Hawaii looks to expand its offshore wind farms. Evidence arises that viruses have guided the evolution of humans. And a facts-based look at gun violence in the United States and around the world. It's Earthy Thursday, our weekly segment on science and Earth-related news. All this and more for the Pagan News Beagle!

One of the cheapest and most reliable forms of renewable energy is wind. Better yet, while wind farms are often build on land they can also be built off the coast. Now, the state of Hawaii is looking to significantly expand its wind farm usage in order to reach its goal of 100% carbon free energy.

After the tumultuous Brexit vote and the ensuing fallout, Prime Minister David Cameron resigned and was succeeded by Theresa May as the leader of the United Kingdom. Much of her first few weeks in office have been focused on organizing her cabinet, which has included a number of controversial shuffles and appointments. One was her replacement of the Department for Energy and Climate Change with a "Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy."

The idea that evolution was anything but a natural process is widely discredited in the scientific community. But just because it was natural doesn't mean it was a simple, straight-forward affair. Indeed, new evidence has emerged that viruses, the same form of life responsible for many deadly diseases, may have altered the trajectory of our ancestors' development.

Pluto, the solar system's most beloved dwarf planet, was recently photographed up close and surveyed for the first time. We now know that Pluto is essentially a giant sphere of frozen nitrogen, methane, and carbon monoxide. But that's just the surface. Could it also hold an ocean of liquid water below? Quite possibly.

One of the most contentious issues in American politics is gun violence, with both sides deeply entrenched and opposed to compromise. But what does the data say about preventing deaths by gun violence? Scientific American takes a look.


Top image by David Eccles