Canada’s historic wildfire season last year resulted in the burning of numerous trees, causing forests to emit more carbon than the fossil fuel emissions of most countries in 2022, as per a study released on Wednesday.
According to Brendan Byrne, a carbon cycle scientist at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory and the lead author of the study, “Only China, the United States, and India emit more carbon dioxide annually than these fires. Emissions from these fires are unprecedented in Canada’s history.”
Byrne’s research, published in Nature magazine, estimates that the emissions from the fires (approximately 647 megatons of carbon) are over four times the annual emissions from Canada’s fossil fuel burning. The study predicts that by 2023, about 4% of Canada’s forests will have burned.
While Canada’s forests typically absorb more carbon than they emit, the latest findings suggest a concerning trend where these carbon sinks may be exacerbating emissions. This raises concerns about the reliability of carbon sinks in the future as wildfire patterns evolve.
Byrne stated, “The year 2023 was truly exceptional due to heat, drought, and fire emissions. With summer temperatures projected to normalize in Canadian forests around the 2050s, we might see a rise in the frequency of fires, impacting the carbon storage capacity of forests significantly.”
In 2023, 232,000 individuals were evacuated due to the smoke from the wildfires in Canada, leading to the worst smoke season in modern U.S. history, with cities like New York facing air pollution concerns.
A subway station in the Bronx, New York City, on June 7, 2023. David Dee Delgado/Getty Images file.
To calculate the total carbon emissions from the wildfire season, researchers used satellite data to determine how much atmospheric carbon was absorbed by light. They also noted that Canada experienced exceptional drought and its hottest summer since at least 1980, conditions expected to become more frequent in the future.
Approximately half of the carbon released by human activities remains in the atmosphere, a quarter is absorbed by oceans, and the remaining quarter by terrestrial ecosystems like trees and plants on Earth.
Byrne emphasized, “Changes in the frequency and severity of fires could impact this absorption process. This has significant implications for global carbon emissions.”
Canada’s forested regions account for about 8.5% of global forests, as per a recent study.
The emissions estimates from the researchers align closely with other analyses of the 2023 fires in Canada. The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service reported approximately 480 megatons of carbon dioxide emissions from fires, which is based on different analytical methods.
Mark Parrington, a senior scientist at Copernicus, noted that the new study corroborated the findings of their research while incorporating additional satellite data to reduce uncertainties. Although the U.S. has not been as affected by Canadian wildfire smoke this season, large carbon dioxide emissions are once again being released.
Parrington mentioned, “Monitoring indicates that 2024 is the second-worst wildfire year in Canada in the last two decades, based on estimated emissions, following 2023.”
July marked the 14th consecutive month of record-high global temperatures, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The agency predicts that this year is likely to be the hottest or near the hottest on record, with a 77 percent chance of being the hottest and nearly 100 percent chance of being among the top five hottest years. Karin Gleason, from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information, reported that record temperatures were observed across nearly a fifth of the world’s land area in July.
Record temperatures were recorded in Europe, Africa, and Asia, making July their warmest month on record. North America experienced the second warmest July. The planet experienced its hottest July on record for two consecutive days, leading to heat warnings in the southwestern U.S. and triple-digit temperatures in Central California, where the Park Fire became the fourth-largest wildfire in state history.
NOAA predicts that most of the continental U.S. will experience above-normal temperatures in September, with the exception of coastal California and parts of the Pacific Northwest. Researchers attribute the extreme temperatures to the burning of fossil fuels and the continued increase in greenhouse gas emissions. The recent temperatures are also influenced by the natural weather pattern El Niño.
El Niño’s influence is expected to weaken, potentially making way for La Niña, which could develop in September, October, and November. La Niña is associated with cooler global temperatures, but it could also intensify hurricanes in the Atlantic. It may lead to wetter winters in the Pacific Northwest and drier conditions in the Southwest, potentially causing recurrent droughts.
The Copernicus project, which combines real-world observations with computer modeling, reported that July was the second-hottest on record. US and European scientists agree that this July’s temperatures were comparable to those of 2023 in terms of heat. Despite slight differences in data and methodologies, the consistency in global data sets suggests that the planet is approaching record levels of heat.
After 15 months of record-high sea surface temperatures, NOAA noted a slight easing in levels. Sea surface temperatures are still trending about 1.4 degrees Fahrenheit above average, although below the record set in 2023.
As we welcome summer, the Northern Hemisphere is now experiencing longer daylight hours due to the 2024 summer solstice. This day has been celebrated for millennia, whether for religious reasons or simple festivities like barbecues. If you’re curious about the significance of this day, particularly at sites like Stonehenge, we have information to share.
When is the summer solstice in 2024?
The summer solstice in 2024 will occur on Thursday, June 20th at 9:51pm BST (4:50pm EDT New York time, 1:50pm PDT Los Angeles time). This precise astronomical moment marks the start of summer in the Northern Hemisphere when it faces the sun directly, resulting in the longest day of the year with the most hours of sunshine.
When are sunrise and sunset on the summer solstice?
On Thursday, June 20th, sunrise in London is at 4:43am BST, and sunset is at 9:21pm BST. Timings vary slightly depending on the location within the UK and the US.
Summer solstice sunrise times in New York City: 5:25 a.m. EDT.
Summer solstice sunset times in New York City: 8:31pm EDT.
Summer solstice sunrise times in Austin, Texas: 6:30 a.m. CDT.
Summer solstice sunset times in Austin, Texas: 8:36pm CDT.
Summer solstice sunrise times in Los Angeles: 5:42 a.m. PDT.
Summer solstice sunset times in Los Angeles: 8:08pm PDT.
Although the summer solstice is the longest day, it does not always have the earliest sunrise or latest sunset, which vary based on the latitude.
What is the Summer Solstice?
The summer solstice represents the moment when the Northern Hemisphere is most tilted towards the sun, resulting in the longest day of the year. This tilt of the Earth’s axis causes different seasons in the hemispheres, with the summer solstice marking peak summer in the Northern Hemisphere and peak winter in the Southern Hemisphere.
Due to the Earth’s tilt, sunlight falls directly on the Northern Hemisphere during the summer solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere, this marks the shortest day of the year, or winter solstice. – Image credit: Getty
Various celebrations of the summer solstice take place globally, with Stonehenge being a famous site for observing this phenomenon. People have gathered at this ancient stone circle to witness the sunrise aligning with the central altar stone, marking the arrival of summer.
Starting in the late Middle Ages, Swedes began the tradition of erecting a Midsummer pole and dancing around it. The custom of decorating the pole with flowers and greenery was called a “maja”, which also came to be called a Maypole. – Image credit: Getty
What is the difference between the equinox and the summer solstice?
While equinoxes mark the change of seasons when day and night are approximately equal, solstices like the summer solstice focus on sunlight. The summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere is the longest day of the year, contrasting with the winter solstice, which is the shortest day.
Do other planets have solstices?
Every planet in the solar system experiences solstices due to its axial tilt, with Earth’s tilt being more noticeable than other planets like Venus or Jupiter. The tilt of a planet’s axis affects its seasons, with Uranus being particularly tilted and experiencing extreme variations in sunlight.
Upcoming Summer Solstice Dates and Times, BST
2025: June 21, 3:42 AM
2026: June 21, 9:24 AM
2027: June 21, 3:10 p.m.
2028: June 20, 9:01 p.m.
2029: June 21, 2:48 AM
2030: June 21, 8:31 AM
About our experts
Darren Baskill is an Outreach Officer and Lecturer in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sussex. She has a background in astrophotography and astronomy, bringing expertise to the study of celestial events like the summer solstice.
Summer is here, officially starting today with the Northern Hemisphere experiencing more daylight than anywhere else. This marks the 2024 summer solstice, a significant day that has been celebrated for thousands of years. Whether for religious ceremonies or casual barbecues, the longest day of the year is a cause for celebration.
If you’re unsure about the summer solstice and its importance, especially at places like Stonehenge, we’re here to provide some clarity.
When is the Summer Solstice in 2024?
The summer solstice in 2024 falls on Thursday, June 20th at 9:51 pm BST (4:50 pm EDT New York time, 1:50 pm PDT Los Angeles time). Keep in mind that the summer solstice occurs at a specific moment, signifying the start of astronomical summer when the Northern Hemisphere faces the Sun directly.
It’s the longest day of the year, providing the most hours of sunshine in 2024. Expect at least 16 hours of sunlight in the UK and US. This is one of the two solstices each year, with the second occurring in December. The summer solstice always falls between June 20 and 22, coming a day earlier this year compared to 2023.
When are Sunrise and Sunset on the Summer Solstice?
On Thursday, June 20th, the sunrise in London, England is at 4:43 am BST, and the sunset is at 9:21 pm BST. Sunrise and sunset times may vary slightly depending on your location in the UK or US.
Summer solstice sunrise in New York City: 5:25 a.m. EDT.
Summer solstice sunset in New York City: 8:31 pm EDT.
Summer solstice sunrise in Austin, Texas: 6:30 am CDT.
Summer solstice sunset in Austin, Texas: 8:36 pm CDT.
Summer solstice sunrise in Los Angeles: 5:42 am PDT.
Summer solstice sunset in Los Angeles: 8:08 pm PDT.
While today is the longest day of the year, it doesn’t necessarily have the earliest sunrise or the latest sunset. The exact dates for these phenomena vary based on your latitude. In areas around the 40th parallel north, the earliest sunrise of the year occurred around June 14th, with the latest sunset around June 27th.
