24/7 News Coverage
December 21, 2022
EARLY EARTH
Mammals island-hopped from Australia to colonise the world



Melbourne, Australia (SPX) Dec 20, 2022
Australia, home to the most unusual animal species on the planet that defy imagination, can now lay claim to being the wellspring of modern mammal evolution. Published in the Australasian Journal of Palaeontology, Alcheringa, lead authors Professors Tim Flannery and Kris Helgen from the Australian Museum, along with Dr Thomas Rich from Museums Victoria and Professor Patricia Vickers-Rich from Monash University, and Dr E. Grace Veatch of the Smithsonian Institution, argue that the ancestors of Theria (pl ... read more

WATER WORLD
New theory on timing for human settlement of some parts of tropical Pacific
Medford MA (SPX) Dec 20, 2022
Spread across vast distances, the islands of the tropical Pacific Ocean are thought to have been populated by humans in two distinct migrations beginning approximately 3,330 years ago. The fir ... more
WOOD PILE
Greek woodcutters give energy crisis the chop
Grevena, Greece (AFP) Dec 20, 2022
Huddled around a campfire sipping hot tea, a group of Greek lumberjacks take a badly needed break in an oak forest not far from the Albanian border. ... more
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
AFRL Guardian software team reports busy year
Rome NY (SPX) Dec 20, 2022
When disaster strikes in the world, chaos can ensue, but Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, scientists are working on software applications that provide clear situational awareness to help resp ... more
WATER WORLD
Dam plans threaten China's migratory bird haven
Poyang, China (AFP) Dec 18, 2022
Spooked by a historic drought, local authorities in China have renewed controversial plans to dam the country's biggest freshwater lake. ... more
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SHAKE AND BLOW
Two dead after powerful quake hits California
San Francisco (AFP) Dec 20, 2022
At least two people died after a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of northern California on Tuesday, triggering rockslides and cutting power to tens of thousands. ... more
EARTH OBSERVATION
Christmas comes early for Aeolus
Paris (ESA) Dec 18, 2022
ESA's wind mission continues to shine as engineers have worked their Christmas magic. With a switch back to its original laser, Aeolus is now shining more than twice as brightly with its best ever p ... more
FLORA AND FAUNA
East DR Congo rebel crisis threatens endangered mountain gorillas
Goma, Dr Congo (AFP) Dec 20, 2022
M23 rebel activity in volatile eastern DR Congo is threatening mountain gorillas in Virunga National Park and leaving the endangered species vulnerable to poachers, a spokesman said on Tuesday. ... more
WATER WORLD
'Progress destroying nature': Brazil dam fuels fears for river
Altamira, Brazil (AFP) Dec 16, 2022
Holding a dead fish, Junior Pereira looks grimly at a puddle that used to be part of Brazil's Xingu river, a mighty Amazon tributary that has been desiccated here by the massive Belo Monte hydroelectric dam. ... more
EPIDEMICS
China says no new Covid deaths after changing criteria
Beijing (AFP) Dec 21, 2022
China said Wednesday that not a single person had died of Covid-19 the previous day, after changing the criteria for recording virus deaths to mean most are no longer counted. ... more
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
Malaysia landslide death toll rises to 25
Kuala Lumpur (AFP) Dec 21, 2022
The death toll from a landslide at an unauthorised campsite in Malaysia rose to 25 as search and rescue teams continued to comb muddy terrain on Wednesday. ... more
EPIDEMICS
US offers Covid vaccines to China to stem outbreak
Washington (AFP) Dec 20, 2022
The United States on Tuesday offered to share vaccines with China to stem soaring Covid cases, saying containing the outbreak was in the interest of the world. ... more
EPIDEMICS
India steps up Covid genome sequencing as China cases soar
New Delhi (AFP) Dec 20, 2022
India's federal health ministry instructed state authorities on Tuesday to step up genome sequencing of Covid cases in view of a "sudden spurt" in cases in China and elsewhere. ... more



