Sat.Jul 20, 2024 - Fri.Jul 26, 2024

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Twisters, and the Elephant in the Room

Union of Concerned Scientists

I didn’t walk into the movie theater last week, popcorn in hand, expecting Twisters , a summertime action movie about “taming” tornadoes, to be a movie about climate change. And to be clear, at no point did Twisters actually mention climate change. But beneath the cowboy hats, the quotable one-liners, and the impressive special effects, the film mirrors two climate change realities: Communities are deeply unprepared for worsening extreme weather; and There is a growing industry attempting to use

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AI can reveal what’s on your screen via signals leaking from cables

New Scientist

Electromagnetic radiation leaking from the cable between your computer and monitor can be intercepted and decoded by AI to reveal what you are looking at

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When Dogs Smell Your Stress, They Act Sad

Scientific American

Dogs can smell when people are stressed, and it seems to make them feel downhearted

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Wetlands — what are they good for? (mitigating flooding)

Enviromental Defense

Last week, Toronto experienced another “100 year storm” just 11 years after the previous one in 2013. The city saw some of the worst flooding caused by torrential rainfall that surpassed the daily record from 1941. The storm caused widespread power outages and shut down major traffic routes such as the Don Valley Parkway, as vehicles were submerged in a cocktail of rain and sewage water.

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How to Modernize Manufacturing Without Losing Control

Speaker: Andrew Skoog, Founder of MachinistX & President of Hexis Representatives

Manufacturing is evolving, and the right technology can empower—not replace—your workforce. Smart automation and AI-driven software are revolutionizing decision-making, optimizing processes, and improving efficiency. But how do you implement these tools with confidence and ensure they complement human expertise rather than override it? Join industry expert Andrew Skoog as he explores how manufacturers can leverage automation to enhance operations, streamline workflows, and make smarter, data-dri

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China Suspended Nuclear Arms Control Talks With the US. Here’s Why.

Union of Concerned Scientists

In response to a question during a regular press conference, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Lin Jian said , “the Chinese side decided to hold off discussion with the US on a new round of consultations on arms control and non-proliferation.” Reuters described the decision as “a protest of Washington’s arms sales to the democratically governed island of Taiwan.

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Evidence mounts that shingles vaccines protect against dementia

New Scientist

Being immunised against shingles has been linked to a reduced dementia risk before and now a study suggests that the newer vaccine wards off the condition more effectively than an older one

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More Trending

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Fire Once Helped Sequoias Reproduce. Now, it’s Killing the Groves.

Inside Climate News

Two recent studies find that sequoia groves burned in megafires of 2020 and 2021 were so severely damaged that the world’s tallest trees may not be able to naturally regenerate. By Caroline Marshall Reinhart Giant sequoia groves in California’s Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks that were extensively burned in the megafires of 2020 and 2021 produced numbers of seedlings that were so “drastically low” in some areas that they may not naturally regenerate, according to two new studies by gover

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My Drama-Free EV Road Trip Through New York’s Wild North

Union of Concerned Scientists

On a Monday in June, I got my first electric vehicle. Two days later, I took it on my first EV road trip: A 6-hour, 370-mile drive that took me, my wife, and son from my home in New York’s Hudson Valley to a transportation conference (the Transatlantic Transportation Decarbonization Summit ) outside of Montreal, Canada. Some might call this jumping into the deep end.

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One of Earth's major carbon sinks collapsed in 2023

New Scientist

Forests and other land ecosystems emitted almost as much carbon dioxide as they absorbed in 2023 – it will be much harder to restrict global warming to agreed targets

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Artificial Intelligence Will Let Humanity Talk to Alien Civilizations

Scientific American

Large language models may enable real-time communication with extraterrestrial civilizations despite the vast distances between stars.

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The Key to Sustainable Energy Optimization: A Data-Driven Approach for Manufacturing

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. 📊 Join us for a practical webinar hosted by Kevin Kai Wong of Emergent Ene

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Joint Statement on Looming Public Transit Service Cuts in Metro Vancouver

Enviromental Defense

ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENCE, MOVEMENT: METRO VANCOUVER TRANSIT RIDERS, DAVID SUZUKI FOUNDATION Public Transit Riders, Environmental Groups Urge Long-Term Fix to Transit Funding Model Ottawa | Traditional, unceded territory of the Algonquin Anishinaabeg People – Today, TransLink (Metro Vancouver’s transit agency) revealed to the public the looming consequences of not fixing Canada’s broken public transit funding model.

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Will Congress Do the Right Thing on Agriculture Funding?

Union of Concerned Scientists

The official September 30 deadline for Congress to pass its annual appropriations bills to fund the government for fiscal year 2025 looms closer by the day. So, what kind of progress—if any—are the Senate and House of Representatives making towards this goal? Quite a bit actually, in the agriculture appropriations arena—but that doesn’t necessarily mean that arriving at a final result will be smooth or easy, or guarantee that this legislation will support climate action, conservation, nutrition,

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Mars rover found a rock with possible signs of ancient life

New Scientist

The Perseverance rover has found some of the most promising hints of ancient Martian life yet, but we can’t know for sure until its samples are sent back to Earth

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Altering Consciousness with Advanced Meditation

Scientific American

Advanced meditation is changing how we think about consciousness. Hear neuroscience researcher Matthew Sacchet explain his journey to studying what happens to the brain during a deeper engagement with meditation.

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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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Supportive effect of uncut refuge strips on grassland arthropods may depend on the amount and width of strips

The Applied Ecologist

In this blog post, author Kitti Révész and her team share their latest study exploring the effects of uncut refuge strips on the abundance and diversity of arthropods. What is the best management practice of hay meadows from an arthropod conservation point of view? Grassland arthropods are declining as a consequence of land-use change and intensive management.

