Robert Bryce: Trump’s Media Ban Clearly Violates First Amendment Press Freedom

     

     Robert Bryce is known for telling it like it is. This case is no different, and I agree completely. Constitutional press freedom simply requires Trump to tolerate negative news stories. He may not like it, but that is the way it is. No judge or court should allow him to ban press coverage.

     In this case, Bryce simply states the wording James Madison used when he introduced the amendment:

“The people shall not be deprived or abridged of their right to speak, to write, or to publish their sentiments; and the freedom of the press, as one of the great bulwarks of liberty, shall be inviolable.”

     As we know, Trump has done other things that may be illegal or unconstitutional, and he often treads on that line between legal and illegal every opportunity he gets. If he doesn’t like it here, he should leave, because that is the way it is. He does not get to make up the rules. That is not how our government works as much as he would like it to be.

     Fortunately, the ban was struck down by a judge, and one that Trump appointed, at that.  

     Bryce continued, regarding the quote:

“That sentence, written by a man who’s often called the “Father of the Constitution,” provides essential context for President Trump’s move last week to bar CNN, MS NOW, and Politico from the White House. And to add more foolishness to an already indefensible move, on Friday, while in the Oval Office, Trump went even further, saying, “It’s sick. I mean there’s something wrong with a country that can allow people to write purposely negative stories.”

“Excuse my language, but WTF?”

     I think it is likely that Trump simply doesn’t understand how he is limited by the Constitution, but ignorance is no excuse. If he did, he would not have enacted the ban or uttered the sentence about negative stories.

     Below, he summarizes the potential implications of Trump adding this blunder to his sinking approval ratings. He notes Trump is also damaging the GOP. I would add that the lack of or lackluster pushback by the GOP against Trump’s blunders damages them just as badly. I won’t even consider voting for a Republican until he is long gone.

“Trump’s ban of the media outlets and his mocking of the First Amendment are beyond the pale. They are a strategic blunder, an own goal. And Trump is scoring that own goal at the very moment his approval ratings are the lowest of his political career. A poll released on Monday showed his approval rating is just 32%. That’s the lowest approval rating for a sitting president in the last nine midterms. Further, Trump’s doing more damage to the Republican Party’s brand, and he’s doing it just six weeks before the pivotal midterm elections.”

     Trump later tried to invoke National Security to support the ban, something that has worked with him in the past to bypass Congress and the courts. It won't work this time.

 

 

  

References:

 

Trump v. Madison (And Streisand). Robert Bryce. Substack. September 22, 2026. Trump v. Madison (And Streisand) - Robert Bryce

An Iron Complex Reaction Powered by Light Can Reduce Nitrate to Ammonia, Mitigating Groundwater Pollution: Powered by Heat, It Yields Nitric Oxide: Manipulation of Hydrogen Bonds is the Key

     Researchers at the University of Michigan published a paper in the journal Nature Chemistry that shows how they were able to develop an iron complex that can break down leftover groundwater nitrate from fertilizer, which is typically very stable in the environment. Nitrates are notoriously difficult to chemically reduce and remove from the environment. They are also responsible for harmful algal blooms, promoting cyanobacteria growth, inducing eutrophication, and death of marine life. The new method can reduce nitrate into components that can be recycled for fertilizer.

     According to Phys.org, lead author and chemist Nathaniel Szymczak noted:

"Now we tend to overfertilize crops, and a huge majority of the fertilizer we apply actually leaches away with runoff into streams, groundwater, lakes and oceans," Szymczak said. "Human impacts have basically caused an imbalance, and it's impossible for biological systems to compensate for as much nitrate as we're dumping into them."

     They first studied nitrogen transport and chemical interactions in the environment. They found that hydrogen bonds were the key to binding nitrates as well as to enhancing the chemical reduction of them.

“They found that nitrate transporter proteins—proteins that help plants use nitrates—bind to nitrates using hydrogen bonds. These hydrogen bonds are found in a halo of surrounding molecules called the "secondary sphere."

"When we look at this problem of how we actually tackle nitrate reduction, we look to the enzymes, we look to biology, and what we've found is nature has provided cues about how to bind and reduce nitrate," he said. "We found that just by having well-positioned hydrogen bonds, you can actually change the bonding structure in nitrate and force a subsequent reduction step."

     They began with an iron complex surrounded by a secondary sphere of hydrogen bonds. They were then able to turn hydrogen bonds on, essentially targeting the binding sites on nitrates, in order to prime, or ready them for the next chemical reaction in the reduction process.   

     The researchers note that there are two types of reduction sequences for nitrates: stoichiometric reduction and catalytic reduction.

