Meteor Impact Structures in Southern Ohio and Eastern Kentucky: Confirmed, Probable, and Possible

      There are meteor impact structures all over the world. The impacts may be made by either planetoidal bodies (meteors) or comets. Wikipedia describes impact structures and impact craters as follows:

“An impact structure is a generally circular or craterlike geologic structure of deformed bedrock or sediment produced by impact on a planetary surface, whatever the stage of erosion of the structure. In contrast, an impact crater is the surface expression of an impact structure. In many cases, on Earth, the impact crater has been destroyed by erosion, leaving only the deformed rock or sediment of the impact structure behind.

“In an impact structure, the typical visible and topographic expressions of an impact crater are no longer obvious. Any meteorite fragments that may once have been present would be long since eroded away. Possible impact structures may be initially recognized by their anomalous geological character or geophysical expression. These may still be confirmed as impact structures by the presence of shocked minerals (particularly shocked quartz), shatter cones, geochemical evidence of extraterrestrial material or other methods.”

     These structures used to be called crypto-explosive structures or, in some cases, crypto-volcanic structures since their origins were often unclear. Most were later confirmed as meteor impact structures, and the previous terms have fallen out of use. Impact craters are often eroded, which can further complicate interpretation.  

     The Earth Impact Database, begun in 1955, recognizes 190 confirmed impact structures worldwide. The last new one confirmed was in 2019. Other lists contain many more possible and probable impact structure sites. Impact structures have also been mapped in the subsurface. 

     I know of at least one mapped and interpreted in the Ohio subsurface by a colleague. I don’t know how big it is deemed to be, but I think it was discovered through mapping Silurian-aged rocks in the subsurface by picking formation tops from oil & gas geophysical well logs. In the area of concern, the wells were closely spaced, which likely improved the mapping. If I recall correctly, it was in northeastern Ohio.

     There are three mapped impact structures in Kentucky and one in Ohio, not including the one mapped in the subsurface. Ohio’s Serpent Mound impact structure is well studied. According to the Earth Impact Database, the Serpent Mound Structure in Ohio and the Middlesboro Structure in Kentucky are confirmed impact craters. The Jeptha Knob Structure in Kentucky is a probable impact structure, and the Versailles Structure in Kentucky is a possible impact structure. The one mapped in the subsurface would also be a possible impact structure. Below is an old map of faults and structures of Eastern Kentucky with the three impact structures included. The Serpent Mound impact structure is just to the north near the Glenville Front suture zone.

     Around the world, some of the most important meteor impact sites include the impact crater offshore the Yucatan Peninsula that is considered to be the impact event that destroyed the dinosaurs and much of Cretaceous-aged life about 66 million years ago. It is considered one of the most significant mass extinction events. That crater is very large at 170 km in diameter. The largest one in the U.S. is the 60km diameter crater in Virginia’s Chesapeake Bay. Canada has two larger than that, with the largest one in North America at Sudbury, Ontario, at 250km in diameter.

     The largest known meteor impact that ever hit the Earth is thought to be 520 km (323 miles) in diameter. This suspected meteor impact is buried in the subsurface of Australia. It was discovered and analyzed with geophysical methods, including seismic and aeromagnetic surveys. This impact is buried about 4000 meters below the surface, and the impact is thought to have occurred between 440 and over 500 million years ago. If confirmed, it would be larger than the previous largest known one at 300 km in diameter in South Africa. According to a 2023 Forbes story by geologist David Bressan about the buried crater and other impact structures:

“About 200 terrestrial impact craters are currently known. Over half are located in Europe, North America and Australia. The ages of the great majority of preserved impact structures are less than 200 million years, and structures smaller than 5 kilometers are greatly underrepresented. The observed distributions of crater sizes and ages have been biased by post-impact processes. Erosion tends to quickly destroy or bury craters (especially the smaller ones) in tectonically active areas, like near fault zones or on the seafloor. Impact craters are best preserved inside the stable cores of the continents, like the Canadian-, Fennoscandian- and Australian Cratons.”

     Thus, the ones we know are not the whole story. Many smaller ones have been eroded or deformed so that they can no longer be observed. Others have likely not been found yet. Many others are likely buried as well.

