Tag Archives: historic

Historic High Seas Treaty Now in Effect: First-Ever Protection for Ocean Waters

Posted on by
Reply

Antarctic Trawler

Shutterstock

A groundbreaking treaty aimed at protecting the high seas has officially entered into force, marking a significant moment in marine conservation.

The vast expanses of the high seas, beyond a country’s 370-kilometre exclusive economic zone, are often referred to as the “Wild West” of the oceans. This region is notorious for its minimal regulations on fishing, making it a vital area that remains largely unexplored. According to recent studies, this deep-sea environment is inhabited by diverse marine organisms, with up to 95% of the habitat being vital to marine life.

In September 2025, over 60 countries ratified the UN Convention on the Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biodiversity in the open ocean, which encompasses half of our planet’s surface. This historic agreement has initiated a 120-day countdown to its official implementation.

“This is one of the most important environmental agreements ever,” states Matt Frost from the Plymouth Marine Laboratory in the UK. “There was no established mechanism for creating protected marine areas on the high seas prior to this treaty.”

World-renowned marine biologist Sylvia Earle calls this treaty a ‘turning point’ in safeguarding ‘Earth’s blue heart’, which plays a crucial role in regulating climate and sustaining life.

A year remains before nations can establish protected areas under the treaty, as regulations and monitoring systems need to be finalized at the inaugural meeting of the parties in late 2026.

“This moment demonstrates that global cooperation is feasible,” says Earle. “Now we must act decisively.”

In the Atlantic, conservationists aim to safeguard unique ecosystems such as the “lost cities” formed by the seaweed mats of the Sargasso Sea, a crucial breeding ground for American and European eels, alongside the remarkable hydrothermal vent communities. Meanwhile, the Pacific Ocean conservation efforts target the Salas y Gomez and Nazca ridges, underwater mountains that serve as habitats for diverse marine species including whales, sharks, and turtles.

The treaty also envisions a shared repository for genetic resources discovered in the high seas, which could facilitate breakthroughs in medicinal research.

As maritime technology advances, fleets of factory ships are exploiting the high seas, leading to the overfishing of species and habitat destruction. This escalation threatens crucial biodiversity zones. Bottom trawling, in particular, causes severe damage to the ocean floor. Emerging techniques are being developed to fish in the “twilight zone” of mid-depth waters, between 200 and 1,000 meters, further complicating conservation efforts.

Local management organizations have noted that for two decades, there has been a call for a treaty to mitigate the overfishing of 56% of targeted fish stocks in international waters, as highlighted in recent studies.

Support for protective measures stems from the fact that 90% of marine protected areas in national waters are actively being preserved, positively influencing nearby fish populations by providing safe environments for spawning and growth.

Additionally, the 30 by 30 commitment aims to safeguard 30% of the Earth’s surface by 2030, making it essential to address the high seas for its successful realization.

Oceans currently absorb approximately 90% of the excess heat resulting from climate change. By shielding these critical areas from fishing and associated pollution, marine ecosystems can better adapt to rising temperatures.

“If you’re battling multiple afflictions, alleviating two can empower you to confront the remaining issues,” Frost asserts.

Moreover, marine ecosystems are responsible for absorbing a quarter of the CO2 emissions that contribute to climate change. Coastal environments like seagrass meadows and kelp forests are crucial carbon sinks, and activities such as the nocturnal feeding patterns of mesopelagic fish and plankton play a role in the carbon cycle.

“These species transport carbon from surface waters to deeper ocean layers, significantly influencing the carbon dynamics,” explains Callum Roberts from the Convex Seascape Survey, a global research initiative focusing on the ocean’s impact on climate change.

The treaty’s initial challenge involves identifying appropriate areas for protection, especially as species migrate in response to shifting ocean temperatures. Only 27% of the ocean floor has been thoroughly mapped.

Enforcement will also be a formidable challenge. Current marine protected areas in national waters include a significant number of “paper parks” that offer little actual protection for species.

Advancements in satellite imagery and AI technology have made it feasible to monitor vessels and detect unlawful activities. Nonetheless, enforcement will rely on member states to act against flagrant violations, including barring offending ships from their ports.

While 145 countries have signed the treaty, it is only enforceable for those that ratify it. Currently, 83 nations have adopted the treaty, with the UK, US, Canada, and Australia yet to follow suit.

“The more nations that ratify this treaty, the stronger it becomes,” says Sarah Bedorf from Oceana. “We all share the responsibility of protecting the high seas, which ultimately benefits everyone.”

Topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Historic Discovery: Oldest Supernova in History Illuminates Earliest Star

Posted on by
Reply

James Webb Space Telescope image of SN Eos supernova

Image of SN Eos supernova taken by the James Webb Space Telescope

Astronomers have identified a colossal star’s explosion shortly after the universe emerged from the Cosmic Dark Ages, offering insights into the birth and demise of the first stars.

When a star exhausts its fuel, it explodes in a spectacular event known as a supernova. While nearby supernovae are exceedingly bright, the light from ancient explosions takes billions of years to reach Earth, fading into invisibility by the time it arrives.

This is why astronomers typically detect distant supernovae only during exceptional circumstances, such as Type Ic supernovae, which are the remnants of stars stripped of their outer gas and producing intense gamma-ray bursts. However, the more common Type II supernova, the predominant explosion observed in our galaxy, occurs when a massive star depletes its fuel but remains too faint for casual observation.

