Wed.Dec 06, 2023

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Another Record-Hot Month Puts 2023 on Track to Be Hottest Year Ever

Yale E360

November was the sixth month in a row of record-warm weather, according to a new analysis that finds 2023 will almost inevitably end as the hottest year ever recorded.

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Is “carbon management” just another COP-out?

Legal Planet

Emissions cuts alone will (almost certainly) not keep the global average temperature rise below 1.5°C. But some optimism remains. Alongside a rapid phase-out of fossil fuels, substantial deployment of carbon dioxide removal (CDR) techniques might avert – or at least limit – overshoot of 1.5°C. At COP 28 this week the US and several partners launched a ‘Carbon Management Challenge’ with an aim to collectively store 1.2 Gt of CO2 by 2030.

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Master Service Agreement Dispute Turns on Definitions

Energy & the Law

The outcome of a multimillion-dollar suit was in the hands of a jury of 12 good and honorable citizens. The question: Was a certain party an agent, consultant, contractor, or none of the above? One side wanted the jury to be instructed on the legal definitions of those terms. The other wanted the words to be interpreted in their “ordinary and popular sense”.

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A $1 Billion Investment in the ‘New Forest Economy’

Legal Planet

On December 5, as the 28 th Conference of the Parties ( COP28 ) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change continues full swing in Dubai, Governors, Indigenous Peoples, and other partners of the Governors’ Climate and Forests Task Force (GCF Task Force), launched an urgent call-to-action to finance what they are calling the “New Forest Economy.

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Manufacturing Sustainability Surge: Your Guide to Data-Driven Energy Optimization & Decarbonization

Speaker: Kevin Kai Wong, President of Emergent Energy Solutions

In today's industrial landscape, the pursuit of sustainable energy optimization and decarbonization has become paramount. Manufacturing corporations across the U.S. are facing the urgent need to align with decarbonization goals while enhancing efficiency and productivity. Unfortunately, the lack of comprehensive energy data poses a significant challenge for manufacturing managers striving to meet their targets.

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In the Search for Life beyond Earth, NASA Dreams Big for a Future Space Telescope

Scientific American

Astronomers are moving ahead in planning NASA’s Habitable Worlds Observatory, a telescope designed to answer the ultimate question: Are we alone in the universe?

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How bad is vaping for your health? We’re finally getting answers

New Scientist

As more of us take up vaping and concerns rise about the long-term effects, we now have enough data to get a grip on the health impact – and how it compares to smoking

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More Trending

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Why adding water when you grind coffee beans makes for a better brew

New Scientist

Coffee aficionados often add a drop of water to their beans before grinding – now scientists have shown that this leads to less mess and a more flavourful espresso

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At COP28, a Growing Sense of Alarm Over the Harms of Air Pollution

Inside Climate News

A study released on the eve of the conference found that 8 million people around the world die annually from air pollution. And experts say the crisis is worsening. By Victoria St. Martin In one home video, Ella Adoo-Kissi-Debrah bops to a choreographed Beyoncé dance. In another, she looks at the camera, and her mom and plants a big kiss on her lips.

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Space Force’s secretive space plane is making its highest flight yet

New Scientist

The US Space Force is launching its mysterious X-37B space plane on 10 December atop a Falcon Heavy rocket for what will probably be its highest and longest flight yet

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Voting Begins For Pennsylvania’s 2024 River Of The Year: Allegheny, Lackawaxen, Youghiogheny Rivers

PA Environment Daily

Department of Conservation and Natural Resources Secretary Cindy Adams Dunn announced the public is invited to start voting online December 6 for the 2024 Pennsylvania River of the Year , choosing from among three waterways nominated throughout the state. The nominees are the Allegheny River, the Lackawaxen River and the Youghiogheny River. Click Here to learn more about each river.