“This slight difference occurs because the Earth orbits the Sun in a slight ellipse, not a circle.” Dr. Darren Baskill“It’s a very exciting time for us,” says astrophotographer and astronomy lecturer at the University of Sussex. BBC Science Focus.
read more:
What is the Summer Solstice?
The summer solstice occurs when the Sun reaches its highest point in the sky, directly hitting the Northern Hemisphere. This axis tilt of about 24 degrees causes opposite seasons in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, with the summer solstice marking the longest day of the year. As the Earth orbits the Sun in an ellipse, the perihelion (closest point to the Sun) occurs in January, while the aphelion (farthest point) occurs in July.
Due to the Earth’s tilt, sunlight falls directly on the Northern Hemisphere during the summer solstice. In the Southern Hemisphere, this marks the shortest day of the year, or winter solstice. – Image credit: Getty
Although the summer solstice is the longest day of the year, peak temperatures usually occur in July or August as the Earth continues to release absorbed heat. The tilt of the Earth’s axis, not its distance from the Sun, causes the change in seasons.
Why is the Earth Tilted?
The Earth’s tilt resulted from significant impacts during the solar system’s formation 4.5 billion years ago. The current tilt allows for regions where the sun never sets during the summer solstice, like in the Arctic. This tilt contributes to the variety of seasons experienced on Earth.
How is the Summer Solstice Celebrated Around the World?
Celebrations of the summer solstice take place worldwide, from the Swedish midsummer festivities to Stonehenge in England. Stonehenge, built thousands of years ago, aligns with the rising sun on the summer solstice, attracting hundreds to witness the event every year.
Starting in the late Middle Ages, Swedes began the tradition of erecting a Midsummer pole and dancing around it. The custom of decorating the pole with flowers and greenery was called a “maja”, which also came to be called a Maypole. – Image credit: Getty
What is the Difference Between the Equinox and the Summer Solstice?
Equinoxes mark the change of seasons with equal day and night lengths, occurring in spring and autumn. Solstices, on the other hand, focus on sunlight, with the summer solstice being the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere.
Do Other Planets Have Solstices?
Every planet in the solar system has solstices due to axial tilts. Earth’s tilt is pronounced compared to other planets like Venus or Jupiter. Mars, similar to Earth, experiences seasons but with longer durations due to its elliptical orbit.
Upcoming Summer Solstice Dates and Times, BST
2025: June 21, 3:42 AM
2026: June 21, 9:24 AM
2027: June 21, 3:10 p.m.
2028: June 20, 9:01 p.m.
2029: June 21, 2:48 AM
2030: June 21, 8:31 AM
About Our Experts
Darren Baskill is an Outreach Officer and Lecturer in the School of Physics and Astronomy at the University of Sussex. They have a background in astronomy and have contributed to various projects in the field.
The Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) has announced the winners of this year’s Scientific Image Competition, which celebrates the hidden beauty of scientific research.
The contest is divided into four categories: “Subjects of Research,” “Locations and Equipment,” “Women and Men Scientists,” and “Video Loops.”
The winning entries include an image of the transparent abdomen of a glass frog taken by Francesca Angiolani-Larrea, a doctoral student at the University of Bern, who won first place in the “Research Subject” category.
Check out the winners and standout images from this year’s contest.
Distinguishing between locations and instrument categories – organized chaos
This operating room image was taken before pig surgery began. The purpose of this surgery was to evaluate the in vivo performance of a new vascular graft for aortic replacement. This treatment has the potential to improve patients’ life expectancy and quality of life after intervention. Photo credit: Georgios Lovas
Distinguishing research target categories – maize root microbiome
This image visualizes the corn root microbiome (the collection of microorganisms that live in or on the roots) and how they process the plant’s secondary metabolites. Photo credit: Lisa Tennen
Winners in the Research Subject Category – In Search of a Good Father
This image shows Hyalinobtrachium valerioi, a type of glass frog with a transparent stomach. Although child rearing in the animal kingdom has traditionally been seen as the job of the mother, it takes on a more diverse form in amphibians. This species is a good example. The female’s role is to select the best mate and lay eggs. Males stay close to their children and take care of them. Sometimes they hold up to seven animals at once. Photo credit: Francesca Angiolani-Larrea
Differentiating between video loop categories – Smapshot
“Smapshot” is a crowdsourcing project that allows citizens to localize historical photos using a virtual globe. Participants can georeference the image by clicking on points that appear within the image and on the virtual globe. Georeferenced images are of interest to researchers and the general public because they help visualize phenomena such as climate change and urbanization. Video stills by Jens Ingensand
Video Loop Categories Distinction – Tumor Cells…
A still image from a video showing how tumor cells extracted from patient tissue grow within a three-dimensional matrix. Video stills by Michele Gallioni
Male and female science winners – more than just wearing lab coats
In this photo, a veterinarian is auscultating a mini pig’s heart to make sure it’s healthy. Photo credit: Mariafrancesca Petrucci
Winner of the Video Loop Category – Wingtip vortex…
This shows the flow pattern in a wind tunnel test section that occurs downstream of an aircraft arched wing located near a solid surface. In classic flight conditions, high above the ground, a single vortex develops at the wing tip. In this case, a complex spiral system is seen. Video stills by Cyprien de Sepibus
Distinguishing research subject categories – Cerebrospinal fluid…
This supercomputing simulation shows how cerebrospinal fluid flows around the optic nerve. Cerebrospinal fluid flows from the brain to the optic nerve, nourishing it and removing toxic metabolites. Photos by Diego Rossinelli, Jatta Berberat, Jill Forsti
Location and Equipment Winner – Bees and Chips
This photo shows a close-up of a robotic device inhabited by bees, developed within the Mobile Robot Systems Group at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Lausanne (EPFL). Trials were being carried out in Austria in collaboration with biologists from the University of Graz as part of the EU-funded Hiveopolis project. Photo credit: Raphael Balmak
Scientists Women and Men by Category – Wheat Harvest
Hundreds of research wheat fields must be threshed to study crop growth using sensors and high-tech equipment. This includes manual labor such as bagging and collecting seed samples for drying and further processing. Photo credit: Andreas Hund
Distinguishing between locations and equipment categories – UV reactors…
The photo shows the UV reactor used for photopolymerization. Photopolymerization is a process in which light induces the chemical assembly of short monomer molecules to form long polymer chains. The reactor is built with a 5-meter strip containing 300 LEDs wrapped inside an aluminum cylinder. Photo credit: Deborah Toney
Distinguishing women from men in science – the big stakes in the history of medicine
This photo was taken at the historic library and museum of the Saint-Louis Hospital in Paris, France. It has a collection of books on the history of medicine and dermatology, many of which are out of print and extremely rare. Photo by Alexandre Wenger and Radu Suciu
Video loop category differentiation – tumor growth simulation
This computer simulation shows how a malignant tumor grows from a single cell to a million cells. Each cell is colored according to its relative age, from red (young) to blue (old). Video stills by Roman Vetter
Classification of research subject categories – My voice in the video…
My Voice in Images is a photo-based participatory research method that gives children and young people the opportunity to express their views on social issues and public policies that interest them. The children who created this photo emphasized the need for a solid roof over their heads. Photo by Sylvia Garcia Delahaye and Lavinia Johnson.
Distinguishing between locations and instrument categories – Wandering eye
An ophthalmic microsurgeon practices surgical techniques for artificial eyes. The development of educational materials aims to create realistic conditions for surgical training workshops before it is possible to safely operate on live patients. Photo credit: Julien Boussette
Distinguishing research object categories – thin layer chromatography plates…
Thin layer chromatography plates in fluorescent dye synthesis. Chromatography is a technique for spatially separating the components of a mixture. This example image was generated during the purification of a complex fluorochrome, or fluorescent compound. Photo credit: Salome Puntenar
This mesmerizing shot of the perfect alignment of the sun and full moon over Utah's Valley of the Gods last October is raising expectations for next month's total solar eclipse in North America.
This image, a collaboration between photographers Andrew McCarthy and Daniel Stein, shows an annular solar eclipse in which an outer “ring of fire” forms because the moon is too far from Earth to completely cover the sun. I am. The shot is the result of digitally stitching together thousands of images, combining Stein's landscape photography skills with McCarthy's experience capturing images of the sun.
After months of planning, the pair set up cameras and telescopes at carefully selected desert locations to capture the key shots, taking into account weather patterns, eclipse duration, and terrain features. did.
The image was published by Social media March 8th, exactly one month before a total solar eclipse, in which the moon completely covers the sun, will pass over North America. It will blanket much of the continent in darkness or completely, from Canada to the United States and Mexico. The path of the total eclipse will be much wider than the last similar solar eclipse in the region, covering almost 200 kilometers compared to about 115 kilometers in 2017.
“It’s easy to take the sun for granted, but [sun and moon] When combined during a solar eclipse, they are breathtakingly beautiful. I feel that incorporating landscape elements adds a sense of grounding to the images and allows the viewer to connect more deeply with the work,” says Stein.
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.”
It may surprise you, but the universe isn’t perfect, at least not from a human perspective. One clear example of this imperfection is the existence of leap years like 2024.
What is a leap year?
By definition, a leap year occurs every four years, adding an extra day to make the year 366 days long instead of the usual 365. This extra day falls on February 29th rather than the typical February 28th.
Why do leap years occur?
