Sat.Aug 10, 2024 - Fri.Aug 16, 2024

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How climate change has pushed our oceans to the brink of catastrophe

New Scientist

For decades, the oceans have absorbed much of the excess heat caused by greenhouse gases. The latest observations suggest they are reaching their limits, so how worried should we be?

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The Price of the Sentinel Nuclear Weapons Program Keeps Going Up—But the True Costs Are Even Higher 

Union of Concerned Scientists

Early this year, the Air Force notified Congress that the proposed Sentinel program—which would replace every single US nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and update related infrastructure—would be at least 37% more expensive than the previous estimate in September 2020. After another round of review, the program’s estimated costs have further ballooned to $140.9 billion, an 81% increase from the 2020 estimate.

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U.S. Wind and Solar Are on Track to Overtake Coal This Year

Scientific American

Two renewable resources, wind and solar, together have produced more power than coal through July—a first for the U.S.

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Measuring the Impact of Trash Traps

Ocean Conservancy

This blog was written by Hannah De Frond. Hannah works with Ocean Conservancy and the University of Toronto Trash Team to coordinate the International Trash Trap Network with the goal to expand the use of trash-trapping technologies to increase cleanup efforts and to document their collective impact. Ocean Conservancy’s Clean Swell® app makes it quick and easy to record data as part of the International Coastal Cleanup® or any beach cleanup.

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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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Stonehenge’s altar stone was brought all the way from Scotland

New Scientist

The nearest source of the altar stone at the centre of Stonehenge has finally been identified – and it is at least 750 kilometres away in north-east Scotland

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Ask A Scientist: What Energy Solutions to the Climate Crisis Are Within Reach?

Union of Concerned Scientists

As electric vehicle charging stations sprout like mushrooms along our roads and clusters of new wind turbines come online, these two clean energy solutions to the climate crisis are becoming more commonplace. Also more commonplace are the obvious , dangerous , and destructive effects of climate change on people and communities. The United States needs to speed its transition to clean energy in order to stave off even worse impacts of climate change.

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This Skunk Does Handstands. Yes, Handstands.

Cool Green Science

The island spotted skunk is difficult to observe. But a monitoring program on California’s Channel Islands offers a glimpse at this creature’s amazing habits. The post This Skunk Does Handstands. Yes, Handstands. appeared first on Cool Green Science.

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Arts and crafts seem to boost well-being more than employment

New Scientist

We already know that having a job can improve mental health, but findings suggest that creative hobbies can make life feel even more worthwhile

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Can EV Batteries Be Used Again?

Union of Concerned Scientists

This blog was written in coordination with Ellie Peichel at Plug In America. The number of electric vehicles (EVs) on our roads has been increasing at an exceptional rate, reaching 9.5 million EVs sold around the world in 2023. The EV transition offers many advantages, including the ability to reduce overall greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation sector.

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Brain-to-Speech Tech Good Enough for Everyday Use Debuts in a Man with ALS

Scientific American

A highly robust brain-computer interface boasts low error rates and a durability that allows a user to talk all day long

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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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Breathing in Harm: The Toll of Freight Pollution in California

NRDC

Diesel trucks, making up just 6 percent of vehicles in California, are responsible for a disproportionate amount of harmful emissions, severely impacting communities near freight routes like those in the Inland Empire.

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The odds of quantum weirdness being real just got a lot higher

New Scientist

An experiment to test distant particles’ ability to correlate their behaviour is one of the strongest pieces of evidence that classical ideas about reality are incorrect

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What Does Project 2025 Mean for the Environment and Climate Change?

Legal Planet

Project 2025 has received a good deal of media attention as a conservative vision for the future of the federal government. The document is 900 pages long, so not surprisingly, few people have read it all. A good portion of those 900 pages focus on energy, environment, and climate change, much of it designed to severely limit the roles of USEPA, Department of Interior, and even the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission.

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Three of the Strangest Paradoxes in Mathematics

Scientific American

A barber shaves all men who don’t shave themselves. Does he shave himself?

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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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CIRCULAR REVOLUTION: CIRCULAR PRODUCTS THAT BOOST OUR HEALTH

Cleannovate

What if we were to produce products with health benefits using principles of circular economy? Better still, what if we extract health-boosting substances from what’s discarded as waste? The circular economy avails to us opportunities to exploit in this regard. Here are some few. BEEF TALLOW What happens to excess fat from animals after slaughter?

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The crisis in our oceans shows how quickly climate chaos can strike

New Scientist

A rapid rise in global sea temperatures is causing havoc across the world.