“Nature’s solution to achieve binding/activation of nitrate is to use networks of hydrogen-bonding (H-bonding) interactions, amino acid residues that are critical to the function of nitrate transport proteins and nitrate reductases.”

     The researchers compared the use of heat and light to power the chemical reaction and got two different chemical results.

“When the researchers used heat to drive the chemical reaction, the iron complex was able to grab oxygen atoms from nitrate, reducing it to nitric oxide. When the researchers used light, the iron complex was able to remove oxygen atoms from nitrate altogether, converting it to ammonia.”

     The ammonia can be reused as fertilizer, and the nitric oxide has medical and industrial uses. The experiments should be considered to be an early step in the development of chemical remediation of nitrates in water, which is needed where fertilizer use is heavy. It should be combined with more efficient, better targeting, timing, and overall optimization of fertilizer applications. Devices would need to be built that could facilitate and control the reduction step. The method could one day be used at facilities like wastewater treatment plants.

"The timeframe for development of solutions to big picture problems has a large time horizon, and they require fundamental studies to develop principles and invent new ways to do molecular transformations that are societally important," Szymczak said. "We are giving people a roadmap of how to achieve the difficult reduction step that we hope could be translated to engineered systems that might be used down the road."

    

References:

 

Iron complex breaks down stubborn pollutant using light-powered reaction. University of Michigan. edited by Sadie Harley, reviewed by Robert Egan. Phys.org. September 22, 2026. Iron complex breaks down stubborn pollutant using light-powered reaction

Secondary-sphere hydrogen bonding promotes catalytic nitrate reduction at iron. Writhabrata Sarkar, Andrew R. LaDuca, Riley W. Kazukiewicz & Nathaniel K. Szymczak. Nature Chemistry (2026). Secondary-sphere hydrogen bonding promotes catalytic nitrate reduction at iron | Nature Chemistry

Mission 300: The World Bank and African Development Bank Project That Plans to Halve the Number of People in Africa Living Without Electricity

      Nearly 600 million people in Sub-Saharan Africa live without electricity. Mission 300 is a $15 billion development initiative by the World Bank and African Development Bank Group (ADB) that is working to give 50 million Africans living in 40 countries access to reliable electricity by 2030 and ultimately halving the number of people on the continent living without reliable electricity by 2030. This accords with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals, specifically SDG 7. The Mission 300 goal is to finance and implement National Energy Compacts, “fixed agendas for public ministries, commercial operators, and investors to coalesce around.”

     Andy Corbley of Good News Network writes:

“African development has been a mixed story since the end of colonialism, with shining examples of Botswana and post-war Rwanda clashing with others like Zimbabwe or Sierra Leone.”

     The project has already increased the pace of electrification in several African countries, including Tanzania and Ethiopia.

     Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank Group, noted:

“Mission 300 is helping countries move faster, connect more people, and build a platform that will last well beyond this effort — one others can use, build on, and scale for years to come. At the end of the day, electricity is not just about power. It is about what it enables: jobs, business, health care, education, and opportunity.”

     Thus far, Mission 300 has committed $15 billion in financing and attracted another $4.5 billion in co-financing. Additional development partners have pledged more than $7 billion in support of Africa’s energy sector.

     The World Bank notes:

“Household electricity access improves family welfare. It lights up homes, connects people to information, and makes cooking safer and easier. For communities, electricity keeps hospital lights on and medicine cold. It connects students to the internet and training programs. It powers irrigation systems, commercial farming, and processing plants. It builds digital networks and fuels the industries that create jobs.”

     As the name suggests, the plan is to give 300 million people new access to electricity, with 50 million by 2030. This would be an amazing accomplishment. As pointed out in the forthcoming book, The Energy Illusion, which I recently reviewed, electrifying these poverty-stricken regions is challenging and likely will remain so for a while:

“African Development Bank analysis points to the same pattern: brittle feeders, overloaded transformers, poor collection, and high service cost per connection recur as barriers. When utilities serve long lines badly, losses rise, bills go unpaid, and maintenance slips further. Service worsens. Customers hedge with generators, batteries, charcoal, kerosene, and whatever else keeps the household functioning. The system becomes more expensive to run and less able to earn its way out of fragility.”

     The challenges noted need to be overcome, and hopefully this project will help in that regard.

     The World Bank emphasizes the importance of its model of National Energy Compacts:

“At the heart of our plan are National Energy Compacts—country-led reform roadmaps that unlock investment, align policy, and keep progress on track.”

     As noted below, the plan includes sharing regional power between countries, encouraging private sector participation, addressing the serious issue of clean cooking fuels, addressing people’s ability to pay, and strengthening power utility companies.

     Plans for engaging the private sector are given below.