     Many years ago, I visited the Serpent Mound region of the impact crater and even collected a few interesting rocks, which I think are carbonates, either Limestone or Dolomite, likely of Silurian age. The impressive Native American earthwork is built within the southern part of the impact crater. The native people likely noticed some kind of geological anomaly there.

     These structures will often exhibit post-impact rebound. This is perhaps one reason why Jeptha Knob exhibits the highest elevation in Kentucky’s bluegrass region, rising some 300 feet higher than the surrounding terrain.

Impact Structures of Southern Ohio and Eastern Kentucky

 

References:

 

Impact structure. Wikipedia. Impact structure - Wikipedia

Earth Impact Database. Wikipedia. Earth Impact Database - Wikipedia

The Serpent Mound Impact Structure. Ohio Department of Natural Resources. The Serpent Mound Impact Structure | Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Guide to the Serpent Mound Impact Structure, South-Central Ohio. Keith A. Milam. Department of Geological Sciences. Ohio University. Field Trip 1 of the Geological Society of America North-Central Section 46th Annual Meeting. Dayton, Ohio, April 22–24, 2012. GB22_Milam_2016_EOGS10023.pdf

Did You Know That Meteorites Have Hit Kentucky? Kentucky Geological Survey. Meteorites Have Hit Kentucky, Kentucky Geological Survey, University of Kentucky

Geophysical Evidence Suggests That the World’s Largest Impact Crater Is Buried Deep Beneath Australia. David Bressan. Forbes. August 11, 2023. Geophysical Evidence Suggests That The World’s Largest Impact Crater Is Buried Deep Beneath Australia

List of impact structures in North America. Wikipedia. List of impact structures in North America - Wikipedia

Jeptha Knob. Wikipedia. Jeptha Knob - Wikipedia

Middlesboro crater. Wikipedia. Middlesboro crater - Wikipedia

 

Norge Mining’s Phosphate Deposit in Norway is Assessed as the World’s Largest with First Mine Expected Online in 2029

     Norway’s Norge Mining completed exploration of the largest phosphate discovery in the world in Norway in mid-2023. They tagged the resource at 70 billion tons. About 90% of mined phosphorus is used to make fertilizer. The other 10% is used in lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, solar panels, and other green technologies. Before this discovery, the largest global phosphate deposit was deemed to be in Morocco in the western Sahara region, where 50 billion tons have been identified. The next largest amount is 3.2 billion tons in China, 2.8 billion tons in Egypt, and 2.2 billion tons. billion tons in Algeria. Thus, this is a huge find. The EU is currently entirely dependent on imports for phosphate, and a European source would be most welcome.

     The company is engaged with ESG goals and is aiming to achieve carbon-neutral mining operations. According to Norge’s 2024 annual report:

“Norge Mineraler aims to leverage low-emission technologies by supplying critical minerals produced through carbon neutral operations. This will be achieved by implementing future-ready infrastructure such as electric machinery and energy-efficient technologies to reduce emissions and operational costs in the long-term. The incremental costs associated with low-emission technologies, compared to traditional alternatives, could serve as a competitive advantage for Norge Mining.”

     There is still concern about the environmental footprint, however, since extracting and refining phosphate is energy-intensive. Norway is already a leader in low-emissions industrial processes. Thus, it is expected that this project will have high environmental standards. The company plans to include carbon capture and storage to mitigate emissions from the mining and processing.

     Norge’s massive phosphate discovery basically doubles known global phosphate reserves, which were at 71 billion tons. Vanadium and titanium can also be produced from the site, which reinforces its strategic importance for the EU.

     According to the Geological Survey of Norway:

“A large variety of phosphate-rock deposits and occurrences are found in Norway and references therein. They include sedimentary, igneous and hydrothermal deposits.”

     As can be seen below, the titanium revenue stream is expected to be slightly larger than the phosphate revenue stream, with the vanadium revenue stream small by comparison. Some magnetite iron ore will be mined as well.

     Norway’s Rogaland region in the southwest of the country hosts the Precambrian-aged igneous rock that contains the bulk of the phosphate. One advantage of igneous rock phosphate deposits over sedimentary rock phosphate deposits is the igneous rock’s low heavy-metal content (unlike sedimentary phosphates), which eases processing burdens. The Eigersund Project will be the first mining area developed.

