Glass Wings Blog: January 2025
Letters from an American: December 10, 2024
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 13:57:23 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://heathercoxrichardson.substack.com/p/december-10-2024
"Today is Human Rights Day, celebrated internationally in honor of the day
seventy-six years ago, December 10, 1948, when the United Nations General
Assembly announced the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR).
(More...)
The shocking reasons why rental homes are not getting energy upgrades
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 13:58:14 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/why-incentives-arent-enough-to-drive-energy-efficiency-in-rental-homes/>
"Around a third of Australians now live in rental accommodation, which means, a
significant number of us risk being excluded from renewable energy initiatives
and energy efficiency upgrades.
(More...)
The Big Baltic Bomb Cleanup
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 14:00:03 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://hakaimagazine.com/features/the-big-baltic-bomb-cleanup/
"Aboard the
Alkor, a 55-meter oceanographic vessel anchored in the Baltic Sea
several kilometers from the German port city of Kiel, engineer Henrik Schönheit
grips a joystick-like lever in his fist. He nudges the lever up, and a
(More...)
Elizabeth Warren introduces Senate bill to hold capitalism ‘accountable’
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 14:01:21 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/11/elizabeth-warren-capitalism-accountable-senate-bill>
"The senator Elizabeth Warren will introduce a bill in Congress on Wednesday
aimed at shifting corporations away from “maximizing shareholder value” and
towards giving more support to workers and other stakeholders.
(More...)
The Color of Memory
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 14:02:30 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://publicdomainreview.org/essay/albert-kahns-archives-of-the-planet/>
"By the time of Albert Kahn’s death in 1940, the French banker and
philanthropist had amassed a collection of more than 72,000 autochrome
photographs. Grace Linden explores the
Archives de la Planète — his
(More...)
Nearly 1,000 endangered animals repatriated to Madagascar in anti-trafficking landmark
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 14:03:50 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/11/30/asia/thailand-endangered-animals-repatriated-madagascar-intl-hnk/>
"Thailand is sending almost 1,000 highly endangered tortoises and lemurs home
to Madagascar in a landmark victory against animal trafficking, with the first
batch on its way on Saturday.
(More...)
‘We can now explore any sea on the planet’: Aboard the ‘Odón de Buen,’ the largest scientific ship in Spain
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 22:54:15 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://english.elpais.com/science-tech/2024-11-24/we-can-now-explore-any-sea-on-the-planet-aboard-the-odon-de-buen-the-largest-scientific-ship-in-spain.html>
"On a sunny November day, in Spain’s Port of Vigo, a blue-and-white ship stands
out from the rest of the large fishing boats. It’s the
Odón de Buen, the
largest scientific research vessel in Spain.
(More...)
Some of the world’s biggest cities are so polluted they’re warming slower
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 22:56:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://grist.org/climate-energy/some-cities-are-so-polluted-theyre-warming-slower/>
"The question of whether global warming is accelerating is hotly contested
among climate scientists. While some have argued that the current rate of
warming — which hit an all-time high last year — is strictly correlated with
(More...)
Bill to jail bosses of polluters to be introduced
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 22:57:38 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cd0enl0dn8jo
"Proposals for a new law which could see the bosses of major polluters jailed
for up to 20 years has received enough support from MSPs to be introduced at
Holyrood next year.
(More...)
Century-Scale Storage
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 23:00:05 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://lil.law.harvard.edu/century-scale-storage/
"On the north side of downtown San Jose, tucked against a gentle curve in
California State Route 87 and the Guadalupe River that it follows, sits a
nondescript single-story off-white building with tinted windows. As of the time
(More...)
Local governments are using AI without clear rules or policies, and the public has no idea
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 23:01:09 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/local-governments-are-using-ai-without-clear-rules-or-policies-and-the-public-has-no-idea-244647>
"In 2017, the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands deployed an artificial
intelligence (AI) system to determine how likely welfare recipients were to
commit fraud. After analysing the data, the system developed biases: it flagged
(More...)
Building nuclear power plants in Australia could cost double CSIRO predictions, energy experts warn
Wed, 1 Jan 2025 23:02:23 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/12/building-nuclear-power-plants-australia-cost-csiro-predictions>
"Energy experts have warned that the cost of building nuclear power plants in
Australia could be more than double the figure the CSIRO has suggested, based
on international experience.
(More...)
Chinese security companies are putting boots on the ground in Myanmar. It could go disastrously wrong
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 05:50:51 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/chinese-security-companies-are-putting-boots-on-the-ground-in-myanmar-it-could-go-disastrously-wrong-244925>
"Just as the legal noose tightens on the leader of Myanmar’s military junta,
with a request for an arrest warrant from the chief prosecutor of the
International Criminal Court, the Chinese government seems to be extending a
(More...)
Puberty blockers to be banned indefinitely for under-18s across UK
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 05:51:58 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2024/dec/11/puberty-blockers-to-be-banned-indefinitely-for-under-18s-across-uk>
"Puberty blockers for under-18s with gender dysphoria will be banned
indefinitely across the UK except for use in clinical trials, Labour has
announced.
(More...)
The abject weirdness of AI ads
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 05:53:29 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://techcrunch.com/2024/12/03/the-abject-weirdness-of-ai-ads/
"“I’m trying to find holiday gifts for my sisters. I open a bunch of tabs, I
want my wife’s advice.”
(More...)
If ‘correlation doesn’t imply causation’, how do scientists figure out why things happen?
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 05:54:20 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/if-correlation-doesnt-imply-causation-how-do-scientists-figure-out-why-things-happen-243487>
"Most of us have heard the phrase “correlation does not equal causation”. But
understanding how scientists move beyond identifying correlations to establish
causation remains a mystery to many.
(More...)
Our analysis of wealth trends suggests Australia’s middle class may be ‘shrinking’
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 05:55:10 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/our-analysis-of-wealth-trends-suggests-australias-middle-class-may-be-shrinking-245140>
"There are growing concerns about wealth inequality in Australia and what it
means for people’s ability to get ahead.
(More...)
NBC News Does Entire Piece Trying To Link CEO Shooting To ‘Violent Video Game’
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 05:56:09 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.techdirt.com/2024/12/11/nbc-news-does-entire-piece-trying-to-link-ceo-shooting-to-violent-video-game/>
"Of all the kinds of stupid that exist out there, certainly it’s the
predictable stupid that is the most frustrating. And of all the kinds of
predictable stupid that exist, one of the most predictable forms of stupid is
(More...)
Existing EV batteries may last up to 40% longer than expected
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 14:00:23 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://news.stanford.edu/stories/2024/12/existing-ev-batteries-may-last-up-to-40-longer-than-expected>
"The batteries of electric vehicles subject to the normal use of real-world
drivers – like heavy traffic, long highway trips, short city trips, and mostly
being parked – could last about a third longer than researchers have generally
(More...)
‘A virtual seat at the family table’: why older people are among the biggest users of social media
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 14:01:26 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/a-virtual-seat-at-the-family-table-why-older-people-are-among-the-biggest-users-of-social-media-245156>
"The Australian government’s recent decision to ban under 16s from social media
has focused attention on the harms it can cause – especially for young people.
(More...)
At this price, this EV is effectively a mobile battery with a free car thrown in
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 14:02:41 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/12/at-this-price-this-ev-is-effectively-a-mobile-battery-with-a-free-car-thrown-in/>
"This week’s article in
Renew Economy by Giles Parkinson on plummeting
battery prices got me thinking. CSIRO’s latest
GenCost report found that
batteries had decreased by over 20% in the past year, although this may be an
(More...)
The sharp, smart humour of Mel Brooks’ Young Frankenstein – and Gene Wilder’s genius performance – still stands up after 50 years
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 14:03:47 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/the-sharp-smart-humour-of-mel-brooks-young-frankenstein-and-gene-wilders-genius-performance-still-stands-up-after-50-years-243153>
"In the mid 1970s, Hoyts Cinema Centre in Bourke Street Melbourne (the first
multi-screened cinema in Victoria) was my go-to place for new release movies.
(More...)
Coalition to dump environment from grid objective in latest bizarre thought bubble on green energy
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 14:05:44 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/coalition-to-dump-environment-from-grid-objective-in-latest-bizarre-thought-bubble-on-green-energy/>
"Just a word of caution to our readers at this early point: Please, do not try
to make sense of the federal Coalition’s energy policies, as far as we know
them. They seem to be a random collection of bizarre suggestions from a group
(More...)
Elon Musk calls homelessness a ‘lie’ and ‘propaganda’ — and Trump is listening
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 14:07:41 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/us-politics/elon-musk-homeless-trump-vivek-ramaswamy-b2663740.html>
"To Elon Musk, the word “homeless” is a “lie” and “a propaganda word”.
“Homeless is a misnomer. It implies that someone got a little bit behind on
(More...)
Crater on Mercury Named After Sculptor Ruth Asawa
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 23:00:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://hyperallergic.com/971680/crater-on-mercury-named-after-sculptor-ruth-asawa/>
"The compliment “out of this world” has now taken on new meaning when it comes
to the beloved Modernist sculptor Ruth Asawa. A crater on Mercury was named
after the late artist last month, making her one of a rare group of less than
(More...)