     Plans for engaging development partners and nonprofits are given below along with de-risking strategies.

 

 

References:

 

Mission 300. World Bank. Mission 300 | Electricity to Power Africa and its Economy

Billion-Dollar Program Connects 50 Million People to the Power Grid Across Africa. Andy Corbley. Good News Network. June 29, 2026. Billion-Dollar Program Connects 50 Million People to the Power Grid Across Africa

Qnetic Energy’s Flywheel for Medium-Duration Mechanical Energy Storage: It Relies on a Contactless, Frictionless, and Wear-Free Rotor

     Flywheels are typically used for very short-duration energy storage on the scale of minutes and seconds and to enhance spinning reserve on power grids. Qnetic Energy has developed a new design that can store energy for longer periods of time, for 4-12 hours. It is an example of mechanical energy storage. Energy is stored as kinetic motion. 

     The company notes that its design has many advantages over the lithium-ion batteries commonly used on power grids. It does not degrade like lithium batteries and other chemical batteries do. There is no danger of fires like there are with lithium batteries. It can charge and discharge multiple times in a day, whereas lithium batteries are cycled no more than once per day to preserve lifespan. This allows it to generate more arbitrage revenue. It does not lose efficiency in weather extremes, cold or hot, like lithium batteries do. Lifetime costs are projected to be lower than lithium batteries. They project that once developed, the costs will be half that of lithium batteries. It has no lithium, cobalt, nor any component dependent on China for supply or supply chains.

     While the technology is not dependent on China for components, it does, apparently, have a technology center in Shanghai. In August 2026, Qnetic began construction of its 200-kWh “Pulsar” Prototype at its test facility and technology center in Shanghai. Pulsar is the company’s alpha prototype. Thus, if testing shows that the design needs to be tweaked, there will be further prototypes, as is often the case with new technologies.

“According to the engineering partner, Qnetic’s flywheel system stores substantially more energy than conventional high-speed spin test applications. As a result, the associated containment and safety requirements are exceptional and operate on a scale rarely encountered in existing testing infrastructure.”

     Once the prototype is built, it will commence validation testing.

“A rotor spins at nearly three times the speed of sound inside a vacuum enclosure, supported by magnetic bearings that virtually eliminate friction. When electricity is needed, the rotating mass drives a generator, returning power to the grid.”

“Because the system relies on no electrochemical reactions, Qnetic says its technology can operate for decades with minimal degradation while offering rapid response times, unlimited cycling capability, and eliminating both fire risk and dependence on critical minerals.”

“The 200-kWh Pulsar system is designed for applications including AI data centers, renewable energy time shifting, grid stabilization, microgrids, and industrial energy resilience.”

“The company is headquartered in New York with additional locations in Sacramento, Shanghai, Singapore, and Germany. Qnetic was founded by Michael Pratt (CEO) and Loïc Bastard (CTO).”

     The company recently completed construction of a production center in Sacramento, California. It has a factory and assembly floor designed specifically for low-volume assembly, testing, and quality validation. The company has recently joined the Electric Power Research Institute’s (EPRI) deRISKED program, sponsored directly by the Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD).

     Recent testing confirms a 97.3% conversion efficiency. This is compared to efficiencies between 85% and 95% for lithium-ion batteries and 95% for lithium-iron-phosphate batteries, both of which are used on power grids.

     The company’s commercialization plans, shown below, are ambitious. They plan to get from the current prototype testing period to production and deployment of 3500 units annually beginning in 2030.

References:

 

A carbon-fiber rotor spinning in a vacuum. That's the battery: No chemistry inside. It can't degrade and it can't burn. Designed to run for 30 years. Qnetic Energy. Invest in Qnetic — Regulation CF

Revolutionising Energy Storage with Qnetic. Qnetic Energy. Website. Discover Long-Duration Flywheel Storage | Qnetic

Qnetic Aligns with Major California Utility as EPRI Evaluates Flywheel Performance. September 12, 2026. Qnetic Energy. News. Qnetic Aligns with Major California Utility as EPRI Evaluates Flywheel Performance - Qnetic

Pulsar Motor Reaches 130 kW Output at 97.3% Efficiency. Qnetic Energy. News. September 15, 2026. Pulsar Motor Reaches 130 kW Output at 97.3% Efficiency  - Qnetic

Qnetic Begins Construction of the World’s Largest Flywheel Energy Storage Test Facility and Assembles First 200-kWh “Pulsar” Prototype. Qnetic Energy. News. August 12, 2026. Qnetic Builds World's Largest Flywheel Test Facility

Qnetic Sacramento Production Center Completed. Qnetic Energy. News. September 12, 2026. Qnetic Sacramento Production Center Completed - Qnetic

 

 

 

 

Trade and Globalization Curb Nationalism, Ethnocentrism, and Prejudice, Walker Wright Argues

        More insights about trade from Walker Wright, author of the forthcoming book In Trade We Trust: How Commerce Makes Us More Social.

