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Kansas will get the world’s first mile-deep nuclear reactor and the groundbreaking is next week KCUR | By Celia Llopis-Jepsen Published December 4, 2025 at 6:00 AM CST Facebook Twitter

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Deep Fission says it plans to install a nuclear reactor underground at an industrial park in southeast Kansas. State and local government leaders are on board. It’s part of a national push for new nuclear energy generation.

Parsons, Kansas, will be the site of a California startup’s first ever 1-mile-deep nuclear reactor — with support from county commissioners, both Republican Kansas U.S. senators and Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly’s administration.

Deep Fission will hold a ceremonial groundbreaking on Tuesday at Great Plains Industrial Park. Company leaders hope to receive U.S. Department of Energy authorization and get its nuclear reactor up and running by next Fourth of July.

The company is part of a presidential pilot program that aims to demonstrate new reactors by then. After that, Deep Fission hopes to pursue commercial operations.

“The industrial park is looking to bring in, to attract industry and possibly data centers or other large uses of electricity,” Deep Fission CEO Liz Muller said in an interview with the Kansas News Service. “But in order to attract them, it needs to have a source of electricity.”

Deep Fission is an advanced nuclear company founded in 2023 that promises to place small nuclear reactors at the bottom of 30-inch wide, mile-deep boreholes.

In Kansas, a standard nuclear power plant proposal from an electricity company would need to pass through the agency that regulates utilities — the Kansas Corporation Commission — for a siting permit and public hearings, among other steps. However, the KCC said it doesn’t have enough information yet to know the full extent of its jurisdiction over Deep Fission’s project. For example, it remains to be seen whether the company will fall under laws that apply to electric utilities.

“The nature of Deep Fission’s operations will determine whether it qualifies as an electric utility,” the KCC said in a recent email.

Deep Fission’s letter of intent with the industrial park ultimately envisions a full-scale commercial project.

Parsons offers the opportunity to “potentially grow with the Park for decades to come,” the company said in a press release.

This would mean installing more nuclear reactors over the years, since Deep Fission designs its reactors to generate power for two to seven years.

Muller said the design is safe.

“All of the radioactivity stays at the bottom of the borehole a mile underground,” she said. “The only thing that is coming up through the borehole is clean, fresh water. We feel really good about our ability to protect both humans and the environment.”

That water comes up in the form of steam for turning a turbine to generate electricity, then cools and goes back down into the borehole.

Elected officials welcome Deep Fission to Parsons

Parsons, a city near the Oklahoma and Missouri borders, has a population of about 10,000. The Great Plains Industrial Park on the east side of Parsons covers 14,000 acres and is the former site of the Kansas Army Ammunition Plant.

Deep Fission’s press release includes enthusiastic quotes from a host of local, state and congressional voices.

“Kansas has long been a leader in energy production, and we’re continuing to diversify our portfolio with innovative technologies such as advanced nuclear,” Kansas Lt. Gov. and Secretary of Commerce David Toland said.

Toland said the Kansas Department of Commerce “will support (Deep Fission’s) efforts to integrate a thoughtful and transparent community engagement process that gives local residents clear avenues to ask questions and be part of the conversation.”

Republican Sens. Roger Marshall and Jerry Moran hailed the project.

“As our nation’s demand for reliable, around-the-clock energy continues to grow, advanced nuclear technology will play a critical role,” Marshall said. “It’s exciting to see cutting-edge innovation and high-quality energy investment come to Kansas.”

Robert Wood, chairman of the Great Plains Development Authority that owns the industrial park, said Deep Fission’s project is “showcasing Kansas’s potential to the world.”

“The Board and I look forward to building a long-term relationship with Deep Fission and the positive impacts this collaboration will bring,” Wood said.

County commissioners also touted economic development.

“We are committed to backing projects that provide jobs, energy, and economic growth for the citizens of Labette County,” the County Commission said.

Deep Fission melds nuclear, geothermal and oil industry technology

Muller entered the nuclear industry with her father, University of California Berkeley professor emeritus of physics Rich Muller. They wanted to solve two of the nuclear industry’s problems: nuclear waste and the high cost of nuclear power.

So the duo created two companies: Deep Isolation and Deep Fission.

