k Big question at NFL rookie webinar: locker room assimilation By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 10:51:55 -0700 Seahawks WR DK Metcalf and former Cougars QB Gardner Minshew shared their experiences as first-year players with 547 players in the NFL’s first rookie webinar after the draft last month. Full Article Cougar Football Cougars NFL Seahawks Sports
k Bruce Irvin has a $5.9 million cap number, and the money left for Jadeveon Clowney keeps dwindling By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 16:27:19 -0700 The salary figures are finally in for one of the Seahawks' most notable free agent additions of the year -- linebacker/rush end Bruce Irvin -- and it turned out to be a bit higher than had been speculated. Full Article Seahawks Sports
k Olympians look to help young athletes during shutdown By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Sun, 03 May 2020 10:45:22 -0700 CHICAGO (AP) — When Jesse Smith looks out at his Zoom audience, he knows exactly what the crowd is going through. The captain of the U.S. men’s water polo team is adjusting his training, too. He also misses playing alongside his friends. One way Smith is dealing with the coronavirus pandemic is through virtual speaking […] Full Article College Sports Olympics Sports
k NCAA accuses Louisville basketball of recruiting violations By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 10:58:06 -0700 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The NCAA has accused the Louisville men’s basketball program of committing a Level I violation with an improper recruiting offer and extra benefits and several Level II violations, including an accusation that former Cardinals coach Rick Pitino failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance. The notice released on Monday is the […] Full Article College Sports NBA Sports
k NCAA accuses Louisville basketball of recruiting violations By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 18:03:27 -0700 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The NCAA has accused the Louisville men’s basketball program of committing a Level I violation with an improper recruiting offer and extra benefits and several Level II violations, including an accusation that former Cardinals coach Rick Pitino failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance. The notice released on Monday is the […] Full Article College Sports NBA Sports
k Patchwork decisions throw wrinkle in college football plans By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 10:50:16 -0700 There are 130 major college football teams, spread across 41 states and competing in 10 conferences, save for a handful of independents. The goal is to have all those teams start the upcoming season at the same time — whether that’s around Labor Day as scheduled or later — and play the same number of […] Full Article College Sports NFL Sports
k Slashed St. Ed’s: Reeling school cuts teams, breaks hearts By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 13:11:28 -0700 Carlos Tercero had already been forced to move in with one of his teammates when St. Edward’s University closed its campus because of the pandemic, their seasons cut short like so many others across the nation. Tercero and fellow golfer Nico Ciavaglia were adjusting to online classes off campus when things got even worse: The […] Full Article College Sports Soccer Sports
k NCAA calls alleged Kansas basketball violations “egregious” By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 15:05:44 -0700 LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The NCAA struck back at the University of Kansas and its men’s basketball program Thursday, calling five Level I violations that are alleged to have occurred “egregious” and arguing that they undermine and threaten” college athletics. In the latest in a series of back-and-forth filings, the NCAA reiterated in a 92-page […] Full Article College Sports NBA Sports
k Basketball helped power Jets’ Fant to football success By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 23:31:53 -0700 NEW YORK (AP) — George Fant spent most of his college days at Western Kentucky shooting basketballs and grabbing rebounds as a physical power forward with big-time hoop dreams. He had no idea then that football would ultimately be his path to stardom. Heck, Fant didn’t even play the sport until his fifth year of […] Full Article College Sports NBA NFL Sports
k Basketball helped power Jets’ Fant to football success By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 23:31:53 -0700 NEW YORK (AP) — George Fant spent most of his college days at Western Kentucky shooting basketballs and grabbing rebounds as a physical power forward with big-time hoop dreams. He had no idea then that football would ultimately be his path to stardom. Heck, Fant didn’t even play the sport until his fifth year of […] Full Article College Sports NBA NFL Sports