Regulator to force gas companies to be “clear and accurate” when comparing electric appliances
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 23:01:46 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/regulator-to-force-gas-companies-to-be-clear-and-accurate-when-comparing-electric-appliances/>
"Western Australia’s Economic Regulation Authority has proposed changes to the
state’s consumer protection laws that would require gas companies to provide
clear and accurate comparisons with electric appliances when they attempt to
(More...)
Early skeleton map reveals how bones form in humans
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 23:03:13 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.sanger.ac.uk/news_item/early-skeleton-map-reveals-how-bones-form-in-humans/>
"The first ‘blueprint’ of human skeletal development reveals how the skeleton
forms, shedding light on the process of arthritis, and highlighting cells
involved in conditions that affect skull and bone growth.
(More...)
Will we have a COVID wave, spike or blip this Christmas? It depends where you live
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 23:03:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/will-we-have-a-covid-wave-spike-or-blip-this-christmas-it-depends-where-you-live-245281>
"As the holiday season approaches, COVID cases are rising again in Australia,
particularly in Victoria and Tasmania.
(More...)
Queensland children as young as 10 face life sentences for murder as tough new laws pass parliament
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 23:04:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/12/queensland-children-as-young-as-10-face-life-sentences-for-as-tough-new-laws-pass-parliament>
"Queensland’s premier, David Crisafulli, has conceded there will be “real
pressure” on the state’s already overcrowded youth justice system as a result
of his flagship youth justice laws.
(More...)
Space is Dead. Why Do We Keep Writing About It?
Thu, 2 Jan 2025 23:30:46 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://longnow.org/ideas/space-dead/
"When I was a young kid in the 90s, my dad and I made a bet. Actually, more of
a long bet. I wagered that humankind would put a person on Mars by 02020. I
lost.
(More...)
Friday essay: Ukraine is the world’s most heavily mined country. Meet some of the people cleaning up this deadly mess
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 05:29:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/friday-essay-ukraine-is-the-worlds-most-heavily-mined-country-meet-some-of-the-people-cleaning-up-this-deadly-mess-245032>
"Serhii Shmyrov and Pavlo Mykyento move slowly, deliberately, working as a
team. Both men wear full-torso body armour and face shields, along with thick
jackets. Winter has arrived in northern Ukraine and the wind blows cold across
(More...)
Clergy abuse survivors hit out at moves to ban protests outside Australian places of worship
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 05:35:30 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/13/clergy-abuse-survivors-hit-out-at-moves-to-ban-protests-outside-australian-places-of-worship>
"Survivors of clergy abuse have expressed deep concern at proposals to ban
protests outside places of worship, with lawyer John Ellis saying a blanket ban
would have seen him arrested outside a Sydney cathedral last year.
(More...)
‘They thought this would never happen here’: attack on Melbourne synagogue revives memories of past atrocities
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 05:36:42 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/13/melbourne-synagogue-fire-attack-world-war-ii-survivors-ntwnfb>
"Deep inside Melbourne’s oldest and largest synagogue, partially obscured by a
velvet curtain decorated with a Star of David, Rabbi Shlomo Nathanson is
preparing for the worst.
(More...)
Nursery rhyme to the editor: There was a whole country who swallowed a lie
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 05:37:35 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/nursery-rhyme-to-the-editor-there-was-a-whole-country-who-swallowed-a-lie/>
"
Renew Economy this week was sent a variation of a letter to the editor. It
is in the form of a nursery rhyme, with apologies to the authors of the
original nonsensical story
There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly.
(More...)
This Is What the World’s First All-EV Car Market Looks Like
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 05:38:40 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.bloomberg.com/features/2024-ev-market-norway/
"In Norway, Toyota Motor Corp. is going from one electric-powered model to five
to better compete with Tesla Inc., fuel stations are ripping out pumps to make
space for chargers, and even nursing homes in the rural interior have switched
(More...)
Oxford University experts say octopuses 'likely to take over world'
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 05:40:09 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Wood heating could be worse than thought for rural air, study suggests
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 12:55:52 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/13/wood-heating-could-be-worse-than-thought-for-rural-air-study-suggests>
"We think of cities as the places with the worst air pollution, but studies are
increasingly highlighting severe air pollution in rural towns and villages,
mainly from wood heating. However, government measurement networks mainly focus
(More...)
Peter Dutton’s nuclear plan: Mad, bad, and extremely dangerous
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 12:57:09 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/peter-duttons-nuclear-plan-mad-bad-and-extremely-dangerous/>
"It might seem weirdly appropriate that the federal Coalition should release
its nuclear power policy costings on Friday the 13th, considered an unlucky day
in western superstition. But that would be to downplay the sheer lunacy, rank
(More...)
“You can’t charge your battery and your car at same time:” Dutton does not have a clue about energy
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 12:59:38 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/you-cant-charge-your-battery-and-your-car-at-same-timedutton-does-not-have-a-clue-about-energy/>
"If you are wondering why wondering why Peter Dutton is so enthusiastic about
nuclear – apart from having Gina Rinehart issuing instructions down the phone
line – it is worth considering that this guy apparently does not know the
(More...)
New Arroyo Guarichona Protected Area in Beni, Bolivia Conserves Threatened Floodplains
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 13:00:46 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.andesamazonfund.org/news-blog/new-arroyo-guarichona-protected-area-in-beni-bolivia-conserves-threatened-floodplains-and-pre-columbian-archeological-sites/>
"Andes Amazon Fund celebrates the creation of the Arroyo Guarichona Municipal
Protected Area in the department of Beni, Bolivia. Home to floodplains,
tributaries, expansive grasslands, vast forests, and evidence of pre-Columbian
(More...)
Solar milking tech boosts dairy farms in Malawi
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 13:01:59 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.alphagalileo.org/en-gb/Item-Display/ItemId/251681?returnurl=https://www.alphagalileo.org/en-gb/Item-Display/ItemId/251681>
"[LILONGWE] When Robert Mbendera started out as a small-scale dairy farmer in
rural Malawi 20 years ago, milking the one cow he owned was an arduous,
time-consuming process.
(More...)
Two major Sunshine State airports make switch to 100 pct renewables
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 13:02:54 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/two-major-sunshine-state-airports-make-switch-to-100-pct-renewables/>
"The Gold Coast and Townsville airports in Queensland will both switch to 100
per cent renewable energy at the beginning of 2025, ensuring clean energy
operations for the more than 8 million passenger journeys averaged each year.
(More...)
15% of global population lives within a few miles of a coast − and the number is growing rapidly
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 22:40:24 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/15-of-global-population-lives-within-a-few-miles-of-a-coast-and-the-number-is-growing-rapidly-240672>
"Coastal populations are expanding quickly around the world. The rise is
evident in burgeoning waterfront cities and in the increasing damage from
powerful storms and rising sea levels. Yet, reliable, detailed data on the
(More...)
Porsche and Frauscher unveil electric sports boat – yours for nearly a million dollars
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 22:42:03 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/12/porsche-and-frauscher-unveil-electric-sports-boat-yours-for-nearly-a-million-dollars/>
"German sportscar manufacturer Porsche has unveiled the latest creation
stemming from its collaboration with Austrian-based Frauscher Shipyard, the
Frauscher x Porsche 850 Fantom, a classic electric runabout with a range of up
(More...)
Technologies of Resistance from Nazi Germany to Myanmar
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 22:44:43 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://lucid.substack.com/p/technologies-of-resistance-from-nazi
"This essay is the first in a series about resistance to authoritarianism. I
will cover best practices and principles, the range of actions that may be
considered as resistance (and how non-action can also constitute resistance)
(More...)
How is the world really doing on the SDGs?
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 22:45:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.brookings.edu/articles/how-is-the-world-really-doing-on-the-sdgs/>
"Any reader of the daily news could be forgiven for thinking the world is in
decline. Amid so many conflicts and societal strains, the United Nations
regularly warns that only 17% of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)—the
(More...)
Hydrogen Ships Are Seeing Same Pattern As All Hydrogen Fleets
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 22:47:17 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://cleantechnica.com/2024/12/12/hydrogen-ships-are-seeing-same-pattern-as-all-hydrogen-fleets/>
"As the years pass and more re-enactments of the Odyssey of the Hydrogen Fleet
are played out, they get staged in multiple settings, much like Shakespeare’s
Tempest being staged in a waterpark in Germany in 2019. In recent months,
(More...)
Roadside colossi: the global allure of a really Big Thing and the Queensland expert plotting their rise
Fri, 3 Jan 2025 22:48:24 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/13/roadside-colossi-the-global-allure-of-a-really-big-thing-and-the-queensland-expert-plotting-their-rise>
"Perched atop a traffic island in Banjarmasin, Indonesia, is a proboscis
monkey. Leaping from a roundabout in Mahdia, Tunisia, is a swordfish. Sprouting
from an intersection in Kundasang, Malaysia, is a cabbage.
(More...)
World leading Moderna vaccine facility opens in Victoria
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 05:08:39 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.health.gov.au/ministers/the-hon-mark-butler-mp/media/world-leading-moderna-vaccine-facility-opens-in-victoria>
"The Southern Hemisphere’s only mRNA manufacturing facility has opened in
Victoria – backed by the Australian and Victorian Governments – ensuring
world-class mRNA vaccines and medicines can be made in Australia and creating
(More...)