The first company proposes solving nuclear waste disposal by drilling boreholes 1 mile deep and putting the waste at the bottom. The second company plans to make nuclear power much cheaper by drilling equally deep boreholes and putting reactors into them.

Deep Isolation is currently conducting tests. Deep Fission has signed letters of intent for sites in Kansas, Texas and Utah.

In August, Deep Fission’s reactor design became one of 11 projects picked for President Donald Trump’s nuclear pilot program, which offers to expedite testing of new designs and ultimately fast-track them to commercial licensing.

The federal program’s target is to get at least three nuclear reactors operating at a state of steady fission before next Fourth of July.

Deep Fission’s design will use a pressurized water reactor — the world’s most common kind of nuclear technology — small enough to fit into the borehole and powerful enough to generate about as much power as 10,000 homes consume, Muller said.

Deep Fission will then fill the borehole with water. The reactor at the bottom will transfer heat to water that will rise to the surface, become steam and turn turbines.

The steam will then cool down and return to the borehole, so that the same water is constantly reused.

The idea borrows technology and concepts from the geothermal and oil and gas industries, Muller said. Borehole drilling is standard practice for oil and gas. And geothermal power uses hot water that rises up a borehole, turns a turbine and is then reused.

A Deep Fission reactor will churn out power for two to seven years, depending on its design, Muller said. Afterward, the company could seal the reactor and leave it there. Or, if the U.S. develops a site for nuclear waste disposal, it could remove the reactor and send the waste there.

Deep Fission also said that once a reactor is spent, it could seal that one off and stack new ones on top of it, as long as the borehole was originally drilled deeper than 1 mile so that the uppermost reactor remains at least 1 mile deep.

This would make maximum use of a single borehole.

“We can keep doing that: seal it off, add another one on top,” she said. “And so if (one reactor) lasts seven years and you do seven of those cycles, that’s 49 years.”

Does the public get a say about Deep Fission’s plans?

Deep Fission said it considers community input critical.

“We have already had a significant amount of engagement with the community,” Muller said. “ We’ve done conversations with the government — local government, state government. We’ve had a number of stakeholder groups.”

Muller didn’t elaborate further on the stakeholders who have provided input and she didn’t indicate when the company plans to hold any public meetings that would allow the broader community to weigh in.

But she signaled that her company’s vision includes such meetings.

Asked whether the public’s input would have any influence, since Deep Fission has already selected a site and set a demonstration deadline of July 4, 2026, Muller said the company will want ongoing engagement on steps such as commercialization.

“There’s going to be lots of opportunities to participate, to be heard, to ask questions,” she said. “Starting immediately, but continuing on for years to come.”

State and federal oversight of nuclear energy

The extent to which Kansas energy regulators would oversee Deep Fission’s activities remains partly unclear. The KCC is in the early stages of communication with the company.

“The KCC is generally aware of Deep Fission and its intent to pursue a demonstration project” in Kansas, KCC staff said in an email last month. “Our agency has only had introductory meetings with the company.”

The KCC could conceivably regulate an underground nuclear reactor for a few reasons.

First, the commission regulates drilling and operations related to certain wells.

Second, the commission oversees public utilities, with a mission of keeping utilities reliable and reasonably priced.

If a public utility wants to build a new power plant, it has to file a proposal with the KCC. This can trigger public hearings on how the plant would impact other customers and what they pay for electricity.

Also, an electric utility that wants to build a nuclear plant needs a siting permit from the KCC. Getting that permit requires going through a public hearing.

Of these two spheres of regulation — oversight of wells and of public utilities — KCC jurisdiction is clearer in the first than the second.

The KCC said Deep Fission will have to first drill a pilot hole – which will help determine if the site is suitable. For the pilot hole, the company will need to seek a drilling license and permit from the KCC and provide financial assurance related to the pilot hole.

“Beyond that initial pilot hole, the KCC would not have jurisdiction over a nuclear reactor well,” the KCC said.

In the case of public utility regulation, the KCC said it needs more information to know its full jurisdiction.

“For example, Kansas law only requires ‘electric utilities’ to obtain a siting permit from the KCC for nuclear generation facilities,” the agency said, and it remains to be seen if Deep Fission fits that definition.