The discrepancy between a year (Earth’s orbit around the sun) and a day (Earth’s rotation) drives the need for leap years to align our calendar with the Earth’s journey around the sun. This misalignment accumulates over time, necessitating the addition of leap years to keep our calendar in sync with the seasons.
“Leap years play a crucial role in aligning our calendar with the Earth’s orbit around the sun,” explains Dr. Minjae Kim, a Research Fellow in Astrophysics at the University of Warwick.
The Julian calendar introduced by Julius Caesar in 46 BC added a day every four years, but it slightly overcorrected the discrepancy between the solar year and the calendar year. Reforms led to the Gregorian calendar in 1582, which provides rules for determining leap years, reducing the error rate to about one day every 3000 years.
Celebrities with leap year birthdays
Jack Rousma: NASA astronaut born on February 29, 1936.
Ja Rule: American rap legend born on February 29, 1976.
Pedro Sanchez Perez-Castechon: Prime Minister of Spain born on February 29, 1972.
Karen Jones: American competitive swimmer born on February 29, 1984.
Is it possible to create the perfect calendar?
Despite efforts to improve calendars, there is no perfect solution due to the dynamic nature of space. The concept of time harmonizing with natural rhythms is temporary, as our days get longer and Earth’s orbit changes over long timescales. For now, the Gregorian calendar remains adequate.
About our experts
Dr. Minjae Kim: Research Fellow in the Department of Physics at the University of Warwick, focusing on planetary science and dust signatures in debris disks around stars.
Dr. James McCormack: Assistant Professor in the Astronomy and Astrophysics Group at the University of Warwick, specializing in transiting exoplanets and the European Space Agency’s PLATO mission.
Melting ice in Greenland could worsen extreme weather across Europe
REDA & CO srl/Alamy
Europe's 10 hottest and driest summers in the past 40 years have all come after a particularly large amount of fresh water was released from the Greenland ice sheet, meaning southern Europe will experience an especially hot summer this year. Maybe you are doing it.
They say this link occurs because the excess meltwater triggers a series of amplifying feedbacks that affect the strength and position of the atmospheric jet stream over Europe. Marilena Ortmans At the UK National Marine Centre.
“2018 and 2022 were the most recent examples,” she says. 2022 saw extreme heat and numerous bushfires across Europe, with high temperatures reaching 40°C (104°F) in parts of the UK for the first time.
These feedback effects, on top of the underlying warming trend from fossil fuel emissions, mean Europe will become even hotter and drier in coming decades as the melting of the Greenland ice sheet accelerates. Then Mr. Ortmans says:
“This is on top of the warming that is already happening due to increases in greenhouse gases,” she says.
Hotter heat waves and drier droughts are expected as the planet warms, but in some regions, such as Europe, recent heat waves and droughts have been even more extreme than climate modeling projects. Several studies have linked these extreme events to changes in the strength and position of the Arctic jet stream. The Arctic jet stream is a band of upper-level winds whose location and strength have a significant impact on weather.
But it's not clear what causes these changes, Ortmans says. Now, she and her colleagues are analyzing weather observations from the past 40 years, and the results show that extreme weather is ultimately the result of a period of increased ice melt in Greenland. It is said that there is.
“Observational statistical associations are very powerful,” she says.
The excess meltwater leads to a shallow layer of freshwater that extends south of the North Atlantic Ocean. This layer does not easily mix with the warm, salty ocean water below, causing the ocean surface to be colder than normal in winter.
This makes the gradient between this colder water and warmer water further south even more extreme, strengthening the weather front aloft. As a result, wind patterns strengthen, pushing warm water flowing northward, the North Atlantic Current, further north than usual. This further amplifies the temperature gradient.
“The front that forms between an area of cold fresh water and an area of warm ocean water is the main source of energy for storms,” she says.
Now, Oltmans' team suggests that these winter changes have lasting effects into the following summer. “Two years after the freshwater anomaly occurred, we are still seeing significant signs,” she says.
The researchers found that stronger temperature gradients lead to stronger jet streams across Europe, making the weather in southern Europe even hotter and drier. Then, as the unusually cold water recedes, the jet stream moves north, bringing hot, dry weather to northern Europe.
“We have discussed the individual links in this feedback chain before,” Ortmans says. “What we did in this study is bring these links together.”
Computer models miss this chain of feedback because they don't include factors such as large fluctuations in meltwater from year to year, she says.
“The association between Atlantic freshwater anomalies and subsequent European summer weather proposed in this study is interesting and relevant to current scientific research on long-term predictions of summer weather, especially “If that relationship holds true for future summers,” he says. adam scaife He works on long-term forecasts at the UK Met Office.
“I think this study is somewhat convincing,” he says. Fei Luo At the Singapore Climate Research Center. But when it comes to predicting summer weather, looking at the previous year's snowmelt isn't as helpful as looking at winter weather conditions, Luo said.
But Oltmans is confident enough to predict that Europe will experience more heatwaves and droughts in the coming years as Greenland's ice melts further in the summer of 2023. “I think southern Europe will experience strong heat anomalies this summer,” she says.
These are likely to become even more powerful in 2025, after which they will begin to impact Northern Europe. “We expect Northern Europe to experience another strong heatwave and drought, not this year, but in the next few years.”
Gail Huntley picked up the phone and immediately recognized Joe Biden's raspy voice. Huntley, a 73-year-old New Hampshire resident, had planned to vote for the president in the state's upcoming primary and was perplexed when she received a prerecorded message urging her not to vote.
“It's important to save your vote for the November election,” the message said. “Only this Tuesday's vote will allow the Republican Party to seek re-election of Donald Trump.”
Huntley quickly realized the call was fake, but thought Biden's words had been taken out of context. She was shocked when it was revealed that the recording was generated by AI. Within weeks, the United States outlawed robocalls that use AI-generated voices.
The Biden deepfake was the first major test for governments, tech companies, and civil society groups. Governments, technology companies and civil society organizations are grappling with how best to police an information ecosystem where anyone can create photorealistic images of candidates or replicate their voices. It is embroiled in a heated debate. Terrifying accuracy.
As citizens of dozens of countries, including the US, India and possibly the UK, go to the polls in 2024, experts say democratic processes are at serious risk of being disrupted by artificial intelligence. .
AI fakes are already being used in elections Slovakia,Taiwan, Indonesiaand they are thrown into an environment where trust in politicians, institutions and media is already low.
Watchdog groups have warned that more than 40,000 people have been laid off at the tech companies that host and manage much of this content, and that digital media is uniquely vulnerable to abuse.
Mission Impossible?
For Biden, concerns about the potentially dangerous uses of AI spiked after watching the latest Mission: Impossible movie. Over the weekend at Camp David, the president relaxed in front of a movie in which Tom Cruise's Ethan Hunt takes on a rogue AI.
After watching the film, White House Deputy Chief of Staff Bruce Reid said that if Biden wasn't already concerned about what could go wrong with AI, “he has much more to worry about.” It turns out there are a lot of them.”
Since then, Biden has signed an executive order requiring major AI developers to share safety test results and other information with the government.
And the United States is not alone in taking action. The EU is about to pass one of the most comprehensive laws to regulate AI, but it won't come into force until 2026. Proposed regulations in the UK have been criticized for moving too slowly.
But because the United States is home to many of the most innovative technology companies, the White House's actions will have a major impact on how the most disruptive AI products are developed.
Katie Harvath, who spent a decade helping shape policy at Facebook and now works on trust and safety issues at tech companies, says the U.S. government isn't doing enough. Concerns about stifling innovation could play into this, especially as China moves to develop its own AI industry, she says.
Harvath discusses how information systems have evolved from the “golden age” of social media growth, to the Great Reckoning after the Brexit and Trump votes, and the subsequent efforts to stay ahead of disinformation. I watched what happened from my ringside seat.
Her mantra for 2024 is “panic responsibly.”
In the short term, she says, the regulators and polices for AI-generated content will be the very companies developing the tools to create it.
“I don't know if companies are ready,” Harvath said. “There are also new platforms whose first real test will be this election season.”
Last week, major tech companies signed an agreement to voluntarily adopt “reasonable precautions” to prevent AI from being used to disrupt democratic elections around the world, and to coordinate efforts. We took a big step.
Signatories include OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, as well as Google, Adobe, and Microsoft, all of which have launched tools to generate AI-authored content. Many companies have also updated their own rules to prohibit the use of their products in political campaigns.. Enforcing these bans is another matter.
OpenAI, which uses its powerful Dall-E software to create photorealistic images, said its tool rejects requests to generate images of real people, including candidates.
Midjourney, whose AI image generation is considered by many to be the most powerful and accurate, says users should not use the product to “attempt to influence the outcome of a political campaign or election.” Says.
Midjourney CEO David Holtz said the company is close to banning political images, including photos of leading presidential candidates. It appears that some changes are already in effect. When the Guardian asked Midjourney to produce an image of Joe Biden and Donald Trump in a boxing ring, the request was denied, saying it violated the company's community standards. A flag was raised.
But when I entered the same prompt, replacing Biden and Trump with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and opposition leader Keir Starmer, the software produced a series of images without a problem.
This example is at the center of concerns among many policymakers about how effectively tech companies are regulating AI-generated content outside the hothouse of the U.S. presidential election.
“Multi-million euro weapons of mass operation”
Despite OpenAI's ban on using its tools in political campaigns, its products were used to create campaign art, track social media sentiment, build interactive chatbots, and engage voters in Indonesia's elections this month. Reuters reported that it was widely used as a target.
