Learning & Developments Archives

Feb152025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Fujitsu, Yokohama Univ Predict Typhoon Tornadoes Using Supercomputer

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Disasters, Learning & Developments

Fujitsu Limited and Yokohama National University have achieved a groundbreaking milestone by developing the world's first real-time prediction system for multiple tornadoes associated with typhoons. Utilizing Fujitsu’s Fugaku supercomputer and an enhanced version of the Cloud Resolving Storm Simulator (CReSS), this innovation significantly improves disaster preparedness by delivering more accurate and faster tornado forecasts. This advanced system reduces prediction times from over 11 hours to just 80 minutes, allowing forecasts up to four hours ahead of tornado occurrences. Notably, the prediction model only used 5% of Fugaku’s computational capacity, demonstrating the potential for larger-scale simulations and even quicker predictions. Addressing Tornado Prediction Challenges Ab...

Feb152025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Earth’s Magnetic North Pole Continues Its Drift Toward Siberia: How This Ongoing Shift Could Impact Global Navigation and Technology

Breaking News, Environment, Fact Check, Learning & Developments

Earth’s magnetic north pole has moved again, drawing closer to Siberia, according to the latest update of the World Magnetic Model (WMM). This shift could have significant implications for global navigation systems, including those used by commercial aviation and GPS devices. Unlike the fixed geographic North Pole, magnetic north is influenced by the turbulent movement of molten iron in Earth’s core. The pole has been drifting for centuries, but its speed increased dramatically in the 1990s, reaching a peak of 34.2 miles (55 km) per year before slowing to around 21.7 miles (35 km) per year by 2015. The WMM, updated every five years, ensures accurate navigation for planes, ships, and military operations. If updates are delayed, navigation errors could occur. Dr. Arnaud Chulliat, a sen...

Feb142025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

New Study Reveals Why Rock-Ice Avalanches Travel Farther, Proposes Key Friction Equation

Breaking News, Learning & Developments

Rock avalanches are a significant hazard in mountainous regions, but when ice is present, the risk escalates dramatically. In colder regions, rock-ice avalanches avalanches consisting of both rock and ice tend to travel much farther than those made up of rock alone. Despite this well-known behavior, scientists have long struggled to understand the exact mechanism behind this increased mobility. A recent study led by Fan et al. [2024] sheds new light on this mystery using advanced experimental methods. The researchers developed a state-of-the-art flume setup equipped with high-speed cameras that can operate at temperatures as low as −10°C. This allowed them to closely observe how ice fragments interact with rock fragments during avalanche simulations, offering unprecedented insight into ...

Feb132025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate & Maternal Health Curtin Study Links Air Pollution to Prolonged Pregnancy

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Learning & Developments

New research from Curtin University reveals that exposure to outdoor air pollution and extreme temperatures during pregnancy may increase the risk of prolonged pregnancies, offering fresh insights into the effects of climate change on maternal health. The study, which analyzed nearly 400,000 births in Western Australia, found that higher exposure to fine particulate air pollution (PM2.5) and biothermal stress a combination of temperature, humidity, wind speed, and human physiology was linked to pregnancies lasting beyond 41 weeks. Dr. Sylvester Dodzi Nyadanu, the study’s lead author from Curtin’s School of Population Health, explained that while preterm births have been studied extensively, this is the first research to explore the impact of environmental factors on prolonged pregnan...

Feb122025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Satellite Data Uncovers Years of Warning Signs Before Anak Krakatau’s Devastating 2018 Eruption and Tsunami

Breaking News, Learning & Developments, Tech

A groundbreaking analysis of satellite data has revealed that the catastrophic 2018 eruption and collapse of Indonesia’s Anak Krakatau volcano which triggered a deadly tsunami was preceded by years of subtle but accelerating movements along its mountainside. Researchers at Penn State University found that the volcano's flank had been slipping for over a decade, showing signs that could have potentially served as an early warning if monitored in real time. The study, recently published in Geophysical Research Letters, highlights how advanced radar satellites can detect minute ground deformations, helping scientists track unstable ocean volcanoes and predict possible collapses before they occur. "Ocean volcanoes, when unstable, can collapse catastrophically and generate tsunamis," expl...

