AUSTRALIA

Authorities unable to locate entangled humpback whale seen off South West coast

By Pip Waller
ABC South West WA


Experts predict the whale is now heading south, but its exact location is unclear. (ABC South West: Rodney Peterson/Geographe Marine Research )

In short:

Authorities have been unable to locate an entangled humpback whale off the South West coast.

The nine-metre-long mammal was seen offshore in Georgraphe Bay near Dunsborough, dragging ropes and a buoy behind it.

What's Next?

Anyone who sees the whale is urged to contact the Wildcare Helpline on 9474 9055.

Authorities have so far failed to locate a humpback whale seen entangled in rope and dragging a buoy behind it in WA's South West.

The nine-metre-long mammal was seen on Friday afternoon in Geographe Bay near Dunsborough, 244 kilometres south of Perth.

Geographe Marine Research director Rodney Peterson said he was first alerted to the whale by a local operator who had seen it during a tour.

"From then I was able to contact the Parks and Wildlife office and then with some other members get some drones out to track the whale," Mr Peterson said.

Authorities have been unable to locate a humpback whale seen with rope tangled around its tail in the South West. (ABC South West: Rodney Peterson/Geographe Marine Rescue )

"It was first spotted off Castle Rock in the early afternoon and then last seen at Rocky Point in Margaret River around 4pm.

"We tracked it right up to the capes."

The whale had rope and float tied around its tail.

Mr Peterson said while the ropes had not cut into it the whale's flesh, it may have been in some discomfort.

In a statement, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (DBCA) said it began searching for the entangled whale early on Saturday.

A team of DBCA responders have been on stand-by to attempt to disentangle the whale if it is located.
Entanglements becoming more common

It follows a similar incident last month in which another entangled eight-metre-long humpback was sighted in Cape Naturalist.

DBCA was able to attach a satellite tag to the ropes wrapped around it, but lost the whale when the tag fell off.

Mr Peterson says the incidents are becoming more common.

"Going off the Geographe Bay area, we've had a few incidents like this in the last few weeks," he said.

"And every time you come across something like this, it's horrible and it doesn't get any easier.

"What we can do is if you're walking along the beach and there's piles of ropes and floats on a beach following a storm just pick it up and remove it."

Anyone who sees the whale is urged not to attempt to disentangle the whale, but instead contact the Wildcare Helpine or visit a Parks and Wildlife Service office.

 

In California, more than half of ride-hailing trips replace more sustainable transport options: Study

September 5, 2024

More than 50% of ride-hailing trips taken by surveyed riders in California replaced more sustainable forms of transportation — such as walking, cycling, carpooling, and public transit — or created new vehicle miles, according to a study from the University of California, Davis Institute of Transportation Studies.

The study was conducted to help guide development of the Clean Miles Standard, a state regulation designed by the California Air Resources Board to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from ride-hailing services.

Published in Transportation Research Record: Journal of the Transportation Research Board, the study analyzed data collected among riders in three metropolitan regions — the San Francisco Bay Area, San Diego, and Los Angeles and Orange counties — between Nov. 2018 and Nov. 2019. The data set consisted of 7,333 ride-hailing trips by 2,458 respondents.

About 47% of the trips replaced a public transit, carpool, walking or cycling trip. An additional 5.8% of trips represented “induced travel,” meaning the person would not have made the trip were an Uber or Lyft unavailable. This suggests ride-hailing often tends to replace most sustainable transportation modes and leads to additional vehicle miles traveled.

Equity issues

The study also found that respondents who did not have a household car, or who identified as a racial or ethnic minority, were the least likely to cancel a trip if ride-hailing was not available. This indicates that their Uber or Lyft ride was an essential, not discretionary trip, although the authors say this finding requires more research.

“Hopefully, the results of this study can be used to increase the sustainability of ride-hailing and also address potential equity issues that are apparent,” said lead author James Giller, a Ph.D. candidate at the Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis.

At their best, ride-hailing services can connect people to mobility opportunities they may otherwise not have had, ideally while saving emissions and reducing traffic when the vehicle is electric and the ride is shared. When not used sustainably, however, such services can also increase traffic, reduce the use of public transit — an economical and sustainable mode of transportation for a variety of income levels — and increase social inequities.

Recommendations for sustainable ride-hailing

To improve sustainability, the study recommends ride-hailing trips — especially those offered by shared, or pooled, services—be better connected to public transit in low-demand areas, so they complement those services rather than replace them.

“There’s certainly a place for ride-hailing and opportunities to improve its sustainability,” Giller said. “It’s all about making sure it’s used in the most efficient way by increasing the occupancy of the vehicles; by making sure these trips connect people to transit stations for longer distance travel; that they’re done in efficient, clean cars; and that we can reduce as much as possible the inefficiencies associated with finding passengers and going to pick them up.”

Study coauthors include senior author Giovanni Circella of the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies and Mischa Young of the Université de l’Ontario français in Canada.

“This study helps inform agencies on the role that ride-hailing has in complementing versus substituting the use of other travel modes,” Circella said. “The study is particularly unique due to the richness of the data used. While the data were collected before the pandemic, and thus might refer to different market conditions, the research helps establish an important benchmark that will help policymakers improve the sustainability of passenger travel as part of efforts to decarbonize transportation in California and beyond.”