Notably, David Coulter, a professor at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, and his team utilized the James Webb Space Telescope to discover a Type II supernova named SN Eos, dating back to when the universe was only 1 billion years old.

Fortunately, the supernova’s explosion took place behind a vast galaxy cluster, whose potent gravity amplified the light, rendering SN Eos dozens of times brighter than it would typically appear, facilitating detailed studies.


Researchers meticulously analyzed the light spectrum from SN Eos, confirming it as the oldest supernova detected via spectroscopy. Their findings denote it as a Type II supernova, attesting to its origins from a massive star.

Additionally, evidence suggests that the progenitor star contained remarkably low quantities of elements beyond hydrogen and helium—less than 10% of the elemental abundance present in the Sun. This aligns with theories about the early universe, where multiple stellar generations hadn’t existed long enough to create heavier elements.

“This allows us to quickly identify the type of stellar population in that region. [This star] exploded,” stated Or Graul from the University of Portsmouth, UK. “Massive stars tend to explode shortly after their formation. In cosmological terms, a million years is a brief interval, making them indicators of ongoing star formation within their respective galaxies.”

Light from such vast distances is typically emitted by small galaxies, allowing astronomers to infer the average characteristics of the stars within these galaxies. However, studying individual stars at these distances tends to be unfeasible. As noted by Matt Nicholl of Queen’s University, Belfast, UK, “This discovery provides us with exquisite data on an individual star. [Distance] has kept us from observing an isolated supernova here, but the data confirms this star’s uniqueness compared to others in the local universe.”

This observation occurred just a few hundred million years following the Era of Reionization, a pivotal period in the universe’s history. During this time, light from the inaugural stars began ionizing neutral hydrogen gas, transitioning it into translucent ionized hydrogen. This relates to SN Eos, as it serves as a supernova from a time we would expect to see.

“This discovery closely coincides with the reionization era when the universe emerged from darkness, permitting photons to travel freely once more and allowing us to observe,” said Graul.

Topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

2026: NASA Astronauts Poised for Historic Return to Lunar Orbit

Posted on by
Reply

According to NASA’s ambitious timeline, 2026 marks the exciting return of astronauts to the moon.

In just a few months, four astronauts will embark on a groundbreaking 10-day lunar mission. This will be the closest humans have ventured toward the moon in over half a century.

The historic flight, dubbed Artemis II, is slated to launch as early as February, signaling a much-anticipated revival of America’s lunar exploration efforts. This mission will serve as a critical test for NASA’s state-of-the-art Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft, both of which have faced numerous delays and budget challenges over the past decade.

Reestablishing a presence on the moon has been a key objective during President Trump’s first term, and the current administration is intensifying its focus on the escalating space race with China, which aims to land its astronauts on the moon by 2030.

Beyond its geopolitical significance, Artemis II represents a pivotal step in space exploration. The mission aims to lay the groundwork for a sustainable lunar base before advancing human exploration to Mars.

“In the next three years, we’ll land American astronauts on the moon again, but this time we’ll build the necessary infrastructure for their extended stay,” stated new NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman in a recent NBC News interview.

For many scientists, the excitement surrounding the moon’s return lies in the chance to uncover long-standing mysteries related to its formation and evolution—topics that were the focus of the Apollo missions in the 1960s and 1970s.

“Moon scientists have had a plethora of questions over the decades,” says Brett Denebi, a planetary scientist at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Laurel, Maryland.

Addressing these questions may provide crucial insights into the processes that shaped Earth, according to Dennevy.

“Earth is, in some ways, a poor record keeper,” she notes. “Plate tectonics and weather have erased much of its ancient history. In contrast, the moon has preserved landforms that date back approximately 4.5 billion years, waiting for us to explore.”

Although Artemis II will not involve a moon landing, it will assess essential technologies. Docking procedures and life support systems, initially tested in Earth orbit and later in lunar orbit, are crucial for future lunar missions.

In 2022, NASA launched the Space Launch System rocket and Orion capsule on a successful uncrewed test flight around the moon, known as the Artemis I mission.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Wisconsin Boater Discovers Historic Shipwreck in Lake Michigan

Posted on by
Reply

Olson noted that the wreck lies in shallow waters approximately 20 feet deep. He observed that the bottom of the hull is mostly intact, while the ship’s sides are cut and flattened like fillets.

Tamara Thomsen, a maritime archaeologist at the State Historical Preservation Office of the Historical Society, dedicated several weeks to scrutinizing newspaper clippings, archival insurance records, and a database of port registrations, which is comparable to vehicle registrations.

Thomsen and her team also undertook diving missions to identify specific characteristics of the wreck.

Based on the ship’s exterior and its general wreckage location, the Historical Society confirmed that Olson had unearthed the long-lost remains of the Frank D. Barker.

“What’s fascinating about this wreck is that it’s all there,” Thomsen remarked. “It spreads across the bottom like a puzzle piece that you can visualize and reorganize.”

The 137-foot Frank D. Barker was constructed from wood in 1867 by veteran shipbuilder Simon G. Johnson in Clayton, New York. This canaler is specially designed for operation in the Great Lakes, as Thomsen explained. It was built to navigate the Welland Canal, which includes a series of locks that permit ships to bypass Niagara Falls, in addition to a combination of natural and modified waterways.

