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Remember those nukes we tested in the Cold War? The residual radiation is leaching into the ocean.

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The Wilderness Society

The Republic of the Marshall Islands is a tiny country in the Pacific Ocean.

Made up of over 1,000 islands and islets and 29 coral atolls, the Marshall Islands are home to just 72,000 people — about half the population of Bridgeport, Connecticut.

Like many Pacific islands, it's a scenic, tropical paradise full of beautiful beachside views and ... wait, what the hell is that?!


Image via GroundTruth.

Oh. Right. That's just a giant concrete dome full of radioactive waste on Enewetak Atoll.

From 1944 to 1979, the Marshall Islands were technically a territory of the United States (who took them from Japan during World War II, who took them from Germany after World War I, who took them from...), and as long as they claimed ownership of these remote islands, the military figured, "Hey, may as well use the space to blow stuff up."

Wasn't the Cold War so much fun?

More than 60 atmospheric nuclear weapons were tested in the Marshall Islands between 1946 and 1962, resulting in a combined 108 megatons of nuclear yield.

That's like the bomb that wrecked Hiroshima times 7,000, or the equivalent of 1.6 atomic bombs dropped every day for 12 years. These tiny islands are home to about 80% of our radioactive waste from nuclear testing.

And about two-thirds of those tests took place on Enewetak Atoll.


The first hydrogen bomb was exploded on Enewetak Atoll as part of Operation Ivy (not to be confused with the seminal but short-lived '80s punk band of the same name). GIF via "Trinity and Beyond: The Atomic Movie."

And, well, they had to do something with all that leftover radioactive material, right?

I imagine the conversation went kind of like this:
"Hey guys, now that we've decided to give this country back to its people, what should we do with the 22 million gallons of nuclear waste that's still here?"

"Eh, just cover it in 18 inches of concrete, and we'll deal with it later."

"Cool beans. You guys wanna grab a beer? First round's on me!"






It might look like the crashed carcass of a UFO from a '90s dystopian sci-fi film, but don't worry; it's just a radically unstable plutonium container. NBD, nothing to see here, move along now thanks. Image via GroundTruth.

The Dome was like a parting gift from the U.S. to the Marshall Islands. But it was never meant to be permanent.

The concrete casing was just a stopgap while the U.S. government figured out something better to do with all those megatons of dangerous nuclear debris.

Which, of course, they never did. But hey, at least they give Marshallese residents some compensation for the impending threats of radiation sickness. Maybe that's why the locals affectionately call the place "The Tomb."

Oh, that's the bad news: the Dome has already cracked, leaking radiation into the soil. A 2013 report by the U.S. Department of Energy found that the earth in the immediate vicinity of the dome was actually more contaminated than its contents.

The worse news is that the entire atoll is about to be submerged beneath the ocean — if a natural disaster doesn't destroy it first.

Image via GroundTruth

Instead of being Ground Zero for nuclear testing, the Marshall Islands are now ground zero for climate change.

With worldwide temperatures continuing to increase and sea levels rising, the Marshall Islands will likely be immersed under water within 85 years.

Our ecosystem is an incredible machine, but when we damage just one crucial part of it, that affects other parts of the environment as well — and that domino effect shows no signs of stopping. This could have something to do with the influx of wild floods and tidal waves throughout the Marshall Islands as well.

If you've ever seen what water does to concrete and stone, then you understand why this might be a problem for those millions of gallons of nuclear waste simmering beneath the Runit Dome.


I'm not necessarily saying that the ocean will erode the concrete of the Runit Dome and dump millions of gallons of radioactive debris into the Pacific Ocean that awaken a vengeful fire-breathing mutant-dinosaur-monster bent on the destruction of Tokyo. But it's not not a possibility. GIF from "Godzilla (2014)."

Here's a short video tour of the ruins of the Runit Dome.

And if you care at about the well-being of the South Pacific, sign this petition to help protect the South Pacific and stop oil companies like BP from causing even more damage to our fragile environment. They might not be quite the same as 22 million gallons of plutonium waste, but they're still a major factor in keeping those 72,000 Marshallese residents from drowning in the wake of human arrogance.

Pop Culture

Here’s a paycheck for a McDonald’s worker. And here's my jaw dropping to the floor.

So we've all heard the numbers, but what does that mean in reality? Here's one year's wages — yes, *full-time* wages. Woo.

Making a little over 10,000 for a yearly salary.


I've written tons of things about minimum wage, backed up by fact-checkers and economists and scholarly studies. All of them point to raising the minimum wage as a solution to lifting people out of poverty and getting folks off of public assistance. It's slowly happening, and there's much more to be done.

But when it comes right down to it, where the rubber meets the road is what it means for everyday workers who have to live with those wages. I honestly don't know how they do it.

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Joy

5-star Scottish resort offers whimsical afternoon tea experience with 'naughty sheep'

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes tea in the garden with adorably rude guests.