COP29: Christian institutions divest from fossil fuels
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 05:09:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://international.la-croix.com/laudato-si/cop29-christian-institutions-divest-from-fossil-fuels>
"For Brother Xavier Boutiot, treasurer of a Benedictine abbey in central
France, pulling the abbey's investments from fossil fuels was an obvious step.
Committed to the “Green Church” initiative for four years, the Olivetan monks
(More...)
“Nightmare” Zipcar outage is a warning against complete app dependency
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 05:12:28 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2024/12/nightmare-zipcar-outage-is-a-warning-against-complete-app-dependency/>
'An app outage that locked numerous rental car customers out of their vehicles
is a reminder of the perils of completely relying on apps for basic
functionality—especially when those apps have seemingly limited support
(More...)
In Italy’s Motor City, Car-Free Options Are Growing
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 05:14:09 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/features/2024-11-26/turin-italy-s-motor-city-is-making-room-for-bikes-and-transit>
"If Detroit means “Motor City” to Americans, Turin carries a comparable
connotation for Italians. As the home of Fiat, the Piedmontese city of 850,000
has been the national hub for vehicle manufacturing for more than a century.
(More...)
Want to Limit Respiratory Virus Infections? Mask and Test in Hospitals
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 05:16:13 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://archive.md/Zki7D
'Stopping universal masking and SARS-CoV-2 testing in hospitals led to a surge
in hospital-onset respiratory viral infections relative to community
infections, a cohort study found.
(More...)
Day for the Poor: Vietnam’s revolution in sustainable poverty reduction
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 05:17:38 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://en.vietnamplus.vn/day-for-the-poor-vietnams-revolution-in-sustainable-poverty-reduction-post298425.vnp>
"Hanoi (VNA) – Vietnam has made significant achievements over the past nearly
40 years of Doi Moi (Reform), with hunger eradication and poverty reduction
being a key and consistent policy of the Party and State.
(More...)
'Still a drastic disease': Is Australia facing a Christmas COVID wave?
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 14:45:24 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/is-australia-facing-a-christmas-covid-wave/q0ap6c32g>
'As the holiday season approaches, many Australians are preparing for
festivities, family time, and celebrating the end of 2024 — but these
celebrations could be hampered by COVID-19.
(More...)
First new asthma attack treatment in 50 years
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 14:47:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cev93777g79o
'Researchers say they have found the first new treatment for asthma attacks in
50 years.
(More...)
Oligarchy is not just a Russian phenomenon. It exists right here in the USA.
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 14:49:09 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Russia launches huge missile attack on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 14:54:02 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/13/russia-launches-huge-attack-on-ukraine-with-dozens-of-cruise-missiles-and-drones
"Russia launched its latest massive aerial attack against Ukraine on Friday
morning, using cruise missiles to target energy infrastructure across the
country, particularly in the western border regions.
(More...)
How slowing Amazon's deforestation improved Brazil's health
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 14:54:56 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.dw.com/en/brazil-amazon-stop-deforestation-wildfire-public-health-v2/a-70845382>
'Trees and forests are often described as the lungs of the Earth because of
their important role in removing pollutants such as carbon dioxide from the
environment.
(More...)
‘It brings back a sense of belonging’: Bakhmut was destroyed by Russia – but the town lives on through its newspaper
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 14:56:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/07/bakhmut-ukraine-was-destroyed-by-russia-but-the-town-lives-on-through-its-newspaper-vpered>
"Before Bakhmut became famous internationally as a battleground, it was known
inside Ukraine for salt, sparkling wine fermented in an old alabaster mine and
roses that lined its streets. That physical town is gone now, its buildings in
(More...)
Returning the Amazon Rainforest to Its True Caretakers
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 22:44:26 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.wired.com/story/amazon-rainforest-indigenous-peoples-justice-stewardship/>
"In 2025, a small, indigenous nation that calls itself the “people of many
colors” will go home for the first time in 80 years. Their return will drive a
movement of indigenous peoples across the Amazon rainforest fighting for legal
(More...)
The five-minute city: inside Denmark’s revolutionary neighbourhood
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 22:45:46 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2024/dec/10/the-five-minute-city-inside-denmarks-revolutionary-neighbourhood>
"It’s not often that the worlds of town planning and traffic management become
mired in controversy, but in recent years the innocuous concept of the
“15-minute city” has sparked outrage in online forums, among cynical
(More...)
Conservationists see progress for swordfish, problems for sharks at Atlantic fisheries summit
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 22:47:10 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://news.mongabay.com/2024/11/momentous-sustainable-fishing-rules-adopted-for-atlantic-ocean-swordfish/>
"In the late 1990s, swordfish had been so overfished in the North Atlantic
Ocean that its population faced the possibility of collapse. The dire situation
sparked boycotts and conservation campaigns in honor of the highly migratory
(More...)
Scientists mapped the world’s rivers over 35 years. They found shocking changes
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 22:48:26 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://edition.cnn.com/2024/12/12/climate/world-rivers-flow-mapped/
"The nearly 3 million rivers that weave across the world are experiencing rapid
and surprising changes, with potentially drastic implications for everything
from drinking water supplies to flood risks, according to a new study.
(More...)
In southern India’s tea country, small but mighty efforts are brewing to bring back native forests
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 22:49:45 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://apnews.com/article/tea-restoration-native-plants-climate-change-25adeaf034873ce3035530275daa3ca2>
"UDHAGAMANDALAM, India (
AP) — Scattered groves of native trees, flowers and
the occasional prehistoric burial ground are squeezed between hundreds of
thousands of tea shrubs in southern India’s Nilgiris region — a gateway to a
(More...)
Australia leads the world in arresting climate and environment protesters
Sat, 4 Jan 2025 22:51:01 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-15/australia-leads-world-in-arresting-climate-environment-activists/104721294>
'A new study was released in recent days that should have been newsworthy, but
it escaped the media's attention in Australia.
(More...)
Up to three insect species become extinct in Australia every week, report says
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 06:02:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Australia’s first ever mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility opens doors in Melbourne: See inside
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 06:03:31 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://archive.is/Q5qki
"Australia’s first ever mRNA vaccine manufacturing facility is now operational
in Melbourne, with locally made Moderna jabs set to be available in time for
winter.
(More...)
Brazil plans new reserves to curb deforestation near contested Amazon roads
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 06:05:10 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://news.mongabay.com/2024/11/brazil-plans-new-reserves-to-curb-deforestation-near-contested-amazon-roads/>
"As climate change wreaks increasingly devastating droughts, hurricanes and
storms, preserving the world’s remaining large blocks of standing forest has
become a matter of survival. However, 47 million hectares (116 million acres)
(More...)
Scientists make stunning discovery after examining how wildlife impacts agriculture: 'Reducing the need for chemicals'
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 06:06:11 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.thecooldown.com/green-tech/macadamia-nuts-pollinators-pests-ecosystem/>
'If you're enjoying a particularly good batch of macadamia nuts, you might have
a cohort of bees, bats, and birds to thank for it.
(More...)
A ‘first step’ toward landback: Tribes call for three new monuments in California
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 06:07:36 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://grist.org/indigenous/a-first-step-toward-land-back-tribes-call-for-three-new-monuments/>
"This week, representatives of the Fort Yuma Quechan Indian Tribe and the Pit
River Nation used the 16th United Nations Conference on Biological Diversity,
or CBD, in Cali, Colombia, to champion the creation of the Kw’tsán National
(More...)
Hawaiian crow that went extinct in the wild decades ago released on Maui
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 06:08:50 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/05/hawaiian-crows-alala-maui>
"Five Hawaiian crows on Wednesday were released on Maui for the first time as
part of an ongoing effort to return the species to its home, conservationists
said.
(More...)
New theory reveals the shape of a single photon
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 14:15:35 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://phys.org/news/2024-11-theory-reveals-photon.html
'A new theory that explains how light and matter interact at the quantum level
has enabled researchers to define for the first time the precise shape of a
single photon.
(More...)
The 'apple library' with a lost world on its limbs
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 14:17:29 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20241205-the-apple-library-with-a-lost-world-on-its-limbs>
'A few miles from the sea in Kent in the south of England, hedges of hazel, ivy
and briar stand like ramparts separating kingdoms of fruit.
(More...)
Ghostly Creature Deep in The Ocean Is Like Nothing We've Seen Before
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 14:19:38 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.sciencealert.com/ghostly-creature-deep-in-the-ocean-is-like-nothing-weve-seen-before>
'Picture yourself sinking, slowly, beneath the waves.
As you fall, the Sun becomes smaller, and dimmer, and dimmer still. The cold
(More...)
Russia disrupts internet access in multiple regions to test ‘sovereign internet’
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 14:21:49 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://therecord.media/russia-disrupts-internet-access-in-multiple-regions-runet>
'Residents of several Russian regions experienced internet disruptions over the
weekend as local authorities attempted to disconnect them from the global
network and test the country’s so-called “sovereign internet” infrastructure.
(More...)
