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A Non-Profit Empowering Aspiring Game Developers Worldwide

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Gamescom is an extraordinary video game convention that takes place each year in Cologne, Germany. Each year, hundreds of thousands of gamers converge to fill large convention spaces, alongside industry professionals who have the chance to distribute games to fans and present their resumes to developers. For companies located outside the United States, this is the premier event of the year. This marks the first year for the International Game Developers Association (IGDA) Foundation, and Executive Director Alyssa Walles is eager about the opportunities it presents.

The IGDA Foundation focuses on providing professional development for underrepresented and marginalized individuals seeking to enter the video game industry. This initiative is vital, considering the numerous obstacles faced by aspiring producers, developers, and writers. While Ms. Walles has been with the IGDA Foundation for just three years, she brings a wealth of experience from her long-standing career in the video game industry. She understands the importance of supporting those who do not have the advantages of privilege, those who lack the means to travel globally for competitions, or those without formal training in computer design and coding.

Gamescom will welcome video game enthusiasts and industry professionals. Photo: Imago/Alamy

“I was part of the launch team for PlayStation in Europe, and most of the time I was the only woman in the room,” Wallace recalls. “So I’m thrilled to witness this change.” Nevertheless, she recognizes that more effort is needed.

The IGDA Foundation initially began by sponsoring a select number of individuals to attend the annual Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. This costly endeavor often prevents hundreds of developers from marginalized communities and remote regions from participating. When the COVID-19 pandemic altered the landscape of video gaming events, the IGDA Foundation had to innovate. This led to the creation of Virtual Exchange by former executive director Nika Noor—a six-week online initiative that connects grantees with experienced gaming industry mentors. Each year, the IGDA Foundation reviews hundreds of applications and selects grantees based on three main categories: gaming career professionals aspiring to advance, individuals looking to transition into gaming, and recent graduates.

Alyssa Wallace of the IGDA Foundation. Photo: Provided by IGDA Foundation

Walles shared: “A standout example from our network is a young man from Nigeria who has experience in home building and project management. He constructs houses daily and also programs. He hopes to leverage his project management skills to transition into becoming a video game producer.”

For Wallace and other seasoned industry veterans leading the IGDA Foundation, the mission is about channeling their experiences to foster a robust and diverse future for the industry. “I’m 65 years old and I’m not shy about it…I’m nearing the end of my career, so I’m here to give back,” she states.

However, the IGDA Foundation, like many initiatives aimed at improving equity within the video game and technology sectors, has faced significant hurdles recently. Following rapid growth during the pandemic, the industry saw unprecedented layoffs. Companies inform Wallace that funding for the foundation is nonexistent, a claim she finds hard to believe (“I know you have $5,000”). Although the IGDA Foundation does not receive government support, there have been attacks from the Trump administration and Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) against diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, compelling organizations to reassess their marketing strategies and donor outreach.

“Some nonprofits in our sector have been forced to shut down, but thankfully, we’re not close to that point. Still, I worry about it constantly,” Wallace confesses. “How can we connect with individuals wanting to earn a substantial income in the gaming world and nurture the upcoming generation?”

The virtual exchange program for 2025 is now operational. Photo: Provided by IGDA Foundation

Yet, under Wallace’s direction, the IGDA Foundation is unafraid to innovate. Last year, she found an article in a newsletter about an independent developer making significant profits from a single downloadable content (DLC) in a Steam bundle. “We reached out to the IDGA Foundation’s alumni network and proposed organizing a Steam event featuring DLC,” she explains. Someone from the network volunteered to run it. This led to the initiation of an event called Download for Charity, held in May, which included 24 participating games and raised $24,000,” says Walles. She also organizes game jams in collaboration with diverse partners and recently launched a porting initiative to assist developers in adapting their games for Android devices.

This relentless pursuit of funding exemplifies Wallace’s commitment to the program and the marginalized communities it supports. Wallace’s aspirations for the IGDA Foundation are straightforward. “We simply want adequate funding to sustain our efforts so we can deliver these programs to individuals in need across the globe.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

We are facing unparalleled freshwater depletion worldwide.

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Global freshwater resources are dwindling

Intensive extraction, evaporation, and groundwater loss driven by increasing temperatures are causing freshwater to flow from continents into oceans. This poses a significant risk to water supply for a large portion of the global population and contributes to rising sea levels.

Jay Famiglietty from Arizona State University and his team utilized satellite gravity measurements to assess changes in the total volume of water stored on land. This encompasses all types of freshwater, including rivers, underground aquifers, glaciers, and ice sheets.

Their findings reveal an unexpected reduction in freshwater resources across many regions worldwide from 2002 to 2024. Surprisingly, even arid areas are not experiencing increased dryness; the anticipated effects of climate change are extending over 800,000 square kilometers annually.

The researchers pinpointed four major “mega-dry” zones where distinct areas of freshwater depletion converge, leading to widespread aridification. These regions include Northern Canada and Russia, where losses are exacerbated by glacier retreat, thawing permafrost, and diminished snowfall.

In the remaining two regions, groundwater depletion resulting from agriculture is the primary cause of water loss. These areas, which cover much of the Southwestern U.S. and Central America, extend from Western Europe and North Africa to northern India and China. Groundwater depletion is worsened by heat and drought, compelling increased water extraction, which accounts for 68% of the total decline in water reserves.

This extensive water redistribution has become a significant contributor to sea level rise, adding nearly a millimeter to ocean levels each year since 2015, with terrestrial water losses outpacing those from Antarctic and Greenland ice melt.

According to the researchers, these patterns “likely convey a troubling message regarding the earlier effects of climate change.” They argue that “the continent is drying, freshwater resources are diminishing, and sea level rise is accelerating.”

While previous studies have identified these arid trends in specific areas, Manoochehr Shirzaei of Virginia Tech emphasizes that the strength of this research lies in its global perspective. “We’re not generating or losing water; we’re merely redistributing it. Unfortunately, this redistribution isn’t favoring the right areas,” he notes.

“The next step involves conducting a thorough analysis to isolate the factors driving groundwater depletion,” adds Benjamin Cook from Columbia University in New York. “It’s necessary to clarify the distinctions between the narratives of climate change and groundwater depletion.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Farmers Worldwide Struggle to Adapt to Climate Change

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Climate change will lessen the availability of most staple crops, including corn

Jon Rehg/Shutterstock

Despite farmers’ best efforts to adapt, increasing global temperatures have the potential to significantly impact the world’s essential crops. Comprehensive analysis indicates that by the century’s end, for every degree of warming, global food supply may drop by nearly 121 kcal per person per day.

In a 3°C warming scenario—aligned with current trends—”It might mean skipping breakfast for everyone,” notes Andrew Hartgren from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.

Hartgren and his team gathered data on the yields of six major staple crops globally, which account for over two-thirds of the world’s calories. “This represents one of the largest datasets currently available for high-resolution crop yields,” he states. They also incorporated local weather information from 54 different countries.

The researchers utilized this data to forecast how various crops would respond to climate changes and how farmers might adapt. “We examined historical data on how farmers have reacted to weather fluctuations,” Hartgren explains. This approach enabled the team to assess how different agricultural strategies might mitigate losses, like crop variety adjustments, enhancing irrigation, or increasing fertilizer use.

