Mid-Atlantic hydrogen hub gets last-minute funding from Biden administration, but critics remain skeptical
In October 2023, the Biden Administration announced the Mid-Atlantic Clean Hydrogen Hub, or MACH2, was among a series of “hydrogen hubs” selected to receive substantial federal grants to jumpstart the hydrogen fuel industry.
But it wasn’t until the final days of the Biden administration in January that MACH2 received the first $18.8 million of a promised $750 million to bring together various governments and business interests in Delaware, Southeast PA, and South Jersey to create the hub.
So where does this ambitious, and at times, controversial project stand after receiving that initial federal funding and as the new Trump administration takes office with its own energy strategy?
This week, contributor Jon Hurdle reports on the status of MACH2 and its future prospects.
Understanding the U.S. Surgeon General’s call for cancer warnings on alcohol
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy is urging Congress to mandate health warning labels that clearly outline the connection between alcohol consumption and increased cancer risk.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, alcohol consumption is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the U.S., and Murthy’s new advisory details how drinking alcohol can raise the possibility of developing at least seven types of cancer.
Delaware Public Media’s Kyle McKinnon spoke with Dr. Ramya Varadarajan – ChristianaCare’s Breast Medical Oncologist and Medical Director of the Chemo Infusion Suite at the Helen Graham Cancer Center – about the surgeon general’s announcement and the link between alcohol and cancer risk.
Monarch Butterflies in decline as experts weigh the impact of proposed federal protections
Every year, Monarch Butterflies migrate to warmer forested areas in Central Mexico and Coastal California to overwinter, so they can survive the colder inclement conditions.
But over the past few decades, the number of monarchs overwintering in Mexico has declined by as much as 80%, and monarchs overwintering in California has dropped by nearly 100%. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently recommended listing monarchs as a threatened species under the federal Endangered Species Act in response, although advocates say that could make the situation worse.
Delaware Public Media’s Joe Irizarry caught up this week with Michael Crossley – an Assistant Professor and Agricultural Entomologist at the University of Delaware who wrote about the issue – for more on why fewer Monarch Butterflies are overwintering and if federal protections could help or harm this iconic species.
Enlighten Me: ‘Counted Out’ documentary explores the hidden influence of mathematics
In today’s information-driven world, math is everywhere; shaping the people we meet, the news we consume, and the jobs we get. Whether we recognize it or not, our ability to speak the language of math plays a crucial role in determining who holds social and economic power and who doesn’t.
The new documentary ‘Counted Out’ delves into the math that underpins our democracy and how to become fluent in the numbers that shape our world. Starting this Sunday, the Delaware Council of Mathematics Leaders (DCML) is hosting a screening of ‘Counted Out’ in each county.
In this edition of Enlighten Me, Delaware Public Media’s Martin Matheny is joined by Crystal Lancour – past President of DCML and current Supervisor of Mathematics in the Colonial School District – and Jamila Riser – Executive Director of the Delaware Mathematics Coalition – for a preview of ‘Counted Out.’