Neither Elon Musk Nor Anybody Else Will Ever Colonize Mars
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 14:23:20 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://defector.com/neither-elon-musk-nor-anybody-else-will-ever-colonize-mars>
"Mars does not have a magnetosphere. Any discussion of humans ever settling the
red planet can stop right there, but of course it never does. Do you have a
low-cost plan for, uh, creating a gigantic active dynamo at Mars's dead core?
(More...)
Public Domain Day 2025
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 14:26:13 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://web.law.duke.edu/cspd/publicdomainday/2025/
"On January 1, 2025, thousands of copyrighted works from 1929 will enter the US
public domain, along with sound recordings from 1924. They will be free for all
to copy, share, and build upon. 2025 marks a milestone: all of the books,
(More...)
OldMaps Online
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 22:21:29 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.oldmapsonline.org/
"Explore the past on an interactive map with a timeline. Search for detailed
high-resolution scanned maps and see what happened in your chosen place in the
past."
(More...)
''Grandma's Girlfriends'' opens new chapter in lifeーNHK WORLD-JAPAN NEWS
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 22:22:51 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OUtDb7jIWGE
'"Grandma's Girlfriends," an oral history of 17 senior lesbians in Taiwan, has
inspired one Japanese woman to create an LGBTQ safe space in her hometown.'
(More...)
Kathleen Hanna, Tegan and Sara, More Back Internet Archive in $621 Million Copyright Fight
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 22:26:17 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/tegan-sara-kathleen-hanna-internet-archive-lawsuit-letter-1235195841/>
"Kathleen Hanna, Tegan and Sara, and Amanda Palmer are among the 300-plus
musicians who have signed an open letter supporting the Internet Archive as it
faces a $621 million copyright infringement lawsuit over its efforts to
(More...)
Nimble Electric Trucks Are Supercharging African Trade
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 22:28:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/nimble-electric-trucks-are-supercharging-african-trade/>
"Esperance Dushakimana looks at her field of potato in Musanze district in
North Rwanda. “It is hard,” she says. “We till the land, sow the seeds, reap
the harvest and then watch helplessly while at least a fifth of it perishes
(More...)
US city tells residents to stop sticking googly eyes on its statues
Sun, 5 Jan 2025 22:29:50 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
‘Trump has been explicit about revenge’: Asif Kapadia on his new film about the threat to democracy
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 05:42:06 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/film/2024/dec/15/asif-kapadia-2073-amy-winehouse-senna-maradona-trump>
"It was some time in the early 2000s and Asif Kapadia, already a successful
film director, a wunderkind whose first feature in 2001,
The Warrior, won the
Bafta for outstanding British film, was travelling back from New York.
(More...)
Tech companies claim AI can recognise human emotions. But the science doesn’t stack up
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 05:43:17 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Teenage prodigy Gukesh D defeats Ding Liren to become youngest world chess champion
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 05:44:37 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/teenage-prodigy-gukesh-d-defeats-ding-liren-to-become-youngest-world-chess-champion-245847>
"Eighteen-year-old Indian prodigy Gukesh Dommaraju has become the new world
chess champion, winning the final game of the title match after a dramatic
blunder from the reigning champ, China’s Ding Liren.
(More...)
Russian tanker sinks in Black Sea spilling 4,300 tonnes of oil
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 05:46:53 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/15/two-russian-tankers-sink-in-black-sea-spilling-oil>
"A Russian tanker carrying more than 4,000 tonnes of oil products has sunk in
the Black Sea amid stormy conditions while a second has run aground,
threatening an ecological disaster.
(More...)
Can you spot a rip current?
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 05:47:52 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://how-to-spot-a-rip.netlify.app/
"Rip currents are powerful, fast-moving currents that flow away from the shore,
often occupying deep channels, and pose a significant hazard to swimmers. They
are responsible for an average of 21 drownings a year in Australia, which is
(More...)
Anxious scientists brace for Trump’s climate denialism: ‘We have a target on our backs’
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 05:49:06 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2024/dec/15/scientists-climate-denial-trump>
"As the world’s largest gathering of Earth and space scientists swarmed a
Washington venue last week, the packed halls have been permeated by an air of
anxiety and even dread over a new Donald Trump presidency that might worsen
(More...)
Shrinking wings, bigger beaks: birds are reshaping themselves in a warming world
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 13:30:28 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/shrinking-wings-bigger-beaks-birds-are-reshaping-themselves-in-a-warming-world-240563>
"For wildlife, climate change is a bit like the “final boss” the protagonist
faces in a video game: big, hulking and inescapable.
(More...)
Run Putin Run. Ukraine is not the enemy you think they are.
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 13:40:13 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://freedium.cfd/https://shankar20.medium.com/run-putin-run-ukraine-is-not-the-enemy-you-think-they-are-877ea1d9a666>
"In February, the
Kyiv Post released a video showing Ukrainian special forces
interrogating Russian-speaking fighters captured in Sudan. The prisoners
identified themselves as members of the Wagner Group, the notorious mercenary
(More...)
Hundreds feared dead as Cyclone Chido devastates French island of Mayotte
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 13:41:13 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2024/dec/15/hundreds-feared-dead-as-cyclone-chido-devastates-french-island-of-mayotte>
"At least several hundred people are feared to have been killed after the worst
cyclone in almost a century ripped through the French Indian Ocean territory of
Mayotte on Saturday, uprooting trees, tearing houses apart and pounding the
(More...)
IP Slapstick: How Everyone From Funko To A Registrar Fucked Up And Briefly Took Down Itch.io
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 13:42:53 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.techdirt.com/2024/12/13/ip-slapstick-how-everyone-from-funko-to-a-registrar-fucked-up-and-briefly-took-down-itch-io/>
"There are lots of ways for an individual person or entity to err when it comes
to intellectual property enforcement such that it negatively impacts a website
or business. But if you want to get
really frustrated, what you need is
(More...)
Lessons learned from COVID-19 crisis: Improving protection through early response, rapid tracking and impact monitoring
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 13:44:42 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://archive.md/uxqjb
"Scientific experts from 13 Western European countries have recently completed
a review of key lessons learned from the way the COVID-19 pandemic was handled.
Two key findings have emerged. Firstly, death rates were lower in countries
(More...)
The Benefits of Gardening Just Keep Sprouting
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 13:45:50 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/gardening-for-health/
"Truth be told, I am one of those gardeners who, on a cold January day, is out
in the garden making sure all my plants are snug and warm, while I am freezing
to the bone. As strange as it may sound, it feels good to stand under the bare
(More...)
Great Reads of 2024
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 22:22:47 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://securing.dev/posts/gread-reads-2024/
"It has been said that the only constant in life is change - and 2024 is no
exception. I’ve read many ups-and-downs this year, but on the whole this year
has provided a number of positives in my life. As such, I hope that you’ll find
(More...)
Climate Change Is Coming for Your Coffee. Could Genetic Diversity Save It?
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 22:24:08 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/climate-resilient-coffee/
"If you love your morning coffee, this news should jolt you wide awake: Your
coffee is threatened by climate change. “The consequences are already
palpable,” says Sophie von Loeben, a climate scientist at the Potsdam Institute
(More...)
Rebates and incentives needed as misinformation undermines shift to EVs
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 22:25:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/16/rebates-and-incentives-needed-as-misinformation-undermines-shift-to-evs/>
"Rebates and incentives to help more drivers slip behind the wheel of an
electric vehicle are required to give Australia a chance of meeting its 2050
net-zero target, a report has found.
(More...)
Solar switch off: Dutton’s nuclear plan amounts to declaration of war against household energy systems
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 22:27:24 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/solar-switch-off-duttons-nuclear-plan-is-a-declaration-of-war-against-household-energy-systems/>
"Did you notice the headlines when Australia’s energy regulators gave notice of
new protocols that would allow rooftop solar systems to be switched off – maybe
once a year in an emergency to ensure that the lights stay on?
(More...)
A City of Murals, Decades in the Making
Mon, 6 Jan 2025 22:28:52 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/10/23/arts/philadelphia-murals.html
"Jane Golden was in a coffee shop, describing how murals sometimes get lost to
construction, when a young woman approached and politely interrupted her.
(More...)
World Wildlife Fund releases decade-long report on the Congo Basin, sharing discovery of 742 new species
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 05:57:36 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.goodgoodgood.co/articles/new-animal-species-africa-world-wildlife-fund>
"The World Wildlife Fund is a nonprofit known for its international
conservation campaigns, from safeguarding huge swaths of the Amazon to
rehabilitating the wild tiger population worldwide.
(More...)
The Fleet-Winged Ghosts of Greenland
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 05:59:17 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://hakaimagazine.com/features/the-fleet-winged-ghosts-of-greenland/
"On a brisk August morning in Tasermiut Fjord, southern Greenland, I poke my
head from the hatch of my family’s 13-meter sailboat to find frost on the deck
and a cloudless sky. It’s weather that demands exploring. After my husband and
(More...)
Everyone will want to see Yayoi Kusama at the NGV. Those who don’t will spend a lifetime regretting it
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 06:00:15 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/everyone-will-want-to-see-yayoi-kusama-at-the-ngv-those-who-dont-will-spend-a-lifetime-regretting-it-237139>
"Now aged 95, Yayoi Kusama for many decades has been considered one of the most
influential contemporary artists. She works across a wide range of art forms,
including sculpture and installations, painting, graphic arts, fashion, video
(More...)
