Latest news with #FabricedeKisangani
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Swarm of jellyfish overwhelms nuclear power plant, causes several reactors to shut down — here's what happened
Swarm of jellyfish overwhelms nuclear power plant, causes several reactors to shut down — here's what happened A swarm of jellyfish has forced the partial shutdown of one of Europe's largest nuclear power plants, according to The Weather Channel. While officials stressed that the situation posed much more of an inconvenience than a threat to public safety, the circumstances highlighted the impact that wildlife can have on human infrastructure. It also cast a spotlight on how rising temperatures on land and in the world's oceans are altering human-wildlife interactions. What's happening? Four of the six nuclear reactors at France's Gravelines nuclear power plant were shut down after an intake pipe used to draw water for cooling from a canal became clogged with jellyfish, Reuters reported. At full capacity, the plant is capable of producing 5.4 gigawatts of electricity, according to Reuters. This makes it the largest nuclear plant not only in France but in all of Western Europe, per Islander News. The plant's nuclear reactors are cooled using water from a canal that connects to the North Sea. Over the weekend of August 9-10, currents drew a swarm of English barrel jellyfish into the canal, where they likely got stuck in the suction of the cooling system's water intake, according to Aäron Fabrice de Kisangani, a citizen scientist who spoke to Reuters. Barrel jellyfish are the largest jellyfish in the United Kingdom, capable of reaching nearly 3 feet in diameter and weighing over 150 pounds, per The Wildlife Trusts. Fabrice de Kisangani, the citizen scientist, told Reuters that warmer ocean temperatures potentially led to a larger-than-usual bloom of jellyfish, while warmer temps also allowed the jellyfish to remain in the area for later into the year than formerly was possible. After the jellyfish were cleared from the intake pipes, officials planned to bring the nuclear reactors back online one at a time over the following week, per Reuters. Why do jellyfish clogging a power plant matter? While government officials have emphasized that the situation posed no risk to the public or the environment, the circumstances highlight the impact that rising temperatures on land and in the sea are having on human-wildlife interactions. Would you feel safe living close to a nuclear power plant? Absolutely It's not my first choice Depends on how close No way Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. As Fabrice de Kisangani pointed out, English barrel jellyfish are native to the North Sea, but warmer weather may have resulted in larger-than-usual jellyfish blooms and the animals staying in the area later in the season. The situation highlighted how rising global temperatures have been changing wildlife behavior around the globe, leading to potential conflicts between humans and animals. While barrel jellyfish are native to the North Sea, rising temperatures on land and in the ocean have fueled the spread of dangerous invasive species, as well. Invasive species outcompete local species, disrupting the delicate balance of ecosystems. Even native species remaining in certain regions longer than usual during the year can have unforeseen consequences, as the barrel jellyfish have demonstrated. What's being done about rising ocean temperatures? As global temperatures rise, 90% of that extra heat is absorbed by the world's oceans, causing the water temperature to increase drastically, according to NOAA. The resulting increase in water temperatures disrupts important ocean currents, fuels the spread of invasive species, and contributes significantly to sea-level rise through a process known as thermal expansion. In order to reverse this trend, it is necessary to drastically reduce the amount of heat-trapping pollution entering the atmosphere. To make a difference at the political level, you can use your voice to support political candidates who share your policy priorities. Taking things a step further, you can reduce heat-trapping pollution directly by driving an EV or installing solar panels on your home. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet. Solve the daily Crossword
Arab News
30-03-2025
- Arab News
Beachcomber in France hunts fragments of migrant lives
GRAVELINES, France: The sand-covered notes outlining a migrant's travel plan to a better life read like an itinerary of hope: from Ethiopia to Sudan, Libya, Italy, on to France and finally, England. The document had traveled thousands of kilometers by the time it was picked up on a beach in Gravelines on France's North Sea coast by a Belgian who likes to scour the beach in search of interesting things to collect. Aaron Fabrice de Kisangani, 27, who calls himself a 'beachcomber' and a 'citizen scientist,' carefully unfolded the piece of paper that was soaked, dirty and covered in sand fleas, hoping for clues to the owner's life. The item is one of many objects migrants leave behind when they board one of the small boats they hope will carry them to the English coast. Sometimes they lose things in the hurry, and sometimes they throw them away deliberately, to travel light. This is how shoes, clothes, bags and documents belonging to migrants end up strewn on northern French beaches, along with things left by fishermen and visitors. Over the past two decades, Fabrice de Kisangani has made some unusual finds, including exotic plant seeds and shark teeth. He never used to pay attention to objects left by migrants, until about a year ago. 'I started to think, why don't I take them, because otherwise they will be lost,' he told AFP. The written notes he found probably belonged to an Ethiopian woman called Rose I., at least that is the name scribbled at the top of the page. Rose meticulously listed cities, journey times and means of transport, drawing arrows between each entry. The itinerary starts with 'A.A.' for Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. Eight hundred kilometers (500 miles) and 17 hours by car later comes Metema, on the Sudanese border. 