  

 

 

References:

 

Norway announces the discovery of a 70 billion tonne phosphate deposit. WillAgri. April 29, 2025. Norway announces the discovery of a 70 billion tonne phosphate deposit - Willagri - Comprendre les enjeux de l'agriculture

Geologists Uncover World’s Largest Phosphate Deposit Worth $12 Trillion in Totally Unexpected Location: In a location no one expected, Geologists have uncovered a buried resource of staggering scale. Valued in the trillions, this find could quietly disrupt global industries. Arezki Amiri. Daily Galaxy. May 6, 2025. Geologists Uncover World’s Largest Phosphate Deposit Worth $12 Trillion in Totally Unexpected Location

Norway's new phosphate deposits are so massive they could guarantee solar power and electric cars keep running for the next 50 years. George Glover. Business Insider. July 8, 2023. Norway: Huge Mineral Find Will Help Electric Cars of Future Keep Running - Business Insider

Norway to develop massive phosphate deposit: Norge Mining has completed an exploration, uncovering 70 billion tonnes of phosphate. Florence Jones. Mining Technology. July 4, 2023. Norway to develop giant phosphate deposit

Norge Mining Annual Report for the Year Ended 30 June 2024. Norge Mining. Norge-AR2024_final__encrypted_-SIGNED.pdf

Phosphate rock resources in Norway. Geological Survey of Norway. Potential phosphate rock resources in Norway | NGU

Norway Phosphate Discovery: A Game-Changer for Critical Raw Materials: Unearthing Rogaland's Hidden Treasures – Phosphate, Titanium, and Vanadium Reserves That Could Power the Future. Paulo Fernando de Barros. The Boreal Times. November 15, 2025. Norway Phosphate Discovery: A Game-Changer for Critical Raw Materials - The Boreal Times

Soil Salinization Influences Inorganic Carbon Storage and Distribution, According to Study

 

      A new global study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS) shows that increases in soil salinity are also changing the storage and distribution of soil inorganic carbon (SIC). The Chinese Academy of Sciences led the study, which integrated 94,515 soil profile samples from depths of 0–200 cm with land-use, climate, geomorphological, and soil-type information. The researchers then combined these data with machine learning-based spatial modeling.

     The researchers found that areas with high soil salinity, typically arid and semi-arid areas in Central Asia, West Asia, North Africa, western North America, and parts of South America, have disproportionately higher stocks of SIC. Soil electrical conductivity (EC), a standard salinity indicator, was used as a reliable proxy for SIC in surface and shallow soil layers (0–40 cm) across most environmental settings. EC correlated with SIC for most settings. However, the relationship was not universal, and there were some exceptions based on thresholds, land use factors, and soil depth.

“When EC increases beyond a moderate level (approximately 4 dS/m) or is found in deeper soil layers below 40 cm, though, the relationship between salinity and inorganic carbon weakens and can even reverse in some regions.”

“These patterns indicate that under high-salinity and alkaline conditions, changes in ionic composition, pH, and increased water transport can affect the long-term stability of the inorganic carbon pool.”

"Our results show that soil salinization does not lead to a simple linear increase in inorganic carbon storage," said Xue. "Instead, it largely depends on salinity levels, soil depth, and environmental context. Recognizing these limiting factors is crucial for accurately assessing the role of saline soils in the global carbon cycle."

“This study systematically reveals a conditional, threshold-dependent relationship between soil salinization and inorganic carbon on a global scale, filling a long-standing gap in understanding SIC and its driving mechanisms in global carbon cycle research. The findings provide new constraints for global carbon assessments and underscore the need to incorporate soil chemical processes into land degradation assessments and carbon neutrality strategies.”

     The abstract, shown below, points out that:

“These findings elucidate the dynamics of carbon–salt coupling in the soil–atmosphere–water system, offering pivotal scientific insights for carbon-neutrality strategies.”

References:

 

Increased soil salinity alters global inorganic carbon storage, finds study. Zhang Nannan. Phys.org. January 22, 2026. Increased soil salinity alters global inorganic carbon storage, finds study

The contribution of increased global soil salinity to changes in inorganic carbon. Xiaofang Jiang and Xian Xue. PNAS. Vol. 123 | No. 4.  January 21, 2026. The contribution of increased global soil salinity to changes in inorganic carbon | PNAS

 

The Grain Belt Express Transmission Project: Will It Get Built? Maybe: Eminent Domain Cited as an Issue in Defunding Loan Guarantee

     The Trump administration has been exemplary in deeming wind energy to be unnecessary. Along with cancelling offshore wind projects, it has also defunded a $4.9 billion loan guarantee for a major transmission project, Invenergy’s $11 billion Grain Belt Express. While the canceled loan guarantee won’t effectively cancel the project, it will make it necessary to get alternative financing for that portion, which will be subject to higher interest rates. The project is slated to install about 800 miles of new transmission.