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Premier Ford’s Greenspace Carve Outs: Coming soon to a Conservation Area near you

Enviromental Defense

This is a guest blog by Susan Watson, a Guelph activist and founding member of “Get Involved Guelph.” Public outrage against the Greenbelt carve outs stopped those plans in their tracks last year and sparked investigations by the Integrity Commissioner, the Auditor General of Ontario and a criminal investigation by the RCMP. You might think the Ontario government would have heard the message loud and clear: Ontarians will not tolerate protected lands being offered up to Ford’s developer friends.

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Mars Hides Colossal Ocean Deep Below Its Surface

Scientific American

An underground Martian ocean could hold enough liquid to cover the Red Planet with a mile of water

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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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CIRCULAR REVOLUTION: FROM WASTEWATER TO FERTLIZERS

Cleannovate

Phosphorus is a unique substance. It’s one of the three most important macronutrients needed for agriculture yet it’s the only one among the three that is mined. Most of global phosphorus is mined in Morocco and the Western Sahara Republic – which Morocco has laid claim to for decades.

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New spin on quantum theory forces rethink of a fundamental physics law

New Scientist

In the quantum realm, a particle’s properties can be separate from the particle itself, including its angular momentum – which could require a rethinking of fundamental laws

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Polling Shows Strong Support for Blake Plateau Conservation

NRDC

Recent polling in Georgia and coastal South Carolina reveals overwhelming support for action to protect key areas on the Blake Plateau.

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Postal Service Ignoring Heat Risks to Mail Carriers, Investigation Finds

Scientific American

Internal records show the U.S. Postal Service has tried to get workers out of air-conditioned offices.

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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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Polar Bears and Penguins Aren’t Wearing Our Clothes But They Might Be Eating Them

Earth 911

I went to the Antarctic to understand and prevent microfiber pollution. At one point, I. The post Polar Bears and Penguins Aren’t Wearing Our Clothes But They Might Be Eating Them appeared first on Earth911.

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Ancient plant artefact reveals humanity's epic journey to Australia

New Scientist

We know that modern humans took one of two routes to first reach Australia, and now an ancient chunk of plant resin has tipped the evidence towards the northern option

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EPA Releases Draft Insecticide Strategy

National Law Center

On July 25, 2024, the Environmental Protection Agency (“EPA”) released its highly anticipated draft Insecticide Strategy, the latest step in the. The post EPA Releases Draft Insecticide Strategy appeared first on National Agricultural Law Center.

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Why People Procrastinate, and How to Overcome It

Scientific American

To stop putting off tasks, think about the positive

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DCED Conventional Oil & Gas Advisory Council Meeting Agenda Includes Road Dumping Wastewater; Updates On Abandoned Well Plugging; Changing Definition Of Abandoned Wells

PA Environment Daily

The DCED PA Grade Crude [Oil] Development Advisory Council is scheduled to meet on August 15 starting at 10:00 a.m. at the Technology Center, Room 243, 200 Innovation Blvd. in State College. The draft agenda includes -- -- President’s Report: Update On GCI Water discussions with DEP on treatment of oil and gas wastewater. GCI made a presentation on their process to the Council in April [The CDAC also sent a letter to the Attorney General’s Office requesting information on the nature of their inv

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Largest genome sequenced so far is 30 times bigger than a human's

New Scientist

The South American lungfish has a whopping 180 gigabases of DNA in each cell, compared with 6 gigabases in human cells

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Close to the edge: Spatial variation in plant diversity, biomass and floral resources in conventional and agri-environment cereal fields

The Applied Ecologist

Laura Sutcliffe discusses her latest study where, alongside colleagues, she investigated the spatial distribution of vascular plant species richness and their contribution to the food web via biomass and flower units in conventional and agri-environment cereal fields. The study: Arable plants Arable plants are usually simply referred to as weeds, reflecting their low status in society and also in biodiversity research.

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When Should Kids Get a Smartphone?

Scientific American

Teens’ use of smartphones has been blamed for all manner of societal ills. So when should parents take the plunge and equip their kids with these devices?

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FSIS Proposed Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products

National Law Center

On August 7, 2024, the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) published its proposed Salmonella Framework. The post FSIS Proposed Salmonella Framework for Raw Poultry Products appeared first on National Agricultural Law Center.

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Why is mpox a global emergency again so soon?

New Scientist

Mpox was made a public health emergency of international concern for the first time in July 2022, with this being declared over the following May.

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