The study was funded primarily by the California Air Resources Board. Additional funding was provided by the 3 Revolutions Future Mobility Program of UC Davis.

Source: “Half of Uber, Lyft Trips Replace More Sustainable Options,” Aug. 28, 2024 University of California at Davis press release.

 

Sign of the Times: University Launches Nation’s First Master’s in Explosion Protection

September 5, 2024 Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI)

Summary: Worcester Polytechnic Institute introduces a pioneering master’s program to address growing explosion risks in modern technologies and industries.

In a significant move to enhance safety in emerging technologies, Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) has introduced the nation’s first Master of Science in Explosion Protection Engineering. This innovative program aims to tackle the increasing fire and explosion risks associated with advanced manufacturing, electric vehicles, and energy storage systems.

The new master’s degree builds on WPI’s strong foundation in fire protection engineering, a field the institute has led since 1978. It comes at a crucial time when explosion hazards are becoming more prevalent in various industries.

Why it matters

Recent years have seen a surge in explosion-related incidents, from industrial accidents to energy storage failures. These events have resulted in loss of life, injuries, and billions in damages. The new program at WPI seeks to address this growing concern by producing experts capable of managing and mitigating these risks.

Bridging the gap between academia and industry

One of the program’s key strengths lies in its close ties with industry partners. Burke Desautels, head of explosion protection at IEP Technologies and a WPI alumnus, highlighted the importance of this collaboration:

“One of the biggest challenges in explosion protection is talent development. There simply aren’t programs to train the next generation of explosion protection engineers. IEP is very excited to contribute our decades of experience and application knowledge to this program.”

This partnership ensures that students will gain practical, real-world knowledge alongside theoretical understanding.

Comprehensive curriculum for a complex field

The Explosion Protection Engineering program offers a wide-ranging curriculum that covers current standards, modern theories, and cutting-edge research. It addresses risks associated with various technologies, including:

• Lithium-ion batteries
• Hydrogen fuel cells
• Manufacturing processes
• Chemical industries
• Food processing (dust explosions)

Students will learn from renowned faculty members who specialize in areas such as dust explosions, mine safety, marine fuel systems, and hydrogen detonation. The program also provides access to state-of-the-art laboratories for hands-on experience.

Growing demand for explosion protection experts

The need for specialists in this field is evident in recent job market trends. Postings for explosion protection roles have increased by 16% over the past year, with average salaries reaching $115,000. This demand reflects the growing awareness of explosion risks across various sectors.

John McNeill, Bernard M. Gordon Dean of Engineering at WPI, emphasized the critical nature of this expertise:

“The demand for leaders with advanced expertise in explosion protection engineering is more critical than ever. These leaders will be essential in driving systemic changes in infrastructure, process safety, regulations, and public awareness.”

Preparing for future challenges

As industries continue to adopt high-energy density storage systems and advanced manufacturing processes, the role of explosion protection engineers becomes increasingly vital. Ali Rangwala, fire protection engineering professor and director of the new program, explained:

“Quantifying and mitigating explosion hazard is key to ensuring safety in today’s world where advanced manufacturing, lithium-ion batteries, and other high-energy density storage systems are being increasingly adopted. Our program offers students and professionals the skills to manage these hazards and advance their careers.”

The program is expected to attract students from various engineering backgrounds, including chemical, aerospace, mechanical, materials, civil, environmental, and fire protection engineering.

Looking ahead

As the first program of its kind in the United States, WPI’s Master of Science in Explosion Protection Engineering is poised to set the standard for education in this critical field. By combining academic rigor with industry partnerships, the program aims to produce graduates who can make significant contributions to safety across multiple sectors.

Hannah Murray, a PhD student at WPI, summed up the program’s potential impact:

“This program will be incredibly valuable in building working professionals who can help rationalize, solve, and justify solutions to complex industry problems. There are problems that we don’t have all the answers for. I am looking forward to taking courses with experienced professors and conducting research in the advanced facilities available at WPI.”

As industries continue to evolve and adopt new technologies, the need for explosion protection expertise will only grow. WPI’s pioneering program is a significant step towards creating a safer future in an increasingly complex technological landscape.

 

New Survey Reveals Strong Support for Criminalizing Environmental Damage in G20 Countries

September 6, 2024 Earth4All

Nearly three out of four people (72%) across 18 G20 countries support making it a criminal offence for government or leaders of large businesses to approve or permit actions which cause serious damage to nature and climate

Summary: A recent global survey shows that 72% of people in G20 countries support making serious environmental damage a criminal offense, reflecting growing concern about climate change and nature loss.

A new international survey has uncovered widespread support for criminalizing actions that cause severe harm to the environment. The Global Commons Survey 2024, conducted by Ipsos UK and commissioned by  Earth4All and the Global Commons Alliance (GCA), found that nearly three-quarters (72%) of respondents across 18 G20 countries favor making it a criminal offense for government or business leaders to approve actions causing serious damage to nature and climate.

This striking level of support for environmental protection comes amid growing public concern about the state of the planet. The survey revealed that 59% of respondents are very or extremely worried about the current state of nature, a slight increase from a similar survey conducted in 2021. Moreover, 69% of those polled believe that Earth is approaching tipping points related to climate and nature due to human activities.