Except for rice, which thrives under warmer nighttime conditions, higher temperatures generally lead to considerable yield reductions. For instance, global corn yields are anticipated to decline by about 12% to 28% by the century’s end, contingent upon whether greenhouse gas emissions are moderate or extremely high compared to projections without climate change.

These statistics illustrate how farmers adjust to rising temperatures and the implications of potentially beneficial effects of climate change, like elevated carbon dioxide levels fertilizing crops. Both factors are significant. Without adjustments, for example, crop losses could reach a third by the century’s end under extreme warming scenarios, yet this won’t mitigate the majority of losses. “In a warmer future, the corn belt will still be relevant,” Hartgren asserts.

Wolfram Schlenker of Harvard University emphasizes that agricultural adaptations seldom completely offset crop losses due to climate change, with previous studies from specific regions suggesting similar conclusions. “The major strength of their research is its global perspective, compiling data from numerous countries,” he remarks.

The global approach reveals some fascinating patterns. For example, researchers observed that the most significant projected crop losses are not concentrated in low-income nations but rather in comparatively affluent agricultural hubs like the Midwest and Europe. “They aren’t inherently better suited than poorer countries,” Schlenker notes.

Michael Roberts from the University of Hawaii Manoa states that these findings align with the conclusions of a smaller study. However, he highlights considerable uncertainties, such as the extent of future climate change and the complexities of global food systems’ responses.

“What’s alarming is our lack of knowledge,” Roberts adds. “There’s significant uncertainty, much of which is negative. Losses could range from non-existent to catastrophic, potentially causing massive famines. It’s a sobering thought for many.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Protests Against Tesla Dealers Worldwide Present Challenges for Elon Musk

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Numerous individuals worldwide protested against the efforts of Donald Musk and Donald Trump on Saturday to dismantle the US federal government.

The protest organizers called on people to refrain from buying Tesla, selling Tesla stocks, or participating in the “Tesla Takedown” movement.

One of the group’s taglines read, “To hurt Tesla is to stop Musk. Stopping Musk helps save lives and our democracy.”

Over 200 events were scheduled globally on Saturday, starting in Australia and New Zealand in front of Tesla showrooms before spreading to Europe in countries like Finland, Norway, Denmark, Germany, France, the Netherlands, and the UK. Each rally had a unique theme organized locally. In Ireland, it was “destroying the fash,” while in Switzerland, it was “down with the Doge.” Photos were posted on Bluesky by Tesla Takedown from San Jose, California, close to Tesla’s former headquarters, and from Austin, Texas, where the headquarters is currently located.

The world’s wealthiest Musk leads the so-called “Ministry of Government Efficiency” (DOGE), tasked with cutting the US federal budget, which includes laying off thousands of workers. Musk and Tesla did not respond to requests for comment.

Protested at a Tesla dealer in Austin, Texas on March 29, 2025. Photo: Brandon Bell/Getty Images

In San Francisco, around 200 people gathered in front of a Tesla showroom, urging others to disrupt busy streets and medians to oppose self-driving roads.

Many demonstrations included protests with signs and chants. Acts of disruption were seen, including impeding postal trucks, public buses, and fire engines. One group had signs with slogans like “Burn your sw before you burn,” and “doge bags no.” A massive American flag was also displayed upside down.

The Brocklong Tesla showroom had cleared out all cars with security guards inside and San Francisco police officers outside. A group wearing red maga hats and black dog shirts also passed through the crowd without incident.

Protester Myra Levy and friend Karen Heistler expressed their reasons for opposing the Tesla movement.

Protester Myra Levy at the San Francisco Tesla dealer held in San Francisco on Saturday. Photo: Dara Kerr/Guardian

Sales representatives in Berkeley, California, reported that Tesla showrooms were closed every Saturday due to weekly protests. A lively scene included spray-painting a cardboard cyber truck. The manager declined to comment on previous red paint incidents in the showroom.

Planet over Profit organizer Sophie Shepherd clarified that the London rally was not specifically against electric vehicles, but rather against the individuals associated with Tesla.

Marty, an 82-year-old protester, expressed concerns about the current state of the country and its leadership.

Protests occurred across the US, with numerous demonstrations planned across different states. London also saw dozens of demonstrators outside the Tesla showroom.

Organizers emphasized the importance of continued protest and peaceful demonstration against Musk, Trump, and Cruzi.

Organizers condemned violent acts against Tesla showrooms, affirming that they are a non-violent grassroots movement. They denounced vandalism and emphasized the importance of peaceful, lawful protests.

Harry Taylor contributed to the report.

Source: www.theguardian.com

Scientists worldwide discover a substantial magma reservoir beneath the inactive volcano

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The magma reservoir under the cascade range has a different depth, size, and complexity, but the upper magma body is spread, according to the Global Scientist’s team at Cornell University and Cascade Volcano Observatory.

Mountleinia. Image credit: Walter Siegmund / CC by-Sa 3.0.

The visible lava on the surface is an obvious indicator of the activity, but the long-standing beliefs are expelled during the eruption of active volcanoes, and there are large magma body that breaks down over time as the volcano becomes dormant. That is.

But A New study It is published in the journal Natural global science Challenge this assumption.

The study author has identified the magma chamber under the six volcanoes, six volcanoes of various sizes within the cascade range and six volcanoes.

They discovered that all of the volcanoes, including dormant state, have a sustainable and large magma body.

Given that some of these volcanoes, such as Lake Lake in Oregon, have not been active for thousands of years, the results are surprising.

“Regardless of the frequency of eruptions, you can see a large magma under a lot of volcanoes,” said Dr. Guaning Pan, a researcher at Cornel University.

“These magma bodies seem to be not only active, but also under volcanoes for a lifetime.”

The fact that more volcanoes maintain a magma body is an important consideration on how researchers monitor and predict future volcanic activities.

“We thought that if we found a large amount of magma, we thought it would increase the potential of eruptions, but now we change the perception that this is the baseline situation,” said Dr. Pan. Ta.

The result suggests that the eruption does not completely discharge the magma chamber, indicating that it eliminates excessive amounts and pressure instead.

The chamber can gradually solve the crust, so it can be slowly expanded and replenished over time.

“With a general understanding of where the magma is, I was able to do a good job rather than optimizing monitoring,” said Professor Jeffrey Aberters of Cornell University.

“There are many volcanoes that are sparse or not intensive research.”

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G. bread et al。 Partial melting long life under the volcano in the cascade range. nut. GeosciReleased online on January 23, 2025. Doi: 10.1038/S41561-024-01630-Y

Source: www.sci.news

Creativity at its best: African content creators on YouTube and TikTok explore new avenues for monetization

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VLogs by Nigerian content creators Tayo Aina feature anything from Nigeria Japan (immigration) wave and voodoo festival. Performing with Afrobeats stars in Benin david or last hunter-gatherer tribe. In Tanzania, you can get millions of views on YouTube.

Aina, 31, who started the channel in 2017 while working as an Uber driver, says it has allowed her to see parts of Nigeria that she had never had the chance to visit before. Using his iPhone, he began a mini-travel adventure, taking breaks to record the places he visited and tell stories not covered in mainstream media.


