Latest news with #OregonStateUniversity
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Man allegedly shared intimate photos stolen from Snapchat, including of minors
PORTLAND, Ore. () — A man who allegedly stole intimate photos from people on Snapchat and then redistributed them is facing multiple charges, including online sex crimes against children, authorities said. Earlier this year, 26-year-old Eugene resident Devon J. Patel was indicted by a grand jury in Lane County on several charges following an investigation that began three years ago. Man arrested after hatchet attack near PSU campus In November 2022, a Washington County resident who is an Oregon State University student reported to authorities 'that her intimate images and videos stored on Snapchat had been stolen, sold, and distributed without her consent,' the Washington County Sheriff's Office said. After a years-long investigation, it was discovered there were 'more than three dozen victims, some of whom were minors,' officials said. 'In May 2024, investigators executed a search warrant at the suspect's residence and seized electronic devices, including cell phones, laptops, and a portable storage device,' WCSO said in a press release. 'A detailed analysis of the items revealed how the suspect was able to access his victims' Snapchat accounts to steal their images and videos. Investigators also learned that the suspect was selling these images and videos to others.' WCSO investigators believe there could be additional victims. They forwarded the case to the Lane County District Attorney's Office. Portland's The Sports Bra will open in 4 new cities Patel now faces charges that include five counts of computer crimes and three counts of first-degree encouraging child sex abuse. WSCO was assisted in their investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation, the Eugene Police Department, Oregon State University and the University of Oregon. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Associated Press
3 days ago
- Health
- Associated Press
Researchers confirm preservatives used in todays' preserved wood won't contaminate soil or rainwater runoff
Oregon State University study proves preservatives stay in the wood, protecting it from decay and insect attack, not leaching into soil or rainwater runoff 'The study confirms the preservative in pressure-treated wood used by consumers will stay right where it belongs, protecting the wood from decay and insect damage, not leaching into the environment.'— Dr. Gerald Presley, Oregon State University VANCOUVER, WA, UNITED STATES, June 3, 2025 / / -- Researchers at Oregon State University have confirmed decks built with today's pressure-treated preserved wood products cause no environmental harm from preservative chemicals leaching from the wood and into rainwater or surrounding soil. The researchers collected runoff and soil samples the first and fourth years after construction of a deck built with wood pressure treated with Copper Azole (CA-C), the preservative used to treat the preserved wood sold for decks and other residential projects. The deck is located in Oregon's Willamette Valley, where rainfall measures 40-60 inches each year. Sampling began with the first rains after the deck surface was completed in October 2021. Samples were analyzed for concentrations of copper, the primary active ingredient in CA-C. The highest copper concentrations were found in samples taken at the very start of the study, shortly after the deck was completed. According to lead researcher Dr. Gerald Presley, that was to be expected. 'Those higher initial levels are due to residual surface deposits of preservative not fully absorbed into the wood fiber washing off with the rain,' he explained. 'But even those highest copper concentrations were quite low.' Within a few months, Presley said, the copper concentrations in rainwater runoff samples stabilized to well below one part per million (ppm). Similarly, copper levels in soil samples taken from directly beneath the deck and points downslope from the deck were indistinguishable from those taken upslope from the deck. 'Two years in, samples from below the deck did not differ from other locations. We could not detect any copper increase resulting from the preserved wood deck,' Presley stated. Copper in soil samples ranged from 50.3 ppm to 54.4 ppm, well within the normal range for background copper levels in the Willamette Valley and significantly below the 140 ppm threshold the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality considers to be 'elevated.' OSU researchers returned to the deck in its fourth year of service to sample rainwater runoff again. In samplings taken during the fall of 2024, copper concentrations were dramatically lower than the already low concentrations found in the initial sampling. The average copper concentration of all runoff samples collected in the fourth year was well below 0.5 ppm. These data prove that preservative loss from preserved wood decking remains negligible as the structure ages. Presley said the study confirms that preservatives in pressure-treated wood used by consumers will stay right where they belong, protecting the wood from decay and insect damage. The study's results refute concerns often voiced on the internet and elsewhere about the dangers of preservatives from preserved wood polluting the environment. 'Often lost to these unfounded fears are the many benefits of using preserved wood,' said Butch Bernhardt, executive director of Western Wood Preservers Institute (WWPI). 