Latest news with #Gunderson
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
New study raises concerns over troubling phenomenon pushing amphibian species to their limits: 'Will likely exceed our projections'
Planet-warming pollution isn't a future threat to amphibians — it's a problem impacting their survival right now. A recent study published in Nature found that the planet has already heated so much that around 2% of amphibian species are already subject to overheating events in their native homes. If warming remains unchecked, researchers say that number could rise to 7.5% of species pushed past their heat-tolerance limits by the end of the century. As detailed in the study, amphibians — including frogs and salamanders — rely on their environment to regulate their body temperature. If it gets too hot, they experience impacts or simply can't survive — as Mongabay summarized. Heat-trapping pollution has already made the globe unbearable for some species. "We found that currently, about 100 species [104 out of 5,203 studied] are likely experiencing overheating events right now, where environmental temperatures exceed their physiological heat limits," study co-author Alex Gunderson, an ecologist at Tulane University, told Mongabay. To evaluate the climate's impact on amphibians, the researchers used experiment-based heat tolerance data for 524 species and statistical estimates for more than 5,000 species. Altogether, their research covered about 60% of all known amphibian species. They pinpointed global "hotspots" where many amphibians are already overheating, including the southeastern U.S., northern Australia, and the Amazon Rainforest, as Mongabay detailed. However, it's not just geography that matters. Where an amphibian lives within its habitat also plays a role. The study found that aquatic species are generally safest from the effects of planet-warming pollution, while ground-dwelling species face the highest risk of overheating. The study also identified a dangerous tipping point for amphibians — between 2 and 4 degrees Celsius (3.6 to 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) of planetary warming over preindustrial levels. Gunderson told Mongabay that as the average temperature gets closer to that range, the number of days with heat beyond what amphibians can handle starts to significantly climb. Alarmingly, the United Nations Environment Programme estimated in late 2023 that the planet was on track for about 2.5 to 2.9 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100 without additional reductions in planet-warming pollution. The researchers indicated to Mongabay that their estimates are on the conservative side since they assumed all amphibians can find shade. "Therefore, the impacts of global warming will likely exceed our projections," lead author Patrice Pottier, a researcher at the University of New South Wales, told the news outlet. Amphibians are an essential part of their ecosystems, so any threat to their well-being has the potential to disrupt an area's entire food web — as well as have impacts on humans. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. A decline in amphibian populations can have negative human health impacts. Amphibians eat insects that transmit diseases, including mosquitoes. Mongabay cited a 2020 study that showed that the decline of amphibian species in Central America was linked to an increase in malaria. Amphibians help control insect populations in their ecosystems, cycle nutrients, and serve as food for many other species. Their decline is a direct trigger for broader environmental consequences. "They're sort of the potato chips of the forest in many of these ecosystems where they serve as food for birds and bats and mammals and fish," Gunderson told Mongabay. One scientist unaffiliated with the study told Mongabay that research of this kind is often used to help decide where to focus conservation work by identifying at-risk species and triaging where the greatest impact can be made. In the study, the researchers called for increased conservation efforts to protect amphibian habitats worldwide, especially focused on maintaining dense vegetation for shade and abundant water for hydration. "If you provide amphibians with enough water and enough shade, a lot of them can survive extreme heat events," Pottier told Mongabay. "We must protect and restore the environments that allow them to regulate their body temperature." Along with conservation efforts, scientists are employing captive breeding and, in some cases, assisted migration to help vulnerable species survive. In the end, however, none of that will be enough without bigger action to address the root cause — pollution itself. 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.