‘Increasingly worried’: more than a quarter of a million waterbirds disappear from eastern Australia
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 06:01:24 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/16/waterbird-populations-plunge-dramatically-as-eastern-australia-dries-up>
"Drier conditions have led to waterbird numbers in eastern Australia plummeting
by 50% compared with 2023, one of the country’s largest wildlife surveys has
found.
(More...)
Superpower rivalry is making Pacific aid a bargaining chip – vulnerable island nations still lose out
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 06:02:45 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/superpower-rivalry-is-making-pacific-aid-a-bargaining-chip-vulnerable-island-nations-still-lose-out-244280>
"The A$140 million aid agreement between Australia and Nauru signed last week
is a prime example of the geopolitical tightrope vulnerable Pacific nations are
walking in the 21st century.
(More...)
New data from 'the last ice area' may help long-term conservation efforts in the Arctic
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 06:04:02 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://phys.org/news/2024-12-ice-area-term-efforts-arctic.html
'Earlier this year our international team of scientists from the Refuge Arctic
consortium departed Iqaluit, Nvt. on a 56-day research expedition in the far
north. We were sailing aboard the icebreaker
CCGS Amundsen and our main
(More...)
One of world's largest glacier floods triggered in Greenland
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 13:23:24 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://phys.org/news/2024-12-world-largest-glacier-triggered-greenland.html>
'For the first time, scientists have observed the release of a massive glacial
lake outburst in East Greenland, where more than 3,000 billion liters of
meltwater were unleashed in just weeks. This rare, natural flooding event,
(More...)
What is a dark comet? A quick guide to the ‘new’ kids in the Solar System
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 13:25:05 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/what-is-a-dark-comet-a-quick-guide-to-the-new-kids-in-the-solar-system-245763>
"In 2017, NASA discovered and later confirmed the first interstellar object to
enter our Solar System.
(More...)
Farming has always been gambling with dirt – but the odds are getting longer
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 13:26:14 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/17/farming-has-always-been-gambling-with-dirt-but-the-odds-are-getting-longer>
"Smell is the most evocative sense. I lit a mozzie coil this week and a flood
of childhood memories came back. The great long, dry days of summer stretched
before us as the five of us slept side-by-side in a canvas tent like a can of
(More...)
Imagine if just $500 could fuel your electric car … for the next 20 years
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 13:28:05 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/16/imagine-if-just-500-could-fuel-your-electric-car-for-the-next-20-years/>
"Given Peter Dutton’s repeated concern for the size of your energy bill, it is
intriguing that he doesn’t seem to realise how much households save on their
energy bills by switching to solar, converting their gas appliances to electric
(More...)
More coal and gas, less renewables: what a nuclear power plan for Australia would really mean
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 13:28:57 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/more-coal-and-gas-less-renewables-what-a-nuclear-power-plan-for-australia-would-really-mean-245948>
"Opposition Leader Peter Dutton’s plan for nuclear power in Australia has
provoked a great deal of discussion and analysis – most of it critical.
(More...)
Coalition’s nuclear plan will hit Earth with 1.7bn extra tonnes of CO₂ before 2050, experts warn
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 13:30:48 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/16/coalition-nuclear-plan-will-hit-earth-with-1bn-extra-tonnes-of-co2-before-2050-experts-warn>
"Australia would emit far more climate pollution – more than 1.7bn extra tonnes
of carbon dioxide – between now and 2050 under the Coalition’s nuclear-focused
plan than under Labor’s renewable energy dominated policy, analysts say.
(More...)
Alberta’s lifting of restrictions on wolverine trapping could spell disaster for a declining population
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 22:34:10 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/albertas-lifting-of-restrictions-on-wolverine-trapping-could-spell-disaster-for-a-declining-population-244809>
"You never forget encountering your first wolverine. Mine was on the top of
Grande Mountain outside Grande Cache, Alta., on a brilliant winter morning. It
roared at me from the thick alpine bushes, then fled unseen into the
(More...)
Nio completes 60 million EV battery swaps in China
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 22:35:20 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/17/nio-completes-60-million-ev-battery-swaps-in-china/>
"Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Nio has surpassed 60 million
battery swaps in its home market, only four months after it passed the 50
million mark.
(More...)
Three ways to reduce Europe’s flood risk
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 22:36:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/three-ways-to-reduce-europes-flood-risk-244196>
"From the Czech Republic to Spain, Europe has been plagued by devastating
floods in late 2024.
(More...)
Were It Not for White Supremacy, America Would Have Single-payer Healthcare
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 22:38:05 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2024/12/16/2292188/-Were-It-Not-for-White-Supremacy-America-Would-Have-Single-payer-Healthcare>
"In the wake of the assassination of UnitedHealth CEO Brian Thompson, Americans
are wondering out loud why we’re getting ripped off by giant insurance
companies when every other developed country in the world has healthcare as a
(More...)
My research on the politics of smell divided the internet – here’s what it’s actually about
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 22:39:37 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/my-research-on-the-politics-of-smell-divided-the-internet-heres-what-its-actually-about-245899>
"In November, I celebrated finishing my PhD. After three and a half years of
writing and research, it was an occasion I wanted to share with my academic
network, so I posted a photo of myself holding a physical copy of my PhD thesis
(More...)
UN Cybercrime Treaty: A Trojan Horse For Transnational Repression
Tue, 7 Jan 2025 22:40:23 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.techdirt.com/2024/12/16/un-cybercrime-treaty-a-trojan-horse-for-transnational-repression/>
"This week, the United Nations General Assembly is set to adopt the UN
Cybercrime Convention, almost exactly five years after it approved a resolution
to launch its negotiation. The Convention text has been widely panned by
(More...)
NZ’s government may ask the public to underwrite the risk of fossil fuel exploration – this could be unlawful
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 05:57:00 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/nzs-government-may-ask-the-public-to-underwrite-the-risk-of-fossil-fuel-exploration-this-could-be-unlawful-245267>
"After reversing the ban on new offshore oil and gas exploration permits, New
Zealand’s coalition government is now considering whether to share the risks of
exploration with the fossil fuel industry.
(More...)
How MAGA Media Is Like Improv Theater
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 05:57:52 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.techdirt.com/2024/12/16/how-maga-media-is-like-improv-theater/>
"If you’ve ever wondered how the right-wing media ecosystem operates and why
it’s effective, try viewing it as a form of improvisational theater or improv.
(More...)
Pluralistic: Happy Public Domain Day 2025 to all who celebrate
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 05:59:51 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://pluralistic.net/2024/12/17/dastar-dly-deeds/#dastar-dly-deeds
'In 1976, Congress set fire to the country's libraries; in 1998, they did it
again. Today, in 2024, the flames have died down, and out of the ashes a new
public domain is growing. Happy Public Domain Day 2025 to all who celebrate!
(More...)
Major report joins dots between world's nature challenges
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 06:00:44 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cwyxkz41knzo
'Climate change, nature loss and food insecurity are all inextricably linked
and dealing with them as separate issues won't work, a major report has warned.
(More...)
Meet the kids who can't go to school, and are pursuing their passions instead
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 06:01:34 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-18/school-cant-refusal-kids-pursuing-their-passions-instead/104727886>
"Starting school can be an exciting time for parents and children — but
sometimes it doesn't go as planned.
(More...)
The solar rush
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 06:03:33 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-18/survey-of-the-worlds-solar-shows-global-boom/104006096>
"Over the past two decades, solar power has been undergoing a revolution.
Billions of panels have been shipped to all parts of the globe.
(More...)
Some of our favorite deep-sea moments of the year—in stunning 4K
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 13:37:42 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlzRgvaGGGE
"From undulating worms and pulsing jellies to vibrant corals and wide-eyed
fishes, dive in with us to see some of the most spectacular moments captured by
MBARI’s remotely operated vehicle (ROV)
Ventana in stunning ultra
(More...)
More than a century after their land was ravaged by the California gold rush, Yurok Tribe to reclaim territory
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 13:39:23 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.cbsnews.com/news/redwood-national-park-land-returned-yurok-tribe/>
'Rosie Clayburn is a descendant of the Yurok Tribe, which had its territory —
called 'O Rew in the Yurok language — ripped from them nearly two centuries
ago.
(More...)
We now know ‘troubled teen’ memoirs like Go Ask Alice were a Mormon wife’s fiction – so why are we still treating them as truth?
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 13:42:42 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/we-now-know-troubled-teen-memoirs-like-go-ask-alice-were-a-mormon-wifes-fiction-so-why-are-we-still-treating-them-as-truth-243914>
"In 1971, an extraordinary book appeared. Published by an “anonymous” author,
Go Ask Alice documented the story of an ordinary American girl and her
descent into a world of drug addiction, prostitution, and madness.
(More...)
“It makes no sense:” How fossil gas industry is blocking electrification and consumer savings
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 13:43:50 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://onestepoffthegrid.com.au/it-makes-no-sense-fossil-gas-industry-blocks-path-to-electrification-and-big-consumer-savings/>
"Australia is still investing heavily in new fossil gas projects. One of the
nation’s largest and most polluting gas plants, Woodside’s North-West Shelf
Project, was given a green tick last week.
