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How climate change is intensifying hurricanes
Extreme weather seems to make the headlines almost every week, as disasters increasingly strike out of season, break records, and hit places they never have before.
Charles Rice, Nobel Prize winner in Medicine: ‘It’s a crime that a drug exists that could cure everyone yet not everybody has access to it’
by Manuel Ansede 4/7/25 EL PAIS
This smiling man asking for a glass of water at a hotel bar has helped save the lives of millions of people, according to the Swedish committee that awarded him the Nobel Prize in Medicine. He is American virologist Charles Rice, who won the award five years ago for his role in the discovery of the hepatitis C virus, a pathogen that silently destroys the liver and can develop into a deadly cancer.
‘The American system is being destroyed’: academics on leaving US for ‘scientific asylum’ in France
by Ashifa Kassam 5/7/25 The Guardian
For months, he had watched Donald Trump’s administration unleash a multipronged attack on academia – slashing funding, targeting international students and deeming certain fields and even keywords off limits. As his plane approached the US, it felt as though the battle had hit home, as Sandberg worried that he would face reprisals over comments he had made during his travels to the French media on the future of research in the US.
Virginia Tech researchers study link between large solar installations, property values
by Matt Busse 2/7/25 CARDINAL NEWS
Researchers analyzed millions of real estate transactions around thousands of utility-scale solar facilities nationwide.
Scientists make disturbing discovery on the deepest parts of the seafloor: "Not a single inch of it is clean"
by Eric Ralls 7/6/25 earth.com
Videos of snagged sea turtles and bottle-strewn beaches have already ignited public concern, but those images barely hint at what sinks far below the reach of sunlight.
Environment-Water and Air Quality
The real Salt Path: how a blockbuster book and film were spun from lies, deceit and desperation
by Chloe Hadjimatheou 5/7/25 National
A heartbreaking “true” story of two people in their early 50s forced out of their rural home in Wales and weighed down by a sudden diagnosis of Moth’s terminal illness, The Salt Path went straight to the top of the bestseller charts, selling more than 2m copies worldwide since its publication in 2018.
Free Expression-Stories of Peoples
New ‘Princes’ exhibit at MAH embraces the whole of Santa Cruz’s history of surfing
by WALLACE BAINE 6/7/25 Lookout
There are plenty of people who have never been within a thousand miles of Santa Cruz but who can still tell you that this place is all about surfing. It’s no secret that surf culture is Santa Cruz’s brand, much like beer in Milwaukee or cheesesteaks in Philadelphia.
New Mexico made childcare free. It lifted 120,000 people above the poverty line
by Cecilia Nowell 11/4/25 The Guardian
Even with support from the state, she and her husband were paying $800 a month – about half of what Sanchez and her husband paid for their mortgage in Las Cruces, New Mexico.
The Rev William Barber’s ‘moral movement’ confronts Trump’s America. Can it work?
by Adam Harris 5/7/25 The Guardian
On 2 June, at St Mark’s Episcopal church in Washington DC, people packed the sanctuary – elders in denim jackets, seminarians in collars, organizers clutching clipboards. Some had come in from North Carolina; others walked from their homes just a few blocks away. The seats were full, so the crowd lined the aisles and leaned against the red-brick walls beneath stained-glass windows that cast streaks of light across the floor.
Kabul On Course To Be World's First Capital To Run Out Of Water
by Farangis Najibullah 6/7/25 RadioFreeEurope
Kabul could become the world’s first capital to run out of water completely, experts say, blaming the crisis on rapid population growth, climate change, and mismanagement.
Environment-Water and Air Quality
Ben Franklin Declared His Independence from his Inheritance of Nasty Superstitions and Became an Enlightenment Man
by ANDY CRAIG 4/7/25 The UnPopulist
In 1692, Salem, Mass. was in the throes of its infamous witch trials. In courtroom scenes which seem so inexplicably absurd to us, human beings were sent to the gallows on the basis of “spectral evidence”—invisible proof of alleged witchcraft that only the accusers, mostly young girls, could see or experience. Many would collapse into screaming fits in front of the judges, alleging that they were being tormented in that very moment by the bewildered defendants. But not all such accusers were impressionable children, as it’s often remembered. One was a woman around the age of 40.
Free Expression-Stories of Peoples
One Big Deadly Bill
by JONATHAN COHN 3/7/25 THEBULWARK
But a series of recent studies have gone a long way toward proving that link. One such paper, which came out in May, was from Angela Wyse at Dartmouth and Bruce Meyer at the University of Chicago, and got the economics establishment talking because of how it used a clever design—linking up census and tax data—to show that the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion saved about 27,000 lives between 2010 and 2022.