FLORA AND FAUNA
Beloved 'Hollywood Cat' mountain lion euthanized in Los Angeles
Los Angeles (AFP) Dec 18, 2022
Los Angeles residents and animal lovers Sunday were mourning the death of the sprawling US city's most famous feline, a wild mountain lion whose often erratic encounters with people prompted reflections about humanity's connection with nature. ... more
ENERGY NEWS
EU reaches deal on major carbon market reform
Brussels (AFP) Dec 18, 2022
EU member states and parliamentarians on Sunday announced an agreement for a major reform to the bloc's carbon market, the central plank of its ambitions to reduce emissions and invest in climate-friendly technologies. ... more
FLORA AND FAUNA
How Chinese diplomacy helped seal historic nature deal
Montreal (AFP) Dec 20, 2022
Expectations heading into a UN biodiversity conference in Montreal were about as low as they could be. ... more
FLORA AND FAUNA
Global 'peace pact' signed to protect nature
Montreal (AFP) Dec 19, 2022
Countries reached a historic deal on Monday to reverse decades of environmental destruction threatening the world's species and ecosystems, in what the UN chief hailed as "a peace pact with nature." ... more
FLORA AND FAUNA
Things to know about global biodiversity agreement
Montreal (AFP) Dec 19, 2022
After years of negotiations, the world has agreed a landmark deal to protect vanishing species and ecosystems. ... more


Prehistoric marine reptiles reproduced in Nevada, leaving behind fossil bed

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WATER WORLD
Tense Fiji election tied, opposition eyes deal for power
Suva, Fiji (AFP) Dec 18, 2022
Fiji's tumultuous general election ended in a cliffhanger Sunday, with two rival ex-coup leaders failing to win a clear majority and needing to woo a kingmaking minor party to secure power. ... more
FROTH AND BUBBLE
France bans disposable packaging, utensils in fast-food restaurants
Levallois-Perret, France (AFP) Dec 19, 2022
Fast-food eateries in France will soon no longer be able to use disposable containers, plates, cups and tableware for clients eating in, the latest measure from a 2020 law to combat waste and encourage recycling. ... more
EPIDEMICS
Climate change fuelling cholera surge: WHO
Geneva (AFP) Dec 16, 2022
Climate change is fuelling a global cholera upsurge, the WHO said Friday, warning the situation was compounded by vaccine shortages and will only worsen unless it is stamped out soon. ... more
WHITE OUT
Record-breaking snowfall blankets Moscow
Moscow (AFP) Dec 18, 2022
Heavy snowfall descended on the Russian capital on Sunday, disrupting traffic, delaying flights and leaving pavements buried with snow. ... more
DISASTER MANAGEMENT
'Be good ancestors,' youth activists tell ministers at UN nature talks
Montreal (AFP) Dec 18, 2022
As the world's environment ministers try to thrash out a new deal for nature, youth activists gathered at a UN summit in Montreal are making it clear that actions taken today will affect generations to come. ... more
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'Be good ancestors,' youth activists tell ministers at UN nature talks
Montreal (AFP) Dec 18, 2022
As the world's environment ministers try to thrash out a new deal for nature, youth activists gathered at a UN summit in Montreal are making it clear that actions taken today will affect generations to come. Here is what some had to say. - Prisca Daka - Prisca Daka, a 31-year-old from Zimbabwe now based in the US, is regional coordinator for Global Youth Biodiversity Network (GYBN) A ... more
+ AFRL Guardian software team reports busy year
+ Malaysia landslide death toll rises to 25
+ Afghan survivors get new homes six months after deadly quake
+ Thai navy hunts for 31 sailors after vessel sinks
+ UN says funds for flood-hit Pakistan to run out in weeks
+ Fourth boy dies after UK frozen lake tragedy: police
+ Three boys die after falling into frozen lake in UK: police
NASA enables future of science observation through tri-band antennas
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Dec 20, 2022
NASA's Near Space Network enables spacecraft exploring the solar system and Earth to send back essential science data for researchers and scientists to investigate and make profound discoveries. Now, the network has integrated four new global antennas to further support science and exploration missions. In December 2022, antennas in Fairbanks, Alaska; Wallops Island, Virginia; Punta Arenas ... more
+ AST SpaceMobile and NASA sign agreement to improve spaceflight safety
+ Fortnite-maker to pay $520 million over US child allegations
+ Say hello to the toughest material on Earth
+ Cubic silicon carbide wafers demonstrate high thermal conductivity, second only to diamond
+ 3M to phase out 'forever chemicals' PFAS by 2025
+ Radiation shielding: MAPbI3/epoxy composites exhibit superior performance
+ Scientist mimic nature to make nano particle metallic snowflakes




