Global temperatures are projected to rise by 1.9-3.7°C by the year 2100

Posted on January 24, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Coal power plants contribute to global warming

Walaiporn Sangkeaw

Current policies of governments around the world are likely to result in global warming of between 1.9 and 3.7°C by 2100, with potentially more to come in the 22nd century.

“Each year, 2,100 people continue to emit more CO2 as global temperatures rise,” said Zeke Hausfather, a climate scientist at Stripe, a California-based software company that invests in carbon removal technologies. states.

His conclusions are based on a review of more than a dozen studies published over the past five years, looking at the implications of current policies over the past five years. According to these studies, the world is most likely to warm between 2.3 and 3°C by 2100.

However, these numbers do not fully take into account the uncertainties about future emissions of greenhouse gases as a result of human actions and how the climate system will respond to those emissions. Including these uncertainties gives a wider range of 1.9–3.7 °C.

These numbers reflect the most likely range of scenarios from the 5th to 95th percentile. This means that even with current policies, there is a small chance of a maximum warming of 4.4°C this century.

The good news is that all recent studies agree that very high emissions scenarios are currently unlikely. For these, warming of 4°C or more before 2100 is the most likely outcome.

That's because the worst-case scenarios considered by climate scientists were never all that plausible to begin with, Hausfather says, but it also reflects real progress in limiting emissions growth. and coal is currently expensive.

If climate policies strengthen and technological advances continue to exceed expectations, future emissions could be even lower than assumed in these studies, but this is not guaranteed and The rise of energy-hungry technologies like intelligence could do the opposite.

“It's definitely possible to imagine a world where AI accelerates rapidly and near-term emissions increase beyond what we think will happen today,” Hausfather says.

But he doesn’t think AI-related emissions will make much of a difference in the long term. “It’s certainly not in line with rapid emissions reductions, but it’s hard to see that in itself putting us on track for a significantly different end-of-the-century outcome,” Hausfather says. .

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Source: www.newscientist.com

After US Withdraws from Paris Agreement, What Comes Next for Global Climate Action?

Posted on January 22, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Donald Trump holds executive order announcing the US withdrawal from the Paris Agreement

Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images

On January 20, a crowd at a stadium in Washington, D.C., erupted in cheers as U.S. President Donald Trump signed an order pulling the United States out of the Paris climate accord on stage. of order He said the move was to prioritize “America first.” But environmental groups condemned the decision, saying that withdrawing the world's second-largest greenhouse gas emitter from the agreement would simultaneously cede U.S. influence in international negotiations to rival clean energy giant China. , argued that it would make climate change even worse.

“This is an issue where the United States and the Trump administration are shooting themselves in the foot,” he says. David Waskow at the World Resources Institute, a global environmental nonprofit organization. “That would be ignoring the United States.”

This is the second time President Trump has withdrawn the United States from the Paris Agreement. The Paris Agreement is a landmark agreement reached in 2015 to limit global warming to less than 2 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial averages. It took three years for the initial withdrawal in 2017 to be formalized under UN treaty provisions, and the US only left for a few months before former President Joe Biden rejoined the country in 2021.

The deal now requires a year for withdrawal to be formally recognized, at which point the U.S. will be the only major economy not part of the deal. Other countries that have not signed are Libya, Yemen and Iran.

“This is definitely not good news for international climate action,” he says. Li Shuo At the Asian Social Policy Institute in Washington, DC. Unlike the United States' first withdrawal, this second withdrawal came at a time when the country's ambitious emissions reduction ambitions were already facing geopolitical, social, and economic obstacles. he says. Last year saw record levels of global emissions, while average global temperatures rose above 1.5°C for the first time.

A U.S. withdrawal would leave the country with no leverage to drive further emissions cuts, potentially creating an excuse for countries around the world to scale back efforts to tackle climate change. “The momentum of climate change around the world was declining even before President Trump was elected,” Lee said.

But Waskow said the U.S. withdrawal does not mean “the bottom has dropped” in global climate action. Countries responsible for more than 90 percent of global emissions are still committed to the Paris Agreement. Wind and solar energy, electric vehicles, batteries and other clean technologies also play a much bigger role in the global economy now than they did when the U.S. first left, he said.

“The rest of the world is also transitioning to clean energy,” he says. Manish Bapna at the Natural Resources Defense Council, a U.S. environmental advocacy group. “This doesn't stop that transition, it slows it down.” But it raises questions about what role the U.S. will play in shaping that future, he says.

Looming is China, which controls many of the key clean energy industries, from solar panels to batteries, and is increasingly exporting its technology to the rest of the world. “The United States would not only be ceding influence over how those markets are formed, but also the duration of those markets,” Waskow said. “I don't think other countries think of the United States first when they think about who they should engage with.”

The global retreat from climate action also comes as the new Trump administration moved quickly to reverse, abandon, or block the policies of its predecessor in a flurry of executive orders issued on its first day in office. These include banning federal permits for wind energy and reversing policies introduced by Mr. Biden to promote electric vehicles. Other plans aim to expand fossil fuel development on federal lands, coastal waters and Alaska and increase natural gas exports to settle further orders. I declare It's a “national energy emergency.” “We train, baby, we train,” he said in his inaugural address.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

2024 to surpass global warming benchmarks as hottest year on record

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Scientists announced on Friday that the world has experienced the first full year with global temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius (34.7 degrees Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial levels.

The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Agency (C3S) confirmed this milestone, attributing it to climate change causing global temperatures to rise to unprecedented levels for modern humans.

C3S director Carlo Buontempo described the trajectory as remarkable, with every month in 2024 being either the warmest or second warmest on record.

The average global temperature in 2024, according to C3S, is projected to be 1.6 degrees Celsius (34 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the pre-industrial period from 1850-1900, prior to significant CO2-emitting fossil fuel usage.

Last year marked the hottest year on record, and the past decade has consistently ranked among the warmest.

While the Met Office anticipates average temperatures in 2024 surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius, they estimate a slightly lower average of 1.53 degrees Celsius (34.75 degrees Fahrenheit). US climate data for 2024 is also set to be released on Friday.

Under the 2015 Paris Agreement, governments have committed to preventing average temperatures from surpassing 1.5 degrees Celsius to avoid severe climate disasters.

Despite reaching the first year above 1.5°C, C3S believes there is still an opportunity to alter this trajectory and work towards meeting the Paris Agreement goals to curb rising emissions.

In 2024, a woman pours water drop by drop into a bucket after drawing water from a well in a village in Zimbabwe.
Jekesai Nikizana/AFP – Getty Images File

The impacts of climate change are being felt across all continents, affecting populations from wealthy to impoverished nations.

Wildfires in California, devastating fires in Bolivia and Venezuela, heavy rains in Nepal, Sudan, and Spain, and fatal heatwaves in Mexico and Saudi Arabia were all experienced in 2024.

Climate change is intensifying storms and heavy rains due to increased atmospheric heat retention and moisture levels, with water vapor reaching record highs in 2024.

Despite escalating costs from these disasters, some countries are weakening in their commitment to emission control measures.

Incoming US President Donald Trump has dismissed scientific consensus on man-made climate change and its hazardous consequences, despite the country experiencing numerous billion-dollar climate disasters in 2024.

Flooded roads in New Port Richey as Florida looks to recover from Hurricane Milton in October 2024.
Spencer Pratt/Getty Images

Chukwumerije Okereke, a global climate governance professor, emphasizes that the 1.5 degree temperature surpass should serve as a wakeup call for key political figures to take action.

Despite ongoing warnings from scientists, many countries are failing to meet their responsibilities, Okereke added.

Carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere hit a record high of 422 ppm in 2024, according to C3S.

Zeke Hausfather, a research scientist, anticipates that 2025 will be among the hottest on record, but unlikely to top the rankings.

As anthropogenic emissions remain a primary driver of climate warming, the transition from El Niño to cooler La Niña conditions is expected to moderate temperatures moving forward.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Confirmed: Global Warming to Exceed 1.5℃ Limit in 2024

Posted on January 10, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

The sun sets on a hot day in London in July 2024.

Guy Corbishley/Alamy

Hopes for keeping global warming below 1.5C above pre-industrial levels have all but disappeared after new data confirms that 2024 will be the first calendar year in which average temperatures exceeded that threshold.

Last year was the hottest year in human history, and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) is expected to issue its latest stark warning later today that humans are pushing the Earth’s climate into uncharted territory.

Officials are also expected to confirm that this year’s average global temperature exceeded pre-industrial standards by 1.5 degrees Celsius for the first time, breaking the threshold set by the Paris Agreement.

The WMO assessment is calculated using global average temperatures across six datasets and uses the period 1850-1900 to provide a pre-industrial baseline. Temperature datasets collected by different agencies and agencies around the world vary slightly, mainly due to differences in how ocean temperatures are measured and analyzed over the decades. Some of these datasets fall just below the 1.5°C mark. new scientist I understand, but others are much better.

The Met Office predicts average temperatures in 2024 to be 1.53°C above pre-industrial levels, with a margin of error of 0.08°C. This is 0.07°C higher than the previous warmest year on record, in 2023. Meanwhile, according to the European Union’s climate change service Copernicus, temperatures in 2024 will be 1.6 degrees Celsius higher than before the industrial revolution and 0.12 degrees Celsius higher than the record set in 2023.

Scientists agree that the main causes of rising temperatures are continued human-induced climate change and El Niño patterns, which tend to push up global temperatures. But the scale and persistence of the heat has shocked many experts, who had predicted that temperatures would drop once El Niño ended in May 2024. Instead, Temperatures remained at record levels throughout the remainder of the year.

The world’s oceans are the most affected, with sea surface temperatures remaining at record levels through most of 2024, wreaking havoc on marine ecosystems. The year also saw no shortage of extreme weather events on the ground, including intense heatwaves, plummeting polar ice, deadly floods, and out-of-control wildfires. “This year was a year in which the effects of climate change were felt across the planet,” he says. david kingformer Chief Scientific Adviser to the UK Government and founder of the Climate Crisis Advisory Group.

Technically, the Paris Agreement goal of limiting global warming to below 1.5°C is calculated using a 20-year average, so even just one year above the threshold does not constitute a formal violation of the goal. It is not meant to be shown. But given the pace of warming in recent years, many scientists say the long-term Paris goal is no longer achievable.

At the press conference on January 9th, Samantha Burgess Professor Copernicus told reporters that it would probably be impossible to meet the goals of the Paris Agreement. “There is an extremely high possibility that the long-term average temperature will exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius and the upper limit of the Paris Agreement,” he said.

duochan from the University of Southampton in the UK is helping develop a new global dataset, DCENT, which he says uses cutting-edge technology to provide a more accurate historical picture of warming levels. It is said that a baseline is being generated. Although not included in WMO’s calculations, this new data set suggests global average temperatures in 2024 were 1.66°C above pre-industrial levels, he said.

As a result, Chan also believes that the 1.5°C target is probably no longer achievable. “We need to prepare for the broader future, and 1.5°C is not the only target we need to aim for,” he says. But he stressed that this is also an important time to be even more ambitious in reducing emissions. “It’s too early to give up,” he says.

