Blog

  • Pakistan welcomes US move to blacklist BLA, Majeed Brigade – RADIO PAKISTAN

    1. Pakistan welcomes US move to blacklist BLA, Majeed Brigade  RADIO PAKISTAN
    2. Terrorist Designation of The Majeed Brigade  U.S. Department of State (.gov)
    3. US puts Balochistan armed group in Pakistan on ‘foreign terrorist’ list  Al Jazeera
    4. US State Department designates BLA, Majeed Brigade as foreign terrorist organisations  Dawn
    5. Pakistan welcomes US designation of BLA, Majeed Brigade as Foreign Terrorist Organisations  ptv.com.pk

    Continue Reading

  • Best Apple AirPods deal: Save $30 on Apple AirPods 4

    Best Apple AirPods deal: Save $30 on Apple AirPods 4

    SAVE $30: As of Aug. 12, Apple AirPods 4 are on sale for $99 at Amazon. That’s a saving of 23% on list price.

    AirPods deals are always a favorite here at Mashable, so there’s no way we’re skipping the latest deal on the Apple AirPods 4. As of Aug. 12, Apple AirPods 4 are on sale for under $100, now just $99 for a limited time. That’s a saving of $30 on list price. This price is for the earbuds without active noise cancellation. If you want that feature, they’ll cost you $148.99 right now.

    These are a stellar choice, powered by Apple’s H2 chip for an amazing immersive listening experience. Personalized Spatial Audio and dynamic head tracking make it feel like the sound is moving all around you, creating a theater-like listening experience. And the microphone audio is top notch, too. It uses advanced computational audio to reduce background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice. Perfect for phone calls or voice notes while out and about and in loud environments.

    SEE ALSO:

    Apple AirPods Pro 2 are still $80 off at Amazon — get them before the price jumps back up

    The non-ANC model also has an enviable battery life, promising up to 30 hours listening time with the case, and five hours with just a single charge.

    You also get all the signature Apple touches, instant pairing with your iPhone or iPad, “Hey Siri” support, and an in-ear sensor that automatically plays and pauses audio. And of course, a wireless charging case that works with Apple Watch chargers, USB-C cables, or Qi-certified pads.

    Mashable Deals

    Get this AirPods deal at Amazon.

    Continue Reading

  • Was Jessica Radcliff killed by an orca? The real story behind the viral footage

    Was Jessica Radcliff killed by an orca? The real story behind the viral footage

    A viral TikTok clip claiming to show whale trainer Jessica Radcliff being killed by an orca during a live performance has been confirmed to be a hoax.

    The video, which quickly gained millions of views, was found to be AI-generated, with no credible evidence or official records supporting Radcliffe’s existence.

    According to multiple reports, including the International Business Times, experts determined the footage used AI-generated voices and archival material to create the illusion of a real event.

    The video alleged that the attack took place at Pacific Blue Marine Park and was provoked by menstrual blood, a detail experts say is often inserted into fabricated stories to heighten emotional reaction.

    While the event never occurred, the fabricated clip appears to draw from real-life tragedies.

    In 2009, Alexis Martínez, a 29-year-old orca trainer at Loro Parque in the Canary Islands, died from internal bleeding and injuries after an incident with a whale named Keto. In 2010, Dawn Brancheau, 36, was killed by Tilikum, an orca at SeaWorld Orlando, after being dragged underwater during a performance, an event later examined in the documentary Blackfish.

    Experts note that blending fictional elements with details from actual incidents can make false stories seem more convincing, which likely helped the Radcliffe hoax spread rapidly online. 

    Authorities and fact-checkers are urging social media users to verify sources before sharing shocking claims. 


    Continue Reading

  • Ushuaïa Ibiza starts The Night League’s Trilogy of Closing Parties

    Ushuaïa Ibiza starts The Night League’s Trilogy of Closing Parties

    Okay, it might only be the start of August, but closing party season is now very much part of the conversation.