If Deep Fission does fall under that rule, it would have to file details to the KCC about its nuclear plans, including about the construction, operation and maintenance.

As for commercializing the project, Deep Fission’s long-term goal after demonstrating its technology, KCC said that state law doesn’t allow Deep Fission to sell electricity at retail without partnering with a regulated utility, which would trigger KCC oversight.

The rule wouldn’t apply if Deep Fission sells wholesale, the KCC said.

Apart from potential state regulation, Deep Fission’s project will fall under oversight from federal authorities such as the Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

The Trump administration is working to overhaul federal nuclear oversight, which it argues is overly burdensome and risk avoidant.

“Instead of efficiently promoting safe, abundant nuclear energy,” one of Trump’s executive orders said, “the NRC has instead tried to insulate Americans from the most remote risks without appropriate regard for the severe domestic and geopolitical costs of such risk aversion.”

Earlier this year, the administration unveiled executive orders and plans to press for approval of projects, rewrite regulations and use the controversial Department of Government Efficiency to shrink the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and focus on “expeditious processing of license applications and the adoption of innovative technology.”

Are there risks to groundwater or other environmental concerns?

The Kansas News Service asked whether state agencies would play any role in checking if Deep Fission’s chosen drilling site would pose any problem for water supplies or face any risk from earthquakes.

The KCC said it’s possible that the Kansas Department of Health and Environment will have a regulatory role and that collaboration with the Kansas Geological Survey (which houses expertise on groundwater, earthquakes and oil and gas wells) is also likely.

The Kansas News Service asked KDHE questions last month, including whether it would play any part in checking whether Deep Fission’s plans are safe for groundwater or other environmental implications. The agency didn’t respond and neither did the governor’s Office.

Deep Fission said its project poses no threat to groundwater.

“We know how to protect the water table,” Muller said, adding that the reactor would be about 1 mile below groundwater.

“It’s a full mile of rock. Billions of tons of rock,” she said.

As for keeping the water in the borehole secure, Muller said the company would use secure casing methods already used in the oil and gas industry.

Deep Fission’s partnership with waterless data centers

Separately from its plans in Parsons, Deep Fission is making inroads with the kind of data center companies that its federal financial filings indicate are its initial target market.

The company has a partnership with Endeavour, the parent company of Edged waterless data centers that have opened in Kansas City, Dallas, Atlanta, Chicago, Columbus, Des Moines and Phoenix — as well as Spain and Portugal.

The Edged data centers are designed to cool servers without water. Heavy water use for cooling is considered a top environmental concern related to the fast global increase in data centers.

In a federal filing, Deep Fission said its partnership with Endeavour should help it get a head start in the data center power segment.

“Even under conservative assumptions — such as 6% annual growth in data center demand, resulting in a doubling of consumption by 2035 — capturing just a percentage of incremental demand would represent a significant growth driver,” the company wrote.

Tech companies are building data centers at a furious pace in part because of the rapid rise of artificial intelligence.

In October, Deep Fission announced that it has so far inked letters of intent with “data centers, co-developers, industrial parks and strategic partners” that would entail generating 12.5 gigawatts of power.

Celia Llopis-Jepsen is the environment reporter for the Kansas News Service and host of the environmental podcast Up From Dust. You can follow her on Bluesky or email her at celia (at) kcur (dot) org.

New Study Reveals Kansas Backyard Soil Is Losing Nutrients More Quickly Than Anticipated

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Just when many Kansas gardeners were patting themselves on the back for lush summer crops, a troubling new study is planting doubt under their feet.

Turns out — that rich, dark earth you’ve been counting on might be quietly losing its punch.

Without fanfare, essential nutrients are draining from backyard soils faster than expected — and come next planting season, your garden could be begging for a second wind.

It’s a wake‑up call to roll up your sleeves and give your dirt the attention it deserves before it’s too late.

Nitrogen Levels Are Dropping At Alarming Rates

Scientists measuring backyard soil across Kansas discovered nitrogen depletion happening 40% faster than previous estimates suggested.

Plants depend on nitrogen to grow strong stems, develop healthy leaves, and produce vibrant colors throughout the growing season.

