ByDr. Tim Sandle
DIGITAL JOURNAL
June 8, 2025
Sperm whales are the largest toothed predators on the planet, living in matrilineal societies with distinct cultures and dialects - Copyright AFP/File AHMAD GHARABLI, SEYLLOU
A global collaboration, led by the Australian National University with the United Nations, and between many scientists has tracked over 12,000 marine animals from whales to turtles to create one of the most detailed movement maps of ocean giants ever assembled.
The project, MegaMove, highlights how animal migrations intersect with fishing, shipping, and pollution, revealing alarming gaps in current ocean protections. Even if 30% of the oceans were protected, most critical habitats would still be exposed to threats.
The research also links to UN Sustainable Development Goals Goal 14 on water, and specifically, to Goal A of the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework to halt human-induced extinction of threatened species. The study’s lead author was the Research Director and Founder of MegaMove, Associate Professor Ana Sequeira of the Australian National University.
How marine megafauna move globally
The scientists tracked more than 100 species and identified ocean hotspots critical for protecting threatened marine megafauna that fall beyond current conservation zones.
The study reveals how marine megafauna move globally and where their migratory, feeding, and breeding behaviors intersect with human threats such as fishing, shipping, and pollution.
According to one contributor, Francesco Ferretti, a marine ecologist at Virginia Tech: “This is one of the largest marine tracking data sets ever assembled…It’s not just about drawing lines on a map. We need to understand animal behavior and overlap that with human activity to find the best solutions.”
U.S. example
Taking just one of the insights, relating U.S. coastal waters, the scientists revealed that past collapses of shellfish fisheries in North Carolina and impacts on seagrasses meadows, important for fisheries, carbon sequestration, and to prevent coastal erosion, show how predator loss can shift entire ecosystems.
Troubling findings
MegaMove was established to inform the United Nations’ 30×30 target: a global goal to protect 30 percent of the world’s oceans by 2030. The team used optimization algorithms to propose which areas should be prioritized for protection based on how marine species use the space.
But the findings show that even if all 30 percent of protected areas were perfectly placed, it would not be enough. This is partly because sixty percent of the tracked animals’ critical habitats would fall outside of these zones.
Current marine protection areas include only 8 per cent of the world’s total oceans, which the UN High Seas Treaty seeks to expand to 30 per cent.
The research appears in the journal Science, titled “Global tracking of marine megafauna space use reveals how to achieve conservation targets.”
Outdated phones can power smart cities and save the seas
By Dr. Tim Sandle
June 8, 2025
By Dr. Tim Sandle
June 8, 2025
DIGITAL JOURNAL
Smartphone makers are racing to develop more potent batteries that can charge faster and last longer - Copyright AFP Nelson ALMEIDA
Researchers at the University of Tartu Institute of Computer Science have introduced a novel approach for reducing electronic waste and advancing sustainable data processing: turning old smartphones into tiny data centres. This low-cost innovation (just 8 euros per phone) offers practical applications from tracking bus passengers to monitoring marine life without needing new tech.
A modern problem
Each year, more than 1.2 billion smartphones are produced globally. The production of electronic devices is not only energy-intensive but also consumes valuable natural resources. Additionally, the manufacturing and delivery processes release a significant amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, devices are ageing faster than ever — users replace their still-functional phones on average every 2 to 3 years. At best, old devices are recycled; at worst, they end up in landfills.
Novel solution
Researchers Huber Flores, Ulrich Norbisrath, and Zhigang Yin from the University of Tartu’s Institute of Computer Science, along with Perseverance Ngoy from the Institute of Technology and their international colleagues developed the alternative use for superseded mobile devices.
“Innovation often begins not with something new, but with a new way of thinking about the old, re-imagining its role in shaping the future,” explains Huber Flores, Associate Professor of Pervasive Computing in a research note.
Yesterday’s devices become tomorrow’s opportunities
The scientists demonstrated that old smartphones can be successfully repurposed into tiny data centers capable of efficiently processing and storing data. They also found that building such a data center is remarkably inexpensive.
These tiny data centers have a wide range of applications. For example, they could be used in urban environments like bus stops to collect real-time data on the number of passengers, which could then be used to optimize public transportation networks.
Practical demonstration
In the project’s first stage, the researchers removed the phones’ batteries and replaced them with external power sources to reduce the risk of chemical leakage into the environment. Then, four phones were connected together, fitted with 3D-printed casings and holders, and turned into a working prototype ready to be re-used, fostering sustainable practices for old electronics.
The prototype was successfully tested underwater, where it participated in marine life monitoring by helping to count different sea species. Typically, these kinds of tasks require a scuba diver to record video and bring it to the surface for analysis. However, with the prototype, the whole process was done automatically underwater.
This demonstrates that even with minimal resources, smartphone devices can be given a new purpose, contributing to the development of more environmentally friendly and sustainable digital solutions.
The research appears in the journal IEEE Pervasive Computing, titled “Supporting Sustainable Computing by Repurposing E-Waste Smartphones as Tiny Data Centers.”
Smartphone makers are racing to develop more potent batteries that can charge faster and last longer - Copyright AFP Nelson ALMEIDA
Researchers at the University of Tartu Institute of Computer Science have introduced a novel approach for reducing electronic waste and advancing sustainable data processing: turning old smartphones into tiny data centres. This low-cost innovation (just 8 euros per phone) offers practical applications from tracking bus passengers to monitoring marine life without needing new tech.
A modern problem
Each year, more than 1.2 billion smartphones are produced globally. The production of electronic devices is not only energy-intensive but also consumes valuable natural resources. Additionally, the manufacturing and delivery processes release a significant amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Meanwhile, devices are ageing faster than ever — users replace their still-functional phones on average every 2 to 3 years. At best, old devices are recycled; at worst, they end up in landfills.
Novel solution
Researchers Huber Flores, Ulrich Norbisrath, and Zhigang Yin from the University of Tartu’s Institute of Computer Science, along with Perseverance Ngoy from the Institute of Technology and their international colleagues developed the alternative use for superseded mobile devices.
“Innovation often begins not with something new, but with a new way of thinking about the old, re-imagining its role in shaping the future,” explains Huber Flores, Associate Professor of Pervasive Computing in a research note.
Yesterday’s devices become tomorrow’s opportunities
The scientists demonstrated that old smartphones can be successfully repurposed into tiny data centers capable of efficiently processing and storing data. They also found that building such a data center is remarkably inexpensive.
These tiny data centers have a wide range of applications. For example, they could be used in urban environments like bus stops to collect real-time data on the number of passengers, which could then be used to optimize public transportation networks.
Practical demonstration
In the project’s first stage, the researchers removed the phones’ batteries and replaced them with external power sources to reduce the risk of chemical leakage into the environment. Then, four phones were connected together, fitted with 3D-printed casings and holders, and turned into a working prototype ready to be re-used, fostering sustainable practices for old electronics.
The prototype was successfully tested underwater, where it participated in marine life monitoring by helping to count different sea species. Typically, these kinds of tasks require a scuba diver to record video and bring it to the surface for analysis. However, with the prototype, the whole process was done automatically underwater.
This demonstrates that even with minimal resources, smartphone devices can be given a new purpose, contributing to the development of more environmentally friendly and sustainable digital solutions.
The research appears in the journal IEEE Pervasive Computing, titled “Supporting Sustainable Computing by Repurposing E-Waste Smartphones as Tiny Data Centers.”
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