    The Night League (TNL) has something very special lined-up in 2025 across all three of the clubs it operates. A Trilogy of closing parties is set for the second weekend in October, or what us ravers otherwise know as “Closing Party weekend“. The Trilogy will take place over three calendar dates.

    Saturday 11 October and Sunday 12 October (but continuing well into Monday 13 October), the first of the three part epic unfolds at Ushuaïa Ibiza from 13:00 to 23:00. The subsequent instalments take place at sister clubs Hï Ibiza and [UNVRS].

    In true Ushuaïa Closing Party style, it sticks to its established Melodic Techno ritual, inviting a huge group of names to the legendary open-air stage, as day turns to night.

    Headlining part one is the inimitable Eric Prydz (pictured above), making his only Ushuaïa Ibiza appearance of the summer. Fresh off his acclaimed [UNVRS] residency, Prydz is built for big moments, as he returns for a one-off at a venue that he can work with his eyes shut.

    He will be joined by the Ushuaïa favourite Paul Kalkbrenner, back with his celebrated live show in the aftermath of the release of his ninth studio album The Essence, which is released 24-hours earlier.

    The bill continues, with Drumcode spearhead Adam Beyer adding serious weight and Franky Wah, who had limited his Ibiza dates this summer, lending further gravitas.

    Chris Avantgarde arrives from Berlin, Ukrainian star KOROLOVA, Yulia Niko, Tripolism and Prydz protege J Ribbon complete the line-up. It’s stacked, as you can tell.

    Tickets to part one at Ushuaïa are on sale now and can be purchased at the bottom of this page or via our party calendar.

    Continue Reading

  • Amorphous carbon membrane creates precision proton beams for cancer therapy – Physics World

    Amorphous carbon membrane creates precision proton beams for cancer therapy – Physics World






    Amorphous carbon membrane creates precision proton beams for cancer therapy – Physics World


















    Skip to main content



    Discover more from Physics World


    Copyright © 2025 by IOP Publishing Ltd and individual contributors

    Continue Reading

  • Joshua Duerksen on his helmet design

    Joshua Duerksen on his helmet design

    Joshua Duerksen is the latest member of the 2025 grid to talk us through his helmet design that received an update for this season.

    The AIX Racing driver walks us through the design process, how it has evolved since his early days in racing and what his favourite elements are of his all-new crash helmet design.

    Here is what he had to say…

    “My very first painted helmet design had some black, red and yellow with chrome details on it. I found the design on the internet and fell in love with it and did a copy and paste of it to be honest.

    “I think every driver does that for their first helmet design to be honest. But going forward, I knew what my colours would be from the beginning, but the design today is quite different.

    “The colours on this one are predominantly gold, white and black because I quite like that combination. My first one was a little bit close to this one I guess, I had yellow and red and black, so it was getting closer. But on this new helmet I went for a bit more simplistic design, a bit easier to recognise me.

    “I think I’ve found a quite good balance with the gold, black and white. The white is matte, the gold is chrome gold, and the black is carbon fibre but shiny. I really like it, it fits my personality and is sponsor friendly, which is important!

    “Of course, on the top we have the Paraguayan flag like I had on my previous helmet. I really like how it looks on the top, so I kept it there. Then we have the hashtag here ‘mbarete’ which is a word for ‘strong’. It’s something we as Paraguayans use quite a lot, and I’ve had it there for the last four years. It’s like an identifier of where I’m from.

    “I have a cross on the back with my favourite Biblical verse, Joshua 1:9. It’s funny because it’s also Joshua like my name, but it’s a verse that motivates me. This was the verse that touched me the most leaving to race in Europe, leaving my family and friends behind and going alone to Europe for the first time. It’s something that really helped and stands out in my life.

    default image

    “I have my logo on the back as well and I think that’s it really. I really like the design, I like the colours and have glitter in there too. I have a nice balance in the colours and something that really represents me.

    “I’d say my favourite part is the top or the back of the helmet. I really like how the white and glitter along with the gold come together.