How SERVIR is helping Southeast Asia adapt to variable rainfall
Greenbelt MD (SPX) Dec 18, 2022
In the United States, the agriculture sector is not immune to floods and droughts. But when these disasters hit, the system is designed to be robust enough to bounce back quickly. With an economy that depends on agriculture, many protections are in place to help farmers stay afloat, even after major disasters. Meanwhile in Southeast Asia, increasingly variable rainfall is making life diffi ... more
+ SpaceX launches NASA's water topography satellite into orbit
+ New theory on timing for human settlement of some parts of tropical Pacific
+ Tense Fiji election tied, opposition eyes deal for power
+ Shedding light on photosynthesis at sea
+ Dam plans threaten China's migratory bird haven
+ 'Progress destroying nature': Brazil dam fuels fears for river
+ Egypt seeks US help in reviving Ethiopia dam deal
Lakes on roof of world freeze later and melt earlier under changing climate
Beijing, China (SPX) Dec 13, 2022
The lakes on the roof of the world show a trend of later freezing-up, earlier breaking-up and thus shorten ice-covered duration since late 1970s, researchers report in the 2nd December Nature Scientific Data. The findings explicitly reflect the changes in thermodynamics of lakes under a warmer climate and implicate substantial associated alteration in biogeochemical processes in the region. ... more
+ NOAA report finds climate change making Arctic conditions warmer, wetter
+ Chinese scientists reconstruct Qinghai-Tibet Plateau lake ice phenology
+ The incredible power of the ice that sculpted Europe's landscape
+ Glacier calving and a whole lot of mixing
+ Strongest Arctic cyclone on record led to surprising loss of sea ice
+ Phytoplankton may be abundant under Antarctic sea ice
+ Tibetan bottom ice might be younger than previously believed by two orders of magnitude




N. Zealand's amended cow burp tax plans still stink, say farmers
Wellington (AFP) Dec 21, 2022
New Zealand's government on Wednesday outlined changes to controversial plans to tax the farts and burps of livestock, but a leading farmers group said it was still opposed to the emissions reduction scheme. New Zealand is planning a "world first" levy on emissions of methane and nitrous oxide, produced by the nation's six million cows and 26 million sheep as a step towards tackling climate ... more
+ France bets on tech and transparency to beat Chinese caviar
+ Experts urge caution over biotech that can wipe out insect pests
+ PETA takes UK military to court for rejecting fake fur hats
+ World's first space rice seeds back from orbit
+ Soil in midwestern US is eroding 10 to 1,000 times faster than it forms, study finds
+ Grape expectations: India's biggest winemaker seeks millions
+ 'Keeping it fresh': Greek growers use nature to clean crops
Two dead after powerful quake hits California
San Francisco (AFP) Dec 20, 2022
At least two people died after a powerful earthquake struck off the coast of northern California on Tuesday, triggering rockslides and cutting power to tens of thousands. The relatively shallow 6.4-magnitude quake hit overnight, 25 miles (40 kilometers) southwest of the port city of Eureka, in Humboldt County, the US Geological Survey (USGS) said. County emergency officials said there wa ... more
+ Indonesia quake death toll jumps to 602 after new count
+ Flooding kills more than 120 in DR Congo capital
+ Signals from the ionosphere could improve tsunami forecasts
+ Hawaii volcano goes quiet after spectacular display
+ Guatemala volcano eruption eases after forcing airport closure
+ Let the lava flow! Iceland's volcano show is a hit
+ Lascar volcano in Chile stirs, sending plume skyward




