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Tech NewsMassive Explosion at Houston Plant Kills at Least Two, Causes Significant Damage Nearby
A massive blast at an industrial facility in the 4500 block of Gessner Road in northwest Houston killed at least two people, Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo told reporters hours later on Friday. The explosion shook the city for miles, according to CNN, resulting in at least one person being sent to the hospital and … Continued
By Tom McKay -
EartherEarth ScienceTropical Depression Imelda Has Dumped More Than 40 Inches of Rain on the Texas Gulf Coast
Tropical Depression Imelda might not have the same ring as Hurricane Imelda, but the impacts of the storm are for real. The National Weather Service has issued a civil emergency warning as a flooding crisis unfolds in the region rocked by Harvey’s historic floods just two years ago. Upwards of 40 inches of rain have … Continued
By Brian Kahn -
EartherEnvironmental JusticeAn Exxon-Owned Houston Chemical Plant Is on Fire
A mere four months after a Houston chemical plant fire made headlines, another Houston area plant has exploded into flames. The ExxonMobil Baytown Complex caught on fire Wednesday morning despite being one of the “most technologically advanced refining and petrochemical complexes in the world,” as Exxon describes it. That’s why the city of Baytown—located about … Continued
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ScienceBiologyThis Fish Has Evolved to Thrive in Intensely Polluted Water
A small fish somehow evolved resistance to the heavily polluted water of the Houston Ship Channel by mysteriously acquiring genes from another fish from thousands of miles away, according to a new paper. The Houston Ship Channel’s filthy water is the result of 60 years of industrial dumping, contaminating the water out into Galveston Bay. … Continued
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EartherEnvironmental JusticeSecond Houston Chemical Plant Fire Spews Thousands of Pounds of Toxic Pollutants Into the Air
Another day, another chemical plant fire. That’s the depressing reality in the Houston area. Barely two weeks after a chemical plant fire belched a cloud of toxic smoke over the city of Deer Park, Texas, another plant burst into flames Tuesday in Crosby, Texas, just a half hour drive north. This time, a worker was … Continued
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Earther1,000 Locals Reportedly Seek Treatment After Multi-Day Fire at Houston Chemical Facility
Roughly 1,000 people sought treatment at a pop-up treatment center for symptoms including nausea, headaches, and respiratory problems after Intercontinental Terminals Co.’s (ITC) chemical storage facility in Deer Park, Houston caught fire this week, Bloomberg reported on Friday, with at least 15 cases dubbed serious enough to warrant a transfer to local emergency rooms. The … Continued
By Tom McKay -
EartherEnvironmental Justice
Houston’s Homeless Population Has Spiked Since Hurricane Harvey
Thanks to Hurricane Harvey, the homeless population in Houston and surrounding areas increased this year, according to a report out Wednesday from the Coalition for the Homeless of Houston/Harris County. The survey, which collected this data over three days in January, encompasses the cities of Houston and Pasadena, as well as the counties of Harris, … Continued
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Tech News
Chemical Plant Explosion Near Houston Injures At Least 20
Nearly two dozen people were injured in an explosion and resulting fire that occurred at a chemical plant near Houston, Texas Saturday morning, according to KHOU-TV. The explosion at the Pasadena, Texas facility owned by Kuraray America—a plastic fabrication company—took place at around 10:43am local time when a valve malfunctioned due to an over-pressurization of … Continued
By AJ Dellinger -
EartherClimate Change
Our First Solid Evidence For What Climate Change Did to Hurricane Harvey
Hurricane Harvey appears to be just the beginning of what’s to come for Houston, and Texas as a whole. That’s according to a study published online Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The relationship between climate change and hurricanes is a tricky one. We know that, generally, storms are more intense … Continued
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Tech News
E. Coli as High as 135 Times the Safe Limit Discovered in Houston Homes as Residents Return After Harvey
Waste treatment plants across Houston were breached during the heavy rains from Hurricane Harvey. Now, Houston residents are returning home to what remains even after the floodwater recedes: e. Coli, lead, arsenic, and sewage sediment containing dangerous bacteria. According to a report out Tuesday, the New York Times funded lab analysis and sample collection with … Continued
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Tech NewsThe Post-Harvey Mosquito Invasion Seems Like Hell
Plenty of people have described Hurricane Harvey as a disaster of biblical proportions, and it seems the next plague is upon us. It’s not locusts. Thanks to untold quantities of filthy standing water, millions of mosquitos are starting to hatch. And yes, they do bite. They love to bite. A little bit of itch isn’t … Continued
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Tech NewsHurricane Harvey Drone Footage Is Absolutely Heartbreaking
We’ve all seen plenty of heartbreaking images from Texas this weekend, as vicious floods continue to destroy lives and property in the wake of Hurricane Harvey. But some of the most chilling footage has been taken from the sky, as hobby drones in the region document the devastation that’s still taking place. Modern technology like … Continued
By Matt Novak -
EartherClimate Change
Hurricane Harvey’s Fallout Continues With Nightmare Flooding in Houston Area
Just one day after Hurricane Harvey made landfall in southeastern Texas, historic flooding continued to wrack the city of Houston and surrounding areas. According to CNN, authorities said they have rescued more than 1,000 people from the rising waters, with more than 24 inches of water falling on the Houston area in the past 24 … Continued
By Tom McKay -
Tech News
Preschoolers Hospitalized After School Science Experiment Goes Wrong
Twelve students at a Houston preschool were injured on Tuesday when a class science experiment didn’t go as planned. Most reportedly had minor burns but seven of the students had to be rushed to a local hospital. According to CNN, the incident occurred at the Yellow School which is run by Memorial Drive Presbyterian Church. … Continued
By Rhett Jones -
Tech NewsTerrifying Apartment Fire Breaks Out in Houston
A 2-alarm fire broke out this afternoon in Houston’s Museum District, engulfing an apartment complex called The Hampstead, according to a local news site. So far its unclear if there have been any injuries, but smoke is visible across much of the city. We’ll update as details become available. Update 11/8/16 6:09EST: According to CW39, … Continued
By Avery Ellis -
Tech News
Google Car Captures Guy’s Awful Day at Work for All Eternity
We’ve all had bad days at work, but most of us can just soldier through and move on. Unfortunately for Joshua Justice, Google Street View will never let him forget one particularly terrible shift. Two months ago, Justice was working at Houston’s Flying Saucer Draught Emporium when he spilled “half a cleaning keg” on his … Continued
By Hudson Hongo