The outlook for 2025 remains uncertain. There are early signs that global sea surface temperatures are finally starting to fall to expected levels. “This is a good sign that at least heat is dissipating from the ocean surface,” Burgess said. Meanwhile, after months of anticipation, La Niña phenomenon finally occurs near the Pacific equatorThis should reduce global temperatures until 2025.

But Chan cautions that if temperatures follow the pattern of past El Niño events, the world could have experienced a gradual change in warming. “Every time we have a major El Niño event… we are basically taking global warming to a new level,” he said, adding that 2024 could be the first time in years that average temperatures exceed 1.5 degrees Celsius. It suggests that there is.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Researchers recommend making keeping spaces clean and tidy a global UN goal.

Posted on January 9, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Artist’s impression of space junk orbiting Earth

Mark Garlick/Science Photo Library/Alamy

The growing threat of space debris should be addressed with a new global agreement to protect Earth’s orbit, says a group of researchers calling on the United Nations to make space protection a key international goal.

Although there are existing guidelines for tackling space debris, such as the 1967 United Nations Outer Space Treaty, the researchers write in the journal: one earth calls for further action to “raise awareness about the use of orbital resources and the increased risk of orbital contamination while sending a strong message that Earth’s orbit is not disconnected from Earth.”

Specifically, the research team proposes adding space protection to the United Nations’ existing Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The SDGs are 17 broad goals set for member countries to achieve by 2030. These goals include eradicating poverty, promoting quality education and gender equality, accessing affordable and clean energy, and tackling climate change. “We know from the ocean that it is very difficult to remove debris that has washed ashore,” Koldewey said. “We want to avoid the same thing happening in space.”

To fix this, the researchers want to add 18.^th The SDGs include ensuring that end-of-life satellites and rockets are removed from orbit to prevent collisions and the creation of new debris, as well as introducing fines and legislation to ensure accountability. “We know from the ocean that it is very difficult to remove debris that has washed ashore,” Koldewey said. “We want to avoid the same thing happening in space.”

The number of operating satellites in orbit has increased rapidly in recent years, from less than 3,000 in 2020 to more than 10,000 today. Most of that increase will come down to the roughly 7,000 satellites that make up SpaceX’s Starlink space internet megaconstellation. Other companies and countries, including Amazon and China, are planning thousands more services while building large groups of their own. In addition to this, there are thousands of empty rockets and millions of pieces of space junk orbiting the Earth.

Include space debris in 18^th says the SDGs have the potential to raise the profile of issues Heather Koldeway At the Zoological Society of London. “Anything that raises awareness of space debris has to be good,” he says. But he says getting countries to act is more difficult. “If you roll 18^th SDGs, what’s next?” he says. “All international agreements and treaties are products of compromise.”

Hugh Lewis A space debris expert at the University of Southampton in the UK said creating a space-focused SDG would be a “worthy endeavour.” However, he added that mechanisms to tackle space debris, such as the United Nations long-term sustainability goals For space activities and more localized activities, such as in the United States, where the Federal Communications Commission has introduced. 5 year rule Removing dead satellites from orbit. “It’s hard to argue that it’s not already on the UN agenda,” Lewis says.

There is also the question of whether the SDGs will achieve their goals. Last year, the United Nations reported: less than one-fifth Of the 17 existing SDGs, progress is on track.

On top of that, the problem is that nothing meaningful will happen without the agreement of SpaceX and its owner Elon Musk. “You can’t talk about space governance without talking about it now,” Newman said. “We can no longer just look at member states.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Elon Musk’s X: How it rose to prominence on the global right | Elon Musk

Posted on January 4, 2025 by Igor Mitreski

Elon Musk’s acquisition of Company X, previously Twitter, has been deemed a financial disaster, with the company losing nearly 80% of its value since late 2022, as reported by CNN.

However, from a political perspective, Musk’s takeover could be seen as a strategic move, as Company X consistently stirs controversy and influences political discussions. The platform often highlights sensitive issues that align with conservative viewpoints, sparking debates and sometimes inciting unrest.

One example is the circulation of false stories like the rumor about Haitian immigrants in Springfield, Ohio consuming pets, which led to alarming reactions and threats during a critical time in the US presidential election.

Company X also amplifies factual but contentious news, sometimes overlooked by traditional media outlets, thanks to Musk’s active engagement. These topics range from immigration and government inefficiencies to social issues and censorship concerns.

Recent posts on Company X shed light on a scandal involving sexual abuse of young girls in northern England during the 1990s and 2000s, prompting Musk to call for accountability from UK authorities, drawing support from prominent figures like Bill Ackman.

Musk’s influence extends beyond X, as he leverages the platform to steer public conversations and intervene in global politics, aligning himself with right-wing parties and critiquing established political figures.

Despite facing criticism and losing users, Company X remains a powerful force in shaping right-wing narratives, contributing to Musk’s growing impact on political discourse worldwide.

Musk’s involvement in controversial issues through X has sparked debates and attracted both followers and detractors, highlighting the platform’s role in shaping public opinion and influencing political agendas.

As Musk continues to use X to drive political conversations and promote his agenda, the platform’s impact on mainstream discourse and public perception remains significant.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Failure of a Global Treaty to Reduce Plastic Pollution: Expert Marce Gutiérrez-Glaudis Discusses Next Steps.

Posted on December 31, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Marce Gutierrez-Glaudis was thrilled to participate in a historic event last month when over 170 countries gathered in Busan, South Korea, to negotiate a binding global agreement to reduce plastic pollution.

“We were hopeful that this would mark the end of our meetings,” shared a marine conservation expert from California who was part of the U.S. delegation, speaking to NBC News.

However, a global agreement did not materialize as countries failed to reach a consensus during the fifth and final round of the UN Intergovernmental Negotiating Commission.

“I am planning to engage in at least one more round in late spring or summer,” Gutierrez-Growdish mentioned. Instead of delaying potentially problematic treaties for years, he emphasized the importance of investing more time in exploring methods to oversee funding, transparency, and national accountability.

Marce Gutiérrez-Graudiche founded Azul, a nonprofit organization that protects marine resources, after witnessing the decline of fish in her work in commercial fishing and aquaculture.Provided by: Azure

Wrapping up the year, a Mexican-American environmental leader shared insights. As the Founder of Azure, they are committed to safeguarding marine resources through positive and forward-thinking actions.

Researchers project that without effective measures, plastic pollution could double by 2050, while a global treaty could potentially reduce it by 91%.

Despite challenges like the recent deadlock and the uncertain future in South Korea, concerns linger about the next Trump administration potentially causing a breakdown. Gutierrez-Groudish emphasized the need to focus on collaboration rather than political affiliations when it comes to international agreements and environmental protection, stating, “We must set aside our political or federal preferences.”

Experts in marine conservation stressed the bipartisan nature of environmental issues, finding resonance among the Latin American community. “People are becoming more aware that things are changing and crises are on the rise.”

For instance, in California, residents are witnessing escalating temperatures, water scarcities, and increased wildfires, while across the nation, devastating impacts from recent severe hurricanes are evident.

Mr. Gutierrez-Groudis mentioned: Her organization conducted a poll among 2,500 Latino registered voters earlier this year, revealing widespread support for increased government investment in ocean protection, even if it entails higher costs for individuals.

Regarding plastic use, Over 70% of Latino voters backed bans on single-use plastics, while 75% supported regulations on plastic manufacturing chemicals. The majority favored an international treaty to eliminate plastic pollution, even if it meant adhering to challenging and costly regulations in the U.S.

While recent headlines have focused on microplastics’ presence in humans, Gutierrez-Groudish advocates for a comprehensive approach targeting plastic production’s root causes and impacts.

Highlighting the need to address the entire plastic production lifecycle and its repercussions, she and her team are formulating a comprehensive plan for forthcoming international conferences.

Witnessing the Impact Directly

Before establishing Azul in 2011, Gutierrez-Graudish began her career in commercial fishing and aquaculture, overseeing logistics and operations—experience that sensitized her to environmental degradation due to dwindling fish supplies and rising fuel costs. “I observed it firsthand,” she shared. “It was a profound moment that steered me towards conservation.”

As she gears up for global negotiations, her nonprofit Azul is actively spearheading three campaigns in her state. The Deja el Plastico (No Plastic) initiative endeavors to mitigate plastic pollution in California, leading to a state-wide ban on single-use plastic bags in 2016.

Gutierrez-Glaudis noted that Latina grandmothers can offer practical examples of reducing plastic consumption, alluding to the “Abuela Bag.” “My grandma had reusable bags, not the trendy eco-friendly ones you find at stores, but the concept remained the same,” she reminisced.

Azul’s Vamos a La Playa (Let’s Go to the Beach) campaign centers on coastal accessibility, seeking to ensure Californians can enjoy shoreline access granted under the more than 40-year-old California Coastal Act. She accentuated the importance of clear communication at local levels to inform communities of their rights.

“Many people don’t realize that the coast is for everyone, and we need to rectify any sense of exclusion,” Gutierrez-Groudish emphasized. “I’ve witnessed this firsthand.”

Having also launched the Latino Marinos (Latino Mariners) Campaign, an advocacy branch inspired by her experiences, Gutierrez-Graudis aims to foster inclusivity and provide resources for underrepresented groups in maritime conservation.

Marce Gutierrez-Glaudis will speak to students at the GenSea Binational Academy in November.Provided by: Azure

“We are creating an inclusive environment and providing opportunities and tools,” Gutierrez-Groudish shared. “Our mission is to translate potential, not just language but transformative opportunities.”

A couple of years ago, Azul unveiled the Rising Leaders Initiative, offering a chance to visit Washington, D.C. for Ocean Week and interact with elected officials.

Excited about the increasing diversity within conservation fields, Gutierrez-Groudish praised social media for making conservation more accessible. She encouraged enthusiasts to connect virtually and engage with organizations like hers to enter the conservation arena.

For individuals wondering about their environmental impact, Gutierrez-Groudish reassured them by stating that every effort counts, even simple actions like using reusable items and reaching out to elected representatives can make a significant difference.

She advocated that caring for the environment is not limited to specific actions, but rather stems from mindful decisions and actions.“People used to say to me, ‘I don’t drive a Prius.’ If they’re making mindful choices and valuing environmental issues, they too are environmentalists,” she concluded.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

What was China’s motive for hacking global phone networks? | Technology

Posted on December 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

CChinese hackers have breached dozens of telecommunications companies around the world. The breach, dubbed “Salt Typhoon” by Microsoft cybersecurity researchers, allows cybercriminals to access information about who texted or called whom, as well as some messages. This provides unprecedented access to content, which is a much higher technical hurdle to clear. Cyber attack.

This cyber attack hit three of the largest telecommunications networks in the United States. Communications of government officials in Washington, D.C., have been intercepted, as have Internet browsing records kept by the same telecommunications companies. Hackers attempted to crack the cell phones of Donald Trump and J.D. Vance, as well as Kamala Harris’ campaign staff, and may have succeeded. Even the US eavesdropping program was compromised. The call records stored there were stolen. A U.S. senator called it “the worst communications hack in our nation’s history.” In the same week, British telecommunications giant BT announced The company had withstood and avoided “attempts to compromise” its conferencing services.

