How Far Away is Death?

How far away is death? From close calls to tragic accidents, these incidents are equally shocking as insightful.

Tune in every Thursday to see the newest edition, or scroll down to browse previous topics.

Phantom energy

July 16, 2025

Popular Mechanics asks an interesting question, “Do you need to unplug your appliances?” PM reminds us of the routine reasons we should comply with this practice: “While it may seem like an old-fashioned habit to unplug your appliances, it’s actually a quick and easy way to save some energy and improve the safety of your kitchen. In the summer, when many of us are away from home for long-awaited and meticulously planned trips, taking a few seconds to pull the plug can prevent potential hazards and maybe even lower your electric bill.”

But there’s a more compelling reason provided by PM to unplug those appliances: “Unplugging equipment is a good practice is because of something called ‘phantom energy’ or ‘standby power.’ This concept is best described as electronics and appliances that continue to draw power even when they’re turned off. Your phone charger plugged in with no phone attached? Still using energy. The coffee maker on your kitchen counter with the digital clock? Yep, still sipping electricity. Over time, that can add up. Plus, other gadgets like toasters, air fryers, and irons can lead to possible housefires if left plugged in for too long.”

Read the rest of the Popular Mechanics article to glean even more information.

Pilot experiences mid-air health emergency

July 9, 2026

A passenger flight from New Jersey to Nova Scotia deviated from its flight path on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, due to the pilot experiencing a medical emergency.

An AOL report tells us that passengers immediately sensed something out of the ordinary, according to ABC News. Passengers then apparently assisted the pilot, who was suffering an extended seizure, as the copilot took over the flight. The aircraft was diverted to Boston, and the pilot was taken to the hospital for medical care.

Fireworks thrown into crowd

July 2, 2026

Fireworks are a popular occurrence around July 4th celebrations. However, the Roman candle thrown into a crowd watching Jurassic Park caused havoc among outdoor moviegoers in northern Washington, DC.

A police report detailed that the incident happened around 10 pm Wednesday evening, June 24, 2026, at Alethia Tanner Park in DC’s Eckington neighborhood. The large crowd was gathered for the summer movie series sponsored by the NoMa Business Improvement District.

Here’s a video of the incident:

Collision alert

June 25, 2026

A small flight school plane came within 500 feet of a JetBlue aircraft (an Airbus 321neo) as revealed by FAA audio. The pilots of the JetBlue plane acted in time to avoid a collision after their onboard system conveyed a collision alert.

On Monday, June 1, 2026, JetBlue Flight 1256 was readying the aircraft to land at Fort Lauderdale International Airport when its onboard flight system alerted the pilots that another plane was close by and apparently not in communication with air traffic control.

Watch the KHOU video:

New drug threats on the radar

June 18, 2026

Unfortunately, drug addiction finds its way into the workplace, and new drugs have been identified by our local forensic administrators. Read the list below to learn more about these potentially deadly substances.

–cychlorphine: a synthetic opioid of the orphine class; regarded many times stronger than fentanyl; not detectable in a fentanyl test and not usually detectable in toxicology tests; increasingly popular to mix into counterfeit pills; and quick working to suppress breathing, often leading to death.

–mitragynine pseudoindoxyl and 7-OH mitragynine: “Both of these substances are linked to kratom, which is scientifically known as Mitragyna speciosa, according to the Center for Forensic Science Research and Education.”

“7-OH mitragynine: “Which may also be referred to as 7-Hydroxy mitragynine, is found in small amounts in kratom and is a metabolite of the primary psychoactive component found in Kratom, the CFSRE explains. However, a photo shared by the Knox County Regional Forensic Center states that it is also an opioid-like alkaloid, which is a naturally occurring compound, that is being increasingly sold in concentrated, synthetic forms, such as tablets and gummies.”

–Medetomidine: “According to the Centers for Disease Control, medetomidine is a sedative that is frequently found mixed in with illegally made fentanyl. Although it was first found in 2021, last year, there were more than 8,000 medetomidine reports submitted to the National Forensic Laboratory Information System.”

–Phenazolam: “Although it was first created in the 1980s as a potential pharmaceutical, the benzodiazepine Phenazolam has never been approved for therapeutic use. Benzodiazepines are a type of medication that slows down brain and nervous system activity, and the ones that are approved for human use are often used to treat anxiety, some mental health conditions, and seizures, according to the Cleveland Clinic.”

Content credit: All quotes are from WATE News, “LIST: 5 new drugs Knox County Regional Forensic Center is watching,” by Hope McAlee, posted: Jun 2, 2026 / 05:00 PM EDT, updated: Jun 2, 2026 / 05:00 PM EDT.

Read the full article here.