k Big East thinking if campuses aren’t open sports is a no go By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 14:34:26 -0700 The presidents of the 11 members of the Big East Conference are leaning toward not allowing sports to be played at schools this season unless their campuses are open. Commissioner Val Ackerman disclosed the thinking of the presidents on Friday in a wide-ranging virtual interview with members of the media about the fallout on the […] Full Article College Sports NBA
k Emmert: Unlikely all schools will start seasons at same time By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 18:51:03 -0700 NCAA President Mark Emmert says the coronavirus is making it unlikely all schools will be ready to begin competing in college sports at the same time. The goal, he said Friday night, is for every team to have an equal amount of preparation time before its season starts, and there could be some competitive inequities […] Full Article College Sports NFL Sports
k What Would Have Been: Red Sox-Yankees, NHL conference finals By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Sun, 03 May 2020 23:03:10 -0700 With the sports calendar still mostly on hold because of the coronavirus pandemic, The Associated Press takes a look at some of the live sporting events that would have taken place the week of May 4-10: MLB: The 162-game regular season would have been about one-fourth complete after the Boston Red Sox played this coming […] Full Article Auto Racing Hockey MLB Nation & World NBA
k NCAA accuses Louisville basketball of recruiting violations By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 10:58:06 -0700 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The NCAA has accused the Louisville men’s basketball program of committing a Level I violation with an improper recruiting offer and extra benefits and several Level II violations, including an accusation that former Cardinals coach Rick Pitino failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance. The notice released on Monday is the […] Full Article College Sports NBA Sports
k NCAA accuses Louisville basketball of recruiting violations By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Mon, 04 May 2020 18:03:27 -0700 LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — The NCAA has accused the Louisville men’s basketball program of committing a Level I violation with an improper recruiting offer and extra benefits and several Level II violations, including an accusation that former Cardinals coach Rick Pitino failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance. The notice released on Monday is the […] Full Article College Sports NBA Sports
k NBA players, staff asked to help virus researchers By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 23:14:51 -0700 Dr. Priya Sampathkumar gets asked by her two teen-aged sons every day when they can expect to see NBA games again. She’s among the doctors desperately trying to answer that question — and the NBA is now trying to help. Sampathkumar is on the staff at the Mayo Clinic, which is starting to get support […] Full Article NBA Sports
k NCAA calls alleged Kansas basketball violations “egregious” By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 15:05:44 -0700 LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — The NCAA struck back at the University of Kansas and its men’s basketball program Thursday, calling five Level I violations that are alleged to have occurred “egregious” and arguing that they undermine and threaten” college athletics. In the latest in a series of back-and-forth filings, the NCAA reiterated in a 92-page […] Full Article College Sports NBA Sports
k Ex-ABA commish Mike Storen, dad of Hannah Storm, dies at 84 By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 18:10:47 -0700 Mike Storen, a former ABA commissioner and multisport marketing whiz and the father of ESPN broadcaster Hannah Storm, died Thursday. He was 84. Storm said her father died at Emory University Hospital in Atlanta of complications from cancer. Known for his hearty laugh and creative mind, Storen rose to executive spots in basketball, football, baseball […] Full Article MLB NBA NFL Sports
k Basketball helped power Jets’ Fant to football success By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 23:31:53 -0700 NEW YORK (AP) — George Fant spent most of his college days at Western Kentucky shooting basketballs and grabbing rebounds as a physical power forward with big-time hoop dreams. He had no idea then that football would ultimately be his path to stardom. Heck, Fant didn’t even play the sport until his fifth year of […] Full Article College Sports NBA NFL Sports