The Frank D. Barker primarily transported grain from the ports of Milwaukee and Chicago to Lake Ontario, and on westward voyages, it typically carried coal from Lake Erie’s ports to the Midwest, fueling factories and industries.

In 1887, the Frank D. Barker sailed from Manistee, Michigan, to Escanaba, Michigan, to load a cargo of iron ore. Unfortunately, the ship’s captain and crew strayed off course due to inclement weather and fog.

Ultimately, the vessel ran aground and was stranded by blown limestone on Spider Island. Multiple attempts to salvage the ship in October 1887 and again in August, September, and October of 1888 were unsuccessful.

“They finally concluded that they couldn’t retrieve it from where it was stuck and decided to abandon the ship,” Thomsen explained.

According to the Wisconsin Historical Society, the estimated loss of the ship was around $8,000 at the time, which translates to over $250,000 today.

Rediscovering the Frank D. Barker after 138 years is a momentous occasion for Door County, but it holds personal significance for Olson as well.

After informing the state’s historic preservation office about the findings, Olson chose to delve deeper into the exploration.

“When I think about my six-year-old son snorkeling on a shipwreck for the first time,” he shared.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Trump Proposes Slashing Domestic Spending to Historic Lows

Posted on by
Reply

National Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. emphasizes that addressing the “epidemic” of chronic illness is fundamental to his vision for American health, frequently citing alarming statistics as a pressing need for reform in public health across the nation.

On Friday, President Trump proposed a budget that would nearly halve funding for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, completely eliminating the Chronic Disease Center, a move that left many state and city health officials in disbelief.

“Most Americans suffer from some form of chronic illness,” stated Dr. Matifha Frathschwei Davis, health director for the city of St. Louis.

Addressing the proposed cuts, she asked, “How do you reconcile this with an effort to make America healthy again?”

Last month, the Federal Health Administration eliminated 2,400 jobs at the CDC. The Chronic Disease Center, which handles the largest budget within the CDC, was particularly impacted.

In a reorganization last month, programs focused on lead poisoning, smoking cessation, and reproductive health were discontinued.

The proposed budget would slash CDC funding to around $4 billion, down from $9.2 billion in 2024.

Moreover, the budget plan does not account for the $1.2 billion Prevention and Public Health Fund, suggesting that the cuts could surpass what Trump has proposed.

Programs targeting injury prevention, including those related to firearms, along with HIV surveillance and public health emergency preparedness grants, would also be affected.

According to the budget proposal, reductions aim to eliminate “duplicate, DEI, or simply unnecessary programs.” While Congress will formulate a federal budget, it remains uncertain how Trump’s proposal will evolve given the Republican majority and his allegiance to Trump.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. of the Department of Health and Human Services at the White House last month.credit…Eric Lee/The New York Times

CDC officials have been informed that the functions of the Chronic Disease Center will be relocated to a new entity within the health department called Management for a Healthy America.

Additionally, the proposal released on Friday seems to allocate $500 million to the Health Secretary for initiatives focusing on “nutrition, physical activity, healthy lifestyle choices, medications, and treatments.”

Yet, the Chronic Disease Center’s budget at the CDC was nearly tripled. Even if some chronic disease centers are revived under AHA, it’s unlikely that CDC scientists, who have relocated from Atlanta, will be involved.

“The actual subject matter experts managing the program may no longer be at the CDC,” remarked Dr. Scott Harris, Alabama’s state health officer. “We certainly don’t have the same level of expertise in my state.”

The Department of Health and Human Services did not respond to requests for comment.

The CDC’s Chronic Disease Center has launched programs aimed at the prevention of cancer, heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease. However, it also supports initiatives beyond traditional boundaries, like developing walking trails and ensuring healthy food options are available in airports.

Dr. Davis from St. Louis indicated that her department has already been impacted by cuts that affect smoking cessation programs, lead poisoning initiatives, and health equity efforts, with a loss of over $11 billion in funding that the CDC previously provided to the state’s health department.

Diabetes Prevention Program at the Bronx YMCAcredit…Benjamin Norman from New York Times
The center is involved in various initiatives, from developing walking paths to ensuring that healthy food options like salads are available at airports.credit…Tony Senicola/The New York Times

“I’m going to see the impacts of COVID-19 reflected in our current situation,” Dr. Davis emphasized.

In the proposed budget, the administration claims that discontinued programs could be more effectively managed at the state level. However, the state’s health department already oversees most chronic disease initiatives, with approximately three-quarters of the CDC Center’s funding dedicated to these programs.

Dr. Harris expressed that the funding loss is “devastating for us.”

Alabama has one of the highest chronic disease rates nationwide, with upwards of 84% of the Department of Public Health’s budget sourced from the CDC, Dr. Harris noted. Approximately $6 million is estimated to support chronic disease initiatives, including blood pressure screenings, diabetes education, and promoting physical activity.

If these funds are cut, he added, “I have no idea now where the funding will come from.” “No one truly seems to know what to expect, and we are not solicited for input on these matters.”

The Minnesota health department has already terminated 140 positions, with hundreds more potentially at risk if CDC funding reductions continue. Cuts to chronic disease prevention have direct repercussions on nursing homes, vaccination clinics, and public health efforts for Native Americans in the region.

“Federal decisions have left us unsupported in a fragile situation without a safety net,” stated Dr. Brooke Cunningham, the state health commissioner.

Dr. Cunningham noted that until recently, there seemed to be a shared understanding at all levels of government regarding the importance of investing in health.