     Despite what he calls a growing populist backlash against globalization and international trade as well as Trump’s obsession with tariffs, there are very real benefits to trade and globalization. He notes:

“Many critics portray international trade as an example of “foreign intrusions on national sovereignty.”

     He first cites Milton Friedman and his book, Capitalism and Freedom, where he leans on the work of Nobel Prize-winning economist Gary Becker. Friedman suggested that discrimination is monopolistic and that there is less of it where there is higher freedom of competition.

     He cites a Brookings Institution survey that shows that people with the most nationalistic and ethnocentric attitudes tend to distrust trade and globalization the most, and vice versa.

     He cites a study by political scientists Edward Mansfield and Diana Mutz that concludes that people with nationalistic and ethnocentric attitudes tend to not like outsourcing and vice versa. This is fairly obvious, and the graph below reflects that it is indeed the case.

     He cites a long-term (1977-2010) study by Northwestern University’s James Lindgren, who concluded:

“Those who support capitalism and freer markets and oppose greater income redistribution tend to be . . . less traditionally racist” and “less intolerant of unpopular groups.”

     That is an interesting conclusion but does not seem to accord with anti-capitalists who like to equate capitalism with racism and colonialism, and who often see capitalists as oppressors rather than as liberators. The data suggests that capitalism is far more liberating than oppressive. He cites other studies as well that equate capitalism and free markets with greater tolerance.

     He cites several studies by Niclas Berggren and Therese Nilsson that investigated the relationship between tolerance, economic freedom, and globalization.

“The evidence they gathered suggests a causal relationship between the level of economic globalization and the willingness of parents to teach their children tolerance.”

     The graph below shows one of those studies, and the results are clear: market societies are more tolerant.

     The graph below from one of their studies shows that where economic freedom is deemed greater, racial tolerance is also greater.

     He cites another study by researchers at St. Olaf College, Stanford University, and George Mason University, who concluded that we tend to have more favorable views of people and have more cordial ties with people from countries we do business with.

     He cites other studies and experiments that also conclude that greater economic cooperation leads to greater tolerance of ethnic minorities. He also suggests that protectionism promotes economic isolationism and can make intolerance more popular as well.

“Protectionist restrictions can exacerbate prejudicial attitudes. As the late economist Walter Williams explained, anti-competitive regulation “lowers the private cost of discriminating against the racially less-preferred person.” But when there is money to be made, trading only with groups who look or think like you doesn’t seem so important. And the more you trade with different groups, the more you realize that maybe, just maybe, they aren’t as bad as you thought.”

     He cites a study in Eurasia which showed that where trade is higher, intergroup marriage rates are higher, which is certainly a proxy for greater tolerance. He also notes that in the past, when new forms of travel, like railroads in the 19th-century U.S., became prevalent, there was greater extra-community marriage.

     He notes that the media also plays a role in promoting or opposing tolerance. Below, he explains that in the context of the 19th-century U.S., as more people traveled and moved to areas where market integration was high, tolerance increased and people began to take part in the wider American society rather than just the local society.

“Other signs of tolerance and trust became apparent: Newspapers began to adopt language that reflected generalized trust. Parents began to give children nationally popular names rather than locally distinctive ones, implying a social circle that had extended beyond the local community. But one of the strongest findings was the increase in religious diversity: A 1 percent increase in market access raised religious diversity by 0.27 standard deviation, indicating a greater tolerance for religious identity and practice. Perhaps most striking, families who moved to these more market-integrated areas adapted quickly, especially those working in commerce-intensive industries such as agriculture, manufacturing, wholesale, retail, and transportation.”

     Regular commercial contact makes people less suspicious of outsiders. Thus, trade, in a way, teaches and fosters tolerance.

“By commerce we enlarge our acquaintance with the terraqueous globe and its inhabitants, which tends to greatly expand the mind, and to cure us of many hurtful prejudices. . . . No person can taste the sweets of commerce, which absolutely depends upon a free and undisturbed intercourse of different and remote nations, but must grow fond of peace, in which alone the advantages he enjoys can be had.”