Why it matters: The strong public backing for environmental protection measures, including criminal penalties, could influence policymakers to take more decisive action on climate change and biodiversity loss. This shift in public opinion may also impact business practices and investment decisions as companies seek to align with societal expectations.

A Social Tipping Point for Environmental Action

The survey introduced a novel approach to categorizing respondents based on their attitudes towards planetary stewardship. Five distinct segments were identified:

1. Planetary Stewards
2. Concerned Optimists
3. Steady Progressives
4. Climate Skeptics
5. The Unengaged

Notably, the first three groups, which advocate for strong environmental action, comprise 61% of respondents across the G20 countries surveyed. This majority represents a social tipping point, with more people now demanding action to protect the planet than those who do not.

Owen Gaffney, co-lead of the Earth4All initiative, commented on this shift: “The majority of people want to protect the global commons; 71% believe the world needs to take action immediately. Our survey demonstrates that people across the world’s largest economies are acutely aware of the urgent need to safeguard our planet for future generations.”

Gender and Regional Differences in Environmental Concern

The survey uncovered significant gender disparities in attitudes towards environmental issues:

• 62% of women are extremely or very worried about the state of nature today, compared to 56% of men
• 74% of women believe major environmental action should be taken immediately, versus 68% of men
• Women are less likely to believe that technology alone can solve environmental problems without lifestyle changes (35% compared to 44% of men)

Regionally, the survey found that people in emerging economies such as India (87%), China (79%), and Indonesia (79%) feel more personally exposed to climate change compared to those in Europe and the United States. This perceived exposure correlates with higher levels of concern and urgency regarding climate action.

Legal Implications and the Push for Ecocide Laws

The strong support for criminalizing environmental damage aligns with recent legislative developments in several countries. Belgium recently recognized ecocide as a federal crime, while similar laws have been passed in Chile and France. Ecocide bills have also been proposed in Brazil, Italy, Mexico, the Netherlands, Peru, and Scotland, among others.

Jojo Mehta, Co-founder and CEO of Stop Ecocide International, highlighted the significance of these policy shifts: “We’re seeing significant policy shifts in favour of ecocide legislation at the domestic, regional, and international levels. Most notably, at the start of this year, the European Union included ‘qualified offences’ in its newly revised Environmental Crime Directive that can encompass ‘conduct comparable to ecocide.’ This means EU member states now have two years to bring these rules into national law – a huge moment felt across the globe.”

Mehta added that the survey results demonstrate strong public support for such laws: “People clearly understand that the most severe forms of environmental destruction harm all of us, and that there is real deterrent potential in creating personal criminal liability for top decision-makers. Damage prevention is always the best policy, which is precisely what ecocide law is about.”

Challenges and Future Directions

While the survey results indicate growing public support for environmental protection, several challenges remain:

1. Implementing effective legislation: Crafting and enforcing laws that criminalize environmental damage will require careful consideration and international cooperation.
2. Balancing economic concerns: Policymakers must find ways to address environmental issues without unduly burdening businesses or hindering economic growth.
3. Engaging the unengaged: The survey identified a significant portion of the population that remains indifferent to environmental issues. Finding ways to engage this group will be crucial for building broader support for climate action.
4. Addressing regional disparities: The survey highlighted differences in perceived climate risk between developed and emerging economies. Addressing these disparities in global climate negotiations will be essential for creating effective international policies.

As the world grapples with the escalating challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss, this survey provides valuable insights into public attitudes and expectations. The strong support for environmental protection measures, including criminal penalties for severe damage, suggests that there may be growing political will to take more decisive action in the coming years.

---

Quiz:

1. What percentage of surveyed G20 countries support making serious environmental damage a criminal offense? a) 59% b) 61% c) 69% d) 72%
2. Which of the following is NOT one of the five “Planetary Stewardship Segments” identified in the survey? a) Planetary Stewards b) Concerned Optimists c) Climate Activists d) The Unengaged
3. According to the survey, which group feels more personally exposed to climate change? a) People in European countries b) People in the United States c) People in emerging economies like India and China d) Climate Skeptics

Answer Key:

1. d) 72%
2. c) Climate Activists
3. c) People in emerging economies like India and China

Study suggests US droughts, rainy extremes becoming more severe

September 6, 2024 Ohio State University

Severe drought in the American Southwest and Mexico and more severe wet years in the Northeast are the modern norm in North America, according to new research – and the analysis suggests these seasonal patterns will be more extreme in the future.

The middle of the United States, meanwhile, can expect bigger swings between wetter wet periods – high-rainfall years known as pluvials – and drier summers through the rest of this century, the study predicts. 

Researchers at The Ohio State University say the findings, based on modern precipitation data, historical tree rings and climate models spanning the years 850 to 2100, suggest climate change has shifted precipitation patterns across North America to extremes that were not experienced before industrialization began around the mid-1800s. 

“It’s very much a tale of Southwest versus the Northeast for most of the seasons,” said senior author James Stagge, assistant professor of civil, environmental and geodetic engineering at Ohio State. “Mexico and the American Southwest tends to get drier across more or less all seasons, whereas we’re seeing in the Northeast – and Ohio is included in that – a trend toward wetter, particularly in the winter and early spring.” 

