Tragic Loss of Their Children Sparks Hope for Change: Colorado’s Online Child Protection Bill Fails

Posted on June 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The parents of the family were left devastated when their aspirations for change were dashed after they sought to safeguard their children in the Colorado Legislature last month and online activism targeting a drug dealer resulted in tragedy.

Among those parents was Lori Shot, who was instrumental in crafting the bill. Her 18-year-old daughter Annaly tragically took her own life in 2020 after engaging with content on TikTok and Instagram related to depression, anxiety, and suicide.

“When lawmakers sidestep votes and shift discussions to an insubstantial calendar date without accountability, it feels like a betrayal to us as parents.” “It’s a betrayal to my daughter and to all the other children we’ve lost.”

Had the law been enacted, it would have necessitated investigations and the removal of accounts engaged in gun and drug sales, or the sexual exploitation and human trafficking of minors on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. It also required a dedicated hotline for law enforcement and a 72-hour response timeframe for police inquiries, which would significantly increase obligations compared to current legal standards.

Additionally, the platforms would have had to report on the usage statistics of minors, including how often and for how long they interacted with content violating company policies. Several major tech firms have taken official stances regarding the bill. As noted in Colorado’s lobbying records, Meta’s long-time lobbying firm, Headwater Strategies, has registered its support for revising the bill. Conversely, Google and TikTok employed lobbyists to oppose it.

‘[Legislators] chose self-interest over the protection of children and families. ” Illustration: Andrei Cojocaru/Guardian

“We are deeply disheartened,” said Kim Osterman, whose 18-year-old son Max died in 2021. “[Legislators] prioritized their own interests over the safety of my children and family.”

Protection for Social Media Users (SB 25-086) passed both legislative chambers, only to be vetoed by Democrat Governor Jared Polis on April 24th. His veto was justified by concerns that the bill would “erode privacy, freedom, and innovation.” On April 25, the Colorado Senate voted to override the veto, but on April 28, the House chose to delay the vote until the end of the legislative session, effectively blocking the override and keeping the bill alive.

Originally, the bill had passed the Senate with a 29-6 margin and the House with a 46-18 margin. On April 25, the Senate voted 29-6 for an override, and lawmakers anticipated that the House would take up the matter later that day, believing that there was enough bipartisan support to successfully overturn the veto.

“It was a straightforward vote for people because our goal was clear: to safeguard children from the predatory practices of social media companies,” remarked Senator Lindsey Dorgerty, a Democrat and co-sponsor of the bill. She expressed her disappointment that House leaders chose to sidestep the vote on Friday.

Advocating parents blamed the failure of the bill on an unexpected 11-hour lobbying blitz by The Far Right Gun Owners Association in Colorado. Two state legislators and seven other legislative participants corroborated the parents’ claims.

An unprecedented last-minute campaign disrupts bipartisan consensus

The owner of Rocky Mountain Guns (RMGO) characterized the bill as government censorship related to the statute against “ghost guns” assembled from kits purchased online.

RMGO initiated an extensive social media and email campaign, rallying its 200,000 members to contact lawmakers and voice their opposition to the bill. Sources familiar with the workings of the Colorado State Capitol explained that the gun group’s outreach included social media and text campaigns that encouraged Republican constituents to reach out to their representatives in opposition.

“[Legislators] were inundated with calls and emails from activists. It was an all-out assault. A campaign declared, ‘This is a government censorship bill,'” they stated.

The group’s actions contributed to efforts preventing Republicans from backing the veto override, leading to the bill’s demise. According to ten individuals involved in the bill’s development and the legislative process, this lobbying effort appeared unexpectedly robust, fueled by organizations that had previously faced financial constraints. An anonymous source from the Colorado State Capitol shared insights with the Guardian, citing fears of retaliation from RMGO.

The House of Representatives postponed its vote until April 28th, providing RMGO time to amplify its campaign over the weekend. When lawmakers reconvened on Monday, the House voted 51-13 to delay the override until the legislative session concluded, effectively dissolving the effort.

“It was a coordinated full-scale attack proclaiming this as a government censorship bill.” Illustration: Andrei Cojocaru/Guardian

A significant text messaging initiative targeted registered Republican voters, alleging that the social media bill “forces platforms to enforce extensive surveillance of content shared on their platforms,” claiming violations of Colorado’s gun laws, and framing the legislation as an affront to First and Second Amendment rights, according to texts reviewed by the Guardian.

A recurring adversary

Established in 1996, RMGO claims a membership exceeding 200,000 activists. It is recognized as a far-right organization staunchly opposed to regulations on firearms. Dudley Brown, its founder and leader president of the National Gun Rights Association, diverges significantly from the perspective of the National Rifle Association (NRA). RMGO is criticized for employing tactics labeled as “bullying” and “extremist” against both Democrats and moderate Republicans. The group has not responded to requests for commentary regarding legislative measures.

RMGO is a well-known presence at the Colorado State Capitol, typically opposing gun control measures. Daugherty described their usual campaign tactics as “intimidating.” Following backlash for her involvement in a bill banning assault weapons earlier this year, she deactivated her social media account.

“While advocating for gun legislation at the Capitol, RMGO published images of me and other legislators on their website,” she noted. An RMGO tweet depicted Daugherty alongside a bold “Traitor” stamp.

The group disseminated misinformation regarding the bill’s implications on gun ownership, as reported by sources who participated in the legislative discussions.

“My support for the bill and the veto override stemmed from concerns about child trafficking and safeguarding children,” stated Republican Senator Rod Pelton, who voted in favor of overriding the veto in the Senate. “I did not subscribe to the entire argument pertaining to the second amendment.”

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The bill garnered support from 23 district attorneys in Colorado as well as bipartisan backing from the state House of Representatives.

RMGO’s late-stage opposition to the social media bill deviated from its usual tactics. Typically, the organization weighs in on legislation early in the process, according to eight sources, including co-sponsors Daugherty and Representative Andy Boesenecker.

“Their surge of focused efforts caught my attention,” Boesenecker remarked. “It was curious to note that their resistance materialized so late in the process and appeared to be well-financed.”

In recent years, RMGO has experienced reduced activity attributed to financial difficulties that limited their legislative campaigning capacity. In a 2024 interview, the organization’s leader candidly acknowledged struggles with fundraising. Daugherty believes RMGO’s capacity for such a substantial outreach campaign would be unlikely without considerable funding. Others within Colorado’s political landscape echoed this sentiment.

“The Rocky Mountain Gun Owners had been largely ineffective in the legislature for several years due to financial constraints. Suddenly, they increased their influence, seemingly backed by substantial funds,” said Dawn Reinfeld, from a Colorado-based nonprofit focused on youth rights.

This context caused lawmakers to feel pressured, especially concerning primary elections in their districts, following RMGO’s recent social media attacks on supporters of the bill.

“The bill had given me hope that Avery’s legacy would make a difference, and its failure was incredibly disappointing.” Illustration: Andrei Cojocaru/Guardian

“There was a palpable concern among many about party affiliation; it certainly played a role,” remarked Dorgerty.

Aaron Ping’s 16-year-old son, Avery, passed away from an overdose in December after buying what he believed to be ecstasy on Snapchat, only to receive a substance laced with fentanyl instead. Ping viewed the organized opposition to the bill as a purposeful distortion.

“The narrative painted the bill as an infringement on gun rights, depicting it as merely a tool for targeting people purchasing illegal firearms online,” he stated.

Ping had testified in support of the bill alongside other families, recovering teens, and district attorneys back in February before the initial Senate vote.

“This bill carried the hope that Avery’s legacy would incite change; its rejection was truly disheartening,” Ping shared.

In the absence of federal action, states initiate online child safety legislation

A number of states, including California, Maryland, Vermont, Minnesota, Hawaii, Illinois, New Mexico, South Carolina, and Nevada, have introduced legislation over the past two years aimed at enhancing online safety for minors. These initiatives encounter vigorous resistance from the technology sector, which includes extensive lobbying efforts and legal challenges.

Maryland successfully passed the Children’s Code bill in May 2024, marking it as the first state to enact such legislation. However, this victory may be short-lived. The high-tech industry coalition, NetChoice, representing companies such as Meta, Google, and Amazon, has already launched legal challenges against these measures.

In the meanwhile, federal efforts have stalled, with the Children’s Online Safety Act (KOSA) faltering in February after failing to pass the House despite years of modifications and deliberations. A newly revised version of the bill was reintroduced in Congress on May 14th.

California’s similar initiative, the age-appropriate design code law, which mirrors UK legislation, was halted in late 2023 following a NetChoice injunction citing potential First Amendment infringements.

Source: www.theguardian.com

How Climate Change Is Impacting Our Daily Lives Right Now

Posted on May 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Climate change is already impacting our lives negatively

Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP via Getty Images

When considering the dangers posed by climate change, floods and violent storms might come to mind, or even unprecedented heat waves. A study conducted in the latter half of 2024 revealed that most Americans view extreme weather as the chief climate threat. Yet, climate change disrupts daily life in many other persistent ways.

“These events significantly impact people’s lives but often don’t make headlines,” states Jennifer Carman from Yale University.

These more subtle consequences of climate change may seem trivial compared to disasters, like worse allergies or increased commute times, but they collectively signify major shifts, according to Carman. Understanding these issues is crucial for individuals to brace for climate changes affecting their everyday experiences. Remarkably, around half of Americans report feeling the effects of climate change a decade ago—double the number of those who don’t.

“Not everyone is affected by severe events,” Carman remarks. “However, everyone experiences the impacts of daily life consistently.”

Climate change drives up food prices and more

Elevated temperatures associated with climate change inflate prices. In a study by Fridrikik and her team at the European Central Bank, they identified strong correlations between temperature and numerous global price indices. They discovered that higher average temperatures lead to both inflation and extreme weather, particularly in equatorial regions, with impacts persisting year-round.

They projected that by 2035, this would escalate annual price inflation rates by 0.5% to 1.2% for various goods, depending on global greenhouse gas emissions. Agriculture is notably susceptible to weather variations, meaning its price impacts may be about twice as significant. “This unpredictability complicates food production,” Carman notes.

Air conditioning usage is rising and becoming more costly

Increasing temperatures escalate air conditioning expenses. In hotter regions, users will need to operate their air conditioners longer and more frequently. This demand can exceed affordable energy bills.

Individuals in previously temperate areas, such as London or the US’s Pacific Northwest, find themselves needing to install air conditioning for the first time. Globally, soaring cooling expenses negate any reductions in heating costs.

Hot weather disrupts sleep

Even with air conditioning, high nighttime temperatures can hinder sleep quality. Research by Renjie Chen from the University of Hudan, along with colleagues, assessed over 20 million nights of sleep data from hundreds of thousands in China. They found that a 10°C rise in night temperature could raise the likelihood of insufficient sleep by 20%. Under severe emissions scenarios, they estimate that each individual in China might lose about 33 hours of sleep per year by the century’s end.

This isn’t just a localized issue. Research by Kelton Minor from Columbia University showed that elevated nighttime temperatures correlated with reduced sleep across tens of thousands of individuals in 68 countries. Findings suggest higher nighttime temperatures result in decreased sleep—mainly affecting older adults and women in hotter, poorer regions.

Climate change intensifies air pollution

Air pollution poses serious health risks, whether from PM2.5 particles or ozone. Recent research indicates that combining higher temperatures with existing pollutants can exacerbate the harmful effects of air quality, particularly among those who spend extended time outdoors.

It can raise temperatures, leading to increased air pollution by surge electricity demands, often serviced by “peaker plants” designed for peak demand; the worst emitting fossil fuel plants.

Historically, fossil fuel-driven pollution has decreased as power grids have become cleaner, yielding public health benefits. However, as climate change fuels more frequent and severe wildfires, decades of progress may be undone, exposing communities to wildfire smoke. One study forecasts that increased smoke exposure could lead to around 700,000 additional deaths in the U.S. by 2050.

Allergies are worsening with global warming

Increased atmospheric carbon dioxide levels lead to longer warm seasons and higher pollen production, exacerbating allergy symptoms. Many individuals have noticed this trend. According to Carman, annual data shows that 38% of respondents believe their allergy seasons have worsened.

Supporting evidence aligns with anecdotal perceptions; William Andreg from the University of Utah and his team found that the pollen season in North America has lengthened since the 1990s, with overall pollen levels increasing by 21%. The majority of these changes have been attributed to human-induced warming.

Travel delays accumulate, whether long-haul or daily

Climate change is increasingly responsible for weather-related interruptions in transportation systems, leading to billions of wasted hours.

For instance, Valerie Mueller and colleagues from Arizona State University studied the impact of routine coastal flooding on commute times in the eastern U.S. They estimated individuals experience about 23 minutes of delays annually due to these floods, which is double the time recorded 20 years ago. Their analysis revealed these delays stem mainly from rising sea levels rather than extreme storm surges.

While a handful of extra minutes might seem negligible, it accumulates to billions of lost hours overall. Over the coming decades, further sea level rise could escalate delays to hundreds of minutes per person annually.

Weather-induced delays are also increasing in train services and airports. The International Air Transport Association reported that weather-related delays rose from 11% of total delays in 2012 to 30% in 2023. Additionally, even if passengers board their flights, climate change can exacerbate certain turbulence, contributing to rougher flights.

Topics:

Climate Change/
Air Pollution

Source: www.newscientist.com

Study Confirms Climate Change Intensified April Floods

Posted on May 8, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Severe thunderstorms in April resulted in historic downpours and flooding across Arkansas, Kentucky, and other states, exacerbated by climate change.

This information comes from the World Weather Attributes Project, a consortium of scientists studying major weather events in relation to climate change.

From April 3 to April 6, heavy rainfall hit the southeastern U.S., leading to widespread flooding, flood warnings for over 70 million individuals, at least 15 fatalities, the sweeping away of vehicles, and train derailments.

By utilizing climate models alongside historical data, researchers examined storm systems across eight affected states and concluded that the current weather patterns were approximately 9% more intense due to global warming, with a 40% increased likelihood compared to a scenario without such warming.

Ben Clark, a researcher at Imperial College London, stated, “We conclude that the existing 1.3 degrees Celsius of warming has intensified the extreme rainfall leading to flooding in the region. A warmer atmosphere retains more moisture.”