    “Since starting in formula racing, I’ve been with Bell, and they paint it in house, and they’ve done the design and I’m really happy with their work.”

    Continue Reading

  • Heera Mandi 2.0 From flings to fights Pakistans transactional ties with the US

    Heera Mandi 2.0 From flings to fights Pakistans transactional ties with the US

    Pakistan has long embraced the timeless wisdom of the world’s oldest profession, mastering a foreign policy stripped of ideology, thriving on the arithmetic of transactional gain, and spending loyalty like currency on the highest bidder.

    Ever skilled at finding the perfect patron for its geopolitical services, Pakistan’s alliances shift with the bedsheets. Its amorous past is a scandalous tapestry of fleeting flings, bitter heartbreaks, vengeful spats, rebound romances, rivalries, and even the occasional menage a trois or quatre — you name it.

    This relentless pursuit of the next lucrative liaison has turned Islamabad into a veritable Heera Mandi. It has made Pakistan a geopolitical courtesan, perpetually courted yet never wedded to a lasting cause. Each new patron—be it a superpower flashing Cold War cash, a neighbor promising strategic depth and roads, or a rising hegemon dangling economic lifelines—brings a fleeting thrill, only to depart when a shinier prospect beckons.

    Islamabad’s Demure Dance

    A report in the Financial Times titled, How Pakistan wooed Trump–and rattled India, is a riveting example of Pakistan’s masterful use of its assets to attract patrons. (Hint: it’s no coincidence the headline uses the word “woo.”)

    The article (August 11) outlines Pakistan’s strategic diplomatic dance to improve relations with the United States under President Donald Trump, leading to an unexpected thaw in US-Pakistan ties while straining US-India relations. The strategy employed was as follows:

    • High-Profile Engagements: In June 2025, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff, Field Marshal Asim Munir, had a two-hour private lunch with Trump at the White House. Additionally, Munir attended the retirement ceremony of General Michael Kurilla, the US Central Command (Centcom) commander, in Florida.
    • Token Gift: A pivotal moment was Pakistan’s delivery of a high-value ISIS-K operative, responsible for the 2021 Kabul bombing that killed over 180 people, including 13 US soldiers. This arrest in March 2025 earned Pakistan “wah-wah” from Trump during his State of the Union address.
    • Services Offered: In April 2025, representatives of World Liberty Financial, a Trump-backed cryptocurrency venture, visited Pakistan and signed a letter of intent with Pakistan’s crypto council. Zach Witkoff, son of US special envoy Steve Witkoff, highlighted Pakistan’s “trillions of dollars” in mineral wealth for tokenisation. Bilal bin Saqib, Pakistan’s minister for crypto and blockchain, emerged as a “shadow diplomat,” pitching Pakistan’s crypto potential to Trump’s inner circle and participating in trade talks with Washington.
    • Flattery and ***Kissing: Following the May 2025 India-Pakistan ceasefire, Pakistan nominated Trump for the 2026 Nobel Peace Prize for his role in “preventing a nuclear war.” This move was part of a broader charm offensive, with Munir praising Trump’s “strategic leadership” for preventing “many wars” during a speech to Pakistani-Americans in Tampa.
    • Ceasefire Credit: Pakistan credited Trump for brokering the May 2025 ceasefire with India, despite India’s insistence that the ceasefire was negotiated directly between the two countries’ military commanders without US mediation. This flattery contrasted with India’s public contradiction of Trump’s claims, which strained US-India relations.

    Melts Trump’s Heart

    Donald Trump is less a statesman and more a tradesman. In his own words, he cuts beautiful deals and nobody does trade better than him. Pakistan’s aggressive wooing melted his heart and Nawab Trump showered his love and money on Pakistan, like a true connoisseur of adah and nakhra.

