Short Takes – 8-16-24

Sweden reports first case of new mpox variant outside Africa. TheHill.com article. Pull quote: ““The fact that a patient with mpox is treated in the country does not affect the risk to the general population, a risk that the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) currently considers very low,” the press release read.”

International astronomy group joins calls for a lunar clock to keep time on the moon. Phys.org article. Pull quote: “The moon has less gravity compared to Earth, so time ticks by about 58.7 microseconds quicker every day. As more countries and private companies set their sights on future lunar missions, astronomers want to ensure perfect synchrony with a unified clock. Currently, a moon mission runs on the time of the nation that's operating the spacecraft.”

'Mercury bomb' threatens millions as Arctic temperatures rise, study warns. Phys.org article. The term ‘bomb’ is overstating the risk. Pull quote: “"There's another layer of complexity here," West says. "The rivers are reburying a considerable amount of the mercury. To really get a handle on how much of a threat the mercury poses, we have to understand both the erosion and reburial processes."”