Breaking Waves: Ocean News

UN human rights expert raises concerns about US charges against climate protesters

admin — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 18:09:58 +0000

Mary Lawlor criticizes US’s failure to respond to concerns after Alex Connon and John Mark Rozendaal charges

A leading UN human rights expert has expressed dismay after the US government failed to respond to questions about the criminal crackdown on peaceful climate protesters.

Google DeepMind predicts weather more accurately than leading system

admin — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 16:00:18 +0000

AI program GenCast performed better than ENS forecast at predicting day-to-day weather and paths of hurricanes and cyclones

For those who keep an eye on the elements, the outlook is bright: researchers have built an artificial intelligence-based weather forecast that makes faster and more accurate predictions than the best system available today.

‘Straight in harm’s way’: can Trump open up Alaska’s 19m-acre refuge for drilling?

admin — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 15:00:18 +0000

Native leaders ready for a fight as Trump calls ANWR, one of the last truly wild places on Earth, the US’s ‘biggest oil farm’

The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) is one of the earth’s last intact ecosystems. Vast and little-known, this 19m-acre expanse along Alaska’s north slope is home to some of the region’s last remaining polar bears, as well as musk oxen, wolves and wolverines. Millions of birds from around the world migrate to or through the region each year, and it serves as the calving grounds for the porcupine caribou.

Dead native birds and flying foxes found in SA town home to one of world’s largest lead smelters

admin — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 14:00:27 +0000

Testing found acute lead toxicosis as cause of death of two lorikeets, a honeyeater and three grey-headed flying foxes in Port Pirie

Exposure to air pollution increases infertility risk, US study finds

admin — Wed, 04 Dec 2024 12:00:24 +0000

Research shows common air pollutants can be detrimental to egg, sperm and embryo development

Maternal and paternal exposure to common air pollutants may increase the risk of infertility because it can be detrimental to egg, sperm and embryo development, new research in the US finds.

Protection deal for Amazon rainforest in peril as big business turns up heat

admin — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 22:30:05 +0000

Exclusive: With Brazil’s politicians, agribusiness organisations and global traders piling on the pressure, the highly successful 2006 Soy Moratorium is under threat

One of the cornerstones of Amazon rainforest protection – the Soy Moratorium – is under unprecedented pressure from Brazilian agribusiness organisations, politicians, and global trading companies, the Guardian has learned.

Ecosystems: New study questions common assumption about biodiversity

admin — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 20:44:45 +0000

Plant species can fulfill different functions within an ecosystem, even if they are closely related to each other. This surprising conclusion was reached by a global analysis of around 1.7 million datasets on plant communities. The findings overturn previous assumptions in ecology.

Island biodiversity rides on the wings of birds

admin — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 20:39:40 +0000

Bird wing shape -- a proxy for long-distance flying ability, or dispersal -- is a trait that influences biodiversity patterns on islands around the world, according to biologists.

Cop29 gave us a Putin-friendly deal – and a glimpse of the dark future of climate talks | Fiona Harvey

admin — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 15:55:31 +0000

The Baku Cop29 talks were marked by division and self-interest, with rancorous meddling right until the end

Nuclear energy debate draws stark gender split in Australia ahead of next year’s election

admin — Tue, 03 Dec 2024 14:00:53 +0000

Survey finds 25 percentage point gender gap across all age brackets on whether nuclear power would be positive for the country, with majority of men saying it would