Latest news with #MichiganTech
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Science
- Yahoo
Unexpected medical issue grounds Isle Royale wolf-moose survey
A last-minute medical issue grounded researchers' annual wolf-moose survey on Isle Royale this past winter, marking yet another year that scientists have run into problems trying to count the animals on the remote island park. Isle Royale is a 134,000-acre (54,200-hectare) island in far western Lake Superior between Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Thunder Bay, Canada. The island, which doubles as a national park, offers scientists a rare chance to observe wolves and moose in their natural habitat, free from human influence. Researchers have conducted an annual survey of the island's wolf and moose population since 1958. Scientists from Michigan Tech University had planned to return to the island in January to conduct seven weeks of aerial surveys by ski-planes. Snow and bare branches make tracking easier from the air in winter, but the island lacks a land-based runway, forcing the scientists to use ski-planes that can land in the island's ice-covered harbors. The scientists released their annual report on Tuesday, but it does not include any new population estimates. The report notes that the researchers were not able to get into the air at all this winter because 'our usual aviation resources became unexpectedly unavailable due to extenuating circumstances and there was insufficient time to find a suitable alternative.' Michigan Tech spokesperson Hailey Hart explained in a telephone interview that the ski-plane pilot developed a last-minute medical issue and couldn't fly. The scientists were unable to find a replacement pilot. 'It was very sudden,' Hart said. 'It was a big bummer for them.' Researchers have experienced disruptions in three of the last five years they've attempted the survey. The COVID-19 pandemic forced them to cancel the survey in 2021, marking the first time since 1958 that population counts weren't conducted. They had to cut the survey short in February 2024 after weeks of unusually warm weather left the ice surrounding the island unsafe for ski-plane landings. The National Park Service suspended the researchers' work and ordered them to evacuate. Data the scientists gathered before they left showed the wolf population stood at 30 animals, down from 31 the previous year. The moose population stood at 840, down 14% from 2023. Most of Tuesday's report discusses observations a group of college students made on the island in the summer of 2024. They noted regular wolf sightings, observed a wolf chasing a moose and found the bones of a wolf that died a decade ago, well before the park service began relocating wolves to the island in 2018. The students also found the remains of 115 moose, including 22 believed to have died in 2024. Researchers believe wolves killed all but three of those moose. Hart said the scientists are planning another aerial survey next winter.
Winnipeg Free Press
6 days ago
- Science
- Winnipeg Free Press
Unexpected medical issue grounds Isle Royale wolf-moose survey
A last-minute medical issue grounded researchers' annual wolf-moose survey on Isle Royale this past winter, marking yet another year that scientists have run into problems trying to count the animals on the remote island park. Isle Royale is a 134,000-acre (54,200-hectare) island in far western Lake Superior between Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Thunder Bay, Canada. The island, which doubles as a national park, offers scientists a rare chance to observe wolves and moose in their natural habitat, free from human influence. Researchers have conducted an annual survey of the island's wolf and moose population since 1958. Scientists from Michigan Tech University had planned to return to the island in January to conduct seven weeks of aerial surveys by ski-planes. Snow and bare branches make tracking easier from the air in winter, but the island lacks a land-based runway, forcing the scientists to use ski-planes that can land in the island's ice-covered harbors. The scientists released their annual report on Tuesday, but it does not include any new population estimates. The report notes that the researchers were not able to get into the air at all this winter because 'our usual aviation resources became unexpectedly unavailable due to extenuating circumstances and there was insufficient time to find a suitable alternative.' Michigan Tech spokesperson Hailey Hart explained in a telephone interview that the ski-plane pilot developed a last-minute medical issue and couldn't fly. The scientists were unable to find a replacement pilot. 'It was very sudden,' Hart said. 'It was a big bummer for them.' Wednesdays Columnist Jen Zoratti looks at what's next in arts, life and pop culture. Researchers have experienced disruptions in three of the last five years they've attempted the survey. The COVID-19 pandemic forced them to cancel the survey in 2021, marking the first time since 1958 that population counts weren't conducted. They had to cut the survey short in February 2024 after weeks of unusually warm weather left the ice surrounding the island unsafe for ski-plane landings. The National Park Service suspended the researchers' work and ordered them to evacuate. Data the scientists gathered before they left showed the wolf population stood at 30 animals, down from 31 the previous year. The moose population stood at 840, down 14% from 2023. Most of Tuesday's report discusses observations a group of college students made on the island in the summer of 2024. They noted regular wolf sightings, observed a wolf chasing a moose and found the bones of a wolf that died a decade ago, well before the park service began relocating wolves to the island in 2018. The students also found the remains of 115 moose, including 22 believed to have died in 2024. Researchers believe wolves killed all but three of those moose. Hart said the scientists are planning another aerial survey next winter.