     There are several parts to this story. 1) needed transmission to move wind power from windy Kansas to more populated regions to the east to Indiana and beyond, connecting four power regions, 2) significant opposition to the project from farmers, ranchers, and other landowners affected, with eminent domain expected to be employed, 3) an administration that does not seek to advance clean energy, seemingly in any way, 4) higher energy demand in the regions that would be serviced by the transmission line.

     It is unclear if the project will ultimately get built, but there is little doubt that it will be slowed down. Missouri Senator Josh Hawley advocated for the DOE to defund the loan guarantee, citing public opposition and eminent domain issues.

“Even if we do all the planned power plants, and all the planned wind and solar farms, we still won’t have enough electricity to meet all the planned AI data centers,” said Otto Lynch, CEO of Power Line Systems, a software company that designs transmission infrastructure. “We need 35 gigawatts of electricity by 2030 just to meet the demand from data centers. And that's just the ones that are planned. The Grain Belt line is still needed—we’ve got to get that energy.”

     Financial analysis and modeling suggest that the project would save ratepayers $52 billion over 15 years. The Missouri Public Service Commission found that Missouri alone would save $17 billion in lower electric bills—savings that would flow directly to homeowners and businesses. Jobs, both temporary construction jobs and permanent jobs, will be created by the project. It would also provide a connected energy market across four power regions, which should make the overall grid more flexible in meeting demand.

     Energy Sage reports on the project:

“The loan guarantee program has a strong track record. In its 20-year history, the Department of Energy's Loan Programs Office has actually turned a profit for taxpayers by collecting interest and principal payments from borrowers. This wasn't a government giveaway—it was a financial tool designed to help critical infrastructure projects access capital markets at reasonable rates.”

“By late 2024, the Grain Belt Express had overcome every major hurdle. State approvals from Kansas, Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana were secured after years of regulatory review. The Biden administration had approved the conditional loan guarantee following extensive due diligence.

Invenergy had awarded $1.7 billion in contracts to U.S. contractors to begin construction, with the line set to start operation in 2026.”

“Then politics intervened.”

“Missouri Senator Josh Hawley successfully lobbied President Trump and Energy Secretary Chris Wright to cancel the loan guarantee, calling it a "boondoggle loan" and a "green scam." The July 23 cancellation notice cited that "the conditions necessary to issue the guarantee are unlikely to be met and it is not critical for the federal government to have a role in supporting this project."

“In response, Invenergy called the cancellation "bizarre," noting that "Senator Hawley is trying to deprive Americans of billions of dollars in energy cost savings, thousands of jobs, and grid reliability and national security."

     Basically, it is a political defunding and a part of the Trump administration’s overt war on wind power. While many see this project as a critical infrastructure project, others see it as a “green scam” simply because it involves wind energy. Invenergy says they think the project will still be built with private financing, but they do lament the lack of government support for this critical infrastructure project.

      

 

References:

 

Trump administration cancels pending loan for massive power line project: The decision lands after Missouri GOP Sen. Josh Hawley said the administration would kill the financing at his urging. Kelsey Tamborrino and James Bikales. Politico. July 23, 2025. Trump administration cancels pending loan for massive power line project - POLITICO

Federal officials cancel $4.9 billion grid upgrade set to employ thousands: 'The project promised substantial economic benefits'. Costs will be passed on to consumers. Kristen Lawrence. The Cool Down. September 3, 2025. Federal officials cancel $4.9 billion grid upgrade set to employ thousands: 'The project promised substantial economic benefits'

Grain Belt Express: An Invenergy Project. Home - Grain Belt Express

America's power crunch gets worse as $5 billion transmission project loses federal backing

The Grain Belt Express could bring $52 billion in energy savings over the next 15 years. Justin R. Wolf. Edited by: Alix Langone. Energy Sage. Updated Aug 13, 2025. America's Power Crunch Gets Worse As $5 Billion Transmission Project Loses Federal Backing | EnergySage

Venezuelan Oil Industry Expats Helped to Develop the Canadian Oilsands: A Missing Piece of the Story of Venezuelan Oil (as reported by Reuters)

     Having read and written about the history of Venezuelan oil development, I was surprised to learn that many of the PDVSA expats migrated to Canada after the strikes, where they utilized their expertise in working with heavy oil in the Orinoco Belt to help develop the Canadian oilsands. These oilsands are the biggest source of oil imported into the U.S. Canada is the world’s largest producer of heavy crude.