The hacker group, also known as FamousSparrow, has been active since 2020 and has previously targeted government agencies in Israel, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, Canada, Guatemala and Burkina Faso, according to cybersecurity firm Eset. China has another favorite target, and it has targeted it even more aggressively than previous governments. Hotel. In all of these countries, as well as the UK, France, Lithuania, and Taiwan, the group has compromised hotels’ digital systems and stolen data.

According to U.S. intelligence agencies, salt typhoons have been occurring for one to two years and are still ongoing. U.S. analysts, as well as independent cybersecurity researchers, blamed the cyberattack on the Chinese government. China denies involvement.

The US National Security Adviser has urged employees to avoid using regular texting apps and instead save all communications to encrypted messaging apps such as Signal, WhatsApp, and FaceTime. That’s good advice. Security authorities in Australia, New Zealand, and Canada have issued similar warnings.

Is this hack part of an elaborate and coordinated response to the escalating chip trade war between the U.S. and China? On Monday, the Chinese government launched an antitrust investigation into Nvidia. . Last week, Chinese regulators banned exports of minerals essential to semiconductor manufacturing, such as gallium and germanium, to the United States. Earlier this year, the United States banned the sale of cutting-edge semiconductor chips to China. Washington, which has regulatory power over Nvidia, TSMC, and others, seeks geopolitical advantage through AI, and without powerful chips it cannot create useful AI models. China is at a disadvantage because it cannot imitate or dethrone NVIDIA. So did China hack in response? It’s possible, but hacking telecommunications networks is not as closely related to the semiconductor industry as the “give me the chip or else” argument. If the Chinese government had hacked Jensen Huang’s phone…it would have ended in a trade war retaliation.

I call Salt Typhoon old-fashioned espionage.

Justices admit TikTok ban disenfranchises Americans, but upholds it anyway

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How much money did the tech industry spend on the US presidential election?

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Wider TechScape

Source: www.theguardian.com

Temperatures Expected to Decrease to Below 1.5°C by 2025 According to Global Forecasts

Posted on December 12, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Severe storms caused by La Niña in Queensland, Australia

Genevieve Vallee/Alamy Stock Photo

The UK's national weather and climate agency, the Met Office, predicts that the Earth's average surface temperature in 2025 will be between 1.29°C and 1.53°C warmer than the pre-industrial average, and possibly 1.41°C. This is slightly lower than 2024, when temperatures are expected to exceed 1.5°C for the first time in the calendar year.

“A year ago, our 2024 forecasts highlighted for the first time the potential for temperatures to exceed 1.5C,” the Met Office's Nick Dunstone said in a statement. “While this appears to have happened, it is important to realize that temporarily exceeding 1.5°C does not mean a violation of the Paris Agreement. However, the first year above 1.5°C It is certainly a solemn milestone in climate history.”

The Paris Agreement set a goal of limiting global warming to 1.5°C to 2°C above pre-industrial standards. Most climate scientists currently define pre-industrial temperature as the Earth's average surface temperature between 1850 and 1900. This is because this is the earliest period for which reliable direct measurements were obtained. However, some studies suggest that by that time, the world had already warmed significantly as a result of human activity.

Next year will be among the top three warmest years on record, according to 2025 projections

Japan Meteorological Agency

The expected drop in surface temperatures in 2025 is the result of heat transfer from the atmosphere to the oceans due to La Niña, and does not mean that global warming has stopped. The overall heat content of the oceans and atmosphere continues to rise as atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations are rising due to increased carbon dioxide emissions from human activities.

During a La Niña event, cold water rises in the Pacific Ocean and spreads across the Earth's surface, resulting in a net heat transfer from the atmosphere to the ocean. When an El Niño event occurs, the opposite happens. The 2023 El Niño helped break records for surface temperatures that year, which will be surpassed in 2024. But El Niño alone cannot fully explain the record temperatures.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Finding solutions to global issues demands a blend of hope and caution.

Posted on December 11, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

This year, from the first civilian moon landing (see “Elon Musk-led private missions boom, space is on sale in 2024”) to the first pig kidney transplant into a living human. It will be remembered for many pioneering events. Unfortunately, another dark first looms in 2024. Although the numbers will not be officially confirmed until next month, it is very likely that this will be the first year in which the totemic climate goal of 1.5 degrees Celsius of global warming is exceeded. (see “For the first time in 2024 reached 1.5°C, accelerating climate disruption.”)

Let’s clarify what this means. This number is generally considered to refer to a 20-year average, so it does not violate the 2015 Paris Agreement, the world’s most important climate change treaty. Under the agreement, each country commits to limiting long-term temperature rise to below 1.5°C. Nor is this a sign that the world is doomed and that we should give up all hope of combating climate change. Because if we lower temperatures even a little bit, billions of people will be better off than they would be if we didn’t do so. But reaching this level of warming, even in just one year (so far), is undoubtedly a global failure.

Breaking through 1.5°C also comes as the world enters a new and uncertain phase of climate change. As we have reported throughout the year, extreme warming in 2024 (which will only be matched by 2023) has scientists increasingly concerned about changes in major ocean currents, leading to unexplained levels of warming. They are desperately trying to understand what’s going on with the decline of Antarctic sea ice.

If you start the new year with a feeling of anxiety, you will inevitably feel pessimistic, but that may not be a bad thing. Next year will mark 10 years since the Paris Agreement came into force, and even then it was clear that the 1.5°C target had reached its achievable limits. As we wrote in our year-end leader at the time: “An odd call to action. The goal of capping global warming at 1.5°C looks almost completely unattainable.” In fact, greenhouse gas emissions Reshaping the modern world to stop and achieve net-zero emissions is the most ambitious goal ever set by humanity.

You can’t take good photos if you’re pessimistic. Ask, “What happens if I fail?” “What if we’re wrong?”

Given the scale of the challenges we face, such ambition is essential, but it is not sufficient. It’s easy to set ambitious and optimistic goals like the Paris Agreement, and politicians can line up to take pictures, smile and shake hands. It feels warm and fluffy.

However, to achieve such a goal, pessimism must prevail. You can’t take good photos if you’re pessimistic. The question is, “What happens if we fail?” and “What if we are wrong?” – Issues to be addressed include grappling with deep uncertainties in the green transition, whether technological, social or economic. Failure to do so will lead to failure.

There are lessons to be learned from success in 2024. Space engineers and surgeons alike tend to assume mistakes when considering the complexity of moon landings and complex surgeries. To alleviate this, they use a simple tool: the Humble Checklist. By identifying points of failure and taking steps to avoid them, you greatly increase your chances of success.

Although it makes less sense to have a “climate checklist” given that we are talking about ongoing global processes rather than a single operation or space mission, the underlying spirit still applies. Masu. One of the major failings is the annual United Nations climate change talks. At the 29th COP Summit held in Azerbaijan this year, organizers hailed fossil fuels as “God’s gift.”

COP30, scheduled to be held in Belem, Brazil next November, will be an opportunity to reset attitudes. Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva is already making noise in this direction, promising a “COP to change direction,” but will he be able to make it happen? Perhaps the most powerful message he can send is to take to the stage, stand aside unsmiling world leaders with clear plans to do better, and publicly acknowledge the failures of the COP process so far. That’s probably true. However, Santa doesn’t necessarily grant your wishes.

A degree of repentance and pessimism could also help with another problem that is quietly brewing in 2024: the imminent threat of an avian influenza pandemic. ). The H5N1 virus has spread to U.S. dairy herds despite minimal surveillance and mitigation efforts by U.S. health officials. As a result, the number of people infected there has also increased, reaching more than 50 people at the time of our reporting.

The virus has not yet adapted well to humans and is not known to be transmitted from person to person so far, but random mutations may change the situation with each new infection. increases. Optimistically rolling the dice and hoping for a double six is not good health policy. In an ideal world, the United States would already be planning for the possibility of a pandemic and sit back and watch it never materialize. We do not live in an ideal world as President-elect Donald Trump endorses vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for Secretary of Health and Human Services. That means other countries will need to come up with their own plans. This is the only rational response to uncertainty.

Obviously, this pessimism doesn’t stem from any particular holiday spirit. However, through these two issues, new scientist From the science of believing in Santa (see ‘Believing in Santa Claus doesn’t guarantee children will behave well at Christmas’) to the quest for the world’s largest snowflake (see ‘The plan to create the world’s snowflake’), there lies a world of festive feasts. The biggest snowflake was humbled by nature”).

Looking ahead to next year, I’d like to thank researchers and companies who are developing new ways to tackle climate change, from sucking carbon dioxide out of the air to genetically modifying food to make it more environmentally friendly. Raise a glass of water too. For more information, see the next issue’s 2025 preview). And we hope that the uncertainty caused by this year’s climate news will be a catalyst for change.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Global cancer-related deaths projected to nearly double by 2050

Posted on November 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Breast cancer cells metastasized to the liver

Connect images / Alamy

Global cancer deaths are expected to nearly double by 2050, primarily in low- and middle-income countries.

Habtum Bisaifu The professor and his team from Australia’s University of Queensland made the discovery by looking at recent morbidity and mortality figures for 36 types of cancer in 185 countries from the World Cancer Observatory’s database. These rates were then applied to the United Nations Development Programme’s 2050 population projections to predict future cases and deaths.

Researchers predict that the total number of cancer cases worldwide is expected to increase by nearly 77% between 2022 and 2050, representing 20 million cases in 2022 and an additional 15.3 million cases in 2050. It means that the number of people will increase. The number of deaths from cancer worldwide also increased by almost 90% during this period, with 9.7 million people dying from the disease in 2022, and 8.8 million people expected to die from the disease in 2050. It will be.

The biggest increases are expected to occur in countries that rank low or middle on the United Nations’ Human Development Index, which is based on life expectancy, education levels, and per capita income. In countries with low scores, such as Niger and Afghanistan, cancer incidence and deaths are expected to nearly triple on average by 2050. Meanwhile, countries with very high scores, such as Norway, are projected to see an average increase in infections and deaths of more than 42% and 56%, respectively.

This corroborates other evidence that: The number of cancer cases is on the risesay Andrew Chan at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston, and he was not involved in the study. Multiple factors are likely driving this, he says, including people living longer and increasing their risk of cancer. However, this study did not take into account the emergence of new or more effective treatments.

Chan says the least developed countries will probably experience the largest increase due to “the so-called Westernization of the population.” “Some of the habits traditionally considered to be associated with higher cancer risk, such as rising obesity rates and poor diet, are becoming trends in low- and middle-income countries.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

20% of Global Plastic Waste ends up Incinerated or Dumped

Posted on September 4, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

More than half of uncollected plastic waste is incinerated

Tim Gainey/Alamy

Approximately 1.5 billion people around the world have no access to waste collection services, making how to dispose of plastic waste a serious environmental issue.

Most of these households resort to incinerating their plastic waste or dumping it in the environment, new analysis argues, arguing that comprehensive collection services are the only way to curb global plastic pollution.

