SUSTAINABILITY
More than a third of animals on Earth are herbivores, but since plants don’t have a lot of calories it can be hard for grazers to eat enough to meet their energy needs. To add to the problem, climate change is lowering the nutritional value of certain foods that these plant eaters rely on. DETAIL
New York state has enacted a groundbreaking climate law to hold fossil fuel companies accountable for their role in the climate crisis. Governor Kathy Hochul signed the bill into law on Thursday, introducing a $75 billion fine system over the next 25 years. The funds will be used to repair and adapt infrastructure damaged by climate change, shifting the financial burden from taxpayers to the companies deemed responsible. DETAIL
In a piece trailed on its frontpage, the Daily Telegraph reports that climate change “threatens to devastate the value of hundreds of thousands of homeowners’ properties”. According to a new report from the Bank of England, around 300,000 homes, or 1% of properties, risk having a fifth of the value of their properties “wiped out” due to climate change-driven flooding, it continues. A “critical factor”, the newspaper explains, “is the potential lack of flood insurance in areas prone to the disasters, which in turn undermines property values as buyers have to prepare to face potential costs of water damage themselves”. DETAIL
Financial giants Citigroup and Bank of America have decided to exit the Net-Zero Banking Alliance (NZBA), a UN-backed coalition of banks dedicated to advancing global net zero goals through their financing activities, marking an acceleration in departures from the group, following similar recent announcements from Goldman Sachs and Wells Fargo. DETAIL
The Johannesburg Stock Exchange (JSE) is revamping its Sustainability Disclosure Guidance to reflect the finalized IFRS S1 and IFRS S2 standards issued by the International Sustainability Standards Board (ISSB) and new Companies Amendment Bills. DETAIL
The most financially costly climate disasters around the world in 2024 produced $229 billion in damages and killed 2,000 people, according to Counting the Cost 2024: A year of climate breakdown, the most recent analysis of insurance payouts by nonprofit Christian Aid. DETAIL
HEALTH
The active ingredient in Ozempic and Wegovy, a drug called semaglutide, can have direct beneficial effects on the heart within weeks, in addition to the longer-term benefits of losing weight, an animal study has shown. DETAIL
The largest brain imaging study of a woman to date shows that hormonal birth control can decrease brain volume – though it isn’t clear what effect, if any, this has on brain function. Hormonal contraceptives have been around since the 1960s. Yet scientists only began investigating their potential effects on the brain in the past decade or two. DETAIL
A recent study published in Nutrition Researchsuggests that diet quality directly impacts pain levels and physical function, especially among women, regardless of body fat levels. DETAIL
U.S. Surgeon General Vivek Murthy is calling for new warning labels on alcoholic drinks that inform consumers of the health risks — particularly an increased risk of at least seven types of cancer, including breast cancer, liver cancer and colon cancer. DETAIL
Two research teams conducted separate studies using different methods to analyze all Danish users of Ozempic. These new register-based studies from SDU corroborate a concern previously highlighted in a smaller American studyTrusted Source earlier last year. The American study found that Ozempic more than doubles the risk of non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), a rare condition that damages the optic nerve. In the first Danish studyTrusted Source, researchers analyzed data from 424,152 Danes with type 2 diabetes and found that Ozempic doubles the risk of developing NAION. DETAIL
For many runners, going fast is the whole point of pulling on their kit. But recently, the opposite approach has been booming: the slow-running movement, in which people meet for social, unhurried jaunts. This might be fun, but surely if there’s no pain, there’s no gain? Not so fast, says a growing body of research. In fact, going at a more leisurely pace can bring a range of health benefits, from heart function to mental well-being, while avoiding the downsides of pushing your body to the max. It might even help you live longer – and, ironically, ultimately improve your personal best. DETAIL