     A story in Reuters by Amanda Stephenson covers the human side of the story. Most of these people emigrated in the 2000s during the regime of Hugo Chavez. Most are over 55 and do not plan on returning to Venezuela. There are significant numbers of engineers, geologists, and other scientists, all with valuable skills. The cities of Calgary and Edmonton were destinations, as was Fort McMurray, nearer to operations. There are other oil and gas plays in Alberta as well.  

     Around 7,450 Venezuelans migrated to Canada between 2001 and 2010. Many were skilled oil industry workers. They have built successful lives in Canada. It was a talent exodus perpetrated by Chavez, and that loss of talent was a major contributing factor to the degradation of the country’s oil industry after they left.

     Lino Carrillo was recruited by Canada’s Suncor in 2004.

"People appreciated the Venezuelan knowledge," said Carrillo. "I believe Canada would have accomplished what it did with the development of the oil sands anyway, but what they did was they brought in people with 15, 20 years of experience and that helped shortcut the path."  

     More recently, Carillo has worked on opposition party leader Maria Machado's energy platform. He also says many Venezuelans won’t go back.

"Venezuelan expats have lots of conversations about 'will they go back, how can they help their country recover,'" said Pereira. "But it's two generations that have passed now, and the ones that have expertise, most of them are at least 55 years old."

     For more details, see the Reuters article in the references.

   

 

References:

 

Venezuelan expats who helped propel Canada oil sands growth see return home as unlikely. Amanda Stephenson. Reuters. February 4, 2026. Venezuelan expats who helped propel Canada oil sands growth see return home as unlikely

Aging Septic Systems are Contaminating Water in Florida with Nitrogen and Pathogens: A Shallow Water Table and Porous Soil Allow it to Spread

      The type of septic system installed, how deep, and sometimes how large the leach field is, depends on the characteristics of the soil. Septic leach fields are installed as shallow as possible to take advantage of higher oxygen levels in the soil nearer the surface so that the aerobic bacteria can thrive to break down the organic matter in the effluent coming from the septic tank. They are also installed shallow to stay above the water table. Other types of systems do not utilize a leach field, but some type of chamber filled with mulch or sand where the water is treated. In Florida, the soil is generally quite porous, and the water table is high. This complicates septic system optimization and can lead to failed and dysfunctional systems where the effluent is not being adequately treated.

     Florida’s problem is mainly aging septic systems that are no longer functioning adequately. According to environmental scientist Iuliia Istratiy, reporting for the Sun Sentinel:

“Florida has more than 2 million septic systems, one of the highest numbers in the country. Many of them were installed decades ago, long before today’s environmental standards and rapid population growth. While septic systems are often seen as a private household issue, taken together, they have become a major public and environmental concern."

     These systems were generally not designed to remove nitrogen, and with the porosity of the soils, the effluents are able to bring nitrogen into the local shallow groundwater and even into nearby canals, rivers, and coastal waters. Excess nitrogen feeds algae, reduces oxygen levels in water, and damages freshwater and coastal ecosystems. It also contributes to ongoing coastal issues like red tides and eutrophication. Florida is basically a coastal plain, a low-lying area where water can collect. The coastal regions are the most vulnerable. Rising sea levels, flooding, and storm surges can further allow the contaminated water to move around. Istratiy writes:

“Florida has taken steps to address water quality problems, but progress in upgrading outdated septic systems has been slow and uneven. Replacing old systems or connecting homes to sewer lines can be expensive, yet the cost of doing nothing continues to grow. Environmental damage, health risks and economic losses place a much heavier burden on communities over time.”