    • Energy and Mineral Deals: Trump announced a deal to develop Pakistan’s “massive oil reserves,” and Pakistan offered investment opportunities in energy, critical minerals, and cryptocurrencies to revive its bailout-dependent economy. These initiatives aligned with Trump’s focus on economic deals, contrasting with India’s less accommodating trade stance.
    • Favourable Trade Terms: The US imposed a relatively light 19% tariff on Pakistani goods, compared to a punitive 50% tariff on Indian goods, reflecting Pakistan’s success in securing better trade terms.

    Romance, er, Situationship Rekindled

    Pakistan’s relationship with Washington—a rollercoaster of flings, breakups and revenge-porn—is ready for a reset. From being the scorned courtesan dancing to China’s tunes, Islamabad is now dying to embrace Washington. How this curious Washington-Islamabad-Beijing threesome will evolve is anybody’s guess. But if history repeats itself, as it always does, Pakistan could soon be nursing another heartbreak.

    Pati, Patni Aur Woh

    The geopolitical rom-com between Pakistan and the United States has always been inspired by the Indian classic Pati, Patni Aur Woh. Their epic romance has been defined and dictated less by mutual love, and more by the envy and fear of the third factor—woh.

    Since the birth of Pakistan, Washington has embraced and dumped its favourite service provider depending on its equation with Russia, China, the Islamic World, and India. Because of its geopolitical location–on the rim of Communism, Afghanistan and the Middle East, Pakistan has been Washington’s favourite hunting ground, whenever it felt the need for a partner.

    Pakistan has played its part in this drama, which is more absurd than the Brad Pitt-starrer Original Sin, with the perfection of Angelina Jolie. Their story has been a rollercoaster of aid packages, betrayals, and awkward make-up sessions since the 1950s.

    Over the next few days, we revisit this saga that started with Washington’s reluctance to India’s Partition. It soon turned into a transactional epic with Love at First Aid before reaching its lowest point with the 2021 Joe Biden pullout that left Pakistan high and dry.

    Stay tuned for this riveting story that has more drama and action than Heera Mandi.

    – Ends

    Published By:

    Akshita Singh

    Published On:

    Aug 12, 2025

    Continue Reading

  • Impact of detection rate and preventive treatment of latent tuberculosis infection on the future burden of tuberculosis among students in shanghai: a predictive study using Markov modeling | BMC Public Health

    Impact of detection rate and preventive treatment of latent tuberculosis infection on the future burden of tuberculosis among students in shanghai: a predictive study using Markov modeling | BMC Public Health

  • World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report 2022. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2022. Available at https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme/tb-reports/global-tuberculosis-report-2022. Accessed 14 Nov 2023.

  • Uplekar M, Weil D, Lonnroth K, Jaramillo E, Lienhardt C, Dias HM, et al. WHO’s new end TB strategy. Lancet Lond Engl. 2015;385:1799–801.

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. Global tuberculosis report 2021. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2021. Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240037021. Accessed 14 Nov 2023.

  • Liu JJ, Zhao YL, Chen MT, Xu CH, Zhang H. The guideline of tuberculosis control and prevention in China. Beijing: People’s Medical Publishing House; 2021.

    Google Scholar 

  • Xiao X, Chen J, Jiang Y, Li P, Li J, Lu L, et al. Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection and incidence of active tuberculosis in school close contacts in shanghai, china: baseline and follow-up results of a prospective cohort study. Front Cell Infect Microbiol. 2022;12:1000663.

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartman-Adams H, Clark K, Juckett G. Update on latent tuberculosis infection. Am Fam Physician. 2014;89:889–96.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Hu Y, Zhao Q, Wu L, Wang W, Yuan Z, Xu B. Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection and its risk factors in schoolchildren and adolescents in shanghai, China. Eur J Public Health. 2013;23:1064–9.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • National Bureau of Statistics of China. China Statistical Yearbook. 2022. 2022. Available at http://www.stats.gov.cn/sj/ndsj/2022/indexch.htm. Assessed 12 Nov 2022.

  • Xu KJ. The cost-effectiveness analysis of active chest X ray screening for tuberculosis in mass population and the study of distinguish NTM and MDR-TB from tuberculosis in China. Zhejiang Univ. 2014.

