This Thanksgiving, residents in the United States might just have something extra to be thankful for — a stunning display of the Northern Lights.
Credit: Anadolu / Getty
NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center (SWPC) has reported a recent solar eruption might treat sky-watchers to a beautiful natural phenomenon – also known as the Aurora Borealis – during the holiday weekend.
On Monday, a coronal mass ejection (CME) – which is a massive burst of solar wind and magnetic fields rising above the solar corona – was observed leaving the sun.
This eruption is heading towards Earth and is expected to interact with our planet’s magnetic field, potentially creating mesmerizing aurora displays.
The SWPC has issued a G1 (minor) Geomagnetic Storm Watch for Thursday (November 28) and a more intense G2 (moderate) watch for Friday (November 29).
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Geomagnetic storms are rated on a five-level scale by the SWPC, with G1 being the least intense and G5 being the most extreme. Even at G1 and G2 levels, the Northern Lights can become visible at higher latitudes, potentially visible in states like Washington, Montana, the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine, per NBC News.
The optimal viewing of the aurora typically requires dark, clear skies away from the light pollution of cities. However, weather conditions may pose a challenge this year.
A major winter storm forecasted to bring snow and rain across the U.S. might obstruct the views of the Northern Lights, Fox Weather reports. For those eager to catch a glimpse of the aurora, finding a spot away from city lights and hoping for a break in the clouds will be crucial.
Oh, and wrap up warm and maybe grab a flask of coco!
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The Northern Lights are quite the sight. Credit: Westend61/Getty
Beyond the beauty of the Northern Lights, geomagnetic storms have practical implications for Earth. During moderate storms like the one predicted, minor fluctuations in the power grid can occur, and satellites in low-Earth orbit might experience increased drag, affecting their operations and the accuracy of GPS navigation.
For enthusiasts hoping to experience the Northern Lights, this event represents a wonderful opportunity to witness one of nature’s most dazzling shows, provided the weather cooperates.
For some, it can be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.
Hannah Kobayashi’s sister has shared a chilling claim amid her loved one’s disappearance.
The 31-year-old disappeared in Los Angeles on November 11 after missing a connecting flight from Maui, Hawaii, en route to New York City on November 8.
Hannah Kobayashi had been due to fly to New York, but never boarded her plane from Los Angeles. Credit: Facebook/Missing People in America
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The aspiring photographer shared a post during her time in Los Angeles, where she’d attended an event at The Grove shopping center in the Beverly Grove neighborhood for a Nike marketing event on November 10.
Her phone last pinned her location at LAX on the following day, which was also the final time anyone from her family heard from her. A confirmed sighting of Hannah and an unidentified person boarding a train followed, but she has not been seen since reportedly exiting at Pico Metro station, USA Today reported.
In addition to this, it was discovered that she made two Venmo payments on November 9 – one with a bow-and-arrow emoji and another with the word “reading,” per Daily Mail.
The missing woman’s loved ones grew concerned when they received alarming text messages that were out of character for her.
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Family member Larie Pidgeon wrote on Facebook on November 14: “Hannah’s last message to us was alarming – she mentioned feeling scared, and that someone might be trying to steal her money and identity.”
According to The Independent, Hannah also sent an alleged cryptic text to a friend saying she had been “tricked pretty much into giving away all my funds” to “someone I thought I loved”.
Hannah’s worried sister, Sydni Kobayashi told NewsNation that the messages may have been sent by someone else, and stated that it “feels like someone was controlling her”.
“The text messages that she last sent… they might not have even been her,” she continued. “So I want to believe law enforcement are doing their jobs… Intuitively knowing her and being so close to her my entire life, I just know this is absolutely not like her.”
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The distressed family has received thousands of tips and remains hopeful of finding Hannah.
Sydni is convinced that her sister, who she describes as an “amazing and beautiful” person, would never intentionally run away. “We ask that you just give our family some grace. Imagine if it was your loved one,” she added.
A missing person poster for Hannah Kobayashi. Credit: Los Angeles Police Department
Sydni vows to keep the search for her sister going – especially for her father, Ryan, who tragically died by suicide in the early hours of Sunday (November 24) morning.