(More...)
Fantasia 2000: celebrating 25 years of a concertless film in search of a concert
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 13:45:47 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/fantasia-2000-celebrating-25-years-of-a-concertless-film-in-search-of-a-concert-244170>
"Imagine attending a concert including excerpts from Ludwig van Beethoven’s
5th Symphony, Ottorino Respighi’s
Pines of Rome, George Gershwin’s
Rhapsody in Blue, Dmitri Shostakovich’s
2nd Piano Concerto, Camille
(More...)
Mingyang’s two-headed floating wind turbine begins operations, despite fractures in giant blades
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 13:46:45 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/mingyangs-two-headed-floating-wind-turbine-begins-operations-despite-fractures-in-giant-blades/>
"Chinese wind turbine manufacturer Mingyang Smart Energy has revealed that its
two-headed floating offshore wind platform OceanX has begun operations despite
reports of blade damage to the giant 20MW turbine which was installed earlier
(More...)
When you wish upon a star, is it already dead? An astronomer crunches the numbers
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 22:36:16 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/when-you-wish-upon-a-star-is-it-already-dead-an-astronomer-crunches-the-numbers-244915>
"When you wish upon a star, Jiminy Cricket told us, your dreams come true. But
according to an idea doing the rounds on social media, that may not be the
case:
(More...)
No glue, chains or locks: Victoria’s antisemitism crackdown a smokescreen to target climate protesters, critics say
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 22:38:01 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/17/concerns-new-police-powers-in-victoria-could-be-used-to-target-climate-movement>
"The Victorian government has been accused of “shoehorning” new anti-protest
measures that could be used to crack down on the climate movement into reforms
touted as necessary to combat antisemitism.
(More...)
Cars in Australian cities are emitting less – but in the regions exhaust emissions are growing
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 22:38:46 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/cars-in-australian-cities-are-emitting-less-but-in-the-regions-exhaust-emissions-are-growing-241017>
"Within five years, transport is expected to be Australia’s top source of
greenhouse gas emissions. While renewables and storage are bringing down
emissions from the electricity sector, emissions from transport are still
(More...)
Are EVs fatally flawed or have Hybrids had their day? And what are HEVs, PHEVs & EREVs anyway?
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 22:39:41 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1D3VpQbMmro
"There's no doubt that hybrid vehicles have been a huge sales success over the
last quarter of the century, but what does the next 10 years look like? While
battery electric vehicles (BEVs) have definitely disrupted the market, do
(More...)
Australia’s latest brush with extreme heat shows just how good weather forecasting really is
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 22:40:38 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/australias-latest-brush-with-extreme-heat-shows-just-how-good-weather-forecasting-really-is-246127>
"As a dome of heat developed over north and central Australia last weekend,
parts of the country braced themselves for their first taste of summer
temperatures well in excess of 40°C. Some areas expected their hottest
(More...)
EV conversions: Classic cars from Porsche 911s to Citroën gelato vans get an electric shock
Wed, 8 Jan 2025 22:41:43 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/17/ev-conversions-classic-cars-from-porsche-911s-to-citroen-gelato-vans-get-an-electric-shock/>
"Electric vehicle conversions are nothing new, people have been converting cars
to run on electricity for decades. Interest initially surged during the
environmental and energy crisis of the 1970s and 80s, a spark that ignited the
(More...)
Bottlenose dolphins smile at each other when they play – new study reveals how and why
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 05:00:55 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/bottlenose-dolphins-smile-at-each-other-when-they-play-new-study-reveals-how-and-why-240556>
"Dolphins have an irresistible charm for people. They are extremely playful at
all ages and often play alone, surfing the waves, leaping into the air,
performing flips and striking the water with their tail flukes.
(More...)
Our readers respond to Peter Dutton: We charge our EVs and home batteries with solar every day
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 05:02:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/17/our-readers-respond-to-peter-dutton-we-charge-our-evs-and-batteries-with-solar-every-day/>
"One of the most read stories on
The Driven’s sister site
Renew Economy
this past week has about Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s extraordinary claim
that rooftop solar PV cannot charge an electric car and a household battery at
(More...)
“Flexible exports” vital to the value of rooftop PV, and could help avoid the big solar button
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 05:05:11 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/flexible-exports-vital-to-the-value-of-rooftop-pv-and-could-help-avoid-the-big-solar-button/>
"One of the best ways to avoid using the Big Solar Button, while also ensuring
consumers get the most out of their rooftop PV investment, is not yet available
to most of the nation’s households, despite having been rolled out in South
(More...)
A push to cool Australian cities may inadvertently increase our skin cancer risk, unless we act
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 05:06:11 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/a-push-to-cool-australian-cities-may-inadvertently-increase-our-skin-cancer-risk-unless-we-act-245744>
"Picture this: you’re working from home and it’s sweltering outside. You
venture out for a coffee and move between patches of shade as you go. Good
thing you wore your sunglasses, because the glare of the new footpath almost
(More...)
A new way of tackling homelessness is showing promise. Will it catch on?
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 05:07:17 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.positive.news/society/new-way-of-tackling-homelessness-showing-promise/>
"Homelessness is a growing problem in the UK with a record number of people
living in temporary accommodation. It adds urgency to a new trial that will see
homeless people in England and Wales receive direct financial support to help
(More...)
John Marsden had no biological children but raised generations of kids
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 05:09:09 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-19/john-marsden-no-biological-children-raised-generations/104744354>
'"Does anyone read your letters or can I write anything I want?"
That question, from 15-year-old Tracey to her pen pal Mandy in John Marsden's
(More...)
Astronomers’ world-first discovery: twin stars trapped in galactic black hole orbit
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 18:31:38 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/astronomers-world-first-discovery-twin-stars-trapped-in-galactic-black-hole-orbit-245836>
"At the centre of the Milky Way is a supermassive black hole called Sagittarius
A*. It is roughly 27,000 light years from Earth and 23.5 million kilometres in
diameter.
(More...)
Hackers Can Jailbreak Digital License Plates to Make Others Pay Their Tolls and Tickets
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 18:33:19 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.wired.com/story/digital-license-plate-jailbreak-hack/
"Digital license plates, already legal to buy in a growing number of states and
to drive with nationwide, offer a few perks over their sheet metal
predecessors. You can change their display on the fly to frame your plate
(More...)
David Graeber argued against ‘Great Man’ approaches to knowledge, but it seems his fate to become one
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 18:34:52 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Next slide, please: A brief history of the corporate presentation
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 18:36:19 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.technologyreview.com/2023/08/11/1077232/corporate-presentations-history/>
"It’s 1948, and it isn’t a great year for alcohol. Prohibition has come and
gone, and booze is a buyer’s market again. That much is obvious from Seagram’s
annual sales meeting, an 11-city traveling extravaganza designed to drum up
(More...)
How feelings of disconnection and lack of control fuel conspiracy beliefs – new research
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 18:37:07 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/how-feelings-of-disconnection-and-lack-of-control-fuel-conspiracy-beliefs-new-research-242387>
"Conspiracy theories have always been a part of society, offering explanations
– sometimes simple, often elaborate – for complex events.
(More...)
Hand-selected seeds are set to bring riot of colour and life to new road in Cornwall
Thu, 9 Jan 2025 18:38:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.positive.news/society/hand-selected-seeds-are-set-to-bring-riot-of-colour-and-life-to-new-road/>
"The Eden Project National Wildflower Centre (NWC) and volunteers who are known
as the Wildflower Warriors – have been collecting seed by hand in a bid to
bring colour and life to a major new link road being built in Cornwall.
(More...)
Fifty years ago, Cyclone Tracy devastated Darwin. The lessons from it have still not been learnt
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 06:34:28 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/fifty-years-ago-cyclone-tracy-devastated-darwin-the-lessons-from-it-have-still-not-been-learnt-244168>
"It is hard to comprehend the force with which Cyclone Tracy struck Darwin
early on Christmas Day, 1974. It was so ferocious that it killed 66 people,
partly or completely destroyed 10,000 homes, and wiped out most public
(More...)
Peter Dutton’s nuclear fantasy could slam brakes on EV uptake
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 06:35:08 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/18/peter-duttons-nuclear-fantasy-could-slam-brakes-on-ev-uptake/>
"Opposition leader Peter Dutton’s nuclear fantasy could slam the brakes on
electric vehicle (EV) uptake in Australia, potentially depriving at least 2.1
million Australians of $2,000 a year in savings on their fuel bills in 2030,
(More...)
More than 1,300 Hajj pilgrims died this year when humidity and heat pushed past survivable limits. It’s just the start
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 06:35:51 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/more-than-1-300-hajj-pilgrims-died-this-year-when-humidity-and-heat-pushed-past-survivable-limits-its-just-the-start-245271>
"Every year, hundreds of thousands of Muslims undertake the Hajj –the sacred
pilgrimage to Mecca. In 2024, the pilgrimage took place in mid-June, the start
of the Saudi summer.
(More...)
Low income and frontline workers to access cut price loans in new bid to boost EV sales
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 06:36:35 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/19/low-income-and-frontline-workers-to-access-cut-price-loans-in-new-bid-to-boost-ev-sales/>
"The federal government has announced a new initiative to provide $150 million
of loans to lower income households and frontline workers in a bid to make new
electric cars more accessible.