Government-Congressional Branch
Homeland Security Admits It Tried to Manufacture Fake Terrorists for Trump
The Department of Homeland Security launched a failed operation that ensnared hundreds, if not thousands, of U.S. protesters in what new documents show was as a sweeping, power-hungry effort before the 2020 election to bolster President Donald Trump’s spurious claims about a “terrorist organization” he accused his Democratic rivals of supporting.
US military cuts climate scientists off from vital satellite sea-ice data
by Keith Cooper 6/7/25 SPACE.com
Climate scientists in the United States are to be cut off from satellite data measuring the amount of sea ice — a sensitive barometer of climate change — as the U.S. Department of Defense announces plans to cancel processing of the data for scientific research.
Heat and wildfire smoke affect birth outcomes, according to a new study
by Alejandra Borunda 5/7/25 npr
BORUNDA: DeNicola is an environmental health expert with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. He says, that's like adding a two-liter soda bottle of blood to your body. And the heart remodels itself to pump all that extra blood.
Health Care-Environmental Factors
There’s a Race to Power the Future. China Is Pulling Away.
by David Gelles 30/6/25 The New York Times
In China, more wind turbines and solar panels were installed last year than in the rest of the world combined. And China’s clean energy boom is going global. Chinese companies are building electric vehicle and battery factories in Brazil, Thailand, Morocco, Hungary and beyond.
The reef that shouldn’t exist
by Rhett Ryers Butler 17/6/25 MONGABAY
Some point to environmental quirks. Coastal currents may shield Cocalito from sedimentation and heat. Others cite human behavior: the reef’s shallow waters deter fishers, perhaps allowing a healthier ecological balance to persist.
These ‘miniature Komodo dragons’ faced extinction on a remote Caribbean island – until a difficult ‘regreening’ project started
https://www.discoverwildlife.com/animal-facts/reptiles/saving-sombrero-lizards-on-sombrero-island by Graeme Green 5/7/25 DISCOVER WILDLIFE]
At first glance, Sombrero Island doesn’t look like a place where life thrives. The surface of this tiny, remote, windswept land mass, 54km north-west of the Caribbean island of Anguilla, has an austere, moon-like appearance, with white-grey rock, strewn rubble and gigantic craters that are an uncomfortable reminder of the phosphate mining that devastated and permanently altered its landscape.
The oldest rocks on Earth are more than four billion years old
[https://theconversation.com/the-oldest-rocks-on-earth-are-more-than-four-billion-years-old-259657 by Hanika Rizo 6/7/25 THE CONVERSATION}
Earth formed about 4.6 billion years ago, during the geological eon known as the Hadean. The name “Hadean” comes from the Greek god of the underworld, reflecting the extreme heat that likely characterized the planet at the time.
This nonprofit connects frontline conservationists with funders, catalyzing impact
by Mike DiGirolamo 1/7/25 MONGABAY
WCN facilitates partnerships between community-based conservation groups, primarily in Global South nations with funders, in what has previously been described as “‘venture capital for conservation,” or as Collomb says, “people invest in people.”
Ireland shuts last coal plant, becomes 15th coal-free country in Europe
by BLATHNAID O'DEA 20/6/25 pv magazine
Ireland today (June 20) became the 15th coal-free country in Europe, having ended coal power generation at its 915 MW Moneypoint coal plant in County Clare. Initially commissioned in the mid-1980s by ESB, Moneypoint was intended to help Ireland offset the impact of the oil crises in the 1970s by providing a dependable source of energy.
‘It’s too late’: David Suzuki says the fight against climate change is lost
by Davis Legree 2/7/25 POLITICS
In our first edition, iPolitics caught up with David Suzuki, noted environmentalist and longtime host of ‘The Nature of Things’ on CBC. At 89-years-old, Suzuki remains a fierce advocate for global climate action, but he spoke about recently coming to the conclusion that humanity has lost the fight against climate change, as well as the need to begin preparing for more severe and destructive natural disasters.
The destruction of Palestine is breaking the world Moustafa Bayoumi
by Sereen Haddad 6/7/25 The Guardian
Haddad, who is Palestinian American, had been raising awareness on her campus about the Palestinian fight for freedom as part of her university’s chapter of Students for Justice in Palestine. The struggle is also personal for her. With roots in Gaza, she has lost more than 200 members of her extended family to Israel’s war.
Free Expression-Stories of Peoples
Weedkiller ingredient widely used in US can damage organs and gut bacteria, research shows
by Tom Perkins 6/7/25 The Guardian
The herbicide ingredient used to replace glyphosate in Roundup and other weedkiller products can kill gut bacteria and damage organs in multiple ways, new research shows.
Health Care-Environmental Factors
‘It doesn’t have to be this way’ – Scientists confirm Iowa farm pollution is creating dire health risks
by Carey Gillam 3/7/25 Investigate Midwest
Agricultural operations across Iowa are a leading cause of significant water pollution problems in the state, posing dire risks to public and environmental health, according to a new scientific report that is sparking heated debate in the key US farm state.