“Solving this problem will require coordinated action. State and local governments need to prioritize funding for septic-to-sewer conversions in the most vulnerable areas, improve maintenance and inspection requirements, and help homeowners manage the cost of necessary upgrades. Public awareness also plays a key role. When people understand how individual septic systems affect shared water resources, the issue becomes a matter of collective responsibility.”

     I have worked as a regulator and inspector in the past of household sewage treatment systems (ie, septic systems) in an area where it was common for some older systems and occasionally even some newer systems to fail. I know that for regular people, it becomes a significant economic issue. In modern times, it can be very expensive to replace a failing septic system, and it can even be financially inconvenient to pay to have it maintained and inspected. Thus, cost tends to slow down mitigation and replacement.

     In January 2025, Florida moved its onsite sewage program regulation and permitting for 16 counties from the County Health departments to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP). Below is an update from the Florida DEP about the improved permitting and inspection numbers in the target counties.

     Researchers from Florida Atlantic University’s Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute looked at water quality in southwest Florida, tracking microbes, and found that septic systems were a major contributor to water quality degradation. According to Florida Atlantic University:

“…there are about 39,768 “known” and about 57,054 “likely” septic systems in Southwest Florida’s Lee County (about 100,000 total). To identify sources of pollution contributing to the water quality woes, researchers examined septic system- groundwater- surface water couplings through the analysis of various parameters.”

      The researchers tracked microbes and nutrients and distinguished them into human and animal origins. Their research was published in September 2022 in the journal Science of the Total Environment. They utilized several tracers and indicators. One effective indicator for human waste was sucralose. The researchers found that human waste was definitely contributing to harmful algae blooms (HABs). One very important conclusion is that:

“Most (>80%) water table depth measurements were too shallow to support septic system functioning (<1.07 m).”

     This basically means that more than 80% of the septic systems in this region are basically dysfunctional, or what we used to call “failing.”

     The study showed that both groundwater and surface water were significantly contaminated with septic system waste, from both pathogens and nitrogen. Pathogens are indicated by fecal bacteria indicators like coliform bacteria.

     The researchers concluded:

“Urban water quality is complex because it is affected by myriad environmental, economic, and political issues. This means that resource managers must be able to identify sources contributing to water quality decline and then prioritize mitigation and abatement strategies. Due to the nature of human waste inputs (i.e., reactive nutrients, pathogens, bacteria, pharmaceuticals, etc.), improved wastewater infrastructure and management, including advanced wastewater treatment (nutrient removal), in …”

 

 

References:

 

Aging septic systems fuel Florida’s growing water quality crisis. Opinion by Iuliia Istratiy. Tampa Bay Times. February 2, 2026. Aging septic systems fuel Florida’s growing water quality crisis | Column

Water Quality Woes in S.W. Florida Linked to Seeping Septic Systems. Gisele Galoustian. Florida Atlantic University News Desk. August 9, 2022. FAU | Water Quality Woes in S.W. Florida Linked to Seeping Septic Systems

The Onsite Sewage Program has moved to the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Florida Department of Health. 2025. Septic Systems - Florida Department of Health

Program Update - Phase I Transition. Division of Water Resource Management. Onsite Sewage Program. Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Program Update - Phase I Transition | Florida Department of Environmental Protection

Septic system–groundwater–surface water couplings in waterfront communities contribute to harmful algal blooms in Southwest Florida. Rachel A. Brewton, Lisa B. Kreiger, Kevin N. Tyre, Diana Baladi, Lynn E. Wilking, Laura W. Herren, and Brian E. Lapointe. Science of The Total Environment. Volume 837, 1 September 2022, 155319. Septic system–groundwater–surface water couplings in waterfront communities contribute to harmful algal blooms in Southwest Florida - ScienceDirect

Injecting Edited DNA and Growth-Promoting Bacteria into Pruned Plants Can Produce Gene-Edited and Transgenic Plants Faster

     A new breakthrough in plant biology is the enabling of a new technique to grow transgenic and gene-edited plants that can shorten the process from months to weeks. Normally, a single plant is grown and edited, and grows into a new plant, but it is sometimes not successful. The new technique involves injecting edited DNA and growth-promoting bacteria into a pruned plant. This takes advantage of a plant’s natural ability to regenerate when damaged. Thus, scientists can now begin with actual plant shoots rather than tissue culture. Cassidy Lovell of the Cool Down writes of the potential advantages of faster transgenic and gene-edited plants:

“This innovation could help farmers respond more rapidly to plant diseases or pests that threaten their yields. Invasive pests cause billions of dollars in damage each year, but gene-editing plants could make them more resistant, or even less desirable, to pests.”