The outcome was severe flooding in Frankfort, Kentucky, along with a rainy day in the Midwest on April 7th.
Leandro Lozada/AFP Getty Images file

The 1.3 degrees reference indicates how much warmer the planet has become in Celsius since humanity began releasing greenhouse gases into the atmosphere post-Industrial Revolution—a conversion of approximately 2.4 degrees Fahrenheit.

Clark noted that the probability estimates from the group are conservative. The researchers identified a unique weather configuration that contributed to the extreme rainfall.

Shell Winkley, a meteorologist with Climate Central, a nonprofit news organization involved in the report, explained that a low-pressure system interacting with a high-pressure ridge caused the thunderstorms to repeatedly affect the same areas in the Southeast and Midwest.

“This front was the route through which these storms moved, and there was also a trigger mechanism. The thunderstorms accumulated rain on already saturated soil,” Winkley noted. “This event is a fascinating intersection of weather and climate change.”

According to Winkley, the National Weather Service issued the third highest weather warning on April 2.

“By the end of the day, the National Weather Service had released 728 separate thunderstorm and tornado warnings from various offices, with numerous locations experiencing extreme rainfall between April 3 and April 6, with some areas seeing up to 16 inches,” Winkley explained.

After a significant storm in Portageville, Missouri on April 7th, vehicles navigate through flooded streets.
Scott Olson/Getty Images File

Upon reviewing historical rainfall from April, researchers indicated that similar storm systems are anticipated every century in the current warm climate.

Gerald Brotzge, a Kentucky climatologist and professor at the University of Kentucky Western University, initially approached such studies with skepticism, particularly those linking large-scale flooding to climate change without accounting for unique weather setups. However, he found this study credible.

Brotzge remarked, “It appears they conducted a thorough analysis. In this instance, a stagnant boundary allowed thunderstorms to constantly form in the same locality—an accurate observation.”

Brotzge noted that Kentucky has warmed by nearly 1.8 degrees Celsius (approximately 3.2 degrees Fahrenheit) over the last 130 years and has been experiencing increased rainfall.

“Our annual rainfall has risen by about 10%,” Brotzge stated. “Half of our ten wettest years have occurred since 2011, with 2011 being the wettest and 2018 as the second wettest.”

The World Weather Attribution is a team of scientists who quickly assess the influence of climate change on extreme weather events. Their methodology has undergone peer review, though some analyses are not immediately reviewed. Previous studies by the group on heatwaves, wildfires, and hurricanes have also faced academic scrutiny.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The Trump Administration Endangers Key Climate Change Reports

Posted on April 30, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Climate change contributes to events like the Marshall Fire in Colorado, which devastated 1,000 homes in December 2021

Jim West/Alamy

The Trump administration has dismissed nearly 400 researchers involved in the forthcoming US national climate assessment. This action may delay the completion of a critical report detailing the impacts of climate change on the nation.

“The Trump administration has carelessly undermined a vital US climate science report by prematurely discarding its authors without justification or a plan,” said Rachel Cleetus, representing the concerned coalition of scientists.

This move significantly hampers progress on the sixth National Climate Assessment, designed to inform federal and state governments about climate change risks and their implications. A law enacted by Congress in 1990 mandates that these assessments be produced every four years.

Although the next report isn’t due until 2027, extensive work has already begun, and the document may exceed 1,000 pages. The latest review, published in 2023, discussed the increasing difficulty of ensuring safe homes, healthy families, dependable public services, sustainable economies, and thriving ecosystems amidst climate challenges.

In early April, the Trump administration terminated a contract with a consulting firm responsible for coordinating research for upcoming assessments under the US Global Change Research Program. This follows numerous cuts at scientific institutions contributing to these efforts, as well as other actions restricting climate and weather research.

Despite the challenges, the report’s authors (mostly volunteers) were eager to collaborate, according to Dustin Mulvaney, who was focused on the Southwest section of the report at San Jose State University. “Many of us thought, ‘We can still do this!'”

However, with all the authors now released, completing the report appears unlikely.

A NASA spokesman, responsible for the global change research program, chose not to comment. Yet, some report authors stated to New Scientist that they received a brief notification indicating that all authors had been dismissed as agents assessed the “scope” of the evaluations.

The notification mentioned “future opportunities” for contributions. Ultimately, Congress legally requires these assessments, and the administration can still appoint new authors. Earlier reports emphasized climate risks, while new analyses will likely focus more on how the US is responding to climate change through reduced emissions and infrastructure adaptation.

Even if the report is eventually published, it may lack the rigor and reliability found in previous assessments, according to Mijin Cha, who was working on emission reductions at the University of California, Santa Cruz. “Now they’ve completely compromised it.”

“I think everyone is really disheartened by this situation,” she expressed.

Topics:

Climate change/
Donald Trump

Source: www.newscientist.com

Climate Change: A Major Concern Falling Off the Agenda in Canadian Elections

Posted on April 26, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Melting Arctic ice. Record-breaking wildfires across multiple states. Countries experiencing average warming are warming at a twice the rate of other regions worldwide.

Yet, when Canadians head to the polls on Monday, climate change isn’t even among the top ten issues for voters. Recent surveys indicate this shift.

“That’s not the focus of this election,” remarked Jessica Green, a political scientist at the University of Toronto specializing in climate-related topics.

The election revolves around a collective desire to choose a leader capable of standing up to Donald J. Trump, who poses a threat to Canada amidst a trade war, if not a full annexation as the “51st state.”

Leading the polls is liberal Mark Carney, who boasts decades of experience in climate policy. He served for five years as a UN envoy on climate action and finance, orchestrating a coalition of banks committed to halting carbon dioxide emissions through financing practices by 2050.

Despite his impressive background, Carney hasn’t prioritized climate change in his campaign. Following Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation, one of Carney’s initial actions was to eliminate fuel taxes based on emission levels, including gasoline taxes.

While many Canadians have redirected the resulting funds into rebate checks, Mr. Carney appears to misunderstand the policy, labeling it as “too divided.”

This decision, coupled with similarities between his Conservative opponents, Pierre Poilievre and Trump, has contributed to Carney’s rise in the polls.

“Carney made a clever move by abolishing the consumer carbon tax, which was widely unpopular and essentially formed the basis of Poilievre’s campaign against him,” said Dr. Green. “It took the wind out of the Conservative Party’s sails.”

Mr. Carney is acutely aware of political dynamics. In a recent television discussion, he mentioned to Poilievre, “I spent years advocating for Justin Trudeau and the carbon tax.”

Poilievre is a staunch supporter of Canada’s vast oil and gas industry, making Canada the fourth-largest oil producer and the fifth-largest gas producer globally. Yet, unlike Trump, he recognizes the necessity of reducing greenhouse gas emissions driving climate change.

“Canadian oil and clean natural gas must replace coal globally, allowing countries like India and others in Asia to utilize gas instead of dirty coal,” he stated at a recent press conference during his campaign.

However, Carney’s proposals don’t significantly differ. He envisions Canada as a “superpower of both traditional and clean energy.” His platform suggests reforms like bolstering the carbon market and expediting approvals for clean energy initiatives.

Perhaps the most significant distinction between the candidates lies in their views on Canada’s oil and gas emission caps and the tax on industrial emissions, both defended by Trudeau.

Poilievre aims to eliminate these in accordance with industry demands, whereas Carney intends to maintain them. The Canadian Climate Research Institute states that the Industrial Carbon Tax reduces emissions by at least three times more than the consumer tax, making it the most effective policy deployed to decrease emissions leading up to 2030.

Canada ranks among the world’s highest per capita greenhouse gas emitters and is not on track to meet its commitments under the 2015 Paris Agreement. By 2030, the aim is to achieve a minimum of 40-45% reductions from 2005 levels, but the latest national emissions Inventory Report indicates just an 8.5% decrease through 2023.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Rising Weight: Climate Change Muffles Storms and Rainfall

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The heavy storm system that floods the central and southeastern US with heavy rain and winds fits a wider pattern as rainfall has increased over the eastern US half has increased in recent decades.

Data from the National Maritime and Atmospheric Administration from 1991 to 2020 show that on average the eastern part of the country received more rain, on average, than in the 20th century. At the same time, precipitation decreased in the west.

The sharp East-West division is consistent with predictions from climate scientists who expect wet areas to be wet, with dry areas becoming dry as the world warms.

Without further analysis, individual storms cannot be linked to climate change, but warming the air will result in greater rainfall. This is because warm air has the ability to retain more moisture than cooler air, and has the potential to be fueled due to overall average precipitation, and more intense storms.

The world’s temperatures are increasing year by year, driven by the combustion of fossil fuels that send greenhouse gases that warm the planets into the atmosphere. According to a recent report, the 10 people have been the hottest recordkeeping for nearly 200 years. World Weather Organization.

“When there are these very heavy rain events, trends refer to the heavy trends of these intense events,” said Deanna, an associate professor of climate and atmospheric sciences at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign University.

Severe flooding could be an indirect effect of warming air and increased moisture, according to Gerald Brotzge, a Kentucky national climate scientist and director of the Kentucky Climate Center. If conditions stall a storm system, it can cause heavy rain in the same area, increasing the risk of flooding.

This is what happened when the storm recently stagnated in the region. “I think it’s a once-at-a-time event based on the amount and area covered,” Brotzge said.

Mark Jarvis, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Louisville, Kentucky, described the storm as two. It brought tornadoes, strong winds and hail to the front end, then stalled and dropped historic amounts of rainfall. Western Kentucky, who saw some of the most serious effects of the storm, “it was in the eyes of the bull,” he said.

Heavy rain and flooding are common in Ohio Valley in late winter and early spring, but the system is as common as it is “very rare” for rain. “That’s what you normally see in hurricanes and tropical systems,” he said..

Storm damage is constantly happening, but the possibility that climate change is increasing them is Observed weather trendstherefore Mr.

She said that even in the western half of the United States, which is generally dry, the coming precipitation tends to drop at more extreme levels.

She called it “very eye-opening,” adding, “it’s not particularly comfortable to think we have more of this.”

Source: www.nytimes.com

Planning Your Garden Considerating Climate Change

Posted on March 28, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The quiet season is coming to an end.

During the winter there was a little bird gush to lift my heart. There are no occasional caw caw, chickadee dee of chickadee, big songs of little carolina rens that stay on our Pennsylvania farms throughout the winter, but no great horned owl courtship calls, nor wooden thrush or Baltimore orioles. Still, I was delighted with the music that was left behind.

However, we just heard the first notes of our first returning songbird, and with a red-winged blackbird, the snowdrop began to protrude from the ground.

The other day I forced their flowers to move last fall potted tulips and hyacinths from the unheated side of the barn into the warmth of the garden room. However, the vegetable garden is a puddle of icy mud, and the flowerbeds are still finely covered with leaves, showing little signs of life. The boxwood is covered in burlap and the snow fence is covered around trees and shrubs to prevent deer from being devoured.

The deer, which has changed from the color of milk chocolate to dark, breaks through the makeshift deterrent, eating Ee, Eunee Mauss, Treehouse, and this winter, Holly. The squirrels are running around joining their radar, but the chipmunks are still nowhere to be seen. I think they are in their dens that I think opossums, raccoons and bears are.

I’ve been waiting for a greenhouse, but now I’m hoping to hibernate in the winter and take a break from sowing, potting and growing. To walk through snowy forests and observe animal tracks, study ice patterns in the pond and make it seasonal. I would like to read in the Fire and Skilled Garden Catalog. Imagine what the garden will look like next year, and hope that next year will be better than last time, as all gardeners do. As Vita Sackville-West wrote in her poem, “The Garden:”

The gardener dreams of his own special alloy

Possibility and impossible.

But what is possible now? Looking back at last year’s terrible season, how do you adapt to the changes I witness?

A year ago, the winter was very warm, the shrub barely died, and last spring, a welcome sight dripping with leaves, but not normal. Spring was so hot that I missed out on a nice, cool window for the transplant. Early season, I didn’t know when to plant ruthless vegetables, and when to produce soft plants, not 85 degrees.

“After the danger of frost” is a general wisdom, but when is that? my Plant hardiness zone I’ve recently shifted as the coldest temperatures in my area are three degrees higher than in 2012. But even that new guidance didn’t help me.

Mid May felt like mid-June. It was then arriving on May 29th.

Anyway, I planted poppies in April (they like cool weather), but the seeds were washed away by the flood. There was a drought between June and November. The grass was brown. Dogwood and Tulip Poplar lost their leaves in July. My vegetable garden resembles a cracked riverbed. The soil was very hard and weeding was almost impossible.

The stream was dry so I saw deer walking into the pond and drinking for the first time in 36 years. Small food was available for them, so they distorted to our garage and ate deer-bearing lavender. Walking through the forest, I was impressed by the lack of growth underneath, especially the huge patch of nettle nettle from North American origin, the host plant for Admiral Akagi and the butterfly in Eastern Comma. Chanteles never bear fruit in normal places. I was worried that our spring would dry out.

Pennsylvania saw record wildfires in the fall. Usually, the two lilacs that appear in the spring bloom in October, and in late November I was harvesting something that I had not yet grown.

All of this reminds me of a radio show called “Piano Puzzlers.” My husband and I listen to it on Saturday mornings. Composer Bruce Adolf rewrites songs that are familiar to the classic composer’s style. He changes the tempo, harmony, or mode of the tune, and the contestants try to name the song and the composer. Imagine “a bit of a jude” in Brahms style. Somewhere in my brain, the song sounds familiar, but something is off. The music is misplaced. Sometimes I guess correctly. In many cases, it is not.

Climate change gardening is the same. Confusing and there are many speculations.

What should a home gardener do?

“The only predictable thing is that it becomes unpredictable,” said Sonja Skelly, director of education at Cornell Botanical Gardens in Ithaca, New York, “it was crazy too.”

Last spring was hot in Ithaca, so vegetable gardeners began planting two weeks before the frost-free date on May 31st. Extreme temperature fluctuations were then created, but the plants that just started were better as they were established. Things planted on the target day were stunted and were in poor growth period. “A good lesson,” Dr. Skelly said. The line covering that allows gardeners to get and grow plants later in the season “is really important in a climate like ours,” she said.