Harvath said it's an open question how startups like OpenAI can aggressively enforce their policies outside the United States.
“Each country is a little different, with different laws and cultural norms. When you run a US-focused company, you realize that things work differently in the US than they do in other parts of the world. can be difficult.”
Last year's national elections in Slovakia pitted pro-Russian candidates against those advocating stronger ties with the EU. Ballot papers include support for Ukraine's war effort, and EU officials say the vote could be at risk of interference by Russia and its “multi-million euro weapons of mass manipulation” emphasized by those.
As the election approached and a national media blackout began, an audio recording of pro-EU candidate Michal Šimeka was posted on Facebook.
In the recording, Simechka appears to discuss ways to rig elections by buying votes from marginalized communities. The audio was fake, and AFP news agency reported that it appeared to have been manipulated using AI.
However, media outlets and politicians are required to remain silent under election concealment laws, making it nearly impossible to uncover errors in the recording.
The doctored audio appears to have fallen through a loophole in how Facebook owner Meta Inc. polices AI-generated material on its platform.below it community standardsprohibits posting content that has been manipulated in a way that “the average person wouldn't understand,” or that has been edited to make someone say something they didn't say. However, this only applies to videos.
Pro-Russian candidate Robert Fico won the election and became prime minister.
When will we know that the future is here?
Despite the dangers, there are some signs that voters are better prepared for what's to come than officials think.
“Voters are smarter than we think,” Harvath said. “They may be overwhelmed, but they understand what's going on in the information environment.”
For many experts, the main concern is not the technologies we are already working on, but the innovations that are on the other side of the horizon.
Writing in MIT's Technology Review, academics said the public debate about how AI threatens democracy is “lacking imagination.” The real danger, they say, is not what we already fear, but what we cannot yet imagine.
“What rocks are we not examining?” Halvath asks. “New technologies emerge, new bad guys emerge. There are constant high and low tides, and we have to get used to living with them.”
“Whale Bones was photographed in the most extreme conditions,” explains jury chair and renowned photographer Alex Mustard. “A breath-holding diver descends below the Greenland ice sheet to witness a carcass. This composition invites us to think about the impact we have on the great creatures on this planet. Since the advent of humans, wild animals were reduced by his 85%.
“Currently, only 4 percent of mammals are wild animals, and the remaining 96 percent are humans and livestock. We need to change the way we do things to find a balance with nature.”
Portuguese photographer Nuno Sa has been named the Save Our Seas Foundation’s 2024 Marine Conservation Photographer of the Year. His photo, dubbed “Saving Goliath,” depicts a beachgoer’s futile efforts to save a stranded sperm whale off the coast of Portugal.
Underwater Photographer of the Year is an annual competition that celebrates the best underwater photography since 1965.
Today’s competition attracts entries from all over the world, with 13 categories testing photographers in themes such as macro, wide-angle, action photography, and shipwreck photography, as well as four categories specifically for photographs taken in British waters.
Below are the winners of this year’s contest and our favorite ranked images.
Winner – Macro Category
Pot-bellied seahorse (ventral hippocampus) Pictured surrounded by bright green corals with interesting patterns. Photographed on Bear Island, Australia. Photo credit: Talia Grace/UPY2024
Lunar New Year is celebrated around the world, and the phases of the moon, not the calendar, mark the beginning of 2024. This year's Chinese New Year was on his February 10th.
Chinese New Year is based on the lunisolar calendar, and the year begins when the second new moon (following the winter solstice) marks the beginning of the new year. This day is considered one of the most important days in Chinese culture, and families gather together to celebrate and eat together.
This year is the Year of the Dragon, the fifth of the 12-year animal cycle in the Chinese calendar. People born in the year of the Dragon are believed to have more power, luck, and success than other animals, so China tends to have more lunar birthdays.
However, Lunar New Year is not only celebrated in China. Here's how people around the world rated this event.
Wuhan, China
Children touch a traditional dragon head to pray for blessings after a performance on the second night of the Spring Festival in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, February 11, 2024.Photo courtesy: Getty Images
Seoul, South Korea
Korean performers wearing traditional costumes participate in traditional games to pray for good luck during the Lunar New Year at Gyeongbokgung Palace in Seoul, South Korea, on February 11, 2024. Korean people travel from big cities to their hometowns during the Lunar New Year holiday to pay respects to the spirits of their ancestors.Photo provided by: Jung Sung-joon/Getty Images
london, united kingdom
Costumed performers entertain the audience at the 2024 Chinese New Year Dragon Parade in London, England. Photo credit: Loredana Sangiuliano/SOPA Images/LightRocket/Getty Images
Hong Kong
People enjoy fireworks at Golden Bauhinia Square in Hong Kong on February 11, 2024, the second day of Lunar New Year. Hong Kong celebrated Lunar New Year with a huge fireworks show at Victoria Harbour. Photo provided by: Hou Yu/China News Service/VCG/Getty Images
Undefined
Yen Bai, Vietnam
A couple in traditional costumes dance to celebrate Vietnamese New Year, or Tet, in Yen Bai province, northern Vietnam, February 12, 2024. Photo by Nhac Nguyen/AFP/Getty Images
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bangkok, thailand
Thai and Chinese people pray for good luck with incense sticks at a Chinese temple during Lunar New Year celebrations on February 10, 2024 in Bangkok, Thailand. Photo credit: Anusak Laowilas/NurPhoto/Getty Images
madrid, spain
Women in traditional costumes celebrate the Lunar New Year parade in the Usera neighborhood of Madrid, Spain. The Chinese community celebrated the beginning of the Year of the Dragon with a traditional parade along with the Spanish people. Photo credit: Marcos del Mazo/LightRocket/Getty Images
Singapore
People watch as a pair of dragons formed by 1,500 drones rise into the sky at the Marina Bay Sands waterfront in Singapore on February 11, 2024. The show is called “The Legend of Dragon Gate” and is performed as part of the Lunar New Year celebrations. Photo credit: Suhaimi Abdullah/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Gauteng, South Africa
Children in traditional costumes celebrate the Lunar New Year and the arrival of the Year of the Dragon at the South Chinese Buddhist Temple in Bronkhorstspruit, Pretoria, Gauteng, South Africa, February 11, 2024. Photo by Ihsaan Haffejee/Anadolu/Getty Images
Beijing, China
People try to touch a dragon during a performance at a temple fair on February 11, 2024, on the second day of the Lunar New Year in Beijing, China. Photo by Greg Baker/AFP/Getty Images
Qingdao, China
Front view of tourists enjoying colorful lanterns at the Golden Beach Beer City Lantern Fair in Qingdao, Shandong Province, China on February 11, 2024. Photo credit: Zhang Jingang/VCG/Getty Images
toronto, canada
Performers dance during the Lunar New Year celebration at Chinatown Center in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, February 11, 2024. Photo by Mike Campbell/NurPhoto/Getty Images
Ransomware gangs experienced a resurgence last year, with victims paying $1.1 billion to hackers, a record high according to a study.
Following a lull in 2022, cybercriminals intensified operations in 2023, targeting hospitals, schools, and major corporations worldwide.
Chainalysis, a cryptocurrency research firm, reported that ransom payments doubled compared to 2022, with $567 million paid out that year.
The report highlighted the “big game hunting” aspect of attacks last year, with a higher proportion of ransom payments exceeding $1 million as wealthier companies were targeted.
“2023 will be the year of a major resurgence in ransomware, with record payout amounts and a significant increase in the scope and complexity of attacks. This is a significant reversal from the decline observed in 2022,” Chainalysis said.
In a ransomware attack, hackers typically infiltrate a target’s computer system, infect it with malware, and encrypt files, rendering them inaccessible. New trends involve attackers extracting data such as staff and customer details from IT systems and demanding payment to unlock the files or delete stolen data copies.
Chainalysis attributed the decline in payments in 2022 to factors including Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Most ransomware groups are linked to Eastern Europe, the former Soviet Union, and Russia. Some fraudsters have been disrupted or turned ransomware into politically motivated cyberattacks.
The FBI disrupted the Hive ransomware group by obtaining their decryption keys and preventing victims from paying a $130 million ransom. Chainalysis also cited research showing a rise in the number of attackers and ransomware variants involved in attacks over the past year.
“The main thing we’re seeing is an astronomical increase in the number of attackers conducting ransomware attacks,” said Alan Liska, an analyst at cybersecurity firm Recorded Future.
According to Recorded Future, 538 new ransomware variants are expected in 2023, indicating the emergence of new and independent groups. The Clop group emerged as a key player last year by claiming responsibility for the hack of payroll provider Zellis, affecting customers like British Airways, Boots, and the BBC.
The British Library is still recovering from a ransomware attack by the rebranded group Rhysida that targeted the library in October.
The growth of ‘ransomware-as-a-service’, renting malware to criminals in exchange for a share of the profits, and the activity of ‘initial access brokers’ who sell vulnerabilities in potential targets’ networks to ransomware attackers have become trends.
Ellie Ludlum, a partner specializing in cybersecurity at British law firm Pinsent Masons, anticipates the rise in attacks to continue. “This increase is expected to continue in 2024, with continued focus on mass data exfiltration by threat actor groups, which may result in increased ransom payments by affected companies,” she stated.
SAN FRANCISCO — The number of western monarch butterflies wintering in California declined by 30% last year, likely due to the high humidity, researchers announced Tuesday.