Without adequate nitrogen, your tomatoes stay small, your grass turns yellow, and flowers struggle to bloom properly.

The study tracked over 500 residential properties in Kansas cities and rural areas for three years.

Researchers found that intensive gardening, frequent watering that washes nutrients away, and limited organic matter additions all contribute to this rapid decline.

Many homeowners unknowingly make the problem worse by removing fallen leaves and grass clippings that would naturally return nitrogen to the soil.

Testing your soil annually helps you catch nitrogen deficiency early before plants show visible symptoms.

Simple fixes like adding compost, planting nitrogen-fixing cover crops like clover, or using organic fertilizers can restore balance.

Understanding nitrogen’s critical role empowers you to take action before your backyard suffers permanent damage.

Urban Yards Suffer More Than Rural Properties

Backyard gardens in Kansas cities like Wichita, Topeka, and Overland Park are losing nutrients approximately twice as fast as rural properties.

Urban environments create unique challenges that accelerate soil degradation in ways many homeowners never consider.

Compacted soil from construction equipment, reduced earthworm populations, and limited space for composting all play significant roles.

City yards often contain imported topsoil that lacks the beneficial microorganisms found in natural Kansas prairie soil.

Pollution from vehicles deposits heavy metals that interfere with nutrient absorption, while concrete and asphalt surrounding properties alter natural water drainage patterns.

These factors combine to create hostile conditions where nutrients leach away rapidly during rainstorms.

Building healthy urban soil requires extra effort but delivers impressive results over time.

Raised garden beds filled with quality compost provide a fresh start, while mulching around plants helps retain moisture and nutrients.

Container gardening offers another solution, giving you complete control over soil quality.

Even small changes make measurable differences in urban settings.

Climate Change Intensifies Nutrient Loss

Kansas weather patterns have shifted dramatically over recent decades, bringing more intense rainstorms followed by longer dry periods.

Heavy rainfall events wash away topsoil and dissolved nutrients before plant roots can absorb them, while extended droughts destroy beneficial soil organisms that help cycle nutrients.

This rollercoaster pattern speeds up depletion rates beyond anything researchers anticipated.

Temperature extremes also stress soil ecosystems in ways that reduce their natural resilience.

Scorching summer heat bakes organic matter, breaking it down too quickly and releasing nutrients that evaporate or wash away.

Freezing and thawing cycles during unpredictable Kansas winters damage soil structure, creating channels where water rushes through carrying precious minerals with it.

Adapting your gardening practices to these new climate realities protects your investment and preserves soil health.

Strategic mulching moderates temperature swings while reducing water runoff during storms.

Selecting drought-tolerant native plants reduces stress on your yard during dry spells.

Forward-thinking gardeners are already adjusting their approaches to match Kansas’s changing climate patterns.

Phosphorus Depletion Threatens Root Development

Beyond nitrogen loss, Kansas soil is rapidly losing phosphorus, an element absolutely essential for strong root systems and flower production.

The study revealed phosphorus levels declining 35% faster than agricultural models predicted for residential areas.

Roots need phosphorus to grow deep and spread wide, anchoring plants firmly while accessing water and nutrients from lower soil layers.

Many Kansas soils naturally contain clay particles that bind tightly to phosphorus molecules, making them unavailable to plants even when present.

Frequent tilling breaks up soil structure and accelerates this binding process, effectively locking away nutrients your plants desperately need.

Chemical fertilizers can worsen the problem by altering soil pH levels, which further reduces phosphorus availability.

Boosting phosphorus naturally works better than quick chemical fixes for long-term soil health.

Bone meal, rock phosphate, and composted manure slowly release phosphorus in forms plants can actually use.

Reducing tillage preserves soil structure and keeps existing phosphorus accessible.

Mycorrhizal fungi form partnerships with plant roots, dramatically improving phosphorus uptake efficiency in challenging Kansas soils.

Potassium Shortage Weakens Plant Disease Resistance

Potassium might not get as much attention as nitrogen, but Kansas backyards are experiencing critical shortages that leave plants vulnerable to diseases and pests.

Plants use potassium to regulate water movement, activate enzymes, and build strong cell walls that resist infection.

