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Around 50 years ago, our rulers chose to begin a massive project, essentially conducting a unique scientific experiment, one with potentially foreseen but possibly unpredictable outcomes.
They decided to go all out in (1) extracting fuels buried deep in the Earth, energy from the sun stored via photosynthesis and animal metabolism over a span of 500 million years as coal, oil, and gas, and then (2) burning all of this they could find in the brief period of a few decades.
Our rulers were warned by scientists that their project involved serious risk, but they figured the power they could gain and the money they could make was worth any cost. They didn't care about the negative consequences, and/or foolishly believed that future technologies (still a fantasy in the year 2024) would somehow be able to fix whatever problems their actions caused.
And now, guess what — we're seeing signs that this experiment might be out of control. Feedback loops are kicking in, causing "natural" emissions which could trigger cascading effects, breaking down the ecosystem. It also appears that Earth's climate is more sensitive to greenhouse gases than first believed. Yet our rulers *still* continue to recklessly burn fossil fuels, always drilling and fracking for more, hungry for power and compelled by greed.
#History #Science #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #Capitalism #BusinessAsUsual
Here's a reminder of where we are now compared to where we need to be.
As mentioned in my previous post (https://climatejustice.social/@breadandcircuses/112671714655278802), fossil fuel use and CO2 emissions are at record highs. Yet scientists have repeatedly warned that we *must* rapidly reduce emissions or face climate breakdown and ecosystem collapse.
Look at the second graph below. We should have taken action years ago. By 2030, our emissions need to be 48% lower than in 2019. But instead, they keep going up, year after year. We're already halfway to 2030 and have made zero progress.
#Science #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis #Capitalism #BusinessAsUsual
Bread and Circuses (@breadandcircuses@climatejustice.social)
HEADLINE: "Fossil fuel use and emissions hit record highs as world struggles with deadly heat, storms, and fires" The world consumed record amounts of oil, coal, and gas last year, pushing planet-heating carbon pollution to a new high, according to …Climate Justice Social
#Science #Engineering #Aerospace #MassTransit #ClimateChange #Economics
https://www.venusaero.com/aerospace-company-building-hypersonic-plane-to-get-you-anywhere-on-earth-in-one-hour/
Aerospace company building hypersonic plane to get you anywhere on Earth in one hour - Venus Aerospace
In the future, you might be able to make it from Tokyo to Los Angeles before an NFL game reaches halftime.jamiedesigns (Venus Aerospace)
Earth's rotating inner core is starting to slow down — and it could alter the length of our days.
A new study confirms that Earth's inner core has been rotating more slowly than usual since 2010. This mysterious "backtracking" could also end up slightly altering the planet's overall rotation, lengthening our days.
He chewed the leaves of a liana vine, a plant not normally eaten by apes. Over several days, he carefully applied the juice to its wound, then covered it with a paste of chewed-up liana.
The tropical plant he selected has antibacterial and antioxidant properties and alleviates pain, fever, bleeding and inflammation.
https://theconversation.com/animals-self-medicate-with-plants-behavior-people-have-observed-and-emulated-for-millennia-229768
#science #health
Animals self-medicate with plants − behavior people have observed and emulated for millennia
Humans have watched and learned from animals who treat their ills with bioactive plants. This animal wisdom has a scientific name: zoopharmacognosy.The Conversation
At 14, Mary Fairfax (later Mary Somerville) studied algebra & mathematics, defying her father’s wishes.
Eventually, she began experimenting & writing about #science. Her expertise spanned from astronomy to chemistry to physics & she published articles & books.
Along with Caroline Herschel, Mary became one of the first 2 honorary members of the Royal Astronomical Society. https://pubs.aip.org/physicstoday/article/71/1/46/819012/Mary-Somerville-s-vision-of-scienceThe-Scottish
Mary Somerville’s vision of science
The Scottish mathematician and writer shaped the way we think about science and carved a place for herself in the intellectual world of the 19th century.Secord, James (AIP Publishing)
Most Ukrainians displaced by the war plan to return home when it is safe, research shows
More than 4 million Ukrainians were forced to flee following the invasion of their homeland by Russian forces in February 2022, with the vast majority heading to neighboring countries and other European nations.Science X (Phys.org)
Today is #ShowYourStripes day — every year on the summer solstice!