k Basketball helped power Jets’ Fant to football success By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 23:31:53 -0700 NEW YORK (AP) — George Fant spent most of his college days at Western Kentucky shooting basketballs and grabbing rebounds as a physical power forward with big-time hoop dreams. He had no idea then that football would ultimately be his path to stardom. Heck, Fant didn’t even play the sport until his fifth year of […] Full Article College Sports NBA NFL Sports
k Big East thinking if campuses aren’t open sports is a no go By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 14:34:26 -0700 The presidents of the 11 members of the Big East Conference are leaning toward not allowing sports to be played at schools this season unless their campuses are open. Commissioner Val Ackerman disclosed the thinking of the presidents on Friday in a wide-ranging virtual interview with members of the media about the fallout on the […] Full Article College Sports NBA
k Biden, Warren seek revival, with 2 very different strategies By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Wed, 05 Feb 2020 19:03:25 -0800 MANCHESTER, N.H. — Joe Biden and Sen. Elizabeth Warren each suffered a damaging setback in Iowa that could make it harder for them to recover next week in New Hampshire — and not just because they were running well behind the leading candidates as Democrats awaited a final count. In a primary sharply divided between […] Full Article Nation Nation & World Nation & World Politics
k On Trump’s to-do list: Take back the suburbs. Court black voters. Expand the electoral map. Win. By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Sat, 08 Feb 2020 18:42:00 -0800 WASHINGTON — Buoyed by his impeachment acquittal and the muddled Democratic primary race, President Donald Trump and his campaign are turning to address his reelection bid’s greatest weaknesses with an aggressive, well-funded but uncertain effort to win back suburban voters turned off by his policies and behavior. His campaign is aiming to regain these voters […] Full Article Nation Nation & World Nation & World Politics
k The next hurdle for Bernie Sanders: Nevada’s top union dislikes ‘Medicare for All’ By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Sun, 16 Feb 2020 12:32:08 -0800 LAS VEGAS — Sen. Bernie Sanders is a longtime supporter of “Medicare for All.” “I wrote the damn bill,” he said on a debate stage last summer, and his support for universal health care has helped propel him to the front of the 2020 Democratic field. But in Nevada, where the race heads next, his […] Full Article Nation & World Nation & World Politics
k Sanders and Bloomberg Under Attack in Sharp Exchanges in Debate By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Tue, 25 Feb 2020 18:57:11 -0800 CHARLESTON, S.C. — The Democratic presidential candidates delivered a barrage of criticism against their party’s emerging front-runner, Sen. Bernie Sanders, at a debate on Tuesday night, casting him as a divisive figure with unrealistic ideas, even as they continued to batter Michael Bloomberg for his extreme wealth, his record on policing and behavior toward women. […] Full Article Nation & World
k Buttigieg and Klobuchar Endorse Biden, Aiming to Slow Sanders By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Mon, 02 Mar 2020 20:11:56 -0800 DALLAS — In a last-minute bid to unite the moderate wing of the Democratic Party, Sen. Amy Klobuchar and Pete Buttigieg on Monday threw their support behind a presidential campaign rival, Joe Biden, giving him an extraordinary boost before the Super Tuesday primaries that promised to test his strength against the liberal front-runner, Sen. Bernie […] Full Article Nation & World
k ‘Try getting it yourselves,’ Trump tells governors seeking ventilators in coronavirus outbreak By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Mon, 16 Mar 2020 15:14:45 -0700 “Respirators, ventilators, all of the equipment — try getting it yourselves,” the president told governors in a conference call. The suggestion surprised some governors, who are increasingly looking to the federal government for help. Full Article Health Nation Northwest
k Biden Wins Three States and Takes Commaning Lead, as Virus Reshape American Politics By www.seattletimes.com Published On :: Tue, 17 Mar 2020 20:55:15 -0700 Joe Biden easily defeated Sen. Bernie Sanders in three major primaries on Tuesday, all but extinguishing Sanders’ chances for a comeback, as anxious Americans turned out to vote amid a series of cascading disruptions from the coronavirus pandemic. Biden, the former vice president, won by wide margins in Florida and Illinois and also carried Arizona, […] Full Article Nation & World
k Cameco Posts Adj. Profit In Q1, Revenues Rise - Quick Facts By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 11:45:53 GMT Cameco Corp. (CCJ, CCO.TO), a uranium producer, on Friday reported attributable net loss for the first quarter of $19 million or $0.05 per share, compared to net loss of $18 million or $0.05 per share in the year-ago period. Full Article