When potassium runs low, even common garden diseases can devastate otherwise healthy plants.

The research team found potassium depletion particularly severe in sandy Kansas soils where this nutrient easily washes away.

Vegetable gardens demand especially high potassium levels because crops like tomatoes, peppers, and squash remove large amounts when harvested.

Year after year of growing without replenishment creates deficiencies that weaken your entire garden’s immune system.

Wood ash from fireplaces provides an excellent free source of potassium for Kansas gardeners, though it should be used sparingly to avoid raising soil pH too much.

Kelp meal and greensand offer slow-release potassium that feeds plants steadily throughout the growing season.

Rotating crops and allowing sections of your garden to rest periodically gives soil time to rebuild potassium reserves naturally.

Micronutrient Depletion Creates Hidden Deficiencies

While major nutrients grab headlines, Kansas soil is simultaneously losing trace minerals like zinc, iron, manganese, and boron that plants need in tiny amounts.

These micronutrients act like vitamins for plants, enabling critical functions even though required in small quantities.

The study detected micronutrient levels dropping faster than major nutrients in many tested yards, creating invisible problems that puzzle gardeners.

Symptoms of micronutrient deficiencies often mimic diseases or pest damage, leading homeowners to apply pesticides that don’t solve the underlying problem.

Yellow leaves with green veins signal iron shortage, while distorted new growth might indicate boron deficiency.

Identifying these subtle signs requires careful observation and sometimes professional soil testing to confirm suspicions.

Compost emerges as the superhero solution for micronutrient depletion because it contains diverse minerals from various organic sources.

Avoid over-liming your soil, which can lock up iron and manganese even when present.

Foliar sprays deliver micronutrients directly through leaves for quick correction of deficiencies.

Maintaining slightly acidic soil pH helps Kansas gardens access micronutrients more efficiently.

Soil Organic Matter Continues Declining

Organic matter serves as the foundation of healthy soil, yet Kansas backyards contain 30% less than they did just two decades ago according to the research findings.

Decomposing plant material feeds beneficial microbes, improves water retention, and slowly releases nutrients throughout the growing season.

As organic matter disappears, soil becomes lifeless dirt that can’t support vigorous plant growth.

Modern landscaping practices inadvertently strip away organic matter faster than nature can replace it.

Bagging grass clippings removes valuable carbon and nitrogen, while raking every fallen leaf eliminates nature’s perfect mulch.

Power equipment compacts soil, crushing air pockets where organic matter would normally accumulate and decompose.

Many homeowners unknowingly fight against natural processes that build soil health.

Reversing organic matter decline requires commitment but delivers rewards that multiply over years.

Leaving grass clippings on your lawn returns nutrients while feeding soil organisms.

Creating compost piles transforms kitchen scraps and yard waste into black gold for your garden.

Sheet mulching with cardboard and wood chips mimics forest floors, gradually building rich topsoil.

Patience pays off as organic matter levels slowly climb back toward healthy ranges.

Beneficial Soil Organisms Are Disappearing

Earthworms, beneficial bacteria, fungi, and countless microscopic creatures create the living ecosystem that makes soil productive.

The Kansas study documented alarming declines in soil organism populations, with some urban yards containing 70% fewer earthworms than rural areas.

These creatures break down organic matter, create soil structure, and make nutrients available to plants through their daily activities.

Chemical pesticides and herbicides destroy beneficial organisms along with target pests, disrupting the delicate underground ecosystem.

Synthetic fertilizers provide plant nutrients directly, allowing soil microbe populations to crash since plants no longer depend on them.

Tilling destroys the complex fungal networks that connect plant roots and transport nutrients across distances.

Each disruption makes soil less alive and less capable of supporting healthy growth.

Rebuilding soil biology takes time but transforms struggling yards into thriving ecosystems.

Avoid unnecessary pesticide applications and choose organic pest control methods when possible.

Adding compost tea introduces billions of beneficial microbes that colonize your soil.

Planting diverse species encourages varied microbial communities that resist diseases.

Working with nature’s underground workforce produces better results than fighting against it.

Simple Soil Tests Reveal Hidden Problems

Most Kansas homeowners have never tested their backyard soil, missing crucial information that could solve persistent gardening problems.