'Ten minutes on foot,' Rose predicted, would take her to Gallabat on the other side. Then on to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, followed by thousands of kilometers across sand, marked simply as 'desert,' to Tripoli, in Libya. Next came the voyage across the sea to Italy, followed by a train journey to France. And then, at last, the final destination: 'UK.' Fabrice de Kisangani found many other fragments of exile life during his morning search: a summons for a March 18 expulsion hearing for an Albanian in detention, or tickets from the Romanian capital Bucharest by plane to Paris, and then by train to Dunkerque in northern France. These objects could help 'humanize those people again,' because they tell 'their story,' said Fabrice de Kisangani. 'I want to show the problem from another angle, as a beachcomber,' he said, admitting however that he has not worked out yet what exactly to do with the objects. But in the meantime, the finds taught him 'a lot' about the migrants, 'about how they travel and how fast,' the beachcomber said, adding he often does research to find out more about their home countries and 'why they are fleeing to the UK.' Walking back to his car, Fabrice de Kisangani saw a scene playing out in the distance that has become commonplace around here: dozens of migrants emerging from the dunes and running toward a boat waiting in the water. At first they were stopped by police but, in another attempt a few minutes later, most managed to climb aboard. A child could be heard crying. A man, one of three members of a family who didn't make it, urged his mother to climb back off the boat, without success. Such existential scenes, illustrating the undertaking's fragility, are never documented in the objects jettisoned on the beach. The final pieces of the puzzle remain elusive. Did Rose, the travel plan author, ever make it to England? Did she stick to her itinerary? On this, the notes are silent.
Khaleej Times
30-03-2025
- Khaleej Times
Beachcomber in France hunts fragments of migrant lives
The sand-covered notes outlining a migrant's travel plan to a better life read like an itinerary of hope: from Ethiopia to Sudan, Libya, Italy, on to France and finally, England. The document had travelled thousands of kilometres by the time it was picked up on a beach in Gravelines on France's North Sea coast by a Belgian who likes to scour the beach in search of interesting things to collect. Aaron Fabrice de Kisangani, 27, who calls himself a "beachcomber" and a "citizen scientist", carefully unfolded the piece of paper that was soaked, dirty and covered in sand fleas, hoping for clues to the owner's life. The item is one of many objects migrants leave behind when they board one of the small boats they hope will carry them to the English coast. Sometimes they lose things in the hurry, and sometimes they throw them away deliberately, to travel light. This is how shoes, clothes, bags and documents belonging to migrants end up strewn on northern French beaches, along with things left by fishermen and visitors. Over the past two decades, Fabrice de Kisangani has made some unusual finds, including exotic plant seeds and shark teeth. He never used to pay attention to objects left by migrants, until about a year ago. "I started to think, why don't I take them, because otherwise they will be lost," he told AFP. The written notes he found probably belonged to an Ethiopian woman called Rose I., at least that is the name scribbled at the top of the page. Rose meticulously listed cities, journey times and means of transport, drawing arrows between each entry. The itinerary starts with "A.A." for Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. Eight hundred kilometres (500 miles) and 17 hours by car later comes Metema, on the Sudanese border. "Ten minutes on foot", Rose predicted, would take her to Gallabat on the other side. 'Humanise those people again' Then on to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, followed by thousands of kilometres across sand, marked simply as "desert", to Tripoli, in Libya. Next came the voyage across the sea to Italy, followed by a train journey to France. And then, at last, the final destination: "UK". Fabrice de Kisangani found many other fragments of exile life during his morning search: a summons for a March 18 expulsion hearing for an Albanian in detention, or tickets from the Romanian capital Bucharest by plane to Paris, and then by train to Dunkerque in northern France. These objects could help "humanise those people again", because they tell "their story", said Fabrice de Kisangani. "I want to show the problem from another angle, as a beachcomber," he said, admitting however that he has not worked out yet what exactly to do with the objects. But in the meantime, the finds taught him "a lot" about the migrants, "about how they travel and how fast", the beachcomber said, adding he often does research to find out more about their home countries and "why they are fleeing to the UK". Walking back to his car, Fabrice de Kisangani saw a scene playing out in the distance that has become commonplace around here: dozens of migrants emerging from the dunes and running towards a boat waiting in the water. At first they were stopped by police but, in another attempt a few minutes later, most managed to climb aboard. A child could be heard crying. A man, one of three members of a family who didn't make it, urged his mother to climb back off the boat, without success. Such existential scenes, illustrating the undertaking's fragility, are never documented in the objects jettisoned on the beach. The final pieces of the puzzle remain elusive. Did Rose, the travel plan author, ever make it to England? Did she stick to her itinerary? On this, the notes are silent.