'The wood is sustainable, renewable and easy to maintain. Thanks to pressure treating with preservatives, those decks and other projects can last for decades in place.' Bernhardt said the wood deck study and an earlier OSU research project confirming the safety of preserved wood garden boxes offer science-based answers to questions consumers have about using preserved wood. 'Some people have concerns. We get that, it's only natural,' he said. 'The takeaway from these studies is there's no reason to be worried about the preservatives causing damage. People can relax and appreciate the natural warmth, long life and simple enjoyment these preserved wood decks and garden boxes have to offer.' Initial findings from Dr. Presley's deck study, Monitoring metal migration from a pressure-treated and sealed deck, were published in the Proceedings of the International Research Group on Wood Protection in 2024. The complete peer-reviewed study is expected to be published later this year. Dr. Presley, PhD, is an assistant professor in Oregon State University's Dept. of Wood Science and Engineering. A white paper detailing the deck study is available from WWPI at Details on the OSU garden box study are available in the publication PreserveTech: Safe Garden Boxes Using Preserved Wood at # # # About WWPI WWPI represents preserved wood treaters, preservative manufacturers and others serving the industry throughout western North America. For more than 75 years, WWPI has provided technical support and market outreach supporting the use of preserved wood in outdoor applications. Timm Locke Western Wood Preservers Institute +1 503-806-4831 [email protected] Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
Business Journals
30-05-2025
- Science
- Business Journals
Powerful tech and sustainability meet at Oregon State University's new research complex
A new research complex coming to life at Oregon State University will support innovation, entrepreneurship and industry partnerships — but innovation is also at the heart of the complex's physical design. The Jen-Hsun Huang and Lori Mills Huang Collaborative Innovation Complex, now under construction on the Corvallis campus, features sustainable mass timber and an emphasis on energy efficiency. The three-story, 143,000-square-foot complex, which is scheduled to be fully operational by early 2027, will serve as a home for team-based transdisciplinary research and teaching where faculty and students come together to solve critical challenges facing the world in areas such as climate science, clean energy and water resources. It will also house one of the most powerful supercomputers at any university, which will advance research and learning in artificial intelligence (AI), robotics and materials science. 'This building will enable us to take our collaborative innovation and research to another level and will also help with workforce development,' said Belinda Batten, OSU interim provost and executive vice president. 'Today's students need exposure to how we use machine learning and AI to tackle some of the world's most difficult challenges.' expand ZGF Architects collaborated with OSU's College of Forestry and the TallWood Design Institute to design the building's structural bay with mass timber columns, beams and a composite deck that provide the stability needed for sensitive scientific equipment, while also reducing embodied carbon emissions by 108% compared to conventional all-concrete construction. 'One of our resiliency and sustainability efforts was to use mass plywood panels for columns and beams,' said Project Manager Dustin Sievers. 'It's going to be the first mass timber laboratory in North America that meets rigorous vibration criteria, which will lower the vibration transmitted through the wood structure to enable researchers to do their work on the second and third floors.' A portion of the timber that will be used in the complex was hand-selected from the Pleco Harvest in the OSU-managed McDonald-Dunn Research Forest. Sievers said designers were able to massively reduce the building's original carbon footprint with various efforts, including harnessing the large amount of heat produced by the supercomputer to warm the complex as well as several other campus buildings nearby. 'We will bring in chilled water from the chilled water plant in the Kelley Engineering Building, cycle it through the center, and the excess heat from the supercomputer will be put back into heating water, which will heat several buildings.' Sophisticated lab ventilation systems and solar panels on the roof will provide additional energy efficiency. expand Other building features include an extended reality theater, a water research facility, a cyber-physical playground for robotics, a state-of-the-art, seven-bay clean room and other specialized facilities to expand OSU's research capabilities in areas related to the semiconductor industry and broader microelectronics industry in Oregon and beyond. Researchers and students will be able to build and test machines and devices, utilize massive virtual reality spaces and push the limits of cutting-edge research through the building's physical design. The supercomputer, which is scheduled for installation in late 2026, will be powered by next-generation NVIDIA Central Processing Units (CPUs), Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) and networking, and is expected to be among the world's fastest university supercomputers, powerful enough to train the largest AI models and perform complex digital twin simulations. Funding for the $213 million complex includes a $50 million gift from NVIDIA founder and CEO Jen-Hsun Huang and his spouse, Lori Mills Huang, who are both graduates of the OSU College of Engineering.
