Weekly Snapshot: Man’s Best Friend

Welcome to LNGenZ’s round up of the week’s top news stories.

Meet Patron, Ukraine’s Mine-Sniffing ‘Hero’ Dog

From bomb-sniffing to cattle-herding, is there anything dogs can’t do?

The war between Russia and Ukraine is making headlines around the world. However, Patron, the bomb-sniffing dog, is lightening the mood a little bit. His impressive skills are getting social media attention, and he is winning over the hearts of his followers, military personnel, and the pyrotechnicians he works with.

Patron, a two-year-old Jack Russell, works for the State Emergency Service of Ukraine (SES), helping to detect explosives around the city of Chernihiv. Together, over 600 de-miners and the adorable pup have located more than 54,000 unexploded mines, missiles, and artillery.

Landmines are often put in warzones – they are explosive devices left on the ground, waiting to cause injury to people or vehicles that might accidentally come into contact with them. De-miners and pyrotechnicians work to safely remove these dangerous devices, and dogs can help in sniffing out the mines’ locations. Read more…

 

COVID Plastic Waste: A Big Problem for Oceans

Masks and other pandemic equipment is ending up in rivers and seas.

The COVID-19 pandemic may have caused problems for human health globally – but research shows it has led to issues for the world’s oceans and rivers, too.

Face masks have been a common sight during the pandemic, as people tried to avoid catching and spreading the virus. While some made their own reusable face coverings, millions of disposable, plastic masks were worn around the world. As well as masks, personal protective equipment (PPE) like plastic gloves and suits were commonly worn.

Disposable testing kits were also used and thrown away. Hygiene is extremely important in the medical field, so it’s no wonder that single-use or disposable plastic items are often used – but how can this be managed to reduce pollution?

Scientists found that COVID waste has worsened the problem of plastic pollution in oceans and waterways. According to one study, about 25,000 tons of plastic waste were created by 193 countries during the pandemic. Read more…

 

Tibetan Leader Visits Washington to Gain Support for His Culture

Is there anything the US can do to help preserve the Tibetan way of life?

Tibet, located in East Asia, is nicknamed the “Roof of the World” due to its towering mountain peaks. Currently under Chinese rule, Tibetans are fearful for the future of their people and how they live. Tibetan leader Sikyong Penpa Tsering was recently invited to visit Washington, DC, to speak with US officials. He was hoping to gain help from the US to preserve the Tibetan culture.

Tibet, nestled in the Himalayan mountains, has been ruled over the centuries by different groups. Sometimes it was ruled local dynasties, while at other times the Chinese royal families took charge.

From 1912, it became an independent nation. However, changes came in 1949 with the creation of the People’s Republic of China. In 1950, thousands of Chinese troops were sent to Tibet to claim the region as their own. Read more…