  • Sterling TR, Villarino ME, Borisov AS, Shang N, Gordin F, Bliven-Sizemore E, et al. Three months of rifapentine and Isoniazid for latent tuberculosis infection. N Engl J Med. 2011;365:2155–66.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Belknap R, Holland D, Feng PJ, Millet JP, Cayla JA, Martinson NA, et al. Self-administered versus directly observed once-weekly Isoniazid and rifapentine treatment of latent tuberculosis infection: a randomized trial. Ann Intern Med. 2017;167:689–97.

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • Menzies D, Adjobimey M, Ruslami R, Trajman A, Sow O, Kim H, et al. Four months of Rifampin or nine months of Isoniazid for latent tuberculosis in adults. N Engl J Med. 2018;379:440–53.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Jimenez-Fuentes MA, de Souza-Galvao ML, Mila Auge C, Solsona Peiro J, Altet-Gomez MN. Rifampicin plus Isoniazid for the prevention of tuberculosis in an immigrant population. Int J Tuberc Lung Dis. 2013;17:326–32.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Gao L, Li X, Liu J, Wang X, Lu W, Bai L, et al. Incidence of active tuberculosis in individuals with latent tuberculosis infection in rural china: follow-up results of a population-based, multicentre, prospective cohort study. Lancet Infect Dis. 2017;17:1053–61.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Mandal P, Craxton R, Chalmers JD, Gilhooley S, Laurenson IF, McSparron C, et al. Contact tracing in pulmonary and non-pulmonary tuberculosis. QJM. 2012;105:741–7.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu J, Hu Y, Jiang W, Hong J, Tang L, Yang M, et al. [prevalence and risk factors of latent tuberculosis infection in close contacts of tuberculosis patients among non-resident populations in shanghai, china]. Zhonghua Jie He He Hu Xi Za Zhi. 2016;39:25–9.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Xin H, Cao X, Zhang H, Feng B, Du Y, Zhang B et al. Protective efficacy of 6-week regimen for latent tuberculosis infection treatment in rural china: 5-year follow-up of a randomised controlled trial. Eur Respir J. 2022;60:2102359.

  • World Health Organization. WHO Tuberculosis (TB) database downloads. Geneva: World Health Organization; Available at https://www.who.int/teams/global-tuberculosis-programme/data. Accessed 5 Mar 2022.

  • Li BY, Shi WP, Zhou CM, Zhao Q, Diwan VK, Zheng XB, et al. Rising challenge of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in china: a predictive study using Markov modeling. Infect Poverty. 2020;9:65.

    Google Scholar 

  • Houben R, Menzies NA, Sumner T, Huynh GH, Arinaminpathy N, Goldhaber-Fiebert JD, et al. Feasibility of achieving the 2025 WHO global tuberculosis targets in South africa, china, and india: a combined analysis of 11 mathematical models. Lancet Glob Health. 2016;4:e806–15.

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • Xu K, Ding C, Mangan CJ, Li Y, Ren J, Yang S, et al. Tuberculosis in china: a longitudinal predictive model of the general population and recommendations for achieving WHO goals. Respirology. 2017;22:1423–9.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Williams B, Pickard L, Grandjean L, Pope S, Anderson SR, Morgan G, et al. The need to implement effective new entrant tuberculosis screening in children: evidence from school outbreak. J Public Health Oxf. 2016;38:e511–5.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Getahun H, Matteelli A, Chaisson RE, Raviglione M. Latent mycobacterium tuberculosis infection. N Engl J Med. 2015;372:2127–35.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Haukaas FS, Arnesen TM, Winje BA, Aas E. Immigrant screening for latent tuberculosis in norway: a cost-effectiveness analysis. Eur J Health Econ. 2017;18:405–15.

    PubMed 

    Google Scholar 

  • Pareek M, Watson JP, Ormerod LP, Kon OM, Woltmann G, White PJ, et al. Screening of immigrants in the UK for imported latent tuberculosis: a multicentre cohort study and cost-effectiveness analysis. Lancet Infect Dis. 2011;11:435–44.

