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Imagine zooming in so close that you're seeing individual atoms dance together to form the <keyword id="23543459" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="tiniest-water-bubble" source="Orion">tiniest water bubble</keyword> ever recorded! Researchers at Northwestern University recently did just that — they captured a video of the smallest <keyword id="23543453" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="water-bubble" source="keywords">water bubble</keyword> known to science, measuring only 50 nanometers (about 0.000002 inches) in diameter. This microscopic marvel might not seem like much, but its implications for technology and <keyword id="19929542" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="space-exploration" source="keywords">space exploration</keyword> could be massive. <h2>Science goes nano</h2>For the first time, scientists managed to film <keyword id="23543458" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="hydrogen-and-oxygen" source="keywords">hydrogen and oxygen</keyword> atoms coming together to form water in a reaction triggered by <keyword id="21034648" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="palladium" source="keywords">palladium</keyword>, a rare metal. This reaction was documented in such fine detail that it showed the tiniest water bubble ever seen by human eyes. <div type="Youtube" id="w4NRThvgJJo" title="Nano-sized bubble of water forms out of thin air" thumbUrl="https://i.ytimg.com/vi/w4NRThvgJJo/mqdefault.jpg"><url><![CDATA[https://youtu.be/w4NRThvgJJo]]></url></div>The process involved using an ultra-thin glassy membrane with honeycomb-shaped "nanoreactor" chambers to hold the gas molecules. This setup allowed researchers to monitor the bubble formation in real-time using advanced electron microscopes. "We think it might be the smallest bubble ever formed that has been viewed directly," notes lead author Yukun Liu. "Luckily, we were recording it, so we could prove to other people that we weren't crazy." <h2>Why is it so hard to capture things this tiny?</h2>Taking images and videos of objects on such a tiny scale is no small feat. The main challenge lies in the size of the objects themselves — they are so minuscule that regular light-based microscopes can't detect them. To observe something like a 50-nanometer water bubble, researchers need to use electron microscopes, which can visualise objects at the <keyword id="23543454" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="atomic-level" source="keywords">atomic level</keyword>. These microscopes fire a beam of electrons (instead of light) at the object to create an image. However, the sample has to be stable under this intense electron bombardment, which isn't always possible with delicate <keyword id="23543457" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nanoscale-reactions" source="keywords">nanoscale reactions</keyword>. Moreover, the imaging process must be incredibly precise to capture the exact moment when atoms combine to form molecules. Even the tiniest disturbance can blur the image or distort the video. Despite these challenges, advancements in <keyword id="20080671" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="nanotechnology" source="keywords">nanotechnology</keyword> and materials science have enabled scientists to visualise reactions that were once invisible. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114190419" title="The Harvard students who added AI facial recognition to Meta glasses share some of their other big ideas" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>Over the years, our ability to observe and record nanoscale reactions has improved significantly. Early attempts to capture atomic and molecular movements were limited to static images that barely scratched the surface of what was happening at the nanoscale. But thanks to innovations in <keyword id="23543456" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electron-microscopy" source="keywords">electron microscopy</keyword> and nanoreactor designs, scientists can now create real-time videos of molecular transformations, as demonstrated in this latest study. Northwestern University’s team used a newly developed technique that allows them to capture these fleeting moments in unprecedented detail. This breakthrough marks a considerable leap in our understanding of nanoscale reactions, opening doors to innovations in chemistry, materials science, and even space technology. <h2>Making water out of thin air</h2>One of the most exciting applications of this technology could be in space exploration. The researchers believe that a scaled-up version of this reaction could help astronauts generate water directly in space. The reaction they documented is somewhat reminiscent of the scene in the movie The Martian, where Matt Damon's character creates water on Mars using fire and rocket fuel. But here, there's no need for such extreme conditions — the combination of palladium and gas is enough. Palladium, the catalyst used in this reaction, is an incredibly valuable and rare metal, often costing more than Rs 26,000 per 10 grams. Part of its scarcity is due to its versatility — it plays a critical role in catalysing numerous chemical reactions used across industries. While the expense might seem prohibitive for creating water-generation devices for space missions, the researchers argue that the benefits outweigh the costs. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114013177" title="Tim Tully taught himself to code at age 6 and still codes daily. Here&amp;#39;s how computer science took him from startups to AI investing at Menlo Ventures." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>"Palladium might seem expensive, but it's recyclable," Liu points out. "Our process doesn't consume it. The only thing consumed is gas, and hydrogen is the most abundant gas in the universe." As our ability to capture and understand these tiny reactions grows, so too does the potential to manipulate them for groundbreaking applications. Whether it's making water on Mars or enhancing chemical reactions here on Earth, this nano-sized bubble could pave the way for some very big things. The findings of this research have been published in PNAS and can be accessed <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.2408277121">here</a>.