Costas Bellis Researchers from the University of Leeds in the UK used municipal waste data and census data to model plastic waste flows in cities around the world, then used this data to train an AI algorithm to predict how waste is generated and disposed of in more than 50,000 urban areas around the world.

Bellis says this bottom-up approach offers an “unprecedented” look at how plastic waste is processed and why it becomes a pollutant in different countries. “It's never been done before,” he says.

Velis' team estimates that 52.1 million tonnes of plastic waste (one-fifth of the global total) becomes polluting each year. Most of it occurs in poor countries where waste collection is unreliable or not available at all. Rather than being properly treated, most of this plastic waste is burned in homes, on the streets or in small dumps, without any environmental controls.

Researchers estimate that about 57% of uncollected plastic waste is disposed of in this way, while the remaining 43% is dumped into the environment. Burning plastic not only releases greenhouse gases, but also carcinogenic dioxins, particulate pollution, and heavy metals. All of these are harmful to human health..

Low-income countries generally produce much less plastic waste per capita, but much of that waste ends up polluting the environment, whereas in high-income countries, where the majority of waste is collected and treated, littering is the biggest source of plastic pollution.

The findings highlight the need for low-income countries to receive support to establish comprehensive waste collection systems for all their citizens, Velis said. India, Nigeria and Indonesia were named as countries with the highest rates of plastic pollution.

The study comes ahead of a conference in Busan, South Korea, in November to consider adopting the world's first plastic waste treaty. Velis calls for the treaty to include measures requiring countries to steadily increase the proportion of waste treated in appropriate facilities and for high-income countries to increase financial support. “Lack of waste collection is the biggest cause of the decline in plastic waste,” he says. [plastic pollution] “That's where the problem lies,” he says.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

“Pakistani Businesses Face Internet Speed Challenges, Attribute Issues to Firewall Testing” – Global Development

Posted on August 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

debtOr when he advertised a free online tech-skills class, it got hundreds of likes on Facebook and eventually 1,500 people signed up. But on the first day last week, only a handful of those registrants were able to log in to the live session, and the internet was moving at a snail’s pace.

“We received hundreds of complaints,” said Warda Noor, founder and course instructor at XWave, an IT training company based in Raya, Punjab province, Pakistan.

What is the domestic internet speed? Dropped The Wireless and Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan (Wispap) said internet connection speeds have fallen by 30-40 percent in the past few weeks, costing Pakistani businesses hundreds of millions of dollars, according to IT companies.

Those who were able to connect to Noor’s lecture complained of audio dropouts and poor connection. “We were forced to cut the two-hour lecture to one hour, and the Q&A portion of the program was cut,” she said.

Although live sessions have now been replaced with recorded lessons, Noor says it’s “just not the same.”

Many in the IT and software industry believe the turmoil is due to the government’s testing of a new nationwide Internet firewall.

“On the one hand, the new government is promising an information technology revolution in Pakistan, but on the other hand, it is completely suppressing it,” Noor said.

The government has repeatedly denied responsibility for the problem but has acknowledged plans for a firewall to regulate and block malicious content and protect government networks.

Information Technology Minister Shaza Fatima Khawaja said on Sunday that her team had been working “tirelessly” with internet service providers to resolve the issue. Blaming Pakistan for its “large population” To put strain on the network.

“Given the cyber attacks Pakistan is facing, it is the government’s right to take steps to safeguard its national interests,” she said.

Khawaja said the firewall would give the Pakistani government access to those conducting “anti-national propaganda.” Iran, China, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and several other countries already have such firewalls in place.

After the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan last year sparked riots, the Pakistani government blocked and slowed down social media sites that had fostered support for Khan.

Platform X has been blocked since the February election over “national security” concerns, and supporters of Khan’s party point out that he is the most popular Pakistani on the platform, with nearly 21 million followers.

If the new firewall is the cause of the massive chaos the country is experiencing, there should have been some kind of warning. Pasha The association has approximately 1,500 member software and IT companies.

“It makes sense to take steps in the interest of national security, but in retrospect it could have been better planned and managed,” he said.

Azam Mughal, a cybersecurity expert at P@SHA, said his members are reporting huge financial losses. “International clients are telling these companies that they no longer want to commission projects from them because in the tech world, everything has to be delivered on time,” Mughal said.

He said companies could have been given warning: “Whenever new software is implemented, it is tested in a close lab environment to anticipate any initial struggles. But that was not done.”

“Our investigation found that internet outages over the past few months have cost the country up to $300 million in losses,” he said.

Pakistan recorded $298 million IT exports were worth £228 million in June, up 33% from a year ago. IT exports were worth $3.2 billion in the financial year that ended in June, up from $2.5 billion in 2023.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Newer, more fuel-efficient jets could actually worsen global warming compared to older aircraft

Posted on August 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Contrails are clouds formed when water vapor condenses on the soot emitted by jet engines.

Markus Meinka/Alamy stock photo

Planes flying at higher altitudes create longer-lasting vapor trails that could cause more global warming. Because private jets and modern fuel-efficient jetliners fly at higher altitudes than other commercial airliners, these aircraft may be causing even more warming than previously thought.

The findings could help airlines decide which routes to fly to minimise contrails, he said. Edward Gryspeerdt “If we could predict the areas in the atmosphere where contrails will form accurately enough, we could fly planes around them to reduce this effect,” say researchers from Imperial College London.

In some conditions, soot particles emitted by jet engines can spew ice particles in the aircraft's wake, forming clouds called contrails, which contribute to the overall warming effect. It is estimated that half of the warming effect from aviation is due to contrails, rather than carbon dioxide emissions.

How long a contrail lasts determines how much warming it causes, but persistence is difficult to study. Gryspeerdt and his team combined flight data and satellite observations to match contrails to specific aircraft and examine how the type of aircraft is related to persistence.

Previously, studies had been done manually and only on a small scale. But using artificial intelligence, the team was able to analyze 64,000 flights. They found that private jets and other fuel-efficient jetliners, which typically cruise at altitudes of about 12 kilometers (38,000 feet), one kilometer higher than other planes, are more likely to produce longer-lasting contrails. “That was unexpected,” Grys-Pierto says.

Not all soot particles emitted by aircraft turn into ice particles, he said: The team thinks that as planes fly higher, a higher proportion of soot particles become ice seeds, but the overall size of the ice particles gets smaller.

Because the tiny ice particles fall slower, they fall into areas where the air is warmer, where it takes longer for the ice particles to sublimate back into water vapor, meaning the contrails linger longer and cause even more warming.

But the team can't say exactly how much warming contrails cause because the characteristics of high-altitude contrails are slightly different, so it's unclear whether the additional warming caused by contrails lasting longer exceeds the warming avoided by modern planes' lower fuel burn.

What's clear is that the impact of private jets has been underestimated: “The climate impact per passenger is much larger than we thought,” Griespeerdt says.

Because contrails are more visible over oceans and the researchers only had data from a single geostationary satellite, they only looked at flights over the western Atlantic around Bermuda.

Gryspeerdt said the findings may not apply to flights further north, such as over Greenland or Iceland, because the air at high altitudes is drier and contrails are less likely to form.

“This study highlights that high-altitude aircraft have a significant climate impact beyond carbon dioxide, mainly due to the persistent contrails they create,” said Christina Hentz of the European environmental group Transport and Environment.

High altitudes are primarily used for long-distance flights, which are excluded from European Union plans to reduce non-carbon-dioxide warming, and this shows the importance of switching to fuels that produce fewer soot particles, Hentz said.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Microsoft IT outage causes $5.4 billion loss for US Fortune 500 companies following CrowdStrike global outage

Posted on July 25, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

According to insurers, a global technology outage caused by a faulty CrowdStrike update is estimated to cost Fortune 500 companies in the United States $5.4 billion. Cybersecurity companies have pledged to take measures to prevent such incidents in the future.

The projected economic losses do not factor in tech giant Microsoft, which experienced widespread system outages during the event.

Banking, healthcare, and major airlines are anticipated to bear the brunt of the impact, as reported by insurance company Parametric. Total insured losses for Fortune 500 companies, excluding Microsoft, are estimated to range between $540 million and $1.08 billion.

The CrowdStrike outage led to the disruption of thousands of flights, hospitals, and payment systems, marking it as the largest IT outage in history. Companies across industries are still struggling to recover from the damages. This incident exposed the fragility of modern technology systems, where a single faulty update can halt operations globally.

CrowdStrike, a Texas-based cybersecurity company worth billions, has seen a 22% drop in its shares since the outage. It has apologized for causing the tech crisis and has released a report detailing the issues with the update.

The root cause of the outage was an update pushed to CrowdStrike’s Falcon platform, a cloud-based service aimed at protecting businesses from cyber threats. The update contained a bug that resulted in 8.5 million Windows machines crashing simultaneously.

CrowdStrike has committed to conducting more thorough testing of its software before updates and implementing staged updates to prevent similar widespread outages in the future. It also plans to provide a more detailed report on the outage’s causes in the upcoming weeks.

As one of the largest cybersecurity companies globally, valued at around $83 billion prior to the outage, CrowdStrike serves many Fortune 1000 companies worldwide. The impact of the failed update was substantial due to its broad reach, underscoring how heavily reliant companies are on similar products for their operations.

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Several companies continue to face challenges in recovering from the outage, with Delta Air Lines still experiencing disruptions after canceling or rescheduling numerous flights. This situation has left frustrated passengers stranded. Panicked Parents Delta Air Lines has launched an investigation into reaching the affected children, and the U.S. Department of Transportation is investigating its handling of the matter.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Thousands of devices are now online following global outage, according to CrowdStrike; Microsoft IT also affected

Posted on July 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

An extensive number of the 8.5 million devices affected by the recent global IT outage have been restored online, as reported by the cybersecurity company involved in the incident.

CrowdStrike mentioned that they are currently experimenting with technology to expedite the rebooting process of systems, while experts caution that recovering fully from the IT outage last Friday might take several weeks.

During the incident, numerous flights were canceled, broadcasters went off-air, medical appointments were disrupted, and countless PCs failed to boot after a CrowdStrike software update unintentionally caused devices using the Microsoft Windows OS to malfunction.

CrowdStrike posted updates on social media outlining the progress in resolving the glitch. According to an expert, this incident caused “the biggest IT outage in history.”

The US company stated, “A substantial number of the roughly 8.5 million Windows devices affected are now operational and back online.”

CrowdStrike remains focused on restoring all systems as quickly as possible, and of the approximately 8.5 million affected Windows devices, a significant number are back online and operational.

Working with our customers, we tested new techniques to accelerate the affected areas…

— CrowdStrike (@CrowdStrike) July 21, 2024

CrowdStrike mentioned ongoing tests for new methods to speed up the repair process of impacted systems, aiming to make this technology accessible to businesses and organizations.

Australia’s Home Affairs Minister confirmed that CrowdStrike plans to implement an automated fix similar to Microsoft’s to address this issue in an upcoming update.

Experts cautioned that affected computers might require manual repairs and could face prolonged restoration times since the outage.

Over 1,500 flights were canceled in the US for a third consecutive day, with Delta Airlines in Atlanta particularly struggling, while 45 flights were canceled in the UK on Saturday.