(More...)
Australia’s deadliest natural disaster you’ve never heard of
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 06:37:45 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-12-17/heatwave-of-2009-australias-deadliest-natural-disaster/104648912>
"The streets are deserted. An eerie silence hangs over the suburbs.
More than half a million households have lost power, trains are being
(More...)
Victoria networks want to be first to own and install EV kerbside chargers on their power poles
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 06:38:24 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/victoria-networks-want-to-be-the-first-to-own-and-install-ev-kerbside-chargers-on-their-power-poles/>
"Victorian power distributors say they want to be among the first in the world
to own and operate kerbside electric vehicle chargers that would be installed
on their network of power poles.
(More...)
Saving bluefin tuna: The sushi delicacy threatened by climate change
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 13:18:05 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.bbc.co.uk/future/article/20241210-saving-bluefin-tuna-the-sushi-delicacy-threatened-by-climate-change>
'$3.1m. That is the staggering amount (£2.5m) a sushi tycoon paid for a bluefin
tuna at an auction in Tokyo in 2019. The 278kg (612lbs) tuna – the same weight
as a grizzly bear – was the most expensive fish ever sold.
(More...)
Brisbane ports deploys first electric truck carrying 88 tonne shipping containers
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 13:19:10 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/18/brisbane-ports-deploys-first-electric-truck-carrying-88-tonne-shipping-containers/>
"Global transport and logistics company DP World says it has begun operating
its first fully electric internal transfer vehicle (ITV) within its operations
at the Port of Brisbane.
(More...)
‘We’re an evolving laboratory’: the island on a quest to be self-sufficient in energy
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 13:20:19 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/11/el-hierro-canary-islands-wind-hydro-power-renewable-energy-self-sufficiency-sustainability-aoe>
"A vertiginous outcrop with more than 500 volcanoes, El Hierro, the most
westerly of the Canary Islands, is less than 12 miles (20km) wide but features
elevation differences of more than 1,500 metres. Swept by strong Atlantic winds
(More...)
Happy 400th birthday to the world’s oldest bond
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 13:22:01 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.ft.com/content/5122706e-39ca-4bbc-95cc-373188a9b1c9
"Four hundred years ago — on New Year’s Day in 1624 — drifting ice on the river
Lek in the Netherlands smashed up a dike outside Utrecht. This was a pretty big
problem in a country that is roughly one-third below sea level.
(More...)
Dutton’s nuclear plan a “con job” and a recipe for blackouts, says Bowen
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 13:23:31 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/duttons-nuclear-plan-a-con-job-and-a-recipe-for-blackouts-says-bowen/>
"Federal energy and climate minister Chris Bowen has lambasted the federal
Coalition’s nuclear power plans, describing them as a recipe for blackouts and
a “con job”, and has expressed astonishment at Peter Dutton’s assumption of a
(More...)
US DoE report busts LNG myth, says fossil gas exports are bad for consumers and the planet
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 13:29:50 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/us-doe-report-busts-lng-myth-says-fossil-gas-exports-are-bad-for-consumers-and-the-planet/>
"A US-government commissioned report has delivered a striking take-down of the
fossil gas export industry – concluding that ‘unfettered’ growth in gas exports
leaves consumers facing higher energy costs, contributes to surging greenhouse
(More...)
Growing Corn in the Desert, No Irrigation Required
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 22:39:30 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/growing-corn-hopi-dry-farming/
"When Michael Kotutwa Johnson goes out to the acreage behind his stone house to
harvest his corn, his fields look vastly different from the endless rows of
corn you see in much of rural North America. Bundled in groups of five or six,
(More...)
Bird flu sweeps through zoos with ‘grave implications’ for endangered animals
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 22:41:20 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2024/dec/19/bird-flu-zoos-endangered-animals-captive-species-lions-tigers-cheetahs-virus>
"Dozens of rare animals including tigers, lions and cheetahs are dying as bird
flu infiltrates zoos, with potentially “grave implications” for endangered
species, researchers have warned.
(More...)
YouTube populists are driving South Korea’s political instability. It’s a warning for the rest of the world’s democracies
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 22:42:24 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/youtube-populists-are-driving-south-koreas-political-instability-its-a-warning-for-the-rest-of-the-worlds-democracies-245845>
"In the space of three weeks, South Korea has seen a brief declaration of
martial law, its sudden repeal and the impeachment of its president, Yoon Suk
Yeol.
(More...)
Alignment faking in large language models
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 22:45:54 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.anthropic.com/research/alignment-faking
"Most of us have encountered situations where someone appears to share our
views or values, but is in fact only pretending to do so—a behavior that we
might call “alignment faking”. Alignment faking occurs in literature: Consider
(More...)
‘Live in the light, but carry the dark’: John Marsden’s books are his legacy – but so is his empathy
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 22:47:10 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Most pregnant women and unborn babies who contract bird flu will die, study finds
Fri, 10 Jan 2025 22:48:53 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/20/australia-bird-flu-pandemic-risks-pregnant-women-unborn-babies>
"Most pregnant women who contract bird flu will die, according to an Australian
review of infections that found most unborn babies with the virus also die.
(More...)
Climate anger can lead to action – or curdle into despair. We found out why
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 05:52:38 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/climate-anger-can-lead-to-action-or-curdle-into-despair-we-found-out-why-245361>
"Strong emotional responses to environmental problems are remarkably common. We
know people are angry about climate change – but how many?
(More...)
‘Generational change’: why more young Australians are identifying as LGBTQ+
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 05:54:05 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/dec/20/australia-abs-first-lgbtq-gay-and-lesbian-population-data>
"Damien Nguyen is 22, out, loud and proud – in every sense.
Nguyen, who uses he/they pronouns, sits on the Mardi Gras board and helps run
(More...)
Heatwaves and bushfires can be a dangerous mix for the electricity grid. Here’s how to shore up your supplies this summer
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 05:55:39 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/heatwaves-and-bushfires-can-be-a-dangerous-mix-for-the-electricity-grid-heres-how-to-shore-up-your-supplies-this-summer-246041>
"The Australian summer has started to unleash its power. On Monday, the
Victorian town of Walpeup reached 47.1°C, and towns in Queensland, western New
South Wales, South Australia and the Northern Territory all hit temperatures
(More...)
“We can make lighter batteries:” Australia start-up gets funding for new facility
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 05:56:50 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://thedriven.io/2024/12/20/we-can-make-lighter-batteries-australia-start-up-gets-funding-for-new-facility/>
"Australian battery development company Gelion has been awarded $4.8m in
funding from the Australian Renewable Energy Agency to develop a prototyping
facility for its sulphur-based chemistries that promise lighter batteries and
(More...)
Almost 1 million Australians are LGBTQIA+ – and for the first time, there’s a new national health plan for them
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 05:57:40 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Startups Implosion Will Render $800 Emotional Support Robots For Children Into Useless Bricks
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 05:59:00 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.techdirt.com/2024/12/18/startups-implosion-will-render-800-emotional-support-robots-for-children-into-useless-bricks/>
"In our stories about how you don’t actually own what you’ve bought in the
digital and IoT world, one of the sub-genres of those stories concern products
bought by customers that become entirely or partially useless due to the
(More...)
Getting people out of their cars is possible with the right plans and policies – case study
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 12:39:35 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/getting-people-out-of-their-cars-is-possible-with-the-right-plans-and-policies-case-study-246023>
"Around the world, people are being encouraged to travel by foot, bike or
public transport rather than by car. The reasons are many and varied: to
mitigate climate change, pollution, traffic congestion and infrastructure
(More...)
It’s getting hot down under: Hot rock geothermal energy is making a comeback in Australia
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 12:40:27 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reneweconomy.com.au/it-getting-hot-down-there-hot-rock-geothermal-energy-is-making-a-comeback-in-australia/>
"Australian hot rock geothermal energy is back on the agenda, to the excitement
of enthusiasts who led the last wave of companies 15 years ago, and perhaps
consternation and regret to those who lost their shirts when these failed.
(More...)
How can I keep my cat happy? 5 tips from a vet to help your feline friend live their best life
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 12:41:36 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/how-can-i-keep-my-cat-happy-5-tips-from-a-vet-to-help-your-feline-friend-live-their-best-life-242774>
"Around one third of Australian households live with at least one cat, yet
surveys tell us the cats’ needs are not being met.
(More...)
Saving the ‘Kidneys’ of the Great Barrier Reef
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 12:42:27 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://reasonstobecheerful.world/australia-wetland-restoration-great-barrier-reef/>
"“Did you see the pelicans on your way in?” asks Jacob Cassady, pointing to the
dirt road that winds along Palm Creek, the lush waterway which feeds into the
restored Mungalla wetlands that have been his life’s work. “They came three
(More...)
Octopuses and their relatives are a new animal welfare frontier − here’s what scientists know about consciousness in these unique creatures
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 12:43:20 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/octopuses-and-their-relatives-are-a-new-animal-welfare-frontier-heres-what-scientists-know-about-consciousness-in-these-unique-creatures-241978>
"We named him Squirt – not because he was the smallest of the 16 cuttlefish in
the pool, but because anyone with the audacity to scoop him into a separate
tank to study him was likely to get soaked. Squirt had notoriously accurate
(More...)