Volunteers visiting sites in California and Arizona around Thanksgiving removed 230,000 butterflies from 330,000 butterflies by 2022, according to the Xerses Society, an environmental nonprofit focused on invertebrate conservation. It is said that more than one fish was caught.
Populations of the orange and black insects have rebounded to hundreds of thousands in recent years. In 2020, the number of butterflies plummeted to just 2,000., the lowest on record. But even though the butterflies have recovered, their numbers are still far below what they were in the 1980s, when monarchs numbered in the millions.
Scientists say butterfly populations are critically low in western states because housing construction and increased use of pesticides and herbicides are destroying milkweed habitat along migratory routes. Says.
Climate change is also one of the main factors in the monarch butterfly's extinction, preventing the butterflies from migrating 3,000 miles (4,828 km) each year to coincide with spring and wildflower blooms.
“Climate change is creating challenges for many wildlife species, and the monarch butterfly is no exception,” said Emma Pelton, monarch butterfly conservation biologist at the Xerces Society. “We know that the severe storms we saw in California last winter, atmospheric rivers flowing back to back, are on some level connected to climate change.”
Western monarch butterflies migrate south from the Pacific Northwest to California each winter, returning to the same places and even the same trees, where they huddle together and stay warm. They breed multiple generations along the route until they arrive in California, usually in early November. When warm weather arrives in March, it spreads east of California.
East of the Rocky Mountains, another population of monarch butterflies migrates from southern Canada and the northeastern United States into central Mexico. Scientists estimate that monarch butterfly populations in the eastern United States have declined by about 80% since the mid-1990s, but the decline in the western United States is even steeper.
Google’s CEO told employees to expect additional layoffs this year following recent layoffs that affected 1,000 employees.
In a memo to staff on Wednesday, Sundar Pichai said departments within the tech company continue to make changes and “some roles may be affected.”
Pichai’s memo acknowledged further layoffs reported last week, with the Alphabet Union, which represents workers within Google and its parent company Alphabet, announcing that 1,000 employees were affected.
“We have ambitious goals and will invest in big priorities,” he said in a memo reported by technology news website The Verge. “The reality is that we have to make hard choices to create this investment capacity.”
Pichai said the difficult choices so far include job losses at Google’s divisions, which include search, ad sales and the YouTube platform.
He noted that Alphabet cut 12,000 jobs across Alphabet in January last year, and said the job cuts would not reach that level. The company employed 182,000 people as of September 30 last year, according to its latest quarterly results.
“These role reductions are not at the scale of last year’s reductions and will not affect all teams,” Pichai wrote. “But I know it’s very difficult to see your colleagues and teams affected.”
Pichai announced the layoffs last year, saying Alphabet experienced a hiring boom as demand for tech companies surged during the coronavirus pandemic. He acknowledged that the company had overexpanded and wrote that it “hired for a different economic reality” than the one Alphabet faces now.
Pichai’s Wednesday memo was not on par with 12 months ago, when Microsoft, Salesforce, Amazon and Meta made tens of thousands of layoffs to adapt to the post-lockdown economy, sent to employees against the background of technical layoffs elsewhere. In December, Spotify announced it would cut 17% of its global workforce, while Amazon cut hundreds of employees in its Prime Video and Studio divisions, as well as about 500 employees at live streaming platform Twitch announced that he would be fired.
According to a website that tracks job losses in the technology industry. layoff.fyi, the sector has made 7,785 job cuts globally so far this year. By the same time last year, tech companies had laid off even more employees, about 38,000.
Pichai said Wednesday that the latest job cuts are focused on “reducing tiers to simplify execution and increase speed in some areas,” with more role cuts to come. Stated.
“While many of these changes have already been announced, we want to say upfront that some teams will continue to make specific resource allocation decisions throughout the year as needed and some roles will be affected. “There is a possibility that we will be subject to this,” he added.
It is now confirmed that the previous year has been noted as the warmest year in the history of the Earth.
The average land and ocean surface temperature in 2023 will be 2.12 degrees Fahrenheit above the 20th century average, surpassing the next closest temperature in 2016, as stated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in a Friday press conference with NASA.
The troubling records set in 2023 don’t stop there. The amount of heat stored in the upper ocean is at an all-time high, and Antarctica’s sea ice is at the lowest level on record. World temperature records date back to 1850.
This announcement did not come as a surprise to those closely following the climatological record but it does highlight the rapid changes occurring in the world as climate change and excessive greenhouse gas emissions continue to transform our planet.
According to NOAA, the past decade has been the warmest decade in modern history. Scientists predict that the Earth will continue to warm until world leaders effectively limit the use of fossil fuels.
The magnitude of the temperature change in 2023 surprised scientists, especially in comparison to the expectations for the year.
“We are observing this and, frankly, we’re surprised,” said Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies. “The prediction we had at the beginning of the year was that this year would be pretty much on trend and there was a slim chance of a record because we were starting out in La Niña phase. That didn’t work out.”
Land and ocean temperatures exceeded previous records by about 0.27 degrees Fahrenheit.
“That’s really big. Most records are set in a few hundredths of a degree. This is a huge leap forward,” said Russell Vohs, NOAA’s director of climate monitoring and evaluation.
Schmidt said researchers do not fully understand why average temperatures have risen so much, and more research is needed to understand why 2023 was such a significant outlier.
“More research is needed to understand what happened in 2023,” Schmidt said. “I’m baffled by the results so far. Oh my goodness, it’s been another record year.”
Temperatures in the U.S. reached the fifth-highest level of the year, according to NOAA. Severe weather caused record losses in the US, with government agencies reporting $28 billion in disasters, six more than the previous record.
On Friday, the World Meteorological Organization also confirmed that 2023 will be the warmest year in global temperatures. WMO compared six climate datasets produced by different organizations, and all six ranked 2023 as the warmest year on record.
The group said El Niño, a natural climate pattern that releases heat from the ocean into the atmosphere, could contribute to record heat in 2023 and dictate this year’s weather.
“The shift from a cooling La Niña to a warming El Niño by mid-2023 is clearly reflected in the increase in temperatures since last year. El Niño typically has its greatest impact after global temperatures peak. 2024 could be even hotter given the global warming,” said WMO Secretary-General Celeste Sauro. “While El Niño events occur naturally and come and go from year to year, long-term climate change is intensifying and is unquestionably the result of human activity.”
NOAA estimates there is a one in three chance that 2024 will be warmer than 2023.
The United States showed a promising decline in carbon emissions in 2023, despite economic growth, indicating a move towards a more sustainable future. Greenhouse gas emissions dropped by approximately 1.9% according to Rhodium Group’s preliminary analysis, tracking progress towards U.S. climate goals. The economy saw a growth of about 2.4%.
Ben King, an associate director at Rhodium Group, expressed that while this slow reduction in emissions shows progress, it also highlights the need for greater ambition in government and industry to achieve America’s climate goals.
The Biden administration aims to reduce emissions by 50% to 52% by 2030, an ambitious target considering that emissions are currently 17% lower than in 2005, following fluctuations in recent years.
King emphasized the necessity of tripling the 2% reduction in emissions achieved in the past year annually until 2030 to meet the Paris goals, which set limits on global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius. He mentioned that these goals require significant global leadership and effort from governments worldwide, as the pace of efforts to limit global warming remains insufficient according to a November report from the Stockholm Environmental Institute.
While certain sectors like power and buildings contributed to the emissions decline in 2023, others like transportation and industry saw an increase. Efforts to electrify these areas through policies like the Controlled Inflation Act are beginning to take effect, with record-high electric vehicle sales in 2023.
However, King noted that broader climate action may depend on the outcome of the 2024 presidential election.
“To do something more ambitious than just stay on track, we need an executive branch that is committed to climate action and a Congress that stands out from the crowd. We don’t have high hopes for large-scale, comprehensive climate action for 2024, but we will need to see some progress after 2025,” King concluded.
In the deep waters surrounding Romblon Island in the Philippines, a small translucent moray eel larva spins its body into the shape of a heart. Photographer Liang Hu took this magical photo 28 meters below the water's surface during a night dive.Pictured are some of our latest winners Close-up Photographer of the Year competition.
“I was so lucky to be able to capture this moment on camera,” Fu said in a statement. “The eel stayed at that depth for less than 10 seconds before swimming down and disappearing into the darkness.”
Slime mold with an ice crown
Barry Webb | Cupoty.com
Another winning image shows a gorgeous ice cap resting on a miniature slime mold (Didymium Squamrosum) grows on the forest floor at Hodgemoor, Buckinghamshire, England. Barry Webb's shot won the top prize in the fungi and slime mold category of the competition.
Nuthatch flying between trees
Csaba Darozzi | Cupoty.com
When I looked up at the sky, I saw a nuthatch (Citta Europaea) is flying among the trees in the Hungarian forest. These small, short-tailed birds are found throughout Europe and can be identified by their long blue bills, black eye stripes, and bluish-gray upper body. To take this photo, photographer Csaba Darozzi placed her GoPro camera inside a hollow tree stump and placed a sunflower nearby to lure wildlife.