In 2023, Dr. Brooke Cunningham, Commissioner of the Minnesota Department of Health.credit…David Joles/Star Tribune via the Associated Press

The impact of the CDC Chronic Disease Center is felt in many surprising facets of American life.

In Prairie Village, Kansas, Stephanie Barr learned about the center when she worked as a waitress without health insurance and discovered a lump in her breast 15 years ago.

Thanks to the CDC’s National Early Breast and Cervical Cancer Detection Program, she received mammograms and ultrasounds, with staff assisting her in registering for Medicaid for treatment after a biopsy revealed the mass was cancerous, Barr recounted.

“It was caught just in time,” said Barr, now 45 and cancer-free.

Since its inception in 1991, the program has provided over 16.3 million screenings for more than 6.3 million individuals, with no other affordable options available.

The organization 530 Health has circulated a petition urging lawmakers to reject the proposed HHS budget, which could cut discretionary funding by approximately one-third. The signers contend that these cuts would “effectively devastate” the nation’s research and public health infrastructure.

The budget also suggests dismantling the disease registry and surveillance system.

“Without collecting data or maintaining these surveillance systems, we lose sight of trends,” mentioned Dr. Philip Fan, director of Dallas County Health and Human Services in Texas.

“You’re losing all historical context,” he explained.

In a previous role as Director of Chronic Diseases in Texas, Dr. Huang worked closely with CDC specialists who effectively decreased tobacco use among Americans.

“Abolishing smoking cessation efforts is utterly irrational if you aim to address chronic illnesses,” he stated.

The Chronic Disease Center’s programs target cancer, heart disease, diabetes, epilepsy, and Alzheimer’s disease.credit…Tony Leon of the New York Times
Smoking continues to be a leading cause of preventable deaths in the U.S., causing over 480,000 fatalities annually, according to the CDC.credit…Jenny Kane/Applications

Smoking remains a top contributor to preventable deaths in the United States, leading to over 480,000 deaths each year, per CDC data.

More than one in ten Americans smoke regularly; however, rates vary significantly by region, and CDC monitoring is crucial for targeting areas where cessation programs are most necessary.

“While smoking rates have declined, if the federal government eases regulations, tobacco companies are poised to regain ground,” cautioned Erica Seward, vice president of advocacy for the American Lung Association.

She highlighted that tobacco firms continually innovate new products, such as nicotine pouches. Usage among teenagers doubled last year. “It would be significantly more challenging to reverse this trend,” she added.

The CDC Chronic Disease Center collaborates with both community and academic organizations to promote effective programs, ranging from engaging youth in rural areas of Iowa to training members of Black churches in Columbia, South Carolina.

In rural Missouri, numerous walking trails have been established in the Bootheel region, an area with high obesity and diabetes rates, as noted by Ross Brownson, a public health researcher at Washington University in St. Louis, who is partnering with the CDCC to lead the Center for Prevention Research.

“Research indicates that enhancing walkability in a community can significantly increase physical activity levels,” Dr. Brownson commented. “Though there may be no fitness centers in rural areas, residents can enjoy nature and outdoor walking, and land is relatively affordable.”

In Rochester, New York, CDC support is training both deaf and hearing individuals to lead exercise and wellness programs targeted at others who are deaf and often excluded from mainstream fitness classes.

In San Diego, investigators are exploring strategies to shield farmworkers from ultraviolet and heat-related health issues.

“When they initiate these efforts from the ground up, they’re community-driven and not reliant on government support,” commented Allison Bey, who recently lost her position overseeing such initiatives at the CDC.

The CDC’s reorganization has also resulted in the termination of the lead poisoning program. Lead poisoning is “among our most significant public health challenges in Cleveland,” pointed out Dr. David Margolius, the city’s public health director.

While the CDC does not directly fund Cleveland’s lead program, the state provides the necessary resources. “We rely on federal expertise to guide us toward a lead-free future, so this will have a profound impact on us,” he stated.

Source: www.nytimes.com

SpaceX Astronauts Departing from California Coast for Historic Flight

Posted on by
Reply

Four civil astronauts concluded their mission on SpaceX vehicles on Friday, landing in waters near Oceanside, California.

This marked the first time the company had brought people back to Earth in the Pacific Ocean after six years of Dragon Capsules splashing down in the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico.

The FRAM2 mission orbited the Earth for four days in a north-south trajectory, allowing astronauts to witness North and Antarctica directly from space for the first time.

SpaceX relocated its operations to the Pacific Ocean to prevent dragon capsule debris from falling into random parts of the Earth. The vast expanse of the Pacific Ocean and favorable weather along the US West Coast provided a safe and conducive environment for the astronauts’ return.

The first SpaceX Astronaut Mission, a test flight in May 2020, saw Douglas Hurley and NASA’s Robert Behnken launching to the International Space Station. They returned just two months later, splashing down in the Gulf waters off Pensacola, Florida. This mission introduced SpaceX’s upgraded Dragon 2 capsule design.

Subsequently, there were nine NASA-funded flights, five private flights, and ten cargo missions to the International Space Station, all safely landing in Florida.

However, fragments of the spacecraft’s trunk began descending in unexpected locations, such as Australian sheep fields and North Carolina hiking trails. While no injuries or property damage occurred, the continuous rains of space debris pose a risk that needs to be addressed.