WATCH: Researchers capture world’s first video of atoms combining to form the tiniest water bubble ever recorded!

Nanoplastics and microplastics (NMPs) are sneaky invaders, hiding in the tap water we drink every day. These tiny fragments of plastic have already been linked to unsettling changes in gut health and antibiotic resistance, raising alarm bells about their impact on our bodies. But here’s some refreshing news: scientists have discovered a surprisingly simple solution — boiling your water. <h2>A kitchen hack for cleaner water</h2>Researchers, led by biomedical engineer Zimin Yu, have found that boiling water and then filtering it can remove up to 90% of nanoplastics and microplastics from tap water. “This simple boiling water strategy can 'decontaminate' NMPs from household tap water and has the potential for harmlessly alleviating human intake of NMPs through water consumption,” the team explains. Even better? You probably already have the tools you need in your kitchen: a pot to boil water and a simple stainless steel mesh to filter out any leftover bits. <h2>How does it work?</h2>The trick lies in the build-up of limescale — or calcium carbonate — when water is heated. If you’ve ever peeked inside a kettle, you’ve seen this chalky layer. When water is boiled, calcium carbonate naturally precipitates out of the solution, forming a crust. This crust traps NMPs on its surface, making it easier to filter them out. “Our results showed that nanoplastic precipitation efficiency increased with increasing water hardness upon boiling,” the researchers write. For example, in soft water (low in calcium carbonate), the process managed to remove about 25% of NMPs. Meanwhile, in hard water (higher calcium carbonate levels), the process removed up to 90% of NMPs. <h2>The harder the water, the better the results</h2>Hard water, often considered a nuisance because of limescale, might actually be a secret weapon against microplastics. The researchers found that the harder the water, the more effective the boiling process was at capturing and removing plastic fragments. In water containing 300 mg/L of calcium carbonate, NMP removal reached an impressive 90%. Even at lower levels, such as 80 mg/L, over a third of the plastics were filtered out. Using a simple tea strainer or other household filters, these lime-encrusted plastic fragments can be easily removed before the water is consumed. <h2>Why it matters</h2>Microplastics aren’t just a problem for the planet — they’re becoming an intimate part of our daily lives. Previous studies have identified plastics like polystyrene, polyethylene, and polypropylene in drinking water. While the long-term effects on human health remain uncertain, the evidence suggests we’re better off without them. “Drinking boiled water apparently is a viable long-term strategy for reducing global exposure to NMPs,” the researchers say. For many, boiling water before drinking it is already a cultural norm. But the researchers hope their findings will encourage more people worldwide to adopt this practice as plastics continue infiltrating our water sources. The findings of this research have been published in Environmental Science &amp; Technology Letters and can be accessed <a href="https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acs.estlett.4c00081">here</a>.

Worried about the harmful microplastics in your water? You just need to boil and strain it before consumption