“I want to inspire the next generation of Africans to have no limits,” says Nigerian content creator Tayo Aina. Photo: Handout

Aina learned how to film and edit through YouTube tutorials, saved up to buy better equipment, and soon began traveling beyond Nigeria to countries like Kenya, Ethiopia, and Namibia, learning about the continent’s culture and social life. He created a travel video that introduces Africa through the lens of photography. African traveler.

“Most of the online media was negative, and I realized that I was trying to change the narrative about Africa by presenting it more clearly. It’s light,” says Aina, who now travels around the world.

Africa’s Creator Industry 2024 Report Research by publisher Communiqué and media technology company TM Global values ​​the sector at £2.4bn and predicts it will grow five times by 2030, reflecting trends in the global creator economy. Its growth is being driven by a wave of creators between the ages of 18 and 34, a surge in internet connectivity and social media usage across the continent, and the explosion of African culture on the world stage.

Growing interest in African culture – from Afrobeats and Amapiano Music and dance to an international fashion collection made from African textiles such as Ankara and Kikyoy. African movies – This is part of an international aspiration for authentic cultural storytelling outside the Arctic Circle, reflected in global cultural movements such as Hallyu, says David Adeleke, Founder of Communiqué.

This year, TikTok recognized More than a dozen African creators including Nigerian lifestyle creators @__iremide, a person who makes videos that satirize everyday life, and a South African Sachiko-sama. The 22-year-old is known for cosplaying characters from anime, video games, and pop culture. Nick Clegg, Meta’s president of international affairs, recently said: held a meeting Other social media platforms such as YouTube and TikTok are increasing their presence and Heva I’m getting involved.

The report says the industry is gaining momentum but is still young. Most content creators are in their third year of work, have fewer than 10,000 followers, and are faced with the challenge of turning social capital into income. The report adds that discussions about the monetization and standardization of the creator business ecosystem continue to take place primarily in Western countries.

But that is gradually changing.

As Aina’s channel grew and attracted a more international audience, he discovered what he was capable of. more and more It cost him money when his content was viewed by Western audiences rather than Africa. YouTube’s advertising model relies on ad spend, which is lower in many African markets than in North America and Europe.

“Part of the reason is economic. Generally speaking, Western creators and audiences have more resources, but that alone is not enough to justify the disparity in opportunity. ” says Adeleke.

As Aina began diversifying her content and audience to generate more income, there were other issues to worry about. He shares a video about the barriers and prejudice he faced during his travels, including being detained in Ethiopia on suspicion of drug possession, being arrested in South Africa on suspicion of being a “fraudster” and being refused entry to Dubai. I’ve posted it on my blog. The 2022 incident in Dubai was the “last straw” for Aina. Aina invested her savings in St. Kitts and Nevis and eventually secured a passport from St. Kitts and Nevis, becoming a citizen of the Caribbean nation.

He currently runs the Creator Academy on YouTube, where he has trained nearly 2,000 mostly African creators. “I want the next generation of Africans to grow their brands globally without limitations,” he says.

Chiamaka “Amaka” Amaku A 30-year-old Nigerian travel and lifestyle innovator who works as a social media manager and creates content as a personal project, believes digital infrastructure issues, including the challenges of sending and receiving international money, are a challenge for Nigerian creators. It says it can limit growth. Some global payment platforms have imposed restrictions on certain countries, including Nigeria, due to concerns about fraud and money laundering.

“Payment is one of the biggest challenges in Nigeria’s creator economy,” Amaku said, adding that payment barriers deter global brands from working with Nigerian creators.

In recent years, fintech companies such as flutter wave and salary stack While supporting international payments has reduced the barriers creators face in accepting digital payments, many restrictions remain, including local bank policies. For travel creators like Amaku, that means it’s harder to book flights or take Uber abroad.

Amaku, who charges between £250 and £500 for posts on his Instagram page, which has around 20,000 followers, says it is difficult to make a living from creating content and there is a “culture of secrecy” around fees in the industry in Nigeria. He says that many people have died because of this. Creators quickly changed.

Sharon Makira A 31-year-old Kenyan luxury travel creator who describes her audience as “Afropolitan champagne nomads” agrees. He said competition for brand sponsorships is fierce because many companies still rely on traditional advertising, so negotiating rates can become a race to the bottom.

With around 20,000 followers on Instagram and 7,000 followers on YouTube, she gets around five brand deals a year, and is paid around £600 to £1,000 per campaign. When she became a full-time content creator last year, after nearly a decade in media and PR, she realized she couldn’t make a living relying on a few unpredictable brand deals, so companies started creating content. We have opened a PR studio that allows you to tailor your business to suit your needs. Cooperate with viewers, travel agencies and other businesses nomad And luxury lodges in Rwanda Singita Kwitonda.

According to her, building a business around a social media brand can earn you several times more per project than a brand deal. “I think there’s real promise there.” [African] Creators: Leverage your social capital, network, credibility, and personal brand to launch your business,” she says.


Source: www.theguardian.com

Elon Musk’s Worldwide Political Objectives: A TechScape Analysis

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Hello. Welcome to TechScape. I’m Blake Montgomery. I’m the technology news editor for the Guardian US. Today on TechScape, I’m decoding Elon Musk’s global political goals, a notable documentary filmed inside World of Warcraft, a vote on support for school phone bans, and TikTok’s cats. Thank you for your participation. First, let’s talk about Mr. Musk’s world politics.

Over the weekend, Mr. Musk promised to give $150,000 a day to registered voters in U.S. battleground states who signed Mr. Pack’s petition in support of the First and Second Amendments. He awarded the first prize, a novelty check the size of a kitchen island, at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, and the second prize on Sunday in Pittsburgh. He plans to continue running until the November 5th election. Experts say the stunt may be illegal.

Why is Mr. Musk doing this? what does he want?

Last week, my colleagues Nick Robbins Early and Rachel Reingan published an article examining Musk’s inevitable influence on the US presidential election. The article delves into Musk’s political activities over the past few months, but what particularly interested me was the question it raised: As restrictions ease, masks around the world Is it the driving force behind his political activities? Is all this spending and campaigning about cutting government departments?

The constant battle with all the regulatory agencies comes at the same time that Musk has made numerous public statements supporting deregulation and calling for a full-scale federal audit. The idea has gained support from President Trump, who announced in September that he would create a Musk-led Government Efficiency Commission to audit cuts at federal agencies. Musk wants to call it the Department of Government Efficiency, or Doge, a reference to one of his favorite memes, the expressive Shiba Inu.

One of Musk’s go-to memes. Photo: The Guardian

The plan is vague in details and fails to address Mr. Musk’s apparent conflict of interest in auditing the regulators that oversee his company, but both Mr. Trump and Mr. He repeatedly brings up the idea of ​​playing some kind of role. President Trump appeared on Fox News earlier this week and said he would create a new position called “Secretary of Cost Reduction” and appoint Musk to the position.

“He wants to do this,” President Trump said.

But Musk’s fight to reduce government agencies is not limited to the United States. At times, he found himself at odds with other billionaires in battles with “regulators.” In India, Mr. Musk is at war with the government. satellite broadband distribution And he won against Mukesh Ambani. Asia’s richest man wanted more favorable terms for his communications empire.