Ed Bastian, the CEO of Delta Air Lines, stated that critical applications within the airline’s IT systems were impacted by the issue. He mentioned that crew tracking-related tools were affected, causing difficulty in managing the high number of changes due to the outage.

Ryanair, Europe’s largest airline, canceled 400 flights over the weekend primarily due to an IT issue.

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NHS England in the UK issued warnings about potential delays as they work on restoring the health service from the outage. They advised patients with appointments to attend unless instructed otherwise.

The British Medical Association mentioned that regular GP services might not resume immediately due to significant IT-related delays.

An NHS spokesperson stated, “The system is back online now, and with the dedicated efforts of NHS staff, we hope to minimize any further disruptions. However, please expect some delays as services are being restored, especially with GPs needing to reschedule appointments.”

Pharmacy services in the UK are anticipated to be slower than usual as the recovery process continues.

Nick Kaye, president of the National Pharmacists Association, urged customers to be patient as local pharmacies work through the backlog of prescriptions caused by the IT outage last week.

Source: www.theguardian.com

The Global Workforce Isn’t Prepared for ‘Digital Workers’ Yet | Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Posted on July 21, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

It’s clear that people are not prepared for the “digital worker” yet.

CEO Sarah Franklin learned this lesson. Lattice is a platform for HR and performance management that offers services like performance coaching, talent reviews, onboarding automation, compensation management, and many other HR tools to over 5,000 organizations globally.

So, what exactly is a Digital Employee? According to Franklin, avatars like engineer Devin, lawyer Harvey, service agent Einstein, and sales agent Piper have “entered the workplace and become colleagues.” However, these are not real employees but AI-powered bots like Cognitive.ai and Eligible performing tasks on behalf of humans.

Salesforce Einstein, for example, helps sales and marketing agents forecast revenue, complete tasks, and connect with prospects. These digital workers like Devin and Piper don’t require health insurance, paid vacation, or retirement plans.

Despite backlash, Franklin announced on July 9th that the company will support digital employees as part of its platform and treat them like human workers.

However, this decision faced criticism on platforms like LinkedIn for treating AI agents as employees. Disagreements arose on how this approach disrespects actual human employees and reduces them to mere “resources” to be measured against machines.

The objections eventually led Franklin to reconsider the company’s plans. The controversy raised legitimate concerns about the inevitability of the “digital employee.”

AI is still in its early stages, evident from the failures of Google and Microsoft’s AI models. While the future may hold potential for digital employees to outperform humans someday, that time is not now.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Sui Ecosystem’s 1st Global Conference, Sui Basecamp, Showcases Games, Stablecoins, and Product Innovation

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Paris, France, April 10, 2024, Chainwire

Sui Basecamp, the first global conference of the Sui ecosystem, opened today in Paris, welcoming developers and entrepreneurs from around the world to celebrate Paris Blockchain Week. Sui Basecamp, his two-day event held at two venues, will feature his Web2 and Web3 speakers spanning industry verticals from payments to gaming to e-commerce to Major League Sports. Celebrating and exploring the latest developments in Web3, this event takes attendees to presentations on cryptography from the world's leading technologists, fireside chats on improving market liquidity, and panel discussions on real-world technology use cases. You will be invited.

Key announcements from the conference include:

Introducing SuiPlay0x1 – A lightweight handheld gaming device designed in collaboration with Playtron. SuiPlay0x1 runs Playtron's device-independent gaming operating system, building compatibility with a variety of hardware configurations, gaming storefronts, and direct download gaming partners. SuiPlay is the first handheld gaming device with native Web3 functionality and is expected to be available in stores worldwide in 2025.
first digital lab launches FDUSD, the fastest growing stablecoin in cryptocurrencies, on Sui, becoming the ecosystem's first native stablecoin. Initially deployed on Ethereum and BNB, there are plans to expand to other blockchains, and Sui will be the first blockchain that FDUSD has expanded to since its creation. FDUSD was established in August 2023 and already has a market capitalization of over $3.5 billion. Last week, FDUSD's trading volume was his fifth highest in the entire industry, with daily trading volume exceeding his $8 billion.
Enoki – Mysten Labs, an original Sui contributor, announced the launch of the Enoki platform, the gateway to next-generation customer experiences. Within the Enoki portal, businesses can access, leverage, and embed public ledger solutions within their applications, products, and services thanks to his SDK that leverages Sui's native functionality, zkLogin. The following partners will be integrating Enoki at launch:
blue fina perpetual DEX with super-fast payments and a seamless trading experience.
dry lifeis a blockchain-powered decentralized ride-hailing platform that aims to empower both drivers and commuters.
quantum templea digital platform for immersive cultural travel.

This is a two-day event starting on Wednesday, April 10th at 9:30am local time and ending on Thursday, April 11th at 4:15pm Central European Time. On Wednesday nights, registered guests are invited to a Sui Soiree. Enjoy a night of cocktails, snacks and dancing, along with performances by Boyz, a German electronic music record producer, songwriter and DJ, His Noise. Learn more about. sui.io/Basecamp.

About Sui—Sui is a first-of-its-kind Layer 1 blockchain and smart contract platform designed from the bottom up to make digital asset ownership fast, private, secure, and accessible to everyone. An object-centric model based on the Move programming language enables parallel execution, sub-second finality, and rich on-chain assets. With horizontally scalable processing and storage, Sui supports a wide range of applications at low cost and unmatched speed. Sui is a step-function advancement in blockchain and a platform that allows creators and developers to build amazing user-friendly experiences. learn more: https://sui.io

About Mysten Labs—Mysten Labs is a team of leading experts in distributed systems, programming languages, and cryptography, and its founders were senior executives and lead architects of pioneering blockchain projects. Mysten Labs' mission is to create the foundational infrastructure for Web3. learn more: https://mystenlabs.com

About First Digital Labs—First Digital Labs is a brand name of FD121 Limited, a Hong Kong registered subsidiary of First Digital Group. First Digital Labs focuses on cutting-edge research and development dedicated to the innovation and advancement of digital assets. First Digital Labs is the issuer of his FDUSD stablecoin. For more information about First Digital Lab, please visit: https://firstdigitallabs.com/.

About Playtron—Playtron builds a lightweight gaming OS optimized for a new generation of powerful handheld gaming PCs and beyond. Play all your games from any store, including Steam, Epic, and GOG. Playtron's founders oversaw an operational systems team of several hundred people to break the existing mobile monopoly while developing Android for a billion users. Playtron is backed by Samsung Next, Polychain, Circle, Mysten Labs, Alumni Ventures, and others. Playtron-powered devices will ship worldwide later this year, ready to join his next 100 million core and casual gamers.

contact

Sui Foundation
media@sui.io

Source: www.the-blockchain.com

First Global Event Celebrates Sui with Over 1,000 Builders, Partners, Investors, and Enthusiasts

Posted on April 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Grand Cayman, Cayman Islands, April 18, 2024, Chainwire

This annual event is the culmination of Sui's extraordinary debut

Last week, more than 1,000 projects, partners, investors and enthusiasts from 65 countries gathered in Paris for the celebration. Sui Proudly at Layer 1's 1st Global Sui Basecamp Conference.

At its first annual event held during Paris Blockchain Week, Sui was welcomed by developers and builders from around the world during the two-day event. Speakers at Sui She Basecamp spanned all aspects of the industry, from payments to gaming, e-commerce to Major League Sports, and provided commentary through keynotes, panel discussions, and fireside chats.

The event was punctuated by three important announcements. In partnership with Playtron, the Sui team announced: SuiPlay0x1 is the world's first lightweight handheld gaming device designed with native Web3 functionality, promising a new gaming experience. Additionally, First Digital Labs joins the announcement that FDUSD, the fastest growing stablecoin in cryptocurrencies, will become Sui's first native dollar-backed stablecoin, adding that it is already the fastest growing stablecoin in the industry. This will be a boon for the DeFi ecosystem. Finally, Sui announced Enoki, his Web3 utility suite that makes it very easy for businesses to leverage distributed solutions within their applications, products, and services.

Sui Basecamp participants from 65 countries had the opportunity to meet each other in person.

“In building Sui, we started with a blank canvas. We aimed to create a great platform for decentralized applications without the structural limitations found in other blockchains.” said Evan Cheng, co-founder and CEO of Mysten Labs, founder of Sui Network. . “Less than a year after we launched Sui's mainnet, the remarkable strength of Sui's performance has validated that approach, from near-unlimited horizontal scalability to industry-leading execution speed; Achieving the highest number of transactions in a single day of any blockchain to date, Sui's performance has been exceptional and the network has only scratched the surface.”

The industry veterans who founded Sai launched their mainnet nearly a year ago with high expectations, and the network has performed extremely well. Rather than replicating an existing network, the Sui team started from scratch to build an entirely new infrastructure layer that addresses the shortcomings of existing blockchains. They started by creating a new smart contract language, Move, and then created a new object-centric architecture that enables performance and functionality not available on existing blockchains. The result is the industry's only blockchain, a universal coordination layer for intelligent assets.

Sai is the industry leader in delivering ultra-fast transactions with recorded finality times of just 400ms. Similarly, Sui's scalability is also at the highest level, reaching 297,000 TPS in a controlled environment. However, the Sui team is constantly improving its technology. At the conference, members of the Sui team announced the next advancements in speed and scalability: Mysticeti, which significantly reduces the time to finalization of Sui, and Pilotfish, which enables nearly unlimited horizontal scaling for validators. .

And beyond its performance in test environments, Sui has broken records for transactions performed in a single day in just four months, higher than any existing blockchain while fees remain low and stable. Achieved. Remarkably, in almost his year on mainnet, Sui has not experienced a single minute of her downtime.

Gradually, after a series of community events around the world, Sui's early notable milestones, sustained ecosystem growth, and builders bypassed other blockchains to leverage the Sui network. A flurry of media articles highlighting the multiple stories of builders, developers, investors, and the broader community began to understand. The potential of Sui's groundbreaking blockchain technology. The crowd that gathered at Sui Basecamp 2024 represented the culmination of Sui's arrival.

“The overwhelming turnout and vibrant enthusiasm of our inaugural Sui Basecamp event reflects the Sui community, which is fascinated by Sui’s potential to improve people’s lives.” Sui Foundation Money said Greg Ciolounis, Managing Director. “Over the coming months, the Sui Foundation will benefit from the ecosystem of projects leveraging Sui and their applications to make Sui one of the most widely adopted blockchains to solve real-world challenges.” With state-of-the-art technology and web3's most dedicated and professional community behind it, Sui's progress to date will continue to grow this network. It gives you a glimpse of what you can accomplish.”

For more information about the event, please visit sui blog.

contact

Sui Foundation
media@sui.io

Source: www.the-blockchain.com

Australian court orders Elon Musk’s X to remove Sydney church stabbing post from global users

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The Federal Court of Australia mandated that Elon Musk’s content be hidden from users.

X, along with Mehta, was instructed by eSafety Commissioner Julie Inman-Grant to promptly remove any material depicting “unreasonable or offensive violence with serious consequences or details” within 24 hours or risk facing fines.

The content in question was a video allegedly showing Bishop Mar Mari Emanuel being stabbed to death during a livestreamed service at the Assyrian Church of the Good Shepherd in Wakely.