Covered crops such as millet, sorghum and black-eyed peas have been successful in botanical gardens. They improve moisture retention, reduce weeds, reduce erosion, and limit negative microorganisms in the soil. The birds love them, Dr. Skelly said.

She recommended planting together what the Haudeno Sauny people call three sisters, corn, beans and squash. The system produces better yields per hectare than any monoculture crop system, she said.

Drip irrigation is another solution, Dr. Skelly said. “It adds moisture where it is needed at the roots,” she said. The water is slowly released and remains laid down, and does not escape as with manual watering or using sprinklers.

“Observe, take notes, ask questions, ask for answers,” advised Dr. Skelly. “What are your neighbors watching?” I’ve been working on this issue for a while, learning through going to local botanical gardens, public gardens and nature centres. “Try to keep the information cycle running and talk to friends, family and neighbors as a way to help you understand it. That’s very important,” she said.

Dr. Skelly believes it is important for home gardeners to truly understand their plants. “Climate change may be a way to get to know our gardens much better,” she said. “We have to do it.”

For a long time I relied on experts who taught me how to garden responsibly. Do not harm the environment. I have learned to plant a variety of plants, including pollinator natives, and celebrate native weeds like Freeben. I’m practicing planting companions. I don’t spray pesticides or pesticides, and instead use compost, I make my own from comfrey and stinging nettles instead. I wish I could buy plants from something other than plastic.

But the more we contemplate gardening in an age of climate change, the more we believe our home gardeners must find many solutions for themselves. Much of gardening is trial and error, and unstable weather patterns mean that we must experiment more to do our own research. Essentially, we must become citizen scientists in our own vegetable patches and flowerbeds.

Cornell Botanic Garden has a garden for climate demonstrations, but in fact we all do. None of us had experienced this. And in the end, we’re all together. You will navigate a strange new world of digging the soil and growing things.

The collection of Daryln Brewer Hoffstot’s essay, “A Farm Life: Observations from Fields and Forests,” was published by Stackpole Books.

Source: www.nytimes.com

When will the clock change to UK 2025 and why is the move forward happening?

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

British Summer Time (BST) is back in England, meaning the clocks are about to move forward by one hour. But when exactly will this change happen in the UK in 2025? And why do we shift time twice a year?

When will the clocks change in 2025?

In the UK, the clocks will spring forward on Sunday, March 30th, 2025 at 1am, meaning the official time will instantly become 2am.

What does this mean practically? Evening sunlight will last longer – London’s sunset will shift from around 6:29pm on Saturday to 7:30pm on Sunday.

Then, in a different direction, the clocks will fall back on October 27, 2024, giving us an extra hour in bed. However, on this occasion, that extra hour will not be granted.

British Summer Time will remain until Sunday, October 26th, 2025, when we will revert back to Greenwich Mean Time (GMT).

Most devices nowadays automatically adjust for daylight saving time, but you might need to manually change older clocks and appliances.

Will the clocks go forward in March or will they fall back?

In March, the clocks will move forward – we lose an hour of sleep but gain longer evenings.

In October, the clocks will fall back, giving us extra time in bed and marking the return to shorter daylight hours. The phrase “Spring forward, fall back” is a handy way to remember this.

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Why do we move the clocks forward?

While the concept may not have scientific roots, daylight saving time serves a practical purpose of maximizing the use of daylight during the summer months.

By moving the clocks forward, we extend daylight into the evening, which is beneficial for activities like evening walks, sports, and finishing work in daylight. This system is also used in parts of the Southern Hemisphere to align with the summer season.

Where did daylight saving time originate?

This idea is often credited to George Hudson, an insect enthusiast from New Zealand. He proposed the idea in 1895 to shift the clocks for more evening sunlight.

Germany was the first country to officially implement daylight saving time in 1916 during World War I. The UK followed suit shortly after, along with other countries involved in the conflict.

Why do some people want to stop changing the clocks?

Critics argue that daylight saving time can have negative effects including sleep disruptions, increased risk of heart attacks, and confusion in daily routines, especially for teenagers.

Disrupting morning sunlight can interfere with the body’s internal clock, affecting mood and alertness. Some believe that with more flexible working patterns and 24-hour lifestyles, daylight saving time is becoming less relevant.

Do all countries follow daylight saving time?

Of the 195 countries worldwide, only about 70 observe daylight saving time, and many are reconsidering its necessity. Equatorial countries tend to skip daylight saving time as they receive consistent sunlight throughout the year.

In Europe, the European Parliament proposed abolishing biannual clock changes in 2019, but the decision has yet to be finalized. For now, European countries continue to align their clocks with the UK.

Some research stations in Antarctica alternate between GMT and Central European Summer Time, making their timekeeping quite unusual.

How to adjust to clock changes?

To minimize the impact of losing an hour, consider adjusting your bedtime gradually leading up to the time change. Getting natural light early in the morning and staying active can help reset your internal clock.

If you have young children or pets, be prepared for disruptions in their routines. To learn more about minimizing the health impact of daylight saving time changes, check out expert tips on how to cope.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Unearthing Puzzling Skeletons: How They Could Change the Narrative of Our Pyramids

Posted on March 23, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Throughout history, it was believed that only the elite were buried in the pyramids. Recent discoveries of ancient skeletons, however, have challenged this notion.

New research has revealed insights from analyzing the remains found in Tombos, an archaeological site in Sudan near Egypt.

About 3,500 years ago, Tombos, located in Nubia along the Nile River, was captured by Egyptian Pharaoh Tutmose I. Archaeologists studied the skeletons from various burial sites to identify muscle and ligament attachment marks, known as Entele’s Changes, discerning levels of physical activity.

“These changes don’t provide specific details of the individuals’ activities, but they indicate if they were more active or sedentary,” stated Dr. Sarah Schroeder, an Associate Professor of Archaeology at Leiden University, as reported by BBC Science Focus.

Some skeletons exhibited minimal marks, suggesting a sedentary lifestyle typical of wealthy nobles, while others showed signs of physical activity, indicating a working-class background.

This research challenges previous assumptions about the purpose of pyramids, indicating that not all occupants were elites. The study revisits an earlier discovery from 2012 and encourages reevaluation of other pyramid burial sites.

The Mystery of Active Skeletons

Active individuals in these graves may have been workers, servants, or individuals linked to high-status persons, possibly buried to sustain their masters in the afterlife. Alternatively, some speculate they were nobles assuming physical roles to solidify their status.

Dr. Roland Enmark of the University of Liverpool, not involved in the study, posits that non-royals were tomb occupants during that period, including pyramids in their structures.

Unveiling a Complex History

Tombos, a confluence of Egyptian and Nubian cultures, offered a unique setting for archaeological exploration. Discoveries challenge prior beliefs about the residents’ health and life expectancy, presenting a more nuanced social landscape.

The study raises questions for future research, prompting a reevaluation of existing knowledge about pyramid occupants.

About our Experts:

Dr. Sarah Schroeder is an Associate Professor of Archaeology at Leiden University, focusing on human bone archaeology and various aspects of ancient life, such as health, diet, and mobility.

Dr. Roland Enmark, an Egyptologist at the University of Liverpool, specializes in ancient Egyptian and Accadian studies, particularly literary lament.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Report: Climate change made conditions perfect for fueling California’s fire outbreak

Posted on January 29, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

summary

A new report states that the modern and dry winds that have been dried at high temperatures led to the fire in the Southern California have been about 35 % higher due to climate change.
The survey results are from a world meteorological group that analyzes the effects of global warming on extreme events.
The fire killed at least 29 people and destroyed more than 16,000 buildings.

The International Scientist Group has increased the extreme situation of climate change in the extreme situation that recent fires have made RO sounds in the Los Angeles area as a whole.

A strong state of dry winds at high temperatures ahead of the fire could have been about 35 % higher due to global warming caused by humans. New reports from the World Meteorological attribute groupWe analyze the effects of global warming on extreme events.

The fire, which began in the event of a fierce storm in the spring, killed at least 29 people, including houses, shops, and schools, as it had not been raining in the Great Los Angeles since spring.

“This was a perfect storm for the conditions of the fire disaster. From the viewpoint of the climate that enables the climate, the weather that drives the fire, and the huge environment from the place where these ignitions occurred.” Merced, who contributed to the report at the University of California, said at a press conference.

Compared to the time before the industrial revolution before fossil fuels were widely used, the Los Angeles area had a “dry season” on average every year, and the fire may match the seasonal Santaanana style. Is high. 。

Park Williams, a geographical professor at the University of Los Angeles, the University of California, said Park Williams in the cool season of Southern California. Unusually dry state; Ignition (almost always comes from people); and extreme weather like recent storms. He explained each of these conditions as an individual switch in a system that needs to be turned over all four to emit light.

“The artificial warming caused by climate change caused by humans makes light brighter,” said Williams.

The author in the report analyzes the weather and climate models to evaluate how the warm atmosphere changes the possibility of fire (it means a condition that increases the risk of mountain fire). They also tracked how metrics called the fire weather index changed over time. The index tracks all factors that contribute to temperature, relative humidity, wind speed, and fire.

Researchers have discovered that the types of conditions that promote the fire in the LA region are expected to occur once every 17 years in today's climate. Such a state would have been predicted once in 23 years without climate change, and it would not have been so extreme when they occurred.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Increasing marine heat sources indicate acceleration of climate change.

Posted on January 28, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The high seawater temperature that contributed to the weather of California’s storm in late 2023

Kevin Carter/Getty Image

Researchers say the rapid increase in marine temperature up to the level of the record breaking in 2023 and 2024 is a sign that the pace of climate change has accelerated.

The world marine temperature reached a record high for 450 days in 2023 and early 2024. The Ehninho’s weather pattern, which appears in the Pacific Ocean, can explain some of the extra heat, but about 44 % of the recorded warmth is decreasing to the world. According to the sea, which absorbs heat from the sun, the acceleration speed Christmer chat At a British lady university.

Merchants and his colleagues have analyzed marine warming over the past 40 years using satellite data, concluding that the speed of warming has been more than four times since 1985.

The team says that this rapid acceleration depends on the rapid change of the EEI of the earth’s energy. This is the scale of how much heat is trapped in the atmosphere. The EEI has doubled since 2010, and the sea has absorbed much more heat than before.

“The sea generally sets a pace of global warming,” says a merchant. “Therefore, as an extension, global warming is accelerating as a whole, including land.” Merchants are “I personally convinced that accelerating climate change is a major factor in recent marine temperature increase. I say. “

Based on their analysis, merchants and his team predict that marine warming will continue to increase rapidly in the next few decades. “If the tendency of the EEI is out of the future, a large amount of global warming can be expected in the next 20 years, as in the past 40 years.

The climate model hopes that the speed of climate change will accelerate, but the analysis of the merchant suggests that the trend of the real world is in line with the most pessimistic model forecast. “The fact that this data -driven analysis is placed in a high -end high -end that the model predicted is a problem that needs to be viewed,” he says.

However, early data suggests that EEI decreased in 2024 after a recorded spike in 2023. Some researchers argue that this data may not accelerate in the worst scenario.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Illuminating the clouds: How enhancing brightness can combat climate change

Posted on January 25, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The concept of Marine Cloud Brightening revolves around the idea that by making clouds brighter or whiter, more sunlight is reflected back into space. This ultimately helps reduce the amount of heat absorbed by Earth’s atmosphere and offers a respite from the effects of increased carbon emissions.

Clouds in marine environments are believed to benefit the most from such brightening efforts. But how exactly does one go about brightening clouds, and does it work as effectively as theorized?

Scientists primarily suggest spraying aerosols, such as fine sea salt particles, to brighten clouds. These aerosols act as “condensation nuclei” within the clouds, promoting water vapor to form more liquid droplets and creating denser, brighter clouds. A similar effect can be seen with pollution particles.

Fun fact: Some clouds can contain 500,000 kg (or £ 1.1 million) of water. That’s about 100 elephants -Photo Credit: Getty

However, the challenge lies in ensuring the particles sprayed are of the right size to effectively brighten the clouds at the appropriate time. Additionally, achieving significant sunlight reflection requires scaling up the operation sufficiently. There is also the concern of unforeseen impacts on clouds and climate.

Current research efforts mainly involve small-scale experiments and computer simulations, though some real-world studies have raised questions. For instance, a bright cloud experiment in Arameda, California was halted in May following warnings from local authorities reported in the media.

Experts have suggested that useful insights can be gleaned from “natural” experiments as well. Observations near the Kilauea volcano in Hawaii showed that aerosols generated naturally during the eruption led to a 50% increase in cloud cover. 。

Ultimately, the decision on whether to pursue large-scale marine cloud brightening rests with policymakers, who require convincing evidence. As scientific understanding and the climate crisis evolve, attitudes may shift.

This article addresses the question (I asked from Besariany Shepherd, Derbyshire) “Is Marine Cloud Brightening useful for fighting climate change?”

To submit a question, please email questions@sciencefocus.com or send a message via our Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram Page (remember to include your name and location).

For fascinating science facts, visit our fun fact page.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

President Trump plans to pull the US out of the Paris Agreement on climate change

Posted on January 21, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

President Donald Trump has signed an executive order to withdraw the United States from the Paris climate change agreement as one of his first acts in office.

The Paris Agreement, signed in 2016, requires participating countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions annually to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. The United States, along with other countries, has also pledged billions of dollars to assist developing nations with climate adaptation and mitigation.

The White House stated, “In recent years, the United States has entered into international agreements that do not align with our values or economic and environmental goals. These agreements direct American taxpayer dollars to countries that do not need or deserve financial assistance, to the detriment of the American people.”

The executive order mandates U.S. Ambassador to the UN to provide written notification of withdrawal, with immediate effect.

The United States will join Libya, Yemen, and Iran as countries not part of the Paris Agreement, impacting global climate action efforts.

Climate change groups have strongly criticized the decision, calling it a setback to efforts to combat climate change and protect the environment.

The world continues to see unprecedented levels of carbon dioxide emissions, leading to rising global temperatures and more extreme weather events.

As the largest historical emitter, the United States has a significant role to play in leading global efforts to reduce emissions and combat climate change.

Despite the withdrawal, experts emphasize the importance of ongoing efforts to meet the goals set by the Paris Agreement and address the challenges posed by climate change.

President Trump’s administration has reversed several climate initiatives put in place by the previous administration, aiming to prioritize energy production and economic growth over environmental concerns.

