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Climate change is accelerating but nature is slowing down
Contrary to expectations, species turnover in ecosystems has slowed, not accelerated, with global warming. This suggests biodiversity loss is hindering natural ecological dynamics.
13 articles tagged #climate change
Contrary to expectations, species turnover in ecosystems has slowed, not accelerated, with global warming. This suggests biodiversity loss is hindering natural ecological dynamics.
NOAA data initially suggested Northern Hemisphere autumn snow cover was growing, but a new study finds it's actually shrinking due to improved satellite detection creating a false trend. This confirms snow loss is accelerating Arctic warming.
Climate change caused a severe drought that likely drove Homo floresiensis, the "hobbit" species, to extinction around 50,000 years ago.
Scientists retrieved a 228-meter sediment core from under Antarctica's ice, revealing 23 million years of climate history to study past ice sheet retreat and future sea-level rise.
A study finds rising CO2 reduces soil nitrogen in Swedish forests, which may limit future carbon storage and require deeper emissions cuts.
Avalanches in the Alps and California highlight increased risks. Factors include climate change causing intense snow after droughts, weak snowpack layers, and more skiers going off-piste. Safety gear and local advice are crucial.
AI's climate benefits are overstated, with most claims citing traditional AI, not energy-hungry generative AI. Evidence is weak, often corporate-backed, and may greenwash AI's true fossil fuel-driven emissions impact.
Today's tech news: Uncrewed narco subs could transform drug trafficking. Google DeepMind calls for scrutiny of AI moral behavior. The legal case for climate justice is building. Plus, other tech stories.
SoftBank's SB Energy plans a $33B, 9.2-gigawatt natural gas plant on the Ohio-Kentucky border, potentially the largest in the U.S. It could power 7.5M homes but emit significant CO2. Its link to data centers, including with OpenAI, is unclear.
AI's huge power demand drives data centers to use more fossil fuels, mainly new gas turbines, potentially adding 44M tons of CO2 by 2030, equivalent to 10M cars' emissions.
This newsletter covers vehicle transport fraud, AI's role in finding antibiotics and driving Mars rovers, tech policy debates, and climate change's impact on Arctic rivers and human bodies.
Tech companies claim AI will cut global emissions, but research shows these claims are based on flimsy evidence, while AI development significantly increases their own emissions.