As Spanish newspaper El País reports, a growing body of scientific evidence over the past decade suggests that consuming mind-numbing content, from sources ranging from algorithmically driven social media junk to sensationalist news, can literally reduce the physical gray matter in our brains. That's along with wreaking other pernicious effects like shortened attention spans and weakened memory. DETAIL
DIGITAL / TECHNOLOGY / SCIENCE / ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
Korea has passed the second AI Basic Law globally, enhancing national AI competitiveness. The "Basic Law on the Development and Establishment of Trust in Artificial Intelligence" (hereinafter referred to as the AI Basic Law) was passed by the National Assembly. The enactment of the AI Basic Law made it the second in the world after the European Union (EU). ETAIL
President Vladimir Putin has ordered Russia's government and the country's biggest bank, Sberbank to build cooperation with China in artificial intelligence.Putin's instructions were published on the Kremlin's website on Wednesday, three weeks after he announced that Russia would team up with BRICS partners and other countries to develop AI. DETAIL
According to the claim of a source named Jukanlosreve, Samsung is working on a 500 MP sensor for Galaxy phones. Information about this sensor is limited, but beyond that, rumors of 600 MP were first brought up in 2020. In fact, Samsung also announced that it would definitely reach this level one day. In this case, such a high-resolution sensor will not be surprising to anyone. DETAIL
The race to establish satellite-to-ground laser communications is heating up. Recently, China achieved a major milestone, which puts it ahead of Elon Musk’s Starlink. The nation successfully attained a 100 gigabit per second data transmission rate in satellite-to-ground laser communication. This unprecedented speed — ten times faster than their previous record — opens doors to a new era of space-based technologies. DETAIL
Russia has announced the completion of the fourth Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreaker – named Yakutia. The massive nuclear-powered vessel’s completion was marked with a ceremony hoisting the Russian national flag on it. Russia’s State Atomic Energy Corporation’s (Rosatom) FSUE Atomfloat will be operating the icebreaker vessel. DETAIL
Chinese city unveils 7 humanoid robots with advanced thinking for 2025 World Games. These robots will play a crucial role at the event, assisting with the torch relay, sports displays, reception, and retail services. DETAIL
Researchers are aiming to bring the magic of playing music in person to the virtual world. The Joint Active Music Sessions (JAMS) platform, created at the University of Birmingham, uses avatars created by individual musicians and shared with fellow musicians to create virtual concerts, practice sessions, or enhance music teaching. DETAIL
ENERGY / TRANSPORTATION
The flow of Russian gas to several European countries was halted on New Year’s Day after Ukraine refused to renegotiate a transit deal amid war with Moscow. DETAIL
China’s first 3rd-gen nuclear reactor connects to grid to power 6 million homes. One Hualong One reactor prevents millions of tons of CO2 emissions annually, and China has over 30. DETAIL
CYBERSECURITY
A data breach exposed the location information of around 800,000 Volkswagen electric vehicles for months after a whistleblower alerted Der Spiegel and the European hacker association Chaos Computer Club. DETAIL
Chinese state-sponsored hackers breached the U.S. Treasury Department's computer security guardrails this month and stole documents in what Treasury called a "major incident," according to a letter to lawmakers that Treasury officials provided to Reuters on Monday. DETAIL
The U.S. on Friday sanctioned, opens new tabChina's Integrity Technology Group, accusing it of being behind a prolific hacking group known as "Flax Typhoon." DETAIL
CURIOSITY
The La Courrouze district of Rennes, France, has become the focus of an innovative urban art initiative aimed at improving safety and community ties. The city invited ilta studio and graphic designer and illustrator Florent Chamiot-Poncet, known as Wood Campers, to redesign Place Jeanne Laurent, an area where pedestrian safety is compromised by drivers. Responding to the call, the creative duo created a striking and playful graphic design and installation project titled “60 customized traffic signs.” The project consists of 60 custom-made, colorful traffic signs designed to transform the cityscape and encourage mindful navigation. DETAIL
Turkey ranked 4th from the bottom in Europe after Switzerland, Germany and Austria with a 57% home ownership rate, falling below the EU average of 69%. DETAIL