like putting tens of thousands of Tesla cars together for storing the grid energy. However, the chemistry has to be really safe, because people driving smaller cars, you can always abandon the car and handle the safety incident. But in the gigantic grid storage device, we must ensure much better safety. And that I think for us is one of the major hurdles. And when we talk about the fragmented US grid, how each of the states, each of the grid system can handle this kind of challenges remains to be a big question for now. Dana Taylor: Politically, the Trump administration has ruled back many of the government funded manufacturing and consumer incentives for electric vehicles. Are there any industrial incentives that might tip the scales toward sodium ion use anyway? Can you talk me through that please? Shirley Meng: Yes. I think for our entire community we are a little bit disappointed with the lack of incentives in the current administration. But as a battery scientist who have worked in this area for 25 years since my PhD time, then I'll tell you this is not the worst time we have experienced. And right now, just as you mentioned, the industry compared to 25 years ago, we have a trillion dollar industry backing us. And we have also, many public opinions are gearing towards people have experienced the electric cars, people have benefited from how much values. Batteries have become so ubiquitous that you don't even pay attention because you use them every day, everywhere. So I would say that I remain optimistic that companies, together with the government agencies, especially the state level governments, we will trailblaze a pathway where the incentives is not the key critical enabler, but the economic benefits, the value added products to the public become the main incentives why we are going for electrification. And as a scientist who work in this area for so long, I would say electrification is unstoppable. It will happen. And the current setback is temporary. And many, many smart people are working in this area. So I'm really quite cautiously optimistic about the future of electrification. Dana Taylor: We appreciate your expertise here, Shirley, thank you so much for being on The Excerpt. Shirley Meng: Pleasure. Dana Taylor: Thanks to our senior producers, Shannon Rae Green and Kaely Monahan for their production assistance, our executive producers Laura Beatty. Let us know what you think of this episode by sending a note to podcasts@ Thanks for listening. I'm Dana Taylor. Taylor Wilson will be back tomorrow morning with another episode of USA TODAY's The Excerpt.
Yahoo
an hour ago
- Yahoo
Here's what caused the swarm of 1,350 earthquakes at WA's Mount Rainier
The Brief More than 1,350 earthquakes hit Mount Rainier between July and August. A swarm of earthquakes near a volcano can happen for several reasons. A team of scientists collected data from Rainier to determine potential hazards. MOUNT RAINIER NATIONAL PARK, Wash. - A recent swarm of more than 1,350 small earthquakes near Mount Rainier raised alarms across the Pacific Northwest this summer, but according to new findings from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), there's no sign the volcano is waking up – at least not in the way people might fear. Why you should care Researchers from the USGS Cascades Volcano Observatory say earthquakes near a volcano can be caused by several different factors, and identifying the source helps scientists prepare for potential hazards. To find out what triggered this summer's swarm, a team of USGS gas specialists partnered with the National Park Service for a helicopter flight over the volcano's summit. Equipped with sensitive gas detection tools, they took measurements near small steam vents, called fumaroles, located in the east and west summit craters. What they're saying "Volcanic gas sampling can help reveal the cause of earthquakes in a volcanic system, much like how blood tests help a doctor figure out what's causing a patient's symptoms," wrote the USGS. What they found suggests the quakes were likely linked to hydrothermal activity, a process where underground water is heated by the volcano and begins to circulate. While that might sound alarming, scientists say this is a common feature of active volcanoes like Rainier. The gas sensors detected small amounts of water vapor and carbon dioxide, but no traces of sulfur-based gases such as sulfur dioxide or hydrogen sulfide. These sulfur gases tend to appear when fresh magma is rising toward the surface. The absence of those gases suggests no new magma is currently on the move. So why were there so many earthquakes? The findings indicate the shaking was not caused by rising magma or an impending eruption, but likely by shifts in the volcano's shallow hydrothermal system. "The gas measurements indicate that despite over 1,350 small earthquakes happening at Rainier in July and August, the volcano's gas output has not changed much," wrote the USGS. What does this mean for Mount Rainier's current activity? Big picture view These results confirm that while Mount Rainier is still very much alive, its recent burst of seismic activity doesn't indicate anything out of