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Earth Sciences

Untapped Lithium

Scientists have found a significant lithium reservoir in wastewater from a Pennsylvania gas fracking site. This wastewater, resulting from hydraulic fracturing in the Marcellus Shale gas wells, contains enough lithium to meet up to 40% of U.S. demand, according to a study published April 16 in Scientific Reports.

"We just didn't know how much was in there," said Justin Mackey, a researcher at the National Energy Technology Laboratory.

Currently, 90% of the world's $8 billion lithium supply comes from Australia, Chile, and China. Lithium is crucial for electric vehicle batteries, smartphones, laptops, smartwatches, and electronic cigarettes. Demand for lithium is surging, with prices increasing by about 500% year over year.

The U.S. has only one operational lithium mine in Nevada, so it imports most of its lithium to meet demand. The U.S. Department of Energy aims for all lithium used in the U.S. to be domestically produced by 2030, with more mines planned in Nevada, California, and North Carolina.

The new discovery offers an alternative way to obtain lithium without additional mining. Researchers found Pennsylvania's lithium source due to fracking, which pumps water into the ground to extract natural gas, a process with significant environmental costs. Measuring the wastewater from this process revealed large amounts of lithium.

Fracking byproduct is typically considered waste. "Wastewater from oil and gas is a burgeoning issue. Right now, it's just minimally treated and reinjected," Mackey said. However, the discovery of lithium means the element could be extracted from wastewater with up to 90% efficiency, according to lab results.

The researchers recommend future studies focus on the environmental impact of lithium extraction from water and the construction of a pilot facility to do so efficiently.

Entertainment

An Unexpected Joy

I recently stumbled on this musician on YouTube and her work absolutely captivated me.

She has some of the most stunning renditions of folk songs and movie scores that I have ever heard. The Bravheart theme For The Love of a Princess, The Last Of The Mohicans, Scarborough Fair, and more are all amazing.

One of my peronal favorites, Greensleeves, was also masterfully performed. I would highly recommenced checking her channel out.

Earth Sciences

Two Meteor Showers Peak Simultaneously This Month

This month, two annual meteor showers will peak simultaneously on the night of July 30th.

Both showers will be visible in the southern sky. Although they originate from different constellations, distinguishing which meteor belongs to which constellation will be challenging.

The more prominent of the two is the Southern δ-Aquariid meteor shower, which is linked to the comet 96P Machholz. At its peak, you might see up to 25 meteors per hour under clear skies. To spot them, look toward the southeast sky near the constellation Aquarius.

Aquarius is hard to locate, and even with a 12-minute YouTube guide, the host mentioned it took her years to feel comfortable finding it. However, you don’t need to pinpoint Aquarius to see the meteors. If you can find Capricornus, Aquila, or Pisces, which are nearby and easier to locate, you're looking in the right area.

On the same night, the α-Capricornid shower will also peak, adding about 5 meteors per hour. Together, you can expect to see roughly one meteor every two minutes.

The best views will be from the Southern Hemisphere or the southern parts of the Northern Hemisphere.

Mind Stretchers 

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The answer to yesterday’s Mind Stretcher was:
What connects two people, but touches only one?
-A wedding ring

Martin Walter got the correct answer first!

Be the first to send us the correct answer for today’s mind stretcher for a shout-out with the answer tomorrow. Just send us the answer and your name to [email protected] or reply to this email.

If you have any uplifting stories and experience you might want to share, send those over to [email protected] for the chance to be featured.