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • Zammarchi L, Casadei G, Strohmeyer M, Bartalesi F, Liendo C, Matteelli A, et al. A scoping review of cost-effectiveness of screening and treatment for latent tubercolosis infection in migrants from high-incidence countries. BMC Health Serv Res. 2015;15:412.

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • Ronald LA, Campbell JR, Rose C, Balshaw R, Romanowski K, Roth DZ, et al. Estimated impact of world health organization latent tuberculosis screening guidelines in a region with a low tuberculosis incidence: retrospective cohort study. Clin Infect Dis. 2019;69:2101–8.

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • Li Y, Zheng YH, Lu LP, Yang MX, Zhou CM, Yuan ZA, et al. Acceptance of chemo-prophylaxis for latent tuberculosis infection among high school/college student contacts of tuberculosis patients in shanghai, China. Biomed Env Sci. 2018;31:317–21.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fa L, Xu C, Cheng J, Zhang H. Acceptability of tuberculosis preventive treatment strategies among healthcare workers using an online survey – china, 2021. China CDC Wkly. 2022;4:211–5.

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • Villarino ME, Scott NA, Weis SE, Weiner M, Conde MB, Jones B, et al. Treatment for preventing tuberculosis in children and adolescents: a randomized clinical trial of a 3-month, 12-dose regimen of a combination of rifapentine and Isoniazid. JAMA Pediatr. 2015;169:247–55.

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • Swindells S, Ramchandani R, Gupta A, Benson CA, Leon-Cruz J, Mwelase N, et al. One month of rifapentine plus Isoniazid to prevent HIV-related tuberculosis. N Engl J Med. 2019;380:1001–11.

    PubMed 
    PubMed Central 

    Google Scholar 

  • World Health Organization. WHO consolidated guidelines on tuberculosis: module 1: prevention: tuberculosis preventive treatment. Geneva: World Health Organization. 2020. Available at https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240002906. Accessed 28 May 2022.

Continue Reading

  • OnePlus Rumored to Test Blazing 165Hz Display for Upcoming Phones

    OnePlus Rumored to Test Blazing 165Hz Display for Upcoming Phones

    A fresh rumor out of China suggests OnePlus is gearing up for a major leap in display technology, testing smartphone panels with an ultra-fast 165Hz refresh rate, a first for the brand.

    The surprising twist? The first OnePlus phone to get the upgrade may not be a flagship at all but an unnamed mid-range model. The company reportedly plans to bring the same display tech to its high-end devices later, with the OnePlus 15 tipped as a likely candidate.

    Higher Refresh Rate, Lower Resolution?

    The new panel is said to feature a 1.5K resolution, which could strike a balance between sharpness and battery efficiency. This is especially interesting in light of rumors that the upcoming OnePlus 15 might ship with a lower resolution than its predecessor. The higher refresh rate could help offset the downgrade, delivering smoother animations and scrolling.

    But Will It Matter for Gaming?

    While 165Hz sounds impressive on paper, real-world benefits may be limited, at least for gamers. OnePlus devices running ColorOS, OxygenOS, or Realme UI have historically struggled to push beyond 60Hz/60fps in many popular games. Even the powerful OnePlus 13 failed to surpass that threshold in benchmark gaming tests.

    If the situation doesn’t change, the upgrade could feel more like a spec sheet flex than a functional improvement. For day-to-day use, the visual jump from 120Hz to 165Hz is subtle, and most users may not notice a dramatic difference.

    Why OnePlus Might Still Do It

    While 165Hz displays have become a hallmark of dedicated gaming phones, they remain outside the mainstream for typical flagships. Even industry heavyweights like Samsung, Apple, and Google, leaders in display innovation, still cap their premium devices at 120Hz. This makes OnePlus’s rumored jump to 165Hz a bold move that could set it apart in the broader flagship market, even if the feature has so far been associated more with niche gaming hardware than everyday smartphones.