Although X claimed compliance with the request, they intended to challenge the order in court.

During a hearing, eSafety barrister Christopher Tran informed Judge Jeffrey Kennett that X had geographically restricted access to the posts containing the video, rendering them inaccessible in Australia but available globally through VPN connections.

Tran argued that this noncompliance with online safety laws necessitated the removal of the content globally as an interim step.

X’s legal representative, Marcus Hoyne, requested an adjournment, citing the late hour in San Francisco where X is based and lack of instructions from his client.

Judge Kennett proposed issuing an interim order until the next hearing, requiring the post’s removal and global access blockage until a specified date and time.

Treasurer Stephen Jones criticized X as a “factory of trolls and misinformation” and affirmed the government’s readiness to combat legal challenges from the company.

The eSafety Commissioner clarified that the notice solely concerned the video footage and not any commentary surrounding the incident.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized the harmful impact of violent content on social media and condemned X for noncompliance with the removal order.

Meta purportedly followed the directive, while X accused the regulator of “global censorship” and announced intentions to challenge the order in court.

Treasurer Jones vowed to challenge X’s stance, emphasizing the need for online platforms to adhere to laws and maintain safety.

Regulators collaborated with various companies, including Google, Microsoft, Snap, and TikTok, to remove the contentious content.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton voiced support for eSafety’s actions and criticized X for considering itself above the law.

Green Party spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young called upon Elon Musk to address the issue in parliament and urged tech companies to act responsibly.

This confrontation is the latest in the ongoing dispute between X and the eSafety Commissioner, which includes legal battles over compliance with safety regulations.

X faced legal action for allegedly bullying a trans man on Twitter, prompting the company to block access to the content in Australia, while filing a lawsuit challenging the decision.

Queries for comments from X remain unanswered.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Tesla experiences decrease in sales following a tumultuous week and global price reductions.

Posted on April 22, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Tesla has reduced prices on three of its five models in the U.S. and globally, including in China and Germany, due to declining sales, a Cybertruck recall, and increasing competition in the electric vehicle market. The price cuts have affected the Model Y, Model X, and Model S, while the Model 3 and Cybertruck prices remain unchanged.

The Model Y now starts at $42,990, the Model S at $72,990, and the Model X at $77,990 following the price reductions. Tesla also slashed the price of its “fully self-driving” software in the U.S. from $12,000 to $8,000.

In China, the starting price of the updated Model 3 was reduced by 14,000 yuan ($1,930) to 231,900 yuan ($32,000). Meanwhile, in Germany, the price of the rear-wheel-drive Model 3 dropped to 40,990 euros ($43,670.75) from 42,990 euros.

The price cuts extend to many other countries in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa, as Tesla tries to boost sales following a decline in global car deliveries in the first quarter of the year.

The series of price reductions come amidst challenges for the company, including a Cybertruck recall due to issues with the gas pedal. This incident has added to Elon Musk’s recent troubles, with Tesla stock dropping and criticism from investors mounting.

Analysts are awaiting the release of the Model 2, a smaller electric car expected to cost around $25,000. Reports of Musk canceling the project have created uncertainty, but he has denied these claims.

Tesla is set to announce its first quarter results soon, with expectations of a significant drop in sales compared to the previous year, marking the first decline in quarterly sales in about four years for the company.

Contributed by Kari Paul report

Source: www.theguardian.com

Global expansion: Meta and Google facing accusations of limiting access to reproductive health information

Posted on March 27, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A recent report accuses Meta and Google of obstructing information about abortion and reproductive health in Africa, Latin America, and Asia.

MSI Reproductive Choices and the Center to Combat Digital Hate claim that while these platforms restrict advertising for local abortion providers, they don’t limit public access to reproductive health care, leading to the spread of damaging misinformation.

Mehta has agreed to review the findings of the report.

MSI, operating in 37 countries, has had ads containing sexual health information rejected or removed by the platforms.

MSI Ghana and Vietnam reported that their ads promoting reproductive health content were removed or flagged as violating community guidelines.

Whitney Chinogwenya, Global Marketing Manager at MSI, expressed concerns about the censorship of reproductive health content on social media platforms like Facebook, which many women rely on for information.

MSI Mexico faced removal of a Facebook post promoting legal abortion services despite the recent decriminalization of abortion in some states.

The report highlighted Meta’s inaction against anti-abortion misinformation and misleading content about abortion procedures.

The report also revealed fake MSI pages on Facebook that exploit the organization’s reputation for various malicious purposes.

MSI clinics in Ghana were targeted by disinformation campaigns on messaging platforms.

MSI Ghana Advocacy stresses the importance of fact-checking systems on digital platforms to promote accurate reproductive health information.

The report, compiled from interviews and evidence from MSI teams in several countries, aims to raise awareness among digital platforms about their responsibilities.

Meta and Google responded to the report’s allegations, with Meta emphasizing its policies against false information and Google denying any inconsistent enforcement on its platforms.

Both companies stated their commitment to ensuring accurate and compliant advertising on their platforms.

Source: www.theguardian.com

‘Climate Crisis: Record-breaking Global Warming in 2023’

Posted on March 19, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Marine heat waves will occur around the world in 2023

Matt Cardy/Getty

According to the latest statistics from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), 2023 was not only the hottest year on record, but also other signs of global warming, including rising sea levels, ocean heating, loss of Antarctic sea ice, and receding glaciers. Many important indicators also broke records. Part of the Global Climate Report.

“We have never been this close to reaching the 1.5°C lower limit of the Paris Climate Agreement, even if it is temporary at the moment,” WMO Secretary-General Celeste Sauro said in a press release. “The WMO community is sounding an emergency alert to the world.”

A range of glaciers around the world, which are monitored to show what's happening to all glaciers, have seen the biggest ice loss since records began in 1950, according to preliminary data. The most extreme melting was in Europe and western North America.

Since satellite monitoring began in 1993, the rate of sea level rise has more than doubled. The global average sea level rise rate from 2014 to 2023 was more than twice the rate from 1993 to 2002.

This is due not only to the melting of glaciers and ice sheets, but also to the thermal expansion of the oceans as temperatures rise. The ocean-wide heat content will reach a new high in 2023, and the rate of warming has increased over the past two decades.

On average, on any given day in 2023, almost a third of the world's oceans were affected by a marine heatwave. More than 90% experienced heat wave conditions throughout the year.

At the end of 2023, an extreme marine heatwave occurred across the North Atlantic, with water temperatures 3 degrees Celsius above average. Recent studies show that ocean heatwaves are causing major changes in ecosystems, and thousands of whales may have starved to death.

Antarctic sea ice extent is the lowest on record, with the southern hemisphere's maximum area at the end of winter being 1 million square kilometers below the previous record minimum. Its area is larger than France and Germany combined.

Heat waves, floods, droughts, wildfires and tropical cyclones, exacerbated by global warming, have also affected millions of lives and caused economic losses amounting to billions of dollars, according to a WMO report. That's what it means.

For example, Hurricane Otis strengthened from a tropical storm to a Category 5 hurricane in less than a day. According to reports, more than 50 people were killed in Mexico and up to $16 billion in damage was caused. US National Hurricane Center Report.

Overall, 2023 was the warmest year on record, with global average surface temperatures 1.45 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial baseline, the WMO report confirms.

So far, 2024 has been even hotter than 2023, with January and February setting new records, according to the EU's Copernicus climate monitoring service.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Ex-Crypto Director Restricted from Australia Following Collapse of Blockchain Global and Debt of $58 Million

Posted on February 29, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

A former director of Blockchain Global, an Australian cryptocurrency company that went bankrupt and owed creditors $58 million, has been banned from leaving the country.

The Australian Securities and Investments Commission secured an interim travel ban in the Federal Court on February 20, claiming director Liang “Alan” Guo was a flight risk.

Mr. Guo, a Chinese national, was ordered to hand over his passport to the court.

The hearing was held in Guo’s absence, so he did not have an opportunity to respond immediately to the verdict.

Mr Guo, along with fellow directors Sam Lee and Ryan Hsu, were referred to ASIC by the liquidator for alleged breaches of company law. ASIC is investigating the allegations.

Mr Lee and Mr Xu were also involved in a cryptocurrency investment scheme known as HyperVerse, which was the subject of a Guardian Australia investigation and which defrauded investors around the world of US$1.89 billion. It is said that Guo is not believed to be involved in the HyperVerse project.

Mr Lee, who currently lives in Dubai, is facing charges in the US for his involvement in the Hyperverse scheme, which the US Securities and Exchange Commission has described as a “pyramid scheme and pyramid scheme”. He has not responded to the charges.

In a Federal Court judgment released on Wednesday, Mr Justice Button said the charges against Mr Guo were “very serious” and agreed to ban him from leaving Australia until August 20.

These included allegations of transferring investor funds for personal gain.

“ASIC also revealed that while Mr. Guo was a director, he transferred $2.6 million from the bank account where investor funds were held, with some of the money being applied to his personal mortgage account and personal bank account. “It was also pointed out,” the judgment said.

“ASIC also revealed that Mr. Guo held 23.11 Bitcoins, said to be worth approximately $1.8 million, owned by Blockchain Global and transferred them to a virtual currency wallet controlled by Mr. Guo on December 8, 2019. He also mentioned that he had done so.”

ASIC said Mr Guo was “the only person left in Australia closely involved in Blockchain Global’s operations” given that Blockchain Global’s other directors left Australia shortly after the bankruptcy. He claimed that there was.

“ASIC anticipates that the interviews and interrogations of Mr. Guo will be critical to the progress of the investigation, and as a result, we anticipate that brief evidence may be forwarded to the Director of Federal Public Prosecutions.'' the judgment stated.

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According to the ruling, ASIC expects it will take 12 months to investigate and submit a summary of the evidence to the DPP.

Among his reasons, Mr Button commented on apparent delays in the investigation into ASIC, which was launched on January 16 following Guardian Australia’s investigation into HyperVerse.

“It is not clear why an investigation was initiated when Blockchain Global failed. Nevertheless, the investigation, although in its early stages, is progressing steadily.”

ASIC said in a statement that it applied for the travel restriction order “out of concern that Mr. Guo may leave the country while the investigation continues.”

“As the hearing took place in Mr. Guo’s absence, Mr. Guo has not yet had the opportunity to respond to ASIC’s application or the basis on which ASIC asserts that the order is necessary.”

Mr Guo has so far not responded to Guardian Australia’s questions about the allegations against him in the liquidator’s report submitted to ASIC.

He has been asked to comment on the travel ban.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Global Coalition Formed by the US to Combat Foreign Government Disinformation and Cyber Warfare

Posted on February 26, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

The US special envoy addressing the issue announced the formation of a global coalition of democracies to defend against disinformation campaigns by foreign governments.

James Rubin, special envoy for combating non-state propaganda and disinformation at the US Department of State’s Global Engagement Center (GEC), mentioned that the coalition aims to establish a clear understanding of information operations and the rights of other governments. He also highlighted the importance of reaching a consensus on defining common opinion even in moments of disagreement.