A flycatcher catches a leafhopper
Peter Grob | Cupoty.com
Peter Grob's vivid photo shows the grasshopper, named for its extraordinary predation skills, about to lunge at an unlucky leafhopper. Mr. Grob, who works in airport security, came across the scene of a violent crime when he visited Penang Island in Malaysia.
fairy shrimp eggs
René Krekels/cupoty.com
The dazzling, colorful eggs of a female fairy shrimp can be seen in this close-up photo taken by German biologist René Krekels. This marine creature can be found in seasonal wetlands and highly saline lakes around the world, from the world's hottest deserts to the frigid climates of Antarctica. Fairy shrimp take 18 days to mature from hatching and have a lifespan of only a few months.
Cross section of European beachgrass leaves
Gerhard Vlcek/cupoty.com
Gerhard Vlczek captured a fluorescent cross-section of European beach glass (Ammophila arenaria) through a microscope. The bright orange-red tubes are vascular bundles that transport food and water through the grass and encase the green tissue. In this shot, Vlcek sliced
Last year was the hottest on record on Earth, the European Union’s climate change agency announced Tuesday, confirming what scientists had predicted and feared.
The EU’s Copernicus Climate Change Agency says global temperatures in 2023 will be higher than in any year dating back to at least 1850, reaching a level of “unprecedented highs” and averaging 1.48 degrees Celsius (Fahrenheit) higher than before the industrial revolution. 2.66 degrees) high.
This is a milestone that many climate scientists saw coming after a year filled with extreme weather. Since June, the Earth has been warmer than normal every month, with July and August 2023 becoming the two warmest months on record. According to Copernicus’ report.
This trajectory of global warming has been predicted by climate models, but last year’s developments remained exceptional.
A man cools off during a heatwave in Baghdad on July 6, 2023. Hadi Mizban / AP File
Samantha Burgess, deputy director of the Copernicus Climate Change Service, said “2023 was an extraordinary year in which the climate record fell like dominoes,” adding that last year’s temperatures were “higher than any time in at least the past 100,000 years.” There is a high possibility that it will exceed that amount,” he added.
Last year, the effects of that warming were felt almost everywhere on Earth. A dangerous and intense heatwave has hit parts of North America, Europe, Africa, and Asia. The world’s oceans were also unusually warm, with months of extreme sea surface temperatures, intensified storms, and tropical cyclones. And the fires raged during Canada’s historic wildfire season, burning at least 45 million acres and plummeting air quality in cities south of the border.
“Thanks to the work of the Copernicus Program throughout 2023, we knew there would be no good news today. But the annual data presented here shows that the impacts of climate change are increasing.” We provide further evidence that
Last year’s warm conditions were driven by El Niño, a natural weather pattern characterized by warmer-than-normal waters in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. El Niño typically exacerbates the background warming caused by anthropogenic climate change, increasing the likelihood of extreme temperatures.
A man cools off during a heatwave in Phoenix on July 16, 2023. Brandon Bell/Getty Images File
The Copernicus report highlights the challenges ahead in keeping global warming within limits set by the landmark 2015 Paris Agreement. In the climate agreement, countries agreed to limit temperature increases to 1.5°C (2.7°F) above pre-industrial levels to avoid the most devastating consequences of climate change.
According to the Copernicus report, almost half of the days in 2023 were warmer than 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. According to Copernicus scientists, this criterion does not by itself mean that the goals of the climate agreement have failed, as it refers to a warming of more than 1.5 degrees over several decades, but it still “sets a disastrous precedent.” It is said that
The European report was one of the first to confirm this new record. Other organizations, including NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, are expected to release their own findings later this week.
In August 2023, a wildfire broke out on the Hawaiian island of Maui after a period of dry weather.
Maui News via Matthew Thayer/AP/Alamy
It's official: 2023 was the hottest year on record. The average global temperature this year was 1.48 degrees Celsius higher than the pre-industrial average of 1850-1900, according to the European Union's Copernicus Climate Change Agency (C3S). This is the highest since records began in 1940 and probably the highest in the last 100,000 years, causing heat waves, droughts and wildfires.
The average annual temperature was 14.98°C (58.96°F), close to 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels, but although this target applies to long-term averages, countries are required to do so under the 2015 Paris Agreement. Aiming to avoid. It is the temperature, not the annual average temperature.
“The extreme conditions we have observed over the past few months dramatically demonstrate how far we are now from the climate in which our civilization developed.” carlo buontemposaid the director of C3S in a statement. “We urgently need to decarbonize.”
First, daily temperatures throughout the year were at least 1°C warmer than during the same period before the industrial revolution. Richard Betts The Met Office said 2023 was even hotter than forecasters expected. This is partly due to the onset of El Niño, a natural climate step that causes temperatures to rise, earlier than usual, but most of the warming is still due to human emissions.
“Every year, the Japan Meteorological Agency makes a weather forecast for next year,” Betts says. “For the first time, 2023 significantly exceeded our forecasts.”
The sweltering temperatures led to extreme weather events like the heavy rains of Storm Daniel. Dam collapses, killing more than 11,000 people In Libya last September, much more likely. July heatwave in North America and Europe would have been 'virtually impossible' without climate change, says Global Weather Attribution Initiative mentioned in the report.
Ocean temperatures in 2023 were also unprecedented, according to C3S. Contributing to events such as Hurricane Otiswhich became more intense than any other storm in history in 12 hours.
Betts said this year's weather could be hotter, potentially setting a new record set in 2023.
Breaking science news is always exciting, whether it’s an unexpected discovery or an answer to a question you didn’t know you were being asked. This is why we are sharing some of our favorite articles from the health, space, medical, and technology fields that made headlines in the past year.
How to have an optimal day, according to research published this year
Set the right temperature in your bedroom
The importance of sleep is evident, and studies have found that getting enough deep sleep influences various aspects of our lives. Research from Harvard Medical School suggests that older adults sleep most efficiently and restfully at temperatures between 15 and 25 degrees Celsius (60 and 77 degrees Fahrenheit).
Enjoy a snooze to activate your brain
Another study has revealed that hitting the snooze button and spending an extra 30 minutes in sleep can lead to improved cognitive performance. In contrast to common belief, keeping secrets may also boost your energy levels, especially when it comes to sharing good news.
The strangest news of 2023
Scientists unleashed their creativity with annoying questions
Neuroscientists hit participants with rapid questions to test their brains’ creative abilities. Furthermore, a dwarf reeds snake was observed performing cartwheels, and researchers wrote an algorithm to generate the “ultimate swear word” that did not have any obscene connotations.
Medical advances this year
New technology has 'invaded' the brain
The use of ultrasound and bubbles to “Trojan horse” drugs across the blood-brain barrier could pave the way for Alzheimer’s disease treatments. There is also evidence that a father’s gene leads the fetus to demand more nutrients during pregnancy.
Fecal transplants begin in the UK
Initial trials are being conducted to utilize fecal transplants for removing super-drug-resistant bacteria from patients with liver disease. Additionally, research has pointed to the human body’s natural mechanisms to reverse biological aging.
Technology and Physics in 2023
ChatGPT-4 changed AI forever
AI chatbot GPT-4 has been upgraded to allow users to enter image prompts, making them less likely to produce false facts. This is in addition to a machine that can read your mind and AI software that generates lifelike virtual replicas.
An important theory of gravity has become a reality
The discovery of low-frequency gravitational waves and the mapping of the dark universe have furthered our understanding of dark energy and dark matter. Furthermore, India achieved a soft landing on the moon’s south pole in 2023.
Space Exploration 2023: Timeline
Various celestial alignments have boosted launch trajectories, leading to numerous fascinating discoveries, dramatic explosions, and sightings throughout the year. Some of these include the discovery of the oldest barred galaxies, the launch of the Jupiter Icy Moon Explorer (JUICE), and the first soft landing on the moon’s south pole by India. There have also been advancements in treating ecosystem loss and creating powerful antibiotics from honey.
Science news that cheered up the world this year
Indigenous soils and medicines have been celebrated this year, with indigenous soils such as “Dark Earth” helping climate-resilient forests grow faster, and honey from honeypot ants being used to create powerful antibiotics. Additionally, the successful uterus transplant of a woman born without a uterus offers hope for potential childbirth.
It’s easy to be misunderstood if your name has the word “murderer” in it.
Still, it appears to have been a wild year for killer whales. From “attacking” and sinking several boats off the coast of southwest Europe to hunting great white sharks around South Africa and Australia, this black-and-white behemoth is living up to its name as of 2023. It looked like.
The whale’s surprising behavior has repeatedly put the spotlight on one of the ocean’s top predators since spring, spawning internet memes and wondering if the whale is just playing around or planning revenge. It’s fueling debate about what’s going on.
But for scientists, the recent orca antics are more fascinating than horrifying, with some saying they show how much there is still to learn about these highly intelligent marine animals.
Perhaps the biggest orca news of the year was a series of mysterious incidents in which killer whales appeared to ram boats off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula. In May, three killer whales collided with the rudder and side of a sailing yacht in the area, causing the yacht to sink.
This “attack” comes amid an observed increase in encounters between killer whales and boats since 2020. Monica Wieland Shields, director of the Orca Behavior Institute, a nonprofit research institute in Washington, said hundreds of incidents have been reported during this time.
At least four ships have sunk in the past two years due to the damage, she said.
No injuries or deaths were reported, and in most cases the whales did not sink boats. However, the incident became so famous that it sparked a meme that heralded the beginning of the “Orca Rebellion” and the “Orca Wars.” Many social media users supported “Team Killer Whales” and claimed that whales had finally fought back against humans.
But Shields said the sinking evoked real fear as well as light-hearted fun.