Get your local US stripes here: https://climatecentral.org/graphic/2024-warming-stripes
And get your international #WarmingStripes here: https://showyourstripes.info
#History #Science #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #ClimateCrisis
Warming Stripes for 195 U.S. Cities | Climate Central
Climate Central bridges the scientific community and the public, providing clear information to help people make sound decisions about the climate.climatecentral.org
Scientists analyze record storm surges to help predict future flooding
Researchers at the University of Southampton have conducted the most detailed spatial analysis to date of storm surges along the coast of the UK and Ireland.Science X (Phys.org)
This biologist panned a “mosquito eradicator” product. Its maker bit back.
Welcome to the wild west of insect control commerce.Mother Jones
In a first, astronomers spot merging quasars from the Cosmic Dawn
https://www.popsci.com/science/merging-quasars/
In a first, astronomers spot merging quasars from the Cosmic Dawn | Popular Science
The pair dates back to 900 million years after the big bang.Laura Baisas (Popular Science)
I'm sad to report the death of Ed Stone, the NASA scientist who was the heart & soul of the Voyager program. Spending time with him for my Discover magazine profile was a highlight of my career.
I did my best to capture the experience:
https://www.discovermagazine.com/the-sciences/voyager-the-man-behind-the-mission #science #space #nasa #astronomy
Voyager: The Man Behind the Mission
Ed Stone’s relentless pursuit of the frontier has taken him to the edge of the solar system — and beyond.Corey S Powell (Discover Magazine)
We are witnessing a slow-motion catastrophe…
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Across the globe, insect populations have seen a steep decline.
According to a meta-analysis of 16 studies, insect populations have declined by about 45% in just the last 40 years.
The large-scale death of insects poses huge threats not only to the ecosystems they exist in but also to much of our agriculture, as insects pollinate about 75% of global crops.
Two driving causes of the marked fall off are climate change and habitat loss.
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#Insects #Science #Environment #Climate #ClimateChange #BioDiversity
Researchers study the global decline of insect populations
The loss of insects undermines ecosystems and agricultureJeremy Lindenfeld (Spectrum News 1)
Groundwater is heating up, threatening life below and above the surface.
Under your feet lies the world’s biggest reservoir. Groundwater makes up a whopping 97% of all usable freshwater. Where is it? In the voids between grains and cracks within rocks. We see it when it rises to the surface in springs, in caves, or when we pump it up for use. #ClimateChange #Science
Groundwater is heating up, threatening life below and above the surface
Groundwater is the largest source of unfrozen freshwater on the planet. Even though it’s underground, climate change is heating this reservoir up.The Conversation
Languages that no longer have native speakers are often described as being “extinct”. Thomas Watson prefers the term “sleeping language”, which has an important distinction – a sleeping language can be reawakened.
Refusing to believe his traditional language, Gangulu, had been lost, Thomas embarked on a search that led thousands of kilometres around the world to an attic in Sweden.
Discover the journey that saw Thomas reawaken a sleeping language… https://ausgeo.co/gangulu
#ausgeo #australia #seeaustralia #language #aboriginallanguage #gangulu #science #research #exploreaustralia #firstnations #history #culture #nature #travel #adventure #discovery
#academia #research #academicchatter #history #histodon #humanities #digitalhumanities #indigenous #indigenouspeoples #socialsciences
Awakening a sleeping language
When Thomas Watson learned his language was no longer spoken, his grief gave way to a search for answers that led halfway around the world.Elisabeth Marie (Australian Geographic)
Whatever happened to LA's plan to end its reliance on landfills?
The smoldering, stinking mess at the Chiquita Canyon Landfill in Castaic is a glaring example of the environmental and public health hazards created by burying our trash—and how state and local leaders have allowed this problem to pile up.Los Angeles Times Editorial Board (Phys.org)