Health Care-Environmental Factors
Trump’s DOGE Cuts Are a Texas-Sized Disaster
by Henry D. Jacoby 3/7/25 TEXAS OBSERVER
Federal resources for managing climate-augmented weather disasters are being wiped out, and crucial information about future risks is being destroyed or degraded. Meanwhile, state leaders stand by while denying the seriousness of climate change as a driver of these events—and the threat this poses to the state economy.
Calculating the amount companies owe for causing global warming
Prior research has found that it is possible to tie certain environmental events to climate change—the current heat wave in parts of South Asia, for example, or excessive flooding in Myanmar and Bangladesh. As it stands now, governments wind up paying to restore order in such areas, or in some cases, insurance companies pay for those who have coverage.
Earth Matters: James Hansen warned us about climate change 35 years ago this month
by Staff Emeritus 1/6/23 DAILY KOS
“The present observed global warming is close to 0.4 degrees C [0.72 F], relative to ‘climatology,’ which is defined as the thirty-year (1951–1980) mean. A warming of 0.4 degrees C is three times larger than the standard deviation of annual mean temperatures in the 30-year climatology. The standard deviation of 0.13 degrees C i[0.23 F] is a typical amount by which the global temperature fluctuates annually about its 30-year mean; the probability of a chance warming of three standard deviations is about 1 percent. Thus, we can state with about 99 percent confidence that current temperatures represent a real warming trend rather than a chance fluctuation over the 30-year period.”—James Hansen testifying to the U.S. Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources on June 23, 1988.
Experience exceeds awareness of anthropogenic climate change in Greenland
Although Greenland is a hub for climate science, the climate perceptions of Greenland’s predominantly Indigenous population have remained largely unstudied. Here we present two nationally representative surveys and show that Greenlanders are more likely than residents of top oil-producing Arctic countries to perceive that climate change is happening and about twice as likely to have personally experienced its effects. However, half are unaware that climate change is human-caused and those who are most affected appear to be least aware.
‘Double agents’: fossil-fuel lobbyists work for US groups trying to fight climate crisis
by Oliver Milman 5/7/23 The Guardian
More than 1,500 lobbyists in the US are working on behalf of fossil-fuel companies while at the same time representing hundreds of liberal-run cities, universities, technology companies and environmental groups that say they are tackling the climate crisis, the Guardian can reveal.
Understanding the role of the sun in climate change
by Nicola Scafetta 6/7/23 PHYS ORG
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) supports the latter view and estimates that almost 100% of the observed warming of the Earth's surface from 1850–1900 to 2020 was caused by man-made emissions. This is known as the anthropogenic global warming (AGWT) theory.
Should I worry about ticks?
by Joel Snape 16/7/23 The Guardian
As arachnid superorders go, ticks are pretty evolutionarily successful. They’ve been around for at least 100 million years in one variety or another, with their main party trick – hanging around until they can latch a host to feed on – working on thousands of different animals across almost endless environments. But how concerned should you be about them in the UK? You won’t miss the blood they take, but they can cause a variety of unpleasant conditions in their hosts – and there’s some evidence that their population is growing.
Why Billionaires Fund Anti-Trans & Anti-Black-History Political Movements
by Thomnhartmann 16/8/23 DAILY KOS
Almost 12 percent of Americans, over 37 million of us, live in dire poverty. According to OECD numbers, while only 5 percent of Italians and 11 percent of Japanese workers toil in low-wage jobs, almost a quarter of Americans — 23 percent — work for wages that can’t support a normal lifestyle. (And low-income Japanese and Italians have free healthcare and college.)
Government-US Electoral System
Phoenix Roasts in Record-Breaking 110-Plus-Degree Heat, with No End in Sight
by Daniel Cusick 17/7/23 E&E News
Several million heat-tolerant Arizonans spent the weekend in air-conditioned semi-darkness, drawing their curtains shut as temperatures soared to nearly 120 degrees in one of America's largest metro areas.
US businessman is wannabe ‘warlord’ of secretive far-right men’s network
by Jason Wilson 22/8/23 The Guardian
The founder and sponsor of a far-right network of secretive, men-only, invitation-only fraternal lodges in the US is a former industrialist who has frequently speculated about his future as a warlord after the collapse of America, a Guardian investigation has found.
California shores up beaver protection in nod to their ‘ecological benefit’
by Guardian staff and agencies 26/7/23 The Guardian
California is embracing beavers and the role they play in the ecosystem after years of viewing the animals as a nuisance for chewing down trees and blocking up streams.