President Trump has also declared a national energy emergency, urging federal agencies to roll back “harmful” climate policies that impact food and fuel costs.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

A breakthrough in quantum simulation: Discovery of the long sought-after phase change

Posted on January 17, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Ion traps can control atoms for quantum experiments

Y. Colomb/National Institute of Standards and Technology/Scientific Photo Library

After decades of investigation, researchers observed a series of atoms undergoing a one-dimensional phase change. This was so elusive that it could only happen in a quantum simulator.

“There is only one motive [for our experiment] I'm trying to really understand basic physics. “We're just trying to understand the fundamental states that matter can be in,” he says. alexander shuckardt at the University of Maryland.

He and his colleagues used electromagnetic fields to arrange 23 ions of the element ytterbium in a line, forming a nearly one-dimensional chain. The device can be used for quantum computing, but in this case the researchers used the chain as a simulator instead.

In it, they built a 1D ytterbium magnet one atom at a time. Previous calculations predicted that this type of magnet would become unmagnetized when warmed, thanks to quantum effects. However, no experiments have achieved this phase transition in the past.

One reason for the difficulty is that systems such as quantum computers and simulators typically only work properly when they are very cold. So heating them to cause a phase transition can cause them to malfunction, Schuckert says.

To get around this, he and his colleagues tuned the initial quantum state of the atoms so that over time, the collective state of the 1D magnet changes as if the temperature were increased. This revealed a phase transition that had never been seen before.

The result is very unusual, he says, because chains of atoms are generally not supposed to undergo phase transitions. Mohammad Maghrebi at Michigan State University. The researchers were able to manipulate it precisely because each ion could interact with other ions over large distances, even if they weren't in contact. This caused the entire line to engage in abnormal collective behavior.

Because their simulator allows for such exotic states of matter, it could be used to study theoretical systems that are extremely rare or may not exist in nature, Maghrebi said. say.

Schuckert suggests that quantum simulators could also help explain the strange electrical or magnetic behavior that some materials exhibit in the real world. But for that to happen, these devices will have to be able to reach higher temperatures than they currently do. Currently, researchers can only create models at extremely low temperatures, but within five years it may be possible to simulate even higher temperatures, he says.

And if the simulator could be made larger, for example by arranging ions in two-dimensional arrays, many more existing theoretical systems could be studied, he says. andrea trombettoni at the University of Trieste, Italy. “This would suggest new physics to explore,” he says.

Source: www.newscientist.com

How does the brain change with age when processing music?

Posted on January 16, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

As individuals age, their brains may experience difficulties in learning and decision-making due to a decrease in brain cells and cognitive function. However, neuroscientists have found that the brain can rewire connections to compensate for age-related cognitive decline through a process known as compensatory scaffolding. This involves forming new connections in the brain, strengthening existing ones, and even generating new brain cells. Yet, the specifics of how these new connections operate and interact, as well as their limitations, remain unclear.

Research conducted by Leonardo Bonetti and colleagues indicates that older individuals may exhibit more compensatory scaffolding and less unilateral brain activity compared to younger individuals when processing auditory information like music. Previous studies have shown that certain brain areas involved in memory and task processing decline faster in aging individuals, prompting Bonetti’s team to investigate how age impacts the brain’s response to compensatory scaffolding during music processing.

To test their hypothesis, Bonetti and his team studied brain activity in 37 young adults (aged 18-25) and 39 older adults (aged 60 and above) as they listened to music. Using magnetoencephalography and magnetic resonance imaging devices, the researchers mapped brain activity in specific regions responsible for sound processing and decision-making, such as the temporal lobe, frontal lobe, and hippocampus.

During the study, participants were asked to memorize a musical sequence and distinguish between the original version and modified versions with altered notes. Older participants showed less brain activity in most regions compared to younger participants, except for the left auditory cortex. This increased activity in the left auditory cortex suggested that the aging brain can reorganize and maintain function in certain areas, despite decreased activity in memory-related regions.

Notably, younger participants displayed more brain activity in memory and working memory areas, enabling them to detect modified musical sequences more effectively than older participants. The study also revealed that individuals with strong working memory were better at recognizing modified sequences, regardless of age group.

Overall, the research highlights that parts of the brain linked to memory and cognitive function may decline with age, but healthy aging can trigger brain reorganization to mitigate functional decline. Bonetti’s findings challenge previous notions that aging does not impact brain pathways associated with memory, decision-making, and other executive functions.

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Source: sciworthy.com

The impact of climate change: How longer Earth days will affect our planet

Posted on December 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The impacts of climate change are widespread, ranging from biodiversity loss to extreme weather events, rising sea levels, wildfires, and mass human migrations. Each year reveals more about our impact on the environment, with some discoveries more surprising than others.

One of the most shocking revelations to join this list is the recent discovery that our greenhouse gas emissions are altering the Earth’s rotation.

As a result, Earth days are gradually becoming longer, potentially leading to significant changes in how we experience time in the future.

“It’s fascinating how our actions as humans can have such a profound impact on the entire planet through the extensive climate change we’ve triggered over the last century,” says Professor Benedict Soja, a scientist at ETH Zurich who contributed to uncovering this concerning trend.

“This effect may surpass previous significant influences on Earth’s rotation.”

Could we see more hours in a day?

We are familiar with the greenhouse effect, where gases like carbon dioxide trap heat in the Earth’s atmosphere, leading to a rise in temperatures.

Last year, global temperatures were 1.18 degrees Celsius above the 20th-century average, approaching the 1.5 degrees Celsius target set in 2015 as a limit to avoid the worst consequences of climate change.

Record melting of Swiss glaciers in 2022 – Credit: Getty Images

The primary consequence of this warming is the melting of large ice areas in the Arctic and Antarctic, with Switzerland losing 10% of its glacier mass in the last two years, Antarctica shedding 150 billion tons of ice annually, and Greenland losing 270 billion tons.

While many are concerned about the impact of this melting on coastal areas, Soja and his team posed a different question: Will this significant mass redistribution likely prevail? What will be its broad-scale impact on the planet? In a recent study published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), they provided an answer.

“As the ice melts, the Earth’s mass shifts from the polar regions to the oceans,” Soja explained. “This results in the Earth becoming flatter and more oblate, with its mass moving further from the rotation axis.”

Understanding the Mechanism

Similar to any rotating object, the Earth adheres to the law of momentum conservation. Simply put, momentum must be preserved, and it depends on the moment of inertia and rotational speed. As mass moves away from the rotation axis due to melting ice, the moment of inertia increases.

Therefore, to uphold its momentum despite ice melting, the Earth’s rotation slows down, elongating our days.

Soja likens this concept to a figure skater performing a spin, where extending the arms slows down the rotation, while pulling them in speeds it up.

https://c02.purpledshub.com/uploads/sites/41/2024/12/GettyImages-487874394.mov

The effect of changing the distance between the mass and the axis of rotation is seen when figure skaters use their arms to change the speed of rotation.

The study indicated that from 1900 to 2000, the climate’s impact on the length of Earth’s day ranged from 0.3 to 1.0 milliseconds per century. Since 2000, accelerated melting has raised this rate to 1.3 milliseconds per century, with a potential increase to 2.6 milliseconds per century by 2100 if emissions remain unchecked.

While these changes may seem small in our daily lives, they could have significant effects on a globally synchronized technological network.

Considerations on Time Management

Three main timescales play crucial roles in timekeeping: International Atomic Time (TAI), Universal Time (UT1), and Coordinated Universal Time (UTC). TAI relies on atomic clocks, UT1 is determined by Earth’s rotation, and UTC synchronizes the two.

Leap seconds were introduced in 1972 to align UTC with UT1 within 0.9 seconds.

Unlike predictable leap years, leap seconds are added irregularly as needed. Since 1972, 27 leap seconds have been added, with the most recent in 2016. Disruptions from leap seconds have caused issues in the digital age, impacting technology companies striving for synchronization.

Atomic clock made in Germany – Credit: Alamy

The recent discovery of Earth’s core slowing down further complicates matters. If the planet’s rotation continues to accelerate, a negative leap second may need to be introduced to UTC. This unprecedented situation poses substantial challenges as systems are unprepared for negative adjustments.

“This has never occurred before, and frankly, I don’t think anyone anticipated it,” Agnew remarked. He compares this scenario to the Y2K scare when concerns about potential computer errors surfaced at the end of the 20th century.

“The critical aspect is that we don’t know the consequences of introducing a negative leap second,” he cautioned. “The negative impacts could be unforeseen.”

According to Agnew, if the effects of climate change had not slowed down, a negative leap second would have been necessary in 2026. “Global warming might postpone negative leap seconds and eliminate their need entirely,” he noted.

While this discovery regarding climate change may offer a positive effect, considering less necessity for negative leap seconds, the implications of further greenhouse gas emissions outweigh any potential benefits. As the situation stands, negative leap seconds may still be required in 2029.

Perhaps it’s time to reconsider the current system?

Agnew proposed a solution to reduce the required precision between timescales, eliminating the need for negative leap seconds and allowing for more predictable positive adjustments.

“It could resemble a leap year. You add a fixed number of seconds at a specific time and accept that it may not be exact but is tolerable,” suggested Agnew.

This proposition aligns with the dominance of slowing over longer timescales, rather than the complex interactions involving Earth’s core or ice melting.

Efforts are reportedly underway to implement this system, with a target to eliminate the need for leap seconds by 2035. However, international agreement hurdles must be overcome. Failure to adapt before requiring a negative leap second could lead to unprecedented chaos, highlighting the urgency of the situation.

Meet the Experts

Benedict Soja: Assistant Professor in the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Geoengineering at ETH Zurich.

Duncan Agnew: Professor Emeritus at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, specializing in crustal deformation measurement and geophysical data analysis.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Mayors are essential leaders in the fight against climate change.

Posted on November 20, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

2XMXH3D London, UK. July 30, 2024. UK Weather: A heatwave sunset over St Paul's Cathedral and Tower Bridge ends a warm Tuesday. Temperatures today are expected to reach over 30C, potentially making it the UK's hottest day of the year so far. Credit: Guy Corbishley/Alamy Live News

It hasn’t been a good year for people concerned about climate change. The expected peak in carbon emissions has not appeared, meaning global warming continues to accelerate (see ‘Humans have warmed the planet by 1.5°C since 1700’). Meanwhile, Donald Trump’s election as US president for a second term and his pledge to “drill, baby, drill” new oil and gas supplies could lead the country to backtrack on climate action. expensive.

Similar sentiments against fossil fuels come from Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, who called the oil-rich country’s natural resources a “gift from God.” Aliyev made the comments at the COP29 climate summit in Azerbaijan’s capital Baku. Ironically, this “gift” will become increasingly unavailable as a warming world dries up the Caspian Sea and strands billions of dollars in fossil fuel infrastructure. (See ‘We face climate disaster as the world dries up’).

Given the failure of politicians on the international stage to grasp the reality of climate change, other leaders need to step up, but surprisingly, mayors are the best suited to do so. Maybe it’s the position.

It will be essential for cities to adapt to cope with the unique impacts of urban heat.

Mayors cannot be expected to influence the Earth’s climate, but they oversee the well-being of more than 50 percent of the world’s population who live in urban centers. This number is expected to increase to 70 percent by 2050. Current projections are for spot temperatures to increase by 2.5 degrees Celsius. Adapting cities to deal with the unique effects of urban heat will be essential, from promoting green spaces to investing in buildings that can be cooled without air conditioning (‘Extreme heat makes cities uninhabitable’). (See “How can I survive?”)

The good news is that many mayors already recognize their responsibilities. London Mayor Sadiq Khan aims for the city to be net zero by 2030. Anne Hidalgo, the mayor of Paris, France, planted trees in certain areas and banned cars from passing. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass also pledged environmentally friendly changes in preparation for the 2028 Olympics. Organizations like C40 and Climate Mayors are helping to unite local politicians around the world into action. This won’t solve climate change, but it will make life in a warming world more bearable for many people.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Is the impact of climate change on the food crisis more severe than we realize?

Posted on November 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

РоманЗаворотный/Adobe Stock

You've probably already noticed that the prices of many foods in your shopping cart have increased significantly. In the UK, the price of white potatoes is 20% increase in the past yearwith carrots 38% increase Olive oil rose 40%. And while that means the cost of assembling a roast dinner has soared, specialty items have also seen an even bigger price increase, with you now paying nearly twice as much for a portion of a chocolate bar. It will be.

The drivers of price increases are complex, but one of the biggest drivers is climate change. In the short term, extreme weather caused by global warming is having a devastating impact on producers. For example, in Northern Europe, heavy rains in the spring of 2024 left fields too waterlogged to harvest vegetables or plant new crops. Meanwhile, Morocco, which normally exports many vegetables to Europe, experienced a drought and ran out of water for irrigation. As a result, the prices of potatoes and carrots have soared.

As average global temperatures rise by 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels in the coming years, heat waves, droughts and extreme storms will become more common and intense, causing major disruptions to food production. It will be. But current efforts to compensate for the effects of crop failures, such as clearing forests to grow more crops, are exacerbating many other problems, from biodiversity loss to rising carbon dioxide levels. I am. Are we underestimating the magnitude of the impact, when it's already happening to so many foods? If so, what can we do about it?

Source: www.newscientist.com

What can preparing for an asteroid impact teach us about climate change?

Posted on November 6, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

When it comes to natural disasters, it is often impossible to predict them more than a few months or even days in advance. We cannot say, “Let's prepare because an earthquake will occur within two years.'' But one of the few things we can really prepare for is an asteroid impact.

Although no one has yet discovered a large asteroid on a collision course with Earth, scientists, engineers, and policymakers are working on plans to defend the planet in the event it does. Techniques to avoid disaster are already being tested, such as impacting asteroids to change their orbits, as NASA's Double Asteroid Redirection Test Mission did successfully in 2022.

One of the most surprisingly useful planetary defense tools is running a role-playing game. This reveals roadblocks that can derail even the best-laid plans. Paul Chodas of NASA, who runs some of these exercises, says they reveal problems that would never have been considered otherwise. In our special feature, “If an asteroid is heading towards Earth, can we avoid disaster?”you can try such games yourself.

