Latest news with #SonoranDesert
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Toyota invests more than $50M in Arizona testing center
This story was originally published on Automotive Dive. To receive daily news and insights, subscribe to our free daily Automotive Dive newsletter. Toyota Motor North America is investing more than $50 million to improve its vehicle testing site in Arizona, the company announced in a press release. The Arizona Mobility Test Center at Toyota Arizona Proving Grounds — used by Toyota and outside companies — is expanding to include a new 5.5-mile track, new ride and handling surfaces, an off-road park for capability testing and additional areas for various vehicle tests. Most of these projects are already complete or will be completed by the end of 2025. Switch Auto Insurance and Save Today! The Insurance Savings You Expect Affordable Auto Insurance, Customized for You Great Rates and Award-Winning Service In the future, the company also plans to add an area for the development and testing of advanced driver assistance technology. 'Site updates make [the facility] more attractive as an ideal place for companies to test new vehicle capabilities, including by Toyota for our own North American-developed vehicle line-up,' Stefan Young, vice president of research and development at TMNA, said in a July 2 statement. Located about 60 miles north of Phoenix, the test center covers approximately 11,650 acres of the Sonoran Desert. Toyota opened the facility in 1993 and tested more than 50 Toyota and Lexus vehicles there before it expanded the test center's access to other automakers and suppliers in 2021. The move at the time to expand access was 'an opportunity to create new value with a capital-intensive asset, opening a revenue stream that can be used for continuous improvements on the facility,' said Randy Stephens, who was then a group vice president in product performance engineering, at the announcement of the expansion. Beyond the test center's value as a revenue stream, the investment in North American research and development for Japan-based Toyota reflects the company's commitment to regionalized business practices, which it has described as a philosophy of 'building where it sells.' Investing in domestic research and development can also support localized manufacturing, a strategy Toyota and other automakers are pursuing to mitigate the impact of the Trump administration's tariffs on imported vehicles and parts. Recommended Reading Flexibility key in tariff turmoil: Toyota, Rivian execs Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
Yahoo
24-07-2025
- Climate
- Yahoo
If Yuma loses water, America could be left with empty plates
In Arizona's desert Southwest, water is life. It grows the food that fills grocery stores across the nation — even in the middle of winter. But today, Arizona farms face unprecedented challenges, and our food security hangs in the balance. Yuma County, Arizona, is known as the 'Winter Lettuce Capital of the World.' From November through March, this corner of the Sonoran Desert produces roughly 90% of the leafy greens consumed in the United States. Romaine, spinach, kale and spring mix grown in Yuma fill salad bowls from Boston to Seattle when fields in other parts of the country lie dormant. Yet this vital food system is under strain. Arizona farmers, especially in Yuma, are highly efficient Arizona is one of the fastest-growing states in the nation, and farmland is vanishing under housing developments and industrial growth. Maricopa County is projected to lose more farmland than anywhere else in the country, according to the American Farmland Trust. At the same time, the Colorado River — the lifeline of the Southwest — has been stretched to its limits by drought and over-allocation. This has triggered a fierce debate about how water should be divided among cities, farms and the environment. Some argue agriculture should tighten its belt and surrender water to urban uses. But that argument misses the big picture. Arizona farmers have been innovating for decades to grow more with less. Nowhere is this clearer than in Yuma, where water from the Colorado River is used with extraordinary care. Local farmers employ high-tech irrigation systems, including leveling fields via Global Positioning System to eliminate water waste and using soil moisture sensors to apply just the right amount of water at the right time. The result? Yuma area growers produce more than 200,000 acres of crops annually with some of the highest water-use efficiency rates in the country. In some cases, a single acre produces 50,000 heads of lettuce during the winter season. Data centers are important. But so is growing food Meanwhile, new players are entering the water competition. Data centers — massive facilities housing servers for artificial intelligence, cloud computing and e-commerce — consume millions of gallons of water a day for cooling. While technology is vital to modern life, so is food. And unlike many of these facilities, farms return water to the local cycle in the form of the fruits, vegetables and livestock that feed millions. To be fair, some tech companies are innovating. Microsoft has announced data centers designed to consume no water for cooling, and Amazon is piloting the use of recycled water. But