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“I know that he wants, he wants us to find my sister,” she said. “I know that he’s watching over us right now, and I know that’s what he wanted. And that’s what’s keeping me going right now,” per HawaiiNewsNow.
In a chilling sequence of events that culminated in November 2023, Tiffanie Lucas, a 33-year-old mother from Shepherdsville, Kentucky, committed an unthinkable act that led to the death of her two young sons, Maurice, aged six, and Jayden, aged nine.
Tiffanie Lucas. Credit: Bullitt County Detention Center
The incident, captured partially on police body cams and a neighborhood Ring camera, unfolded in a tragic narrative that has since been dissected by both the media and the courts.
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Tiffanie Lucas carried out the murders in her own home. Shortly after, a neighbor’s Ring camera captured the sounds of gunshots, followed by Lucas running out of her house pleading for help.
Responding officers found her collapsed in her driveway, where she confessed that her children were dying inside. The boys were discovered next to a gun, their bodies covered in blood.
Jayden Howard and Maurice Baker Jr. Credit: Facebook
Lucas’s behavior post-arrest was erratic and distressed. In a video released by Law&Crime, she is seen lying on her driveway in handcuffs, struggling to stand and insisting to the officers that she felt unwell and “not right.”
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During her interrogation, her mental state appeared increasingly unstable as she fixated on minor details like an officer’s movements, and reacted strongly to sounds and disturbances, suggesting a deep psychological turmoil.
Her explanation for the murders pointed to a disturbing blend of external influences and internal conflict. Lucas claimed that the video games her children played and content they viewed on YouTube had a manipulative effect on their minds, which she felt extended to herself, leading her to believe that something had been “put upon” her house.
She told the police: “I feel like someone put something upon my house or me or something. I just don’t feel right. I don’t do this. I love my kids.”
The complexity of Lucas’s mental health was a key component of her defense. Initially pleading not guilty, she later changed her plea to guilty as her attorneys prepared an insanity defense, citing “powerful delusions” on the day of the shooting.
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They argued that she was manipulated through digital means like Facebook and Wi-Fi, which they claimed influenced her actions.
This defense highlighted her vulnerability and the possible impact of her mental health on her perception and actions.
During her sentencing, the emotional weight of the tragedy was palpable. Maurice Baker Sr., father of one of the victims, expressed his profound loss and missed moments with his son, directly confronting Lucas in court.
The judge reflected on the unimaginable horror the children must have experienced, emphasizing the devastating impact of Lucas’s actions.
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Tiffanie Lucas was sentenced to two life terms, with the possibility of parole in 20 years, as the community and the victims’ family grappled with the dual themes of immense loss and the critical importance of addressing mental health issues comprehensively.
An animal rights extremist wanted for double bombings in California over twenty years ago has finally been captured.
Daniel Andreas San Diego has finally been arrested. Credit: FBI
On Tuesday (November 26), authorities confirmed that 46-year-old Daniel Andreas San Diego was arrested by police in Wales, UK, as part of an operation backed by counter-terrorist officers.
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The suspect had been wanted by the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for his suspected connection to two homemade pipe bombs that were detonated on August 28, 2003, at Chiron Corp. – a biotech company in Emeryville.
Per NBC News, he is also accused of sending a “bomb strapped with nails” to the nutritional company Shaklee Corp the following month.
The FBI revealed that they believe San Diego targeted the companies due to their connections with a lab that had conducted experiments on animals. He was the first alleged domestic terrorist to be added to the FBI’s list of most wanted terrorists.
The FBI had been searching for San Diego for more than 20 years. Credit: FBI
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A $250,000 bounty was offered for information that led to his arrest.
San Diego was revealed to be a computer network specialist who the FBI describes as having “ties to animal rights extremist groups” and who “is known to follow a vegan diet, eating no meat or food containing animal products”.
In response to his arrest, FBI director Christopher Wray said, per BBC News: “Daniel San Diego’s arrest after more than 20 years as a fugitive for two bombings in the San Francisco area shows that no matter how long it takes, the FBI will find you and hold you accountable.”