He calls himself a “free speech absolutist” and is dissatisfied with speech regulators. A month after the general election, when Britain was in the midst of violent race riots, Musk tweeted that “civil war is inevitable” and posted a cartoon depicting a man in the electric chair. , argued that this was gratuitous punishment by the government. He has made similar criticisms of California’s government and President Joe Biden’s administration.

His fight for deregulation regularly puts him at odds with the judiciary. Last month, Brazil cut off access to X for failing to comply with a judge’s order and also fined SpaceX subsidiary Starlink for violating its sister company. Mr. Musk and Mr. X eventually complied.

Recently, some regulators have taken new steps and begun imposing penalties on mask companies for their (or Musk’s) actions.

Last week, European regulators took a page out of Brazil’s book, telling Company X’s lawyers: EU could impose fines For social media companies that failed to comply with the Digital Services Act. Importantly, regulators are proposing to calculate that tax based on the total revenue of Mr. Musk’s businesses, not just Company X’s profits. A possibly much higher fine could leave the social media platform in financial limbo.

In California, the Coastal Commission cited Musk’s tendency to tweet misinformation during a vote to reject SpaceX and the U.S. Air Force’s petition to launch more rockets from a base on the Santa Barbara coast. did. In response, Musk filed a lawsuit alleging political bias and violations of the First Amendment. He just wants to be left alone to peacefully fire rockets, tweet, and spend tens of millions of dollars on his presidential campaign.

Read the full story about Mr. Musk’s ubiquitous campaign.

Photo: Christopher Kumar/PR

Evelin’s amazing life The film follows the legacy of Mads Steen, a Norwegian teenager who suffered from a degenerative disorder that forced him to spend most of his 25 years in a wheelchair.

As Steen became more dependent on his wheelchair and breathing machine, he began spending more time playing World of Warcraft and other games, sometimes up to 12 hours a day. The film takes place where he spent most of his life: online.

Steen’s parents are concerned about the negative effects screen time is having on their son. They fear he will “never experience friendship, love, or making a difference in the lives of others.” But after his death, they realize that their despair has given him a lifeline, freeing him to do all the things they never thought he could do. Steen’s Warcraft character Eveline led him into deep friendships, adventures, and even digital romance. He left them a password when he died so they could find out about his second life.

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Photo: The Guardian

The film’s action, which mirrors Steen’s life, occurs both offline and online. Shot on digital locations in World of Warcraft’s Azeroth, it follows Ibelin’s reenactments of her conquests, conversations, and relationships there. Close-up shots zoom in on the avatar’s facial expressions, simulating the presence and emotions of Steen and his friends who talk about him as part of the Warcraft family. Each speaks of the deeply positive impact of the in-game friendship they shared with Steen through Evelin.

Evelyn’s scenes in Azeroth succeed in imbuing the fictional characters’ actions there with real meaning. Evelin kisses her date at sunset. He joins a family called Starlight. In moments of distress he lashes out at those closest to him. These avatars constitute the entire emotional life of a group of friends. They gave hope to a boy whose parents saw his life as truncated and lacking. Who’s to say they’re not real?

The success story of video games and social media is as old as the backlash against both. But what makes this documentary different is that it places the viewer next to the subject on screen. This is an immersive and empathetic approach, and it’s much better than watching someone use a device from a third-person perspective.

The film comes as parents around the world debate how much screen time is appropriate for their children. The argument that time spent digitally with friends has tangible weight is made even more persuasive by its format. By relying on in-game cinematography, the film shows the emotional weight of online life.

The film will be released on Netflix on October 25th.

on my iPhone

Photo: The Guardian

This week I’ve been watching some interesting videos: Cat equipped with a camera collar. This video is not only a peek into the secret lives of outdoor pets, but also a marvel of camera stabilization technology. Some camera companies have already Sponsored by Mr. Kittershas become one of the main characters on TikTok. Another feline star, the confrontational @max20499, is more of a villain. He loves to ambush and fight unsuspecting cats. To find him, the app suggests the search terms “Maxwell the Bully Kitten” and “Maxwell the Bully Kitten meets his match.”

Britain has banned students from using mobile phones in schools. Should U.S. schools do the same?

Photo: Carlos Barria/Reuters

pew research last week released a poll of 5,110 American adults about banning cell phone use in schools. You may be surprised by the results, as I was. Quote from the poll results:

68% of U

Source: www.theguardian.com

Scientists are worried about the changing speed of deadly, unpredictable hurricanes worldwide

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Yes, hurricanes are getting worse. While there isn’t a significant increase in the frequency of hurricanes compared to 40 years ago, there is evidence that they are becoming more intense and destructive due to climate change. In 2022, it was predicted that the Atlantic hurricane season would be exceptionally severe with storms having more energy than before because of warmer sea levels.

According to the 2021 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, North Atlantic storms are more likely to intensify into “major hurricanes,” making them harder to predict and prepare for. This intensification trend is attributed to the warmer climate.

On a scale of 1 to 5 based on maximum sustained wind speed, hurricanes are classified. Category 5 storms with wind speeds exceeding 262 km/h are the most powerful and can cause catastrophic damage. However, storms of lower categories can also be devastating, as seen with Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Climate change, by raising sea levels and affecting atmospheric conditions, is making hurricanes more destructive. The increase in extreme precipitation, slower storm movement across the Earth’s surface, and longer-lasting torrential rains are some of the impacts observed.

The forecast for the current Atlantic hurricane season suggests an above-average number of hurricanes due to the record heat in the region. The evidence points to hurricanes becoming more powerful, unpredictable, and persistent in a warmer world.

This article is a response to the question “Are hurricanes getting worse?” (asked by Johnny Adams of Peterborough).

If you have any questions, please send them to the email address below. For further information:or send us a message Facebook, Xor Instagram Page (be sure to include your name and location).

Ultimate Fun fact More amazing science pages.

Source: www.sciencefocus.com

The Top 10 Most Treacherous Roads Worldwide in 2024

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Driving these days can be quite challenging with traffic jams, road construction, and unexpected hazards causing delays to your daily schedule. But imagine if things were even worse, like driving down a mountain road where one wrong move could mean catastrophe.

This is a reality in many parts of the world, where the only way to get from point A to point B is by taking your life into your own hands.

Buckle up and prepare for a harrowing journey on some of the most treacherous roads in the world.

Keylon Kishtwar Road, India

The mountainous section of India’s “Kila-Kishtwar” road. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

If a 235km stretch of single-track dirt road through treacherous mountain passes sounds like a fun road trip to you, then the road from Keylong to Kishwar in India is perfect for you.

With no safety fences and cliffs thousands of metres below, along with the risk of landslides and unpredictable weather, it’s no surprise this road is one of the most perilous in India.

A portion of the road called the “Cliffhanger” is narrow and could collapse if too close to the cliff.

Ibarska Magistrala, Serbia

A truck climbs the steep hill towards Mount Rudnik on the Ibar highway in Serbia. Photo credit: BrankaVV/Wikipedia Commons

National Route 22 or the “Ibar Highway,” also known as the “Black Highway,” is among the most dangerous roads in Europe and one of the busiest in the country.

