Water is the new gold is the name of an Apple podcast and an expression on the lips of many experts around the world. Wars, long droughts and famine have all happened because water is becoming more scarce. Climate change is making that bad situation worse.
The amount of water in humid, temperate climates is not enough for our lifestyle. This year, the northern regions of Italy, usually rich in water, were in severe drought, while France, Austria, Germany and the UK all had temperatures above 35 degrees celsius.
One way being considered to be able to access more water is by exploiting offshore fresh groundwater. This freshwater is found in sediments and rocks in the area between sediments and the seafloor. Globally, over 100,000 km cubed of this fresh and brackish water is thought to exist – a fantastic opportunity!
Globally, over 100,000 km cubed of this fresh and brackish water is thought to exist
This summer, researchers from all over the world met at the University of Malta’s Valletta campus to discuss if this resource can be used sustainably. The Marine Geology and Seafloor Surveying Team discussed how this water can help fragile coastal communities that lack drinking water. They discussed the need for more research, the cost of using fresh groundwater and risks. Political and social scientists will need to join the team to discuss the political and ethical terms for using this potential resource.
A new COST action (an EU-funded network of experts), headed by Aaron Micallef (professor at the Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science, University of Malta), will be leading this cooperation among expert scientists and EU states to see if offshore groundwater can be sustainably used. Meanwhile, let us all make an effort to treat water as gold and not waste it.
More information is here.
Sound Bites
• Future hope for pancreatic cancer patients. Biomedical engineers have demonstrated the most effective treatment for pancreatic cancer in mouse models ever recorded. The new treatment completely eliminated tumors in 80 per cent of mice across several model types, including those considered the most difficult to treat. The approach combines traditional chemotherapy drugs with a new irradiation method.
• Against popular belief, video games might be good for children. A study of nearly 2,000 children found that those who reported playing video games for three hours per day or more performed better on cognitive skills tests involving impulse control and working memory compared to children who had never played video games.
For more soundbites, listen to Radio Mocha Malta https://www.fb.com/RadioMochaMalta/.
DID YOU KNOW?
• The Gżira local council is trying to prevent a petrol station being built in a garden. Sign the petition.
• The Brazil pepper tree, Indian lilac and Aleppo pine are all found in Gżira.
• More than 100 squared kilometres of fresh groundwater can be found under the world’s salty seas.
• Malta and Gozo in November is for hiking, biking and climbing, the 20+ degree weather and sunny skies make it the perfect month for exploring.
• There might be close to one million cubic kilometres of fresh and brackish water under the world’s oceans.
For more trivia, see: www.um.edu.mt/think.