If you’ve ever wondered whether fish can suffocate in water, the answer is yes. Our planet's waters, from the tiniest pond to the vast expanse of the ocean, are experiencing a silent crisis: a rapid and dramatic decline in <keyword id="21181078" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oxygen-levels" source="keywords">oxygen levels</keyword>. This "<keyword id="22526914" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aquatic-deoxygenation" source="keywords">aquatic deoxygenation</keyword>," as scientists call it, poses a major threat not just to marine ecosystems, but to the very fabric of human society and the stability of life on Earth. An international study in Nature Ecology &amp; Evolution, involving researchers from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel, urges world leaders to recognise this oxygen loss as a new planetary boundary. <keyword id="22526915" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="planetary-boundaries" source="keywords">Planetary boundaries</keyword> are critical thresholds that, if crossed, can trigger large-scale and irreversible environmental damage. Just like we need oxygen to breathe, so do <keyword id="22526918" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="aquatic-ecosystems" source="keywords">aquatic ecosystems</keyword> — from microscopic plankton to bigger fish. The decline in <keyword id="21809938" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="dissolved-oxygen" source="keywords">dissolved oxygen</keyword> (DO) threatens the survival of countless species at all levels of the food chain. The study reveals a disturbing trend. Across all aquatic environments, from lakes and rivers to coastal waters and the open ocean, dissolved oxygen levels have dropped substantially in recent decades. <keyword id="22526916" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="oceanic-oxygen-loss" source="keywords">Oceanic oxygen loss</keyword> may seem small at 2% since 1960, but due to the ocean's vast volume, this translates to a significant loss. Even more alarming is the case of specific regions, like the midwaters off Central California, where oxygen levels have plummeted by 40% in just a few decades. The research team warns that this isn't just an environmental concern; it's an economic and social one too. Billions of people rely on healthy aquatic ecosystems for food, income from fisheries and tourism, and clean drinking water. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111566431" title="June warmest on record; every month since July 2023 breached 1.5 deg C threshold" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>The culprit behind this oxygen depletion is a combination of factors. <keyword id="19942740" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="global-warming" source="keywords">Global warming</keyword>, fueled by greenhouse gas emissions, raises water temperatures, decreasing the amount of oxygen water can hold. Additionally, nutrient runoff from land use changes stimulates massive <keyword id="22526917" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="algal-blooms" source="keywords">algal blooms</keyword>. These blooms, while initially appearing productive, consume vast amounts of oxygen as they decompose, creating oxygen-depleted dead zones. Dr Rose, lead author of the study from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, emphasises the urgency of addressing this issue. Adding aquatic deoxygenation to the list of planetary boundaries will focus global efforts on monitoring, research, and policy changes to protect our vital aquatic ecosystems and, in turn, human society. The root causes are global warming and nutrient runoff from land use, explains co-author Dr Andreas Oschlies of GEOMAR. Warmer water hinders oxygen exchange between deep and surface layers, and nutrient influx fuels algal blooms that deplete oxygen further. These oxygen-depleted zones aren't just lifeless wastelands; they have a ripple effect that threatens our planet's health. Microbes in these zones produce potent greenhouse gases like nitrous oxide and methane, contributing further to global warming and exacerbating the very problem they were created by. We are approaching critical thresholds, warns Professor Rose. Aquatic deoxygenation disrupts the delicate balance of Earth's climate system. Addressing the root causes, like climate change and unsustainable land practices, is crucial. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111609639" title="Groundwater temperatures could rise several notches by 2100, making it too hot to drink for millions!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

Oxygen is disappearing from Earth’s water; this endangers marine life and human society!

