Study reveals Africa will reach 1.5C climate change threshold by 2040 even under low emission scenarios

New research highlighted in the journal CABI Reviews suggests that all five subregions of Africa will breach the 1.5C climate change threshold – the limit stipulated by the Paris Agreement – by 2040 even under low emission scenarios

CABI

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New research highlighted in the journal CABI Reviews suggests that all five subregions of Africa will breach the 1.5°C climate change threshold – the limit stipulated by the Paris Agreement – by 2040 even under low emission scenarios.

A team of scientists, from the University of Zimbabwe, and the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) in Kenya, conducted a literature review to develop a framework for just transition pathways for Africa’s agriculture towards low emission and climate resilient development under 1.5°C of global warming.

They found that despite Africa emitting less than 4% of global greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere, the 1.5°C climate change threshold will be approached by 2040 in all five subregions of Africa, even under low emission scenarios.

Just transition pathways for Africa’s agriculture are urgently required

The scientists stress that just transition pathways for Africa’s agriculture are urgently required for sustainable production systems that enhance food security and poverty reduction, while optimising mitigation co-benefits.

Professor Paul Mapfumo, Vice Chancellor of the University of Zimbabwe and lead author of the paper, said novel climate conditions are posing a serious threat to humanity and ecological systems, presenting and aggravating social injustices at different levels.

Distributive, procedural and recognition injustices include, the scientists say, inherent inequalities, gender disparities or narrow employment opportunities which they argue will be inevitably amplified and reinforced by the changing climate.

Prof Mapfumo said, “African agriculture-based livelihood systems will be invariably the most affected because of their reliance on climate-sensitive agriculture and limited adaptive capacity due to low economic development linked primarily to historical contingency.

“They have experienced considerable losses and damages from climate change, and this will worsen with increasing intensity of climate hazards.

“Neither the existing or planned incremental adaptation mechanisms, nor the anticipated benefits of migratory measures, are sufficiently comprehensive to match the pending novel climate conditions.”

Reprogramming of the cropping, livestock and fishery systems for climate proofing

Prof Mapfumo and his colleagues argue that the just transition pathways for Africa’s agriculture should be anchored on reprogramming of the cropping, livestock and fishery systems for climate proofing with a specific focus on a range of underpinnings.

These include financing the advancement of science, technology and innovation; restoring neglected or underutilised crops and livestock genetic pools; regenerating soil fertility and advancing soil health; restoring degraded land; protecting natural ecosystems and biodiversity; accessing quality education training and information technologies; and developing markets and creating novel distribution and trade opportunities.

Prof Mapfumo added, “Such efforts should also focus on mechanising and greening Africa’s agriculture as driven by a deliberate ‘Green Industrial Revolution’ for the new normal induced by climate change.

“Sustainability of climate change response and a just transition pathway framework for Africa also lies in corresponding transformation of education systems and research capacities tailored to drive economic development for Africa.”

The scientists conclude that the developed just transition framework offers opportunities for social inclusion, equity, building capacity for self-mobilisation and self-organisation of communities for climate action, and investments in the transition pathways for building a climate resilient agriculture towards zero poverty and meaningful contribution towards zero carbon.

The African Group of Negotiators Experts Support (AGNES) funded the study.

 

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Journal

CABI Reviews

DOI

10.1079/cabireviews.2025.006 

Method of Research

Literature review

Subject of Research

Not applicable

Article Title

Developing just transition pathways for Africa’s agriculture towards low emission and climate resilient development under a 1.5°C global warming

Article Publication Date

25-Feb-2025

 

Submersible robot surfs water currents

PNAS Nexus

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Example trajectory of CARL surfing a vortex ring for propulsion. In response to sensed acceleration, CARL autonomously executed a short burst maneuver to become entrained into the material boundary of a vortex ring. Afterwards, CARL advected passively across the tank with the vortex ring. The trajectory of CARL is indicated by the white line, with the short maneuver highlighted in red. Velocity vectors and vorticity from PIV measurements are overlaid to indicate the vortex ring.

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Credit: John O. Dabiri and Peter Gunnarson

An autonomous underwater vehicle can propel itself efficiently by using the energy in nearby water currents. Underwater and aerial vehicles must make their way through a complex environment of gusts and currents, fighting against many flows as they attempt to stay on course. Peter Gunnarson and John O. Dabiri designed an underwater robot that makes use of these flows to cut down on the energy needed to travel, “surfing” vortices to make its way to its destination. The palm-sized robot, CARL, was equipped with an onboard inertial measurement unit, ten motors to allow movement in all three axes, and a simple but effective algorithm: if the magnitude of the acceleration in the crossflow-direction exceeded a threshold, CARL would swim in the same direction as the acceleration. The robot was tested in a 1.5 m deep and 5 m long tank, in which vortex rings were generated by pulsing a wall-mounted thruster. Using the algorithm, CARL was able to surf the vortex from one end of the tank to another using one-fifth of the energy as a robot without the same programming. According to the authors, CARL’s success surfing a prototypical flow structure, suggests that with further elaboration, a similar technique could be used to allow autonomous vehicles to improve their efficiencies significantly by interacting with background flows. 