Chicago Tribune
22-04-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Pope Francis's impact remembered by the community of Lake Forest College
In the wake of the death of Pope Francis, people all over the world spoke of what the pontiff meant to them. Gunderson remembered his meeting with the pope just a few months ago. Gunderson, the temporary administrator at Lake Forest's St. Patrick Catholic Church, said he traveled to Rome in January as the representative of Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago, to the Illinois Patrons of the Arts of the Vatican Museums. While seated in a group of six, Gunderson observed Pope Francis entering a large conference room on his wheelchair for the traditional Wednesday audience. He had a prominent seat, enabling him to meet Pope Francis. 'I mentioned I was from Chicago and he said with a big smile, Ahh Cardinal Cupich.' Gunderson noted it was a brief conversation, but he thanked Francis for his efforts as pontiff. 'I just wanted to let him know that I really appreciate the work he has done,' he said. As he looked back on the approximate 12-year papacy, Gunderson listed Pope Francis's interactions with the public as a major accomplishment. 'His humility, his strong leadership and his willingness to go out to the margins and preach the gospel and to lift up the poor and the downtrodden,' he said. He was impressed with Pope Francis from the start, warmly recalling Francis's initial greeting to the world in 2013 following his election by his fellow cardinals. 'I will always remember the night he came before the world for the first time and how he asked people to pray for him,' Gunderson said. 'That was a very different way to begin and I think he has consistently shown that humility.' Just a few minutes later, Pope Francis rode the bus and paid his hotel bill, recalled Gunderson. 'Those actions were symbolic of what we could expect in his papacy to come,' he said. Throughout the papacy, Gunderson was particularly impressed with the compassion Pope Francis displayed toward migrants. 'I think he challenged not only our nation but Europe to accept migrants and to realize these people were refugees in need of shelter,' Gunderson said. Another chapter of Francis's papacy was the fallout from the clerical sex abuse crisis. While opinions differed on how well Francis handled it, the Vatican enacted some reforms. 'There was a need for a lot of healing in our treatment of those abused,' Gunderson said. 'It starts with the dignity of all persons, and I think he achieved a great deal of healing.' Gunderson did not cite any dissatisfactions in Francis himself, yet he was dismayed in the reaction in the reception of some of his efforts to change the Catholic Church. 'American Catholics of a more conservative bent have resisted some of the thrust of his ministry,' he said. 'That more than anything else disappointed me.' Looking ahead, Gunderson does not offer any insight on the election of the next pontiff. 'We all have to pray the cardinals will choose the best person,' he said. Yet he is hopeful – but not certain – the next pope will continue to build off Francis's legacy. 'I hope for continuity, but each pope has the opportunity to shape the church,' he said. Besides Gunderson, Professor Ben Zeller, the Chair of Religion at Lake Forest College, also reflected on the legacy of Pope Francis. 'His life and tenure have really re-shaped the Catholic Church,' Zeller said. Zeller said Pope Francis will also be remembered for 'real humanity,' citing examples of him being pictured with migrants, nursing mothers, prisoners, and the poor. 'None of this is theologically new for the Catholic Church, but what he showed is how much he loved the people and how much the church can be with the people,' Zeller said. Zeller acknowledged Pope Francis was not successful in some of his larger efforts to spark change in the church. He cited examples of sending emissaries to war-torn Ukraine and the Middle East, but could not achieve a lasting peace. 'I think the Pope's biggest disappointment will be the divisions that remain in the church and the world,' he said. 'In a very utopian way, he called for a brotherhood for peace and care for the less fortunate and there has not been improvement. I think he would be disappointed his call fell on deaf ears.' Zeller believed Francis wanted to clean up the church, specifically following the clergy sex scandals and some improper financial dealings. Like Gunderson, Zeller is taking a wait-and-see attitude on whether the changes Francis pursued within the church will now remain in place. 'I think that some of the Pope Francis's reforms will make it better, but I think it very much depends on the next Pope if he really pushes for a continuation of some of the reforms,' he stated. As for who he thinks the next Pope will be, Zeller senses the person will follow Pope Francis's approach. 'It would be very hard to elect a Pontiff who wants to return the sort of monarchic elevation that was typical of the papacy,' he said. 'However, I've been wrong before.' Finally, Zeller looked at the overall transition now in place at the Catholic Church. 'The death of a pope is a moment of poignancy,' he said. 'While I am not Catholic, I have observed for many Catholics, this is a moment of pain to see a leader who is much beloved pass away. There is a real sense of loss among Catholics, but equally, there is always an awareness of what is going to come next. It is a moment of transformation, so at the same time the Catholics are grieving a loss of a much beloved pontiff, they are cautiously optimistic to see what will come next.'
Yahoo
01-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Everyday Hero: Former Ukraine ambassador shares ideas on Russia-Ukraine negotiations
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Three years ago, Russia invaded Ukraine. People expected the conflict to last weeks at the time, but weeks turned into months and then years. Hundreds of thousands of lives have been lost, and the end of the war could be in sight, but one Lowcountry political expert has questions about how peace is being negotiated. 'They fought very strong, and I think surprised a lot of us,' said Jon Gunderson, a former US Ambassador to Ukraine. The Ukrainian flag still flies outside the house of Jon Gunderson, who promised it would stay that way until the Russia-Ukraine war was over. Gunderson says we can make no mistake about it. We have to remember how it all started three years ago. 'Russia invaded Ukraine against all international law,' Gunderson explained. 