Environment-Habitat Preservation
Microplastic-eating plankton may be worsening crisis in oceans, say scientists
by Karen McVeigh 9/11/23 The Guardian
A type of zooplankton found in marine and fresh water can ingest and break down microplastics, scientists have discovered. But rather than providing a solution to the threat plastics pose to aquatic life, the tiny creatures known as rotifers could be accelerating the risk by splitting the particles into thousands of smaller and potentially more dangerous nanoplastics.
Environment-Water and Air Quality
Trump’s EPA aims to cut pollution rules projected to save nearly 200,000 lives: ‘People will be hurt’
by Oliver Milman and Dharna Noor 19/3/25 The Guardian
A push by Donald Trump’s administration to repeal a barrage of clean air and water regulations may deal a severe blow to US public health, with a Guardian analysis finding that the targeted rules were set to save the lives of nearly 200,000 people in the years ahead.
Vegan diet massively cuts environmental damage, study shows
by Damian Garrington 20/7/23 The Guardian
Eating a vegan diet massively reduces the damage to the environment caused by food production, the most comprehensive analysis to date has concluded.
‘Wings’ on poles: Bill Gates-backed wind power tech promises 75% cheaper energy
by Jijo Malayil 30/5/25 Interesting Engineering
US-based firm Airloom Energy’s innovative renewable energy technology to maximize wind power’s potential has now gained significant backing from investors. The list also includes Breakthrough Energy Ventures, the innovation platform led by Microsoft founder Gates, and the state of Wyoming.
‘Even a freeway is redeemable’: world’s largest wildlife crossing takes shape in Los Angeles
by Katharine Gammon 6/4/25 The Guardian
Above the whirring of 300,000 cars each day on Los Angeles’s 101 freeway, an ambitious project is taking shape. The Wallis Annenberg wildlife crossing is the largest wildlife bridge in the world at 210ft long and 174ft wide, and this week it’s had help taking shape: soil.
Environment-Habitat Preservation
China population decline accelerates as birthrate hits record low
by Helen Davidson 01/17/24 The Guardian
China’s population decline has accelerated, with a second year of record-low birthrates.
The government will give homeowners $2,000 to buy kitchen-transforming stoves: 'Tons of power without … major home electrical upgrades'
Induction units, on the other hand, are totally gas-free. All they need is a plug on your wall since they run entirely on electricity and energy-efficient battery storage. This means they cook food faster and cheaper and keep your lungs healthier at the same time — a true win-win.
High rises made out of wood? What matters in whether ‘mass timber’ buildings are sustainable
by Brent Sohngen 12/11/24 The Conversation
Companies behind these “mass timber” projects say that wood is a lower-carbon alternative to steel or concrete and brings other benefits, such as faster construction time and lower cost than concrete and steel. Advocates say the wood materials, made of compressed layers of wood with glue, offer good fire safety as well.
Environment-Resource Extraction
For 50 years I’ve let friends and strangers share my house – this kind of communal living can make for better lives for all
by Lynne Segal 11/11/23 The Guardian
It’s more than half a century since I first set foot in Heathrow from Sydney, in my mid-20s, clutching my 14-month-old baby in one hand and what little remained of my luggage in the other. My large suitcase, stuffed with books and clothes, had vanished at a stopover at Colombo airport in Sri Lanka, where I narrowly avoided arrest as my infant son had startlingly managed to push an empty trolley into the glass duty-free shop, smashing part of it. I was surrounded by a hubbub of people and noise, and one man in khaki uniform who kept sidling up to me saying quietly, “Get on to the plane.” Slowly, I separated myself from those surrounding me and did just that. Twelve hours later, I landed in London, exhausted and bewildered.
Could Vienna’s approach to affordable housing work in California?
by Kristy Lang 4/30/24 The Guardian
In the past two years, at least four delegations of housing experts and political leaders from California have visited the Austrian capital, hoping to unlock the secrets of why Vienna regularly comes top in surveys of the world’s most livable cities.
Neuroscientists link low self-awareness to stronger brain reactions to moralized issues
by Eric W. Dolan PsyPost 4/01/25
A new study published in the journal Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience reveals that people who hold strong moral convictions about political issues make decisions more quickly—but that these choices are shaped by both emotional brain responses and metacognitive ability. The research shows that moral conviction activates specific brain regions involved in emotion and cognitive control, and that people with lower self-awareness about their own decision accuracy show stronger brain responses to morally charged political issues.
Watch Out: Tornado Alley Is Migrating Eastward
by By Mark Fischetti, Matthew Twombly & Daniel P. Huffman 5/11/23 Scientific American
Although tornadoes touch down in many places across the eastern half of the country, from the 1950s through the 1990s they struck most often in Tornado Alley, an oval area centered on northeastern Texas and south-central Oklahoma. More recently, that focus has shifted eastward by 400 to 500 miles. In the past decade or so tornadoes have become prevalent in eastern Missouri and Arkansas, western Tennessee and Kentucky, and northern Mississippi and Alabama—a new region of concentrated storms.1
