SUSTAINABILITY
Researchers from Dartmouth College have estimated that the biggest corporations in the world have caused a total of $28 trillion in climate damage. The results of the study are meant to help with efforts to hold the companies financially accountable, reported The Associated Press. DETAIL
As temperatures rise, wetlands, which naturally act as both a sink and source of methane, may tip to emit more methane, according to new research from Smithsonian scientists. DETAIL
A new study published in the Lancet has revealed that the increase in temperature and carbon dioxide in the atmosphere due to the climate crisis has also caused the amount of arsenic in rice, the world's most consumed grain, to increase. The authors of the study said that when the temperature and carbon dioxide levels increase simultaneously, the amount of inorganic arsenic in the soil also increases, and that arsenic easily passes into rice, which grows in wetlands and has an absorbent structure. DETAIL
According to World Weather Attribution, temperatures in Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan rose 15 degrees above seasonal norms in the last days of March, reaching around 30 degrees. DETAIL
Slices of wood can act as water filters that remove bacteria and microplastics with more than 99 per cent efficiency, potentially offering a cheap way to protect people from water-borne illnesses. DETAIL
Over the weekend, the Supreme Court ruled the White House must pause certain deportations, there were over 80 anti-Trump protests nationwide and Sen. Chris Van Hollen argued for Kilmar Abrego Garcia’s due process rights. DETAIL
According to a study conducted by Doğa Derneği based on monitoring data from the Gediz Delta and Lake Marmara between 2016 and 2023, there is an alarming decline in the Dalmatian pelican population in Turkey. The study noted that the number of Dalmatian pelican pairs breeding in the Gediz Delta dropped from 183 in 2017 to 117 in 2023, and that breeding in Homa Lagoon, one of the main breeding areas in the delta, has completely stopped as of 2022 due to the erosion of the islands. DETAIL
According to a survey conducted with business leaders by civil society organizations Beyond Fossil Fuels, E3G and We Mean Business Coalition, 97% of medium and large company executives are considering abandoning fossil fuels. DETAIL
A whopping 89 percent of people globally want stronger action on the climate crisis, but feel trapped in a “spiral of silence” because of the mistaken belief they are in the minority, according to research. DETAIL
No fossil fuel interest or government can stop the world from working toward a clean energy future, United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said on Wednesday after holding a closed-door virtual meeting with 17 heads of government and state. DETAIL
HEALTH
In a recent meeting with food company CEOs, Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. demanded that artificial dyes would “all have to be out within two years. It will reportedly target eight petroleum-based synthetic dyes often used to make food and drinks more appealing to consumers. DETAIL
Hearing loss is common worldwide, and the incidence increases with age — around one-third of those aged over 60 have some hearing loss. Studies have linked hearing loss to an increased risk of developing dementia. Now, a study in older adults has found that, at a population level, hearing loss may increase dementia risk by almost one-third. The researchers suggest that treating hearing loss could delay, or even prevent, dementia for a large number of older adults. DETAIL
DIGITAL / TECHNOLOGY / SCIENCE / ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE
The important event that shows the point where China has emerged in humanoid robot technology has finally been held. The world's first humanoid robot half marathon was held in Beijing. In the event held in the Beijing E-Town technology zone, 21 humanoid robots competed on a 21-kilometer track. DETAIL
China has launched the world’s first 10G internet infrastructure in Sunan, Hebei Province. The infrastructure developed by Huawei and China Unicom offers download speeds of up to 9,834 Mbps and upload speeds of up to 1,008 Mbps. It is stated that the latency is only 3 milliseconds. With the new infrastructure, a 20 GB 4K movie can be downloaded in approximately 20 seconds. DETAIL
Five people have witnessed an intense green-blue colour that has never been seen by humans before, thanks to a device that might one day enable those with a type of colour blindness to experience typical vision. DETAIL
When the Roman Empire was attacked by the Kushites in what is now Sudan, the Roman forces responded with military might, attacking and destroying an important Kushite city. Or so the story goes. A research team has excavated the site of supposed destruction, but found no signs of any catastrophic damage, suggesting the historical account may merely have been imperial propaganda. DETAIL
The most accurate clock in space will be launched to space and begin building a highly synchronised network out of the best clocks on Earth. The Atomic Clock Ensemble in Space will generate a time signal with unprecedented accuracy and help us study everything from dark matter to string theory. DETAIL
Scientists at the University of Nottingham have developed a new surface paint coating that can destroy viruses and bacteria. The paint can destroy even the most stubborn pathogens, such as MRSA, influenza and COVID-19. The main ingredient in the paint is chlorhexidine, a medical disinfectant. This ingredient, placed in a resin, becomes instantly active when the coating dries and does not lose its effectiveness. DETAIL
ENERGY / TRANSPORTATION
Driverless big rigs may soon be cruising down a particular highway in Texas. Axios writes that, later this month, driverless trucks plan to unleash themselves upon a 200-mile stretch of Interstate 45 between Dallas and Houston. DETAIL
Tesla announced that it has begun testing its autonomous ride-sharing service, which it plans to launch in June, with employees in the San Francisco Bay Area and Austin. DETAIL
CYBERSECURITY
Discord is testing ID and facial scans for age verification in Australia and the UK. As part of the experiment, if the platform’s sensitive media filter blurs any content, users who haven’t already verified their age will be required to do so by completing a facial scan or submitting an ID. They'll face the same requirement when trying to change those filter settings. DETAIL
CURIOSITY
An Egyptologist in Paris has discovered secret messages on the capital's Luxor Obelisk. The 3,300-year-old monument has sat in the French capital's center for almost 200 years, but no one else noticed these strange encryptions. Combinations of the newly identified inscriptions produce additional meanings in what’s called three-dimensional cryptography. In total, the Egyptologist identified seven encrypted messages across the obelisk’s various facades. He explained that the enigmatic text can only be understood by walking around the monument. Overall, the secret inscriptions highlight Ramses II’s power, victories, longevity, and his appeasement of the gods through word-play from well-known papyrus texts. DETAIL
Bite marks on the pelvis of a man who lived in Roman-occupied Britain were probably made by a lion in gladiatorial combat. The findings provide the first physical evidence that people battled animals in gladiator arenas in Europe, says Tim Thompson at Maynooth University in Ireland. Gladiator spectacles involving wild cats, bears, elephants, and other animals are frequently described in Roman art and texts. But despite those accounts and the hundreds of excavated Roman amphitheatres scattered across the ancient empire, none of the approximately 200 suspected gladiator skeletons uncovered so far have shown clear signs of an animal attack. DETAIL
Crows are widely known to be one of the most intelligent animals on the planet, along with elephants, chimpanzees, orangutans and dolphins. A new study has revealed that at least one crow species can recognize regularity in geometric shapes — the ability to pick out a shape that differs from others — a skill previously only observed in humans. DETAIL