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Journal

PNAS Nexus

Article Title

Surfing vortex rings for energy-efficient propulsion

Article Publication Date

25-Feb-2025

CARL swimming [VIDEO] 

Surfing closeup [VIDEO] 

High speed video of CARL swimming into and surfing the vortex ring. Particle streaks are shown in the reference frame of the vortex ring to visualize the boundary and shape of the vortex ring. Video is played at 20% or 1/5th real-time speed. 

The palm-sized robot, CARL.

CARL schematics. 

Images are combined from a video to show CARL's motion while surfing the vortex ring.

Credit

John O. Dabiri and Peter Gunnarson

 

AI’s emotional blunting effect

PNAS Nexus

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Ask a Large language model (LLM) such as ChatGPT to summarize what people are saying about a topic, and although the model might summarize the facts efficiently, it might give a false impression of how people feel about the topic. LLMs play an increasingly large role in research, but rather than being a transparent window into the world, they can present and summarize content with a different tone and emphasis than the original data, potentially skewing research results. Yi Ding and colleagues compared a climate dataset of 18,896,054 tweets that mentioned "climate change" from January 2019 to December 2021 to rephrased tweets prepared by LLMs. The authors found that the LLM-rephrased tweets tend to display a more neutral sentiment than the original texts, a blunting effect that occurred irrespective of the prompts employed or the sophistication of the LLMs. A similar effect occurred when LLMs were asked to rephrase Amazon reviews. Possible mitigation strategies include using predictive models to retroactively adjust sentiment levels. According to the authors, if it is not known whether a text was written by a human or a LLM, it would be more useful to work with an LLM that has been fine-tuned not to blunt the emotional content it is summarizing.

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Journal

PNAS Nexus

Article Title

Echoes of authenticity: Reclaiming human sentiment in the large language model era

Article Publication Date

25-Feb-2025

 

Research reveals potential alternatives to ‘forever chemicals’

American Chemical Society

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Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are known as forever chemicals because of their extreme persistence. These compounds have useful properties including durability and waterproofing, so they’re commonly used in consumer products like food packaging and cosmetics, as well as industrial processes. But PFAS’ potential negative impacts on human health are driving the search for potentially safer substitutes. Now, researchers publishing in ACS’ Environmental Science & Technology propose alternatives for many applications.

“Our new online database of alternatives for the uses of PFAS highlights 530 potential alternatives and reveals where more innovation is needed,” says Ian Cousins, a co-author of the study.

Previous research on PFAS replacements has been fragmented because forever chemicals do such a good job at what they’re meant to do. But mounting evidence indicates their potential impacts on humans, such as increased cholesterol, reduced effectiveness of vaccines in children and increased risk of some types of cancers. Therefore, several regions, including members of the European Union and states in the U.S., have initiated restrictions on PFAS use. To support industries and companies transitioning away from forever chemicals, Romain Figuière, Cousins and colleagues wanted to analyze alternatives that are readily available and highlight potential gaps where safer substitutes are lacking.

The researchers first developed an open-access online database that:

• Documents all known uses of PFAS.
• Describes the functions provided.
• Lists potential alternatives that can deliver the same or similar functions.
• Evaluates the suitability and market availability of the alternatives.

The database identifies over 300 applications of PFAS used across 18 categories, including pharmaceuticals, cookware and clothing, and 530 alternatives that perform similar functions. Their findings indicate substitutes for PFAS in 40 applications, such as coatings for food packaging and musical instrument strings, and highlight the opportunities for industries to make potentially safer choices in those categories. However, the study identifies 83 applications that currently lack forever-chemical alternatives, especially in industrial processes like plastic and rubber production. The researchers say this gap presents an opportunity for further research to find realistic replacements that are safe and keep unnecessary forever chemicals out of the environment.

Additional information about the team’s research into the persistent, mobile substances can be found online at projectZeroPM.

The authors acknowledge funding from the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and by Formas, the Swedish Government’s Research Council for Sustainable Development.

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The American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit organization founded in 1876 and chartered by the U.S. Congress. ACS is committed to improving all lives through the transforming power of chemistry. Its mission is to advance scientific knowledge, empower a global community and champion scientific integrity, and its vision is a world built on science. The Society is a global leader in promoting excellence in science education and providing access to chemistry-related information and research through its multiple research solutions, peer-reviewed journals, scientific conferences, e-books and weekly news periodical Chemical & Engineering News. ACS journals are among the most cited, most trusted and most read within the scientific literature; however, ACS itself does not conduct chemical research. As a leader in scientific information solutions, its CAS division partners with global innovators to accelerate breakthroughs by curating, connecting and analyzing the world’s scientific knowledge. ACS’ main offices are in Washington, D.C., and Columbus, Ohio.