The combination of drier droughts and wetter pluvials in much of the nation’s midsection won’t necessarily occur in a predictable way. 

“So you might be going from, say, this year our drought is really bad, and in five years or so we might see the wettest pluvial we’ve had in a while,” Stagge said. “That variability is concerning because it changes how we might need to manage water to prepare for more extremes in both ways. Trying to plan for that is a real challenge. 

“This is all part of the same pattern moving into the future. It’s only going to get worse.” 

Former Ohio State graduate student Kyungmin Sung, now a research fellow at the Korea Environment Institute, is first author of the paper. The research is published today (Sept. 6, 2024) in Geophysical Research Letters. 

In contrast to attribution studies that examine whether or how human-associated climate change has influenced extreme weather events, this work focused on documenting centuries-long trends in pre- and post-industrial drought and pluvial extremes across North America.  

The researchers compared changing climate patterns observed in the past 20 years to the pre-industrial era and then predicted how periods of low and high precipitation will trend through the year 2100. 

“What we can say is, ‘here is the scale of change we’ve seen in the past 100 years under an increase in greenhouse gas concentration, and here’s what we saw in the previous 700 years,’” Sung said. “And the scale of the change we’re seeing now and into the future is dramatically larger in many areas than any natural climate variability we saw prior.” 

The researchers merged data from five sources: two modern compilations of precipitation observations, tree ring reconstructions from the distant past, and two climate models – each covering the same historical period as the tree ring analyses and continuing to predict future extreme dry and wet trends with increasing greenhouse gases.  

The integration of different data types lends credibility to the findings, Stagge said: “A benefit of having very different types of data is they can fill in each other’s gaps. We consider trends to be significant only when they’re showing up across multiple data sets – so that increases our confidence.”

Maps of the changing climate patterns show the method produced smooth spatial transitions and obvious boundaries, suggesting that “what we’re seeing is real,” he said. 

While the drying of the West is a well-known phenomenon, the team was surprised to see how extensive the precipitation increase has been and will be in the Northeast and how dramatic the heightened variability from droughts to pluvials is going to be in the center of the country. 

These patterns of water shortages and gluts could affect industries ranging from farming to construction and city planning, and are likely to strain management efforts to maintain household water-source reservoirs at optimum levels. 

“Planners, government agencies and engineers want to do the right thing and plan for a potentially changing climate, but oftentimes they don’t necessarily have the numbers or the broader picture of what’s going to be happening where,” Stagge said. “This puts regions on notice. In the Southwest, you’re going to have less water to deal with, and if you’re managing a farm in the middle of the country you might be seeing wider swings between droughts and pluvials. 

“Certainly, we’d like to arrest further climate change, but it takes a long time to turn that ship,” he said. “In the meantime, we should be planning on where we’re headed to decrease impacts on people, the economy and the environment.” 

This work was supported by the National Science Foundation, the Byrd Polar and Climate Research Center at Ohio State, and the Ohio Supercomputer Center. Gil Bohrer of Ohio State was also a co-author of the paper.

Bird flu detected in Missouri individual who is not a farm worker

This is the 14th human case of bird flu reported this year in the United States and the first without a known occupational exposure to infected animals.

By Lena H. Sun
September 6, 2024 

An individual in Missouri has contracted bird flu, the first human infection unconnected to farm work in an outbreak detected in the spring when the disease was discovered among dairy cows.

The H5N1 avian influenza has spread from cattle to poultry, cats and other animals across the country.

The Missouri individual is the 14th human case of bird flu reported this year in the United States and the first without a known occupational exposure to infected animals, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It is also the first time the national flu surveillance system has detected a case of H5 bird flu, the CDC said.

The person was hospitalized Aug. 22, and routine flu testing showed the person had a type of novel nonhuman influenza virus that is different from seasonal human influenza virus. Subsequent testing at the Missouri public health lab and the CDC confirmed the virus as avian flu.

The individual, who has underlying medical conditions that could have made the person more susceptible to respiratory illnesses, was treated with influenza antiviral medication and has recovered. State officials said no transmission among close contacts or others has been identified. Health officials are not providing additional patient information to protect the person’s privacy.

“I’m really glad we have a robust flu system that picked this up, but [it] just begs the question: How many cases have we missed?” said Katelyn Jetelina, an epidemiologist who writes a weekly infectious-diseases newsletter and has closely tracked the avian flu outbreak. “In these situations, we can’t fly blind. If we have a full picture, we can better act, communicate and prevent.”

More than five months into the outbreak, many unanswered questions remain. Public health experts and groups representing farmworkers say the actual number of people infected is certain to be higher because of insufficient testing of people, cows and raw milk.

The outbreak of H5N1 has infected nearly 200 dairy herds in 14 states, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture; Missouri is not among them. But outbreaks of H5 have been reported in the state’s commercial and backyard poultry flocks this year. H5N1 bird flu has been detected in wild birds in Missouri in the past, according to the CDC.

Federal officials this week added California, the country’s largest milk producer, to the list of states with infected cattle after three dairy herds tested positive for bird flu.

The CDC said its assessment of the risk to the general public remains low, but findings from its investigation into how the Missouri individual without obvious animal exposure contracted the virus will determine whether the agency needs to change its guidance.