Yahoo
30-03-2025
- Yahoo
Beachcomber in France hunts fragments of migrant lives
The sand-covered notes outlining a migrant's travel plan to a better life read like an itinerary of hope: from Ethiopia to Sudan, Libya, Italy, on to France and finally, England. The document had travelled thousands of kilometres by the time it was picked up on a beach in Gravelines on France's North Sea coast by a Belgian who likes to scour the beach in search of interesting things to collect. Aaron Fabrice de Kisangani, 27, who calls himself a "beachcomber" and a "citizen scientist", carefully unfolded the piece of paper that was soaked, dirty and covered in sand fleas, hoping for clues to the owner's life. The item is one of many objects migrants leave behind when they board one of the small boats they hope will carry them to the English coast. Sometimes they lose things in the hurry, and sometimes they throw them away deliberately, to travel light. This is how shoes, clothes, bags and documents belonging to migrants end up strewn on northern French beaches, along with things left by fishermen and visitors. Over the past two decades, Fabrice de Kisangani has made some unusual finds, including exotic plant seeds and shark teeth. He never used to pay attention to objects left by migrants, until about a year ago. "I started to think, why don't I take them, because otherwise they will be lost," he told AFP. The written notes he found probably belonged to an Ethiopian woman called Rose I., at least that is the name scribbled at the top of the page. Rose meticulously listed cities, journey times and means of transport, drawing arrows between each entry. The itinerary starts with "A.A." for Addis Ababa, the Ethiopian capital. Eight hundred kilometres (500 miles) and 17 hours by car later comes Metema, on the Sudanese border. "Ten minutes on foot", Rose predicted, would take her to Gallabat on the other side. - 'Humanise those people again' - Then on to Khartoum, the capital of Sudan, followed by thousands of kilometres across sand, marked simply as "desert", to Tripoli, in Libya. Next came the voyage across the sea to Italy, followed by a train journey to France. And then, at last, the final destination: "UK". Fabrice de Kisangani found many other fragments of exile life during his morning search: a summons for a March 18 expulsion hearing for an Albanian in detention, or tickets from the Romanian capital Bucharest by plane to Paris, and then by train to Dunkerque in northern France. These objects could help "humanise those people again", because they tell "their story", said Fabrice de Kisangani. "I want to show the problem from another angle, as a beachcomber," he said, admitting however that he has not worked out yet what exactly to do with the objects. But in the meantime, the finds taught him "a lot" about the migrants, "about how they travel and how fast", the beachcomber said, adding he often does research to find out more about their home countries and "why they are fleeing to the UK". Walking back to his car, Fabrice de Kisangani saw a scene playing out in the distance that has become commonplace around here: dozens of migrants emerging from the dunes and running towards a boat waiting in the water. At first they were stopped by police but, in another attempt a few minutes later, most managed to climb aboard. A child could be heard crying. A man, one of three members of a family who didn't make it, urged his mother to climb back off the boat, without success. Such existential scenes, illustrating the undertaking's fragility, are never documented in the objects jettisoned on the beach. The final pieces of the puzzle remain elusive. Did Rose, the travel plan author, ever make it to England? Did she stick to her itinerary? On this, the notes are silent. kau/jh/jhb