<ul class="summary-list"><li>RFK Jr. says under President Trump, he'll advise US water systems to remove fluoride.</li><li>The federal government is not in charge of the US water supply. It's a local thing.</li></ul><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/category/rfk-jr">Robert F. Kennedy Jr.</a>, the man widely expected to become a health leader in President-elect Donald Trump's White House, has promised to lobby to remove fluoride from the American water supply.Nearly 63% of the US population has fluoridated water flowing through their taps, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/fluoridation/php/statistics/2022-water-fluoridation-statistics.html">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</a> (CDC).US health experts describe fluoridated water — a voluntary practice for local water districts — as one of modern medicine's <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/mmwr/preview/mmwrhtml/mm4850bx.htm">greatest public health achievements</a>, up there with the recognition that smoking is bad for you.Meanwhile, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/robert-f-kennedy-jr-views-vaccines-autism-testing-debunked-2023-7">Kennedy</a>, a former environmental lawyer who was instrumental in the fight to clean up the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.riverkeeper.org/blogs/honoring-our-foundation-in-science/">Hudson River in New York</a>, says there's no need to fluoridate drinking water anymore since most toothpaste contains fluoride. He's not alone. An important debate over fluoride is gaining fresh steam among scientists and legal experts. Some recent studies suggest more research is still needed on safe fluoride levels for kids. Plus, a federal ruling in California this year questioned the US government's recommended dose.While many medical professionals — chiefly dentists — support some level of fluoridation, there is growing agreement that we still aren't sure how much fluoride is too much.<h2 id="73e9cfea-f185-4392-8a29-deb966cdc1f8">120 years ago, fluoride was the mystery culprit behind brown teeth in Colorado</h2><div type="image" title="woman with brown teeth" height="2752" width="1912" msid="115231235" hostid="261" sizebytes="398436"></div>The reason most Americans have fluoride in their drinking water stretches back more than a century to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/health-info/fluoride/the-story-of-fluoridation">mysterious outbreak</a> scattered across the Midwest and western US.In the early 1900s, dentists started noticing that children in specific towns, including Colorado Springs, Colorado; Oakley, Idaho; and Bauxite, Arkansas, were developing hard, chocolate-colored teeth.It took more than 20 years, but eventually, researchers discovered that these unusual brown stains were caused by high amounts of naturally occurring fluoride in the drinking water in certain areas of the country.They also found that the fluoride — a mineral compound found in rocks and dirt — was strengthening teeth. It was hardening tooth enamel and helping to repair some early-stage tooth decay.By 1945, scientists had learned enough about fluoride to harness the technique to prevent cavities for the masses. They proposed microdosing the mineral into the public water supply to give kids just enough fluoride to protect their teeth and help heal dental decay without giving them so much that their teeth would go brown.The experiment worked.In 1945, Grand Rapids, Michigan, was the first city to purposefully fluoridate its water. In the first 10 years of the program, the rate of cavities in kids decreased by more than <a target="_blank" href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC1551218/?page=1">60%</a>. Thus, the idea of fluoridated water as a boon for public health was born.<h2 id="ffc42276-b971-4331-bd76-9f4c2877d29f">US water districts decide their own fluoride levels</h2><div type="image" title="tap water" height="4000" width="6000" msid="115231232" hostid="261" sizebytes="655952"></div>Kennedy has <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1852812012478398923">said</a> he'd aim to convince local authorities nationwide to remove any added fluoride from taps."I think fluoride is on its way out," Kennedy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/video/rfk-jr-talks-health-care-agenda-following-trump-win-223717957893">told NBC</a> News the day after the election, adding: "I'm not going to compel anybody to take it out, but I'm going to advise the water districts. I'm going to give them good information about the science, and I think fluoride will disappear."The federal government does not control water supplies in the US. That task is up to states and local water systems.The US Environmental Protection Agency does mandate a limit for fluoride in tap water: four milligrams per liter. That limit is meant to prevent crippling health issues caused by excess fluoride intake, like a bone-weakening disease called skeletal fluorosis.<h2 id="e730cbbb-f6d0-4962-9881-0475436e9095">The US lowered fluoride levels in drinking water in 2015</h2><div type="image" title="crest toothpaste vintage ad w nina simone and daughter" height="4416" width="3531" msid="115231221" hostid="261" sizebytes="896112"></div>The amount of fluoride added to a water supply varies not only by city and county but also by the individual water system supplying a given neighborhood.For many years, the federal recommendation fluctuated based on location. In warmer climates — where it was assumed that kids consumed more water to stay cool — officials recommended 0.7 milligrams of fluoride per liter. Colder areas were advised to add 1.2 milligrams per liter.After reviewing evidence in 2015, the US Public Health Service decided that the discrepancy wasn't needed. The recommendation for fluoridation is now set at 0.7 milligrams per liter nationwide.Most major cities in the US hover around the 0.7 figure. Some places naturally have elevated levels of fluoride in their water due to geological factors. In Lordsburg, New Mexico, for example, water samples collected earlier this year had concentrations of fluoride between <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://cityoflordsburg.com/fluoride-mcl-notice-2024/">5.2 and 6.4 milligrams</a> per liter. Authorities there advise that children under 9 years old shouldn't drink tap water.