Economic Times
24-05-2025
- Science
- Economic Times
Massive underwater volcano off Oregon coast could erupt soon; scientists weigh risk of 9.0 earthquake and Pacific tsunami
TIL Creatives The Axial Seamount lies deep in the Pacific Ocean, drawing increased scientific attention as it shows signs of an imminent eruption (AI generated image) Beneath the cold waters of the northeast Pacific Ocean, roughly 700 miles northwest of San Francisco, an ominous geological force is rumbling. Scientists warn that the Axial Seamount, one of the most active underwater volcanoes on Earth, could wouldn't typically spell disaster, but its location raises bigger questions. Could this undersea eruption spark a chain reaction along the Cascadia subduction zone, resulting in the long-feared magnitude 9.0 earthquake and a catastrophic tsunami striking the Pacific coastlines of Oregon, Washington, and California? Also read: US may get hit by a 1,000-foot 'Mega-Tsunami' within 50 years, wiping out these cities off the mapExperts say the answer is no. But the timing and intensity of Axial Seamount's activity is still giving them pause. No tsunami threat, but concerns about earthquake risk remain Volcanologist Bill Chadwick of Oregon State University has studied Axial Seamount for decades. He says the volcano is far enough from the Cascadia fault that an eruption will not trigger the so-called "Big One", the massive earthquake scientists have long anticipated along the Pacific Northwest coast. Axial Seamount is located too far away to influence the tectonic plates responsible for Cascadia's seismic threat. 'Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood... kinds of volcanoes have more gas and are more explosive,' Chadwick explained. "Axial is more like Hawaii and Iceland."Unlike explosive land-based eruptions, which can kill people and cause widespread destruction, the Axial Seamount's underwater eruptions ooze lava quietly. 'The magma is more fluid, so the gas can get out without exploding,' Chadwick inflation indicates eruption is nearStill, what's happening at the volcano is far from routine. The seafloor surrounding the Axial Seamount has started to inflate again, something scientists have seen before every past eruption. Since 2024 began, the rate of inflation has been steady, and Chadwick is confident enough to go public with his forecast. Also read: Two quakes in Pacific ocean, but no damages or tsunami warnings issued 'At the rate of inflation it's going, I expect it to erupt by the end of the year,' he said. Chadwick and colleague Scott Nooner, from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, posted their prediction to their blog in July last time they made a similar forecast, in 2015, the volcano erupted seven months later. But predicting eruptions isn't foolproof. "It wouldn't shock me if it erupted tomorrow," Chadwick said, 'but I'm thinking it's not going to be anytime soon on the whole.' A hot spot for eruptions and data Axial Seamount sits atop the Juan de Fuca Ridge, where tectonic plates diverge and new seafloor forms. What makes it even more volcanic is that it also rests over a geological hot spot, rising plumes of superheated magma that power frequent double threat of tectonic and hot spot activity makes Axial Seamount one of Earth's most consistently active volcanoes. It erupted in 1998, 2011 and 2015. Its reliable activity has turned it into the best-monitored underwater volcano in the world.'In between eruptions, the volcano slowly inflates—the seafloor rises. Then during an eruption, the volcano deflates and the seafloor drops,' said oceanographer William Wilcock of the University of Washington. Also read: Earthquake in US: Tremor jolts Massachusetts, New England. Residents share their experiences Underwater eruptions still reshape marine life Though it won't create a tsunami or reach the ocean's surface, an eruption can still be dramatic under the sea. Lava flows spread across the seafloor, destroying any sea life in their path and potentially damaging expensive sensor equipment that monitors the area. 'There's all this heat that takes a long time to dissipate,' Chadwick said. 'Microbial mats can grow and it almost looks like snow over a landscape.'Whales and other large sea creatures won't be impacted, as they live near the surface. But deep-sea habitats may not fare as well. Forecasting a rare glimpse into Earth's inner workings Scientists are optimistic that their work at Axial Seamount will offer broader insight into volcano forecasting, especially for eruptions that pose real danger on land. But they also acknowledge that catching these eruptions live remains a challenge. Also read: Mega earthquake in USA? 10,000 US residents at risk from underwater fault line in the Pacific 'You have to be in the right place at the right time,' Chadwick said. Eruptions may last only days to a few weeks, and scientific vessels are scheduled years in Axial Seamount might erupt before 2025, the next planned expedition to study it is set for the summer of 2026."There's no problem of having a false alarm or being wrong," Chadwick noted, because no communities are directly at risk. Still, he said, 'maybe there's lessons that can be applied to other more hazardous volcanoes around the world.'For now, scientists continue to monitor this restless giant under the sea, one that may erupt quietly, but not unnoticed.