SpaceX had initially expected the spacecraft’s trunk to completely burn up during re-entry, but this turned out to be untrue. Therefore, last year, SpaceX announced changes to their Dragon Landing process.

The Dragon Trunk is now abandoned later in the return journey after the spacecraft uses thrusters to deorbit. This ensures targeted debris disposal, with the Pacific Ocean providing a safe area for debris to land without posing a threat to people.

Previously, the Dragon Trunk remained on trajectory for extended periods without a clear prediction of its re-entry location.

The milder Pacific climate also benefits NASA in scheduling missions.

SpaceX’s move partially to the Pacific Ocean for Dragon Landing meets NASA’s requirements for faster processing of scientific experiments returning from space, allowing SpaceX time to prepare for subsequent flights.

The most recent East Coast landing featured a NASA mission returning from the space station with NASA astronauts Suni Williams and Butch Wilmore. Due to issues with the Boeing Starliner spacecraft, their stay in orbit extended over nine months. The mission ended with a playful encounter with a pod of dolphins investigating the spacecraft.

In this week’s FRAM2 mission, Chun Wang, an investor in blockchain and cryptocurrency mining, funded a private mission and chose three companions: Norwegian filmmaker Jannicke Mikkelsen, German robot researcher Laveer Lodge, and Australian explorer Eric Phillips.

Mr. Wang named the mission after the Norwegian ship Fram, which explored the Arctic Circle in the 19th century. He provided updates from orbit, including his experience with space sickness and the uniqueness of Pacific Ocean landings.

“Space motion sickness affected us all – we felt nauseous and vomited several times,” wrote Mr. Wang.

Splashdowns in the Pacific Ocean have historical significance in spaceflight, with most of NASA’s Apollo missions landing there. SpaceX’s return to Pacific landings marks a shift from previous missions primarily landing in Florida.

The curiosity of West Coast dolphins remains to be seen, adding a whimsical touch to the return of space missions.

Source: www.nytimes.com

Alphabet’s Google Parent Company makes historic purchase of cybersecurity firm Wiz

Posted on by
Reply

Alphabet, the owner of Google, has agreed to purchase Cybersecurity Group Wiz for $32 billion (£24.7 billion).

Google is acquiring an Israeli startup in an effort to compete with rivals Microsoft and Amazon in the cloud services market.

Wiz provides services that scan data from cloud storage providers like Amazon Web Services and Microsoft Azure for security risks. It previously turned down Alphabet’s $23 billion bid last summer.

However, concerns about regulatory approval caused some issues with the initial bid.

If the deal falls through, Alphabet has agreed to pay a $3.2 billion fee. This acquisition indicates a test of the Trump administration’s willingness and shows President Biden’s leadership in acquiring major technology companies.

Alphabet is currently facing pressure from US Department of Justice officials to sell off its Chrome browser to address concerns about its dominance in the search market.

Wiz, founded in 2020 by graduates of the Israeli Intelligence Corps, has offices in New York and Israel, with its European headquarters in London.

Despite the acquisition, Wiz will operate independently from Google, similar to how Microsoft operates LinkedIn.

Wiz will continue to collaborate with major cloud platforms such as Amazon Web Services, Microsoft Azure, and Oracle Cloud.




Wiz co-founder and CEO Assaf Rappaport will remain in his position until October 2024. Photo: Bloomberg/Getty

“We’re excited for the future,” said Sundar Pichai, Google’s CEO. “Google Cloud and Wiz will enhance cloud security and multi-cloud capabilities. Businesses and governments operating in the cloud seek stronger security solutions and a wider range of cloud computing providers.”

Startup CEO Assaf Rappaport previously rejected Alphabet’s $23 billion offer to focus on growth and potentially going public.

Analyst Dan Ives from Wedbush commented on the acquisition, highlighting Wiz’s strong presence in the cloud cybersecurity industry.

Skip past newsletter promotions

Google’s move to acquire Wiz is seen as a strategic step to compete with other tech giants like Microsoft and Amazon in the cloud security space.

Wiz currently generates $750 million in annual revenue, and Google aims to capitalize on the company’s market position for future growth.

Alphabet’s previous acquisitions include Motorola Mobility, Mandiant, YouTube, and Deep Mind as part of its strategy to diversify from search-related ads.

With Wiz’s expertise, Alphabet hopes to gain a larger share of the global cloud market, currently lagging behind Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services.

Analyst Dan Ives sees Google’s acquisition of Wiz as a strategic move to enhance cloud security offerings and drive cloud and AI initiatives forward.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Explore two historic cities along the Silk Road in Uzbekistan

Posted on by
Reply

These two medieval cities, named Tashbulak and Tugubulak, are among the largest cities ever recorded on the mountainous Silk Road, a vast network of ancient trade routes that connected Europe and East Asia. is.

A drone captured this image of Tugumburak in 2018. Image credit: M. Frachetti.

Tashbulac and Tugumbrac are located on rugged terrain between 2,000 and 2,200 meters above sea level (roughly comparable to Machu Picchu in Peru), making them rare examples of thriving mountain cities.

The small city of Tashbulak had an area of ​​about 12 hectares, while the larger city of Tugubulak reached 120 hectares, making it one of the largest provincial cities of the time.

“These would have been important urban centers in Central Asia, especially if they moved from lowland oases to more difficult highlands,” said archaeologist Professor Michael Frachetti of Washington University in St. Louis.