Professional soil analysis costs between $20 and $50 but reveals exact nutrient levels, pH balance, and organic matter content.

Armed with specific data rather than guesswork, you can target amendments precisely where needed instead of wasting money on unnecessary products.

County extension offices throughout Kansas offer affordable soil testing services with results typically available within two weeks.

Home testing kits provide quick estimates but lack the accuracy and detailed recommendations that professional labs deliver.

Fall represents the ideal testing time, giving you winter months to adjust soil pH and add amendments that need time to break down.

Understanding your soil test results empowers better gardening decisions for years to come.

Recommendations specify exactly which nutrients your soil lacks and how much to add for optimal plant growth.

Retesting every three years tracks whether your soil improvement efforts are working or need adjustment.

Knowledge removes the mystery from gardening and replaces frustration with confident action based on scientific evidence.

Building Soil Health Pays Long-Term Dividends

Restoring depleted Kansas soil requires patience and consistent effort, but the investment returns compounding benefits year after year.

Healthy soil grows stronger plants that resist pests and diseases naturally, reducing time spent fighting problems.

Improved water retention means less irrigation during Kansas’s hot summers, lowering utility bills while conserving precious water resources.

Nutrient-rich soil produces more abundant harvests from vegetable gardens and more vibrant flowers in ornamental beds.

Starting small prevents overwhelm when beginning soil improvement projects in your backyard.

Focus on one garden bed or yard section, building success before expanding efforts.

Celebrate visible improvements like darker soil color, increased earthworm populations, and stronger plant growth.

Each positive change motivates continued progress toward your long-term soil health goals.

Kansas gardeners who commit to soil building discover their yards becoming easier to maintain over time rather than harder.

Plants establish faster, require less fertilizer, and bounce back quickly from stress.

Your backyard becomes a source of pride and enjoyment rather than constant frustration.

Future generations will benefit from the healthy soil you create today through thoughtful stewardship.

 

Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program Accepting Applications

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The 2026 Taiwan Agricultural Youth Exchange Program is currently accepting applications from Kansas State University undergraduate students who are interested in agriculture and would like to represent Kansas in a week-long international exchange program in Taiwan from November 20–28, 2026.

Up to six K-State undergraduate students will be selected to tour agricultural facilities and businesses in Taiwan to learn more about Taiwanese agriculture and culture. The K-State College of Agriculture will award a $1,000 scholarship to each student selected to participate in the program.

“I had the opportunity to travel to Taiwan and explore its agricultural landscape firsthand. From dragon fruit farms and hydroponic systems to tea research stations and meat processing facilities, I learned so much about how farming looks in a different part of the world,” said Grace Young, a 2025 delegate. “Programs like this don’t just educate; they inspire future leaders to think globally, connect meaningfully, and bring fresh ideas back to Kansas agriculture.”

To be eligible to apply, students must be a currently enrolled undergraduate student in good standing at K-State with a strong agricultural background and a valid U.S. passport and must be able to pay for some of the airfare costs and meals (approximately $1,500).

Find specific application requirements on the Kansas Department of Agriculture website: agriculture.ks.gov/AgEd. The application deadline is December 19, 2025. For additional information, contact Dana Ladner, KDA compliance education and workforce development coordinator, at 785-564-6660 or [email protected].

Beginning in the fall of 2023, a bilateral exchange program was established between K-State and National Chung Hsing University. Students from NCHU will travel to Kansas during the spring semester. The program is coordinated by KDA with the support of K-State’s College of Agriculture and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Denver.

“This program offers students the chance to see agriculture from a whole new perspective,” said Suzanne Ryan-Numrich, KDA ag marketing division director. “Traveling internationally challenges you in the best ways. You come back with new ideas, greater confidence, and a better understanding of how global markets connect to what we grow right here in Kansas.”

Exports play an important role in Kansas agriculture. In 2024, Kansas exported $209 million in agricultural products to Taiwan and was our sixth-largest trading partner. The top five agricultural export categories to Taiwan were beef and beef products, soybeans, corn, wheat and baking preparations.