San Francisco Chronicle
6 days ago
- Science
- San Francisco Chronicle
Unexpected medical issue grounds Isle Royale wolf-moose survey
A last-minute medical issue grounded researchers' annual wolf-moose survey on Isle Royale this past winter, marking yet another year that scientists have run into problems trying to count the animals on the remote island park. Isle Royale is a 134,000-acre (54,200-hectare) island in far western Lake Superior between Grand Marais, Minnesota, and Thunder Bay, Canada. The island, which doubles as a national park, offers scientists a rare chance to observe wolves and moose in their natural habitat, free from human influence. Researchers have conducted an annual survey of the island's wolf and moose population since 1958. Scientists from Michigan Tech University had planned to return to the island in January to conduct seven weeks of aerial surveys by ski-planes. Snow and bare branches make tracking easier from the air in winter, but the island lacks a land-based runway, forcing the scientists to use ski-planes that can land in the island's ice-covered harbors. The scientists released their annual report on Tuesday, but it does not include any new population estimates. The report notes that the researchers were not able to get into the air at all this winter because 'our usual aviation resources became unexpectedly unavailable due to extenuating circumstances and there was insufficient time to find a suitable alternative.' Michigan Tech spokesperson Hailey Hart explained in a telephone interview that the ski-plane pilot developed a last-minute medical issue and couldn't fly. The scientists were unable to find a replacement pilot. 'It was very sudden,' Hart said. 'It was a big bummer for them.' Researchers have experienced disruptions in three of the last five years they've attempted the survey. The COVID-19 pandemic forced them to cancel the survey in 2021, marking the first time since 1958 that population counts weren't conducted. They had to cut the survey short in February 2024 after weeks of unusually warm weather left the ice surrounding the island unsafe for ski-plane landings. The National Park Service suspended the researchers' work and ordered them to evacuate. Data the scientists gathered before they left showed the wolf population stood at 30 animals, down from 31 the previous year. The moose population stood at 840, down 14% from 2023. Most of Tuesday's report discusses observations a group of college students made on the island in the summer of 2024. They noted regular wolf sightings, observed a wolf chasing a moose and found the bones of a wolf that died a decade ago, well before the park service began relocating wolves to the island in 2018. The students also found the remains of 115 moose, including 22 believed to have died in 2024. Researchers believe wolves killed all but three of those moose.
Miami Herald
11-07-2025
- Climate
- Miami Herald
4.3-magnitude earthquake — then dozens more — rattles California lake, USGS says
A 4.3-magnitude earthquake jolted a lake shoreline Friday, July 11, in Southern California, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. Then dozens of smaller quakes followed. The 6.5-mile-deep quake hit more than 7 miles from Calipatria at 2:55 a.m., according to USGS. More than 30 people from as far away as Carlsbad and Whittier reported feeling the tremor to the agency. The quake hit off the coastline of the Salton Sea, according to seismologists. More than a dozen smaller quakes hit the area hours before the larger quake. Then dozens followed. Calipatria has an estimated population of about 6,500 as of 2024, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. People commented on a Facebook post about the earthquake, with many reporting they didn't feel it. 'Not felt one. Slept the whole night,' one person said. 'I couldn't tell if I was dreaming or rolling in the quake. I only felt the one,' another person said. 'Didn't feel a thing!' someone else commented. What to know about earthquakes Magnitude measures the energy released at the source of the earthquake, the U.S. Geological Survey says. It replaces the old Richter scale. Quakes between 2.5 and 5.4 magnitude are often felt but rarely cause much damage, according to Michigan Tech. Quakes below 2.5 magnitude are seldom felt by most people. Earthquakes' sudden, rapid shaking can cause fires, tsunamis, landslides or avalanches. They can happen anywhere, but they're most common in Alaska, California, Hawaii, Oregon, Puerto Rico and Washington, according to the Department of Homeland Security. If an earthquake strikes, it's best to protect yourself right away. Here are tips from experts: If you're in a car: Pull over and stop. Set your parking brake. If you're in bed: Turn face-down and cover your head with a pillow. If you're outdoors: Stay away from buildings. Don't go inside. If you're inside: Stay and don't run outdoors. Stay away from doorways. The best way to protect yourself during an earthquake is to drop, cover and hold on, officials say. 'Wherever you are, drop down to your hands and knees and hold onto something sturdy,' officials say. 'If you're using a wheelchair or walker with a seat, make sure your wheels are locked and remain seated until the shaking stops.' Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible. If no shelter is available, crawl to an interior wall away from windows. Once under a table, officials say you should hold on with one hand and be ready to move with it. 'There can be serious hazards after an earthquake, such as damage to the building, leaking gas and water lines, or downed power lines,' officials say. 'Expect aftershocks to follow the main shock of an earthquake. Be ready to Drop, Cover, and Hold On if you feel an aftershock.'