 

References:

 

How Open Economies Lead to Open Minds: Trade undermines bigotry and rewards toleration. Walker Wright. Human Progress. April 7, 2026. How Open Economies Lead to Open Minds - Human Progress

Humic Lakes in the Congo Basin Outgas Significant Amounts of CO2 from Nearby Peatlands: New Research Challenges the Idea of Peatlands as Secure Carbon Sinks

     This paper quantifies the carbon emissions of two lakes in the Congo Basin, lakes Mai Ndombe and Tumba, verifying that they are major CO2 sources. The researchers also discovered that the lakes were receiving significant amounts of CO2 from the adjacent peatlands and outgassing it. Peatlands are major carbon storers. They estimate that 39–40% of the lakes’ CO2 emissions derived from the adjacent peatlands. The researchers analyzed the isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the lakes. The age of that carbon was found to be much older than expected. Mai Ndombe Lake DIC was found to have a mean age of 2170 years via Carbon-14 dating, and Tumba Lake to have a mean age of 3515 years. They note that dissolved organic carbon (DOC) for both lakes and particulate organic carbon (POC) for Mai Ndombe (POC was not measured in Tumba) were both found to be modern in age.

“An aged DIC signature was also observed in the Fimi River, which receives the outflow from Lake Mai Ndombe. While the Fimi is a mixed system that also receives ~43% of its discharge from the Lukenie River, its similarly old DIC radiocarbon age still corroborates the lake DIC age and confirms the export of this ancient carbon from the lake system (Fig. 1b and Extended Data Table 1).”

     Depleted DIC was found in both lakes.

“The depleted lake DIC 13C signature, combined with the absence of carbonate geology in the lake catchments, indicates an origin from terrestrial C3 plant matter.”

“Even with this enrichment relative to DOC/POC and peat, this specific isotopic combination is, however, uncommon in the global context. While aged DIC is common globally, a recently compiled database shows it is typically associated with higher δ13C values, a pattern consistent with inorganic carbon inputs from carbonate weathering. The Congo lake DIC—being both aged and relatively 13C depleted—is a clear exception to this global trend (Extended Data Fig. 2). These results strongly suggest that the DIC partially originates from the decomposition of ancient peat, which is known to have similar isotopic characteristics.”

     The researchers used statistical simulations to estimate the amount of carbon derived from the peatlands. The model is shown in the figure below, and possible pathways for the peatland carbon to get into the lake as CO2 are quoted below.

“Our model outlines three potential subsurface pathways: (1) aerobic respiration, (2) direct CO2 production by acetoclastic methanogenesis and/or (3) hydrogenotrophic methanogenesis followed by CH4 oxidation. While the dominant pathway remains unconstrained, the predominantly anoxic nature of the peatlands suggests that methanogenesis (pathways 2 or 3) is more likely than aerobic respiration (1), as the latter would require extensive drainage to create oxic conditions. We acknowledge, however, that the precise hydrological pathways and fluxes that transport this respired CO2 are a key uncertainty and ongoing work to characterize the hydrology of the Congo peatlands will be crucial for resolving these complex dynamics. The proposed model framework is consistent with findings demonstrating a similar DOC and DIC age decoupling within boreal peatlands. There, porewater DOC was shown to be modern while porewater DIC and CH4 exhibited intermediate ages between the ancient peat and modern DOC. Similarly, the DOC from porewaters in tropical peatlands has been shown to be modern, even when the surrounding peat matrix is ancient. These studies lend support to our decoupling model and further suggest that the ancient DIC in the lakes is sourced from deep subsurface respiration (probably involving methanogenesis) of ancient peat.”

“These findings challenge the prevailing understanding that CO2 emissions from pristine humic lakes are derived from modern, rapidly cycling carbon.”

     More study of Congo Basin hydrology will be needed to better understand the transport and outgassing mechanisms and to determine whether other humic lakes with adjacent peatlands have similar mechanisms.

   

 

References:

 

Millennial-aged peat carbon outgassed by large humic lakes in the Congo Basin. Travis W. Drake, Jordon D. Hemingway, Matti Barthel, Antoine de Clippele, Negar Haghipour, Jose N. Wabakanghanzi, Kristof Van Oost & Johan Six. Nature Geoscience volume 19, pages 415–418 (February 2026). Millennial-aged peat carbon outgassed by large humic lakes in the Congo Basin | Nature Geoscience

Denmark’s Requirement for Farmers to Feed Cows Bovaer to Reduce Enteric Methane Emissions Has Led to Accusations of Sick Cows and Drops in Milk Production

     There are products on the market that reduce the amount of methane cows produce via enteric fermentation in their stomachs. It has long been known that these products typically reduce milk production.

     Since Late 2025, when Denmark implemented a new requirement for all farmers with more than 50 cows to feed them the supplement Bovaer at least 80 days per year to reduce methane output, farmers all over the country have complained that their cows were experiencing fever, infections, diarrhea, falling milk production, and even death. The UK is set for a similar trial of the supplement, which has been tested extensively in both countries and in the EU.