“So many people have come to my state of Washington this year and asked, ‘Is it safe to see whales here? How big is our boat? Is it possible that a whale will attack this ship?” she said. “I’m worried that instead of people leaving with a sense of respect and fascination with whales, they’re leaving with a fear of whales that’s probably not warranted.”
Among experts, the incident off the coast of the Iberian Peninsula is puzzling and has sparked debate about the whale’s intentions.
Many scientists believe that killer whales do not attack at all.
“They’re not afraid of boats, and there’s nothing to eat there,” said Robert Pittman, a marine ecologist at Oregon State University’s Marine Mammal Research Institute. “They are intelligent, social animals, but they probably live in environments that are less stimulating for their mental abilities.”
So whales sometimes stumble upon something they find interesting and repeat the behavior for a while, he said.
Shields said videos of some of the incidents do not appear to show the killer whale intentionally aiming at the boat’s rudder or hull. Rather, she thought, the animals were likely acting out of curiosity and playfulness.
Josh McInnes, a behavioral ecologist at the University of British Columbia, agreed, noting that killer whales are known to engage in social learning by spreading and picking up behaviors within their pods. That could explain the series of boat encounters, he said.
Mr McInnes compared the behavior to roughhousing.
“Orcas are very athletic. They can grow up to 25 feet long and weigh up to 80,000 pounds, so when they come into physical contact with objects, they can get a little bit forceful,” he said.
Mr Shields said given the whale’s size, it would likely cause much more damage to ships and yachts if it carried out a coordinated attack.
Additionally, the idea that whales are standing up and fighting back doesn’t fit with what scientists know about killer whales.
“Orcas just want to have fun,” Pittman said. “Revenge is not inherently beneficial. Unless you are human, you have no adaptive capacity at all.”
But encounters between killer whales and boats weren’t the only stories making headlines this year. The whale also attracted attention for its ruthless hunting techniques.
In October, the carcass of a great white shark with its liver ripped out washed up on a beach near Portland, Australia. Researchers determined that killer whales were the culprit.
McInnes said killer whales do not normally prey on sharks, but they are capable of preying on sharks and have been previously observed preying on them in waters of Australia, Africa and even the Pacific Northwest. It is said that there is.
And why were sharks missing certain organs? Experts say this was purely practical.
“Sharks generally aren’t very nutritious for killer whales because they’re made of cartilage,” McInnes said. “But the liver is rich in fats and lipids, so it’s a very nutritious part to eat.”
In the past, killer whales have been known to target the liver when preying on sharks. Since 2017, scientists have been tracking the hunts of two killer whales, Port and Starboard, who killed at least eight great white sharks off the coast of South Africa and washed their liverless carcasses ashore.
In a video taken by a whale watching expedition off the coast of San Diego, a killer whale teaches its baby how to hunt by headbutting a dolphin. Erika Sacrison / Gone Whale Watching
However, orca behavior recorded in different parts of the world is generally unrelated. McInnes said different populations of killer whales are genetically distinct and do not normally socialize or interact.
But by studying all the observed events, scientists can gain broader insight into what killer whales are capable of and how they live.
Shields said she had “mixed feelings” about the attention that killer whales will receive in 2023. If anything, she said she hopes the headline will inspire people to get more involved in conservation efforts.
“I really hope that people take away from these stories a certain fascination and appreciation for killer whales,” Shields said. “They are found in every ocean and are present all over the planet. The ocean body closest to where you live is probably home to killer whales. So there’s a lot to learn. there is.”
It’s that time A look back at this year’s biggest tech M&A deals. Typically, by this point, the usual acquisition suspects like Microsoft, Salesforce, Adobe, SAP Oracle, and Cisco have undergone at least some major changes. But this year, only Cisco made a big splash, ultimately announcing 11 deals in total.
SAP has made some small deals, but Microsoft, Salesforce, Adobe, and Oracle have been mostly quiet this year. The $61 billion Broadcom-VMware deal, announced in May 2022, was finally completed last month, and Adobe and Figma agreed this month to terminate the $20 billion deal, which ends in September 2022. It has been a regulatory impasse since it was announced in September.
It is not our imagination that transactions from major companies are decreasing. CB Insight reported There were zero deals from big tech companies in the third quarter of this year. Compare that to 2019, when there were 10 such deals in the third quarter, and 2020, when there were eight.
Image credits: CB Insight
Perhaps high borrowing costs put a damper on deals in 2023. The days when his 2020 major deals totaled $165 billion are long gone. This year’s total was just $67.7 billion, the lowest total since a record low of $40 billion in 2019, the second year the list of these top deals was compiled.
It’s worth noting that a significant number of this year’s deals involve private equity firms acquiring companies or selling them at significant profits.
Perhaps smaller deals involving AI were more important, like Atlassian’s $975 million acquisition of Loom. Salesforce acquired Airkit.ai for an undisclosed sum, one of just two small acquisitions this year. Or Snowflake’s acquisition of AI search company Neeva, again for an undisclosed amount.
Regardless, here are this year’s top 10 corporate deals, from cheapest to most expensive.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday that the era of fossil fuels “must end” and that science suggests there is no way to limit global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius (2.7 degrees Fahrenheit) without eliminating fossil fuel use. It has been shown that it is impossible to contain, he added.
“Whether we like it or not, the phasing out of fossil fuels is inevitable.” he wrote to x. “Let’s hope it’s not too late.”
The COP28 climate summit was controversial from the start. The host country, the UAE, is rich in oil resources, and the conference chairman, Sultan Al Jaber, is the CEO of the UAE’s national oil company ADNOC.
At the beginning of the conference, Al-Jabbar addressed criticism at an online event in late November, claiming there was “no science” to support the need to phase out fossil fuels to curb global warming. I took a bath. As first reported by the Guardian.
The incident comes amid waning confidence that oil companies are working to reduce fossil fuel emissions. Big oil and gas companies have previously signaled they would do their part to transition to clean energy and reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but over the past year they have walked back many of those claims. Critics have accused the industry of “greenwashing,” even as companies ramp up exploration and hundreds of new oil and gas projects are approved around the world.
Throughout the meeting, which culminated in extension negotiations, critics questioned how much could have been accomplished on fossil fuels when it was held in Dubai and led by Al Jaber. These concerns came to the forefront when it became clear that the final deal did not commit to phasing out fossil fuels.
Although the phrases “migration” and “phasing out” are similar, there are important differences between them. Phasing means that their use in the energy system is eventually eliminated, whereas “transition” represents a compromise, meaning that their use is reduced but still continues .
Nate Hartmann, a former State Department official and founder and director of the University of Maryland Center for Global Sustainability, said an open question heading into the meeting is whether world leaders will seriously discuss the future of fossil fuels. He said that.
“There was a risk that it could have been an exercise to avoid problems,” he said.
But Hartmann said countries should “transition” away from fossil fuels in an equitable manner, triple the amount of renewable energy installed by 2030 and step up leaks of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. He said the final agreement he is seeking makes clear that: World leaders actually envisioned a future without fossil fuels.
“The results show that this issue was not only substantively discussed, but also highlighted in the document. There are good and strong elements,” said Hartmann, who attended the 21st COP this year. Told. “Sending this kind of signal about the transition away from fossil fuels is going to be important.”
Still, the agreement is not legally binding, and its critics, especially leaders of poor developing and island nations that are disproportionately affected by climate change, argue that it does not eliminate fossil fuels. , says it is not enough to keep global temperatures below 1.5 degrees Celsius. Global warming.
Many climate scientists and activists have expressed frustration that calls for the “phasing out” of fossil fuels have been significantly weakened.
“While the COP28 consensus rightly emphasizes nature as a solution, it is unfortunate that it does not recognize the need to phase out the use of fossil fuels,” said the nonprofit National Wildlife Refuge. said Mustafa Santiago Ali, the federation’s executive vice president for conservation and justice. he said in a statement Wednesday.
Emotions were further heightened when the draft agreement was published earlier this week.goa I wrote it on Monday’s X. “COP28 is now on the brink of complete failure.”
Over the past 30 years, countries have finally realized that in order to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by around 2050 and avoid the worst consequences of climate change, countries need to transition away from fossil fuels. It was first agreed upon at the United Nations Summit.
It was hailed as a major milestone, as it merely touched on an issue that had been an issue at previous COP meetings.
“The fact that the phasing out of fossil fuels is now at the center of the international scene is in itself unimaginable five years ago, and is a huge step forward,” said the director of the Stockholm Environmental Research Institute and senior scientist. Michael Lazarus said. , based in Seattle. “That means fossil fuels now have an expiration date, an expiration date. We are at a point where we can envision a transition away from fossil fuels.”
Lazarus said the consensus nature of international processes – in which all countries participating in the deliberations have a de facto veto – makes global progress difficult.
“People talk about how it’s just words and not actions, but the arguments that come out of these international conferences have incredible resonance and have the power to change the conversation,” Lazarus said. Told. “Unless we have a sense of global action to phase out fossil fuels and reduce emissions across the board, countries will not have the same incentives to act in the ways they need to.” I guess.”
At this year’s Game Awards, fan-favorite VTuber Ironmouse won the coveted Content Creator of the Year award. This is the first time an animated character has won this award, and it shows just how expansive the world of streaming can be.