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Implementing D.E.J.I. Strategies in Energy, Environment, and Transportation

Speaker: Antoine M. Thompson, Executive Director of the Greater Washington Region Clean Cities Coalition

Diversity, Equity, Justice, and Inclusion (DEJI) policies, programs, and initiatives are critically important as we move forward with public and private sector climate and sustainability goals and plans. Underserved and socially, economically, and racially disadvantaged communities bear the burden of pollution, higher energy costs, limited resources, and limited investments in the clean energy and transportation sectors.

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Google says its Gemini AI outperforms both GPT-4 and expert humans

New Scientist

The Gemini artificial intelligence comes in a variety of sizes, with Google saying its mid-range version will be incorporated into its Bard chatbot and available to the public from today

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The Vaginal Microbiome May Affect Health More than We Thought

Scientific American

A recent study finds varying combinations of microbes in the vaginal microbiome may influence health outcomes such as risk of sexually transmitted disease and preterm birth

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Why I've been somewhat obsessed with space-time this year

New Scientist

I have been revisiting the Unruh effect, a beautiful, strange concept that describes quantum field theory in curved-space time, says Chanda Prescod-Weinstein

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The Vaginal Microbiome May Affect Health More than We Thought

Scientific American

A recent study finds varying combinations of microbes in the vaginal microbiome may influence health outcomes such as risk of sexually transmitted disease and preterm birth

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Shaping a Resilient Future: Climate Impact on Vulnerable Populations

Speaker: Laurie Schoeman Director, Climate & Sustainability, Capital

As households and communities across the nation face challenges such as hurricanes, wildfires, drought, extreme heat and cold, and thawing permafrost and flooding, we are increasingly searching for ways to mitigate and prevent climate impacts. During this event, national climate and housing expert Laurie Schoeman will discuss topics including: The two paths for climate action: decarbonization and adaptation.

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DNA nanobots can exponentially self-replicate

New Scientist

Tiny machines made from strands of DNA can build copies of themselves, leading to exponential replication.

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COP28: The world temperature is expected to reach 1.4 degrees C this year

A Greener Life

By Anders Lorenzen As the UN climate summit, COP28, kicked off in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday, the United Nations (UN) body the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) delivered another stark warning. In its provisional State of the Global Climate report, they confirmed, that not only is 2023 on track to be the warmest year on record by a large margin, but they also expect we will reach 1.4 degrees C of warming above pre-industrial levels.

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Genetic errors are behind more than two thirds of early miscarriages

New Scientist

Chromosomal abnormalities were thought to cause around half of miscarriages, but a new genetic analysis technique puts the figure at nearer two-thirds for early miscarriages, with the remaining third probably also due to factors that are out of our control

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How Quantum Math Theory Turned into a Jazz Concert

Scientific American

A mathematician and a musician collaborated to turn a quantum research paper into a jazz performance

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Sustainability at Retail

Sustainability impacts every nation, company, and person around the world. So much so that, in 2015, the United Nations (UN) issued a call for action by all countries to work toward sustainable development. In response to this and as part of a global Sustainability at Retail initiative, Shop! worked collaboratively with its global affiliates to address these critical issues in this white paper.

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Quantum computer sets record on path towards error-free calculations

New Scientist

A quantum computer built by QuEra contains the largest ever number of "logical quantum bits", which can be used for error-free calculations

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DEP Plugs 132 Abandoned Conventional Oil & Gas Wells So Far; DEP Issued 490 NOVs For New Conventional Well Abandonments So Far In 2023

PA Environment Daily

On December 6, the Shapiro Administration announced it has capped and plugged 132 abandoned conventional oil and gas wells so far in 2023-- plugging more wells in the Governor’s first 11 months than in the previous eight years combined. Unfortunately, DEP has issued 490 notices of violations for new conventional oil and gas well abandonments without plugging so far in 2023.

