Telescope #117

Weekly horizon scan…

SUSTAINABILITY

• A growing number of the planet’s “vital signs” have reached record levels due to climate change and other environmental threats, according to a stark report by a group of prominent researchers. “We are on the brink of an irreversible climate disaster,” write William Ripple at Oregon State University and his colleagues. “This is a global emergency beyond any doubt. Much of the very fabric of life on Earth is imperilled.” The report is the fifth annual State of the Climate report led by Ripple in an effort to present a clear warning of what the researchers say is a crisis given the extremes measured across key climate indicators, from greenhouse gas levels to tree cover loss. DETAIL

• At this year's London Fashion Week, Malwee — one of Brazil's largest names in everyday clothing — announced a t-shirt capable of capturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The Ar.voree t-shirt, which borrows its name from árvore, the Portuguese word for tree, absorbs CO2 while worn. When the t-shirt is washed, the captured CO2 reacts with regular laundry detergent and is broken down into sodium bicarbonate. Absorbent agents in the fabric are simultaneously recharged, and the process can start all over again: wear, capture, wash, repeat. DETAIL

• Since the 1980s, more and more plants have evolved to become immune to the biochemical mechanisms that herbicides leverage to kill them. This herbicidal resistance threatens to decrease yields—out-of-control weeds can reduce them by 50% or more, and extreme cases can wipe out whole fields. DETAIL

• Are you interested in the most shocking images of hurricane Milton damage so far? Click to see. DETAIL

• China’s Sany has built the world’s largest onshore wind turbine with a capacity of 15 MW. recordThe SI-270150 model introduced by Sany Group has the highest capacity among onshore turbines with 15 MW of power in a single unit. It also stands out as the largest diameter onshore turbine installed in the world with its 270-meter rotor. The turbine also breaks another record with its 131-meter-long blade. With this huge capacity, a single unit can generate enough electricity for 160,000 households for a year. DETAIL

HEALTH

• A University of Queensland-led project to develop the first-ever drug to treat heart attack and protect donor hearts will move to human clinical trials, after receiving $17.8 million in funding from the Medical Research Future Fund (MRFF). Professor Glenn King from UQ’s Institute for Molecular Bioscience (IMB) said the 4 year trial would assess the potential of Hi1a – a peptide in the venom of the K’gari funnel web spider – as a treatment to prevent heart damage during a heart attack or donor heart procurement. DETAIL

• For the first time ever, the Centers for Disease Control's Youth Risk Behavior Survey assessed the frequency of social media use among U.S. high school students. Using that data, the organization drew some conclusions on the relationship between high school students' social media use and bullying, feelings of hopelessness, and suicide risk. The findings show that most students use social media frequently and it significantly affects their mental health. DETAIL

• Discovery of new virus species sheds light on the world of hidden viruses. As a result of the joint work of Australian and Chinese scientists, 161,979 new RNA virus species were discovered with artificial intelligence technology. DETAIL

• The Ipsos 2024 Mental Health Report has been published. According to the report, the US is the first country struggling with psychological problems, while Turkey is second. The research conducted in 31 countries revealed an increase in stress and depression levels. DETAIL

DIGITAL / TECHNOLOGY / SCIENCE / ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE

• If you're an Android user, and you've been sensing some deep tensions between yourself and iPhone users, you may not be imagining it. According to a new survey conducted by All About Cookies, some iPhone users "think less" of others represented as a green bubble while texting, which often depicts Android users. DETAIL

• The fundamental laws of physics insist that no patterns can permanently survive nature’s steady course towards disorder – or can they? A new proof offers a peculiar counterexample to the once-settled notion that all collections of particles must eventually succumb to entropy. “Our result might seem quite surprising,” says Andrew Lucas at the University of Colorado Boulder. But his team’s finding is actually the most recent entry in a decades-long debate over whether quantum particles can maintain certain properties forever. DETAIL

• It is thought that humans can only maintain relationships with around 150 people, a figure known as Dunbar's number, but it seems that AI models can outstrip this and reach consensus in far bigger groups. DETAIL

• Manila coffee roaster partners with Google Gemini on a limited-edition, AI-generated latte. DETAIL

• Tesla's robotaxi is finally a real thing, and it's called Cybercab. Unveiled by CEO Elon Musk at Tesla's big "We, Robot" event at Warner Bros studios, the Cybercab is a futuristic-looking, fully autonomous electric vehicle that can ferry passengers around completely on its own. DETAIL

• Productive AI operations consume incredible amounts of energy. Researchers at BitEnergy AI have developed an algorithm to solve this problem and reduce energy consumption by 95 percent. DETAIL

• The winners of the 2024 Nobel Prize in Physics have been announced. Geoffrey Hinton and John Hopfield, two scientists who laid the foundations of today's artificial intelligence learning, were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics. DETAIL

ENERGY / TRANSPORTATION

• People in Kazakhstan went to the polls to decide whether the country's first nuclear power plant will be built. DETAIL

• The fusion energy project JT-60SA, carried out jointly by Japan and Europe, was registered by Guinness World Records as the "world's largest tokamak device." Developed with the aim of early commercial use of fusion energy, this giant plasma experimental device achieved a plasma volume of 160 cubic meters, breaking the previous record by a large margin. DETAIL

• A new facility at the German Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) can build battery cells as flexibly as was previously only possible with manual production. The initiative is based on the AgiloBat research project - and involves not only scientists but also medium-sized machine and plant manufacturers. DETAIL

CYBERSECURITY

• Cybersecurity attacks are among the most important problems in the technology world. These attacks cause users' personal information, photos and sensitive data to be stolen. Major technology companies offer security features to prevent cybersecurity attacks. Google, which is among these companies, announced new protection features developed for its Android product. Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock and Remote Lock features increase security in case devices are stolen. DETAIL

• The European Union’s top court has sided with a privacy challenge to Meta’s data retention policies. It ruled on Friday that social networks, such as Facebook, cannot keep using people’s information for ad targeting indefinitely. DETAIL

HUMANITY / CURIOSITY

• One of France’s most mysterious treasures, the Golden Owl, has finally been found after a search that lasted more than 30 years. Estimated to be worth 150,000 euros, this priceless treasure was unearthed after years of enigma-based treasure hunting. DETAIL

• Known as the father of physics, Sir Isaac Newton was not only a great theologian but also a great theologian. Researchers who spent years studying biblical texts and Newton's correspondence, which included prophecies about the end of the world, have announced the date the famous physicist set for the end of humanity and the world: 2060. DETAIL