“Environmentally, crops could be edited to better withstand rapidly changing climate conditions, like long heat waves or sudden cold snaps. They could even require less water or land, alleviating some strain on resources like water and soil.”

     Cell Press/Phys.org describes the process:

“By injecting bacteria carrying genetic instructions for wound healing and regeneration into a pruned plant's wound site, the researchers triggered the plant to grow new shoots, some of which were transgenic and gene edited.”

     The paper was published in the journal Molecular Plant.

"Plant regeneration has long been a major limitation in crop biotechnology," says senior author and plant genomicist Gunvant Patil of Texas Tech University.

"Our method leverages the plant's inherent regenerative capacity to rapidly produce gene-edited shoots, bypassing months of traditional tissue culture. This innovation has the potential to redefine how we create next-generation, improved crop varieties."    

"You decapitate the plant, you inoculate with Agrobacterium, and then the shoots that grow out of the wound will give rise to seeds that are transgenic or gene-edited," says co-author and plant genomicist Luis Herrera-Estrella of Texas Tech University.

"This technique could help us transform species that are usually very difficult to grow in tissue culture because it's faster and more natural."

     The researchers first tested the technique on tobacco plants, which regenerate readily. They achieved a 35% success rate. Next, they tried it on tomatoes, which are more difficult to regenerate. With tomatoes, they achieved a 21% success rate. The technique was initially unsuccessful in soybeans, which are notoriously difficult to regenerate. However, they were able to achieve success by changing the process a bit. Instead of applying Agrobacterium to pruned shoots, they applied the bacteria to soybean seeds that had been stimulated to germinate. Then they grew the soybeans in tissue culture for 3.5 weeks and were able to successfully grow transgenic shoots 28% of the time.

"With the conventional method, we need to grow soybeans in tissue culture for at least 3 to 4 months, so reducing that time to 3.5 weeks is a huge advancement," says Patil. "This is the first step, and we are now working to fine-tune this technology to apply it to more difficult crops, such as chickpeas, common bean, and many other crops."

     To reiterate, the major advancement of the new technique is the significant speed-up of the process for creating transgenic and gene-edited plants. This should enable the faster development of plants with desirable transgenic or gene-edited traits.

     

 

References:

 

Researchers make incredible breakthrough that could help protect food supply from major threat: 'Has the potential to redefine'. Cassidy Lovell. The Cool Down. February 1, 2026. Researchers make incredible breakthrough that could help protect food supply from major threat: 'Has the potential to redefine'

Growing transgenic plants in weeks instead of months by hijacking a plant's natural regeneration abilities. Cell Press. edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Robert Egan. Phys.org. November 6, 2025. Growing transgenic plants in weeks instead of months by hijacking a plant's natural regeneration abilities

A synthetic transcription cascade enables direct in planta shoot regeneration for transgenesis and gene editing in multiple plants. Arjun Ojha Kshetry, Kaushik Ghose, Anshu Alok, Vikas Devkar, Vidhyavathi Raman, Robert M. Stupar, Luis Herrera-Estrella, Feng Zhang, and Gunvant B. Patil. Molecular Plant. Volume 18, Issue 12. p2066-2081. December 1, 2025. A synthetic transcription cascade enables direct in planta shoot regeneration for transgenesis and gene editing in multiple plants: Molecular Plant

 

Clean Energy Advocates are Irresponsibly Putting Grid Reliability at Risk by Opposing Fossil Fuel Power According to NERC

       With power demand rising for the first time in a few decades, there is a clear need to prevent power grids from losing reliability, according to the North American Electric Reliability Corporation (NERC). Demands from clean energy advocates are exacerbating the issue. I know that during this unprecedented extended interval of very cold weather, I am grateful that the power has remained on and able to keep warm enough. An article by Everett Sloane in Morning Overview notes that retiring fossil fuel plants too soon could result in reliability events that could lead to rolling blackouts. Energy Secretary Chris Wright, who has delayed some of these planned retirements, no doubt agrees.