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Roo-ver: Australia's first moon rover has name chosen in public vote

New Scientist

The Australian Space Agency is working on plans for its first moon rover, which will fly on an Artemis mission later this decade – and it has already chosen a name

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Jailbroken AI Chatbots Can Jailbreak Other Chatbots

Scientific American

AI chatbots can convince other chatbots to instruct users how to build bombs and cook meth

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Pretend engine noises make electric cars more fun

New Scientist

Feedback ponders that old philosophical question, what is reality, after discovering that Toyota has built an electric car with a fake transmission

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PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In November Now Available

PA Environment Daily

The PA Environmental Council In Case You Missed It In November is now available featuring articles on-- -- New EPA Methane Controls Announced [ EPA Release ] -- General Assembly Lagging Behind Public, Markets On Decarbonization -- State Leaders Have Constitutional Obligation To Address Climate Change, Air Pollution -- Philly Awards Celebrate Special Places, Innovative Leadership -- NE PA Partnership Awards Highlight Individuals To Inspire Others To Protect -- Explore PA With PEC and Purple Lizar

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Robotic mouse with flexible spine moves with greater speed and agility

New Scientist

Most robots lack a flexible spine, so researchers created a 3D-printed mouse with the ability to bend its back and found that it could move faster

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DCNR Forest Focus Newsletter Highlights Draft Forests For All Plan; Extended Wildfire Season; 2024 Spongy Moth Outbreak; Forest Carbon Management

PA Environment Daily

The Fall issue of DCNR’s Forest Focus newsletter features articles on a variety of important issues in the Bureau of Forestry and State Forests, including-- -- Forests For All: A Plan for PA’s Forests And People -- Extended 2023 Wildfire Season In PA - What Can We Do About The Spongy Moth Outbreak? [2024 to be another bad year] -- Forest Carbon Management -- Fall 2023 Forest Research Update -- The Best Of Forest Fridays!

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Erland Cooper interview: The composer who melts hearts with icy music

New Scientist

Research into the acoustics of Svalbard's glaciers and caves is at the heart of Orkney composer Erland Cooper's latest works

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DCNR Awards Grant To French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust For Lawn Conversion, Streamside Tree Planting In Chester County

PA Environment Daily

On December 5, the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources awarded the French & Pickering Creeks Conservation Trust ­­­­$159,700­­­­­­­­­ ­­­­of grant funding to develop a program for lawn conversion and streamside tree planting on properties permanently protected by the Trust. Property owners whose lands are protected with a voluntary Conservation Easement held by French & Pickering and meet the eligibility criteria can receive technical assistance and up to 80% of costs covere

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Why you don't need to bother raking up dead leaves from your lawn

New Scientist

When the leaves start falling, we can spend hours removing them from our lawns.

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Western PA Conservancy Protects 410 Acres Of Forestland Along Clear Creek In Somerset County; Land Added To Forbes State Forest

PA Environment Daily

On December 4, the Western Pennsylvania Conservancy announced the permanent protection of 410 acres of steep forested slopes and riparian forest in Somerset County that safeguards water quality and wildlife habitat along Clear Run Creek, a tributary to Laurel Hill Creek. The Jefferson Township property was immediately conveyed to the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources to become an addition to Forbes State Forest.

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EPA Wants Lead Pipes Out in a Decade: Chicagoans Could Wait 40+ Years

NRDC

Chicago's lead pipes could be replaced by 2067 or later based on the EPA's Lead and Copper Rule Improvements proposal.

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Perry County Dairy Producer Gives Inside Look At Rotational Grazing Operation, How To Drive Strong Milk Production And Pasture Health

PA Environment Daily

In the Center for Dairy Excellence’s latest episode of the “ Cow-Side Conversations” podcast , Neil Hertzler of Rock Hollow Dairy LLC in Perry County, Pennsylvania shares how his family transitioned their dairy operation to a rotational grazing model years ago. The Hertzlers have 240 milking cows and are passionate about giving their cows as much grass and sunlight as possible.

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The placebo effect means painkillers may work better with side effects

New Scientist

A painkilling nasal spray was better at relieving people's discomfort when it caused a mild burning sensation, possibly due to the placebo effect

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