“The active substance 3-NOP inhibits an enzyme process in the cow’s digestion and can thus reduce methane emissions by up to 30 percent. The supplement has previously been highlighted by chains such as Tesco, Aldi, and Morrisons as a tool to achieve significant emission reductions in milk production.”

     One farmer claimed that when the product was used, the negative health effects appeared, and when it was discontinued, the effects stopped.

“We had to stop giving Bovaer because the cows and our milk production suffered. Since we stopped… the cows showed clear signs of improvement. Two days later, the somatic cell count fell by more than 20 percent.”

     Under threat of hefty fines for non-compliance, it is estimated that 1400 out of Denmark’s 2000 qualifying dairy farmers began administering the supplement. The requirement went into effect one year ago on October 1, 2025. There were hundreds of complaints about sick cows, and many farmers stopped using the supplement. Ida Storm from the Danish Agriculture & Food Council noted:

“We are aware of some cases where dairy farmers report problems after starting to use Bovaer. This is of course of great concern to us.”

     Denmark’s Minister of Food and Agriculture, Jacob Jensen, noted:

“Some farmers are currently reporting challenges in connection with the use of Bovaer. I take this very seriously, and the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration is closely monitoring the situation.”

     A spokesperson for the manufacturer of Bovaer, dsm-firmenish, noted:

“Bovaer has undergone extensive scientific evaluation, with over 15 years of research and no evidence of negative health effects in cows.”

     Some farmers are skeptical that humans can adequately control the complicated biological process of cow digestion. Investigations are underway. Regulators and the manufacturer are baffled that the extensive testing did not reveal potential negative effects, so they are skeptical of the farmer’s claims. The manufacturer claims that Bovaer had been administered to 500,000 dairy cows in more than 25 countries. Below, the company explains how Bovaer works and how it is metabolized by cows. 

     An article in Aeon Magazine explains how cow digestion and Bovaer work and summarizes the testing history.

“Cows digest food in a four-chamber stomach, and during this process, an enzyme in one of the chambers, called the rumen, produces methane.”

“Bovaer, created by a Dutch-Swiss company called dsm-firmenich, contains an active ingredient which suppresses the enzyme that produces methane in the cow’s rumen. According to the company, more than 110 peer-reviewed studies — many of which received funding from dsm or were co-authored by members of its staff —have confirmed the additive’s safety and efficacy in reducing methane emissions from dairy cows by as much as 33 percent. Although some researchers have found that Bovaer reduces feed intake and milk production in cows, none have reported negative health impacts. A statement from Aarhus University, which conducted several studies, summarizes the findings succinctly: The results consistently “showed the desired methane-reducing effect without any signs of disease in the animals.”

     About six weeks after feeding Bovaer was required, there were digestive and metabolic disorders reported by 410 of the 644 farmers who responded to a survey, as well as 434 who noted a decline in milk production. According to Aeon Magazine:

“One possible explanation is that the problems stem from something besides the Bovaer itself. The SEGES report has found that many farmers started their Bovaer use when they made their annual switch to new corn silage. According to Dijkstra, if unstabilized, the silage is at risk of developing unwanted bacteria like clostridia. “I’m not saying that that’s a true problem,” he said. “But we need to distinguish a possible effect of Bovaer as such, with possible other things that happen on the farm.”

     Others think it could be dietary interactions as well, although the product has been tested with multiple forage types and combinations.

     The Danish government began last November to allow affected farmers to temporarily opt out of the requirement. Organic farmers are exempted and could simply feed the cows a higher-fat diet as an alternative – but I am not sure how that equates, maybe less emissions from fertilizers used for the forage crops. Regulators do note that there are some farmers who are not reporting any problems.

“For its part, dsm-firmenich said it is continuing to roll out Bovaer in the 70 countries where it has been approved, including the United States. In an emailed statement, Elanco Animal Health Inc., which distributes the additive there, noted: “Through the end of 2025, our farmer retention rate was over 90%. Elanco has not seen the types of issues that are being reported in Denmark in the more than 150,000 U.S. lactating dairy cows being fed Bovaer since its launch.” And while dsm-firmenich said it is working with Danish authorities to ascertain the origins of the incidents, it also asserted in a written statement to Undark that “there remains absolutely no evidence that Bovaer is a cause of any problems.”

     One farmer, Dr. Anders Ring, who is also a veterinarian, noted that hoof infections from digital dermatitis increased a few weeks after he began feeding Bovaer and stopped when he discontinued. Then, when he started feeding it again at a halved amount, they increased again.