“Although typically seen as barriers to trade and movement on the Silk Road, the mountains were actually major centers of exchange.”

“Animals, minerals, and other valuable resources likely drove their prosperity.”

“The Tugumbrak site had an elaborate urban structure with a specific material culture that was very different from the sedentary culture of the lowlands,” added Dr. Farkhod Makhdov, director of the National Archaeological Center of Uzbekistan.

“It is clear that the people who lived in Tugumburak more than a thousand years ago were nomads who maintained their own independent culture and political economy.”

Combined lidar view of Tugumburak. Image credit: SAIElab / J.Berner / M. Frachetti.

Drone-based lidar scanning revealed squares, fortresses, roads and settlements in Tashbulak and Tugubulak.

“These are some of the highest resolution lidar images of the site ever published,” Dr. Frachetti said.

“They are made possible, in part, because of the unique erosion dynamics in this mountainous environment.”

“Both cities need more thorough testing,” he added.

“Preliminary excavations at one of the fortified structures in Tugumburak show that this fortification (a building protected by a three-meter-thick rammed earth wall) was constructed by a local metal smith who used the rich iron ore deposits to create steel. This suggests that it may have been a processing factory.

“Such an industry would have been an important feature of the city and its economy.”

It is already clear that Tashbulak and Tugubulak were not just remote outposts or resting places.

“The Silk Road was not just about China and its western terminus,” Dr. Frachetti said.

“Major political forces were active in Central Asia. Complex centers of networks were also drivers of innovation.”

team's result Published in this month's magazine nature.

_____

MD Frachetti others. 2024. Large-scale medieval urbanization tracked by UAV lidar in the highlands of Central Asia. nature 634, 1118-1124; doi: 10.1038/s41586-024-08086-5

Source: www.sci.news

California Enacts Historic Legislation to Govern Large-Scale AI Models | Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Posted on by
Reply

An important California bill, aimed at establishing safeguards for the nation’s largest artificial intelligence systems, passed a key vote on Wednesday. The proposal is designed to address potential risks associated with AI by requiring companies to test models and publicly disclose safety protocols to prevent misuse, such as taking down the state’s power grid or creating chemical weapons. Experts warn that the rapid advancements in the industry could lead to such scenarios in the future.

The bill narrowly passed the state Assembly and is now awaiting a final vote in the state Senate. If approved, it will be sent to the governor for signing, although his position on the bill remains unclear. Governor Gavin Newsom will have until the end of September to make a decision on whether to sign, veto, or let the bill become law without his signature. While the governor previously expressed concerns about overregulation of AI, the bill has garnered support from advocates who see it as a step towards establishing safety standards for large-scale AI models in the U.S.

Authored by Democratic Sen. Scott Wiener, the bill targets AI systems that require over $100 million in data for training, a threshold that no current model meets. Despite facing opposition from venture capital firms and tech companies like Open AI, Google, and Meta, Wiener insists that his bill takes a “light touch” approach to regulation while promoting innovation and safety hand in hand.

As AI continues to impact daily life, California legislators have introduced numerous bills this year to establish trust, combat algorithmic discrimination, and regulate deep fakes related to elections and pornography. With the state home to some of the world’s leading AI companies, lawmakers are striving to strike a delicate balance between harnessing the technology’s potential and mitigating its risks without hindering local innovation.

Elon Musk, a vocal supporter of AI regulation, expressed cautious support for Wiener’s bill despite running AI tools with lesser safeguards than other models. While the proposal has garnered backing from AI startup Anthropik, critics, including some California congresswomen and tech trade groups, have raised concerns about the bill’s impact on the state’s economic sector.

The bill, with amendments from Wiener to address concerns and limitations, is seen as a crucial step in preventing the misuse of powerful AI systems. Antropic, an AI startup supported by major tech companies, emphasized the importance of the bill in averting potential catastrophic risks associated with AI models while challenging critics who downplay the dangers posed by such technologies.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Drone camera captures Lion’s historic swim across Channel

Posted on by
Reply

Brothers Jacob and Tiv in Queen Elizabeth National Park, Uganda

Alex Blaczkowski

A pair of lion brothers have completed the longest recorded swim of their kind, crossing waters infested with hippos and crocodiles for around 1.5km.

The swim, the equivalent of an Olympic triathlon, was the duo’s fourth attempt to cross the Kazinga Channel in Uganda’s Queen Elizabeth National Park and was recorded at night with a thermal camera mounted on a drone.

The lions had to abandon an earlier attempt after encountering a larger animal, possibly a hippopotamus or Nile crocodile, which was also seen on footage.

What makes the effort even more amazing is that one of the lions, named Jacob, only has three legs.

Jacob says he’s had a very difficult life. Alexander Bratskovsky While at Griffith University in Australia, he was gored by a buffalo, his family was poisoned to sell lion parts, he was caught in a poacher’s trap and eventually lost his leg to a poacher’s iron trap.

Catching the swimming scene on film was unexpected, as Braczkowski and his colleagues were actually keeping an eye on the two lions to determine whether Tibu, Jacob’s brother, was feeding and supporting his sibling.

“The brotherhood of lions goes far beyond the limitations of an injury like losing a leg,” Blaczkowski said.

The researchers believe the brothers probably crossed the strait to reach a lioness whose roaring they had heard two kilometers away. They say the crossing was a straight line of 1.1 kilometers, but taking into account maneuvers, they estimate the lions swam closer to 1.5 kilometers.