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Massive underwater volcano off Oregon coast could erupt soon; scientists weigh risk of 9.0 earthquake and Pacific tsunami
Beneath the cold waters of the northeast Pacific Ocean, roughly 700 miles northwest of San Francisco, an ominous geological force is rumbling. Scientists warn that the Axial Seamount, one of the most active underwater volcanoes on Earth, could erupt. This wouldn't typically spell disaster, but its location raises bigger questions. Could this undersea eruption spark a chain reaction along the Cascadia subduction zone, resulting in the long-feared magnitude 9.0 earthquake and a catastrophic tsunami striking the Pacific coastlines of Oregon, Washington, and California? Also read: US may get hit by a 1,000-foot 'Mega-Tsunami' within 50 years, wiping out these cities off the map Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:00 Loaded : 0% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 1x Playback Rate Chapters Chapters Descriptions descriptions off , selected Captions captions settings , opens captions settings dialog captions off , selected Audio Track default , selected Picture-in-Picture Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 오돌토돌 팔뚝, 긁지말고 이렇게 해보세요 현명한소비자 Undo Experts say the answer is no. But the timing and intensity of Axial Seamount's activity is still giving them pause. No tsunami threat, but concerns about earthquake risk remain Live Events Volcanologist Bill Chadwick of Oregon State University has studied Axial Seamount for decades. He says the volcano is far enough from the Cascadia fault that an eruption will not trigger the so-called "Big One", the massive earthquake scientists have long anticipated along the Pacific Northwest coast. Axial Seamount is located too far away to influence the tectonic plates responsible for Cascadia's seismic threat. 'Mt. St. Helens, Mt. Rainier, Mt. Hood... kinds of volcanoes have more gas and are more explosive,' Chadwick explained. "Axial is more like Hawaii and Iceland." Unlike explosive land-based eruptions, which can kill people and cause widespread destruction, the Axial Seamount's underwater eruptions ooze lava quietly. 'The magma is more fluid, so the gas can get out without exploding,' Chadwick added. Volcano inflation indicates eruption is near Still, what's happening at the volcano is far from routine. The seafloor surrounding the Axial Seamount has started to inflate again, something scientists have seen before every past eruption. Since 2024 began, the rate of inflation has been steady, and Chadwick is confident enough to go public with his forecast. Also read: Two quakes in Pacific ocean, but no damages or tsunami warnings issued 'At the rate of inflation it's going, I expect it to erupt by the end of the year,' he said. Chadwick and colleague Scott Nooner, from the University of North Carolina at Wilmington, posted their prediction to their blog in July 2024. The last time they made a similar forecast, in 2015, the volcano erupted seven months later. But predicting eruptions isn't foolproof. "It wouldn't shock me if it erupted tomorrow," Chadwick said, 'but I'm thinking it's not going to be anytime soon on the whole.' A hot spot for eruptions and data Axial Seamount sits atop the Juan de Fuca Ridge, where tectonic plates diverge and new seafloor forms. What makes it even more volcanic is that it also rests over a geological hot spot , rising plumes of superheated magma that power frequent eruptions. This double threat of tectonic and hot spot activity makes Axial Seamount one of Earth's most consistently active volcanoes. It erupted in 1998, 2011 and 2015. Its reliable activity has turned it into the best-monitored underwater volcano in the world. 'In between eruptions, the volcano slowly inflates—the seafloor rises. Then during an eruption, the volcano deflates and the seafloor drops,' said oceanographer William Wilcock of the University of Washington. Also read: Earthquake in US: Tremor jolts Massachusetts, New England. Residents share their experiences Underwater eruptions still reshape marine life Though it won't create a tsunami or reach the ocean's surface, an eruption can still be dramatic under the sea. Lava flows spread across the seafloor, destroying any sea life in their path and potentially damaging expensive sensor equipment that monitors the area. 'There's all this heat that takes a long time to dissipate,' Chadwick said. 'Microbial mats can grow and it almost looks like snow over a landscape.' Whales and other large sea creatures won't be impacted, as they live near the surface. But deep-sea habitats may not fare as well. Forecasting a rare glimpse into Earth's inner workings Scientists are optimistic that their work at Axial Seamount will offer broader insight into volcano forecasting, especially for eruptions that pose real danger on land. But they also acknowledge that catching these eruptions live remains a challenge. Also read: Mega earthquake in USA? 10,000 US residents at risk from underwater fault line in the Pacific 'You have to be in the right place at the right time,' Chadwick said. Eruptions may last only days to a few weeks, and scientific vessels are scheduled years in advance. Although Axial Seamount might erupt before 2025, the next planned expedition to study it is set for the summer of 2026. "There's no problem of having a false alarm or being wrong," Chadwick noted, because no communities are directly at risk. Still, he said, 'maybe there's lessons that can be applied to other more hazardous volcanoes around the world.' For now, scientists continue to monitor this restless giant under the sea, one that may erupt quietly, but not unnoticed.
