*By Carlo Versano*
Hurricane Lane, a major Category 4 storm, lashed the Big Island of Hawaii Thursday as it churned through the Pacific. The hurricane could be the strongest to hit the island chain in 25 years and, according to Andrew Freedman at Axios, is "doing pretty much the worst thing it could possibly do."
Though Lane is weakening and slowing, according to the latest from the [National Weather Service](https://twitter.com/NWSHonolulu), the potential for torrential rain, storm surge, and landslide conditions will loom over the next two days.
Hawaii is not used to hurricane prep. The islands benefit from a combination of cooler waters during prime season and a ridge of high pressure that typically protects it from tropical systems. The last major hurricane to hit [famously](http://articles.latimes.com/1992-09-13/news/mn-1196_1_hurricane-iniki) made landfall during the filming of "Jurassic Park" in 1992.
"Whenever storms try and come up, they fizzle out when they get there," Freedman, Axios's science editor, said Thursday in an interview on Cheddar.
But this year, an El Niño effect is keeping the Pacific water warmer, making Hawaiians more vulnerable to hurricanes. And with more climate change, Hawaii will experience severe tropical weather, Freedman said.
"This is a sign of things to come," he forecast.
The pristine shores of Maui and Oahu are likely to experience waves as high as 20 feet, with the potential for beach erosion, coastal and flash flooding, and sustained hurricane-force winds in the capital of Honolulu through Saturday. Because Lane is moving so slowly and will touch each island ー and given the terrain ー Hawaiians should be prepared for a "potential flooding disaster," hurricane expert Dr. Rick Knabb [tweeted] (https://twitter.com/DrRickKnabb/status/1032635284125622272) on Thursday.
Further complicating the situation, Hawaii has no easy procedure for mass evacuations. Its shelter system isn't designed for major hurricanes, Freedman said.
"They're not accustomed to this."
For full interview [click here] (https://cheddar.com/videos/hurricane-lane-could-be-most-destructive-hurricane-to-hit-hawaii-in-almost-three-decades).
This week President Trump signed a directive that will refocus America's space program on human exploration and discovery. Hanneke Weitering, Staff Writer at Space.com, joins Cheddar to discuss whether this decision means more funding from the White House for NASA.
Since 2012, the Basser Center for BRCA has been working towards treating, preventing, and researching BRCA related Cancers. Now, the Center has launched #invisiblegenes to bring awareness to inherited cancer and increase early detection.
Sophie Bushwick, senior editor for Popular Science, discusses the Trump administration's recent announcement to scale back the size of two national monuments in Utah, which are home to over 400 research sites employing 2,000 scientists.
"The Devil Wears Prada" and "Entourage" star is working with Dell to prevent plastic from entering the ocean.
Kimbal Musk is on a mission to base the American restaurant and food system on clean farming and eating. He is transforming food the same way his brother, Elon, is transforming electric cars and space travel.
Can you remember the last time you had a good night's sleep? Many people go weeks without sleeping through the entire night. Marina Khidekel, Senior Deputy Editor at Women's Health, joins Cheddar to talk about its latest sleep study in partnership with Thrive Global and the American Sleep Association.
Boeing's Chief Executive has once again told the public his company will beat Elon Musk's SpaceX in its mission to Mars. Will Goodman, Managing Editor at Rockets are Cool, joins Cheddar to discuss the competition between the two aviation companies.
Quanterix, a company developing technology designed to enable earlier disease detection, made its market debut on Thursday. Shares of the company surged after pricing at $15 a share, and opening at $16.25 a share. Kevin Hrusovsky, CEO of Quanterix, was with us to discuss how the company plans to revolutionize healthcare.
Woebot is an A.I. chat robot on Facebook that is increasing access to therapy. The new chatbot is a digital alternative to going to see a therapist, and is currently free.
Could a merger of SpaceX and Tesla be in Elon Musk's future?
An analyst at Morgan Stanley seems to think so, writing a note that lays out several reasons why, he thinks, a full partnership between the two companies could happen. Linda Lacina, Managing Editor at Entrepreneur joins Cheddar to discuss the news.