The US, UK, and Canada have already signed a formal framework agreement, and there are expectations of more countries joining the coalition. The GEC primarily focuses on countering disinformation campaigns by foreign powers and has been working towards developing a global strategy while uncovering covert disinformation operations, like Russia’s activities in Africa discrediting US health services.

A framework signed between the United States, United Kingdom, and Canada aims to counter foreign manipulation of states by addressing disinformation as a national security threat, requiring a coordinated response from governments and civil society. This emphasizes the need for a collective approach to enhance resilience and response to foreign intelligence threats through information sharing and collaborative data analysis tools.

James Rubin, a seasoned US government official and journalist, serving as a special envoy, acknowledged the complexity of the issue of disinformation and its intellectual challenges. He emphasized the importance of distinguishing between hostile opinion and disinformation to determine the appropriate government interventions.

James Rubin wants to promote more fact-based information. Photo: Tayfun Salcı/ZUMA Press Wire/REX/Shutterstock

He emphasized the need for fact-based information promotion while also finding ways to label information operations originating from foreign governments like China and Russia. He stressed the importance of identifying the sources of covert disinformation without censoring thoughts or opinions.

This challenging issue raises questions about the dynamics between the government and social media companies, particularly in countries like the United States with constitutional guarantees of free speech. In contrast, the European Union has taken more interventionist measures with laws regulating digital services and social media content.

Rubin underscored that it is essential to expose foreign disinformation operations without dictating social media companies’ behavior. He advocated for the enforcement of terms of service by these platforms in combatting disinformation efforts.

Addressing the asymmetry in information space access, Rubin highlighted the challenges posed by closed-off information environments of countries like Russia and China.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Using underwater sounds to help coral reefs fight global warming

Posted on February 23, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

2023 was the hottest year ever recorded on Earth. This included oceans around the world, where records fell like dominoes. Last week, about 5,000 scientists gathered in New Orleans for the American Geophysical Union’s biennial marine science conference. Environmental reporter James Dineen was there to take the temperatures of researchers who have been observing changes occurring in the ocean. You can listen to his segment around 05:00 in the embedded player or read the transcript below.

transcript

James Dineen: There was one thing on everyone’s mind at the world’s largest gathering of marine scientists. It’s heat.

England: “Warming over the past few decades, especially in 2023, is sweeping the sector.”

James: Matthew England is an oceanographer at the University of New South Wales in Australia. He was one of thousands of marine scientists who gathered in New Orleans to discuss the latest research on what’s happening in the ocean.

There will be presentations on everything from new species of octopus to robot flying fish. However, rising temperatures are gaining attention.

England: “The burning of fossil fuels, the emission of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, we know that it is trapped heat, and we know that more than 90 per cent of it escapes into the ocean. I know.”

Last year’s average sea surface temperature broke previous records, rising about 0.2 degrees Celsius above 2022 levels. The amount of heat in the ocean at a depth of 2,000 meters also broke a new record. Then, an abnormal marine heat wave occurred from the Atlantic Ocean to the Sea of Japan.

England: “This was the first year on record where it was difficult to find waters that were not warmer than average.”

Researchers here are working to understand the causes and consequences of that fever.

Let’s consider the mystery of the extent of sea ice in Antarctica. It was surprisingly strong until 2016, but it declined sharply that year. The record low was set again in 2022, but then again in 2023 when the Antarctic winter ice did not recover.

But perhaps the most obvious victim of 2023 temperatures was coral reefs. Large areas of coral, especially around the Florida Keys in the Gulf of Mexico, bleached and died.

Ian Enox of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration studies coral reefs in the Keys. He says seeing so many corals die was a painful experience, but it only drove home the urgency for action.

Enoch: “Some people will see this and feel downtrodden. And I’ve seen people come together and be motivated to actually do something meaningful and be able to confront this issue head on. I’ve seen the exact opposite situation.”

Amy Aprile of Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts is working on different approaches to restoring coral ecosystems. There are many ideas. But one of her new approaches her team is working on is underwater use. sound.

Apryl: Sound is a basic signal used by coral reef organisms. We understand that it is part of their communication strategy and what they rely on to create a healthy environment. ”

In tests on coral reefs in the Virgin Islands, researchers found that broadcasting underwater recordings of healthy coral reef ecosystems increased the rate at which coral larvae attached to the reef. This could help make coral restoration more effective in the face of rising temperatures.

Apryl: This year has been unprecedented. But the thing that sticks with me and keeps me optimistic is that we’re just getting started and we’re just scratching the surface in putting these solutions into action.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

January Breaks Record as Hottest Month; Global Temperature Surpasses 1.7°C Rise

Posted on February 8, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Devastating wildfires break out in Chile following January's heat wave and drought

Javier Torres/AFP via Getty Images

Temperature records continue. According to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Agency, January this year was the hottest on record, with temperatures 1.7 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial average.

This means there were 12 months in which the Earth's average surface temperature was more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above the average between 1850 and 1900, the pre-industrial reference point.

“2024 begins with another record month,” Samantha Burgess of the Copernicus Climate Change Service said in a statement. She said: “Rapid reductions in greenhouse gas emissions are the only way to stop global temperatures from rising.”

At the 2015 Paris Climate Conference, countries pledged to work to prevent global temperatures from rising more than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. Climate scientists will not consider this limit to have been breached until the Earth's long-term average temperature exceeds this level for many years.

The long-term average is now 1.25°C warmer than before the industrial revolution. Richard Betts At the Met Office, the UK's National Weather Service. However, carbon emissions are still increasing, and by this standard it seems certain that the 1.5°C limit will be breached soon, perhaps around 2030.

Long-term global averages are rising in line with climate model predictions. However, the extremely rapid warming over the past year or two has far exceeded expectations. Among other records, in 2023 he recorded for the first time a day warmer by 2 degrees Celsius than the average from 1850 to 1900.

It remains unclear why there has been such rapid warming over the past year or so, and how long it will continue. Factors that may have accelerated warming include the 2022 eruption of Tonga Volcano, which pumped large amounts of water into the stratosphere, and reduced aerosol pollution from ships.

For practical reasons, climate scientists have defined pre-industrial temperatures as the average from 1850 to 1900, since there are few records of temperatures before then. However, using this as a baseline could mean that the level of warming due to fossil fuel emissions is being underestimated.

One 2017 survey This indicates an error of approximately 0.2°C. Another announcement this week put the difference at 0.5°C, based on analysis of sponges, meaning we have already breached the 1.5°C limit, but other climate scientists They are not satisfied with this.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Possible Vast Global Ocean Discovered Beneath Ice on Saturn’s Moon Mimas

Posted on February 7, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Mimas photographed by NASA's Cassini spacecraft

NASA/JPL-California Institute of Technology/Space Science I

Saturn's moon Mimas appears to have a vast global ocean beneath its icy shell, according to detailed measurements of its orbit. If other icy worlds have similar oceans, the number of planets that can support life could increase.

Mimas is the smallest of Saturn's seven major moons. For a long time, it was thought that most of it was composed of solid ice and rock, but in 2014 astronomers observed that the orbit around Saturn was unexpectedly wobbling, suggesting that this could only be explained by either a rugby ball-shaped nucleus or a liquid ocean.

Many astronomers rejected the ocean explanation, as the friction required to melt the ice would have caused visible marks on Mimas's surface. However, recent simulations suggest that this ocean may exist even without such traces.

Looking for more clues? Valerie Rainey Researchers from France's Paris Observatory analyzed observations of Mimas' orbit by NASA's Cassini spacecraft. They found that the orbit around Saturn has shifted by about 10 kilometers over 13 years.

According to the team's calculations, this orbital drift could only have been caused by an ice shell sliding over the ocean, or by wobbles from the physically impossible pancake-shaped core.

The moon's elliptical orbit and lack of surface markings also suggest that the ocean is about 30 kilometers deep and formed less than 25 million years ago. “It was very recent,” Rainey says. “We are more or less witnessing the birth of this global ocean.”

This recent activity could help explain not only the lack of traces on the surface, but also why the moon is so different from its neighbors. Enceladus has a similar shape and orbit to Mimas, and has a global ocean, but it also has a very active surface and giant spout. Rainey said the difference is simply a difference in time, and in a few million years Mimas' ice could melt and it could look similar to Enceladus.

“It would be surprising if that were true,” he says. William McKinnon at Washington University in St. Louis, Missouri. But he says there are still things that aren't perfectly aligned, such as the vast 80-mile-wide Herschel crater, which was formed by a giant impact. If Mimas' ice shell was truly only tens of kilometers deep, McKinnon said, we would have seen evidence of a distorted crater floor in the impact and aftermath. It's also unlikely, he says, that you'll be able to get a front-row seat at such a short and unique time in Mimas' long history. “I remain a Mimas ocean skeptic,” McKinnon says.

However, if Mimas has a hidden ocean, it suggests that other icy planets and moons in the solar system and elsewhere may have the same, expanding the possibility of life. “It's expanding our vision of what is and isn't a habitable world,” Rainey says. “Mimas teaches us that even a corpse that seems to have no life in it may someday come to life.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

It is possible that global temperatures surpassed 1.5°C of warming a decade ago.

Posted on February 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Activists participating in COP28 climate change conference to be held in Dubai in December 2023

Sean Gallup/Getty Images

The 1.5°C limit was exceeded in 2010 or 2011, and the world is already 1.8°C warmer than it was before the industrial revolution, according to researchers using sponges to find out how seawater and air temperatures in the Caribbean have changed through 2018. The researchers who investigated this claim. Past 300 years.

“The increase in Earth's average surface temperature was 0.5 degrees Celsius greater than currently accepted estimates.” Malcolm McCulloch at the University of Western Australia. “What our research shows is that global warming scenarios are 10 years away, or even further.”

But other climate scientists argue that data from a single region is not a reliable way to understand past global temperatures.

The 2015 Paris Agreement called on countries to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels, but it did not define exactly what this meant. So climate scientists compiling the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report defined it as the average temperature from 1850 to 1900.

By this time, the Earth had already begun to warm as a result of emissions from burning fossil fuels. However, because there were few temperature measurements before 1850, there is great uncertainty about how much warming was caused by fossil fuels during the early industrial era. Therefore, choosing 1850–1900 as the baseline was pragmatic.

But McCulloch and his colleagues think they have discovered exactly what fossil fuel-induced warming was early on after analyzing samples of very long-lived sponges (Ceratoporella nicolsoni) forms a calcium carbonate skeleton.

The 10-centimeter-wide corpora cavernosa could be about 400 years old, team members say amos winter at Indiana State University. “These sponges grow very slowly.”

The sponges were collected by divers at depths of 33 to 91 meters off the coast of Puerto Rico. Although the original goal was to study the ocean's pH in the past, the researchers also measured the ratio of strontium to calcium, which varied with water temperature when calcium carbonate was formed.

Researchers noticed a close correlation between temperatures “recorded” by sponges and the average surface temperature of the Earth measured by instruments, especially after 1960, when measurements became more reliable. That means there is.

“This is kind of a serendipitous discovery, but the connection is very strong,” McCulloch says. “They are changing proportionately to the world average. The main differences occur when instrumental records are the poorest.”

