Danger Dust

A volcano in Antarctica is spewing out £5,000's worth of gold dust every day and because of how slowly it erupts, the gold is crystallising and forming.

Mount Erebus was discovered in 1841 by Captain Sir James Clark Ross who named it after his boat as he and his crew were sailing by it.

It's the world's southernmost active volcano and one of two active volcanoes in Antarctica out of the 138 on the continent.

BEIJING: Who says construction can’t be clean or stylish? A giant inflatable dome has been erected over a construction site in eastern China, in what may be the country’s puffiest solution yet to keeping dust and noise pollution down.

According to Times Now News – an English-language news outlet based in India – which reported on the project on July 3, the dome is the first of its kind in China and uses negative pressure and air filtration systems to prevent dust from escaping into nearby areas.

A concrete testing lab at the multi-billion-dollar Snowy 2.0 pumped hydro project has been closed for nearly two months amid concerns workers were being exposed to silica.

SafeWork NSW said it responded to a request for service at Lobs Hole Test Laboratory on May 15 regarding concerns about respirable crystalline silica (RCS).

The inhalation of fine silica dust can result in the lung disease silicosis, causing long-term lung damage that can be fatal.

Dust hazard analysis, a crucial component for ensuring industrial safety where combustible dust is a possibility, is missing from the Factories department’s checklist for inspection of industries.

Dust hazard analysis is done to identify, analyse, and suggest mitigation measures for the risks associated with combustible dust in industries. The analysis is of importance for industries engaged in the manufacture of chemicals, metals, and pharmaceuticals.

A Factories department’s inspection report of the Sigachi Industries in December 2024, pointed at several lapses in the factory, including a paucity of fire exits. According to the report, the number of exits from the machinery hall are insufficient. A recommendation was made for provision of the same without obstruction. Firefighting equipment was inadequate, and all the workers were not trained in firefighting. Thick rubber matting or insulation was not provided at electrical panels, and the electrical wiring was not laid in permanent conduits to prevent danger to workmen. The report remarked that loose and temporary electric wiring was found in the factory.

Personal Protective Equipment such as safety belts, helmets, safety shoes, goggles, masks, and gloves are not provided to the workers, nor was there any safety training for them.

Residents wore masks to protect themselves from thick volcanic ash that blanketed roads and green rice fields in villages in south-central Indonesia as rumbling Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki erupted Tuesday for a second straight day.

The eruption at dawn sent lava and clouds of ash up to 4 kilometers (2.4 miles) high. That followed an eruption around midday Monday that sent a column of volcanic materials up to 18 kilometers (11 miles) into the sky and an evening burst that spewed lava and send volcanic ash as high as 13 kilometers (8 miles) into the air.

AURILLAC, France (AP) — A unusual attack by bees in the French town of Aurillac has left 24 people injured, including three in critical condition, according to local authorities.

The Prefecture of Cantal, in south-central France, said passersby were stung over a period of about 30 minutes on Sunday morning. Firefighters and medical teams were rushed to the scene to treat the victims while police set up a security perimeter until the bees stopped their attack.

The three people in critical condition were evacuated to a local hospital.

Pierre Mathonier, the mayor of Aurillac, told French broadcaster France 3 the incident may have been related to Asian hornets threatening beehives that had been installed on the roof terrace of a downtown hotel over 10 years ago. He said that this had likely caused the bees to become aggressive.

“All ended well,” he said. “The emergency services were perfectly coordinated. There was no panic in Aurillac, but a number of people were stung.”

Lung cancer cases are on the rise in non-smokers around the world, and air pollution could be an insidious, contributing factor.

A genome study has now found that outdoor smog and soot are strongly associated with DNA mutations related to lung cancer – including known drivers seen in smokers, and new ones unique to non-smokers.

The more pollution someone was exposed to, the more mutations scientists found in their lung tumors.

The findings don't mean that air pollution is directly causing lung cancer, but they do contribute to evidence suggesting that possibility.

Significance:

The impact of corticosteroids, widely prescribed for palliation of cancer-related symptoms, on ICI therapy remains unclear. This study shows that baseline steroid use is a negative independent prognostic factor in patients with NSCLC undergoing ICI therapy and provides insights into the decreased T-cell effector differentiation and utility of predictive blood-based markers by steroids.

We have developed a novel experimental methodology based on nanotechnology techniques and micromechanical/materials testing to simulate and characterize microwear caused by the sliding of soft matter containing abrasive particles against human enamel. We found:

(1) Plant phytoliths, upon cyclic contacts, increase the extent of pre-existing wear in tooth enamel and decrease its mineral content.