Compared to other existential threats, the risk from asteroids is relatively small

It goes without saying that factors such as the size of rocks coming from space and how quickly they are discovered have a major impact on whether disasters can be successfully avoided. So is the ability to communicate effectively. different options. These are important lessons that go beyond just protecting yourself from asteroids.

Compared to other existential threats, the risk of an asteroid coming our way is relatively small. Climate change is already happening. Pandemics have occurred regularly throughout human history, and global warming has made them even more likely. We know that these involve technical challenges, such as the development and deployment of green technologies, but the social challenges are equally important.

Only with effective global cooperation and communication can humanity tackle its greatest challenges. That's as true in the Asteroid Roleplaying Game as it is in real life.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Report finds that Hurricane Helen had increased rainfall and stronger winds as a result of climate change

Posted on October 9, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Samamuri

Climate change has increased Hurricane Helen’s wind speed by 11% and total precipitation by about 10%, according to a new report.
Researchers expect Milton to do the same, and say it is likely to get worse because of climate change.
The report says the higher sea surface temperatures that contributed to the intensification of both storms are 200 to 500 times more likely to be due to climate change.

As Hurricane Milton hurtles toward Florida’s west coast, a new report estimates how intense Hurricane Helen’s winds and rain could have been due to climate change. Scientists involved in the study said they expected Milton to do the same, and that it would likely get worse because of climate change.

The report, released late Wednesday night, is from the World Weather Attribution Group, a consortium of scientists that analyzes extreme weather events and determines how much climate change has influenced certain events. He is regarded as the leading expert in making decisions.

The findings show that because of climate change, Hurricane Helen’s wind speeds were 11% more intense and its precipitation totals were about 10% higher.

Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London who contributed to the new study, said “we now have a complete study showing a very clear link” between climate change and hurricane strength. “The biggest danger is not making the connection to climate change.”

Like Hurricane Helen, Hurricane Milton is also moving through record-breaking heat. Sea surface temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico are much warmer than usual, even for this time of year. Warmer water acts as fuel for such storms, helping them intensify faster.

Both hurricanes undergo a process known as rapid intensification, where the hurricane’s sustained wind speeds increase by at least 35 miles per hour over a 24-hour period. This trend is becoming more common due to climate change.

The report says the sea surface temperatures that pushed Helen and Milton up were 200 to 500 times warmer due to climate change.

On Monday, Milton experienced a dramatic pressure drop in the center of the hurricane, strengthening to one of the fifth strongest hurricanes ever recorded.

“This storm is definitely explosive,” said Bernadette Woods Plucky, chief meteorologist at the nonprofit research group Climate Central and co-author of the new report.

Using a combination of statistical analysis and detailed climate modeling, the researchers found that climate change and the fossil fuel pollution it causes are about 2.5 times more likely to produce a hurricane as strong as Helen.

This is the third and most extensive preliminary report linking climate change to the heavy rains that killed more than 200 people after Hurricane Helen made landfall in Florida’s Big Bend region on September 26.

Scientists at World Weather Attribution examined rainfall over two days along the coast of Florida, where Helen first hit, and three days of rainfall in mountainous areas in six neighboring states, including North Carolina and Tennessee. Assessed quantity.

They found that coastal rainfall totals are 40% more likely to be this high due to climate change, and inland rainfall totals are 70% more likely to be this high due to climate change. I discovered that there is a sex.

Helen flooded parts of southern Appalachia with more than 6 feet of rain. Floodwaters washed away houses, washed out highways, and cut off access to the town. Much of the recovery work is just beginning.

Damaged buildings in downtown Chimney Rock, North Carolina, after Hurricane Helen passed through on October 2nd.
Alison Joyce/AFP via Getty Images

The World Weather Attribution group is a loose confederation of scientists who rapidly publish extreme findings about whether and how climate change has affected particular events. Twenty-one researchers participated in the new analysis. Although the group uses peer-review methods, its findings are published prior to traditional peer-review when events are new and particularly newsworthy. Previous studies on global weather attribution have withstood further scrutiny by outside scientists and been published in major scientific journals.

Otto said the new results are consistent with two previous analyzes of the effects of climate change on Hurricane Helen, but different researchers defined the parameters of the study in different ways, and there are different He said each report produced different numbers because they focused on geography.

Scientists at World Weather Attribution will run the numbers again for Milton and write a new report.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Evangelical Environmental Activists Rally for Climate Change Vote as Election Nears

Posted on October 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

overview

A group of young evangelical Christians is planning a campaign at religious universities to persuade students to think about climate change at the voting booth.
It’s part of a small movement within the evangelical community to combine Christian values with climate action.
The effort comes as President Donald Trump continues to court evangelical voters while calling climate change a “fraud.”

When an evangelical student group calls for a vote on climate change at a Christian university later this month, they plan to carry the tagline: “Love God, Love Your Neighbor, Vote for Climate Change!”

This is the first time the bipartisan group Young Evangelicals for Climate Action has organized such an in-person campaign on campus since its inception in 2012.

The volunteers, members of six Christian university chapters, are working to connect communities affected by the climate crisis with the Christian duty to “love our neighbor” and help those in need. We are aiming for

The effort is part of a larger movement led by the Evangelical Environmental Network, a faith-based organization calling for climate action.

Its members are a minority within the community. A 2022 poll from the Pew Research Center found that evangelical Christians are the largest minority. most likely Religious groups in the United States have expressed skepticism about anthropogenic climate change.

In the 2020 election, 84% of white evangelical Christians I voted for Donald Trump — I have voted for Trump in the past Climate change is a “hoax” decades of contradictions scientific consensus. Just last week, President Trump falsely claimed that “the Earth has actually gotten a little colder lately,” and at a September 29 rally called climate change “one of the biggest frauds in history.”

Cast of white evangelical voters third President Trump's 2016 vote count and Pew Research poll released last month We found that 82% said they would do so again this year.

Still, Jessica Morman, CEO of the Evangelical Environmental Network, says she's working to get Christians to see climate change as an issue that loves God's planet.

“As evangelicals, we have a biblical mission to care for God’s creation,” said Morman, a pastor and climate scientist. “And in the 21st century, that means taking action on the climate.”

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Arson becomes an escalating danger in California due to climate change

Posted on October 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Between 10% to 15% of California’s wildfires are caused by arson annually, a trend that seems to continue in 2024. With the impact of climate change raising temperatures, prolonging fire seasons, and worsening drought conditions, intentional fires have more opportunities to ignite and spread.

Suspected arson fires have burned over 477,000 acres this year, the highest since 2014 when 98,259 acres were burned due to arson, according to Cal Fire.

Dry wood from drought or other climate change effects heightens the risk posed by arson fires, as they can rapidly spread and endanger homes. Mouchette warned of the increased danger, especially for those without access to escape vehicles.

The wildfire season in California is becoming longer, with the desert basin in the southeastern part of the state experiencing 61 additional fire weather days from 1973 to 2022, according to Climate Central.

Rising temperatures from a record-breaking October heatwave in parts of California, with temperatures forecasted to reach 105 degrees in some areas, further exacerbate the risk of arson fires spreading quickly.

Arson fires inherently cause more damage per acre compared to fires caused by lightning or other factors, making them a serious concern, noted researcher Jeffrey Prestemon from the U.S. Forest Service.

In a study conducted by Prestemon and colleagues on wildfire arson incidents in various countries, they found a significant decrease in wildfires after the arrest of a particular arsonist in Spain the following year.

Arresting arsonists can deter future incidents and prevent further damage, emphasized Prestemon.

In California, Cal Fire had apprehended 91 individuals on arson charges by August, aligning with historical trends. Typically, wildfire arsonists are young males who tend to have multiple instances of setting fires.

Investigating and prosecuting wildfire arson cases present challenges due to sparse physical evidence, making it difficult to hold perpetrators accountable, stated Daniel Fox, a prosecutor from Riverside County.

While advancements in technology like surveillance cameras and satellite tracking have aided in closing cases, victims of arson wildfires often struggle to recover fully from the damages inflicted, as insurance coverage may fall short.

Andrea Blaylock examines the charred remains of her home destroyed in the Park Fire near Forest Ranch, California, on July 30, 2024.Nick Cooley/Associated Press

A suspect, Stout, arrested for the Park fire, faces charges of arson of a residential structure or property, potentially carrying a 25 years to life sentence if convicted.

With wildfire arson posing ongoing threats in California, efforts to prevent, investigate, and prosecute these incidents remain crucial to protect lives and property from the devastation they cause.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Increased hail size and insurance costs may result from climate change

Posted on September 2, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

summary

So far this year, hail — not hurricanes, floods or tornadoes — has caused the most costly weather damage in the United States.
Research suggests that large hailstorms will become more frequent due to climate change.
Next year, scientists are planning the first field study of hail in the United States since the 1970s, and will track hailstorms in the same way they track tornadoes.

Barb Berlin was standing in the garage of her farmhouse near Inman, Nebraska, when she heard a sudden crackling noise.

“I thought it was a gun,” she said.

Then a streak of white appeared, and she realized the sound wasn't a gunshot, but hail.

Fist-sized hailstones pounded on the tin roof of Berlin's garage, and soon others began punching softball-shaped holes in the hood of her Ford Mustang parked outside.

“It was very loud and scary. I prayed a lot,” Berlin said, adding that she was worried about her livestock. “I've never seen hail like that before.”

Hail is a hidden danger: Despite the extreme weather this spring and summer, hail — not hurricanes, floods or tornadoes — caused the most losses in the U.S., according to Gallagher Re, a global reinsurance firm that tracks such data.

And as the planet warms, research suggests large hailstorms like the one observed in Berlin on Monday will become more frequent. A study published last monthThis suggests that the chances of smaller, less damaging hail will decrease.

A study by researchers at Northern Illinois University projects that the frequency of hailstones larger than about 1.5 inches could increase by 15% to 75%, depending on the amount of greenhouse gas pollution humans emit.

Hail occurs when thunderstorms circulate raindrops in the upper layers of the atmosphere, and typically occurs where temperatures are between -22°F and 14°F. Climate change affects hail because warmer temperatures create more energy to push air upwards. In a thunderstorm.

“We expect to see stronger updrafts in the future as the atmosphere becomes more unstable,” said Victor Gensini, a professor of meteorology at Northern Illinois University and lead author of the study.

According to the study, these strong updrafts allow hail to remain in the right places in the storm longer, allowing more ice to accumulate before the hail becomes too heavy and falls to the ground.

“Imagine trying to balance a ping pong ball on an upside-down hair dryer pointing up into the sky,” Gensini said, explaining how updrafts lift hailstones. “Now try balancing a baseball or a grapefruit. You'll need a stronger updraft to…
…..

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Many climate policies are ineffective in mitigating climate change

Posted on August 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Most political efforts to tackle climate change have had little effect

Shutterstock

Most climate policies fail to significantly reduce emissions and have little effect on halting climate change, meaning governments must work harder to find ways to actually make a difference.

Nicholas Koch Researchers from the Mercator Institute for the Global Commons and Climate Change in Berlin found this by assessing the impact of 1,500 climate policies implemented in 41 countries across six continents between 1998 and 2022.

The researchers began by using machine learning to identify moments when a country's emissions fell significantly compared to a control group of other countries not included in the analysis. They found 69 such emissions “breaks” and compared them to a database compiled by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) that tracks what climate policies were enacted and when.

Matching policy shifts with changes in emissions is not an exact science, but the team was able to identify 63 of these changes as being due to one or more policy interventions that took place within a two-year period before or after the change, to account for lagged or anticipated effects.

Each of the 63 breaks reduced carbon dioxide emissions by between 600 million and 1.8 billion tonnes, but the researchers found that overall, most climate policies have fallen far short of this level of success. “There are many policies that have not led to significant reductions in emissions, and more policies do not necessarily lead to better outcomes,” Koch said.

Many policies fail because they are too specific, he says. For example, governments might subsidize the purchase of new electric cars, but most cars on the road are not electric, so the impact is minimal. One measure that seems to be very effective is a total ban, for example stopping the use of coal for electricity generation, but these are always used in conjunction with others, making it hard for the team to identify whether they work in isolation.

Politicians are looking for a one-size-fits-all policy mix, but they're out of luck: there's nothing that works for all sectors. Pricing seems to be the most effective tool, especially in reducing emissions in commercial industries, but it's not the only solution, Koch says. “We've found that the most frequently used policy tools – subsidies and regulations – are not enough,” he says. “Only in combination with price-based tools like carbon prices, energy taxes, can we achieve significant emissions reductions.” In other words, people will only reduce their emissions if it hurts their wallets.

“A key value of this paper is that it identifies clear changes in emissions in specific sectors and countries.” Matthew Patterson The researcher, from the University of Manchester in the UK, points out that the OECD's database of policy change has some limitations because the government documents it draws from are not reported consistently around the world, but he says it is the best available for the purposes of this study.

“We've known for some time that climate policies work best in combination, but this study gives us more specific information about which combinations work and in what circumstances,” Patterson says. This will allow us to more aggressively pursue these “breaks” to address the emissions gap and create the policy combinations that most effectively address emissions.

Marion Dumas Researchers at the London School of Economics and Political Science say that while the study should be useful to policymakers, looking first at emissions trends – or the results – and then working backwards to understand the causes may not capture the full reality of policy interventions.

“This is a very interesting approach, but there is a lot of uncertainty as to how to simulate the likely outcomes. [emissions] “You need to map out the trajectory and then identify the tipping points,” Dumas said, adding that a two-year gap around the tipping point may be too short and underestimates the real impact of more gradual, longer-term policy changes.

“It's important not to overinterpret the headline results, which suggest that very few policies will reduce emissions.” Robin Rambo The researchers, from Imperial College London, say small emissions reductions that their team's methods didn't detect could add up to big differences.

Of course, a larger issue in identifying the most effective measures is that policymaking doesn't take place in a vacuum, and specific policies must be acceptable to the general public. “The political dynamics will determine whether that combination can be implemented in any given country or sector,” Patterson says.

“We know this is going to be very difficult politically,” Koch said, “but the good news is that in general it's possible to put policies in place to achieve these very ambitious goals.”

topic:

Climate change measures/
Carbon Emissions

Source: www.newscientist.com

New study finds that climate change influenced the demographics of prehistoric hunter-gatherers

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Using the large number of human fossils found in Ice Age Europe, paleoanthropologists have identified a population turnover in Western Europe 28,000 years ago, isolation between western and eastern refugia between 28,000 and 14,700 years ago, and a bottleneck during the most recent Ice Age.