Preliminary genetic analysis of the virus shows no evidence of changes that would make it more easily transmitted to humans, a federal health official said, speaking on the condition of anonymity because the investigation is ongoing.

“We haven’t seen evidence of any other type of respiratory illness” in the area where the individual lives, the official said.

The bird flu investigations typically involve detailed questionnaires about a person’s exposures to raw milk products, visits to state fairs or animal exhibits or zoos, and exposure to birds and bird feces, the official said.

CDC officials have stressed repeatedly that its national flu surveillance system would detect unusual influenza activity in people, including cases of H5N1. Since Feb. 25, more than 46,000 flu specimens have been tested for novel influenza viruses, including H5, according to the agency.


Missouri health officials said they are closely monitoring surveillance data. There has been no sign of unusual influenza activity among people such as upticks in emergency room visits or laboratory detection, according to a statement from Missouri’s Department of Health and Senior Services.


Fear at the fair, and the cows stay home. A story of bird flu and tradition.
August 17, 2024

Six Colorado workers contracted bird flu, the most human cases in a state
July 16, 2024


By Lena H. SunLena H. Sun is a national reporter for The Washington Post covering health with a special focus on public health and infectious disease. A longtime reporter at The Post, she has covered the Metro transit system, immigration, education and was a Beijing bureau chief. follow on X @bylenasun

The Surprising Benefits of Gossip

Social scientists are uncovering the intricate group dynamics of gossip

By Francine Russo

September 6, 2024

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN

Anton Vierietin/Getty Images
Psychology


Scientists have studied gossip for decades. That’s not surprising given the activity’s near universality in any social group, big or small. It’s estimated that more than 90 percent of people in workplaces in the U.S. and Western Europe indulge in such banter—defined as talking about someone not present. People in modern societies spend about an hour a day immersed in chin-wagging, one study reports. But investigators are now approaching this fixture of social life from a new perspective.

In past decades, says Rice University psychologist Tianjun Sun, researchers focused primarily on the damage wrought by gossiping, and they zeroed in on either the gossip spreader or the target—the person being talked about. Now, she says, they have changed course by looking more at the benefits of gossip and the dynamics of a three-part network that involves a gossiper, a listener and a target. This research is revealing the complex and diverse roles in shaping perceptions of self and others by looking at factors such as basic information, ego enhancement and social segregation within a group.


So what, if anything, can be good about gossip? Whenever someone confides something to you about someone you both know—whether the information is positive, negative or neutral—it brings the two of you closer, creating a social bond. According to one study, it even increases your liking for the spreader of the information. It helps you learn who to trust and who to avoid. It enforces group norms. For example, complaints about a co-worker who puts smelly banana peels in the paper trash are likely to get back to them and let them know that placing stinky garbage in the incorrect container is not an office norm.

But gossip is a double-edged sword for each member of this equilateral triangle. Whether that sword aids or causes harm depends on a slew of factors, including the relationships among gossiper, listener and target, the motives of each person and the trustworthiness of the imparted info.

The gossiper is the prime mover in this drama. So it’s not surprising that much of the social science research related to gossip has focused on why they do it, what they get out of it and what the attendant dangers are in doing it, if any. In its most benign form, Sun says, gossip creates a sense of connectedness and belonging. On the other hand, if what you’re sharing is injurious to the target, you may feel guilty. You may also feel anxious about repercussions, including retaliation. There’s the further risk that listeners may form unwelcome impressions about you.


Gossipers have been maligned from time immemorial as rumormongers or talebearers, yet most of what they impart is actually true, research shows. Sociologist Francesca Giardini of the University of Groningen in the Netherlands and her colleagues found this to be the case in a lab experiment in which students played a series of public goods games. In this type of game, players benefit from monetary contributions that they make to a common pool as long as people behave altruistically, but individual players can choose instead to maximize their payoff by acting in their own self-interest. In the study, four players had the opportunity to earn up to €21 from the experimenters depending on how the participants played. If they contributed to their private account, they got what they put in plus a share of the group pot. Everyone benefited more if they all contributed to that pot because its holdings were multiplied by 1.5.

Over several games, players recognized the behavior of the others, and they were offered opportunities to confidentially warn other players about someone who didn’t contribute to the group. The experimenters learned that the biggest contributors were, on average, also more willing to pass on gossip, here defined as information about self-interested players, that was truthful.

Another lab experiment conducted by social psychologist Terence Dores Cruz, then at Free University Amsterdam, showed that the gossiper passed on true information when they had no conflict of interest with the target of the gossip. When they had a rivalry or other conflict with the target, however, they were likelier to pass on things that were self-serving or outright false. Like a villain in a melodrama, a gossiper can take down a rival, for instance, by manipulating people’s impressions of them. To figure out the gossiper’s motives, Cruz advises listeners, “ask yourself: Who gains?”

Be aware, he cautions, that even being friends with anyone else in the gossip triangle affects the information’s truthfulness. For example, Cruz says, a friend of the target may not pass on something negative. In addition, a gossiper may say something positive—but false—about a friend.

Despite complex motivations, humans on average are quite good at sizing up the intentions of others with whom they interact. They usually know the person and their place in the network. One study shows that the determining factor of how people interpret gossip is whether they believe someone is passing on gossip to help out the listener or to benefit themselves. If they perceive it to be the former, they trust the gossiper more.