the ordinary for an active volcano with an existing hydrothermal system. The Source Information in this story comes from the United States Geological Survey (USGS). MORE NEWS FROM FOX 13 SEATTLE Travis Decker WA manhunt reveals new forensic evidence amid zero leads Closures of Fred Meyer in Tacoma, WA impacting 200 employees, creates 'food desert' WA troopers make 2 arrests using plane to track down driver, motorcyclist In-N-Out Burger opens in Ridgefield, WA this week Special Forces vet exposes tactics of Montana, Washington state survivalists: 'Can't stay hidden forever' This is the best community college in WA, report says Reptile Zoo to close in Monroe after 30 years To get the best local news, weather and sports in Seattle for free, sign up for the daily FOX Seattle Newsletter. Download the free FOX LOCAL app for mobile in the Apple App Store or Google Play Store for live Seattle news, top stories, weather updates and more local and national news. Solve the daily Crossword
USA Today
5 hours ago
- USA Today
National map battle
Good morning!🙋🏼♀️ I'm Nicole Fallert. "Can't even outdress my Labubu." Texas Republicans approve Trump-backed congressional map A new Texas state congressional map heads to the state Senate after the House passed the measure intended to flip five Democratic-held U.S. House seats up for grabs in the 2026 elections. Why this matters: This is a rare mid-decade redistricting to help President Donald Trump improve the GOP's odds of holding a narrow U.S. House of Representatives majority. Dozens of Democratic lawmakers temporarily delayed the bill's passage by staging a two-week walkout. What's causing a deadly outbreak in NYC? Civil rights attorney Ben Crump has filed lawsuits against two construction companies over what he called a "completely preventable" outbreak of Legionnaires' disease that has killed five people and sickened more than 100 others in New York City. An outbreak of the disease, which began July 25, has been clustered across five ZIP codes in Central Harlem. The city health department said the outbreak is linked to cooling towers, heat exchangers that use fans and water to cool down buildings. Construction companies and the city are accused of negligence when the towers filled with storm waters that bred bacteria. More news to know now What's the weather today? Check your local forecast here. Outer Banks brace for Hurricane Erin Hurricane Erin's higher tides and big waves are battering much of the East Coast. Beachfront property owners are bracing Thursday for the worst amid predictions of a storm surge of up to 4 feet and significant coastal erosion. Powerful waves of 15 to 20 feet are expected to slam beaches, especially in North Carolina, for 48 hours or more as the hurricane crawls northward offshore through at least Thursday. Late yesterday, the National Weather Service said about 7.7 million people were under coastal flood warnings and nearly 32 million were under coastal flood advisories along the East Coast. Erin is expected to stay hundreds of miles offshore, but impacts are forecast to worsen as it makes its closest approach to the U.S. mainland. Painting the southern border wall black The Trump administration is painting the U.S.-Mexico border fence black to make the steel so hot migrants won't climb it. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem unveiled the plans Wednesday in Santa Teresa, New Mexico, while workers ran paint rollers up the steel bollards behind her. When asked about the possibility that critics might call the heat-inducing paint job cruel, Noem said: "Don't touch it." As USA TODAY has previously reported, hundreds of miles of 30-foot barrier at the border already pose a deadly threat to migrants who attempt to scale the fence. El Paso Times, part of the USA TODAY Network, captured these photos of the steel border wall painted black. Today's talkers 🏈 Path to Playoff: Sign up here for USA TODAY's new college football newsletter. Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori are doubles trouble The U.S. Open mixed doubles competition, largely an afterthought in the past, debuted a revamped format this week and energized crowds at Arthur Ashe Stadium in New York. In part, that's thanks to a star-studded, 16-team field that included names like Novak Djokovic, Emma Raducanu and Carlos Alcaraz. Not to mention some riveting tennis: In the final Wednesday night, defending champions Sara Errani and Andrea Vavassori outlasted Iga Swiatek and Casper Ruud 6-3, 5-7, 10-6. The Italian duo proved mixed doubles players can hold their ground against the world's best singles players. See photos of the biggest stars in the reimagined mixed doubles competition. Photo of the day: Goal for Gotham! Defending champion Gotham FC kicked off the 2025-26 Concacaf W Champions Cup with a 2-1 victory against Monterrey on Wednesday. The winner of the competition will qualify for both the 2027 FIFA Women's Champions Cup and the inaugural FIFA Women's Club World Cup in 2028. Follow with Studio IX, USA TODAY's women's sports hub. Nicole Fallert is a newsletter writer at USA TODAY, sign up for the email here. Want to send Nicole a note? Shoot her an email at NFallert@