k Imperial Oil Slips To Loss In Q1, Revenues Decline - Quick Facts By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 12:26:45 GMT Imperial Oil Ltd. (IMO, IMO.TO) on Friday reported a net loss for the first quarter on lower revenues, noting that its results were impacted by COVID-19 and depressed March crude prices. The loss per share for the quarter was wider than analysts' estimates and revenues too missed their expectations. Full Article
k Bay Street Likely To Open Lower By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 12:37:38 GMT Canadian shares may open on a negative note Friday morning, tracking lower Canadian and U.S. futures after trade war fears resurfaced following U.S. President Donald Trump threatening new tariffs on China. Full Article
k Canadian Shares Tumble On Weak Manufacturing Data By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Fri, 01 May 2020 16:33:06 GMT The Canadian stock market was down sharply in negative territory at noon on Friday, as worries about the economic impact of the coronavirus pandemic triggered widespread selling once again. Full Article
k Bay Street Likely To See Wild Swings By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 13:01:49 GMT Canadian shares may open higher amid slightly waning fears about a U.S.-China. However, weak economic data may render the mood cautious and prompt investors to refrain from going on a buying spree. Full Article
k Energy, Consumer Discretionary Stocks Gaining Ground In Canadian Market By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 16:28:03 GMT The Canadian stock market got off to a bright start Friday morning and was holding firm a little past noon, riding on gains in consumer discretionary, financial and energy sections. Full Article
k Canadian Stocks Holding In Positive Territory At Noon By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Thu, 07 May 2020 16:14:02 GMT The Canadian benchmark S&P/TSX Composite Index was holding in positive territory Thursday noon with some key stocks finding solid support at higher levels. Full Article
k Bay Street Likely To Open Mixed By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 12:43:43 GMT Canadian shares are likely to open on a mixed note Wednesday morning, reacting to quarterly earnings reports and tracking the commodity prices and the trend in global stock markets. Full Article
k Canadian Market Up Marginally At Noon; Technology Stocks Shine By www.rttnews.com Published On :: Wed, 06 May 2020 16:16:31 GMT Canadian shares were swinging between gains and losses Wednesday morning as investors looked for direction. Activity was largely stock specific with corporate earnings news setting the trend. Full Article
k Ex-Georgia Police Officer And His Son Arrested In The Death Of Black Jogger By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 05:04:00 -0400 The Georgia Bureau of Investigation has charged a white father and son in the shooting death of an unarmed black man. The arrests follow the release of cellphone video of the February altercation. Full Article
k Riding 'The Mullet To Success': How Hot Country Knights Parodies The '90s By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 05:04:00 -0400 Dierks Bentley and his band tapped into a long tradition of comedy and country music when they created a parody group to open for them on tour. Now, Hot Country Knights has a debut album. Full Article
k COVID-19 Forces More People To Work From Home. How's It Going? By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 05:04:00 -0400 About a third of Americans are working from home because of the coronavirus. The technology that enables this has been around for many years, but it took a pandemic to force the move to remote work. Full Article
k During Lockdown, Magician Turns To The Internet For His Next Performance By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 07:02:00 -0400 Karan Singh has performed magic tricks for famous actors, athletes and politicians. He'll perform for you, for free --all you have to do is ask. He has already done shows for over 400 households. Full Article
k Mental Health Experts Facilitate Talks Between Families, ICU Patients By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 07:18:00 -0400 It is very difficult for people hospitalized with COVID-19 to communicate with their families. At one medical center, psychologists are helping with some of those tough conversations. Full Article
k Economists Break Down U.S. Unemployment Numbers By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 10:11:00 -0400 What do the latest unemployment rates mean for the U.S. economy? NPR's Noel King speaks with Heidi Shierholz of the Economic Policy Institute and Claudia Goldin of Harvard University. Full Article
k How The Bank Of America Is Dealing With The Coronavirus Crisis By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 16:01:00 -0400 NPR's Mary Louise Kelly speaks with Brian Moynihan, the Bank of America CEO, about banks raking in fees from the Paycheck Protection Program. Full Article