Artistic reconstruction of an Ice Age hunter-gatherer group. Image courtesy of Tom Björklund.

“Around 45,000 years ago, the first modern humans migrated into Europe during the Ice Age, marking the beginning of the so-called Late Paleolithic period,” said Dr Hannes Lassmann, a researcher at the University of Tübingen.

“These early populations continuously inhabited the European continent, even during the so-called Last Glacial Maximum about 25,000 years ago, a time when glaciers covered much of northern and central Europe.”

“Archaeologists have long debated how climate change and the resulting new environmental conditions affected the demographics of hunter-gatherers at the time.”

“The limited number of available fossils and the often poor molecular preservation for ancient DNA analysis have made it very difficult to draw conclusions about the influence of climatic factors on migrations, population growth, decline and extinction.”

Because teeth make up a large part of the fossil record and preserve genetic traits in their morphology, Dr. Rathman and his colleagues compiled a large dataset of 450 dentitions dating from 47,000 to 7,000 years ago.

They focused on morphological features of the teeth – small variations within the dentition, such as the number and shape of cusps on the crowns, the pattern of ridges and grooves on the chewing surfaces, and the presence or absence of wisdom teeth.

“Because these traits are heritable, they can be used to trace the genetic relationships of Ice Age humans without the need for well-preserved ancient DNA,” Dr Lassman said.

“These features are visible to the naked eye, so we also looked at hundreds of publicly available photographs of the fossils.”

The results show that between about 47,000 and 28,000 years ago, during the Middle Glacial Period, populations from Western and Eastern Europe were well connected genetically.

During the subsequent Late Glacial Period, between 28,000 and 14,700 years ago, the researchers found no genetic link between Western and Eastern Europe.

Furthermore, the analysis shows that both regions have experienced significant declines in population size and loss of genetic diversity.

“This dramatic population shift was likely caused by major climate change,” Dr Rathman said.

“Temperatures during this period fell to their lowest values for the entire Upper Paleolithic, culminating in the Last Glacial Maximum, when ice sheets reached their maximum extent and covered large parts of northern and central Europe.”

“The worsening climate changed the vegetation from steppe to primarily tundra, affecting the habitat of prey animals and, consequently, the hunter-gatherers who depended on them.”

“Our findings support the long-held theory that humans were not only pushed southward by the advancing ice sheet but also isolated into isolated refugia with more favourable environmental conditions,” said Dr Judith Beier, also from the University of Tübingen.

Another notable finding of the study is the discovery that Western European populations became extinct during the transition from the Middle to Late Neoglacial and were replaced by new populations migrating from Eastern Europe.

After the Late Glacial Period, temperatures rose steadily again, the glaciers retreated, grassland and forest vegetation returned, and previously abandoned areas could be recolonized for the first time.

The team observed that during this period, the populations of Western and Eastern Europe, which had previously been isolated and significantly declining, began to grow again and migration between the regions resumed.

“Our new method makes it possible for the first time to reconstruct complex prehistoric demographic events using morphological data,” said researcher Dr Maria Teresa Vizzarri from the University of Ferrara.

“To our knowledge, this has never been accomplished before.”

“Our study provides important insights into the demographic history of Ice Age Europeans and highlights the profound impact that climatic and environmental change had on prehistoric human life,” Dr Lassmann said.

“If we want to tackle the complex environmental challenges of the future, we need to urgently learn from the past.”

of Survey results Published in the journal Scientific advances.

_____

Hannes Lassmann others2024. Human demography in Late Paleolithic Europe inferred from fossil dental phenotypes. Scientific advances 10(33);doi: 10.1126/sciadv.adn8129

This article has been edited based on the original release from the University of Tübingen.

Source: www.sci.news

Expedition to study human adaptation to extreme heat in the face of climate change

Posted on June 25, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Walking on hot red sand is hard work, especially when the temperature exceeds 40°C (104°F). After about 40 minutes you are soaked, dehydrated and exhausted. It is hard to imagine doing this for 40 days with all your gear, including 40 liters of water for five days, on a two-wheeled trolley. But that is exactly what my traveling companions did.

I'm in the Nahud Desert, a vast expanse of sand and rocky wilderness in northern Saudi Arabia, to experience the almost unbearable heat and meet up with 20 other people who are part of an expedition. Deep ClimateHe is dedicated to understanding how humans respond to extreme situations. “The aim is to study how humans adapt to new kinds of environments,” he says. Christian Clotteleader of the expedition and director of the French Institute of Human Adaptation.

This problem becomes even more pressing as the climate gets warmer: even in the most optimistic scenarios, heatwaves exceeding 40°C, as observed in southern Europe and across the United States over the past few months, will become the norm in many parts of the world.

So the question of what happens to our brains and bodies, and how well the human physiology can handle extreme heat, is a question that matters to millions of people. “We're going to see large swaths of densely populated areas rise to unprecedented temperatures that nobody has seen in historical climates,” he said. Tim Renton He is a researcher at the University of Exeter in the UK and recently co-authored a research paper titled “…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Climate change is causing extreme heat waves in the Southwest to become hotter and occur 35 times more frequently

Posted on June 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Anthropogenic causes Climate Change I turned up the thermostat, bolstering the possibility of a heatwave this month. Grilling the Southwestern United States, Mexico, and Central AmericaThis is revealed in a new breaking research study.

Parts of the US experienced heatwaves during the day that could cause heatstroke, with temperatures rising by 2.5C (1.4C) due to global warming caused by the burning of coal, oil and natural gas. World Weather Attribution, The calculations were made Thursday by a group of scientists conducting a rapid, non-peer-reviewed study of climate factors.

“It’s like an oven out here, there’s no way I could be here,” said Magarita Salazar Pérez, 82, who lives in Veracruz, Mexico, in her home without air conditioning. Temperatures in the Sonoran Desert reached 125 degrees Fahrenheit (51.9 Celsius) last week, making it the hottest day in Mexico’s history, said Shel Winkley, a meteorologist at Climate Central and co-author of the study.

And it was even worse at night, which is what made the heatwave so deadly, said Friederike Otto, a climate scientist at Imperial College London who is leading the team investigating its causes. Climate change has caused nighttime temperatures to rise by 2.9 degrees Celsius (1.6 degrees Fahrenheit), making extreme nighttime heat 200 times more likely, Otto said.

Salazar-Perez said there isn’t the cool nighttime air that people are used to, and doctors say lower nighttime temperatures are key to surviving the heatwave.

A man holds his head in the heat at the Cogra nursing home in Veracruz, Mexico, on June 16, 2024.Felix Marquez/AP

At least 125 people have been killed so far, according to the Global Weather Attribution Team.

“This is clearly related to climate change, the level of intensity that we’re seeing, these risks,” said Karina Izquierdo, urban adviser at the Mexico City-based Red Cross Red Crescent Climate Center and co-author of the study.

Otto said what’s worrying about this heat wave, which is still heating up North America, is that it’s no longer unusual. Previous research from the group has shown that extremely extreme heat waves Not possible without climate changebut not this heat wave.

“So in that sense it’s not unusual from a meteorological standpoint, but the impacts were really bad,” Otto told The Associated Press in an interview.

“The changes over the last 20 years, which feel like yesterday, have been so dramatic,” Otto said. Her research shows that heat waves are four times more likely now than they were in 2000, when temperatures were nearly 1 degree Celsius (half a degree Celsius) cooler. “It seems so long ago, like another world.”

While other international groups of scientists, as well as global carbon emission reduction targets adopted by countries in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement, have noted that warming has been increasing since the pre-industrial era in the mid-1800s, Otto said comparing what is happening now to the year 2000 is even more shocking.

“We’re seeing the baseline shift, and what was once extreme but rare is becoming more and more common,” said Carly Kenkel, dean of marine studies at the University of Southern California, who was not involved in the team’s investigation. She called the analysis a “logical conclusion based on the data.”

Jorge Moreno drinks flavored water while working at a construction site in Veracruz, Mexico on June 17, 2024. Felix Marquez/AP

The study looked at the five hottest days and nights across a wide swath of the continent, including Southern California, Arizona, New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Mexico, Guatemala, El Salvador, Belize and Honduras. In most areas, the five days were from June 3 to 7, and the five nights were from June 5 to 9, but in some places, the peak heat began as early as May 26, Otto said.

For example, San Angelo, Texas, recorded a record 111 degrees (43.8 degrees Celsius) on June 4. Between June 2 and June 6, Corpus Christi Airport's nighttime temperatures never dropped below 80 degrees (26.7 degrees Celsius), setting a new nighttime temperature record, with two days where the temperature never dropped below 85 degrees (29.4 degrees Celsius), according to the National Weather Service.

Between June 1st and June 15th, more than 1,200 Highest daytime temperature record The United States saw a flurry of records being broken and tied, with nearly 1,800 overnight high temperature records set, according to the National Centers for Environmental Information.

The team used both current and historical temperature measurements to contrast what’s happening now with past heatwave conditions, then used a scientifically-accepted method of comparing a hypothetical simulation of a world without human-made climate change with current reality to calculate how much global warming contributed to the 2024 heatwave.

Winkley said the immediate meteorological cause is high pressure that was parked over central Mexico, blocking storms and clouds that brought cold air, then moved into the southwestern U.S. and is now bringing hot air to the eastern U.S. Tropical Storm Alberto The storm formed on Wednesday and is heading toward northern Mexico and southern Texas, where it is likely to bring rain and cause flooding.

Mexico and other places have been in the spotlight for months. Drought, Water shortage and Extreme heatMonkeys Falling from a tree in Mexico From the warmth.

The heatwave is “exacerbating existing inequalities.” Rich and poor Izquierdo said the inequality is stark in the Americas, and Kenkel agreed: Nighttime heat is accentuated because the ability to stay cool with central air conditioning depends on how affordable you are, Kenkel said.

So, Salazar-Perez was feeling very uncomfortable during this heatwave.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Unlocking Iceland’s Secret Weapon in the Battle Against Climate Change: The Hidden Carbon Factory

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Is removing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere one of the best weapons against climate change? Climeworks, a Swiss company, believes so, as they have recently unveiled the world’s largest direct carbon capture and storage plant.

The new facility, Mammoth, will be located in Hellisheiði, Iceland, and will be nine times larger than Climeworks’ original plant, Orka. Mammoth’s goal is to extract 36,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere annually, equivalent to removing approximately 8,600 cars from the road.

Powered by renewable energy, Mammoth captures carbon dioxide from the air and transports it to a facility where it is combined with water and injected deep underground. The carbonated water reacts with porous basalt rocks, transforming them into solid carbonate minerals that securely sequester the carbon underground for thousands of years.

The Mammoth Power Plant aims to have 12 of its 72 heat collection containers installed and fully operational by the end of 2024.

Climeworks co-founders and co-CEOs Christoph Gevaert and Jan Wurzbacher oversee the early stages of construction of the mammoth factory. Photo courtesy of Climeworks

Swiss mechanical engineers and Climeworks founders Christoph Gevaert and Jan Wurzbacher introduced the concept of a direct air capture plant in 2015. Since then, the company has expanded rapidly, with Orka and Mammoth just the beginning of their efforts to reduce atmospheric carbon levels.

Construction of the foundations for the maintenance floor at the Mammoth factory in Hellisheiði, Iceland, December 2022. Photo courtesy of Climeworks

Keeling Curve, a daily measurement from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, shows an atmospheric concentration of CO2 around 427 ppm, well above pre-industrial levels below 300 ppm.

An aerial view of the Mammoth Climeworks carbon capture plant as it nears its launch in December 2023. Photo: Climeworks

Workers at the Mammoth factory monitor progress shortly after the start of operations in May 2024. Photo courtesy of Climeworks

A worker stands next to a nearly completed CO2 collection container tower in December 2023. Photo courtesy of Climeworks

Climeworks is developing third-generation direct air capture technology for a large-scale facility in the US, paving the way for additional carbon capture plants worldwide.

Collector containers at Climeworks’ Mammoth Factory in Hellisheiði, Iceland, May 2024. Photo: Climeworks

By expanding with facilities like Orka and Mammoth, Climeworks aims to achieve megatonne-scale carbon removal capacity by 2030 and gigatonne-scale capacity by 2050.

While the impact on atmospheric carbon levels remains uncertain, the technology is expected to play a significant role in shaping the planet’s future over the coming decades.

Rendering of Climeworks’ proposed third-generation carbon capture plant in the United States. Photo courtesy of Climeworks

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Are Heat Domes Exacerbated by Climate Change?

Posted on June 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

High temperatures occur in Joshua Tree, California on June 5, 2024

Gina Ferrazzi/Los Angeles Times via Getty Images

Mexico has been hit by a severe heat wave caused by a massive heat dome that has been sweeping across the country for weeks and is now spreading north into the southern United States, causing extreme temperatures across a wide area.

What is a Heat Dome?

Heat dome is not a clearly defined scientific term, but is used by many weather forecasters. American Meteorological Society Define it “A mass of very hot air that occurs when high pressure in the upper atmosphere prevents warm air below from rising.” High pressure causes the air to warm up as it descends, resulting in clear skies. – Clouds form in the opposite situation, when rising air cools and water droplets condense..

These high pressure conditions mean more sunlight, which leads to more warming, drier soil, less evaporation, and fewer clouds and rain. This positive feedback means that the longer the heat dome stays in one place, the hotter and hotter it gets. Heat domes cause heat waves, but heat waves can also happen without them.

What causes a high pressure system to shut down?

The jet stream is a fast-moving band of wind in the upper atmosphere that normally helps move weather systems along the Earth's surface. But sometimes large loops can form in the jet stream, which can result in weather systems getting trapped in the loop. These blocking patterns can lead to extreme cold, extreme rain, or, in the case of a heat dome, extreme heat.

Temperature records were broken in several North American cities during the 2021 Heat Dome.

Joshua Stevens/NASA Earth Observatory

What is the lifespan of a heat dome?

It may last from a few days to a few weeks. For example: Extreme Heat Dome The storm lasted for almost a month across Canada and the northwestern United States in 2021. During this time, temperatures in British Columbia reached nearly 50 °C (122 °F), the highest temperature ever recorded in Canada.

