Minor volcanic eruptions could "cascade" into global catastrophe, experts argue
Currently, much of the thinking around risks posed by volcanoes follows a simple equation: the bigger the likely eruption, the worse it will be for society and human welfare......»»
Microbial slime: The ultimate system to understand our planet
Billions of years ago, Earth was home to extreme environments, including intense UV radiation, frequent volcanic eruptions, and very high concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Yet, under these conditions, biofilms formed and within thes.....»»
Volcanic ash as a source of nutrients: How the Hunga Tonga eruption affected ecosystems in the South Pacific
The eruption of Hunga Tonga-Hunga Ha'apai (HTHH) in January 2022 ejected about 2.9 billion tons of volcanic material into the atmosphere and across the South Pacific. In early 2022, a scientific expedition (GEOTRACES GP21) investigated the impact of.....»»
The frozen carbon of the northern permafrost is on the move—we estimated by how much
Among the most rapidly changing parts of our planet are the coldest landscapes near the top of the globe, just south of the Arctic. This region is warming two to four times faster than the global average......»»
European Union evaluating if Corning monopolizes the smartphone screen market
The European Union is investigating Corning over concerns that the company might misuse its dominant position in the global market for alkali-aluminosilicate glass, commonly used in smartphone screens.Ceramic Shield on an iPhone 16 | Image credit: Ap.....»»
Tracking biodiversity: Researchers outline strengths and challenges in new monitoring framework
As the UN COP16 on biodiversity meets in Calì, Colombia, experts from McGill University are on-site, providing important input into the global conversation. These experts have been instrumental in shaping the global biodiversity monitoring framework.....»»
New research may lead to potatoes that are less reliant on nitrogen fertilizers
Because nitrogen fertilizers contribute to global greenhouse gas emissions, scientists are looking for ways to modify agricultural plants so that they rely on less nitrogen. In research published in New Phytologist, investigators have found that bloc.....»»
Apple’s global head of accessibility to attend Web Summit Lisbon 2024
This year’s Web Summit Lisbon kicks off next week, and guests will have the chance to attend a talk by Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s current global head of accessibility. Unsurprisingly, the presentation will discuss how Apple considers accessibility.....»»
Anthropic’s Haiku 3.5 surprises experts with an “intelligence” price increase
Anthropic’s smallest AI model now beats its older largest LLM, Opus, at some tasks. On Monday, Anthropic launched the latest version of its smallest AI model, Claude 3.5 Haiku,.....»»
Decades after global regulations, the Arctic Ocean"s legacy persistent organic pollutants haven"t dropped
The presence of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in all the world's oceans but one has been in steady decline since 2001, when 152 countries agreed on a comprehensive global ban. The exception has been the Arctic Ocean, which has seen a sharp ris.....»»
Earth underwent a massive, rapid melting period after the last global ice age, new study suggests
At the end of the last global ice age, the deep-frozen Earth reached a built-in limit of climate change and thawed into a slushy planet. Results from a Virginia Tech-led study provide the first direct geochemical evidence of the slushy planet—other.....»»
African countries shouldn"t have to borrow money to fix climate damage they never caused, says economist
As we approach the global annual climate change conference, COP29, the need for increased public finance from the global north to address climate adaptation in Africa has become more urgent than ever......»»
Africa"s cities are growing chaotically fast, but there"s still time to get things right, say experts
Cities are vital engines of economic growth, innovation and social progress. They shape the futures of nations and the lives of millions......»»
Campaign rewards gamers on Roblox for engaging with the US election. What does it mean for global politics?
If historical trends are anything to go by, most young people in the United States will not vote in this week's presidential election. For example, in the 2016 presidential election, less than half of Americans aged 18 to 29 cast their ballot......»»
To a great degree, Ecuadorian oil profits end up in the Global North
Research by the University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU) reveals an unbalanced distribution of the impacts generated by the exploitation of two blocks in the Amazon......»»
Open-source software: A first attempt at organization after CRA
The open-source software (OSS) industry is developing the core software for the global infrastructure, to the point that even some proprietary software giants adopt Linux servers for their cloud services. Still, it has never been able to get organize.....»»
Bacteria discovery could accelerate mosquito control schemes
Mosquito larvae grow faster if they're exposed to particular bacteria, according to a new study that could help global health programs......»»
Svalbard Global Seed Vault evokes epic imagery and controversy because of the symbolic value of seeds
Two-thirds of the world's food comes today from just nine plants: sugar cane, maize (corn), rice, wheat, potatoes, soybeans, oil-palm fruit, sugar beet and cassava. In the past, farmers grew tens of thousands of crop varieties around the world. This.....»»
Artificial intelligence: A double-edged sword for the environment?
As AI technology progresses, the energy demands of training complex AI models have surged, raising widespread concerns about associated carbon emissions. This rapid growth is fueled by global demand across industries and academia, leading to exponent.....»»
Research highlights biofortification"s role in tackling malnutrition
A series of research papers and a free online data dashboard seek to boost the use of biofortification—an affordable, sustainable and climate-smart way to address global malnutrition by increasing the concentrations of essential nutrients in staple.....»»
Study examines effects of Atlantic circulation on the Amazon rainforest
The Amazon region is a global hotspot of biodiversity and plays a key role in the climate system because of its ability to store large amounts of carbon and its influence on the global water cycle. The rain forest is threatened, however, by climate c.....»»