Forbes
30-06-2025
- Business
- Forbes
New MTU-IACMI Partnership Expands Metallurgy Education And Outreach
Casting—pouring molten metal into molds to create new components—is one of the fundamental skills ... More covered by IACMI's METAL program. With all the focus currently on skilled trades training and recruiting, one vital area that hasn't gotten a lot of attention is the fundamental processes of making things from metal. The Metallurgical Engineering Trades Apprenticeship & Learning program was founded in June 2024 to help with that, and its latest win is a new partnership with Michigan Technological University in Houghton, Michigan. METAL is led by the Institute for Advanced Composites Manufacturing Innovation with funding from the Department of Defense's Industrial Base Analysis and Sustainment program, It focuses breakthrough education and awareness efforts on the metallurgical processes of casting, forging and plate rolling. The new partnership will provide workforce training to strengthen metalworking industries. As METAL's newest hub operator, Michigan Tech joins The Ohio State University, the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, the University of Alabama in Birmingham, and Pennsylvania State University in helping deliver METAL's nationally recognized curriculum, facilitate instructor certification, and launch boot camps and academic pathways for metalworking professionals. MTU will also integrate METAL training into its existing Summer Youth Programs, offering an introduction to metalworking, metallurgy and materials science to high school students from across the Upper Midwest. Plate rolling—running hot metal through progressive roll mills to create thinner slabs—is another of ... More the basic processes in the METAL program. 'We're trying to create exposure,' Greg Harrell, workforce coordinator at IACMI, told me in an interview. 'K through gray is what we call it, from kindergarten all the way through to adults, to expose them to different types of metallurgical-type processes.' 'So Michigan Tech, one of the ones things they're doing is summer youth programs,' added Michael Kubacki, project coordinator at IACMI added. 'We're able to help fund those so that they have more casting and forging curriculum, or expand on it, add more summer youth programs to try to get more kids interested. It can also drive them to take a metal or material science or engineering course at school so you can help drive admissions into the higher degree pathways for engineering.' The MTU hub curriculum will combine interactive online learning with in-person casting and forging boot camps at MTU's state-of-the-art labs. Future educational modules will incorporate training on automation in casting and forging and will open pathways to employment in critical industry roles. 'We have a fully working foundry,' Alexandra Glover, assistant professor of materials science and engineering at MTU, said in an interview. 'We have full-time staff who work there. So it's a really easy thing for us to slot in. As a department, we've taught a very rigorous castings class for a very long time, and so curriculum-wise, a lot of the activities line up really well with METAL. We're used to having large groups of students in our foundry all the time.' Forging—using powerful presses to shape hot metal—is another of the METAL program's fundamental ... More metallurgical processes. Glover sees additional educational opportunities arising as the program moves forward. 'We're making some upgrades to the facilities, just to have better teaching spaces, designated spaces where we don't have to deconflict research and teaching as much. We are getting a mill and a lathe so we can incorporate some machining into our program… Right now, they are mostly focused on casting. My background is actually in forging. For me, I would love to get more into the metalworking space.' Growing the program is also a focus for IACMI as well. 'We're going to continue to grow our network,' said Kubacki. 'We have a proposal out there that is not yet to be executed, but we're told soon that'll help us get eight to 10 more sites. … We also have Ohio State, and one of their deliverables is plans for a mobile foundry.' 'We're also trying to integrate the METAL program into our high schools,' added Harrell. 'We're doing one in Grange County here in Tennessee. We're integrating our place like a workshop where the kids will melt tin, they'll create a mold, they'll pour that, and we'll have some curriculum-building around that with the teachers there. We have a lot of outreach programs we're doing there to try to spark more interest in the metallurgical-type processes.' From her perch at Michigan Tech, Glover sees both the need for, and the tremendous opportunities that can arise from, programs like METAL. 'There's a ton of need for people to enter this workforce, a ton of opportunity to develop new technologies. Our factories and our forging houses and our metalworking spaces need to be modernized. They need a high level of investment over the next couple decades just to meet the manufacturing needs of this country. And that really hasn't been the case for a long time. So it's a really exciting time, and it's also a great area for employment. Michigan Tech grads have a super-high employment rate. I think that's true for engineering in general, and this is a great industry that has had a lot of hiring and continues to have a lot of hiring. And that's true both on the college side and on the trade side. You can make a really good career out of being a trades person in a metalworking space.'
