Fri.Jan 12, 2024

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Not just another dot on the graph?

Real Climate

As the climate monitoring groups add an additional dot to their graphs this week, there is some disquiet among people paying attention about just how extraordinary 2023 really was. First, it’s been obvious for months that 2023 would be a record year – in temperatures (at the surface, troposphere and in the ocean), in Antarctic sea ice, in the number of big climate disasters etc.

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Ten Curious New Plants and Fungi Recorded in 2023

Yale E360

As the planet warms and extinctions mount, researchers are racing to catalog the vast array of life on Earth before species disappear. This year, researchers at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, recorded 89 new species of plant and fungi across the globe, from the rocky edges of Antarctica to a dormant volcano in Indonesia.

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Guinness yeasts are genetically unique among Irish beers

New Scientist

The Guinness brewery has kept a record of the yeast strains it has used going back to 1903 – a genetic analysis shows these are distinct from those used to brew other Irish beers

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Caution: Killer Cone Snails

Ocean Conservancy

If you’ve ever been to an amusement park, you’ve probably heard or read the phrase, “Keep your hands and arms inside the vehicle at all times.” While our planet is full of magical, mesmerizing and often enticing creatures, the same “look, don’t touch!” rule applies when visiting and exploring the beach, ocean or any body of water. And this is especially true for the cone snail—one of the most venomous animals on Earth.

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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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AI can tell if prints from two different fingers belong to same person

New Scientist

An artificial intelligence model can discern whether fingerprints from different fingers come from the same person, which could make forensic investigations more efficient

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Biden Pours $623 Million into EV Charging Void

Scientific American

The Biden administration is doling out more money for charging infrastructure because range anxiety is considered a major challenge to Americans’ widespread adoption of electric cars

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Ancient DNA Reveals Origins of Multiple Sclerosis in Europe

Scientific American

A huge cache of ancient genomes spanning tens of thousands of years reveals the roots of traits in modern Europeans

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Will AI make computer screens a thing of the past?

New Scientist

Big tech companies are offering new ways to interact with devices, powered by natural language processing – but here's why we are unlikely to give up our screens just yet

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Still Time To Register! PA Recycling Markets Center’s PA ReMaDE Conference Jan. 18-19

PA Environment Daily

The PA Recycling Markets Center will host the 2024 PA ReMaDE Conference on January 18-19 at the Historic Hotel Bethlehem in Bethlehem, PA. Topics include-- -- Featuring an entire track on Organic Circularity -- Third Party Certification -- Producer Responsibility -- Climate Change through Materials Management -- Finding Zero -- EPA National Recycling Strategy with EPA Region 3 Administrator Adam Ortiz For the Conference agenda and logistics, visit the PA ReMaDE Conference webpage.

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NASA unveils X-59 plane to test supersonic flight over US cities

New Scientist

NASA is hoping to gather evidence that its X-59 aircraft will be able to fly at the speed of sound quietly, justifying a change in the regulations to allow supersonic commercial aviation

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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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Information Theory Can Help Us Search for Life on Alien Worlds

Scientific American

Information theory can help us decode signs of biological activity hiding in the atmospheres of distant exoplanets

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The sun could contain a tiny black hole that formed in the big bang

New Scientist

Black holes may be hiding within stars and their extra mass could help explain odd gravitational effects in the universe ascribed to dark matter

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DEP Posted 61 Pages Of Permit-Related Notices In January 13 PA Bulletin

PA Environment Daily

Highlights of the environmental and energy notices in the January 13 PA Bulletin -- -- PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - January 13 [PaEN] The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the January 13 PA Bulletin that it has issued a Section 401 Water Quality Certification covering an Equitrans project to drill two new horizontal natural gas storage wells in the Swarts Complex and Hunters Cave Gas Storage Fields in Center, Franklin,

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Hydropower generation in western US set to fall as climate gets drier

New Scientist

A model of US water systems foresees a big drop in hydropower generation by 2050 as the climate gets drier and river flow decreases, while electricity demand is set to increase

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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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EPA Awards $3 Million Grant To DEP To Support Development Of Climate Action Plan, Grant Program To Reduce Emissions In Heavy Industry; Public Input Needed By Jan. 22

PA Environment Daily

On January 12, the Department of Environmental Protection announced it received $3 million from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to develop a Priority Climate Action Plan focused on reducing emissions in the Commonwealth’s industrial sector. Upon completing the plan, DEP will be eligible to apply for up to $500 million to implement it. DEP’s plan will focus on a statewide industrial decarbonization grant program, known as Reducing Industrial Sector Emissions in Pennsylvania (RISE PA) , t

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Cheap drone attacks have outsized effect on global economic inflation

New Scientist

Drone attacks on shipping in the Red Sea are having a global economic impact and showing how an organisation without a navy can challenge control of the seas

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PA Oil & Gas Industrial Facilities: Permit Notices/Opportunities To Comment - January 13

PA Environment Daily

The following notices were published in the January 13 PA Bulletin related to oil and gas industry facilities. Many of the notices offer the opportunity for public comments. The Department of Environmental Protection published notice in the January 13 PA Bulletin that it has issued a Section 401 Water Quality Certification covering an Equitrans project to drill two new horizontal natural gas storage wells in the Swarts Complex and Hunters Cave Gas Storage Fields in Center, Franklin, Morris and W

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Your unique breath ‘fingerprint’ could be used to unlock your phone

New Scientist

When we exhale, we reveal distinctive information about the shape of our airways, which could serve as an ID test for unlocking smartphones – and unlike some other biometric ID tests, this one can’t be hacked after we die

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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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The Significance of Chevron Deference

NRDC

Two new SCOTUS cases, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless Inc. v. Dept. of Commerce, may impact federal agencies’ ability to perform their duties.