Elon Musk is becoming a one-man rogue state – it’s time we reined him in
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 12:45:12 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2024/dec/20/elon-musk-is-becoming-a-one-man-rogue-state-its-time-we-reined-him-in>
"Elon Musk is, more or less, a rogue state. His intentions are self-serving and
nefarious, and his nation-state level resources allow him to flout the law with
impunity. To put it into context, if dollars were metres, Musk’s money would be
(More...)
Louisiana forbids public health workers from promoting COVID, flu and mpox shots
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 22:57:26 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/12/20/nx-s1-5223440/louisiana-ban-public-health-promoting-covid-flu-mpox-vaccines-landry-rfk-jr-anti-vaccine>
"A group of high-level managers at the Louisiana Department of Health walked
into a Nov. 14 meeting in Baton Rouge expecting to talk about outreach and
community events.
(More...)
In Memoriam: Donald Bitzer, 1934–2024
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 22:59:40 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://computerhistory.org/blog/in-memoriam-donald-bitzer-1934-2024/
"Bitzer was born January 1, 1934, and was an American electrical engineer and
computer scientist. He was co-inventor of the flat-panel plasma display and the
“father of PLATO,” the world’s earliest time-shared, computer-based education
(More...)
The Wanamaker organ has been part of a treasured holiday tradition in Philly for over 100 years − a historian explains its illustrious past and uncertain future
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 23:00:33 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/the-wanamaker-organ-has-been-part-of-a-treasured-holiday-tradition-in-philly-for-over-100-years-a-historian-explains-its-illustrious-past-and-uncertain-future-244466>
"After Macy’s announced in November 2023 its plans to close approximately 150
locations across the United States, some Philadelphians fretted – not so much
about the fate of the Center City department store, but about a local treasure
(More...)
Bird flu kills 2 wild cougars in Washington state
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 23:02:12 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.oregonlive.com/pacific-northwest-news/2024/12/bird-flu-kills-2-wild-cougars-in-washington-state.html>
"Two wild cougars on the Olympic Peninsula have been killed by bird flu, as the
disease continues to spread to more species.
(More...)
Commercial tea bags release millions of microplastics, entering human intestinal cells
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 23:03:56 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://medicalxpress.com/news/2024-12-commercial-tea-bags-millions-microplastics.html>
"UAB research has characterized in detail how polymer-based commercial tea bags
release millions of nanoplastics and microplastics when infused. The study
shows for the first time the capacity of these particles to be absorbed by
(More...)
In Florida, the Miccosukee fight to protect the Everglades in the face of climate change
Sat, 11 Jan 2025 23:05:13 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://apnews.com/article/everglades-restoration-miccosukee-water-climate-change-b87825ad937bfa017e5f948797784b36>
"EVERGLADES, Fla. (
AP) — As a boy, when the water was low Talbert Cypress
from the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida rummaged through the
Everglades’ forests, swam in its swampy ponds and fished in its canals.
(More...)
Swimming mouse among 27 new species discovered in Peru
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 05:53:38 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c3vrnx2gvpko
'An amphibious mouse with webbed feet and a blob-headed fish are among 27 new
species scientists have discovered in Peru.
(More...)
Ukraine war: as 2025 approaches, Kyiv is left with few good options and allies in a Trump 2.0 world
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 05:55:12 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/ukraine-war-as-2025-approaches-kyiv-is-left-with-few-good-options-and-allies-in-a-trump-2-0-world-246162>
"As the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, held his carefully stage-managed
annual phone-in and press conference to answer questions from journalists and
ordinary Russians, EU leaders were hosting Ukraine’s president Volodymyr
(More...)
Scientists discover sperm whale ‘phonetic alphabet’
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 05:56:24 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/5/8/scientists-discover-sperm-whale-phonetic-alphabet>
"Scientists studying sperm whales have discovered that they communicate through
a sort of “phonetic alphabet”, enabling them to build a rough equivalent of
what humans refer to as words and phrases.
(More...)
Welcome to the world of oligarchy.
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 05:57:42 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Most ‘words of the year’ don’t actually tell us about the state of the world – here’s what I’d pick instead
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 05:59:18 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/most-words-of-the-year-dont-actually-tell-us-about-the-state-of-the-world-heres-what-id-pick-instead-246190>
"It seems to come earlier every year: publishers and dictionaries choosing
their “word of the year”. Initially intended to sum up a meaningful trend or
feeling that represents the past year, the exercise is now becoming a
(More...)
Bright Green Futures: Be a Light in the Dark
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 06:00:15 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://brightgreenfutures.substack.com/p/be-a-light-in-the-dark
"We’re heading into the darkest days of the year (tomorrow, Dec 21st, is the
shortest in the Northern Hemisphere where 90% of the world’s population lives)
and one of America’s darkest years (the rush of the elites to bend the knee to
(More...)
K-pop hits become anthems of South Korea’s protests against President Yoon
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 14:09:47 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://theconversation.com/k-pop-hits-become-anthems-of-south-koreas-protests-against-president-yoon-246011>
"When South Korea’s president, Yoon Suk Yeol, attempted to institute martial
law in early December, the public responded with massive protests. These
protests have continued across the country. On December 14, for example, an
(More...)
The US’s Easternmost City Could Be a Model for the Country’s Renewable Future
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 14:10:54 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18112024/united-states-easternmost-city-could-be-model-of-renewable-future/>
"If you trace the path of one electrical transmission line up the coast of
Maine, through and around the state’s rocky outcroppings and over a long
causeway, you’ll finally reach the island city of Eastport, 40 miles from the
(More...)
The rise of a ‘dangerous’ ideology among parents is causing havoc in custody disputes
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 14:12:32 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.theguardian.com/law/2024/dec/15/sovereign-citizen-pseudolaw-family-court-dangerous-ideology-custody-disputes-ntwnfb>
"During the pandemic, Alia’s* former partner started sending “long-winded
rants” via text message. Covid-19 wasn’t real. Stay-at-home rules were
unlawful, he told her, and he took their children to anti-lockdown protests. He
(More...)
The "Autism Epidemic" Is A Myth
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 14:14:43 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://freedium.cfd/https://gidmk.medium.com/the-autism-epidemic-is-a-myth-c0d08579a58b>
"There are many stories about autism in the alternative medicine space. One of
the most common one is the myth that vaccines cause autism, something that has
been disproven many times. Vaccines don't cause autism, and anyone who tells
(More...)
86 Stories of Progress from 2024
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 14:15:30 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://fixthenews.com/86-stories-progress-2024/
"While this year's biggest 'health' stories were about CEO assassinations,
vaccine skepticism and scary viral outbreaks, history was being made in the
background. Multiple countries declared victory over age-old afflictions like
(More...)
Netflix's lackluster management team embraces enshittification
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 14:16:31 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://freedium.cfd/https://medium.com/enrique-dans/netflixs-lackluster-management-team-embraces-enshittification-597b2ce4cf0e>
"Netflix's "freedom and responsibility" culture once set it apart from the
competition, allowing it to attract the best talent; but under the leadership
of Ted Sarandos, it's rapidly falling into line with every other large
(More...)
‘Negative news publications should come with a health warning’
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 22:19:23 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.positive.news/society/negative-news-publications-should-come-with-a-health-warning/>
"Imagine. You heard the on-the-hour radio news bulletin while you got dressed
that morning. You glanced at headlines on your phone on the way to work. You
read the paper while you waited for your coffee in a cafe. Each encounter was,
(More...)
WHO Director-General's opening remarks at the media briefing – 10 December 2024
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 22:21:14 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
(More...)
Cases rise as new booster shot available for next Covid strain
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 22:22:38 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
https://archive.md/jourD
"Queenslanders are so fed up with almost five years of Covid-19 that uptake of
the newest booster shot is poor, contributing to escalating cases in the state.
(More...)
Mortality in First Eight Months of 2024 2% Higher Than Predicted
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 22:24:19 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.actuaries.digital/2024/12/17/mortality-in-first-eight-months-of-2024-2-higher-than-predicted/>
"We projected mortality for 2024 to include two waves of Covid-19, both lower
than 2023, and all other mortality to be an improvement on 2023.
(More...)
Catastrophic species loss goes unrecorded
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 22:25:35 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://cosmosmagazine.com/news/catastrophic-species-loss-goes-unrecorded/>
"More than 95% of Australian animal species are invertebrates (animals without
backbones – spiders, snails, insects, crabs, worms and others). There are at
least 300,000 species of invertebrate in Australia. Of these, two-thirds are
(More...)
Copyright Abuse Is Getting Luigi Mangione Merch Removed From the Internet
Sun, 12 Jan 2025 22:26:33 +1100
Andrew Pam <xanni [at] glasswings.com.au>
<
https://www.404media.co/copyright-abuse-is-getting-luigi-mangione-merch-removed-from-the-internet/>
"An entity claiming to be United Healthcare is sending bogus copyright claims
to internet platforms to get Luigi Mangione fan art taken off the internet,
according to the print-on-demand merch retailer TeePublic. An independent
(More...)
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