Uganda forces kill 11 ADF rebels after incursion
Kampala (AFP) Dec 13, 2022
Ugandan forces killed 11 ADF rebels after they crossed into the country from the Democratic Republic of Congo, the army said Tuesday, in the first known incursion by the group this year. The Allied Democratic Forces - which the Islamic State group claims as its Central African offshoot - is accused of slaughtering thousands of Congolese civilians and carrying out bombings in Uganda. An ... more
+ Rolling red carpet to Africans, US warns of 'destabilizing' China, Russia
+ Rwanda leader says DR Congo bloodshed not his problem
+ Youth of African diaspora consider climate solutions at US summit
+ Jihadist-hit Niger brings back former soldiers, police
+ Biden tries to reboot US brand in Africa amid China, Russia inroads
+ Burkina Faso to raise 150 million euros for war fund
+ Outer space talks are a welcome addition to the US-Africa Leaders Summit
Iraqi conservators strive to preserve ancient manuscripts
Baghdad (AFP) Dec 18, 2022
In an annex of Iraq's national museum, a conservator pores over a 17th-century manuscript, carrying out delicate restoration work as part of efforts to preserve and digitise 47,000 precious texts. "Some manuscripts date back almost 1,000 years," said Ahmed al-Alyawi, who heads the House of Manuscripts body. "There are writings in Arabic, Persian, Turkish, Hebrew and Kurdish," he added, ... more
+ Humans and nature: The distance is growing
+ Archaeologist claims human relative used controlled fire for light, cooking
+ How touch dampens the brain's response to painful stimuli
+ Silent synapses are abundant in the adult brain
+ Alzheimer's risk gene undermines insulation of brain's "wiring"
+ Wearing a mask can impact ability to recognize others, study says
+ Humanity hits the eight billion mark




Red Cross fears "enormous suffering" in 2023
Geneva (AFP) Dec 14, 2022
The head of the International Committee of the Red Cross warned Wednesday "an enormous level of suffering" awaits the world in 2023 with famine spreading. Mirjana Spoljaric, who took over at the ICRC in October, told a Geneva press conference: "We expect an enormous level of suffering. "As the world is trending at the moment we don't see any easing of the humanitarian pressures, they wil ... more
+ German police target climate activists in raids
+ ZEP-RE and Planet collaborate on drought insurance program in Africa
+ Climate-stressed Iraq must pursue 'green growth': World Bank
+ More financing needed for IMF climate change fund: director
+ Climate activist who blocked Sydney Harbour Bridge freed on bail
+ After year of climate disasters, world off-track to curb warming
+ Kenya drought leaves wildlife gasping for breath
Christmas comes early for Aeolus
Paris (ESA) Dec 18, 2022
ESA's wind mission continues to shine as engineers have worked their Christmas magic. With a switch back to its original laser, Aeolus is now shining more than twice as brightly with its best ever performance - just in time for the holidays. It's another remarkable success for ESA's fifth Earth Explorer. Launched in 2018 after many technical challenges, Aeolus pioneered what none had pione ... more
+ NASA launches satellite for landmark study of Earth's water
+ JAXA startup Tenchijin announces funding from JAXA
+ NASA sensors to help detect methane emitted by landfills
+ Planet makes its geospatial data available through Amazon SageMaker
+ First Images Released From NOAA-21 VIIRS Instrument
+ Airbus delivers first Sentinel-4 air-monitoring instrument to ESA
+ A new era of weather forecasting begins




Mammals island-hopped from Australia to colonise the world
Melbourne, Australia (SPX) Dec 20, 2022
Australia, home to the most unusual animal species on the planet that defy imagination, can now lay claim to being the wellspring of modern mammal evolution. Published in the Australasian Journal of Palaeontology, Alcheringa, lead authors Professors Tim Flannery and Kris Helgen from the Australian Museum, along with Dr Thomas Rich from Museums Victoria and Professor Patricia Vickers-Rich from Mo ... more
+ Prehistoric marine reptiles reproduced in Nevada, leaving behind fossil bed
+ Changes in Earth's orbit may have triggered ancient warming event
+ Fossil site reveals giant arthropods dominated the seas 470 million years ago
+ Remains of two new marine worms from 455 million years ago discovered in Morocco
+ Meteorites plus gamma rays could have given Earth the building blocks for life
+ Australian researchers find 100 million-year-old fossil in Queensland
+ 525-million-year-old fossil defies textbook explanation for brain evolution
Endless cycle of destruction and repair for Ukraine's energy workers
Kramatorsk, Ukraine (AFP) Dec 20, 2022
It has become a daily struggle for Ukrainian technicians: mending pipes damaged by Russian airstrikes in a desperate bid to keep the energy grid working in freezing temperatures, even as attacks continue. "We repair. And if they destroy, we will repair it again. That's the job," Oleksandr, who declined to give his full time, told AFP while completing a welding task for a municipal company in ... more
+ EU reaches deal on major carbon market reform
+ Ten flagship nature-restoring initiatives hailed by UN
+ At COP15, businesses urged to act for nature
+ S.African army deploys to guard power plants amid energy crisis
+ Ukraine races to restore power after Russian missiles batter grid
+ Actor James Cromwell bashes world leaders for absence at UN nature summit
+ US green subsidies under fire at WTO review