“It’s amazing to see the individual capabilities and courage of different species in passing on their genes,” Blaczkowski said. “A human being can’t swim across that channel in the middle of the night, but a lion, even a three-legged lion who has had almost everything taken from him, will jump in.”

Braczkowski said the lions in Queen Elizabeth National Park were under huge pressure from as many as 60,000 people living within its boundaries, as well as cattle farming, wildlife poaching and the occasional agricultural crop cultivation.

“The lion population in the park has almost halved from 72 to 39 in the past five years, so male lions are spending a lot of their time searching for new females,” he said.

Females are more vulnerable because they tend to congregate in larger groups, and leaving the poisoned carcasses increases the risk of multiple deaths, he added.

“The ratio in the park is currently one female to two males, but in a healthy population it should be one male to two females.”

Team Members Duane Biggs Researchers from Northern Arizona University say long-term solutions need to be found to protect both people and lions in the park.

“The three-legged lion swimming through crocodile-infested waters in search of a mate and caught in a poacher’s trap is a symbol of a protected area in distress,” he said.

topic:

Source: www.newscientist.com

Denmark Makes Historic Move by Implementing Carbon Tax on Gas-Emitting Cows and Pigs

Posted on by
Reply

Denmark is taking action to address methane emissions, a significant contributor to global warming. Starting in 2030, Denmark will be the first country to implement a tax on livestock farmers based on the greenhouse gas emissions produced by their cows, sheep, and pigs.

Tax Minister Jeppe Bruus aims to reduce Denmark’s greenhouse gas emissions by 70% by 2030 compared to 1990 levels.

From 2030, Danish livestock farmers will face a tax of 300 kroner ($43) per tonne of carbon dioxide equivalent, increasing to 750 kroner ($108) by 2035. However, with a 60% income tax credit, the effective cost per tonne will start at 120 kroner ($17.3) and gradually rise to 300 kroner by 2035.

While carbon dioxide is often the focus, methane is a potent greenhouse gas, trapping significantly more heat than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Methane ConcentrationMethane emissions from various sources, including landfills, oil and gas systems, and livestock, have been on the rise. Livestock alone contributes to about 32% of man-made methane emissions, as reported by the United Nations Environment Programme.

Denmark’s move is a significant step towards achieving climate neutrality by 2045. The country is pioneering the implementation of a substantial carbon tax on agriculture, with hopes that other nations will also take similar actions.

In New Zealand, a similar law was passed but later revoked amid criticism from farmers. Denmark, on the other hand, reached an agreement with various stakeholders to implement the carbon tax.

The Danish Society for Nature Conservation hailed the tax agreement as a “historic compromise,” emphasizing the importance of restructuring the food industry beyond 2030.

Denmark’s decision comes after protests from farmers across Europe, who argue that climate policies are jeopardizing their livelihoods.

Despite Denmark’s status as a major dairy and pork exporter, the country plans to tax pigs alongside cows due to their significant emissions. The tax proposal is expected to receive broad support in the parliament.

Statistics Denmark reported a slight decrease in the number of cattle in the country as of June 30, 2022, with 1,484,377 cattle in total.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

First images from civilian lunar lander capture historic moon landing

Posted on by
Reply

A privately built spacecraft on the moon has sent back new photos from the lunar surface. The images captured the spacecraft’s much-lauded descent and the moment it rolled over shortly after landing.

The Odysseus lander, built by Houston-based Intuitive Machines, touched down on the moon on February 22, making it the first commercial ship to reach the moon’s surface and the first U.S. ship to reach the moon in more than 50 years. It made history as a spaceship.

The Odysseus Lunar Module took this image about 35 seconds after it rolled over on its approach to the landing site.
Intuitive machine via AP

The next day, Intuitive Machines announced that Odysseus had rolled over as it landed near a crater called Malapart A near the moon’s south pole. Company officials said the 14-foot-tall lander was operational, but part of the rover’s antenna was pointing toward the ground, limiting its ability to communicate with flight controllers on Earth. Ta.

with update MondayIntuitive Machines said it was continuing to communicate with the spacecraft, adding that flight controllers “will collect data until the lander’s solar panels are no longer exposed to light.”

Company officials said they expect to be able to communicate with Odysseus until Tuesday morning, based on the positions of the Earth and the moon. The lander was originally expected to spend about a week collecting data on the lunar surface before the lunar night begins and the spacecraft powers down.

In its latest update, the company announced that Odysseus’ instruments detected nine safe landing sites within the target zone near the moon’s south pole. The moon’s south pole region has long intrigued scientists because water ice is thought to be relatively abundant in permanently shadowed craters.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Powerful winter storm causes historic California palm tree to fall into ocean

Posted on by
Reply


Refugio State Beach, Calif. — Severe storms that hit California have caused damage in some parts of the state. the most iconic tree.

A majestic palm tree that normally flanks Refugio State Beach just north of Santa Barbara has fallen over the past few days. Images show how a huge 100-year-old tree fell into the sea and was completely uprooted.

Local officials say multiple factors caused the trees to fall. Years of coastal erosion were combined with powerful storm surges and supersaturated soil from a series of atmospheric rivers that brought heavy rain and high winds across the state.

“When the ground becomes saturated, the trees begin to fall, and both eucalyptus and palm trees fall over because the ground becomes too wet for their roots to hold in the ground.” Santa Barbara Craig Vanderswag, chief of the County Fire Battalion, told NBC News.