Registered journalists can subscribe to the ACS journalist news portal on EurekAlert! to access embargoed and public science press releases. For media inquiries, contact newsroom@acs.org.

Note: ACS does not conduct research but publishes and publicizes peer-reviewed scientific studies.

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Journal

Environmental Science & Technology

DOI

10.1021/acs.est.4c09088 

Article Title

“An Overview of Potential Alternatives for the Multiple Uses of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances”

 

Clashing with classmates: Off-putting traits spark enemy relationships

Unique longitudinal study reveals the behaviors that fuel mutual disliking in children

Florida Atlantic University

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Students who struggled emotionally were 35% more likely to develop enemies, suggesting that how we manage emotions and interact with others early on can have long-term social and emotional consequences.

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Credit: Alex Dolce, Florida Atlantic University

It is unpleasant to have an enemy. Most people try to avoid hostilities that escalate to the point of mutual antagonism. Which raises the question: What does it take to make an enemy? One possible answer is that aversive or off-putting behaviors increase the likelihood of clashes with others that lead to lasting enmity. Yet without longitudinal data, it’s unclear which comes first – being aversive or being disliked – making it hard to distinguish between the causes and the consequences of having an enemy.

New research from Florida Atlantic University clearly establishes the order of effects. The results, published in the Journal of Youth and Adolescence, indicate that students who behave in unattractive ways at the beginning of the school year are at elevated risk of antagonizing others and becoming involved in enemy relationships by the end of the school year.

The study involved more than 300 Florida students ages 9 to 14 years old attending diverse public primary and middle schools. Students completed surveys at the beginning, middle and end of the school year. At each time point, students identified classmates they disliked. Enemies (also known as mutual antipathies) were defined as dyads in which both partners disliked one another. Students also nominated classmates who did well in school and who were prosocial, as well as those who were aggressive and those who were disruptive. Self-reports described emotional instability and emotional problems.

“Enemies or mutual antipathies occur when two people dislike each other. Ill will needs to be reciprocated. Both parties need to share the same feeling. Mutual antipathies are not very common; less than 5% of students in our study had enemies,” said Brett Laursen, Ph.D., senior author and a professor of psychology within FAU’s Charles E. Schmidt College of Science.

Results of the study found that adolescents with aversive traits at the beginning of the school year were more likely to develop enemy relationships over the course of the school year compared to those without these traits. Emotional reactivity was the strongest risk factor for participation in a mutual antipathy. Emotionally unstable youth were 35% more likely to form enemy relationships than those with low levels of emotional instability. Doing poorly in school, being aggressive and classroom disruptiveness were also strong predictors of later participation in an enemy relationship. Students perceived as not helpful or caring also tended to form mutual antipathies.

Importantly, the risk of developing an enemy relationship remained consistent throughout the school year, and it did not differ on the basis of gender (males versus females) or school grade level (primary versus middle school students), indicating that these behavioral risks are broadly applicable across different groups of adolescents.

“Students who exhibit off-putting behaviors tend to become involved in relationships characterized by mutual disliking. Youth who behave in unattractive ways are disliked and that sentiment is often returned,” said Laursen. “All manners of annoying behaviors can antagonize others. Emotional instability is a particularly challenging trait. Emotionally reactive youth react quickly and intensely to situations, which can easily lead to peer conflicts and escalate negative emotions.”

Poor school performance and acting out in class are also antagonizing.

“School is frustrating for youth who are not academically successful. They may come to resent those who are accomplished and appreciated by teachers. This resentment is often returned,” said Laursen.

Similarly, class disruptions can be irksome to classmates because disruptions sidetrack the class, interfering with the academic attainment of other peers.

“Our findings are important because mutual antipathies have real consequences,” said Laursen. “Troubled youth who make enemies often find themselves trapped in a cycle of social and emotional difficulties. Mutual antipathies can harm group cohesion, making the classroom a less supportive learning environment. More importantly, negative interactions are stressful. For some youth, these conflicts may lead to serious distress, possibly even school avoidance. Taking proactive steps to prevent these conflicts is crucial.”

Study co-authors are Mary Page Leggett-James, a doctoral candidate, and Michael Yoho, Ph.D., a doctoral graduate, both from the FAU Psychology Department.

This research was supported by a grant from the United States National Institute of Child Health and Human Development of the National Institutes of Health (HD096457).