<h2 id="c03fabfb-6a1d-488a-8229-718ca0e2727d">Places with fluoride-free water generally have worse dental health</h2><div type="image" title="toothbrush with paste" height="3209" width="4813" msid="115231228" hostid="261" sizebytes="238252"></div>Proponents of ditching fluoride often point to the many European countries that do not fluoridate their water. Those countries are not 100% fluoride-free, though: unlike people in the US, many Europeans consume fluoridated salt.Hawaii is the only US state without any fluoride in municipal taps; fluoridated water is only available there on military bases. A <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://health.hawaii.gov/about/files/2013/06/Hawaii-Smiles-Report.pdf">2015 report</a> from Hawaii's health department said the state also has the highest prevalence of tooth decay among 3rd graders in the US."It's obvious; you can see it in the quality of their enamel," Anthony Kim, dental director at the Waimanalo Health Clinic, told the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.civilbeat.org/2020/02/why-hawaii-continues-to-keep-fluoride-out-of-its-drinking-water/">Honolulu Civil Beat in 2020</a>. "Sadly, especially among the kids."Researchers in Canada see the same phenomenon. The rate of cavities detected in Alberta spiked after the city went fluoride-free in 2011, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.17269/s41997-024-00858-w">February 2024 study</a>. Calgary did the same and saw <a target="_blank" href="https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9542152/">similar tooth issues</a> in kids. The city now plans to re-fluoridate its water supply, but cost issues and global supply chain problems post-pandemic have <a target="_blank" href="https://calgary.ctvnews.ca/calgary-s-plan-to-reintroduce-fluoride-into-drinking-water-pushed-back-to-2025-1.6845098">created delays</a>.The military supports fluoridation. In 2016, the <a target="_blank" href="https://ilikemyteeth.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/DoD-Fluoridation-Memo-March-2013.pdf">US Department of Defense</a> said dental decay was a "significant" reason military personnel were classified as non-deployable. As such, fluoridated water is now mandated on any military base with more than 3,300 people.Rumors have circulated that drinking fluoridated water can lead to bone cancer (osteosarcoma), but long-term studies from both <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://academic.oup.com/ije/article/43/1/224/736028">the UK</a> and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1877782111001822">US</a> haven't found any credible evidence of higher rates in areas where people drink fluoridated water.<h2 id="726f1d49-c5ff-447d-b2cc-6cf2412f9906">Is there any truth to claims of IQ issues?</h2><div type="image" title="anti fluoride protesters" height="2574" width="3594" msid="115231239" hostid="261" sizebytes="497810"></div>On November 2, Kennedy said on X that fluoride is an "industrial waste" that is linked to "IQ loss."He linked to a ruling from a federal judge in California in <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cand.uscourts.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/09/17-cv-2162-Food-_-Water-Watch-Inc.-et-al.-v.-EPA-et-al-Opinion.pdf">October.</a> The judge, appointed by former President Obama, said that while he could not "conclude with certainty" that fluoridated water could reduce the IQ of children, there is evidence that it can be "hazardous at dosages that are far too close to fluoride levels in the drinking water of the United States."His ruling came weeks after a headline-grabbing paper in which a group of independent scientists reviewed existing evidence on fluoridation for the <a target="_blank" href="https://ntp.niehs.nih.gov/sites/default/files/2024-08/fluoride_final_508.pdf">US National Toxicology Program</a>. Their review concluded that some studies of fluoride consumption have found links between higher fluoride water levels and lower IQs in kids.There are a couple of big caveats to keep in mind. First, those studies were conducted in other countries, including Canada, China, India, Iran, Pakistan, and Mexico, not the US.Second, the association with lower IQs was only apparent when children were drinking water loaded with fluoride, at more than 1.5 milligrams per liter. That's double what's recommended in the US and 50% more fluoride than what was first used in Grand Rapids in 1945."More studies are needed to fully understand the potential for lower fluoride exposure to affect children's IQ," the experts said.Those new studies are starting to trickle out. Fluoride and aluminum researcher Ashley Malin, an assistant professor of epidemiology at the University of Florida, recently found <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/38767917/">a potential link</a> between a woman's fluoride levels during pregnancy and neurobehavioral problems in her toddler three years later."At this point, I would advise that pregnant women reduce their fluoride intake," Malin told Business Insider.Malin brushes her teeth without fluoride, drinks filtered water (using a reverse osmosis water purifier or buying bottled water), and says that the most fluoride she consumes is probably from the black chai tea she occasionally drinks.<h2 id="5b5f129c-cdf6-4dba-a89c-6887474b296d">Settling on the right dose</h2><div type="image" title="retro photo of kid brushing teeth" height="3000" width="2487" msid="115231240" hostid="261" sizebytes="496682"></div>It's hard to tease out <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cochrane.org/CD010856/ORAL_does-adding-fluoride-water-supplies-prevent-tooth-decay">exactly how beneficial fluoridated water is</a> for preventing cavities, in part because fluoridating water isn't the only way that tooth care has improved dramatically since the 1940s. (The level of fluoride in many toothpastes is much higher than what's in the water.)The California ruling last month didn't get prescriptive about what the EPA should do about all this uncertainty. It only recommended some kind of "regulatory action" on fluoride."It should be noted that this finding does not conclude with certainty that fluoridated water is injurious to public health," the verdict read.A federal judge wants the EPA to better answer now whether 0.7 milligrams per liter of fluoride is safe enough.The EPA has said in the past that reviewing their fluoride numbers is a "low priority" item for the agency. Public health experts and dentists generally agree that <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nidcr.nih.gov/news-events/nidcr-news/2024/big-hopes-little-teeth">fluoridated tap water</a> is a safe, effortless, and equitable way to ensure people get enough fluoride to prevent most childhood cavities.However, scientists haven't quite settled on the optimal fluoride level in tap water to maintain healthy teeth yet.