     Earlier this month, dsm-firmenich published an article with data from five dairy farms in Denmark showing no ill effects from the feed supplement. They note that the data:

“…provide insight into how Bovaer® was incorporated into everyday farm routines, what farmers observed and why many chose to continue using it after gaining experience with the product themselves.”

     Data from the five farms in the study showed no ill effects to cows and improved confidence in the product over time. It makes me wonder how much of the reporting of sick cows was anecdotal rhetoric. I’m not saying that is what occurred but asking whether it is responsible for a percentage of cases, and if so, how many.

     The company notes that it has convened a rapid response network of veterinarians and cow nutrition experts to support farmers who may have issues with Bovaer.

“Together with VetSalus, dsm-firmenich has established a Rapid Response Team of veterinary and nutrition experts to support farmers and herd veterinarians when questions arise. Farmers are encouraged to contact their herd veterinarian first, who can involve the team when additional expertise or further investigation is needed.”

 

References:

 

In Denmark, Sick Cows and a Lot of Questions: Farmers blame a food additive required by the Danish government to cut methane emissions, but the source is unclear. Lisa Abend. Undark Magazine. January 5, 2026. In Denmark, Sick Cows and a Lot of Questions

Danish farmers sound the alarm: “Climate feed makes our cows sick.” Samnyitt. November 22, 2025. Danish farmers sound the alarm: "Climate feed makes our cows sick" - Samnytt News

Bovaer affected every herd in Denmark using new feed additive, veterinarian says. Patrick Meagher. Farmer’s Forum. January 29, 2026. Bovaer affected every herd in Denmark using new feed additive, veterinarian says | FarmersForum.com

Methane Inhibitors - Bovaer®. Dsm-firmenich. Methane Inhibitors - Bovaer®

Bovaer® in Denmark: Lessons from five representative dairy farms. Dsm-firmenich. September 23, 2026. Bovaer® in Denmark: Lessons from five representative dairy farms 

 

 

Geologic Hazards: Earthquakes, Karst Terrain, Radon, Shore Erosion, Landslides, and Mine Subsidence are the Main Ones in Ohio; Volcanic Hazards, Geomagnetic Hazards, Glacier Collapse, and Glacial Lake Collapse Are Other Important Geohazards

     I recently saw that the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) had a page about geologic hazards. Thus, this post will focus mostly on Ohio geohazards, which make up most of the total geohazards. They define a geologic hazard as follows:

“A geologic hazard or "geohazard" is a geologic condition, either manmade or natural, that poses a potential danger to life and property.”

     They note that geohazard avoidance or mitigation involves investigating and understanding the geology behind the hazard. Thus, geologic mapping can be utilized as geohazard mapping. Certain rock types are prone to certain hazards.

“For example, maps that show the Columbus Limestone exposed at the surface also depict areas subject to karst development, and maps that show shale-rich Ordovician bedrock present on steep slopes in southwest Ohio also indicate landslide-prone areas.”

 

Shore Erosion

     In Ohio, shore erosion is all about Lake Erie shore erosion, but in coastal states it is oceanic shore erosion that is problematic. That shore erosion is influenced by sedimentation rates, which may be altered by the construction of dams that hold back sediment, increasing the likelihood of erosion. It is also influenced by individual storms. The Ohio page about lakeshore erosion lists the following factors or variables: erodibility of material, soil slope and composition, water level fluctuations, nearshore lakebed shoals and slopes, storm wave energy and duration, precipitation, groundwater and soil conditions, ice cover, shoreline orientation, beach composition, width and slope, and shore protection structures. Thus, there are many factors that must be considered. Ongoing mapping programs are important for assessing shore erosion. For Lake Erie, they note that:

“Erosion within the nearshore is often unnoticed since it occurs under the surface of the water, but it can be a significant cause of major erosive events along Ohio's coast.”

     Coastal erosion is a huge problem around the world where it occurs.

 

Earthquakes

     Earthquake hazards can be mitigated with seismology networks where seismographs are set up to monitor earth movement. This information is vital where earthquakes are common and can be used to predict dangerous earthquakes and to assess epicenter location and depth, which are important for determining future impacts and for defining which faults have slipped. Where earthquakes are likely to occur, there needs to be extensive knowledge of the faults and the likelihood of seismic events.

 

Karst Terrain: Limestone Sinkholes

     Karst terrain is where karstic limestone or dolomite outcrops or is near the surface. This can result in sinkholes that can constrain construction and present dangers to road construction. Groundwater hazards can also be present where groundwater aquifers are in karstic carbonates. In those cases, groundwater can travel much faster and farther than in other kinds of aquifers. Thus, contamination can also travel much faster and farther as well. Normally, soil can filter contaminants and chemically neutralize them over time, but with karst voids, those contaminants often enter groundwater without being filtered and chemically or biologically neutralized.