Are heat domes becoming more popular because of global warming?

Generally, heat waves Becoming more frequent Although it is caused by climate change, most studies have not focused on heat waves caused by heat domes. There is much debate about how global warming will affect the planet. Block pattern that confines the heat dome in place. Research in 2023 They concluded that northwestern North America will experience an increase in “summer heat dome-like standing waves.”

Is the heat dome getting hotter because of global warming?

Yes, that is true. The world is currently about 1.5°C warmer than it was before the industrial revolution, so if a heat dome were to form today, surface temperatures could be higher than they were before. For example, One study concluded The extreme heat dome temperatures recorded in Canada in 2021 would have been “virtually impossible without anthropogenic climate change.” There is also evidence that the intensity of heat domes is outpacing the warming trend, suggesting that climate change is amplifying the intensity of heat domes.“The intensity of high temperatures associated with thermal dome-like atmospheric circulation is increasing faster than background global warming, both historically and in future projections,” it said. Research in 2023.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Climate change could impact cicada cycles, scientists warn

Posted on April 30, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The cicadas that synchronize their emergence with others have a better chance of survival. Scientists believe that the simultaneous emergence of insects is an evolutionary strategy. Predators like birds and raccoons can only consume a limited amount, so the more cicadas emerge together, the higher their chances of survival, reproduction, and passing on their genes. “They have a strategy of safety in numbers,” explains Chris Simon, a professor of ecology and evolutionary biology at the University of Connecticut.

On the other hand, rare cicadas that emerge out of sync are often referred to as “strays.” These stragglers are usually preyed upon and struggle to survive. “Natural selection favored those that waited, because those that couldn’t wait were eaten,” Simon said.

This summer, two cicada broods are expected to emerge simultaneously, leading to a particularly large population of periodic cicadas. The last time such an event occurred was in 1803. The organization behind the Cicada Safari app, which aims to track cicada sightings and help scientists study these insects, has already recorded over 1,000 sightings in Georgia and hundreds more in North Carolina and Alabama.

Periodic cicadas are categorized into two groups based on their emergence period: those that appear every 13 years and those that appear every 17 years. While temperature seems to trigger their emergence, the exact mechanism behind how they synchronize their emergence remains somewhat mysterious. Scientists have observed changes in cicadas’ emergence patterns, speculating that rising temperatures due to climate change may be impacting their internal clocks.

Entomologist Gene Kritsky notes that global warming is causing cicadas to emerge earlier in the year due to higher average temperatures. This shift in emergence time has been observed to be approximately 10 days to two weeks earlier than in 1940. Researchers like John Cooley predict that cicadas’ distribution will shift northward as the climate warms and their preferred plant species move north.

There has been an increase in reports of stragglers, intriguing researchers in the field. Simon and her colleagues believe that climate change may be influencing the emergence of cicadas earlier than usual, leading to the formation of new populations among stragglers. This adaptation is seen as a response to a warming climate and extended growing seasons.

Simon proposes a theory that rising temperatures may prolong the development of cicadas underground, resulting in the emergence of more stragglers sooner than expected. Eventually, the population as a whole may adapt and change its timing. She predicts that the 17-year cicada broods may transition to a 13-year cycle and possibly even emerge every nine years.

If proven correct, this theory would be another example of how climate change is disrupting natural rhythms in the environment. Periodic cicadas, harmless to humans, range across the eastern United States to the Midwest and emerge in special events rather than yearly like annual cicadas.

While scientists continue to study how cicadas coordinate their mass emergence, they have yet to discover a precise explanation for their successful synchronization. A recent study suggests that underground communication could be a potential factor worth investigating further. “No one has ever studied this,” Simon said.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The Gullah-Geechee community faces a threat from climate change.

Posted on April 24, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is providing millions of dollars to help traditionally underserved coastal communities combat climate change. This funding includes a significant stretch of 12,000 square miles of land spanning from North Carolina to Florida, known as the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor. Designated by Congress in 2006, this land increases the wealth of the Gullah-Geechee by allowing communities along the corridor to utilize federal funds for programs and projects and receive technical and financial assistance from the National Park Service, all in an effort to protect and preserve their history and culture.

In April 2023, NOAA also announced over $265 million in funding for 38 new projects aimed at strengthening the climate resilience of coastal ecosystems and communities. These projects include initiatives in South Carolina to accelerate living shoreline projects in underserved communities, as well as collaborations with the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor to create living shoreline projects in these communities. Additionally, the funding includes $6.2 million for programs supporting the Regional Ambassador Program for Coastlines.

NOAA-recommended projects involve hiring new staff to assist restoration organizations in building relationships with the Gullah-Geechee community, identifying resiliency priorities for community members, and establishing local relationships to support future restoration efforts. Moreover, $536,000 has been allocated to form an advisory committee.

A Gullah woman weaves a sweetgrass basket, circa 1930.
H. Armstrong Roberts/Classic Stock/Getty Images

Tia Clark operates Casual Club with Tia in Charleston, South Carolina, focusing on catching blue crabs, a staple in Gullah-Geechee cuisine. She participates in a conservation effort to build oyster reefs and create habitat for marine life to thrive, as rising temperatures are endangering crab habitats. With blue crab populations at an all-time low in South Carolina in 2023, Clark emphasizes the need to protect these resources from further decline.

Clark collaborates with state agencies and local schools to educate students about the importance of preserving water resources for future generations, emphasizing the impacts of climate change on the environment and wildlife.

Numerous federal programs support the Gullah-Geechee Cultural Heritage Corridor, emphasizing the importance of combatting climate change to protect the land, water, and way of life cherished by those living along the corridor.

“We are dedicated to ensuring the survival and continuation of our traditions as native Gullah Geechee,” said Queen Couette. “We are committed to preserving our heritage for generations to come.”

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Source: www.nbcnews.com

Traditional pessimism could be a valuable tool in combating climate change

Posted on April 17, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Pessimism is a dirty word in climate policy circles. There are good reasons for this. Especially because while optimism can encourage positive change, assuming the worst can paralyze us and prevent us from taking action. But when it comes to climate modeling, a certain amount of negativity can be a good thing.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change is already working on various models and pathways to assess how to limit warming to 1.5°C and how to ensure that carbon emissions continue unabated or experience many possibilities in between. I use it to hedge my bets. These pathways are backed by thousands of scientific papers, tons of data, and the brains of the world’s climate scientists, but like all models, they are built on assumptions.

One of the key assumptions in the scenario of keeping temperature rise below 1.5°C is that the technology to remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere will be rapidly perfected in the near future. This is not an unreasonable prediction, given human ingenuity and strong incentives to do so. But incorporating carbon capture technology into these models is like declaring that winning the lottery will balance the household budget. If you can’t reduce your spending to an affordable level, you better hope that a big prize is on the way.

As the two articles in this issue demonstrate, this is a dangerous approach. A detailed analysis of geological carbon storage plans shows that it is at least very unlikely, if not impossible, to meet the levels envisioned for many 1.5°C pathways. (“Our plans to tackle climate change with carbon storage add up”). The chances of winning the lottery don’t seem that high. On the other hand, we also received an unexpected carbon bill in the form of melting Arctic permafrost, releasing more greenhouse gases than previously accounted for. Frozen soil is now a major net source of greenhouse gases (see “Frozen soil is now a major net source of greenhouse gases”).

While these revisions in our understanding of climate change are entirely expected and to be welcomed, they do signal that the challenges we face over the next decade will only get more difficult. . Rather than narrowing down climate models until the numbers roughly match the 1.5°C goal, perhaps it would be better to take a more pessimistic outlook and accelerate efforts to limit the damage.

topic:

climate change/
global warming

Source: www.newscientist.com

Climate change cannot be averted by new technologies – here’s what will occur

Posted on March 30, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

When I was young, I had a fascination with science fiction TV shows like Star Trek and Doctor Who. These captivating stories thrilled my inner geek.

The typical plot of these shows involved a crisis that seemed insurmountable, only to be miraculously solved by the hero at the last moment. Whether it was Scotty’s engineering wizardry on the USS Enterprise or the Doctor’s clever use of a sonic screwdriver, one thing was certain: technology would save the day.

As a child, I adored these narratives, and a part of me still holds onto that love. I wish that some futuristic technology could swoop in and rescue us from the global crisis of climate change. Unfortunately, reality tells a different story.

One fundamental reason why high-tech solutions won’t be our savior in the face of climate change is the issue of time. Time is a crucial factor that technology cannot simply create more of. Climate change is a cumulative problem that has been fueled by years of greenhouse gas emissions accumulating in our atmosphere.

Over the years, billions of tons of greenhouse gases have been released into the atmosphere, fundamentally altering our climate system. To combat the devastating effects of climate change, we need to focus on reducing emissions immediately and consistently to mitigate future impacts.

Today, we already have solutions to address climate change, including increasing efficiency, reducing waste, electrifying homes and vehicles, and transitioning to renewable energy sources. These quick-acting solutions can help buy us time to implement long-term strategies to combat climate change effectively.

Waiting for a new, perfect solution to emerge is not an option. We must act now with the tools we have at our disposal. Fusion energy, advanced nuclear power, and industrial carbon capture technologies may hold promise for the future, but we cannot afford to wait for them to save us from the imminent crisis of climate change.

Credit: Justin Padgett

In the battle against climate change, time is of the essence. We must focus on implementing existing solutions rather than waiting for a hypothetical technological breakthrough. Science-fiction dreams of miraculous solutions won’t save us now. It’s time to act with the tools we have today.

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The impact of climate change on food costs: A prediction of rising prices and worsening conditions

Posted on March 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Food prices are on the rise

AFP (via Getty Images)

Because of global warming, you are already paying more and more for groceries. And rising temperatures will cause food prices to rise significantly over the next decade.

By 2035, rising temperatures alone are expected to increase global food prices by 0.9 to 3.2 percent each year, according to a study conducted in collaboration with the European Central Bank. This would increase the overall inflation rate by 0.3 to 1.2 percentage points.

“We are often shocked and surprised by the magnitude of these effects,” he says. Maximilian Kotz He mentioned discussions he had with economists during his research at Germany's Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.

Abnormal weather due to global warming Increasingly impacting food production around the world And if farmers don't adapt, the losses will become even more severe as the world continues to warm.

To find out how this is affecting food prices, Kotz and his colleagues looked at monthly price data for a variety of goods and services for 121 countries from 1996 to 2021 and the exposure to which those countries were exposed. The weather conditions were compared.

Researchers looked at the correlation between food prices and factors such as average monthly temperatures, temperature fluctuations, droughts and extreme rainfall. They found a strong association between average temperature and food prices a month or so later.

Areas north of 40 degrees latitude, such as New York City, Madrid, and Beijing, experienced warmer-than-average winter temperatures, leading to lower food prices. But not just in the summer, temperatures in other parts of the world have always been above average, causing food prices to rise.

Moreover, the impact on prices is long-lasting. “If prices go up based on one of these shocks, they stay high for at least the rest of the period,” Kotz says.

The study didn't look at why prices have increased, but one possible explanation is that extreme heat is reducing yields, he said. “The vines may be dry when the crop should be harvested.”

Kotz said factors such as extreme rainfall had a smaller impact on food prices than average temperatures. This may be because flooding tends to be localized, whereas above-average temperatures can be very widespread.

Other studies have reached similar conclusions, Kotz said. But his team went a step further and investigated how food prices would change based on increases in average temperatures in climate model projections. Under the team's worst-case emissions scenario, global food inflation due to climate change will exceed 4% per year by 2060. However, the team believes the 2035 prediction is more reliable, as many other factors could have changed by then.

“There are a lot of things that could happen that will change the way the economy responds to climate change,” Kotz said. For example, inflationary pressures would be reduced if farmers adapted their practices to better cope with rising temperatures. But so far, he says, there is no sign that farmers are adapting.

“I think these are realistic predictions. They are based on solid empirical evidence.” Matin Kaim At the University of Bonn, Germany. “We need to recognize the fact that climate change poses new and major challenges to food and nutrition security.”

according to Food Price Index of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, The cost of food fell in real terms between 1960 and 2000, but has risen since then. Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022 caused a massive surge – factors that influence this Protests are occurring in many countries. The index price has since fallen, but remains higher than before the invasion.

Like the US Federal Reserve and the Bank of England, the European Central Bank aims to: keep inflation around 2%. Rising food inflation will make achieving this goal even more difficult, Kotz said.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Why recycling may not always be the most effective solution for combating climate change

Posted on March 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Recycling is not a silver bullet to stop climate destruction. Far from it. Potential Impact – Savings of approximately 11 gigatons of carbon dioxide (CO₂) over 30 years. Even if the world recycled more than 80 percent of its municipal waste, that amount would be overshadowed by the greenhouse gases emitted by fossil fuels and industry – a staggering 36.8 gigatons in 2022 alone.

In the UK, it is estimated that recycling 18 million tons of CO₂ annually. This is equivalent to removing five million cars from the road. While promising, it is only a very small fraction of the emissions generated by fossil fuels and industry each year, which are about 200 times greater than those from agriculture and the global fashion industry.

These numbers may be discouraging, but what can an individual do to help?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

First and foremost, do not give up on recycling. It is a simple way to reduce landfill waste and slow down the depletion of the earth’s resources.

To put into perspective the impact of recycling, dividing the 18 million tonnes by the UK’s population of 67 million, the average Briton is saving about 269kg of CO₂ per year through recycling.

According to DEFRA, Britons recycled 44% of household waste in 2021. By recycling 100% of household waste, an individual could save up to 610kg per year.

If you truly want to make a difference, focus on making sustainable choices early on in the consumption process. Opt for loose fruits and vegetables, solid detergents, repair and reuse old clothes, and most importantly, buy less.

Emphasize the Reduce and Reuse aspects of the 3R mantra and resort to recycling only when other options are exhausted.

Let’s Start With One Thing

If you feel overwhelmed, start by making one sustainable change at a time. For example, by using a reusable water bottle instead of plastic ones, you can save 20kg of CO₂ per year.

A review of thousands of studies worldwide suggests that changes like taking fewer long-haul flights, using public transport, and improving home energy efficiency are significant in reducing household carbon footprints.