    Spec bumps like this often appeal to hardcore tech fans and reviewers, boosting the brand’s competitive image. Even if gaming performance doesn’t fully utilize the 165Hz refresh rate, smoother scrolling and more responsive UI animations could still improve the user experience, at least in theory.

    With OnePlus already deep into testing, we could see this high-refresh-rate tech arrive as soon as later this year. Whether it’s a real performance boost or just marketing muscle, fans will be watching closely.

    ALSO READ: High Refresh Rate: Your Smartphone’s Hidden Superpower

    Continue Reading

  • Researchers Gather Air Quality Data From LA Wildfires

    Researchers Gather Air Quality Data From LA Wildfires


    Register for free to listen to this article

    Thank you. Listen to this article using the player above. ✖


    Want to listen to this article for FREE?


    Complete the form below to unlock access to ALL audio articles.

    In early 2025, wildfires spread in Los Angeles, destroying tens of thousands of homes and businesses. During the fires, smoke blanketed the region and online maps provided residents with rapid air quality information. Now, a study in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology Letters compares the data that went into the maps from federal monitoring stations, low-cost sensors and satellites. Their results highlight the importance of combining multiple data sources to form easily accessible information for the public.

    “Timely and accurate air quality information is crucial for the public to reduce their smoke exposure during wildfire events,” says Claire Schollaert, the study’s corresponding author. “Combining federal monitors, low-cost sensors, and satellite data can provide a more complete picture of local air quality, which can help people make safer choices in real time.”

    Wildfires create smoke and haze that can be harmful to breathe. To reduce smoke exposure and mitigate potential health risks, public health experts recommend checking the local Air Quality Index (AQI) before stepping outside. The AQI ranks outdoor air from “Good” to “Hazardous,” calculating values from the levels of air pollutants present, including fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) AirNow Fire and Smoke Map and the PurpleAir low-cost sensor network are online platforms that provide AQI information from ground monitors. Additionally, the AirNow Fire and Smoke Map provides smoke plumes from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) Hazard Mapping System. Satellite observations of near-real time air pollution are also collected but aren’t readily available on these popular online platforms. In a retrospective of the January 2025 LA wildfires, Schollaert and colleagues compared the data provided in these three publicly available datasets to understand where overlaps and informational gaps may occur.

    The researchers obtained air quality monitoring data for LA County from eight EPA stations in the AirNow network, 728 low-cost particulate matter sensors, and satellite data of smoke plume outlines and pollutant concentrations. During the fire period, when the Eaton and Palisades wildfires ignited and intensified (Jan. 7-12, 2025):

    • EPA stations detected elevated PM2.5 levels in downtown LA and Compton, reaching “Unhealthy” and “Unhealthy for Sensitive Groups” AQI categories, respectively.
    • Twelve of the low-cost sensors located closer to the fires (within 4.7 miles, 7.5 kilometers) had PM2.5 levels in the “Hazardous” AQI range.
    • Satellite images tracked the movement of light- to heavy-density smoke in the atmosphere, which generally matched places on the ground with elevated PM2.5 levels.

    The stationary ground monitors showed that high AQI values generally aligned with the locations of thick smoke plumes seen by the satellites, though this was not always the case. Additionally, each data source has its advantages and disadvantages: The EPA monitors are highly accurate but limited in number, the low-cost sensors are less accurate but more prolific, and the satellites cover even more ground but don’t always reflect the conditions on the ground. But combined, these tools could be useful for people in smoke-impacted areas to make informed decisions about their exposure risks in near real time, the researchers say.

    Reference: Schollaert C, Connolly R, Cushing L, et al. Air quality impacts of the January 2025 Los Angeles wildfires: Insights from public data sources.
    ES&T Letters. 2025. doi: 10.1021/acs.estlett.5c00486


    This article has been republished from the following materials. Note: material may have been edited for length and content. For further information, please contact the cited source. Our press release publishing policy can be accessed here.

    Continue Reading