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The Hindu
02-08-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
The first undersea voyage to the North Pole
Search for power The concept of underwater transport is deeply embedded in human history. It wasn't until the 17th Century, however, that the first practical submarine was built. And it was only during World War I that submarines became a huge factor in naval warfare. Even in the decades after World War I, the submarines could last underwater for only about 12-48 hours. This practical limitation was due to their power source, something that the U.S. Navy were trying to overcome for years by pursuing alternate sources of energy for their vessels. The news of the atom having been split in 1939 didn't immediately lead to the beginning of the Manhattan Project. The potential of nuclear energy for power generation and explosives, however, didn't go unnoticed and the U.S. Navy began experimenting nuclear-powered propulsion. This was under the aegis of Ross Gunn, a physicist heading the Mechanics and Electricity Division at the Naval Research Lab (NRL). Submarines of the time relied on electric batteries that were charged by diesel-powered generators, thereby requiring resurfacing, fuel, and oxygen. Even if the submarines used fuel cells for propulsion, oxygen remained a limiting factor. Gunn dreamt of a new power source with a uranium core that would heat water to run a steam power plant onboard. Once Gunn's team secured funding, work began to explore ways to separate uranium isotopes. Their work got a fillip once Philip Abelson, a physicist at the Carnegie Institute of Washington, got on board. Abelson pioneered a method of liquid thermal diffusion to separate the isotopes and in his own words 'the facility at the Naval Research Laboratory was the world's most successful separator of uranium isotopes' for a time. Seeing the success that Abelson's method was able to produce, the Manhattan Project – operating in secrecy – were quick to replicate it, building a liquid thermal diffusion plant with 2,142 columns, each 15 m tall, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory – the S-50. The S-50 turned out to be the first feeder plant in a trio of plants that enriched uranium in series for the first atomic bomb that was dropped on August 6, 1945 on Hiroshima, Japan. Gunn's contribution was recognised and he urged the Navy in 1946 to send people to learn about nuclear energy from scientists who were involved with the Manhattan Project. With Abelson returning to Carnegie Institution the same year and Gunn switching NRL for the U.S. Weather Bureau, the onus of building the nuclear-powered submarine fell on Russian-born engineer Captain Hyman G. Rickover. Building the Nautilus Rickover was one of the five people who went to learn about nuclear energy from Manhattan Project scientists following Gunn's recommendation. Quick to see the benefits of nuclear power in their realm, Rickover led the effort to design a power plant for a submarine that would be both safe and compact. With Rickover at the helm, a group of engineers began experimenting on reactor designs. They came up with a pressurised water reactor, which continues to be a model for a common type of nuclear reactor even today. According to this design, water in a coolant loop is kept under high pressure. Pumped near a core of uranium that is slightly enriched, the water heats up but is prevented from boiling by the high pressure. Once the heated water moves into a steam generator, it vaporises water in a secondary loop. The steam that results from this process turns a turbine generator and electricity is produced. Rickover contracted with Westinghouse, a manufacturing company, to build the reactor in the early 1950s. In order to build SSN-571 – the submarine that this reactor would power – he brought in the Electric Boat Division of General Dynamics. The resulting submarine was tested time and time again, both before and after the reactor was installed by the Navy. Rickover, meanwhile, took it upon himself to personally interview and approve every single Navy officer involved in the programme, not just in the beginning, but for decades thereafter. His methods might have been very different, and even earned him the reputation of being a fanatic among his detractors, but Rickover did succeed in building the world's first nuclear submarine. What's more, he managed it years ahead of schedule as the USS Nautilus was launched on January 21, 1954. With more than 1,200 people gathered, the submarine was commissioned on September 30, officially entering the Navy service. On the morning of January 17, 1955, the Nautilus ran on nuclear power for the very first time. Travelling under the North Pole Stretching nearly 320 feet and displacing over 3,000 tons, the Nautilus was much larger than the diesel-electric submarines that came before it. In addition to being able to travel underwater at speeds in excess of 20 knots, the submarine was also capable of being submerged for almost unlimited time periods. This was a direct result of the method of propulsion as the atomic engine had no need for air and only used up a small amount of nuclear fuel. In 25 years of operation, Nautilus smashed speed and distance records, remained capable of avoiding detection by even the best such systems, and remained continuously underwater for more than two weeks in one shot. Among its many firsts and successes, its journey under the North Pole in 1958 is rather special. Nautilus became the first craft to cross