k How To Prevent Glasses From Fogging Up While Wearing A Mask By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 16:01:00 -0400 Some Americans who wear face masks have faced a problem: Their glasses keep fogging up. Optometrist Joseph Allen shares some tips on how to treat spectacles before putting on a mask. Full Article
k Paris Suburbs Are Facing Social Disparities Under The Coronavirus Lockdown By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 16:01:00 -0400 The French are facing social disparities in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. With long bread lines and tensions with police, the Paris suburbs are faring poorly under the lockdown. Full Article
k What One Needs To Know Before Starting Gardening By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 16:01:00 -0400 While staying at home during the pandemic, people are now trying gardening to find out if they have a green thumb. But gardening is not an easy hobby and requires some research. Full Article
k Tyson's Largest Pork Plant Reopens As Tests Show Surge In Coronavirus Cases By www.npr.org Published On :: Fri, 08 May 2020 18:51:00 -0400 The Tyson Foods plant in Waterloo, Iowa, reopened Thursday after a coronavirus outbreak there. Black Hawk County Sheriff Tony Thompson says he'd support a second shutdown if the changes aren't enough. Full Article
k Verzet tegen coronamaatregelen groeit in Duitsland: 'Aan ons is niks gevraagd' By nos.nl Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 06:20:58 +0200 In Duitsland groeit het verzet tegen de door de overheid opgelegde coronamaatregelen. Vandaag worden in Stuttgart bij de zevende 'Wake voor de grondwet' opnieuw duizenden mensen verwacht. Ook in Berlijn en andere steden wordt gedemonstreerd. Op steeds meer plekken worden demonstraties of acties aangemeld, ook het aantal deelnemers neemt toe. De actievoerders komen uit verschillende hoeken: antivaxers (tegenstanders van vaccinaties), linkse intellectuelen, bezorgde ondernemers, bekenden uit het extreemrechtse milieu, complotdenkers. Een ding hebben ze gemeen: ze wantrouwen de koers van de regering, ook nog nu er flinke versoepelingen zijn aangekondigd. Woensdag kondigde bondskanselier Merkel namelijk aan dat het land grotendeels van het slot zal gaan. De deelstaten hebben de regie bij de versoepelingen. Maar Merkel benadrukte wel dat bij een bepaald aantal besmettingen (50 per 100.000 inwoners) de maatregelen weer ingesteld moeten worden. In Berlijn zijn er zes weken op een rij wekelijkse demonstraties geweest op de Rosa Luxemburgplatz. "Het hele parlement, alle partijen, alle fracties hebben zich achter de koers van de regering geschaard", zegt initiatiefnemer Anselm Lenz. "Daarnaast lees je in de media bijna alleen maar dat het virus extreem gevaarlijk is en dat alle maatregelen die worden genomen terecht zijn." Volgens Lenz is het parlement praktisch "gleichgeschaltet", gelijkgeschakeld, een term die verwijst naar het uitsluiten van dissidente stemmen door de nazi's in de jaren dertig. "Wij vinden dat in Duitsland nooit meer het hele volk zich achter de regering moet scharen. Wij zijn de oppositie." Ook het harde optreden van de politie is volgens Lenz onwettig. Hij werd zelf opgepakt tijdens het uitdelen van verzetskranten: Maar voeren demonstranten dan alleen actie, zodat er oppositie is? Nee, zegt Lenz. Hij gelooft dat de Duitse regering de verkeerde strategie heeft gekozen. "Ik zeg niet dat dit virus niet gevaarlijk is. Dat is het wel. Maar de maatregelen zijn niet in verhouding." Wat nog erger is, volgens Lenz, is dat de bevolking niet heeft mogen meebeslissen. "Aan ons is niks gevraagd. Niet aan de ouderen of ze opgesloten willen worden, aan ouders of ze hun kinderen thuis willen houden, of aan mij of ik zo'n vernederend mondkapje op wil, ook al is de wetenschap het er nog niet eens over eens of dat helpt." Op de demonstraties in Berlijn en Stuttgart komen ook bekende rechtsextremisten en complotdenkers af. Voormalig journalist en radiopresentator Ken Jebsen valt in die laatste categorie. Ook Lenz interviewde hem voor zijn krant. Volgens Jebsen misbruiken Bill en Melinda Gates de coronacrisis om de wereld te 'kapen' en verplicht te laten inenten. Een theorie waarvoor geen enkel bewijs bestaat. Ziet hij er geen gevaar in zulke theorieën te verspreiden en met deze mensen ten strijde te trekken? SPD-partijsecretaris Lars Klingbeil waarschuwde in de Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung voor complotdenkers. "Die willen helemaal niet discussiëren over of het verstandig is de kinderopvang te sluiten of niet, mondkapjes te dragen ja of nee. Ze zijn er op uit om ons systeem te destabiliseren", zegt hij tegen de krant. Lenz ziet het gevaar niet zo. Discussie betekent niet dat hij het ermee eens is. "Als ik in deze tijden moet kiezen of ik een gesprek aan ga met Ken Jebsen, hoe freaky het ook is, of sluit ik me aan bij de totalitaire koers van de andere media, dan weet ik wel waarvoor ik kies." 