UCF researchers create technology that harvests radio waves for energy
Orlando FL (SPX) Dec 20, 2022
To meet the growing energy needs of the internet of things (IoT) and wireless communication systems, University of Central Florida researchers have developed a technology for converting radio frequency signals into direct current electricity. The technology can reduce the electronic industry's reliance on batteries and broaden the expansion of the internet of things and its energy needs. ... more
+ Country warming up to energy beneath the crust
+ Mitigating corrosion by liquid tin could lead to better cooling in fusion reactors
+ US researchers announce historic nuclear fusion breakthrough
+ US researchers announce historic nuclear fusion breakthrough
+ Nuclear fusion: harnessing the power of the stars
+ Britain to build first Americium space battery
+ Lehigh University shares in $47 million DOE push to accelerate fusion energy research
Things to know about global biodiversity agreement
Montreal (AFP) Dec 19, 2022
After years of negotiations, the world has agreed a landmark deal to protect vanishing species and ecosystems. Here are some of the strengths of the pact agreed at the UN meeting in Montreal called COP15, as well as where it fell short. - '30 by 30' - The cornerstone of the agreement is the so-called 30 by 30 goal - a pledge to protect 30 percent of the world's land and seas by 2030 ... more
+ East DR Congo rebel crisis threatens endangered mountain gorillas
+ Global 'peace pact' signed to protect nature
+ How Chinese diplomacy helped seal historic nature deal
+ Nature at risk of 'cascading' species extinction: study
+ Developing nations demand more money at crunch UN biodiversity talks
+ New funding announcements at high-stakes UN nature summit
+ Beloved 'Hollywood Cat' mountain lion euthanized in Los Angeles
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Hong Kong author Xi Xi dies aged 85
Hong Kong (AFP) Dec 18, 2022
Hong Kong author Xi Xi, whose whimsical tales became a defining portrait of a city transitioning away from British rule, died on Sunday, according to a publisher she co-founded. She was 85. One of the most beloved names in Sinophone literature, she published more than 30 books of fiction, poetry, non-fiction and screenplays in a career spanning six decades. She was often credited with pu ... more
+ Australia urges release of citizens in China
+ China recalls six diplomats over Manchester violence: UK
+ Macau casino giants pledge $15 billion for 10-year licences
+ The art teacher who showed the world China's protests
+ Hong Kong police wrong to ban Tiananmen vigil, court rules
+ China protester detained for nine days: mother
+ Hong Kong leader says Google has 'moral obligation' to remove wrong anthem
Greek woodcutters give energy crisis the chop
Grevena, Greece (AFP) Dec 20, 2022
Huddled around a campfire sipping hot tea, a group of Greek lumberjacks take a badly needed break in an oak forest not far from the Albanian border. With petrol and gas bills increasing, loggers in northern Greece say they are doing their best to keep up with rising demand for wood, considered a more affordable option for people to heat their homes. Many Greeks, still reeling from their ... more
+ EU agrees ban on imports driving deforestation
+ Climate change supercharges threat from forest-eating bug
+ Brazilian Amazon deforestation falls, but up 60% under Bolsonaro
+ Climate's toll on trees threatens the sound of music
+ I.Coast launches major drive to reverse deforestation
+ Brazil's Lula, world leaders bolster UN climate talks
+ France backs Lula's proposal to hold climate conference in the Amazon






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