'We have had a million-count casualty, 300,000 deaths. Russia has destroyed the Ukrainian economy, has kidnapped kids… and have destroyed civil structure, as part of their policy. So, that's the backdrop we have to think about when we negotiate peace today.' Gundersen knows Ukraine and Russia well. He is a retired senior foreign service officer who opened the American embassy in Ukraine in 1991. An ambassador under President Bill Clinton says it is time to end this bloody war but says President Trump cutting a deal and negotiating with Russian President Vladimir Putin is not the way to go. 'I think Trump should be peace through strength as he talks about, so I'm surprised, embarrassed that we are voting with Russia. We are voting with Iran, North Korea, against our allies and Ukraine,' Gunderson said. 'To me that's earth shocking. It really hurts me, and if we want to have good negotiations, a fair peace, we have to do it from strength.' As the US and Ukraine work on a possible economic agreement, Gunderson says we must continue to support Ukraine militarily. Advances on the battlefield may be going Russia's way, but back home, things are different, and it could help Ukraine's hand in future negotiations with Moscow. 'Their economy finally is falling apart. 10% inflation, 20% interest rate, one million Russians, almost one million have left, and these are the best and the brightest. The IT people, so in the long run, the strength is not with Russia,' Gunderson explained. So, while there is a growing divide between Ukraine and our European allies over President Trump's direct negotiations with Russia, all agree there is an urgent need to end this war. Instead of playing into Putin's hands and giving in to his demands, Gunderson says You have to persuade Trump that it is in his best interest to be tougher on Putin. 'He doesn't want to be seen like Biden was with Kabul or Nixon was in Vietnam,' Gunderson said. Until the conflict ends, Gunderson's flag still flies. President Trump said Thursday a peace deal to end the war will happen fairly quickly, or it won't be at all. He met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Friday. Gunderson said it would be a tragedy if Trump sells out Ukraine. If you have an Everyday Hero, email bclark@ or submit it here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
24-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Feel Good Friday: Osseo Fire Department needs help with new self-contained breathing apparatus
OSSEO, Wis. (WLAX/WEUX) – The Osseo Rural Fire Department is looking to purchase 16 new self-contained breathing apparatuses. The current ones have been used for decades but are getting harder to maintain. Now, they are fundraising and could use your help. Nels Gunderson has served in the Osseo Rural Fire Department for years. Gunderson explains, 'I'm going on my 49th year in the fire service and I've been in Osseo since 1981.' During those years many things have changed, but others haven't. Gunderson says, 'We got some new ones when I was first on and now, we've wore those out and it's time to replace them again.' The Osseo Fire Department says it's looking to purchase 16 new ones, with a cost of (around) $250,000. Gunderson says, 'That's the air unit that the fireman puts on to go into a hazardous environment. All our first responders use it. Anybody that's going to be operating an area that's, you know, considered hazardous, that's what we need them for. What we have is five of them in each truck. So, every fireman that's en route to the fire can put, put them on and be ready to fight the fire as soon as they get on the scene. We just thought as a fireman, we'd take it on to try to keep this off the tax roll if we could or as much of it as we can. And try to get this job done.' So far, the department has raised around $93,000, but it still has a ways to go. Gunderson says, 'We used to fight fires a lot without them. Now you just can't do that. It's too dangerous. They're still safe, just getting hard to get parts for them and time for us to upgrade them.' As the department continues to jump into action in an emergency, it will keep fundraising to do it with the best equipment. The fire department is accepting financial donations for the new equipment. They also have a St. Patrick's Day fundraiser with food, drinks and even Dueling Pianos. Most of the ticket profits will go towards the new equipment. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
19-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Nursing home sued after resident falls down concrete stairs in wheelchair
The Odebolt Specialty Care nursing home in Sac County, Iowa. (Photo via Google Earth) A western Iowa nursing home is facing a lawsuit filed by a woman who fell down a flight of concrete stairs at the home while seated in a wheelchair. Elaine Gunderson of Battle Creek, Iowa, is suing Odebolt Specialty Care and its owners, Care Initiatives of West Des Moines, for negligence and breach of contract. The lawsuit alleges that on July 2, 2024, the 88-year-old Gunderson was found at the bottom of a set of 13 concrete stairs that led from the kitchen to the basement of the home. Although the kitchen was considered a restricted area from which residents were barred, a staff member had allegedly propped open the door, allowing Gunderson to wheel herself into the area. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages. The home has yet to file a response to the lawsuit. According to state inspectors' reports, Gunderson had propelled herself into the kitchen, through two more doors, and then toppled down the stairs leading to the basement. She was later found by a kitchen worker who heard someone yelling for help. Gunderson had lacerations to her forehead and left forearm, and an injury the staff described as a 'huge gash' in her cheek. She was transported to a hospital where, according to inspectors, the records indicate Gunderson was admitted with a head wound that required seven stitches to close as well as 'bruises on her head, hands, legs, hips, both eyes and all over basically.' The lawsuit alleges that Odebolt Specialty Care was charging Gunderson $342 per day for its services. She had lived in the facility since 2013. As a result of the accident, the state proposed but then held in suspension a $9,000 fine. Federal officials imposed a fine of $14,433. Court records indicate there are at least 14 other lawsuits currently pending against the Odebolt facility's owners, Care Initiatives. Thirteen of those cases are tied to resident deaths, and one stems from an incident involving a male intruder who was found in bed with a female resident at a Care Initiatives facility. The lawsuits allege negligence at Care Initiatives facilities located in Pleasant Hill, Wapello, Albia, Fonda, Corydon, Waterloo, Marshalltown, Avoca, Oskaloosa, Centerville, West Branch and Corning. Several of the cases have been stayed by the courts with the plaintiffs ordered to bring their case before an arbitrator. Care Initiatives did not respond to the Iowa Capital Dispatch's requests for comment.