Ready for more daylight in the evening? Here’s when KS will start seeing longer days

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If you’re tired of the sun setting earlier and earlier each evening, you’ll only have to wait a few more weeks for a bit more sunlight.

That’s because in addition to the end of daylight saving time, when residents turned their clocks back an hour, the winter solstice is less than a month away. The solstice marks the shortest day of sunlight of the year, and once it passes, Kansas residents will slowly start to see more and more daylight.

This year’s winter solstice is Sunday, Dec. 21 at 9:03 a.m. Central Standard Time. It’s also the beginning of astronomical winter. After that shortest day, the sunsets will happen later each day, giving Kansans more daylight.

According to online clock Timeanddate.com, Wichita will see the sun rise at 7:40 a.m. and sunset at 5:14 p.m. Dec. 21, making the length of daylight 9 hours and 33 minutes.

Here’s a look at sunrise and sunset times in Wichita after the winter solstice on Dec. 21:

  • Thursday, Dec. 25 (Christmas): Sun rises at 7:42 a.m. and sets at 5:16 p.m.
  • Wednesday, Dec. 31 (New Year’s Eve): Sun rises at 7:44 a.m. and sets at 5:20 p.m.
  • Thursday, Jan. 1 (New Year’s Day): Sun rises at 7:44 a.m. and sets at 5:21 p.m.
  • Thursday, Jan. 15: Sun rises at 7:43 and sets at 5:34.
  • Saturday, Jan 31: Sun rises at 7:33 a.m. and sets at 5:52 p.m.

A solstice is an astronomical event that occurs when a planet is either tilted the closest to or the farthest from the star it orbits, according to National Geographic.

The solstice occurs twice a year — once in December and once in June. The next summer solstice will occur Sunday, June 21, which marks the longest day of the year.

Enjoy holiday traditions while managing diabetes

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Between pumpkin pie, cookie swaps and family feasts, the holidays are a whirlwind of flavors. For someone living with diabetes, this time of year can cause real challenges. By making a few adjustments and with some thoughtful meal planning, these strategies can help keep blood sugar in check while still enjoying family recipes.

The various celebrations and the abundance of special holiday foods can be an obstacle course when trying to make healthy choices, said Lauren Amaya, Oklahoma State University Extension diabetes specialist.

“Many holiday meals consist of rich, carb-filled foods that affect blood sugar levels, but being aware of portion sizes and making plans to stay active are healthy steps to take to help keep blood sugar under control,” she said. “Now is the time to develop a plan to make healthier choices and other modifications. It’s definitely a balancing act to enjoy the holiday food while managing diabetes.”

Modifying portions is a significant key to getting through the holidays. Amaya suggests implementing the diabetic plate method to help balance good food choices. Fill half of the plate with non-starchy vegetables, one-fourth of the plate with lean proteins and the remaining one-fourth with food that contains more carbohydrates.

“While making healthy food choices is best, managing the holidays doesn’t mean deprivation,” she said. “I’m going to enjoy a small slice of a regular pecan pie because that isn’t something I eat every day. It’s about trade-offs. Reducing carbs in the main meal can leave room for a bit of a splurge with dessert or beverage.”

Sometimes people think that if they don’t eat all day, they can eat all of the foods offered at a holiday meal. However, that induces big spikes in blood sugar. Spreading carb intake throughout the day is the best way to keep blood sugar levels in check.

Be mindful of hidden carbs and calories. Beverages such as hot cocoa and spiced cider can contain more sugar than Grandma Ethel’s pecan pie. Sparkling water or unsweetened tea are better options. If hosting the family meal, ensure there are drink and food options for all dietary needs.

“It’s tempting to go find the recliner or the couch after a holiday meal, but being physically active is important,” Amaya said. “Go on a walk after eating. Physical activity helps the body take up glucose more easily. You don’t have to join in on cousins’ or grandkids’ football game, but a short stroll around the neighborhood is a healthy thing to do.”

Physical activity recommendations are 150 minutes per week, but anything above zero minutes is a step in the right direction.

Signs of diabetes include increased hunger, frequent urination, frequent thirst, fatigues/tiredness, dry mouth, itchy/dry skin, blurred vision and unintentional weight loss. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should consult their physician.

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