The researchers therefore calculated the average global temperature before the industrial revolution back to 1,700 degrees Celsius, assuming that the sponges accurately reflected this.

The researchers believe their study should be taken into account when assessing whether the IPCC has exceeded the 1.5°C limit. “The bottom line is yes, the IPCC should take this issue seriously,” McCulloch said.

He also thinks climate modelers need to take the findings into account. If previous carbon emissions are causing more warming than thought, the impact of further emissions may be underestimated, he says.

But other climate scientists are far from convinced. “In my view, it would be imprudent to claim that an instrumental record is wrong based on paleocavernoids from one region of the world,” he says. michael man at the University of Pennsylvania. “That doesn't make sense to me. That said, our own early research supports the idea that there was at least another 0.2 degrees Celsius of warming by the late 19th century.”

In fact, anthropogenic warming may have started thousands of years ago. According to the early Anthropocene hypothesis proposed by William Ruddiman The University of Virginia announced that the first farmers' clearing of forests and creation of rice paddies produced enough carbon dioxide and methane to stop the planet from cooling and entering a new ice age.

Recent studies by other researchers have provided increasing evidence to support this hypothesis, but it is still far from being widely accepted.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Global Shark Attack Deaths Expected to Double by 2023

Posted on February 5, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Bull sharks live in shallow waters and occasionally attack humans.

Leonardo Gonzalez/Shutterstock

Shark bites and deaths will increase globally in 2023, with Australia recording the highest number of deaths, with surfers being the biggest victims.

The University of Florida's International Shark Attack File (ISAF) investigated 120 “alleged shark-human interactions” around the world in 2023. These included nine “boat bites” and injuries at public aquariums.

Of the 120 incidents that occurred around the world, 69 were confirmed to be unprovoked bites of humans when the shark was in shark habitat and unprovoked. This number was up from his 57 cases in 2002.

A further 22 attacks were triggered, defined as “a human initiating an interaction with a shark in any way.” These include scenes of people feeding sharks, touching sharks, and attempting to free sharks from fishing nets. The rest were either scavenged bodies or their circumstances were not confirmed.

Globally, 10 people will die from unprovoked shark attacks in 2023, double the number in 2022. 42% of shark bite victims worldwide were surfers and 39% were swimmers.

Four of the deaths occurred in Australia, three of which were attributed to great white sharks (carcharodon carcharius) attack the surfer.

gavin naylor Researchers at the University of Florida said the number of unprovoked bites around the world is in line with the average for the past five years. “But the rise in the number of unwarranted deaths is a bit worrying, especially in Australia,” he says. “We will continue to monitor incidents related to nearby surfing spots.” [great] A collection of great white sharks. ”

The report comes a week after a woman was seriously injured when a bull shark bit her on the leg while swimming in one of Sydney Harbour's busiest areas at dusk.Porgy whale).

phoebe meagher Sydney's Taronga Zoo helps manage Australia's shark incident database and works closely with researchers in Florida.

He said on average over the life of the database, which goes back to 1791, Australia recorded just one death a year, a significant increase of four deaths in 2023. .

The last time Australia had no deaths was in 2019, but Meagher doesn't think the trend has changed significantly. “An increase in deaths does not mean an increase in bites,” she says.

She attributes the rise in deaths in 2023 to bad luck, with deaths more likely if attacks occur far from the coast or far from hospitals, for example. .

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Seabed trawling is a significant contributor to global CO2 emissions

Posted on January 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

In bottom trawling, a weighted net is dragged across the ocean floor.

NarisaFotoSS/Shutterstock

Bottom trawling releases about 340 million tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere each year, according to the first study to estimate these emissions. This represents almost 1% of the world's CO2 emissions, but is a major contribution that has been overlooked until now.

Trawling involves dragging a weighted net across the ocean floor to capture bottom-dwelling fish, crustaceans, and shellfish. Although this method of fishing is widely used around the world, it is controversial because the fishing gear damages undersea environments such as cold-water reefs. Some corals are thousands of years old.

“Trawling is a highly destructive fishing method as the nets and weights dragged along the bottom destroy marine habitat, which can take years to rebuild and recover.” he says. Micah Peck from the University of Sussex, UK, was not involved in the study.

It also stirs up sediment, releasing the oxygen needed by microorganisms to break down organic matter into carbon dioxide. Otherwise, these deposits could continue to accumulate for thousands of years, with the organic matter within them preserved by low-oxygen conditions. This means that carbon is effectively trapped.

In 2021, trisha atwood Researchers at Utah State University in Logan combined a study that looked at the amount of carbon dioxide released during trawling with data on the global scale of trawling. global fishing watch.The team concluded that released in large quantities into the seawater.

But the big unanswered question was how much of the CO2 released from the sediments would be emitted into the atmosphere.

“A lot of countries and different institutions started contacting us about that research,” Atwood says. “But they basically said, as long as it just stays in the ocean, we don't really care.”

So the team teamed up with researchers who had developed computer models of ocean circulation. According to these models, about 55 percent of the CO2 released into the water by trawling will be released into the atmosphere after nine years.

“I was surprised that more than half of them came out,” Atwood said. “And it shows up very quickly.”

According to the global carbon budget, the total amount of CO is₂ emissions from human activities Increased to 40.9 billion tons Therefore, if the team's estimates are correct, trawling accounts for about 0.8 percent of global emissions. Air and maritime transport: 2.8%.

Conservationists say the discovery strengthens the case for reducing trawling. “Many marine habitats are trawled at least once a year, resuspending sediment and releasing carbon into the atmosphere,” Peck said. “Banning destructive fishing practices is key to the future of healthy marine ecosystems and the marine ecosystems that depend on them.”

“Measures to reduce the carbon impact of trawling gear are urgently needed, but they must be done as part of a just transition,” said Gareth Cunningham. marine conservation association, is calling for a ban on trawling in so-called marine reserves around the UK. “There is no one-size-fits-all model and solutions will vary by location.”

However, not all researchers are satisfied with this number. “I'm very skeptical of their estimates,” he says. Jan Gerd Hiddink At Bangor University, UK.

Hiddink believes that much of the carbon that reaches the ocean floor is in forms that are difficult to decompose, such as bones, and that carbon is not released even when sediments are disturbed.Atwood's team is probably overestimate emissions Up to 1000x, he claims.

Atwood said this estimate is based on actual measurements. “We conducted a study to measure the amount of carbon dioxide emitted from the ocean floor in areas where trawling takes place,” she says.

She says that the amount of carbon dioxide emitted could be more or less than these studies suggest, although there is a lot of uncertainty because so few such studies have been done. says.

Mr Atwood says the government needs to start calculating the carbon footprint of trawling. “This allows us to decide whether emissions should be regulated,” she says.

What is clear is that Global Fishing Watch's trawling data is based on boats sending automatic signals to satellites, and many trawlers do not have such systems, so the extent of trawling remains under-studied. That means it's bigger than expected.

“We know that we underestimate the global scale and perhaps the intensity of trawling,” Atwood says.

The trawling industry also has an opportunity to sell carbon credits in exchange for reduced emissions, she says. “If you were to put a price on it in today's independent market, it's a $100 million market.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

The global gender gap in life expectancy is closing.

Posted on January 18, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

Over the past few decades, both men and women have benefited from improvements in medical care.

ZUMA Press, Inc./Alamy

Women have historically lived longer than men, but due to lifestyle changes, men may be gradually catching up.

Worldwide, The average human lifespan has increased Over the past century, this trend is expected to continue as countries become richer.Despite this increase, disparities remain persistent. Between the average lifespan of men and women.

You can learn more about david atance del olmo Researchers from the University of Alcalá in Spain analyzed mortality data from 194 countries from 1990 to 2010. These countries can generally be classified into five groups according to longevity trends.

The group with the highest life expectancy consisted of countries with the highest incomes, including Australia, Japan, the United States, the United Kingdom, and the rest of Western Europe. Rwanda and Uganda were the only groups with the lowest life expectancy.

Comparing the average life expectancy of men and women in these countries, men in Rwanda and Uganda experienced the largest increase in life expectancy, from just 30.85 years in 1990 to 45.22 years, an increase of 14.37 years in 2010. became. Life expectancy for women in these countries increased by just 0.94 years from 50.37 years to 51.31 years during this period.

Among the group with the longest life expectancy, the average life expectancy in 1990 was 4.84 years, favoring women. This decreased slightly to 4.77 years for her in 2010, but researchers predict that the gap will narrow further, reaching 3.4 years for him by 2030.

The researchers observed the same trends for three other groups of countries.

Although the researchers only looked at data through 2010, they expect similar trends to continue into the present. However, they acknowledge that COVID-19 may have had an impact on human life expectancy, particularly for men.

In recent decades, both men and women have benefited from medical advances and increased awareness of diseases such as AIDS, Del Olmo said. Smoking and alcohol-related deaths, which particularly affect men, were also down, which may have contributed to narrowing the gap in life expectancy between men and women, he said.

“This study is consistent with epidemiological trends that suggest global life expectancy is increasing and gender disparities are narrowing over time,” he says. Brandon Yang at the University of California, San Francisco.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Indian teenager creates ground-breaking device with potential to revolutionize dementia care on a global scale

Posted on January 16, 2024 by Igor Mitreski

IDuring the blissful summer that Hemesh Chadarabada spent with his grandmother in 2018, they watched endless movies and ate her grandmother's chicken biryani. Late one evening, while Chadaravada, then 12, was sitting alone in front of the television, Jayasree got up in her nightgown and went to her home in Guntur, southern India, to make her a cup of tea. Ta.

After returning to her bedroom, Chadarabada went into the kitchen and noticed that her grandmother, then 63, had left the gas on.

“She was recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, and I was still in shock. What would have happened if I hadn't been there?” Chadaravada says.

Chadarabada shows her grandmother the prototype of the device. Photo: Handout

Chadaravada knows that Jayasree is not only a loving grandmother but also a dynamic and successful woman with a high-profile career as a civil servant who interacted with Telangana's top politicians and policy makers. Ta.

But Alzheimer's disease changed her forever. “She would wake up at 3 or 4 in the morning and she would go outside thinking she was on the train,” he says.

During that happy summer, Chadarabada, a self-confessed geek from Hyderabad who loves robotics, decided he wanted to invent a device to help people like his grandmother.

Now 17 years old, Chadarabada is ready to start building a device to detect falls and wandering in Alzheimer's patients, something that is not possible with currently available devices.

Light and compact, Alpha Monitor can be worn as a badge or armband and sounds an alarm when the wearer begins to move, alerting caregivers if the patient falls or wanders.

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Most similar devices work over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth, so if a person moves outside of the frequency's restricted range, they lose connectivity and, with it, monitoring. However, Alpha Monitor Lolait uses.

Chadarabada taught himself by watching YouTube videos about robotics and electronics and developed 20 prototypes.

Understanding the needs of Alzheimer's disease (Alzheimer's disease in India) patients Estimated 8.8 million people), spent time at a day center run by the Alzheimer's Disease Related Disorders Association of India.

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Front airbags have saved more than 50,000 lives in America over 30 years.file photo

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