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Caves seen on the surface of a comet for the first time

New Scientist

By building a 3D image of part of the surface of a comet called 67P, astronomers have discovered caves up to 47 metres deep

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Evangelical Environmental Network: EPA Proposes Waste Charge On Methane Leaking From Large Oil & Gas Facilities

PA Environment Daily

On January 12, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency issued a proposal for a methane waste charge on large sources of oil and gas methane pollution. The proposed methane waste charge is part of the Methane Emissions Reduction Program authorized by Congress through the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. In response, Evangelical Environmental Network President & CEO Rev.

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2023 Was the Hottest Year on Record by a Long Shot

Scientific American

The year 2023 is officially the hottest on record, edging close to the mark of 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels.

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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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Appalachian Audubon Society Chapter Offering Scholarships To Hog Island Audubon Camp In Maine

PA Environment Daily

The Appalachian Audubon Society Chapter is now accepting applications for Tom Johnson Memorial Scholarships to the Hog Island Audubon Camp in Maine. The deadline to apply is January 29. A one-week camp will be held from June 23 -28 for students ages 14 to 17 interested in ornithology. The camp includes a week of instruction and activities. Scholarships cover the entire camp fee.

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AI-Optimized Catheter Design Could Prevent Urinary Tract Infections without Drugs

Scientific American

A 3-D-printed tube stymies microbes with a tiny obstacle course to combat rampant infections in hospitals

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PA Interfaith Power & Light, Chesapeake Bay Foundation Offering Free Native Trees & Shrubs To Plant This Spring Anywhere In PA

PA Environment Daily

PA Interfaith Power and Light and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation are partnering to offer free native trees and shrubs to plant this spring in Pennsylvania. The deadline for ordering is January 20. Planting native trees and shrubs is an act of hope, faith, and healing will contribute to sequestration of the excess carbon dioxide in our atmosphere that is changing our global weather.

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How Does the World's Largest Seabird Know Where to Fly?

Scientific American

Wandering albatrosses navigate thousands of miles using “the voice of the sea.

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Jan. 12 Take Five Fridays With Pam, PA Parks & Forests Foundation

PA Environment Daily

The January 12 Take Five Fridays With Pam is now available from the PA Parks and Forests Foundation featuring articles on-- -- Celebrating Martin Luther King Day Of Service: The Drum Major Instinct Sermon -- Intern Project: Sharing PA Conservation Diversity Stories: intern@paparksandforests.org -- PPFF Blog: Equipment & More - Free Things In Our State Parks & Forests -- Discover PA’s Wild And Natural Areas -- PA Outdoor Corps Hiring Young Adults -- PPFF Hiring For AmeriCorps Positions: o

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When Choosing What Diseases to Develop Drugs For, It All Comes Down to Funding

Scientific American

Prescription drugs and vaccines have revolutionized healthcare, but how do researchers and industry decide what diseases to pursue?

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DEP Reviewing Equitrans Act 2 Soil Cleanup Report On Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area Conventional Well That Failed Venting 1.1 Billion Cubic Feet Of Natural Gas In Cambria County

PA Environment Daily

The Department of Environmental Protection has received and is reviewing the Act 2 Land Recycling Final Report by Equitrans on the cleanup of soil around the conventional gas well that failed and resulted in the uncontrolled venting of 1.1 billion cubic feet of natural gas from the Rager Mountain Gas Storage Area in Jackson Township, Cambria County in November 2022. ( PA Bulletin, page 201 ) The report deals with the George Reade 1 conventional well.

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Earth's Wobble Wreaks Havoc on Astronomers--And Astrologers, Too

Scientific American

Our planet’s precession is scarcely noticeable during anyone’s lifetime, but across history, it has had enormous effects

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DEP Sets Feb. 27 Hearing On Helix Ironwood Gas-Fired Power Plant Air Quality Permit Renewal, Lebanon County

PA Environment Daily

The Department of Environmental Protection will hold a February 27 hearing on the Helix Ironwood gas-fired power plant Title V Air Quality Permit renewal for the facility located in South Lebanon Township, Lebanon County. ( PA Bulletin, page 176 ) The hearing will be held at the DEP Southcentral Regional Office, 909 Elmerton Ave. in Harrisburg starting at 10:00 a.m.

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India Takes Action To Address Mounting Heat Risks in Cities

NRDC

At a workshop convened by India's National Disaster Management Authority, experts discuss actions to strengthen heat preparedness in India.

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