“There’s a right way and a wrong way to express your views in our country, and turning to violence and destruction of property is not the right way,” Wray added.
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The suspect was arrested in Wales and is facing extradition to the US. Credit: FBI
The ‘Most Wanted’ suspect was arrested at the request of US authorities over 5,000 miles away from San Francisco. He was located at a property in a remote rural area near woodland in north Wales by Britain’s National Crime Agency (NCA).
San Diego is now facing extradition to the United States.
The discovery was made in California’s Salton Sea lake. Credit: simonkr / Getty
Researchers in a project funded by the Department of Energy, have uncovered a massive deposit of lithium — dubbed ‘white gold’ — estimated to be worth around $540 billion, per Indy100.
Lithium, which bears the nickname ‘white gold’ due to its appearance reminiscent of white sand, is a critical component in battery production, particularly for electric vehicles.
The recent study has revealed a staggering 18 million tons of lithium at the bottom of the Salton Sea. This find significantly expands upon an earlier discovery, where four million tons were identified through initial drilling efforts.
The implications of this discovery are profound.
Michael McKibben – a geochemistry professor at the University of California, Riverside, and one of the 22 authors of the study – highlighted the global significance of this deposit. He said: “This is one of the largest lithium brine deposits in the world.
“This could make the United States completely self-sufficient in lithium and stop importing it through China.”
The potential here is not just in altering the U.S. position in the global market but transforming it into a leading lithium producer, possibly surpassing China.
Per ABC7, Governor Gavin Newsom has previously likened the potential of the Salton Sea in lithium production to the oil-rich fields of Saudi Arabia, emphasizing its capacity to position California – and the U.S. at large – as a powerhouse in the renewable energy sector.
“This extraordinary economic opportunity,” Newsom said.
However, the task of extracting this lithium is not without its challenges. The process involves the use of geothermal production wells to draw lithium-rich brine from deep beneath the earth’s surface.
After the lithium is separated, the remaining liquid is re-injected underground. This method, while effective, poses potential risks to the local environment and water supplies.
In January, construction started on the first large-scale direct lithium extraction plant near the lake, marking the first of seven planned phases for the $1.85 billion facility, according to ENR California.
The implications of this discovery extend beyond just economic gains and technological advancements. As Sammy Roth, a climate journalist for the LA Times, told KJZZ radio: “They found that there’s potentially enough lithium down there to supply batteries for 382 million electric vehicles, which is more, more vehicles than there are on the road in the United States today. So, if we could get all that lithium, that’d be huge.”
As the project progresses, the world will be watching closely, anticipating the potential reshaping of economic landscapes and the redefining of energy resources in the 21st century.
A Texas student has tragically died after eating a meal at a restaurant she had visited “repeatedly”, her family has revealed.
In a heart-wrenching incident in Stephenville, 23-year-old Alison Pickering passed away after suffering an allergic reaction after the restaurant changed its recipe.
Alison, who was allergic to peanuts, succumbed to anaphylactic shock after dining at a restaurant where her family says she was a regular. The restaurant had recently changed their menu, The Mirror reports, adding peanut sauce to a dish that Alison had previously eaten safely – the mahi-mahi.
The publication adds that the servers also weren’t informed of the menu change.
The student quickly realized the grave mistake as she started to feel unwell. Alison used her Epipen and was conscious when the ambulance arrived. However, her condition rapidly deteriorated and she tragically passed away.
Alison’s sudden death unfolded just days before her graduation from Tarleton State University in May 2023. Her obituary states that she passed away after suffering an anaphylactic shock.
Despite her careful management of her allergy – including avoiding sauces and dips likely to contain nuts – the lack of information about the updated menu proved fatal and has sparked a conversation around food safety
Her parents, Joy and Grover Pickering, are now advocating for greater allergy awareness. They highlighted the dangers of menu changes in restaurants and the critical need for communication about such updates to all staff and customers.
Speaking to CBS News, her father said of his late daughter: “She would repeatedly go to the same restaurants and order the same dishes, you know. And that was a common thing.
“She took a few bites, realized something was wrong. She did her Epipen. The ambulance came. She actually walked to the ambulance talking to them, but somewhere along the way things went downhill.”