 

Landslides

     Landslides typically occur where slopes are steep. ODNR notes:

“Landslides occur when a hillside of earth materials destabilizes and moves downslope, which can happen rapidly or slowly over hours, weeks, or even years.”

     As a geologist, I learned about processes like land “creep” and slump erosion. In terms of rocks, shales are more erodible as well as being more subject to landslides than other rocks. The map below shows the regions in Ohio associated with the highest landslide risks. These include regions with steep slopes, areas where shale outcrops, and areas where glacial tills and clays are exposed to lakeshore erosion processes.

 

Radon

     Radon is a geohazard where certain rocks outcrop or occur close to the surface and can outgas radon into basements. Organic black shales, light-colored volcanic rocks, granites, sedimentary rocks that contain phosphate, and metamorphic rocks derived from these rocks are the major sources of radon. I wrote a post about radon in January 2025. Below is an EPA map of areas where radon exposure is a concern.

 

Mine Subsidence and Other Hazards of Abandoned Mine Lands

     Mine subsidence is a problem where there are lots of abandoned underground mines, such as in Eastern Ohio and nearby Appalachian states like West Virginia and Pennsylvania. These can present as large sinkholes. In Ohio, I-70 has been closed at times due to mine subsidence under the freeway. There are quite a few hazards associated with abandoned mine lands, including mine subsidence, landslides of tailings piles, erosion and sedimentation clogging stream channels and culverts, highwalls left over from surface mining, acid mine drainage, and mine openings. Entering mine openings can expose one to “poisonous or explosive gases, oxygen deficiencies, flooded sections, unstable roofs, hard-to-see vertical shafts, venomous insects and snakes and disorienting mazes of mine workings.” When I was young, we used to swim at a place we called Bear Mountain (or Bare Ass Mountain to some), and we used to jump off of a very high highwall. It was a bit dangerous as you had to leap out enough to avoid scraping on the rock, which is how a few people hurt themselves.

     There are two basic types of mine subsidence: pit subsidence and sag subsidence, which are described below:

“There are two types of subsidence: (1) pit, also called sinkhole or pothole, and (2) sag, or trough. Pit subsidence is characterized by an abrupt sinking of the ground surface, resulting in a circular, steep-sided, craterlike feature that has an inward drainage pattern. It is associated with roof collapse of mines that have total overburden – overlying, unconsolidated material and rock – of less than 165 feet, weak roof rock of shale or mudstone, and a ratio of unconsolidated-material thickness to rock thickness that is less than 1:2:1. Pit subsidence does not occur where the thickness of the unconsolidated overburden is more than 90 feet. Sag subsidence occurs as a gentle, gradual settling of the ground surface and is associated with roof collapse, pillar crushing, or pillar crunching of deeper mines (overburden of more than 75 feet). Sag subsidence may fill with water if the surface of the subsidence intersects the water table. Pit subsidence features generally do not hold water because the pit drains in to the underlying mine.”

 

Geomagnetism

     The U.S. Geological Survey monitors geomagnetism, which may present hazards to power transformers. USGS notes:

“Geomagnetic storms generate electrical currents that can damage transformers and cause cascading power failures. By accessing near-real-time information, engineers can adjust operations and avoid potential blackouts or other disruptions.” 

     They use magnetotellurics to map the electrical conductivity of rocks. The map below utilizes nearly 1800 data points across the U.S.

 

Volcanoes

     Areas where there are active volcanoes, such as Hawaii, are major geohazard zones. Geologists study and try to predict when eruptions will occur and how they will occur, whether explosively with massive outgassing or with more gentle lava flows with less pressure. Understanding geology is very important for predicting and mitigating such events. Related hydrothermal phenomena like geysers can also be hazardous.  

Glacier Collapses and Glacial Lake Collapses 

     As occurred recently in Nepal, glacier collapses can be immensely hazardous. In addition to that, the collapse of glacial lakes can also lead to catastrophic downstream flooding as well. 

 

 

References:

 

Geologic Hazards. Ohio Department of Natural Resources. Geologic Hazards | Ohio Department of Natural Resources

Geologic Hazards Science Center. Colorado School of Mines. U.S. Geological Survey. Geologic Hazards Science Center | U.S. Geological Survey

Ohio Karst: Geofacts. ODNR. GF31_Aden_2024.pdf

Mine Subsidence: Geofacts. No. 12. 2010. Mine Subsidence

Recently completed geophysical survey will help protect critical infrastructure from geomagnetic storms and space weather. U.S. Geological Survey. News Release. August 8, 2024. Recently completed geophysical survey will help protect critical infrastructure from geomagnetic storms and space weather | U.S. Geological Survey