(2) The primary wear mechanism of enamel is quasi-plastic deformation enabled by failure of weak interphases between—and within—mineral rods.

(3) Phytoliths in soft solid media undergo long-term mechanical degradation.

These results provide a better understanding of how mechanical failure of dental enamel (microscopic wear, fracture, etc.) occurs, which has large implications for dentistry and understanding animal ecology and evolution.

Silica dust exists in both inhalable and respirable forms, but it is respirable crystalline silica (RCS) – the smallest, most dangerous particles – that pose the greatest health risk. These microscopic airborne particles are released during activities such as cutting, drilling, or grinding stone and bricks.

As they are small enough to reach deep into the lungs, prolonged exposure to RCS can lead to irreversible respiratory diseases, including silicosis, lung cancer, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). In recognition of the growing health crisis, law firm Irwin Mitchell launched the Silica Exposure Register in 2024 to track affected workers and highlight the urgent need for stronger workplace protections.

Silicosis on the rise

Alongside asbestos-related illnesses, silicosis is one of the most common diseases in the construction industry. The condition is caused by the accumulation of silica dust in the lungs, leading to scarring and fibrosis. Sufferers will find breathing difficult, with the effect continuing to develop after exposure has stopped. The majority of sufferers become house- or bed-bound, with premature death from heart failure common.

Most recently, there has been a rise in silicosis-related cases in India. It is projected that the number of silica-exposed workers in India will grow from 11.5 million in 2015 to 52 million by 2026. To save lives, stronger occupational health policies and improved worker protection will be critical to mitigate the impact of silicosis. Countries like Australia have already moved to ban engineered stone due to its high silica content, and experts are calling for more countries to adopt similar policies.

October 2022

Exposure to silica dust is one of the oldest known causes of pulmonary diseases, and is associated with a variety of occupations, such as construction, quarrying, and chemical industries.

While the inhalation of fine silica particles is a well-recognized risk factor for silicosis, several studies have reported an association between silica exposure and sarcoidosis or sarcoid-like granulomatous lung diseases.

According to the literature, silica exposure may also be a trigger for other conditions, including hypersensitivity pneumonitis (HP), lung cancer, tuberculosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and kidney disease.

A 44-year-old woman was admitted to hospital with end-stage renal failure, productive cough, and decreased exercise tolerance. She had owned nine cats, which resulted in long-term exposure (18 years) to silica-containing bentonite cat litter. 

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed the presence of silicon in the lung biopsy specimen, as well as in the patient’s cat litter. The pulmonary condition was suggestive of sarcoid-like lung disease, rather than silicosis, sarcoidosis, or hypersensitivity pneumonitis, according to the clinicopathological findings.

Renal failure appeared to be a result of chronic hypercalcemia due to extrarenal calcitriol overproduction in activated alveolar macrophages.

Ultimately, the patient was diagnosed with sarcoid-like lung disease complicated by end-stage renal failure from exposure to bentonite cat litter.

We believe that our patient’s disease was a result of the chronic inhalation of bentonite dust, as we excluded other possible causes and observed a significant improvement after the causative agent had been removed.

Named AuFeAuNDs, the new nanomaterial features a disk-shaped structure with gold on the outer layers and iron in the middle. This design provides greater stability compared to traditional spherical nanomaterials.

When a magnetic field is applied near a tumor, the iron component acts like a “magnet,” guiding the nanodisk directly to the tumor site. This targeted delivery significantly enhances treatment effectiveness while minimizing collateral damage.

Another key innovation is the nanodisk’s photoacoustic (PA) imaging capability, which allows real-time tracking of the material inside the body. Using a laser beam to heat the nanodisk, the process generates vibrations that are captured via ultrasound and converted into images.

Many environmental and occupational substances such as vinyl chloride, epoxy resins, solvents, pesticides, paraffin/silicone and silica particles cause dysregulation of autoimmunity.

Silica-exposed patients suffer from silicosis  There are several typical pulmonary complications such as pulmonary tuberculosis, tuberculous pleurisy, pneumothorax, bronchiectasis and lung cancer.

In addition to these lung complications, it is well known that the condition of silicosis patients is often complicated with autoimmune diseases. The classical disease is known as Caplan’s syndrome, complicated with rheumatoid arthritis. Furthermore, other autoimmune diseases such as systemic sclerosis,systemic lupus erythematosus and anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) positive vasculitis/nephritis have been reported in case reports and epidemiological investigations.