Thousands of vehicles recalled

June 11, 2026

We buy our cars and, after the outlay of so much money, we expect them to run flawlessly every time we drive them, right? Well, sometimes we have to adjust our expectations. Today’s recalls include Toyota, Hyundai, and Subaru.

Toyota’s more than 81k recalls notice, filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), involves the Instrument panel display which could fail to indicate warnings such as engine failure. Officials note that this failure can lead to crashes since the driver would not be alerted to malfunctions during vehicle operation.

Toyota models affected:

• 2025 Lexus UX Hybrid
• 2024 Lexus GX
• Toyota Mirai
• 2024-2025 Toyota Land Cruiser Hybrid

Hyundai is recalling more than 421k vehicles due to faulty software in the brakes, according to the NHTSA. The software can cause an incident of premature braking when the driver hasn’t engaged the brakes, with several cases of rear-ending with injuries already in the books.

Hyundai models recalled:

• 2025 to 2026 Hyundai Santa Cruz
• 2025 to 2026 Hyundai Tucson
• 2025 to 2026 Hyundai Tucson Hybrid
• 2025 to 2026 Hyundai Tucson Plug-In Hybrid

Subaru is recalling more than 69k Forester and Forester hybrid cars due to a faulty moonroof which can suddenly detach without any warning, leading to the risk of an accident.

Cars.com tells us that “Affected vehicles include model-year 2026 Foresters and Forester Hybrids. The solid glass panel of the moonroof may have not been properly bonded to the sliding frame and may allow the panel to detach from the vehicle, increasing the risk of a crash.

“To resolve the issue, dealers will inspect the adhesion of the power moonroof glass panel and replace the assembly, if necessary, for free. Owners will be notified by mail July 24, but those with further questions can call Subaru at 844-373-6614 (Subaru’s number for this recall is WRF-26), the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s vehicle-safety hotline at 888-327-4236, or visit its website to check their vehicle identification number and learn more.”

Airborne umbrella

June 4, 2026

A woman in Clarendon County was killed by an umbrella that became airborne at a restaurant in South Caroline during a high wind incident. Coroner Jacqueline Blackwell, Clarendon County coroner said that the victim, Dana Weigner, 56, died after apparently being struck in the neck by an airborne umbrella. First responders arriving at Driftwood Grill on Lake Marion attempted life-saving actions but were unable to revive Weigner.

Coroner Blackwell reported that officials are investigating wind conditions from Saturday, May 23, to ascertain the role weather played in the fatality near Palmetto Shores Campground on Lake Marion.

Tornado tears through lumber company

May 28, 2026

An EF-0 tornado tore through a town in Tennessee, significantly damaging a number of downtown buildings. Duncan Lumber, an essential New Tazewell business since 1908, was hit particularly hard, with one building decimated and significant damage to the entire site. One employee was onsite and escaped without injury.

Learn more here and remember to prepare during calmer times for unpredictable events.

Electric Ants

May 21, 2026

Did you know that electric ants are rated one of the world’s worst invasive species? Sometimes called “crazy ants,” these electric ants are strangely attracted to outlets, computers, phones—anything with a charge or current; their name comes from the sting of these ants which feels like a contact with an electric current.

Read more about how and where these electric ants are causing havoc.

Bear attacks

May 17, 2026

Bears in America’s national parks are making the news as hikers have experienced attacks. An investigation of the death of a hiker found in Glacier National Park led officials to rule the cause as a suspected surprise bear attack.

In another encounter, hikers at Yellowstone National Park were attacked by a bear near Old Faithful on Mystic Falls Trail.

Read how you can avoid being attacked by a bear when you are hiking or exploring near bear habitats.

By a split second

May 7, 2026

A woman driving a motorcycle in the Kartasura Terminal area, Sukoharjo Regency, Central Java, Indonesia, had pulled over to the roadside to rest upon her cycle. She sat up and moved her head a mere split second prior to a truck leaving the road and coming straight at her. The incident was captured on CCTV. The police investigation indicates that the truck driver may have fallen asleep just before veering off the road into vehicles on the side of the road and a power pole.

You may view the footage here.

Alligator close call

April 30, 2026

A Freeport, Texas, woman, Carol Jansky, and her husband were on their four-wheeler at their home, near the Freeport Golf Course. They were doing a routine check-in on the usually friendly alligator who has lived in a pond near the golf course for years and who frequents their property and the golf course.

However, the alligator displayed new behavior. Local KHOU 11 reported, “As they got to the edge of the pond, Jansky says the alligator came out of the water and began quickly walking toward them.

“When they saw the reptile suddenly speed up, they did the same thing, nearly tossing Carol off the back of the four-wheeler on top of the gator!

“The couple says they were very surprised by the alligator’s behavior, because it has never been aggressive before and they don’t feed it, so it becomes used to people.”