under the North Pole thanks to Operation Sunshine. For this historic voyage, 116 men were on board – a party that included Commander William R. Anderson, 111 officers and crew members, and four scientists, who were civilians. Having departed from Pearl Harbor, Hawaii on July 23, 1958, it passed north through Bering Strait and surfaced only at Point Barrow, Alaska. On August 1, Nautilus went under the Arctic ice cap as it left the north coast of Alaska. With the submarine diving to a depth of nearly 500 feet, the ice cap above it varied from anywhere between 10 to 50 feet. Around 11:15 p.m. EDT (Eastern Daylight Time in the U.S.) on August 3, Commander Anderson made the following announcement: 'For the world, our country, and the Navy — the North Pole.' The historic moment passed as the Nautilus carried on without stopping under the geographic North Pole. It surfaced next only on August 5, in the Greenland Sea between Spitsbergen and Greenland. It ended its historic journey at Iceland two days later. In a career spanning a quarter of a century, the Nautilus travelled about half a million miles. It was decommissioned on March 3, 1980 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1982. Having first gone on exhibit in 1986, it is now a permanent exhibit open to the public at the Submarine Force Museum in Groton, Connecticut, U.S.
Politico
18-06-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Judge rules EPA termination of environmental justice grants was unlawful
A federal judge on Tuesday ruled that EPA's termination of $600 million in environmental justice grants issued by the Biden administration for low-income areas and communities of color was unlawful. The ruling over the Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program comes as EPA is separately appealing a ruling that its termination of $20 billion in Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund grants was also unlawful. Congressional Republicans have proposed rescinding funding for both grant programs as part of their reconciliation bills. The Thriving Communities Grantmaking Program was part of a $2.8 billion tranche of funding under the Democrats' Inflation Reduction Act intended for community groups to provide block grants to address pollution that takes a disproportionately heavy toll on communities of color and low-income and rural areas. Announced in December 2023, EPA selected 11 groups to disburse the funds to subrecipients, a setup the Biden administration argued would help the groups cut through red tape and access the money more easily. EPA in February terminated the grants as it sought to end environmental justice work under the Trump administration's move against diversity, equity and inclusion programs. Three of the regional grantmakers sued: the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, which worked in the mid-Atlantic region; the Minneapolis Foundation, operating in the Midwest; and Philanthropy Northwest, which funded programs in the Pacific Northwest and Alaska. EPA's termination of these grants violated the Administrative Procedure Act, ruled Judge Adam Abelson of the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland. 'EPA contends that it has authority to thumb its nose at Congress and refuse to comply with its directives. That constitutes a clear example of an agency acting 'in excess of statutory jurisdiction, authority, or limitations, or short of statutory right,' and thereby violating the APA,' wrote Abelson, a Biden appointee. Abelson rejected the argument EPA made in this and similar cases that the grant terminations are effectively contract disputes that must be heard by a special court, the U.S. Court of Federal Claims. Instead, he ruled that EPA's terminations of the grants because the administration opposes environmental justice efforts were unlawful precisely because Congress intended the agency to spend it on environmental justice activities. 'Congress expressly required EPA to use the appropriated funds for 'environmental justice' programs. By terminating Plaintiffs' grants on the basis that current EPA leadership no longer wants to support 'environmental justice' programs, EPA exceeded its authority under the Clean Air Act, and therefore was 'in excess of statutory . . . authority, or limitations,'' under the Administrative Procedures Act, Abelson ruled. Abelson also rejected EPA's argument that the grants were terminated to prevent waste. 'EPA is required to spend the funds that Congress appropriated … and to do so on specified types of projects, and to specifically ensure that such projects benefit disadvantaged communities,' he wrote. EPA said it is reviewing the decision. Ruth Ann Norton, CEO of the Green and Healthy Homes Initiative, praised the ruling. 'What the EPA does next, we don't know,' she said. 'But we're super happy for communities that are intended to receive these dollars to deal with many things around environmental quality and public health.' GHHI was prepared to pass through funds to an initial 117 projects across multiple states to address issues like lead contamination in West Virginia, Norton said. 'We hope the EPA doesn't in fact work against its own priorities in a way by wanting to undermine this.' The other groups that brought suit similarly praised the ruling in statements. Minneapolis Foundation President and CEO R.T. Rybak called it 'a win for local communities' while Philanthropy Northwest CEO Jill Nishi said 'communities most impacted by environmental harm deserve access to the resources committed to them by federal law.'