these are exceptions, not the rule. Opinion: Arizona leaders disagree on data centers. Are they worth the trouble? We cannot afford to let technology needs overshadow the basic human need for food. This isn't just about Arizona. As domestic farmland disappears, food production shifts overseas — often to places with weaker environmental and labor standards. Today, the U.S. imports more than half its fresh fruit and nearly a third of its vegetables. That dependency grows every year. Water use here has national, global implications Imagine being as dependent on foreign food as we once were on foreign oil. A drought, trade disruption or political crisis abroad could leave supermarket shelves bare and prices skyrocketing. There's also the global climate to consider. When we pave over farmland here, we don't eliminate demand for food — we push it overseas, where it may contribute to rainforest destruction and higher carbon emissions. Urban conservation is critical, and Arizona's cities have made strides. But ensuring that Arizona farms have enough water to grow food is just as important. Technology, innovation and smart policy can help us balance these needs. If we let the lettuce fields of Yuma dry up, Americans won't just lose access to fresh, affordable greens in the winter — they'll lose a key part of the nation's food security. We need a water policy that acknowledges the essential role of Arizona agriculture in feeding millions. Without it, we risk trading our 'winter salad bowl' for an empty plate. Tom Davis is general manager of the Yuma County Water Users' Association. Dan Keppen is executive director of the Family Farm Alliance. Reach them at tdavis@ and dan@ Like this column? Get more opinions in your email inbox by signing up for our free opinions newsletter, which publishes Monday through Friday. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Arizona is losing water and farmland. Who will feed America? | Opinion Solve the daily Crossword
Forbes
08-07-2025
- Forbes
Explore Celestial Wonders Of The Night Sky At These Locations
The practice of stargazing dates back to the Babylonians and Egyptians. getty The roots of stargazing date back centuries to ancient civilizations like the Babylonians and Egyptians who practiced stargazing for navigation, agriculture and religious purposes. However, the invention of telescopes in the 17th century significantly advanced the scientific study of astronomy and further fueled public interest in the cosmos. Today, many stargazers explore the celestial wonders of the night sky as a form of meditation and relaxation. An excellent way to unwind from daily stressors, stargazing can serve as a peaceful, mindfulness practice. Other benefits of stargazing include its ability to help you sleep better. Studies have shown that exposure to natural light patterns and being closer to nature can lead to increased melatonin production, which promotes better sleep. Stargazing can have many positive physical effects. getty Similar to spending time in nature during the day, stargazing can have many positive physical effects, such as lowering blood pressure and cortisol (stress hormone) levels. Also, the sheer scale and beauty of the cosmos can evoke feelings of awe, wonder and a sense of belonging to something larger than yourself. Research suggests that awe can enhance feelings of happiness, gratitude and even improve decision-making. Adero provides an excellent vantage point for stargazing. JOHN WOODCOCK for ADERO Scottsdale Resort. Perched high above the Sonoran Desert in the certified International Dark Sky Community of Fountain Hills, ADERO Scottsdale Resort provides an excellent vantage point for stargazing unlike any other luxury resort in the area. Its signature 'Find Your Way' Dark Sky experience includes weekly guided night sky tours led by the Star Dudes local experts (based on seasonality), high-definition telescopes available for guests to borrow and complimentary access to the Star Walk 2 mobile app for an enhanced look at the stars, planets and constellations. All 177 rooms and suites have either private balconies or patios, including 16 suites with expansive terraces, for taking in the breathtaking mountain views by day and chasing stars under clear desert skies by night. Stargazers can view the splendor of the Milky Way Galaxy. Carl Christensen Monterey County, California Monterey County on California's Central Coast offers a stellar lineup of stargazing spots, including: Pinnacles National Park – A premier destination for stargazers. For an immersion into the velvet night sky's celestial wonders with unobstructed views, head to the Peaks View parking area, Bacon Ranch or Chaparral parking area. For a guided experience, Inn at the Pinnacles in the Gabilan Mountains hosts Sky Tours in April and July, led by local astrophotographer Carl Christiansen. Big Sur – The dark skies of Big Sur are a stargazer's dream, with breathtaking views of constellations framed by majestic cliffs at popular spots like Pfeiffer Beach (where you can see the Milky Way) at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Check out Alila Ventana Big Sur for rustic luxury where the lush forest meets the coastal cliffs – The dark skies of Big Sur are a stargazer's dream, with breathtaking views of constellations framed by majestic