A movement that originated in Japan, “VTuber” means “virtual YouTuber,” but the genre has spread to other streaming sites such as Twitch. iron mouse Has 1.8 million followers, most subscribed female streamer. VTubers often resemble anime characters, with creators constructing virtual personas by fleshing out their avatars using motion capture or AR facial tracking technology. VTubers have been around for about a decade, but their popularity rose during the early days of the pandemic, with VTuber agency Hololive launching an English division to cater to its growing Western audience. The streaming genre will only continue to grow as the technology to create VTubers becomes more accessible.
Although the VTuber phenomenon is already widespread and beloved,fun loving devilIronmouse’s win at the Game Awards further legitimizes the genre.
In announcing Iron Mouse’s victory, the show’s host said, “Iron Mouse couldn’t be here tonight because it’s animated. Unfortunately, we’re not in the Matrix yet.” .
Iron Mouse’s intrigue doesn’t end with her innovative persona. The identity of Ironmouse’s author is unknown, but she reveals that she is from Puerto Rico and suffers from common variable immunodeficiency (CVID) and a chronic illness that includes lung disease. Her chronic illness sometimes left her bedridden, she said. washington post, But being a VTuber gave her access to a rich online world where she could be anyone she wanted to be, and escape the hell out of even pastel pink-clad gamers. Last year, she streamed for 31 consecutive days as part of the annual “Suboxone” event, where her viewers could pledge money to keep her online. This year too, she took on the streaming challenge of an ultramarathon. Immunodeficiency Foundation.
“I have no words to describe how I feel right now,” Ironmouth wrote. X After her victory was announced. “I’m in complete shock. Thank you so much to everyone who changed my life.”
Apple and Google announce 2023 app and game winners
Apple and Google announce 2023 app and game winners
Both Apple and Google announced the best apps and games of the year today, with hiking and biking companion AllTrails winning Apple’s iPhone App of the Year for 2023. Imprint: Learn visually Selected as one of the best apps on Google Play. Meanwhile, Apple and Google have agreed on a game of the year chosen by both companies. Honkai: Star Rail As their winner.
These year-end “best of” lists not only drive interest in new apps and games, but also assess the status of the app marketplace, what the platform itself wanted to celebrate, and what attracted consumers. It also functions as a means to ‘Attention this year. But surprisingly, this year Apple bucked the trend of highlighting apps that are new to the store or that leverage recently released technology in innovative ways. Instead, this year’s iPhone app finalists include winner AllTrails, plus apps that have long been praised as well-built and well-designed mobile companions, including language learning app Duolingo and travel app Flighty.
Still, this is a different type of selection than previous years, with 2022 social hit BeReal and last year’s well-received children’s app Toca Life World among the App Store winners. It’s also notable that neither Apple nor Google named an AI app as their app of the year, despite the phenomenal success of mobile apps like ChatGPT. ChatGPT Fastest growing consumer application in history Earlier this year, the service reached 100 million users shortly after its launch. This record was later broken by Instagram Threads, which reached his 100 million user mark in just five days, and still maintained his user base of just under 100 million active users as of October. While any of these picks would be a mobile app success story, both app store platforms looked to others as this year’s top winners. Moreover, apart from ChatGPT, many other AI apps are generating millions of dollars in revenue as well, so the decision to avoid the AI category appears to be a deliberate choice on Apple’s part.
Other App Store winners include:
iPad App of the Year preta makeup
Mac App of the Year photometer
Apple TV App of the Year Mubi
Apple Watch App of the Year smart gym
iPhone Game of the Year Honkai: Star Rail
iPad Game of the Year lost in play
Mac Game of the Year P’s lie
Apple Arcade Game of the Year hello kitty island adventure
Apple CEO Tim Cook said in a statement about the 2023 winners: “We are proud of the developers who continue to create amazing apps and games that redefine the world around us. It’s exciting to see. This year’s winners represent the limitless potential of developers who bring their visions to life, creating apps and games with amazing ingenuity, exceptional quality, and purpose-driven missions.”
Google took a different approach to “best of” apps this year, emphasizing “multi-device” apps that mirror its efforts in the Play Store. The company named Spotify the best multi-device app. An interesting choice considering that it was just revealed that Spotify had a sweet deal with Google that allowed it to avoid Play Store fees through its antitrust lawsuit with Epic Games.
Google also allows users to vote for their favorite apps; Chat GPT We won the race here as the app of the year as chosen by our users.
However, the press release does not name these names, instead pointing only to: App Store grouping. In addition to it, overall winner, Google took a different approach to “best of” apps this year, emphasizing “multi-device” apps that mirror its efforts in the Play Store, which is designed to make it easier to find apps beyond smartphones.
Bluesky is a company building a decentralized alternative to Twitter/X. announced It now has 2 million users, an increase of another 1 million since September, despite still being an invite-only app. It also revealed deadlines for other important goals, saying it plans to have a public web interface up and running by the end of this month and start federation by early next year.
The latter is one of the most important differentiators between Bluesky and X, as it allows Bluesky to function as a more open social network. This means it works more like Mastodon, where users can choose which servers to join and move their accounts around freely. This is what Bluesky today claims is “billionaire-proof” and criticizes Elon Musk’s ownership of Twitter, now known as X.
“Rather than being bound to the whims and black-box algorithms of private companies, you have the freedom to choose (and exit) at any time.” Explained in company blog post. “And wherever you go, your friends and relationships will be there too,” it states.
Similar to Mastodon, a decentralized service, federation allows anyone to run their own service and connect to other services running the same protocol. For Bluesky, this is done like this: AT protocol The company is also developing consumer services and mobile apps in parallel. But his other major decentralized social network, Mastodon, uses an established protocol, his ActivityPub, which has grown significantly in the months since Musk’s acquisition of Twitter. It is attracting attention.
Since then, other companies have adopted ActivityPub and Mastodon, including Mozilla, Flipboard, Medium, and Automattic (WordPress.com’s parent company). Unless Bluesky makes the AT protocol and ActivityPub interoperable in some way, there could be challenges regarding Bluesky’s ultimate reach. Bridging Maybe the two of you Technically It’s possible, but it’s more likely to be in the future, not in the near future.
Meanwhile, Bluesky is working to make its services more accessible, including launching a public web interface later this month. This will allow anyone to view his Bluesky posts, even if they don’t have an account. This could make the network more promising in terms of being a true competitor to X in breaking news and conversation, but it could expose Bluesky users’ posts to the outside world in ways they are not ready for. There is also. (This app currently does not have an option to set your profile to “private” like Twitter/X does. some usersis notHappyaboutthis. )
Despite its growth, Bluesky’s reluctance to drop its invite-only status and open its network to more users has allowed other competitors of X to gain a foothold. Last month, for example, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg announced that Instagram Threads, an alternative to X, had just under 100 million monthly active users. He believes he can reach 1 billion users in the next few years. Threads also plans to interoperate with ActivityPub in the future.
Bluesky’s announcement follows Threads’ rapid release of features to make the app more competitive with X, including a chronological feed, support for displaying likes, search, and (free) Includes an edit button, web version, voting, GIF support, and more. , topic tags, and soon a developer API. Mastodon also took advantage of the opportunity presented by the Twitter acquisition and launched an easier-to-use version of its service in September of this year. However, Mastodon currently has 1.6 million monthly active usersHowever, it is much smaller than a thread.
In addition to today’s news, Mr. Bluesky also provides mobile push notifications, shareable user lists, email verification, advanced feed and thread settings for sorting and filtering posts, a media tab in user profiles, and a user profile for your own users. We also mentioned other recently released features, such as a Likes tab for profiles. , the suggestions below, and various accessibility improvements.
Bluesky started life as a Twitter project under Jack Dorsey, but the company was spun off from Twitter. $13 million How to start research and development. Mr. Dorsey sits on its board of directors. This year, the company raised an $8 million seed round led by Neo to further its development and transformed from a public benefit LLC to a public benefit C Corp.
Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter for $44 billion raised questions about his plans for the social media platform. Musk envisioned transforming Twitter into an “everything app” called X, similar to China’s WeChat, offering a variety of services like online discussions, video calls, podcasts, and even banking. While the idea of creating a platform where free speech is valued might seem noble, the execution has been plagued by poor planning and decision-making.
Musk’s tenure as the owner of Twitter has been turbulent, mirroring his own controversial presence on the platform. He made immediate changes, firing executives and laying off thousands of employees. Advertisers became concerned about Musk’s lax stance on content moderation, leading to a decline in revenue and potential bankruptcy. Musk’s attempt to bolster revenue by offering paid perks like verification ticks and edit buttons backfired when several fake accounts gained verification status, causing confusion among users. Reinstating banned accounts and changing the brand name to X further eroded Twitter’s reputation.
Critics argue that Musk’s plans for Twitter lacked focus and clear vision. While he may have grand ideas, the reality is that Twitter’s purpose was muddled and lost in the process. The company’s value plummeted, and its reputation suffered. The future of X remains uncertain, and if the current state of affairs continues, more users may abandon the platform. Musk’s ambitions for an all-encompassing “super app” like WeChat may be too ambitious and detrimental to the core purpose of Twitter.
Despite the challenges and skepticism surrounding Musk’s ownership of Twitter, for many users, X remains a popular social media platform where real-time updates are crucial. Some experts believe that X could potentially rival other platforms like Mastodon and Meta, offering a more streamlined experience. However, it’s uncertain whether Musk can truly accomplish his vision for X, considering the current state of the platform. While Musk may take credit for the “death of Twitter” and the rise of X, it remains to be seen how far the platform can soar before losing its purpose and losing more users.
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