While recycling alone may not be the solution to climate change, it is a step in the right direction. Each individual has the power to make a positive impact.

This article addresses the question posed by Jensen Pitts via email: “Can recycling really make a difference?”

If you have any questions, please email us at: questions@sciencefocus.com or reach out to us via Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram (don’t forget to include your name and location).

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Satoshi Nakamoto, the founder of Bitcoin, refutes claims of early climate change worries

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Bitcoin was created by Satoshi Nakamoto

Damian Ravaso/Alamy

Bitcoin’s mysterious founder Satoshi Nakamoto dismissed early concerns about the cryptocurrency’s potential to consume large amounts of electricity and contribute to carbon emissions, according to newly released emails.

The true identity of Bitcoin’s creator was never revealed, but after Bitcoin’s creation in January 2009, Nakamoto (a pseudonym) remained active in online forums and emails until late 2010, after which he was removed from the project and stopped communicating with him. .

…

Source: www.newscientist.com

YouTube challenges climate change denialism

Posted on January 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Climate change denial has taken on a new focus, according to a recent report from the Center for Digital Action. Instead of denying that the planet is warming, scientists and activists are now questioning climate change solutions and skepticism about policy. Hate, a nonprofit organization researching digital hate speech and misinformation, has outlined this shift in their analysis. They argue that YouTube’s parent company, Google, has ineffective content policy regulations aimed at blocking ad revenue from content denying the scientific consensus of climate change.

Imran Ahmed, CEO of the organization, stated, “A new front has opened in this battle. They used to say climate change wasn’t happening, and now they’re saying, ‘Climate change is happening, but there’s no hope. There are no solutions.'” This reflects the evolution of the debate from outright denial to skepticism about the severity of climate change and potential solutions.

For decades, scientists have agreed that human activities, particularly the burning of fossil fuels, are causing an imbalance in the atmosphere, leading to global warming. As the Earth warms, the impacts are becoming increasingly evident, such as melting ice shelves and rising sea levels. Public perception of climate change has changed over recent decades, although it remains highly politicized, according to Pew Research Center.

The Center for Countering Digital Hate utilized artificial intelligence models to analyze YouTube videos with climate change denial content. Their analysis revealed a shift in the denial narrative from denying the existence of global warming to attacking climate change solutions.

John Cook, a senior research fellow, sees similar trends in his work, stating that the focus has shifted from questioning the existence of climate change to evaluating the seriousness of the problem and the effectiveness of proposed solutions.

The report also highlighted YouTube’s policies regarding misinformation about climate change and their failure to stop the monetization of negative narratives. They suggest that YouTube and Google should expand the types of content they can’t monetize to include climate change denial and to update their policies based on current trends.

YouTube has responded, stating that they prohibit advertising on content that violates the scientific consensus on climate change. They allow discussion and debate on the topic but will not show ads on videos that cross the line of climate change denial.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The Extinction of the World’s Largest Ape: A Result of Climate Change

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

HONG KONG — Didn't fall from the Empire State Building.

Instead, the giant ape, sometimes called the “real King Kong,” was driven to extinction by climate change that made its favorite fruit unavailable during the dry season, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal Nature. The results have been announced.

An artist's impression of a herd of giant apes Gigantopithecus blackii in a forest landscape in southern China.Southern Cross University/AFP – Getty Images

They can grow up to 10 feet tall and weigh up to 650 pounds. Gigantopithecus brachy Hundreds of thousands of years ago, they roamed the forested plains of southern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, feeding on fruits and flowers.

But researchers have discovered that the apes' harsh diet may have led to the species' extinction.

The herbivorous apes made the “fatal mistake of becoming reluctant to change their food preferences to find new, more nutritious foods,” the study's lead researcher Yin-chi Chan said Thursday. told NBC News.

“As the environment changed, the food this great ape preferred became unavailable. But this great ape did not adapt to its dietary preferences. It remained dependent on a diet with low nutritional value. ” he added.

Zhang, a Beijing-based paleontologist, said the creatures stuck to dense forests, while apes like orangutans quickly adapted and moved into open forests, eating small animals.

Gigantopithecus blackii, thought to be the largest primate on Earth, roamed the plains of southern China before going extinct. Southern Cross University/AFP – Getty Images

The reason for the species' extinction has been a mystery ever since a tooth was discovered in a Hong Kong pharmacy in 1935 by German-Dutch paleontologist Gustav Heinrich Ralph von Königswald. It was sold as “Dragon Tooth”.

This discovery led to extensive research for more fossils, but 85 years later, only 2,000 isolated teeth and parts of the lower jaw have been discovered. No parts other than the skull were recovered.

Without a “precise timeline” of extinctions, “we're looking for clues in the wrong places,” said Kira Westaway, one of the study's lead authors and a geochronologist at Macquarie University in Sydney. says.

However, the researchers were able to use one of the latest techniques, called “luminescence dating,” which allowed them to determine the age of the soil around the fossils in 22 caves in southern China.

From this, they concluded that the great apes went extinct between 295,000 and 215,000 years ago.

“Now we have a target zone. We have a target period. So we start looking at changes in the environment,” Westaway said.

The researchers also found clues in the fauna around the cave, with analysis of pollen and wear on the great apes' teeth showing that changing seasons led to a lack of fruit and reduced reliance on less nutritious food. It became clear that he was no longer able to earn money.

“Gigants couldn't really expand their foraging range to find more suitable food because they're so big. Orangutans are also very small, mobile, and very “It's agile,” Westaway said, adding that the new study provided a blueprint for further research into the main extinction event.

“You need to get a very precise timeline. You need to look at what the environment is doing and then look at how they acted,” she said.

From about 2 million to 22 million years ago, dozens of species of great apes lived in Africa, Europe, and Asia. Today, only gorillas, chimpanzees, bonobos, and orangutans remain.

Westaway said the research could also open the door to future possibilities for how humans can adapt to adverse weather events and ensure species survival.

“This sets a precedent for trying to understand how primates respond to environmental stress and what makes certain primates vulnerable and what makes others resilient.” she says.

Mitchell Agarwal

Mithil Aggarwal is a reporter and producer for NBC News based in Hong Kong.

alice kong

Alice Kong is an intern on NBC News' Asia desk.

Associated Press contributed.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

The Relationship Between Seismology and Climate Change Noise

Posted on December 26, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

Since the 1980s, seismic observatories have detected increases in the strength of ocean waves that correlate with climate change. A Colorado State University study analyzed more than 35 years of data and found that ocean waves are becoming significantly stronger, reflecting the increased intensity of storms due to global warming. This seismic data reveals long-term trends and changes in wave energy and highlights the need for resilient strategies to protect coastal regions from the effects of climate change.

Since the late 1980s, modern digital seismic observatories have been monitoring Earth’s vibrations around the world. Previously thought by seismologists to be just a background disturbance, the persistent low hum produced by ocean waves has become stronger since the late 20th century, according to a study led by Colorado State University.

This research nature communicationsexamines data from 52 seismic stations that recorded the Earth’s movement once a second over 35 years. This decades-long record supports independent climate and ocean research that suggests storms are becoming more intense as the climate warms.

“Seismology can provide stable, quantitative measurements of what is happening to waves in the world’s oceans, complementing research using satellites, oceanography, and other methods.” said author Rick Astor, professor of geophysics and chair of Earth Sciences at CSU. “The seismic signal is consistent with these other studies and shows the types of features expected from anthropogenic climate change.”

Astor and his collaborators at the U.S. Geological Survey and Harvard University studied first-order microseisms, the seismic signals produced by large, long-period waves that cross shallow regions of the world’s oceans. The ocean floor in coastal areas is constantly being pushed and pulled by these waves, and these pressure changes generate seismic waves that are picked up by seismometers.

Seismic station locations and global trends since the late 1980s: (a) Ground vertical acceleration amplitude in billionths of a meter, (b) Acceleration amplitude normalized to the historical median, and ( c) Normalized by the historical median of seismic energy.Credit: Rick Astor

Seismometers are best known for monitoring and studying earthquakes, but they also detect many other things, including the movement of glaciers, landslides, volcanic eruptions, large meteorites, and noise from cities. Seismic waves from various forces on or within the Earth’s surface can be seen at great distances, sometimes even on the other side of the Earth.

“As the atmosphere and ocean warm, storms become more intense because they contain more energy, and the ocean waves they cause increase in size and energy,” Aster said. “Increasing the energy of ocean waves directly increases the strength of seismic waves.”

make (bigger) waves

Seismic signals show that the Southern Ocean waves of the infamous storm around Antarctica are predictably the most intense on Earth, while the waves in the North Atlantic are the most rapidly intensifying in recent decades, with waves in eastern North America and western Europe It reflects the storm that rages between.

In addition to the steady rise in wave energy that reflects widespread increases in global ocean and air temperatures, the data also show multi-year climate patterns such as El Niño and La Niña that influence the strength and distribution of global storms. Masu. And an even bigger storm.

“It’s clear that these long-term earthquake records show general signs of storm activity around the world, in addition to long-term intensification due to global warming,” Astor said. “It looks like a small signal from year to year, but it’s gradual and becomes very clear when you work with more than 30 years of data.”

Astor and his colleagues found that global average ocean wave energy has increased by a median of 0.27% per year since the late 20th century, and by 0.35% per year since January 2000.

Stormy weather forecast

Mr Astor said storm surges associated with larger waves and larger storms, coupled with rising sea levels, were a serious global problem for coastal ecosystems, cities and infrastructure.

“In addition to efforts to mitigate climate change itself, we will need to implement resilient strategies to ensure coastal populations and ecosystems are protected from an increasingly stormy future.” said Astor.

Reference: “Increase in ocean wave energy observed in Earth’s seismic wave field since the late 20th century” by Richard C. Astor, Adam T. Ringler, Robert E. Anthony, and Thomas A. Lee, October 32, 2023 , nature communications.
DOI: 10.1038/s41467-023-42673-w

This research was funded by the U.S. Geological Survey and the National Science Foundation.

Source: scitechdaily.com

Scientists are using flawed strategies to predict species responses to climate change, posing a dangerous risk of misinformation.

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Igor Mitreski

A new study reveals that a spatiotemporal substitution method used to predict species responses to climate change inaccurately predicts the effects of warming on ponderosa pines. This finding suggests that this method may be unreliable in predicting species’ future responses to changes in climate. Credit: SciTechDaily.com

A new study involving researchers at the University of Arizona suggests that changes are happening faster than trees can adapt. The discovery is a “warning to ecologists” studying climate change.

As the world warms and the climate changes, life will migrate, adapt, or become extinct. For decades, scientists have introduced certain methods to predict how things will happen. seed We will survive this era of great change. But new research suggests that method may be misleading or producing false results.

Flaws in prediction methods revealed

Researchers at the University of Arizona and team members from the U.S. Forest Service and Brown University found that this method (commonly referred to as spatiotemporal replacement) shows how a tree called the ponderosa pine, which is widespread in the western United States, grows. I discovered something that I couldn’t predict accurately. We have actually responded to global warming over the past few decades. This also means that other studies that rely on displacement in space and time may not accurately reflect how species will respond to climate change in coming decades.

The research team collected and measured growth rings of ponderosa pine trees from across the western United States, dating back to 1900, to determine how trees actually grow and how models predict how trees will respond to warming. We compared.

A view of ponderosa and Jeffrey pine forests from Verdi Mountain near Truckee, California.Credit: Daniel Perrette

“We found that substituting time for space produces incorrect predictions in terms of whether the response to warming will be positive or negative,” said study co-author Margaret Evans, an associate professor at the University of Arizona. ” he said. Tree ring laboratory. “With this method, ponderosa pines are supposed to benefit from warming, but they actually suffer from warming. This is dangerously misleading.”

Their research results were published on December 18th. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Daniel Perrette, a U.S. Forest Service ORISE fellow, is the lead author and received training in tree-ring analysis through the university’s summer field methods course at the University of Arizona Research Institute. The study was part of his doctoral dissertation at Brown University, and was conducted with Dov Sachs, professor of biogeography and biodiversity and co-author of the paper.

Inaccuracies in space and time substitutions

This is how space and time permutation works. All species occupy a range of favorable climatic conditions. Scientists believe that individuals growing at the hottest end of their range could serve as an example of what will happen to populations in cooler locations in a warmer future.

The research team found that ponderosa pine trees grow at a faster rate in warmer locations. Therefore, under the spatial and temporal displacement paradigm, this suggests that the situation should improve as the climate warms at the cold end of the distribution.

“But the tree-ring data doesn’t show that,” Evans said.

However, when the researchers used tree rings to assess how individual trees responded to changes in temperature, they found that ponderosa was consistently negatively affected by temperature fluctuations.

“If it’s a warmer-than-average year, they’re going to have smaller-than-average growth rings, so warming is actually bad for them, and that’s true everywhere,” she says.

The researchers believe this may be happening because trees are unable to adapt quickly enough to a rapidly changing climate.

An individual tree and all its growth rings are a record of that particular tree’s genetics exposed to different climatic conditions from one year to the next, Evans said. But how a species responds as a whole is the result of a slow pace of evolutionary adaptation to the average conditions in a particular location that are different from those elsewhere. Similar to evolution, the movement of trees that are better adapted to changing temperatures could save species, but climate change is happening too quickly, Evans said.

Rainfall effects and final thoughts

Beyond temperature, the researchers also looked at how trees responded to rainfall. They confirmed that, even across time and space, more water is better.

“These spatially-based predictions are really dangerous because spatial patterns reflect the end point after a long period in which species have had the opportunity to evolve, disperse, and ultimately sort themselves across the landscape. Because we do,” Evans said. “But that’s not how climate change works. Unfortunately, trees are in a situation where they are changing faster than they can adapt and are actually at risk of extinction. This is a warning to ecologists. .”

References: “Species responses to spatial climate change do not predict responses to climate change,” by Daniel L. Perrett, Margaret EK Evans, and Dov F. Sachs, December 18, 2023. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
DOI: 10.1073/pnas.2304404120

Funding: Brown University Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology, Brown Institute for the Environment and Society, American Philosophical Society Lewis and Clark Expeditionary and Field Research Fund, Department of Agriculture Forest Service Pacific Northwest Research Station, Department of Energy Oak Ridge Science Institute Education , NSF Macrosystems Biology

Source: scitechdaily.com