cliffs at popular spots like Pfeiffer Beach (where you can see the Milky Way) at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Check out Alila Ventana Big Sur for rustic luxury where the lush forest meets the coastal cliffs Garland Ranch Regional Park – In Carmel Valley, Garland Ranch Regional Park offers a scenic setting for gazing at the twinkling constellations in the serenity of the surrounding Santa Lucia Mountains. The Monterey Institute for Research in Astronomy (MIRA) regularly hosts public star parties here. Carmel Valley Ranch offers a sophisticated escape in the foothills of the Santa Lucia Mountains with plenty of room to roam, explore and discover. The astronomy field offers an excellent view of the night sky. getty Cherry Springs State Park, Pennsylvania A combination of attributes makes Cherry Springs State Park ideal for stargazing and astronomy: The field is at the top of a 2,300-foot high mountain — the surrounding state forest is relatively undeveloped and nearby communities are in valleys, shielding any light that might affect the park. The location of the park, 41 degrees north, 77 degrees west, offers a great view of the nucleus of the Milky Way Galaxy. The astronomy field offers an excellent 360 degree view of the night sky. All lighting in the park is shielded and all white light has been converted to red. Three areas of the park are available for stargazing: Night Sky Public Viewing Area — Best short-term stargazing for a few hours. Although white light is permitted, a red filter or cover for your flashlight is recommended to preserve your night vision. Rustic Campground — Suggested for overnight stargazing for casual stargazers. Not recommended for serious stargazers. There are no lighting restrictions in the Rustic Campground. However, to aid in creating a more enjoyable experience for all visitors, it is recommended to use red filters on all light. Campfires should be kept as small as possible. Suggested for overnight stargazing for casual stargazers. Not recommended for serious stargazers. There are no lighting restrictions in the Rustic Campground. However, to aid in creating a more enjoyable experience for all visitors, it is recommended to use red filters on all light. Campfires should be kept as small as possible. Overnight Astronomy Observation Field — Excellent overnight viewing for serious stargazers with equipment. All lights must have red filter or need to be fully shielded. White light is prohibited. Explore the night sky from many different locations. getty Acadia National Park, Maine Acadia National Park offers several locations for outstanding stargazing. Explore the night sky from the west side of Mount Desert Island while enjoying the ocean soundscape. Seawall Picnic Area offers northeastern and southern views over the Atlantic Ocean and the mouth of Somes Sound from a quintessential cobblestone beach. Views of the night sky are unobstructed and convenient for those staying near Southwest Harbor or Bass Harbor. Ocean Path offers many locations for viewing the nights sky. Most locations offer views to the east and large portions of the north and south skies as well. A camp chair or cushions are recommended for comfort on the granite rocks of the coast. Enjoy gazing up into the cosmos nestled comfortably on a blanket on Acadia's largest and very popular sandy beach. Visitors may explore Sand Beach at night, but camping or parking overnight are not allowed. Sand Beach offers a comfortable night sky viewing experience with plenty of room to spread out and peacefully enjoy your stargazing. MORE FROM FORBES Forbes How To Best Experience The Great American Road Trip By Roger Sands Forbes The Uber-Rich Are Flocking To This Small Mountain Town By Roger Sands
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Ryman Hospitality (RHP) Concludes Acquisition of JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa
Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE:RHP) is one of the most undervalued stocks. On June 10, the company confirmed the completion of its acquisition of the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, for nearly $865 million, following its earlier disclosure of the transaction. Mark Fioravanti, President and Chief Executive Officer of Ryman Hospitality Properties, commented: 'I want to thank the Ryman team and the sellers, Trinity Investments, for their collaboration in executing an efficient and successful closing. We are excited to begin integrating this premier resort into our differentiated, group-focused portfolio, and we look forward to pursuing compelling value creation opportunities at this beautiful property and across our one-of-a-kind portfolio.' An interior shot of the Grand Ole Opry House, showing the iconic country music brand and its architechtural grandeur. The JW Marriott Desert Ridge sits on about 402 acres in Arizona's Sonoran Desert and is one of the largest resorts in the Phoenix/Scottsdale area. It includes 950 guest rooms, with 81 suites, and around 243,000 square feet of space for meetings and events. The resort features a 28,000 square foot spa (REVIVE Spa), seven restaurants and bars, a large water area with slides and a lazy river, and two golf courses designed by Nick Faldo and Arnold Palmer. Recently, the property underwent nearly $100 million in upgrades, including renovated rooms and suites, an improved lobby, better water attractions, and updated dining areas. Ryman Hospitality Properties, Inc. (NYSE:RHP) is a hospitality-focused REIT specializing in upscale convention center resorts, including five of the seven largest non-gaming convention hotels in the United States. While we acknowledge the potential of RHP as an investment, we believe certain AI stocks offer greater upside potential and carry less downside risk. If you're looking for an extremely undervalued AI stock that also stands to benefit significantly from Trump-era tariffs and the onshoring trend, see our free report on the best short-term AI stock. READ NEXT: and . Disclosure. None. Sign in to access your portfolio