- FAU -

About Florida Atlantic University:
Florida Atlantic University, established in 1961, officially opened its doors in 1964 as the fifth public university in Florida. Today, Florida Atlantic serves more than 30,000 undergraduate and graduate students across six campuses located along the Southeast Florida coast. In recent years, the University has doubled its research expenditures and outpaced its peers in student achievement rates. Through the coexistence of access and excellence, Florida Atlantic embodies an innovative model where traditional achievement gaps vanish. Florida Atlantic is designated as a Hispanic-serving institution, ranked as a top public university by U.S. News & World Report, and holds the designation of “R1: Very High Research Spending and Doctorate Production” by the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. Florida Atlantic shares this status with less than 5% of the nearly 4,000 universities in the United States. For more information, visit www.fau.edu.

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Journal

Journal of Youth and Adolescence

DOI

10.1007/s10964-025-02145-4 

Method of Research

Survey

Subject of Research

People

Article Title

The Wrong Stuff: Characteristics of Youth Involved in Mutual Antipathy Peer Relationships

Article Publication Date

23-Feb-2025

 

Superbugs in our food: a new hope for tackling drug resistance

Tsinghua University Press

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Representative QS systems of Gram-negative (A) and Gram-positive (B) bacteria. For Gram-negative bacteria, the AIs are AHLs, which are encoded by luxI. Upon reaching a threshold, AHLs bind to LuxR, subsequently activating the expression of genes involved in the production of virulence factors. For Gram-positive bacteria, the AIs are AIP, which is encoded by argD. Upon reaching a threshold, AIP binds to ArgC, subsequently activating the expression of virulence-related genes.

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Credit: Food & Medicine Homology

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is notorious for its role in food spoilage and infections, posing a significant threat to both food safety and human health. Traditionally, antimicrobial agents have been the go-to solution for managing contamination. However, the overuse of these agents has accelerated the development of drug resistance, leading to the emergence of multidrug-resistant strains that are difficult to treat. In response to this growing concern, the need for alternative methods to mitigate Pseudomonas aeruginosa’s pathogenicity and resistance has never been more urgent.

In a review article (DOI: 10.26599/FMH.2025.9420066) published on December 16, 2024, in Food & Medicine Homology, researchers from China Three Gorges University and collaborating institutions highlight the potential of quorum sensing inhibitors (QSIs) as a novel approach to tackle Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The study delves into various QSIs, exploring their mechanisms of action and potential applications in food safety and healthcare.

The review provides a comprehensive look at the quorum sensing (QS) systems in Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which regulate the production of virulence factors and biofilm formation. The researchers examine a wide range of QSIs that can interfere with these systems, reducing bacterial pathogenicity and drug resistance. Among the promising candidates are small molecules derived from natural sources such as plants, animals, and microorganisms, as well as chemically synthesized compounds. Plant-derived compounds like resveratrol and curcumin have shown strong potential in inhibiting QS systems, thereby curbing the production of virulence factors such as proteases, pyocyanin, and biofilms. Additionally, enzymes like AHL lactonases, which degrade QS signaling molecules, offer a non-toxic alternative to traditional antibiotics by directly disrupting bacterial communication.

One of the study’s key findings is the potential of combining QSIs with conventional antibiotics to boost their effectiveness. This synergistic strategy not only decreases the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa but also helps overcome antibiotic resistance, offering a promising solution for both food safety and medical applications. The research highlights the importance of targeting QS systems as a sustainable strategy to combat the growing threat of antibiotic-resistant pathogens. Future work will aim to optimize these QSIs for practical use and explore their potential in combination therapies to maximize their efficacy against multidrug-resistant strains.

Dr. Jin-Fang Zhou, the lead author of the study, underscored the significance of targeting quorum sensing to address antibiotic resistance. “By inhibiting quorum sensing, we can effectively reduce the virulence of Pseudomonas aeruginosa without promoting resistance. This approach provides a sustainable solution to the escalating problem of antibiotic-resistant pathogens in both food and healthcare environments.”

The findings of this study have profound implications for food safety and medical treatment. QSIs could pave the way for new antimicrobial agents that target bacterial communication rather than killing the bacteria outright, thereby reducing the risk of resistance. This strategy could also be particularly effective in managing biofilm-associated infections, which are notoriously difficult to treat. Looking ahead, further research will focus on optimizing these QSIs for practical applications and exploring their potential in combination therapies, ultimately enhancing their effectiveness against multidrug-resistant strains.

This work was supported by grants from the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 32000091, 32200152), the Henan Province Science and Technology Attack Plan Foundation (No. 242102231047).

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Journal

Food & Medicine Homology

DOI

10.26599/FMH.2025.9420066 

Article Title

Quorum sensing inhibitor: an effective strategy to attenuate the virulence and drug resistance of Pseudomonas aeruginosa