'Querdenken' Jebsen is ook voor vandaag uitgenodigd bij de demonstratie in Stuttgart. Initiatiefnemer van de demo's in die stad is IT-ondernemer Michael Ballweg. Hij heeft de beweging Querdenken opgericht, omdat hij vindt dat de grondrechten te makkelijk en op te grote schaal zijn ingeperkt. Hij vocht het demonstratieverbod tot aan het Constitutioneel Hof aan, en kreeg gelijk. Op de laatste Querdenk-demo kwamen zeker 4000 demonstranten af. Voor vandaag heeft hij er 10.000 aangemeld. Ballweg reageert niet op onze interviewaanvragen. Op zijn website valt te lezen dat hij alleen met de pers praat als ze een uitgebreid formulier ondertekenen, waarin staat dat ze geen censuur toepassen. Het wantrouwen in de pers uitte zich bij eerdere demonstraties ook op een gewelddadige manier. In Berlijn zijn twee teams van de publieke omroep aangevallen. Zes mensen belandden daarbij in het ziekenhuis. Het is nog onbekend uit welke hoek de daders komen. Full Article
k Miljoenen jaren oude vulkaan ontdekt in Nederlands deel Noordzee By nos.nl Published On :: Sat, 09 May 2020 08:00:56 +0200 Er is een nieuwe vulkaan in Nederland ontdekt. Het gaat om een 150 miljoen jaar oude uitgedoofde vulkaan. Hij ligt 100 kilometer ten noordwesten van Texel, en is bij toeval door de Geologische Dienst Nederland gevonden. De nieuwe vulkaan is Mulciber genoemd, naar de Romeinse god van vuur en vulkanen. De diep begraven Mulciber werd herkend aan afwijkingen in de structuur van de ondergrond en het aardmagnetisch veld op die plek. De vulkaan is de tweede van Nederland. Vijftig jaar geleden werd de eerste gevonden, in de Waddenzee. Daarnaast zijn er nog twee actieve vulkanen op Nederlands grondgebied, op de eilanden Saba en St. Eustatius. De Geologische Dienst, onderdeel van TNO, sluit niet uit dat er in de Noordzee nog meer uitgedoofde vulkanen zijn. Mulciber werd ontdekt toen geologische gegevens van de Noordzee opnieuw werden geanalyseerd. TNO deed dit in opdracht van olie- en gasbedrijven, die op dit moment nog speuren naar aardgas in de bodem van de Noordzee. Er zijn drie redenen waarom geconcludeerd is dat het om een vulkaan gaat, vertelt Michiel van der Meulen van de Geologische Dienst Nederland. Het eerste vermoeden ontstond door seismische gegevens. "Door geluidsgolven de bodem in te sturen, maakt de weerkaatsing op grondlagen het mogelijk om de ondergrond in kaart te brengen. Door een nabijgelegen boring, die in de jaren 80 werd gedaan om te zoeken naar olie en gas, zijn vulkanische gesteenten gevonden. Omdat er ook nog een afwijking in het aardmagnetisch veld was, is geconcludeerd dat het hier om een vulkaan moet gaan." Van der Meulen noemt het een spannende ontdekking. "Hoe vaak maak je nou mee in je carrière dat je een naam mag bedenken voor een vulkaan? De Noordzee en de geologische afzettingen erin lijken voor mij op het lezen van een spannend boek. Het grote verhaal denken we nu wel te kennen. Maar als je het herleest, worden personages en verhaallijnen steeds duidelijker. Deze ontdekking draagt dus bij aan de algemene kennis die er is over onze leefomgeving." Noordzee vulkanisch gebied De onderzoekers sluiten overigens uit dat de Mulciber opnieuw actief kan worden. "De omstandigheden die toen tot de vorming van de vulkaan leidden, zijn er eenvoudigweg niet meer." Dat er in de Noordzee vulkanische activiteit is geweest, was al langer bekend. De vulkaan Mulciber was actief tijdens het opbreken van het supercontinent Pangea, waardoor uiteindelijk het noordelijk deel van de Atlantische Oceaan werd gevormd tussen Europa en Amerika. Volgens Van der Meulen is het niet uniek dat er oud materiaal van een boring uit de jaren 80 bewaard is gebleven. Het Kernhuis in Zeist bevat nog gesteentemonsters van zesduizend van dit soort oude boringen in de diepe ondergrond. Een ware schat aan gegevens, zegt hij. Grote waarde voor verduurzaming "Als een bedrijf zo'n boring uitvoert, waarvoor een vergunning nodig is, leveren ze gegevens en monsters aan ons. Die zijn eerst geheim, maar na een paar jaar maken we de informatie openbaar. Als je al deze boringen opnieuw zou moeten doen, zou het tientallen miljarden euro's kosten." De oude gegevens zijn van enorme waarde voor de verduurzaming van onze energievoorziening, zegt Van der Meulen, "We kunnen de gegevens die in het verleden zijn verzameld voor de olie- en gaswinning opnieuw gebruiken voor studies naar geothermie, energieopslag of CO2-opslag." Ook kan er mee worden gezocht naar aardgas in nieuwe kleinere gasvelden. "Het energieonderzoek van TNO richt zich tegenwoordig op duurzame energiebronnen. Maar voor we hiermee in Nederland aan de behoefte kunnen voorzien, hebben we nog gas nodig. Nu de aardgaswinning in Groningen wordt afgebouwd, wordt er met name nog gas gewonnen op de Noordzee. In dat kader zijn we daar af en toe nog bij betrokken, om informatie te leveren." Full Article