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Astrophotographer snaps 'once-in-a-lifetime' shot of solar flare photobombing the ISS
When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission. An astrophotographer has captured a stunning shot of a powerful solar flare photobombing the International Space Station (ISS) as the human-inhabited spacecraft appeared to zoom across the surface of our home star. Andrew McCarthy (aka Cosmic Background) snapped the incredible image on June 15 from a spot in the Sonoran Desert in Arizona. He was initially planning to photograph a standard "transit" photo of the ISS passing directly between Earth and the sun. However, as McCarthy was setting up his camera, he noticed that one sunspot — dubbed AR4114 — had begun to "flare to life," he told Live Science. Through a mix of skill and luck, McCarthy snapped the space station as it whizzed almost directly past the flaring sunspot, revealing superhot loops of glowing plasma, or solar prominences, moments before they were flung into space by a powerful explosion. Capturing both objects in a single frame makes this a "once-in-a-lifetime" photo, McCarthy wrote on the social platform X. "Ever since I started chasing ISS [solar] transits, I've dreamed of catching one with an active flare," McCarthy told Live Science in an email. "When I saw the silhouette of the ISS flash through the frame, I knew it was something special." Being separated from the sun by 93 million miles (150 million kilometers) shielded ISS astronauts from any potentially harmful radiation from the flare. This also makes the space station loom large in the photo. But in reality, the prominences were much larger, stretching up to five times wider than Earth's diameter. "Something about the small human elements against the scale and power of the sun feels like an inspiring scene," McCarthy added. Related: 'Never been seen before': First images from new ISS solar telescope reveal subtle 'fluctuations' in sun's outer atmosphere Solar flares are currently exploding from the sun more frequently than usual as the sun nears the end of the most active phase in its roughly 11-year sunspot cycle, known as solar maximum. During this period, magnetic instabilities make it much easier for chunks of plasma to break away from the solar surface. The flare in the new photo is believed to be a powerful M8.46-magnitude blast that triggered a radio blackout across parts of North America as solar radiation temporarily disrupted the sea of plasma within Earth's ionosphere — the region of the atmosphere more than 30 miles (50 kilometers) above our planet's surface, according to Live Science's sister site Some of the plasma within the prominences also broke away from the sun entirely, forming a magnetized cloud of fast-moving particles known as a coronal mass ejection (CME), which glanced off Earth's magnetic field three days later. McCarthy named the new photo "Kardashev Dreams" in honor of Nikolai Kardashev, a Soviet astronomer who famously proposed the Kardashev scale, which measures the technological advancement of a planetary civilization based on the amount of energy it can harness. Photos like these are "a symbol of our first steps into a much larger universe," McCarthy said. Capturing the striking new photo was "much more difficult than I imagined," McCarthy said; to capture the best view of an ISS solar transit, you need to take the photo around midday, when the sun is directly overhead. And when you are taking the photo in the middle of a desert, as McCarthy did, this becomes very challenging, he added. "Large telescopes, like the kind I need to use for these [photos], do NOT handle heat very well," McCarthy said. "Components flex and swell in the heat and currents of air of different temperatures swirl in the tube, making it nigh impossible to focus." Electrical components also start to overheat and shut down, he added. RELATED STORIES —Powerful solar telescope unveils ultra-fine magnetic 'curtains' on the sun's surface —Behold! 1st images of artificial solar eclipse captured by ESA's Proba-3 mission —Bottom of the sun becomes visible to humans for the first time in history (photos) To beat the heat, McCarthy strapped ice packs to the critical components of the camera to stop them from overheating and covered as much of the equipment in reflective foil as possible. "This kept the equipment barely working," he said. Luckily, all the hard work paid off. "This was the type of shot I've been chasing for so long, and I'm thrilled to add it to my portfolio," McCarthy said.
