Fluoride is under a federal microscope right now. RFK Jr. told the CDC to drop its fluoridation recommendation, Utah already banned it, and the EPA fast-tracked a new toxicity review. So, is your tap water lowering your IQ?

I spent a while reading the actual primary sources both sides cite so you don't have to.

Short version: the studies finding an IQ effect are real and well-designed. So are the studies finding none. They're mostly answering different questions. Dose and timing turn out to matter more than "fluoride: yes or no." I walk through where the evidence actually lines up, and where the genuine open question still is.//

• Full citations and in-text citations on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheAquaDiaryPodcast
• Free newsletter for updates and resources: substack.com/@aquadiarypodcast
• Learn more at aquadiary.org

Radioactive material has been found in the yards of over 120 homes in the Town of Niagara, NY, and four families have been relocated. But is this just a soil problem, or could it reach the water too?In this episode, I break down what's actually been found, why officials reportedly knew about radioactive hotspots in this area for nearly 40 years, and what the peer-reviewed science says about whether thorium contamination can migrate into groundwater.

Questions this episode answers:

• What is happening in Niagara County, NY right now
• How does soil radiation impact water supplies?
• What is "slag" and why is it radioactive?

• Is Niagara County linked to the Manhattan Project?
• Why did officials know about this for 40 years?
• What are agencies doing about Niagara County's radiation?

Sources & further reading:

This episode cites 22 sources.

• Full source list free on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheAquaDiaryPodcastFull script with in-text citations available to $3/mo members

Get involved:

• Local advocacy: Save Our Backyards Niagara
• Sign up for updates: https://substack.com/@aquadiarypodcast
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Work with me:

Municipality, lake association, or organization needing help communicating a science or environmental issue clearly? Want me to speak at your next event?

• Email aquadiary.podcast@gmail.com

📍 Town of Niagara, NY | Niagara County, NY

There's a beach on one of the cleanest lakes in America with foam sitting on the shoreline, and it just tested over 70x higher for PFAS than the lake water two feet away.

In this episode I sit down with Rick Smith of Global Aquatic Research to unpack what's actually happening across the Finger Lakes right now: the PFAS-in-foam research out of Canandaigua Lake and what it means as the project expands, why harmful algal blooms are starting earlier and lasting longer, and what we know about lake foam. This one got more unsettling than I expected, in the best way.

🔬 Guest: Rick Smith, Founder, Global Aquatic Research📍 Filmed in Auburn, NY - thank you to ARMA for the equipment and assistance.

NOTE: This episode's interview segment was shot on a greenscreen. The background used behind Rick and me was purchased (and made custom) from an online marketplace and found to be AI-generated. I didn't know at the time of editing. I'll be vetting background sources more carefully going forward. All audio and footage of us is raw from the interview and unaltered.// Links:

• Follow Rick's Research: globalaquaticresearch.com
• Get Involved! - Introducing the Finger Lakes Foam Reporting Tool: https://www.globalaquaticresearch.com/finger-lakes.html
• NYSDEC HABs map & reporting: https://dec.ny.gov/environmental-protection/water/water-quality/harmful-algal-blooms/notifications
• Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/TheAquaDiaryPodcast
• Substack (free water quality guides): https://substack.com/@aquadiarypodcast
• Inquiries: aquadiary.podcast@gmail.com
• www.aquadiary.org