A brief history of America's love affair with fluoridated water — and why it's now up for debate

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Hurricane Helene has caused price-gouging complaints to surge in southeastern states.</li><li>Price gouging involves hiking prices excessively on essential goods, often during emergencies.</li></ul>As <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-helene-destroyed-safe-haven-maples-coffee-shop-north-carolina-2024-10">Hurricane Helene wreaked havoc</a> across southeastern US states, complaints of price gouging have surged.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grocery-costs-inflation-kamala-harris-ban-price-gouging-election-trump-2024-8#:~:text=Price%20gouging%2C%20in%20which%20companies,high%20grocery%20prices%2C%20as%20well.">Price gouging</a> is when businesses <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/inflation-dynamic-pricing-surge-cost-fatigue-2024-7">hike prices on goods or services</a> to excessive levels, often during emergencies, like a natural disaster, taking advantage of high demand and limited supply.Business Insider contacted the states worst hit by <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/before-after-satellite-photos-hurricane-helene-destruction-florida-2024-10">the hurricane</a> — North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, Florida, Tennessee, and Virginia — and found that several of them were either inundated with complaints of price gouging or had to issue warnings against it.In South Carolina, which had about 36 storm-related deaths, the Attorney General's office told BI it had documented at least 142 price-gouging complaints since the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-helene-electric-vehicles-evs-owners-fire-risk-safety-tips-2024-10">start of Hurricane Helene.</a>"Of these, most of the complaints are about hotels, gasoline, gas cans, generators, ice, and eggs," said Robert Kittle, communications director for South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson, in an email.He added that more complaints were expected, noting that they still had 246 voicemails and emails to review.However, Kittle said not all of the complaints would warrant further investigation or meet the legal definition of price gouging under the state's law.Wilson, the AG, announced on Thursday that the state's price-gouging law was in effect.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.scag.gov/about-the-office/news/attorney-general-alan-wilson-announces-state-s-price-gouging-law-in-effect-because-of-hurricane-helene/">The announcement</a> said that while the state could expect normal price fluctuations, which are legal, it also anticipated "businesses and individuals looking to unfairly take advantage of the situation," which would violate the law.Kittle said that most of the complaints were coming from upstate South Carolina.In neighboring <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-helene-hits-asheville-beer-microbreweries-north-carolina-floods-2024-9">North Carolina</a>, which experienced the highest death toll of about 56, there were also dozens of price-gouging complaints.A spokesperson for the North Carolina Attorney General's Office said the state's Department of Justice had received 64 complaints alleging price gouging in western North Carolina.Most complaints were about hotel rates as well as grocery and fuel prices, which they said the AG's office was investigating.In <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://ncdoj.gov/attorney-general-josh-stein-provides-update-on-price-gouging-after-hurricane-helene/">a statement</a> provided to BI, North Carolina Attorney General Josh Stein said: "North Carolina has an anti-price gouging law to make sure that no bad actors try to take advantage of people's desperation.""My team and I aggressively enforce that law and won't let them," he added.Stein noted that more complaints might emerge as residents in western North Carolina, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hurricane-damage-port-strike-could-hurt-us-economy-2024-9">heavily impacted by Hurricane Helene,</a> could be facing difficulties connecting to phones or the internet.Florida, which had about 14 storm-related deaths, also received multiple complaints, though the state did not specify how many.Kylie Mason, communications director for Attorney General Ashley Moody, told BI they had received complaints "mostly about fuel and water."On Monday, Moody <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.myfloridalegal.com/newsrelease/consumer-alert-attorney-general-moody-warns-floridians-affected-hurricane-helene-about">issued a warning</a> urging Floridians to be "vigilant" for price gouging.The warning urged anybody suspicious of price gouging on storm-essential items to report it, noting that violators are subject to civil penalties of $1,000 per violation.The attorneys general of Tennessee, which had about eight deaths connected to Hurricane Helene, and Georgia, with about 25, did not immediately respond to BI's request for data. But both states have issued warnings on price gouging.Georgia's Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://consumer.georgia.gov/business-services/emergency-price-controls">warned </a>that "although competition and demand drive prices in our free-market economy," Georgia law prohibits businesses from "taking advantage of the situation" during a state of emergency.It said price increases are only allowed if they reflect legitimate cost increases in stock, transportation, or the retailer's typical markup from the 10 days before the emergency.Similarly, Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti condemned price gouging <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral/news/2024/10/1/pr24-70.html">in a statement on Tuesday</a>, urging victims to contact the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs."Price gouging and scamming vulnerable people after disasters is not only repulsive, it's illegal," he said.In Virginia, which had about two storm-related deaths, there were no complaints of price gouging at the time of reporting."While it is still early, we do not have any reports yet," said Shaun Kenney, director of communications for Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares, in an email Tuesday.Kenney added: "The Virginia Attorney General's Office is doing everything we can to inform the public and make them aware of both their rights and the pathways available to move forward on any complaints or concerns."The issue of price gouging has become a political hot topic in the presidential election cycle, with Vice President <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-to-lower-grocery-prices-inflation-harris-price-gouging-proposal-2024-8">Kamala Harris pledging to stop it</a> in the food and grocery industries if she is elected president.Harris said she plans to pursue the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/grocery-costs-inflation-kamala-harris-ban-price-gouging-election-trump-2024-8">first federal ban on price gouging</a> in response to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-prices-inflation-soaring-corporate-greed-profits-margins-wages-jobs-2023-4">painful inflation</a> in recent years — a plan that has received <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kamala-harris-price-gouging-ceiling-policy-inflation-krugman-oleary-ramsey-2024-8">mixed reviews from economists.</a>