Connecting Belgrade with other major municipalities in Serbia and neighboring countries like Montenegro, this highway features long stretches of straight road with perilous curves that lead to many accidents, especially at night, often due to speeding or drunk driving.

The village of Vrjani, a quiet corner of the Ibar Highway, Serbia. Photo credit: BrankaVV/Wikipedia Commons

Transfagarasan, Romania

Romania’s Transfagarasan Highway is one of the most beautiful roads in Europe, but also one of the most dangerous. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

Romania’s highways might not be the best in Europe in terms of quality, but the most famous and perilous is the Transfagarasan highway.

This winding mountain road climbs to over 2,000 meters, offering breathtaking views along its 150-kilometer route. Its hairpin turns, tunnels, and dramatic elevation changes pose a real challenge for drivers, with the added danger of encountering large flocks of sheep on the road, as shepherds use it to move their sheep between pastures.

Skippers Canyon Road, New Zealand

Skippers Canyon, Queenstown, New Zealand. Photo by Bernard Spragg/Wikipedia Commons

Skippers Canyon is a hazardous road in New Zealand, carved into rock by miners using hand tools and explosives. With steep cliffs, hairpin turns, and a one-way road for most of its 22-kilometer length, it’s extremely dangerous, and rental car insurance doesn’t cover this section.

Though the Gold Rush that spurred its construction is long over, the area’s historical significance and stunning landscapes make it a tourist attraction today.

A warning sign highlighting the dangers encountered on the road to Skippers Canyon, New Zealand. Photo courtesy of Alamy

James Dalton Highway, USA

A truck drives along the James Dalton Highway (also known as Haul Road) in the Arctic Circle of Alaska, USA, on a stormy day. Photo credit: Alamy

Made famous by the TV show “Ice Road Truckers,” the James Dalton Highway is a challenging road in Alaska that connects Fairbanks to Deadhorse north of the Arctic Circle.

This 666-km road, named after an Alaskan engineer, is the main route for trucks transporting fuel and supplies to oil field workers. Only a third of the road is paved, with the rest being gravel and stone.

The main hazards on this highway include severe weather, isolation, and encounters with polar bears, making it a risky journey for any driver.

A large trailer truck travels along the Dalton Highway through the Brooks Range region of Alaska’s North Slope, USA. The Dalton Highway (Alaska State Route 11) runs 412 miles (666 km) through northern Alaska from Livengood (53 miles north of Fairbanks) to Prudhoe Bay. Photo by Lance King/Getty Images

Zojila Pass, India

Indian Army vehicles travel through the Zojila Pass in India, the only road connecting Kashmir with Ladakh. Photo: Faisal Khan/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Zojila Pass is a critical road linking Ladakh with the Kashmir Valley, situated high in the Himalayas. The road faces challenges like snow, ice, and seasonal closures lasting months.

The narrow pass with no safety fences has no room for more than one car at a time, making it a daunting route with cliffs that drop straight into the valley below – not for the faint of heart.

A new tunnel is under construction to protect the road from harsh winters, keeping it open year-round, but its safety remains to be seen.

Fairy Meadows Road, Pakistan

This photo of Fairy Meadows Road in Pakistan shows how narrow and dangerous the road is. Photo by Alamy

The harrowing Fairy Meadows Road in Pakistan winds through mountainous terrain over 3,000 meters above sea level. With only enough room for one car at a time and no safety barriers, accidents are frequent.

This 16km road connects the Karakoram Highway to the village of Tato inside Fairy Meadows National Park, reserved exclusively for local drivers due to its extreme danger.

Yungas Road, Bolivia

Bolivia’s North Yungas Road, known as the “Road of Death,” is one of the most dangerous roads in the world. Looking at this image, it’s easy to see why. Photo: Anton Petras/Getty Images

The North Yungas Road in Bolivia, famously known as the “Road of Death,” is a treacherous 64km route connecting La Paz to the Yungas region. The road saw an average of 200 to 300 fatalities annually until a safer alternative was built.

This gravel road climbing up the mountain is notorious for poor visibility due to fog and rain, narrow and winding paths, and steep cliffs that make overtaking traffic a dangerous endeavor.

A bus approaches a simple bridge on Bolivia’s “Road of Death.” Photo by Anton Petras/Getty Images

Sichuan-Tibet Expressway, China

The winding road connecting Sichuan and Tibet on the snow-covered Qier Mountains in Dege County, Ganzi Tibetan Autonomous Prefecture, Sichuan Province, China. Photo courtesy of Getty Images

The Sichuan-Tibet Expressway in China, one of the world’s highest roads, presents challenges like avalanches, landslides, and single-track sections at high altitudes with low grip.

This busy road, known for frequent traffic jams and gridlock, can take up to 15 days to navigate, testing drivers’ patience and skill amid snow-capped mountains and dramatic canyons.

Bayburt D915, Türkiye

Drivers Yagiz Avci and Dmitry Sotnikov speed along the D915 road from Trabzon to Bayburt in Turkey. Photo courtesy of Alamy

The twisty D915 in Turkey is often cited as one of the world’s scariest roads due to its numerous hairpin turns through mountainous terrain. Linking the Black Sea to Bayburt, a city with roots in the ancient Silk Road trade route, this road demands careful navigation due to its loose surface, exposure to bad weather, and various hazards.

The winding Bayburt D915 highway crosses the Soganli mountainside in Trabzon, Turkey. Photo: Ali Ihsan Özturk/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

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Source: www.sciencefocus.com

Windows computers worldwide suffer massive outage due to Blue Screen of Death

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If you see a blue screen, it’s bad news

Alex Photostock/Alamy

A large number of Microsoft Windows computers around the world today were found to be unable to boot, instead displaying the so-called “Blue Screen of Death” (BSOD), among the computers reportedly affected, with the UK’s Sky News ceasing live broadcasts just before 6am local time, as well as causing outages for a number of airline and banking services.

What’s happening on my Windows computer?

Some users have reported that their Windows devices are refusing to boot up, while others have witnessed their computers suddenly display a BSOD while in use.

Eddie Major of the University of Adelaide in Australia…

Source: www.newscientist.com

Argentina’s lithium industry accelerates to fulfill electric vehicle demand, reshaping competitive dynamics

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IIn the vast white desert of Salinas Grandes, 45-year-old Antonio Carpanchay raises an axe and chips away at the earth. He has worked the land since he was 12, splitting and collecting salt, replenishing it for the next season and teaching his children to do the same.

“Our whole indigenous community works here, even the elders,” he says, shielding his sunburned face from the sun. “We’ve always done it. It’s our livelihood.”

As his son watches warily, Karpanchai points north, to a pile of black stones and mud that stands out from the stark whiteness of the plains. “They started mining for lithium in 2010,” he says. “We made them stop because they were destroying the environment and affecting the water quality. But now they’re coming back, and I’m scared. We could lose everything we have.”

Antonio Carpanchay and his son mine and sell salt in Salinas Grandes, Argentina.

The Salinas Grandes are the largest salt flats in Argentina, stretching over 200 miles and containing a biodiverse ecosystem. Sitting in the Lithium Triangle The same goes for parts of Chile and Bolivia.