Feb82025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Canada over 540,000 New Homes Built in flood-prone Areas to Tackle climate risks

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Learning & Developments

A groundbreaking report highlights how Canada can tackle its housing needs while avoiding catastrophic climate risks. It’s the first study in the country to quantify the economic damage of building homes in flood and wildfire-prone areas, urging a shift away from hazard zones to save billions and protect communities. The analysis warns that by 2030, over 540,000 new homes could be built in flood-prone areas, leading to $2 billion in annual damages. The financial burden will hit Manitoba and the Yukon hardest, with each new home in high-risk zones adding $1,200 per year in extra costs. The report calls for urgent action, recommending that housing developments be placed in safer areas. By planning smarter, Canada can prevent escalating disaster costs while ensuring its citizens have se...

Feb82025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Climate Crisis hits African Mountains Harder than Expected

Breaking News, Climate Actions, Environment, Learning & Developments

A new study from the University of York reveals that climate change is impacting mountain communities in equatorial Africa far more severely than previously thought, demanding urgent adaptation measures. Researchers interviewed 1,500 smallholder farmers across ten mountain regions in eight countries including Kenya, Ethiopia, Uganda, and Rwanda and found widespread reports of rising temperatures, declining rainfall, increased extreme weather, and unpredictable seasons. These shifts are disrupting agriculture, reducing crop yields, and worsening food security for millions. Communities are adapting by changing farming methods, diversifying livelihoods, and improving water and soil management, but responses vary significantly across regions. Experts stress that a one-size-fits-all appro...

Feb62025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

India Advances Biomedical Research with Key Facilities and Partnerships

Breaking News, Fact Check, Learning & Developments

India has taken a significant step forward in biomedical research with the inauguration of its first-ever Ferret Research Facility, the launch of the GARBH-INi-DRISHTI data repository, and a pivotal technology transfer agreement, all aimed at strengthening its role in global health security and advancing research in maternal and child health. The groundbreaking event, held on February 3, 2025, at the Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI) in Faridabad, Haryana, was led by Dr. Rajesh Gokhale, Director General of the Biotechnology Research and Innovation Council (BRIC) and Secretary of the Department of Biotechnology (DBT). First Ferret Research Facility: Boosting Disease Research The newly inaugurated THSTI Ferret Research Facility marks a significant milesto...

Feb52025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Earthquake Hotspots: Why Suburban Areas Face Greater Devastation

Breaking News, Disasters, Fact Check, Learning & Developments

A vast majority of earthquakes occur within the infamous Ring of Fire, a seismic hotspot encircling the Pacific Ocean. Yet, when these earthquakes strike, the areas that experience the most intense shaking aren’t always the ones that suffer the worst destruction. Recent research has uncovered a hidden factor contributing to earthquake devastation: migration patterns and housing vulnerabilities. The 1999 Chi-Chi Earthquake Case Study Taiwan’s catastrophic Chi-Chi earthquake in 1999, which claimed over 2,400 lives, presented an unexpected pattern of destruction. Contrary to expectations, the worst damage was not in the bustling city centers but in the suburbs and outer regions. Similar trends have been observed in earthquakes that hit China, Chile, and Nepal, raising questions about wh...

Feb32025 by Editor DeskNo Comments

Sikkim Flood Disaster Highlights Growing Climate Risks in the Himalayas

Breaking News, Disasters, Fact Check, Learning & Developments

An international research team has concluded that the devastating flood disaster in Sikkim, India, in October 2023 was caused by the collapse of 14.7 million cubic meters of frozen moraine material into South Lhonak Lake, triggering a tsunami-like flood wave that reached up to 20 meters in height. This tragic event, which claimed at least 55 lives and caused widespread damage along the Teesta River, serves as a stark reminder of the escalating dangers posed by climate change in high mountain regions. A Massive Tsunami-like Wave On October 3, 2023, the collapse of frozen moraine material into the lake unleashed a catastrophic glacial lake outburst flood (GLOF), releasing about 50 million cubic meters of water—equivalent to the volume of 20,000 Olympic-sized swimming pools. The flood c...