Summer often brings with it the unmistakable sniffles and sneezes of hay fever. As plants and trees release pollen into the air, many of us start to feel the effects – itchy eyes, runny noses and general discomfort. But hay fever doesn’t just affect people – our pets can suffer too.

Like us, dogs, cats, horses and even small animals like rabbits and guinea pigs can struggle during pollen season. So how can you spot the signs – and more importantly, how can you help?

.....While antihistamines are a common remedy for people, don’t be tempted to use them on pets unless prescribed by your veterinary surgeon. Many over-the-counter options are not safe for animals and could cause harm. Your vet can recommend safe alternatives and help create a management plan tailored to your pet.

Lung macrophages play a pivotal role in diseases like idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Two types of macrophages—the white blood cells that defend the body by killing microbes, removing dead cells and stimulating immune responses—are found in the lung. They are tissue resident macrophages, which are present from birth, and monocyte-derived macrophages that enter the lungs for a short time in response to damage or infection.

Recently these monocyte-derived alveolar macrophages, or Mo-AMs, were identified as key drivers of lung fibrosis disease progression. However, the mechanisms of their pro-fibrotic behavior and survival in the lungs remained unclear, so clinicians continue to lack effective therapies.

Paper:

TREM2 promotes lung fibrosis via controlling alveolar macrophage survival and pro-fibrotic activity

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-025-57024-0

Not every tick bite yields disease, since not every tick carries pathogens or bites long enough to transmit them. Still, most reported cases of vector-borne disease (including mosquitoes) come from ticks, which can carry pathogens with terrible consequences.

Lyme disease is the most common tick-borne disease in the U.S., estimated to affect more than 470,000 people each year.

But ticks can actually expose people in the U.S. to more than a dozen different disease-causing agents," including toxins, allergens, bacteria, parasites and viruses.

Despite sharing >98% genomic similarity, humans are more likely to develop cancers than our closest living ancestors, the nonhuman primates. Here, we unexpectedly discover that, unlike chimpanzee and other primates, a critical embryonic development, immune homeostasis, and general cell-death regulator protein called Fas Ligand (FasL) contains a Pro153-Ser153 evolutionary substitution in humans.

These findings of evolutionary significance highlight that elevated plasmin in metastatic tumors potentially contributes to differential outcomes of T-cell-based immunotherapies in solid tumors.

HYDERABAD: The accident at the factory of Sigachi Industries at Pashamylaram in Sangareddy was not caused by a reactor blast but could have been triggered by a dust explosion in the dryer section, a top official of the Hyderabad-based company said on Wednesday.

"As we await the results of the investigation, we would like to clarify that the accident was not caused by a reactor explosion at the plant...," Sigachi said in a regulatory filing on Wednesday morning.

However, while interacting with mediapersons at the accident site later in the evening, Sigachi Industries managing director & CEO Amit Raj Sinha said: "It (accident) has nothing to do with any reactor blast. We don't use any solvents here. I believe a dust explosion took place in the dryer section, though the investigation is still on."

Scopolamine, more chillingly known as “devil’s breath,” is a drug with a dual identity. In medicine, it’s used to prevent motion sickness and nausea. But in the criminal underworld, particularly in parts of South America, it has gained a dark reputation as a substance that can erase memory, strip away free will and facilitate serious crimes. Now, its presence may be sparking fresh concerns in the UK.

While most reports of devil’s breath come from countries like Colombia, concerns about its use in Europe are not new. In 2015, three people were arrested in Paris for allegedly using the drug to rob victims, turning them into compliant “zombies”.

Scopolamine, also known as hycosine, is a tropane alkaloid, a type of plant-derived compound found in the nightshade family (Solanaceae). It has a long history: indigenous communities in South America traditionally used it for spiritual rituals due to its potent psychoactive effects.

In modern medicine, scopolamine (marketed in the UK as hyoscine hydrobromide) is prescribed to prevent motion sickness, nausea, vomiting and muscle spasms. It also reduces saliva production before surgery. Brand names include Kwells (tablets) and Scopoderm (patches).

As an anticholinergic drug, scopolamine blocks the neurotransmitter acetylcholine, which plays a vital role in memory, learning, and coordination.

In science-fiction stories, companies often mine the moon or asteroids. While this may seem far-fetched, this idea is edging closer to becoming reality.

Celestial bodies like the moon contain valuable resources, such as lunar regolith — also known as moon dust — and helium-3. These resources could serve a range of applications, including making rocket propellant and generating energy to sustaining long missions, bringing benefits in space and on Earth.