Washington Post
14-04-2025
- Washington Post
The Post wins inaugural Peter F. Collier Award for Ethics in Journalism
We are thrilled to announce that The Post series 'Abused by the Badge' has won the inaugural Peter F. Collier Award for Ethics in Journalism in the National/International category. The award is administered by New York University's Ethics and Journalism Initiative and recognizes journalists that meet the highest ethical standards. The six-part series, which published between March and December last year, was the culmination of a two-year investigation by Jessica Contrera, Jenn Abelson and John D. Harden that found at least 1,800 police officers have been charged with crimes involving child sexual abuse from 2005 to 2022. In all, The Post published almost 20 stories as part of the investigation. No one had ever examined the scope of this type of police misconduct before. But Contrera and Abelson wanted to go beyond the numbers, to tell the stories of the children being hurt by these crimes and expose the systemic failures that have enabled predators with badges. They knew that meant talking to children about what they'd been through. Along with photojournalist Carolyn Van Houten, Contrera and Abelson spent two years traveling to big cities and small towns where officers had preyed on children. They met with young victims of abuse and had some of the most delicate and fraught conversations a journalist can have. With the help of editor Lynda Robinson, Contrera and Abelson navigated serious ethical challenges, making sure the children of abuse never felt pressured and always felt protected. The Collier judges praised their 'extraordinary care to protect the privacy and dignity of these young survivors and their families' and the way Contrera and Abelson ensured that they were 'prepared for their stories to be told publicly.' 'The Post's series was a model of transparency; it featured a story detailing responses it received from the law enforcement officers and agencies it named, as well as an additional piece explaining how Post journalists approached the ethical challenge of reporting on children who survived sex crimes.' The Post's team of more than 60 journalists included FOIA director Nate Jones, who helped seek public records on abuse cases; Hayden Godfrey, a fellow with the Investigative Reporting Workshop, who helped research hundreds of cases and their outcomes in the criminal justice system; designer Tucker Harris, who gave the series its signature design and visual power; senior video journalist Alice Li, who produced searing videos of a small Texas town betrayed by a predatory police chief; copy editor Christopher Rickett, who applied his rigorous eye to every story in the series; and editors Anu Narayanswamy, Tara McCarty, Courtney Kan, Robert Miller and Christian Font. See the full list of 2025 Collier Award winners and finalists here. Contrera, Abelson and Robinson accepted the award at a ceremony Thursday night at the Paley Center for Media in New York. Please join us in congratulating them and the entire Abused by the Badge team.
