Science
Exxon Mobil CEO Darren Woods publicly cautioned President-elect Donald Trump against withdrawing the U.S. from the Paris Agreement, warning it would weaken global efforts to curb emissions. His remarks, made at the COP summit in Azerbaijan, underscore the oil giant's concern over policy instability and its own investments in green alternatives.
Science
A new Oxfam analysis reveals the world's richest 1% have already used up their fair share of the annual carbon budget just 10 days into the year. The report links their emissions to an estimated 1.3 million heat-related deaths by 2100 and calls for urgent policy action.
Science
Levi's new Project F.L.X. uses lasers to distress jeans, reducing production steps from 18 to 3 and halving design time. The system also cuts hazardous chemical use, aligning with the company's sustainability goals, while raising questions about worker retraining.
Science
Rising temperatures are pushing California's ancient bristlecone pines toward extinction as faster-growing limber pines take over higher elevations. A new study warns that the world's oldest trees, including 4,845-year-old Methuselah, may lose their habitat. Researchers call for urgent action to protect these living monuments.
Science
DARPA's Biological Technologies Office, with a $296 million budget, is advancing projects in programmable microbes, neural prosthetics, and rapid immunization. Director Justin Sanchez says 2017 will bring major developments, including new disease-fighting tools and cognitive assistance technologies.
Science
A study of a meteorite fragment that fell in Sudan suggests a dwarf-planet-sized body once orbited the Sun. The presence of rare amphibole crystals indicates a large, water-rich parent body that no longer exists. The findings add to evidence that the early solar system was more diverse than previously thought.
Science
A potential fire at Michigan's Donald C. Cook Nuclear Plant triggered an NRC alert, though no flames were found. The incident highlights ongoing safety concerns, including an out-of-service fire protection system and a history of violations, as well as broader questions about the state's aging nuclear infrastructure.
Science
Chinese researchers at the EAST tokamak, dubbed 'artificial sun,' achieved plasma densities exceeding the Greenwald limit, a milestone in fusion research. The breakthrough, published in Science Advances, could pave the way for sustainable fusion power plants.
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A 0.6-mile outdoor escalator in Wushan, China, has opened to the public, offering a 21-minute ride that climbs a steep hillside. The system, which comprises two dozen escalators and lifts, serves about 9,000 daily riders and is hailed as a unique engineering achievement.
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Two independent research teams have unveiled new techniques to measure and control phonons—quantum particles of sound—potentially enabling quantum information storage. One method uses light pulses to manipulate single phonons, while the other employs a simple electromechanical device to achieve quantum-level control, overcoming prior fabrication challenges.
Science
A coral reef off Panglao Island in the Philippines was defaced with the words 'JUST DIVE' carved into a plate coral, prompting outrage from officials. The incident follows a similar 2024 case where names were etched into coral, leading to a reward for information. Authorities vow to prosecute violators, including dive shops and guides.
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A unit conversion mistake during a planned upgrade of the Large Hadron Collider caused a new section to be bent beyond repair, halting operations. The incident, attributed to faulty rounding of metric conversions, has raised questions about international collaboration on the project. Despite the setback, scientists are exploring unconventional alternatives to continue subatomic research.
Science
China's People's Liberation Army is applying artificial intelligence to investigate a surge in unidentified air conditions, according to a report obtained by the South China Morning Post. A 2019 briefing by a PLA researcher highlights the challenge these sightings pose to national air defense, with AI used to cross-reference data from multiple sources. The move parallels US efforts on unidentified aerial phenomena, though Chinese officials largely attribute sightings to man-made or natural causes.
Science
A new analysis of Antarctic ice cores reveals a 10% increase in snowfall over the past two centuries, adding 272 gigatonnes of ice. While seemingly benign, the added weight accelerates ice flow into the ocean, potentially worsening sea level rise.