A longstanding debate centres on whether Article II of the treaty, which prohibits the appropriation of outer space — including the moon and other celestial bodies — also prohibits space mining.

The prevailing position is that Article II solely bans the appropriation of territory, not the extraction of resources themselves.

We are now at a crucial moment in the development of space law. Arguing over whether extraction is legal serves no purpose. Instead, the focus must shift to ensuring resource extraction is carried out in accordance with principles that ensure the safe and responsible use of outer space.

Recognizing the need for a co-ordinated global approach, the United Nations Committee on Peaceful Uses of Outer Space created a Working Group on Legal Aspects of Space Resource Activities. Its mandate is to develop a set of general principles to guide the development of the activity.

The development of a legal framework for space resources is still in its early stages. The working group is expected to submit its final report by 2027, but the non-binding nature of the principles raises concerns about their enforcement and application.

As humanity moves closer to extracting and using space resources, the need for a cohesive and responsible governance system has never been greater.

Tire wear particles enter rivers and lakes primarily via wind and rain. These particles account for 50% to 90% of all microplastics that run off roads during rainfall. Furthermore, scientific extrapolations suggest that nearly half (45%) of the microplastics found in soil and water come from tire abrasion.

The concentration of tire wear particles in water bodies can vary by several orders of magnitude, ranging from 0,00001 to 10.000 milligrams per liter.

The particles contain a complex mixture of different compounds, including toxic substances: heavy metals such as cadmium and zinc and organic substances such as the ozone protection or antioxidant 6-PPD. If the tire wear particles end up in freshwater ecosystems, the pollutants are leached out there.

Traditional scintillators rely on rigid inorganic matrices with high-Z elements, whose mechanical inflexibility restricts applications in multiple scenarios.

Developing an efficient scintillator that combines inorganic properties with flexibility is a desirable yet highly challenging goal. We pioneered an inorganic metafabric scintillator paradigm through self-sustained slip system engineering, transforming brittle all-inorganic scintillation materials into ductile textile architectures, yielding intrinsically conformally flexible scintillators that adhere seamlessly to complex, curved surfaces.

The ultimate all-inorganic scintillator delivers near-unity quantum yield, with scintillation output more than 10 times higher than that of previous polymer matrix–based flexible scintillators.

Using these metafabric scintillators, a multimodal x-ray interactive wearable platform (X-Wear) was developed, and their applications in body-centered flexible detection and imaging, mobile health, visual radiation monitoring, and breathable radiation shielding were successfully demonstrated.

This work offers a previously undefined paradigm for a scintillator system design strategy that maintains the high performance of inorganic scintillators while adding the functionality of being conformally flexible and wearable of fabrics.

A rare cell in the lining of lungs is fundamental to the organ-wide response necessary to repair damage from toxins like those in wildfire smoke or respiratory viruses, Stanford Medicine researchers and their colleagues have found. A similar process occurs in the pancreas, where the cells, called neuroendocrine cells, initiate a biological cascade that protects insulin-producing pancreatic islet cells from damage.

Researchers examined follicular fluid from 29 women and seminal fluid from 22 men, both of which play critical roles in natural conception and assisted reproduction.

A range of commonly used microplastic polymers, including polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), polypropylene (PP) and polyurethane (PU), were identified in both groups.

Microplastics were present in 69% of the follicular fluid samples analyzed. Notably, the most frequently detected polymer was PTFE, found in 31% of the samples. This was followed by PP (28%), PET (17%), PA (14%), polyethylene (PE) (10%), PU (10%) and PS (7%), in descending order of prevalence.

In male seminal fluid samples, microplastics were found in 55% of those analyzed. PTFE again emerged as the most prevalent polymer, identified in 41% of the samples. Other polymers detected included PS (14%), PET (9%), PA (5%), and PU (5%), though in lower concentrations.

• 124 workers died in work-related incidents in 2024/25

• 2,218 mesothelioma deaths in 2023 through past exposure to asbestos

Latest annual figures show 124 workers were killed in work-related incidents in Great Britain. A decrease of fourteen from the previous 12-month period.

The Health and Safety Executive (HSE) has today, Wednesday 2 July, published its latest annual fatality statistics, covering the period from April 2024 to March 2025. The number of deaths remain broadly in line with pre-pandemic levels, and compares to 223 twenty years ago (2004/05) and 495 in 1981.

The industries with the highest number of deaths were construction (35) and agriculture, forestry and fishing (23). Of all main industry sectors, agriculture, forestry and fishing continues to have the highest rate of fatal injury per 100,000 workers followed by waste and recycling.