Gossip can be vital to those who listen to it. Learning that a colleague could be leaving their job, for example, could motivate a listener to take on challenging, promotion-worthy assignments. For someone new to a group, gossip can be invaluable. In any large organization, there are always smaller cliques, in-groups and out-groups. If you are LGBTQ+, for example, gossip from your co-workers about company events or decisions that people have supported or opposed can inform your own decisions “so you [are able to] choose your friends..., your allies,” Sun says.

There has been apaucity of research on how gossip affects people in minority groups, but at least one study suggests that it can be helpful in certain cases. Between 2015 and 2020 investigators interviewed residents of Riace, a town in southern Italy that has hosted a variety of refugees and migrants more than 20 years. They found that much of the local gossip occurred between people of different ethnic groups and promoted strong community relationships. Race was not a factor in that research. A study done in 2016 using similar methods at a historically white South African university, however, found that gossip about Black employees not present at meetings undermined their work performance and morale.

There is a common assumption that being the target of gossip is a bad thing, but this is not always the case. Psychologist Elena Martinescu, then at the University of Groningen, and her colleagues found that targets of positive gossip experienced positive emotions such as pride, but negative gossip was sometimes beneficial by inspiring efforts to repair problematic behavior. “The good side,” Sun says, is that [you] may become more aware of how [you’re] perceived by others. You may adjust your behavior accordingly.” But, in line with popular perception, she says, “ if people are bad-mouthing about you, they can harm your reputation, your career prospects, your mental health.”

Most of the studies examined gossip in the workplace, but the actual research was conducted in the laboratory or online. Cruz has conducted one of the few studies of how gossip functions in real-life situations. He recruited more than 300 people in a community in the Netherlands and asked them to list 15 people with whom they had frequent contact. Four times each day for 10 days, the subjects were prompted to report on any information that someone in their social network told them—or that they told someone—about a third person. In this exchange, people passed on evaluations of many aspects of a target—qualities such as trustworthiness, warmth and competence. Listeners overwhelmingly believed the gossip to be true, and they updated their beliefs about the person being discussed and adjusted their behavior toward them.

One of the most beneficial results ofgossip is that it helps people better understand the behavior of others. For example, Cruz says, someone might complain about a co-worker who shows up late every day, but if they learn through gossip that the offending colleague is in the middle of a divorce or that this person’s young son has cancer, they are less likely to complain. Perhaps more important, they sympathize with the co-worker who is suffering a crisis and feel motivated to be more helpful to them. Overall, Cruz and his colleagues found in their study that most gossip in real life was neither positive nor negative, just newsy: someone became a grandpa; someone got engaged. To avoid biasing their subjects, the investigators never used the term gossip.

Gossip may have a bad name, but science shows it’s often not a bad thing.

Francine Russo is a veteran journalist specializing in social sciences and relationships. She is author of Love after 50: How to Find It, Enjoy It, and Keep It (Simon and Schuster, 2021).

Atlantic Hurricane Lull Puzzles Scientists


Meteorologists predicted a busy Atlantic hurricane season—and a recent lull in activity doesn’t negate that

By Meghan Bartels

September 6, 2024

SCIENTIFIC AMERICAN

The National Hurricane Center’s seven-day tropical weather outlook from August 24, 2024.
NOAA/NWS

Forecasters warned this spring that the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could be particularly dangerous because of the potent combination of warm sea-surface temperatures and a looming La Niña climate pattern that would favor tropical storm formation. But as the typical peak of the season arrives in early September, the basin has been eerily quiet. The most recent named storm, Ernesto, dissipated around August 21. So were the dire hurricane forecasts wrong? Where are all the storms?

In short, the answers are “no” and “it’s complicated.”

Experts say that despite the current lull, this season has already been strong—and could still become even more active. So far this year the Atlantic has seen five named storms: two tropical storms, two hurricanes and one major hurricane. The major hurricane, Beryl, reached Category 5 status earlier than any previous storm in the Atlantic. “We definitely got started with an extremely active season,” says Brian McNoldy, a hurricane researcher at the University of Miami.

And considering the number and strength of individual storms is only one way to evaluate a hurricane season. Another important tool for understanding tropical activity is a measurement called accumulated cyclone energy, or ACE, which represents the overall activity of tropical storms and hurricanes in the Atlantic. To calculate ACE, every six hours, scientists tally the wind speeds of every storm that is strong enough to have a name—those with peak sustained winds of at least 39 miles per hour. Each storm’s wind speed is squared, and then the values are added together. This is done four times a day all season long.

This year’s ACE score is still 50 percent above the average season-to-date value from 1991 to 2020, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration—hardly a quiet year. According to McNoldy, much of the power of the season to date came from Hurricane Beryl, which was both powerful and long-lasting. Ernesto also contributed significantly to the current ACE score.

Moreover the Atlantic hurricane season stretches until November 30—leaving plenty of time for activity to ramp up again and erase the calm of recent weeks. “Just because we’re kind of stumped about the last couple weeks and maybe this week, it’s definitely too early to say anything about the whole hurricane season,” McNoldy says.