Cameron House/Naughty Sheep

Cameron House's Woolly Wellness retreat includes a unique sheep encounter.

Remember when "goat yoga" was all the rage? And then "cow cuddling" and "turkey cuddling" made everyone's bucket lists?

Now we can add "nuzzling with naughty sheep" to the mix, but with a fancy Scottish twist.

Less than an hour from Glasgow, Scotland, the Cameron House resort sits on the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond, looking as if it were plucked straight out of a fairy tale. Sprawling green grounds, gorgeous lake views and a four-story castled mansion greet guests as their "home away from home" (only better), and a perusal of the reviews show guests raving about the 5-star resort's elegance, beauty and exceptional service.

I mean, just look at this place:

drone view of cameron house grounds and lakeCameron House sit on Lake Lochmond in Scotland.Cameron House


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A pitbull stares at the window, looking for the mailman.


Dogs are naturally driven by a sense of purpose and a need for belonging, which are all part of their instinctual pack behavior. When a dog has a job to do, it taps into its needs for structure, purpose, and the feeling of contributing to its pack, which in a domestic setting translates to its human family.

But let’s be honest: In a traditional domestic setting, dogs have fewer chores they can do as they would on a farm or as part of a rescue unit. A doggy mom in Vancouver Island, Canada had fun with her dog’s purposeful uselessness by sharing the 5 “chores” her pitbull-Lab mix does around the house.

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@caitlin.the.realtor/TikTok, used with permission

Wait, so 90's fashion is in, but 90's hair is out?

Every era has its own version of what’s attractive. And very rarely does that aesthetic hold power with the following generation. In fact, it often becomes the opposite of cool.

Just think of Elvis. He might have been a universal sex symbol for a time, but it also wasn’t long before his pompadour became passé. Same goes for Paul Newman’s rugged manliness, David Cassidy’s babyface, Tom Selleck’s mustache. Indeed, for everything a season.

Which brings us to the 90s. The age of beach blonde surfer boys (real surfing skills not required, but a plus). Of flannel, lots of flannel, and super chiseled bodies. Let’s not forget this was the dawning of the term “metrosexual,” and also the time period that brought us that Calvin Klein ad with Mark Wahlburg.

How exactly would these guys measure up with the Gen Z kids today?

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popular

A wild Eurasian crow befriended a toddler and won't leave his side

Crows are so much smarter than we think.

A Eurasian crow.

A family from Denmark has created a touching video montage documenting their unique friendship with a wild Eurasian crow. This crow, affectionately named Russell, has become an honorary member of their household, forming special bonds with each family member, including the pets.

However, the crow's relationship with their son, 2-year-old Otto, is truly extraordinary. “They could spend hours just playing,” Otto’s mother, Laerke Luna, says in a video shared by The Dodo. "When Otto is outside, he will never leave Otto’s side.”

Russell, the free-spirited crow, ventures away from the family's home from time to time, but never for too long. He always comes back and announces his return by tapping on the door, swooping in to lounge on the sofa, or awaiting Otto's return from school atop their roof.

“When we are inside, he will sit inside the window because he wants Otto to go outside with him,” Laerke said.

The family’s relationship with Russell didn’t come out of nowhere. When Russell was a young bird, he had health problems so the family took him and nursed the bird back to health. Eventually, they witnessed his first attempts to fly.

Recently, Russell became friends with another family member, their second child, Hedwig. Although he does get a little annoyed with the bird’s frequent attempts to nab his pacifier.

Even though it’s rare for humans to strike up such a close bond with a crow, according to research, it’s not that surprising. Audubon says that crows are “some of the smartest animals in the world” with an intelligence “on par with chimpanzees.” They are also very social and family-oriented, so no wonder Russell loves Otto and his family.

Crow Named Russell Waits For His Favorite Kid To Get Home From School | The Dodo


Learning

Why you shouldn't throw your dishwasher pod into the bottom of your dishwasher

Dishwashers actually use the dirty water to know how to wash your dishes.

Photos by cottonbro studio and PhotoMIX Ltd. via Canva

Why your detergent shouldn't go in the bottom of the dishwasher

There always seem to be something going on with the pods and powders you're supposed to use in the dishwasher to clean your dishes. Either the pods don't dissolve completely or the powder gets all goopy and hard, never really fully dispensing into the dishwasher.

The inconsistency in product dispensing can leave you wondering if the dishes are even getting cleaned, causing some to toss the detergent pod into the bottom of the dishwasher. It would seem that placing the detergent at the bottom would allow for it to actually reach your dirty dishes. But Melissa Pateras, a domestic expert, explains that doing it that way isn't doing what you think it's doing.

Pateras actually breaks down exactly how dishwashers work to clean your dishes while explaining why putting the detergent on the bottom is ineffective.

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