Lithium is a silvery metal known as platinum and is a vital element in batteries for mobile phones and electric cars. By 2040, global demand is predicted to increase more than 40-fold. But that exploitation has also raised moral debates, pitting the transition to green energy against the rights of local and indigenous peoples.

The sign reads “No to Lithium.”

Thirty-three indigenous communities in the Atacama and Cola regions, fearful of losing or polluting their water resources and being forced off their lands, have banded together for 14 years to try to halt the mining operations. “Please respect our territory” and “No to lithium” are scrawled on dozens of road signs, abandoned buildings, and murals.

But now, with more than 30 global mining conglomerates moving into the region at the instigation of “anarcho-capitalist” President Javier Milley, the battle lines are being redrawn. Offers of jobs and investment are increasingly dividing communities, with some already reneging on agreements and more expected to follow.

“Businesses are moving in,” Karpanchai said. “I worry about my grandchildren’s future.”

TThe biggest concern for indigenous peoples is water. Approximately 2 million liters of evaporation is required per tonne of lithium. This threatens to dry up the region’s wetlands and already dry rivers and lakes. Industrial-scale pumping also threatens to contaminate fresh groundwater, endangering livestock and small-scale agriculture. The impacts will likely reach farther than the immediate source of the water: as locals say, “water knows no borders.”

Clemente Flores, a 59-year-old community leader, says water is the most important part of Pachamama, which means “Mother Earth.” “Water nourishes the air, the soil, the pastures for the animals and the food we eat,” he argues.

“If we used all the water for mining, the salt flats would dry up. We need water to grow salt. Without salt, there are no jobs,” said Karpanchai, who relies on the freshwater resources to raise llamas and sheep. “Chemicals from mining could pollute the water and pastures. We could lose everything.”

Flavia Lamas, 30, a tour guide on the salt flats, remembers when lithium companies began exploring around 2010. “They said mining lithium would not affect Mother Earth, but then water became a problem. Water was running off the salt flats and after just one month our land started to degrade,” she says.

Flavia Lamas, who guides tourists through the Salinas Grandes salt flats, compares the mining companies to the Spanish colonial army of the 1500s.

According to Pia Marchegiani, director of environmental policy at the NGO: Environment and Natural Resources Foundation (Fern) Environmental assessments leave gaps in understanding the full impact of large-scale development. “This region is a watershed. Water comes from everywhere, but nobody is looking at the whole picture,” Marchegiani says. “You have Australians, Americans, Europeans, Chinese, Koreans, but nobody is adding up their water use.”

Wildlife within the ecosystem may also be affected. A 2022 study found that flamingosLithium mining in Chile is slowly killing off coral reefs that feed on microorganisms in seawater.

Communities also fear their land will disappear. Indigenous people consider the land sacred and ancestral, and have lived on it for centuries, but they worry they will be forcibly removed. “We can’t sacrifice our community land. Do you think that’s going to save the planet? Instead, we’re destroying Mother Earth herself,” Flores says.

A painting welcoming visitors to the village of El Moreno features an anti-lithium message.

youUntil recently, the 33 communities fought together as one, but over the past year, cracks have appeared as mining companies have offered economic incentives. “Companies are approaching,” Karpanchai said. “They approach us alone, they come in disguise. People are feeling the pressure.”

Lamas says mining companies are descending on the region like conquistadors in the 1500s. “The Spanish brought mirrors as gifts. Now the miners come by truck,” she says. “We’ve been offered gifts, trucks, and houses in the city, but we don’t want to live there.”

Marchegiani accuses the companies of deploying “divide and conquer” tactics. Alicia Chalabet, an indigenous lawyer from Salinas Grandes, says the community is under “constant pressure” to agree to the demands. “We’re flooded with lithium companies here. It’s increased a lot in the last five years,” said Chalabet, who is currently handling 20 cases. “The community is just an obstacle.”

The community of Lipan was the first to agree to let mining company Rishon Energy explore the waters beneath the saltwater in exchange for promises of jobs and essential services, but some residents say the decision was controversial, and some community members claim not all residents were allowed to vote.

A facility set up by Rishon Energy to explore lithium potential near the village of Lipan. The company claims to employ staff from the local area and invest in their training.

Rishon denies that its decision to mine in Lipan was controversial and says it complied with all regulations that require it to seek local community support in lithium exploration. The company has previously told reporters that it has invested in 15 secondary school and 15 university scholarships, provided computers to local schools, and hired 12 workers from Lipan.

Anastasia Castillo, 38, grew up in Lipan and now lives in a nearby commune. She says neither she nor her parents, who remain in the village, agreed. “I’m very sad. My children’s future is ruined. We have 100 cows and 80 llamas in the area, which is my main job. I’m afraid they’ll die,” Castillo said. “Now we’re separated.”

Anastasia Castillo believes that

Source: www.theguardian.com

Drones: A Game-Changer for Animal Rights Activists Worldwide

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Late last year, UrgentSeas received an anonymous tip from a former Miami Aquarium employee about an animal tank kept away from public view. Advocacy groups investigated.

In November, they posted a short clip of what they found after flying a drone over the property. It was an old manatee living alone in a dilapidated private pool. Within a month, the video had been viewed millions of times and the outcry became so intense that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service moved Romeo the manatee and his companion Juliet to a sanctuary.

Over the past decade, drones have become an invaluable tool for activists and conservation groups. In 2013, the animal rights organization Peta (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was launched. drone campaign Tracking illegal bowhunting in Massachusetts.

Since then, drones have been used to record factory farm pollution In the Midwest of the United States, there was an outbreak of sea lice in salmon pens in Iceland. Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon. Drones are popular because they are relatively cheap, easy to use, and can extend reach even in difficult or inaccessible terrain. It also provides a bird’s-eye view of the scale of problems such as oil spills and illegal logging.

When it comes to breeding marine mammals, an aerial view is extremely valuable and can reveal the cramped conditions and restricted lives of animals in aquariums.

In some cases, drones have captured the secret lives of hidden animals, such as Romeo the Miami manatee. “This is footage that people need to see to understand how cruel confinement really is,” said the drone pilot who shot the footage at the Miami Seaquarium, and who wishes to remain anonymous.

Another early adopter of drones is Sea Shepherd. Marine conservation groups have begun filming illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing on the high seas.As technology advances, drones have become quieter and stealthier, he says. Simon Ager, long-time Sea Shepherd volunteer. This is critical for infiltrating ships and catching crimes in progress, he added.

“In my experience, drones have been ineffective because you can never get close to a ship where illegal activity is taking place. They see us coming, and they see us over the horizon. They will turn and flare up, and you guys will have nothing to go after them,” says Agar.


Sea Shepherd thermal drones monitor the porpoise sanctuary in the Gulf of California as part of an effort to protect the world's most endangered marine mammals from illegal fishing. Photo: Eli Hausman/Sea Shepherd Conservation Society

Agel said off the coasts of Mexico and Ecuador, tuna fishermen are pulling up nets tangled with sharks and other unintended bycatch, or dumping miles of fishing line into the water, where more marine life is caught. I recorded how it looked like it was dying. Off the coast of the Galapagos Islands, he tracked a large flotilla of Chinese squid fishing vessels with a night-vision drone.That campaign was exposed. Environmental and human rights abuses are rampant on boardincluding slave labor and the dumping of unwanted catches.