But scientists are indeed “kind of stumped” about the current situation. The same factors that had them worried ahead of this hurricane season are still in play, McNoldy says. Sea-surface temperatures across the eastern Atlantic, the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico all remain nearly two degrees Fahrenheit (1 degree Celsius) above average, offering ample warm water for tropical storms to feed on. And as predicted, the El Niño climate pattern that tends to suppress hurricanes in the Atlantic has been shifting toward La Niña conditions, which feature lower rates of wind shear that break tropical storms apart.

New Hurricane Forecasts Could Predict Terrifying Explosive Intensification


Thus, the stage remains set for serious storms to grow in the Atlantic—they simply don’t seem to be doing so. The trends are too preliminary for anything more than hypotheses, but to understand the situation, scientists are turning their eyes to Africa, where the seed disturbances of inclement weather that become hurricanes are birthed. Here, two phenomena may be playing a role in the current hurricane lull.

Dense bands of Saharan dust streamed offshore from southern Morocco over the Atlantic Ocean on August 24, 2024.
NASA Earth Observatory image by Lauren Dauphin, using VIIRS data from NASA EOSDIS LANCE, GIBS/Worldview, and the Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership

One is the plume of dust that rises off the Sahara Desert and is carried by winds across the Atlantic. It makes sense that this dust could interfere with hurricanes because it travels along a similar route to brewing tropical storms—and because dust is dry, and storms feed on moisture. And some research has shown interactions between Saharan dust and tropical storms, although the relationship is quite complicated, says Yuan Wang, an atmospheric scientist at Stanford University and co-author of one such study, published earlier this year.


That work showed that Saharan dust can reduce the amount of precipitation in a hurricane, yet Wang suspects it could also reduce the formation of hurricanes in the first place. “I think it’s very possible the dust plays a role in this year’s drought hurricane season,” he says, although that explanation remains speculative. “I think we still need very rigorous scientific research to do some attribution analysis.”

A second factor of interest is that the West African monsoon has been unusually wet this year, says Kelly Núñez Ocasio, an atmospheric scientist at Texas A&M University. The West African monsoon is a seasonal wind pattern that carries rain from the Atlantic Ocean over into West Africa between June and September. Núñez Ocasio has studied how the monsoon affects the seeds of hurricanes. And in a paper published earlier this year, she and her colleagues modeled how the atmosphere responds to additional moisture.

Those simulations suggest that in wetter conditions, the West African monsoon pushes a band of air called the African easterly jet northward. Under normal conditions, that jet produces atmospheric disturbances called African easterly waves, which can become hurricanes once they reach the Atlantic. But when the jet is in a more northern position, it seems to inhibit the development and survival of these waves, Núñez Ocasio and her colleagues found, making hurricanes less likely despite all the moisture.


She says those conditions in Africa may continue to dampen this year’s Atlantic hurricane season. “I don’t see it changing so dramatically that we’re going to see, all of a sudden, a fast spin-up of multiple hurricanes before October,” Núñez Ocasio says. “It’s just too stable, and when conditions are stable, it’s hard to make it unstable. It’s going to take quite a bit.”

Núñez Ocasio would like forecasters to start looking beyond the Atlantic Ocean to assess hurricane-forming conditions. But for the general public, she adds that it’s still important for people in the Caribbean and the southern and eastern U.S. to stay on their guard because even unnamed storm systems can cause serious flooding and other damage.

Forecasters agree. “We remain concerned about the entire Atlantic basin in terms of development risks, as it only takes one tropical storm or hurricane to cause a potential catastrophe,” says Dan Harnos, a meteorologist at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center.


Forecasters also caution that the season could see major storms despite the current lull in Atlantic activity. “Conditions still appear very favorable for above normal activity during the remainder of the hurricane season,” says Jamie Rhome, deputy director of NOAA’s National Hurricane Center. And late-season storms can be brutal: for example, late October 2012 spawned Hurricane Sandy, which affected parts of the Caribbean before becoming racing toward the and U.S. East Coast and devastating New Jersey and New York.

Swings in hurricane activity levels aren’t unusual, McNoldy emphasizes. “You can have weeks of on and then weeks of off, and that’s pretty normal,” he says. He points to 2022, which saw no named storms in the Atlantic between July 2 and September 1—two full months of eerie quiet. But September saw both Fiona and Ian become major hurricanes, with the latter causing severe flooding in Florida and coastal North Carolina.

“I think it’s a little too soon to count this season out,” McNoldy says. “Even if you have this long period of quiet, there’s still a lot of hurricane season ahead.”


Meghan Bartels is a science journalist based in New York City. She joined Scientific American in 2023 and is now a senior news reporter there. Previously, she spent more than four years as a writer and editor at Space.com, as well as nearly a year as a science reporter at Newsweek, where she focused on space and Earth science. Her writing has also appeared in Audubon, Nautilus, Astronomy and Smithsonian, among other publications. She attended Georgetown University and earned a master’s degree in journalism at New York University’s Science, Health and Environmental Reporting Program.More by Meghan Bartels

SolarX Startup Challenge: Boosting Solar Innovation at the International Solar Festival 2024

The International Solar Festival 2024, held in New Delhi, showcased cutting-edge solar technologies and featured the SolarX Startup Challenge, highlighting innovative startups from the APAC region and India. The event emphasized themes of innovation, youth engagement, gender inclusion, and private-sector collaboration.

