Originally published at: https://peakprosperity.com/daily-digest/gold-surges-us-to-move-patriot-missiles-to-ukraine-nitro-n2o-crisis-looms/
In economic discussions, Willam Middlekoop and Ronnie Stoeferle highlighted the shifting dynamics in global geopolitics and their impact on precious metals and commodities. Middlekoop compared the current geopolitical climate to the 1930s, noting the West’s adversarial stance towards countries like Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea. This has led to an increase in gold reserves among these nations, creating a favorable environment for commodities. Stoeferle drew parallels between the current US debt situation and the post-World War II era, emphasizing the potential return of inflation. He also noted the shift in the gold market’s center from the West to emerging markets such as Shanghai, Mumbai, and Dubai. Both experts agreed that the decline of the US Empire and the rise of emerging markets would benefit gold and other hard assets. They advocated for a diversified investment approach, including equities, physical gold, real estate, and liquid assets like Bitcoin, which they see as complementary to gold.
In scientific developments, Caltech researchers have discovered a new class of enzymes that enable bacteria to “breathe” nitrate in low-oxygen conditions, producing nitrous oxide (N2O), a potent greenhouse gas. This research, led by Ranjani Murali and James Hemp, reveals that many more sources of nitrous oxide exist than previously known, which could inform better environmental decision-making. The study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, found that these bacteria use reductases to respire nitric oxide, especially in low-oxygen environments like wetlands and alpine soils. This challenges the previous belief that anaerobic pathways evolved before oxygen respiration, showing instead that nitrate respiration proteins evolved from those that respire oxygen around two billion years ago. The findings underscore the importance of experimental verification in microbial metabolic predictions.
On the geopolitical front, the United States and Israel are negotiating the transfer of eight Patriot air defense systems from Israel to Ukraine. Ukraine seeks these systems to counter Iranian drones used by Russia. However, Israel might need these Patriots due to potential conflicts with Hezbollah and Iran. Israel has maintained a delicate balance with Russia over Syria, where Israeli jets frequently target Iran-linked sites without Russian intervention. The US is trying to convince Israel that supporting Ukraine aligns with its long-term security interests, especially given Russia’s growing military cooperation with Iran. Currently, Ukraine has at least four Patriot batteries and is seeking more from its Western allies. The Biden administration has prioritized sending Patriot and NASAM missiles to Ukraine, pausing shipments to other countries to bolster Ukraine’s defenses amid ongoing Russian aerial attacks.
Sources
Gold and Geopolitics: Experts Discuss the Perfect Storm for Commodities Amid Global Tensions
“We call this a perfect storm for commodities, for gold and commodities, because you have the debasement of currency, so people are fleeing towards hard assets.”
Source | Submitted by rhollenb
New Enzyme Discovery Reveals Bacteria’s Hidden Role in Greenhouse Gas Emissions
“Many More Bacteria Produce Greenhouse Gases than Previously Thought”
Source | Submitted by Barbara
US and Israel in Talks to Send Patriot Systems to Ukraine Amid Rising Tensions with Iran
US Negotiating To Send Israel’s Patriot Systems To Ukraine
Source | Submitted by AaronMcKeon