Drones also allow activists to safely distance themselves from the dangerous situations they are filming. During an operation to save endangered porpoises in the Gulf of California, cartel-funded fishermen shot a Sea Shepherd drone out of the sky and threw petrol bombs at the ship.

“Conservation is a very dangerous profession, and more environmentalists are killed every year,” Ager said. “Drones are a great way to study something without putting yourself at risk and decide if it's worth the risk.”

The high seas are a near-lawless zone where drone rules and regulations are severely violated. The legal situation is different on land, where activists use drones to photograph zoos and aquariums. UrgentSeas pilots say they use the app to determine where they are allowed to fly their drones and do their best to follow the appropriate laws.

“Flying a drone is clearly something you shouldn't do,” she says. “You don't have to stand outside the facility and fly the drone. You might even hide in the bushes. You're watching the cars. It's kind of like a mission.”

Last November, the Miami Seaquarium filed for a non-disclosure order against Argent Seeds co-founder Phil Demers after drone footage of Romeo went viral. The move is part of a larger lawsuit the aquarium filed against animal activists in May 2023, alleging defamation, public nuisance and trespassing, many of which include flying drones and trespassing on property. It was from a recording.


Romeo, the Miami Aquarium's manatee, was moved to a swimming pool at the Tampa Zoo in Florida last December. Photo: Zuma Press Inc/Alamy

The Miami Seaquarium did not respond to multiple requests for comment from the Guardian, but said in the complaint that Demers “repeatedly flew unmanned aircraft without authorization.” [Seaquarium’s] Accommodation is available during normal business hours. ”

As a relatively new technology, drones still exist in a legal gray area. “Drones, legal and privacy issues are new issues,” says Benjamin Christopher Caraway, an attorney with the Animal Activist Legal Defense Project in Colorado and Demers' attorney. There are several state torts and statutes regarding drones, but he has yet to see many cases heard in court.

Activists say drones are necessary for free speech and democracy, but opponents say they invade privacy and, in the case of aquariums and zoos, cause trouble to animals, customers and staff. .

Carraway hopes the drone law will address conflicting concerns in a nuanced way. “The whole concept of drones requires a significant update to the law and raises another question: the balance between legitimate interests and the public's right to know, privacy.”


Romeo the manatee rescued from the Miami Aquarium sticks his nose out of the water in his new home at the Tampa Zoo. Photo: Zuma Press Inc/Alamy

A trial involving Demers and the Miami Seaquarium is scheduled for May, but it is doubtful the facility will still be open by then. Last year's death of killer whale Lolita and news reports about Romeo's living conditions have added to public pressure on an already struggling aquarium. On March 7, Miami-Dade County issued an eviction notice, ordering the aquarium operator to vacate the county-owned property by April 21.


“The Dolphin Company has repeatedly failed to meet its contractual obligations under the lease agreement,” Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniela Levine Cava said in a statement. “The current situation at Miami Aquarium is unsustainable and unsafe due to its failure to maintain the facility in good condition and its failure to demonstrate that it can ensure the safety and welfare of the animals in its care.”

UrgentSeas receives 5-6 tips from whistleblowers each month. Most are former or current employees of zoos and aquariums around the world. According to Whale & Dolphin Conservation USA, currently 56 killer whales They are in captivity all over the world.

UrgentSeas plans to document every facility with a drone (though the group encourages supporters to fly the drones themselves). “It’s the drone that shows us everything,” says his anonymous UrgentSeas pilot. “But it comes with a lot of risks.”

Source: www.theguardian.com

By 2100, One in Eight Ski Resorts Worldwide Could Be Snow-Free

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Some ski resorts are experiencing a serious lack of snow.

Abaka Press / Alamy Stock Photo

As the effects of climate change intensify, ski resorts may disappear in many parts of the world.

Thirteen percent of ski areas are projected to completely lose their natural annual snow cover by 2100, according to a study predicting future snowfall changes in seven regions around the world.

Meanwhile, research shows that 20% of ski resorts around the world will lose more than half of their snow days from 2071 to 2100 compared to historical norms.

Australia is in the worst position, with more than three-quarters of its snow days expected to be lost by the end of the century.

Veronica Mitterwallner The professor at Germany's Bayreuth University who led the study said the results show what we are already starting to see.

“More ski resorts are closing due to lack of snow, and winter sports events, especially in low-lying areas, are being held on strips of white snow surrounded by green landscapes,” she says.

Mitterwallner and his colleagues modeled greenhouse gas emissions for the remainder of this century in three scenarios: low, medium, and high.

They found that the number of annual snow days in seven major mountain regions where downhill skiing occurs would decrease significantly globally under all three scenarios.

Under the moderate emissions scenario, the study predicts that the average number of snowy days per year would decrease by 43% in the Andes, 37% in the Appalachians, 78% in the Australian Alps, and 42% and 50% in the European Alps. Compared to prehistoric times, by the end of this century it was 23 percent in the Japanese Alps, 23 percent in the Rocky Mountains, and 51 percent in New Zealand's Southern Alps. The only major skiing country that could not be modeled due to lack of data was China.

Mitterwallner and others warn that as ski areas are forced to retreat to higher and more remote areas, resort operators will be under increasing pressure to expand into threatened mountain ecosystems. ing.

“High-altitude species are already under pressure due to the pace of human-induced climate change,” Mitterwallner says. “Furthermore, alpine skiing relies on infrastructure construction, slope preparation, and other forms of land degradation, which certainly impacts alpine ecosystems.”

Janet Lindsey Researchers at the Australian National University in Canberra say the scenario modeled in the paper is realistic. “We are already moving further into a situation where the environment is much warmer than before, and it will continue to warm even more,” Lindesay said.

“We expect snow-friendly conditions to continue and snowfall amounts to decrease everywhere.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

1 out of every 8 people worldwide is obese

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Obesity rates are rising around the world

Shutterstock/Rostislav_Sedlacek

More than 1 billion people around the world, or approximately 1 in 8 people, are obese, making it the most common form of malnutrition in nearly every country.

Francesco Branca Researchers from the World Health Organization (WHO) compiled data from more than 3,600 studies published over the past 35 years to understand how obesity rates have changed between 1990 and 2022. The study included approximately 230 million people in 197 countries. The researchers then calculated participants’ BMI (a score based on height and weight) to estimate how obesity rates changed over time.

During the study period, global obesity prevalence more than doubled in adults aged 20 years and older and quadrupled in children and adolescents aged 5 to 19 years. By 2022, obesity rates among women and girls have increased in approximately 93% of countries. The same was true for boys in all but five countries. France was the only country where obesity rates among men did not increase.

Adult obesity rates rose the most in countries in the Caribbean, the Middle East, and North Africa. Meanwhile, the biggest increases in child and adolescent obesity were in Brunei, Chile, Polynesia, Micronesia, and Caribbean island states.

Obesity increases your risk of heart disease, diabetes, certain cancers, and a variety of other health problems. “It is very worrying that the obesity epidemic that was evident among adults in many parts of the world in 1990 is now being reflected in school-age children and adolescents,” he said. Majid Ezati researchers from Imperial College London, one of the study’s senior authors, said in a press release.