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Plastic Packaging At the Grocery Store Is Getting Ridiculous, and We’ve Got the Photos to Prove It!

Enviromental Defense

Another Plastic Free July is coming to a close, so we wanted to take a moment to say thanks to all our supporters who helped us call out grocery stores for the obscene amount of plastic wrapped around our food this month! Together, we flooded their inboxes with nearly SIX THOUSAND messages demanding that they ditch all the unnecessary plastic garbage.

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DeepMind AI gets silver medal at International Mathematical Olympiad

New Scientist

AlphaProof, an AI from Google DeepMind, came close to matching the top participants in a prestigious competition for young mathematicians

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Is Technology in the Olympics a Form of Doping or a Reality of Modern Sport?

Scientific American

Technological doping refers to the use of equipment—from swimsuits to super shoes—that provides an unfair athletic advantage.

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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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To Help Stop Malaria’s Spread, CDC Researchers Create a Test to Find a Mosquito That Is Flourishing Thanks to Climate Change

Inside Climate News

The bug notorious for spreading the disease is finding a new home in Africa. Scientists blame its migration on global warming and worry the disease may gain a foothold in the U.S. By Victoria St. Martin For years, climate scientists have cautioned that the warming world could create conditions where animals, insects and other creatures would establish themselves in places they had not been found before—and bring diseases harmful to humans with them.

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FORGING FORWARD…

Cleannovate

The police land-rover stood imposingly next to her. A male police officer grabbed her, manhandled her and tossed her in the vehicle. She tried to make her views known… ‘YOU KILLED MY SON. NOW YOU ARE ARRESTING ME…’, she yelled.

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We may finally know what caused the biggest cosmic explosion ever seen

New Scientist

The gamma ray burst known as GRB221009A is the biggest explosion astronomers have ever glimpsed and we might finally know what caused the blast

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The Paris Olympics Are a Lesson in Greenwashing

Scientific American

The Olympics are a sustainability nightmare, and Paris, despite its efforts, is no exception

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How to Drive Cost Savings, Efficiency Gains, and Sustainability Wins with MES

Speaker: Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions

Is your manufacturing operation reaching its efficiency potential? A Manufacturing Execution System (MES) could be the game-changer, helping you reduce waste, cut costs, and lower your carbon footprint. Join Nikhil Joshi, Founder & President of Snic Solutions, in this value-packed webinar as he breaks down how MES can drive operational excellence and sustainability.

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Shell Petrochemical Plant Asks DEP To Classify Chemical Makeup, Flow Rate Of Gases Going To Be Burned Off By Flares, Air Pollution Sources, Control Equipment Operating At The Plant Confidential Business Information

PA Environment Daily

On April 12, 2024, the Shell Petrochemical Plant requested the Department of Environmental Protection to classify the composition and flow rate of gases going to be burned off at flares and the air pollution sources and pollution control equipment operating at the Beaver County facility confidential business information. DEP routinely requested and Shell provided this information as part of more than 80 facility inspections from May 16, 2023 through April 1, 2024.

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Why did the Pathways Alliance scrub its website? New Greenwashing Rules Explained

Enviromental Defense

There’s a lot of buzz right now about new rules that crack down on greenwashing – and the backlash from oil and gas companies. Last month, Bill C-59 – an omnibus budget bill – passed through Parliament. Bill C-59’s amendments introduced new language to strengthen the rules and penalties around false or misleading environmental claims, ie. greenwashing.

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Trees have an extra climate benefit thanks to methane-eating microbes

New Scientist

Methane, a potent greenhouse gas, is converted to CO2 by microbes in tree bark, meaning trees are even better for the climate than we thought

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Heat Combined with Hurricane Beryl to Cause Misery in Houston

Scientific American

Hurricane Beryl exposed the dangers of what happens when a storm cuts off power and a heat wave follows in its wake

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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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Climate Change Contributes to Shift in Lake Erie’s Harmful Algal Blooms

Inside Climate News

Blooms over the past decade have started earlier in July and had longer peaks, according to NOAA researchers. By Kathiann M. Kowalski Lake Erie’s harmful algal blooms have started sooner and had longer peak periods over the past decade compared to earlier years, newly released data shows. Warming temperatures linked to climate change are a cause, according to researchers for NOAA’s National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, with interactions among species likely playing a role as well.

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Floral Arrangement: Can Floating Flower Mats Reduce Nutrient Pollution?

Cool Green Science

Floating flowers have the power to clean nutrient-loaded runoff in South Florida. The post Floral Arrangement: Can Floating Flower Mats Reduce Nutrient Pollution? appeared first on Cool Green Science.

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Why many studies wrongly claim it’s healthy to drink a little alcohol

New Scientist

It is becoming clear that any amount of alcohol is harmful, so why do so many studies claim that moderate drinking could help you live longer?

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The Legacy of Lynchings Still Hurts the Economic Prospects of Black Americans

Scientific American

Despite progress, the long shadow of racial violence continues to undermine economic opportunities for African Americans today

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Fossil Fuel Development and Invasive Trees Drive Pronghorn Population Decline in Wyoming

Inside Climate News

A new study shows that herds of the iconic ungulate are rearing fewer young as oil and gas wells, renewable energy developments and trees spread into their rangeland habitats and migration corridors. By Najifa Farhat Pronghorn in Wyoming are experiencing long-term declines in the number of young they are rearing due to increased oil and gas development and encroaching woody vegetation, according to a new study.