Written by FE Online
September 7, 2024 


The International Solar Festival 2024, held in New Delhi, showcased cutting-edge solar technologies and featured the SolarX Startup Challenge. (Image Source: Official website)


The maiden International Solar Festival 2024, held in New Delhi on September 5-6, showcased groundbreaking advancements in solar technology, attracting global leaders, innovators, and young entrepreneurs. A major highlight of the event was the SolarX Startup Challenge, where emerging startups from the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region and India competed to present their innovative solutions in solar energy. The challenge exemplified the shift towards empowering small businesses and innovators to drive the solar industry forward, which is crucial for achieving global energy sustainability.
The SolarX Startup Challenge: A Platform for Emerging Innovators

The SolarX Startup Challenge provided a stage for 30 startups—20 from the APAC region and 10 from India—to showcase their projects. These startups were awarded a cash prize of $15,000 each and were given access to a dedicated acceleration program designed to support their growth. This program includes mentorship from leading industry figures, helping the winners refine their business models, enhance their market strategies, and scale their technologies to make a meaningful impact on the global solar landscape.

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The SolarX competition encourages innovative approaches to solve the world’s pressing energy problems, particularly in regions with untapped solar potential. By focusing on entrepreneurship, this initiative is helping to create a future where solar energy solutions are both sustainable and scalable.
Key Themes at the International Solar Festival

The International Solar Festival 2024 focused on four major themes: innovation, youth engagement, gender inclusion, and private-sector collaboration. These pillars form the backbone of efforts to accelerate the adoption of solar energy while addressing global disparities in energy access and sustainability.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship: The festival’s emphasis on innovation was most evident through the SolarX Startup Challenge, which served as a launchpad for entrepreneurs aiming to disrupt the traditional energy markets with new solar technologies. From solar-powered agricultural tools to community-based energy solutions, the startups presented a wide range of inventive concepts, signalling a new wave of technological advances aimed at transforming how energy is produced and consumed.

Youth and Gender Inclusion: A critical aspect of the festival was the emphasis on engaging youth and women in the solar sector. The event featured discussions on empowering young minds and fostering an inclusive solar workforce that reflects the diversity of the global population. Key speakers underscored the importance of providing women and young entrepreneurs with equal opportunities to lead in the renewable energy space, ensuring that solar energy solutions are both equitable and sustainable.

The Growing Importance of Solar Energy in a Global Context

At the core of the festival’s discussions was the urgent need for greater investment in solar energy to meet the world’s rising energy demands while combating climate change. With solar energy becoming increasingly cost-effective, its potential to replace fossil fuels as a dominant energy source is undeniable.

Eric Garcetti, US Ambassador to India, highlighted how international collaboration is essential in accelerating the deployment of solar energy. He called for stronger partnerships between governments, the private sector, and international organizations to ensure solar technology reaches all corners of the world. Garcetti’s remarks resonated with the festival’s core message: solar energy is not just a technological imperative but also a socio-economic one, helping to lift communities out of energy poverty.

Additionally, with rising global temperatures and the pressing need to cut carbon emissions, the International Solar Festival emphasized how solar energy could play a pivotal role in helping countries achieve their climate goals. The challenge now lies in scaling these solutions quickly enough to keep up with global demands, something initiatives like the SolarX Startup Challenge are working to address by fostering innovation at the grassroots level.
Future Implications and Opportunities

As the solar industry continues to evolve, the innovations showcased at the SolarX Startup Challenge could have long-lasting effects on both local and global energy markets. These startups are not only contributing to technological advancements but are also challenging larger corporations to rethink their approach to renewable energy solutions.

The International Solar Festival 2024’s strong focus on youth engagement, innovation, and inclusion demonstrates that the future of solar energy lies in the hands of those who can bring fresh ideas to the table. The SolarX Startup Challenge, by investing in young entrepreneurs and offering them a platform to bring their ideas to life, is setting the stage for a future where clean energy is both accessible and sustainable.

Prescribing nature can improve happiness - study

Eve Watson
BBC News, South West

BBC
Green social prescribing means people can be referred by a GP or social worker to engage in nature-based activities

Prescribing nature can help to improve happiness and reduce anxiety, a study by researchers at the University of Exeter has found.

In total, 8,339 people with mental health needs took part in the study, engaging in nature-based activities - such as conservation, horticulture, gardening and exercise - at seven project test pilots across England.

Green social prescribing means people with mental health issues can be referred by a GP or social worker to engage in nature-based activities.

Other activities prescribed as part of the study included talking therapies in the outdoors, care farming and sports.

'Just the beginning'

According to the report, before the nature-based activities participants' happiness, anxiety and life satisfaction were worse than national averages.

Participants said afterwards that they felt "joyful", "happy" and "calm".

Prof Ruth Garside, of the European Centre for Environment and Human Health at the University of Exeter, said the findings showed that green social prescribing was an "effective way of supporting people".

She added: "This is just the beginning and further government investment is now supporting the leadership and systems change that we know green social prescribing needs to be successful.

"However, there must be an ongoing commitment from policymakers to understand the needs of communities and enable more diverse people to connect with nature, alongside investment in those organisations that provide nature-based activities."

The report by the university in partnership with the University of Sheffield, Sheffield Hallam University and the University of Plymouth was published on Wednesday for the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).