“Regulators are effectively telling policymakers that the physics of the system are changing faster than the infrastructure, and that without a course correction, reliability risks will spread from a handful of stressed regions to much of the continent.”

     The simple math of it is that demand is up and firm capacity, or dependable power generation, is down. Data centers, industrial loads, and electrified technologies are expected to make and keep peak demand very high.

     NERC’s Long Term Reliability Assessment (LTRA) calculates that 21 GW of fossil fuel generation capacity will be lost over the next decade. Since that is in capacity and plants scheduled for retirement are often already running at low utilization rates (capacity factors), that is not as bad as it seems. However, it does represent a significant loss of firm capacity.

“The National Rural Electric Cooperative Association, or NRECA, has issued a call for swift action to address what it describes as a worsening grid reliability outlook, warning that projected energy resource and transmission growth will not keep up with demand in parts of the Midwest, Mid Atlantic, and Northwest. In its statement, NRECA warns that these regions could face heightened risk of shortfalls if dispatchable plants close before new capacity and transmission lines are in place, a concern that dovetails with NERC’s broader warning that much of the grid is drifting into a more fragile state.”

     It should perhaps be pointed out that the impressive levels of fossil fuel, mainly coal and old inefficient gas plants, retirements of the past were easier to accommodate since power demand had been steady. That is no longer the case.

     The Morning Overview article notes that Winter Storm Fern will be a major stress test, and the data that arises from it should help with evaluating reliability concerns. As can be seen below, the first few days of this storm and especially the extended cold spell resulted in ISO New England turning, as they have now for years, to fuel oil, as can be seen in the graph below from the EIA. Oil made up the majority of power in the region. This fuel oil is much more expensive than natural gas, puts out far more air pollutants than natural gas, and also emits more CO2 than natural gas. Years or decades of burning oil every time a cold snap hits is not the most responsible way to address such cold snaps, which are guaranteed to happen. Building natural gas pipelines to nearby inexpensive natural gas sources makes much more sense, but is nonetheless unlikely to happen on a scale big enough to make a difference.

     One thing is for certain. We need enough dispatchable generation to cover such events effectively.

“Industry groups are pushing for a slower pace of retirements, while clean energy advocates argue that the answer lies in accelerating investment in transmission, storage, and flexible demand rather than extending the life of aging coal units. NERC’s data, including the projected 21 gigawatt decline in fossil capacity and the 24 percent rise in peak demand, suggest that both sides are grappling with the same constraint: time. To avoid the scenario where huge chunks of the grid become vulnerable, policymakers will need to align permitting, market design, and reliability standards so that new resources are in place before old ones exit, rather than after the fact.”

     According to Utility Dive’s Robert Walton, NERC’s assessment has most of the demand increase coming from data centers. However, summer demand is also expected to rise considerably, although winter demand is expected to rise a little more than that.

“Summer peak demand across the bulk system is forecast to grow by 224 GW over the next 10 years, a more than 69% increase over the 2024 LTRA forecast and a 24% increase from 2025 peak demand.”

“Winter demand growth is even higher, with 246 GW of growth forecast over the next decade.”

     MISO, PJM, ERCOT, and the Pacific Northwest are expected to lead demand growth. John Moura, NERC’s director of reliability assessments and performance analysis, noted that the future has never been more uncertain. Another NERC official noted that delays in connecting new resources and unanticipated generator retirements resulted in bulk system capacity being less than projected for the past two years in a row. They also note that solar and battery additions can be effective for addressing summer demand but not winter demand.

     The Electric Power Supply Association (EPSA) noted that both new resources and plant retirement delays will be needed to ensure reliability.

“Reliability is best served by competitive electricity markets that send clear, durable development signals — not by policy interventions that create misalignment between supply and demand,” EPSA President and CEO Todd Snitchler said in a statement. “In order to address the warnings NERC’s LTRA sets out, it will require getting market signals right while addressing permitting and siting delays, supply chain bottlenecks, and other barriers to development.”

 

 

References:

 

Regulator warns huge chunks of grid could fail as fossil fuels vanish. Everett Sloane. Morning Overview. January 31, 2026. Regulator warns huge chunks of grid could fail as fossil fuels vanish

NERC forecasts peak demand to rise 24% on new data center loads. Robert Walton. Utility Dive. January 30, 2026. NERC forecasts peak demand to rise 24% on new data center loads | Utility Dive