Price-gouging complaints about the cost of fuel, water, and hotels are surging in states hit by Hurricane Helene    

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Fox Weather's Bob Van Dillen rescued a woman from flood waters live on air in Atlanta.</li><li>Hurricane Helene has caused severe flooding and power outages across the southeastern US.</li></ul>Fox Weather reporter Bob Van Dillen rescued a woman from flood waters live on air while reporting on the impact of Hurricane Helene in Atlanta in the early hours of Friday morning.In the dramatic <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEMDjihdbH0">footage</a>, Van Dillen could be seen wading into chest-deep water to carry the woman, who was trapped in her car, to safety.Van Dillen, who was reporting live at the time on "Fox and Friends," said he leapt into action after hearing her cries for help."I took my wallet out of my pants, and I went in there, waded in, got chest deep," Van Dillen later told "Fox and Friends" hosts Steve Doocy and Janice Dean."She was in there, she was still strapped into her car and the water was actually rising and getting up into the car itself, so she was about, almost neck deep submerged in her own car," he said.In the live report, a man who appeared to be the woman's husband could be seen shaking Van Dillen's hand and thanking him."I'd do it again," Van Dillen responded. He then carried on with his Fox Weather report about the record water levels in the area.Spokespeople for Fox did not respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, which was made outside of normal working hours.At the time of writing, at least 52 people had been killed in the storm, which has battered the southeast coast of the US, according to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://apnews.com/article/hurricane-helene-florida-georgia-north-carolina-south-carolina-92d5caaafe40644e1db687cf6431395f">the Associated Press</a>.Millions of people across Florida and nearby states have been left without power as flood waters rose to record highs in many areas.The Category 4 hurricane <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.nesdis.noaa.gov/news/hurricane-helene-makes-landfall-florida">made landfall near Perry, Florida</a>, just east of the mouth of the Aucilla River, on Thursday night. Wind speeds reached up to 140 miles per hour.The National Hurricane Center <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/NHC_Atlantic/status/1840041807125655763">said</a> on Saturday that Helene had been downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone and was moving slowly across the Tennessee Valley, with heavy rain lessening.

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You Searched For "water level" and got 6 results

WATCH: Researchers capture world’s first video of atoms combining to form the tiniest water bubble ever recorded!

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Worried about the harmful microplastics in your water? You just need to boil and strain it before consumption

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