The Guardian
15-03-2025
- Politics
- The Guardian
Court lifts block on Trump order to end federal support for DEI programs
An appeals court on Friday lifted a block on executive orders seeking to end government support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs, handing the Trump administration a win after a string of setbacks from dozens of lawsuits. The decision from a three-judge panel allows the orders to be enforced as a lawsuit challenging them plays out. The appeals court judges halted a nationwide injunction from US district judge Adam Abelson in Baltimore. Two of the judges on the fourth US circuit court of appeals wrote that Trump's anti-DEI push could eventually raise concerns about first amendment rights but said the judge's sweeping block went too far. 'My vote should not be understood as agreement with the orders' attack on efforts to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion,' Judge Pamela Harris wrote. Two of the panel's members were appointed by Barack Obama, while the third was appointed by Trump. Abelson had found the orders likely violated free speech rights and were unconstitutionally vague since they didn't have a specific definition of DEI. Trump signed an order his first day in office directing federal agencies to terminate all 'equity-related' grants or contracts. He signed a follow-up order requiring federal contractors to certify that they don't promote DEI. The city of Baltimore and other groups sued the Trump administration, arguing the executive orders are an unconstitutional overreach of presidential authority. The justice department has argued that the president was targeting only DEI programs that violate federal civil rights laws. Government attorneys said the administration should be able to align federal spending with the president's priorities. Abelson, who was nominated by Joe Biden, agreed with the plaintiffs that the executive orders discourage businesses, organizations, and public entities from openly supporting diversity, equity and inclusion. Efforts to increase diversity long have been under attack by Republicans, who contend the measures threaten merit-based hiring, promotion and educational opportunities for white people. Supporters say the programs help institutions meet the needs of increasingly diverse populations while addressing the lasting impacts of systemic racism. Their purpose was to foster equitable environments in businesses and schools, especially for historically marginalized communities. Researchers say DEI initiatives date back to the 1960s but were expanded in 2020 during increased calls for racial justice. In addition to the mayor and the Baltimore city council, the plaintiffs include the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the American Association of University Professors and the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, which represents restaurant workers across the country.
Yahoo
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Injunction lifted on Trump executive orders slashing federal DEI support
An appeals court on Friday lifted a block on President Donald Trump's executive orders ending federal support for diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs. A panel of three judges ruled the orders can be enforced during a pending lawsuit, reversing a nationwide injunction from U.S. District Judge Adam Abelson in Baltimore, the Associated Press reported. Two of the judges on the 4th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals said the orders "could raise concerns" about First Amendment rights, but found Abelson's "sweeping block went too far," according to the report. Federal Judge Temporarily Stops Trump Admin From Firing 11 Intelligence Officers Assigned To Dei Programs Abelson, a Biden nominee, previously ruled the orders violated the First Amendment right to free speech and were unconstitutionally "vague," as they did not define DEI. The ruling followed a lawsuit filed by the City of Baltimore, the National Association of Diversity Officers in Higher Education, the American Association of University Professors and the Restaurant Opportunities Centers United, which alleged the executive orders were presidential overreach and anti-free speech. Read On The Fox News App They argued the president's power "is not limitless." Trump Scores Big Legal Win Against Pulitzer Prize Board Members As Lawsuit Moves To Discovery Trump's orders directed federal agencies to terminate all "equity-related" grants or contracts, and required federal contractors to certify that they don't promote DEI. The administration argued in court that the ban only affected DEI programs violating federal civil rights laws. "What's happening is an overcorrection and pulling back on DEI statements," attorney Aleshadye Getachew said in a hearing. While the president secured a win with the latest injunction, a similar federal lawsuit was filed in D.C. U.S. District Court on Wednesday challenging DEI executive orders including: "Ending Radical and Wasteful DEI Programs and Preferencing;" "Defending Women From Gender Ideology Extremism and Restoring Biological Truth to the Federal Government;" and "Ending Illegal Discrimination and Restoring Merit-Based Opportunity." The second complaint was filed by NAACP Legal Defense Fund and Lambda Legal on behalf of nonprofit advocacy organizations. White House spokesman Harrison Fields told the New York Times that "the radical leftists can either choose to swim against the tide and reject the overwhelming will of the people, or they can get on board and work with President Trump to advance his wildly popular agenda." Fox News Digital's Brie Stimson, Danielle Wallace, and The Associated Press contributed to this article source: Injunction lifted on Trump executive orders slashing federal DEI support