Researchers believe that calorie- and sugar-rich processed foods, which have become more widely available around the world in recent decades, are partly to blame for the skyrocketing obesity rates. However, researchers note that focusing on individual behaviors such as diet and exercise has had, and will continue to have, little impact on the prevalence of obesity. To truly prevent and manage obesity, governments around the world need to implement policies that make healthy food and physical activity more accessible and affordable, Branca said in a press release.

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Source: www.newscientist.com

Record-breaking heat waves will be caused by El Nino worldwide this year

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A map showing the expected surface temperature anomalies in 2024 if a strong El Niño event occurs.Blue dots indicate areas where record heat is expected

Ning Jiang et al., Scientific Reports

Climate models predict this year will be the hottest 12 months on record as El Niño conditions persist in the Caribbean, Bay of Bengal, South China Sea, Alaska and parts of the Amazon.

“These are places where the risk of extreme events is increased, and these extreme events are really harmful,” team members say. michael mcfaden NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory, Seattle, Washington.

“They negatively impact human health and increase the risk of wildfires. And in the ocean, they increase the risk of marine heatwaves, damaging marine ecosystems, fisheries and corals,” he said. Masu.

Earth’s surface temperatures are currently at record highs in many parts of the world. The main reason is global warming caused by carbon emissions from burning fossil fuels. However, in addition to this, the strong El Niño phenomenon that started in mid-2023 is causing temperatures to rise further.

When an El Niño event occurs, warm water spreads across the surface of the Pacific Ocean toward South America. This vast area of warm water transfers large amounts of ocean heat to the atmosphere, causing an increase in surface temperature.

The reverse phase, known as La Niña, reverses this process. Cold water spreads over the surface of the Pacific Ocean away from South America, absorbing heat from the atmosphere and lowering the surface temperature.

This means that the Earth’s average surface temperature typically reaches record levels during El Niño periods and then drops during La Niña periods.

McFadden and his colleagues used a computer model that took into account aerosol pollution and volcanic eruptions in addition to El Niño to try to predict where in the world record heat would occur. Their regional forecast is the average surface temperature for the period from July 2023 to June 2024.

“Even if it’s not exactly timed to a specific season, there’s real value in having this kind of warning,” McFayden says. “It gives us a grace period to prepare how best to protect life, property, marine resources and economic development.”

The research team considered two scenarios: a strong El Niño and a milder El Niño. It’s now clear that a strong El Niño is occurring, and in fact, it’s likely to be in the top five strongest El Niños since 1950, McFadden said.

In this strong El Niño scenario, the research team predicts that the global average surface temperature from July 2023 to June 2024 would be 1.1°C to 1.2°C warmer than the 1951-1980 average. Masu.

this is Equivalent to a temperature above 1.4-1.5 °C average from 1850 to 1900, new scientist This is considered a pre-industrial benchmark. This suggests that the model is underestimating the temperature since it is already above this level. From January 2023 to January 2024, the Earth’s average surface temperature was more than 1.5 °C above the 1850-1900 average, and in January 2024 it was 1.7 °C above this level.

Temperature records have already been broken during El Niño, especially in the tropics, he said. maximiliano herrera, an independent climatologist who tracks extreme temperatures. “This is amazing,” he says. “We are experiencing record heat and it is inevitable.”

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Source: www.newscientist.com

“Revamping Life at 60: Transforming a Simple Lifestyle into a Worldwide Sensation” | Life and style

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○On a sunny day in 2017, Kate Jackson, then 61 years old, picked up a wooden wool spinning wheel and took it to her garden. She propped her iPad up against a brick, pressed record, and began spinning and talking. It’s about crafts, the countryside, and her animals (cats, chickens, bees, and Irene the goose). Kate liked watching videos about gardening and quilting on YouTube, so she had an idea one day. “I decided to upload once a week.”

She called her channel “the last homely home”, “It’s a place where you feel comfortable, safe, and welcome. That’s what I wanted for my channel.” It currently has 123,000 subscribers. Last May, Ms Jackson, who lives in rural Northumberland, launched a sister channel. “the last homely garden”. She has her own shop online, nearly 40,000 followers on Instagram, and her own Facebook group run by her fans. She has become a cornerstone of her thriving online community.

Thirteen years ago, after an unexpected divorce, Jackson found herself alone with her three adult children. “It wasn’t the future I had planned,” she says. “She found it difficult to look at herself.” She left her career as a midwife to focus on selling her homemade crafts and teaching workshops, but she was struggling financially.

Around this time, her best friend was diagnosed with motor neuron disease and later died. “It was a dark time,” she says. Mr Jackson fled to New Zealand, where he traveled the country by bus. “I came back healed,” she says. She is ready to accept living alone and find peace at home.

By the time decent broadband was installed in her village in 2017, she was ready to share her little world of artisanal entertainment online. In Jackson’s videos, she chats while cooking, sewing, and sorting fabric. Sometimes she shoots tutorials, which are always relaxing. Recently, she has been teaching her daughter-in-law Anna how to make quilts. Jackson avoids polish. She doesn’t like writing video scripts and she never wears makeup. While filming one of her cooking videos, she accidentally dropped the recipe she was making into the pot, but left the mistake intact in her edit. Her audience loved it, she says. She says, “The comment I get most often is, ‘It’s like sitting down and having tea with a friend.'”

Her audience is mostly older American women, yearning for a glimpse of life in the British countryside. But that’s not all. “My daughter Martha said, ‘You’re a woman living alone in the country, you’re okay.'” Too often, people are left on their own through divorce or death and are overwhelmed by it. On the other hand, I enjoy solitude and love being able to make my own decisions. I’m showing people that it’s okay.”

Her fans collectively refer to themselves as the “Lime Green Sofa.” This was a concept during lockdown, with Jackson imagining viewers lounging together on endless banquettes. American fans made sofa badges to identify each other at craft festivals. In the UK, there are people who profess to be fans of Jackson, who “started crying and hugged me. They’re always really friendly and nice. But it’s a little weird.”


Jackson at work. Photo: Anna Jackson

Although she hides her exact whereabouts, people sometimes show up at her doorstep. There are “intrusive questions” online. Jackson shares a lot. “But at some point you have to say, ‘No, I’m not going to share this.'” Especially since it protects the privacy of her children and grandchildren.

However, The Last Homely House is a family effort in other ways. Her children and their partners are all creative and participate by doing small jobs on the channel. They create illustrations, run online shops, edit videos and photos, and sometimes appear on screen. “It’s really gratifying to see how passionate they are about what I’m doing,” Jackson says. “This is a collaboration with the people I love most in my life.”

Due to the success of her channel, Ms. Jackson is very busy, but she loves how she spends her time. This year, she plans to collaborate with a YouTuber she once considered a hero and visit her fabric factory. Success also brings peace of mind. “I am financially independent in a way I never thought possible when I was depressed and wondering when I would sell my next quilt.”

Sometimes I wish I had started sooner. “But I had to go through all those difficult life stages,” she says. “I wouldn’t have appealed to the same people if I was younger. I’m doing the right thing at the right time.”

Tell us: Has your life taken a new direction after turning 60?

Source: www.theguardian.com