California State Parks Channel Coast District Superintendent Dena Bellman said officials have tagged several more trees on the coast as at high risk of falling, especially with the new heavy rains hitting California. Ta.

Due to this threat, the park is currently temporarily closed to the public.

The dramatic footage is a symbol of the power of these atmospheric rivers, which climate experts say is growing stronger as the planet's temperature rises.

Los Angeles received 75% of its annual average precipitation in the first three weeks of February alone. The city has received more rainfall than Seattle, New Orleans and Miami, and is about 2 inches away from setting a record for the wettest February.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Odysseus Makes Historic Landing on the Moon as First Commercial Lander

Posted on by
Reply

Houston-based company successfully launched a private lunar lander into space on its second attempt early Thursday morning. The spacecraft, developed by Intuitive Machines, took off from NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida, at 1:05 a.m. ET atop SpaceX’s Falcon 9 rocket. The original launch was scheduled for Wednesday but was canceled due to a problem with the rocket’s methane fuel. Intuitive Machines aims to land the first commercially built spacecraft on the moon, which would be the first U.S. moon landing in over 50 years. The lander, named Odysseus, will spend a week in space before attempting to settle on the moon’s surface on February 22nd. This mission comes after another company, Astrobotic Technology, attempted but failed to send a lander to the moon’s surface due to a severe fuel leak shortly after liftoff. Both Intuitive Machines and Astrobotic Technology are part of NASA’s Commercial Lunar Lander Services Program, designed to accelerate the development of lunar landers by private companies to deliver cargo to the lunar surface and transport scientific equipment. On its next flight, Odysseus will carry a combination of commercial cargo and NASA scientific equipment and is expected to land near the moon’s south pole. NASA’s Commercial Lunar Payload Services Program is part of NASA’s Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the Moon in the next few years. The timeline for upcoming Artemis missions has been delayed, and NASA eventually hopes to begin regular missions to the moon and build a base camp there.

Source: www.nbcnews.com

Researchers Discover the Root Cause of a Historic, Lethal Climate Shift Millions of Years in the Past

Posted on by
Reply

Scientists have linked mass extinctions and climate change over the past 260 million years to massive volcanic eruptions and Earth’s astronomical cycles. The study highlights the role of CO2 emissions in climate change and reveals a complex relationship between Earth’s geology and position in space that is distinct from modern anthropogenic climate change.

New research reveals that Earth’s geological history is tied not only to the planet’s interior, but also to its astronomical movements.

The team of scientists concluded that it has occurred over the past 260 million years and that the mass extinction of life caused during these periods was primarily caused by large-scale volcanic eruptions and the resulting environmental crisis.

The analysis published in the magazine earth science reviews indicate that these eruptions released large amounts of carbon dioxide into the Earth’s atmosphere, resulting in extreme greenhouse climate warming and creating lethal or deadly conditions on Earth.

Astronomical cycles and Earth’s climate

Importantly, these phenomena occur every 26 to 33 million years and coincide with significant changes in the orbits of the solar system’s planets, which follow the same periodic pattern, the researchers added.

“Earth’s geological processes, long thought to be strictly determined by events inside the planet, may actually be controlled by the solar system and Earth’s astronomical cycles. milky way Galaxy,” says Professor Michael Lampino. new york university Department of Biology and senior author of the paper. “Importantly, these forces have converged many times in Earth’s past to predict dramatic changes in climate.”

The researchers, including Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution for Science and geologist Sederia Rodriguez of Barnard College, say their conclusions are unrelated to climate change in the 20th and 21st centuries, and that scientists believe that human It warns that it shows that it is caused by activity. The last studied pulse of volcanic eruptions occurred about 16 million years ago.

But they added that the analysis nevertheless supports the well-established impact of carbon dioxide emissions on climate warming.

Volcanic eruptions and geological phenomena

Researchers have identified Continental Flood Basalt (CFB) eruptions, the largest volcanic eruptions on Earth with lava flows covering nearly 500,000 square miles, and other major geological events over the past 260 million years. focused. These include ocean anoxic events (periods during which the Earth’s oceans are depleted of oxygen, thereby producing toxic water) and the hyperthermal climate pulse, a sudden increase in global temperature and the resulting ocean and periods of mass extinction of non-marine life. .

They found that CFB eruptions frequently coincided with these other deadly geological phenomena, revealing the larger impact of volcanic activity. Its relevance to astronomy is evidenced by its regular, multimillion-year cycles of volcanic activity and extreme weather events, and its similarities with the known orbital periods of the Earth in our solar system and Milky Way galaxy.

The authors found that the correspondence between geological and astrophysical cycles was too close to be a mere coincidence. The big problem they were left with was how The astronomical movements of the planets disrupt the geological engines inside the Earth.

“This is an unexpected connection and predicts a convergence of both astronomy and geology. Events that occur on Earth occur within the context of our astronomical environment,” Rampino said. Observe.

References: “Periods of ~32.5 My and ~26.2 My in correlated episodes of continental flood basalts (CFBs), hyperthermal climate pulses, anoxic oceans, and mass extinctions over the past 260 My years: geological and astronomical cycles. Relationships” by Michael R. Rampino, Ken Caldeira, and Cederia Rodriguez, September 25, 2023. earth science reviews. DOI: 10.1016/j.earscirev.2023.104548

Source: scitechdaily.com