G7 Leaders Pledge to Accelerate Transition Away from Fossil Fuels Commitment to a Sustainable Future Leaders of the Group of Seven (G7) developed democracies are set to commit to an accelerated transition away from fossil fuels during this decade. This pledge is part of a draft statement to be issued at the end of their ongoing summit in Italy. The G7 nations—comprising the United States, Canada, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, and Italy—aim to achieve a net-zero carbon emission target by 2050, aligning with the best available scientific recommendations. “We will transition away from fossil fuels in energy systems in a…
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DNA Analysis Reveals Insights into Maya Child Sacrifice Discovery of the Chultun In 1967, archaeologists discovered an underground cistern, known as a chultun, near a sacred water body at Chichen Itza, a significant ancient Maya city on Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula. Inside the chultun, they found skeletal remains of over 100 children. DNA Findings and Ritual Significance Recent DNA analysis of 64 of these children has shed light on the practice of child sacrifice at Chichen Itza before European contact. The remains revealed that all the children were boys, mostly aged 3 to 6, including brothers and two sets of identical…
Pentagon Chooses Blue Origin, SpaceX, and ULA for Security Space Missions The U.S. Department of Defense has selected Blue Origin, SpaceX, and United Launch Alliance (ULA) to compete for national security space missions. These selections are part of a $5.6 billion award programme. Selection Details The Pentagon has not specified which rockets were chosen but mentioned that seven companies vied for a place in the programme. The selected rockets must be ready for their first missions by December. Blue Origin, SpaceX, and ULA are the first chosen under the Pentagon’s National Security Space Launch Phase 3 procurement programme. This competition…
Apple Shares Surge to Record High After AI Unveiling Apple shares rose over 7% to a record high on Tuesday. This surge nearly reclaimed its title as the world’s most valuable company from Microsoft. The increase followed it’s announcement of new AI features aimed at boosting iPhone demand. Apple Stock Performance in 2024 Despite the recent rise, the company has been trailing the S&P 500 in 2024. This lag is due to declining iPhone sales and concerns that Apple is falling behind other tech giants in the race for AI dominance. On Tuesday, it’s stock soared 7.3%, closing at $207.15.…
Elephants May Use Names to Communicate with Each Other Over the years, researchers studying elephants have observed a fascinating behaviour. Sometimes when an elephant makes a vocalisation to a group, all the others respond. At other times, only a single individual replies to the same call. This raises the question: could they be addressing each other by names? A recent study of wild African savannah elephants in Kenya suggests this might be the case. Researchers analysed the vocalisations—mainly rumbles produced using their vocal cords—of more than 100 elephants in Amboseli National Park and Samburu National Reserve. Using a machine-learning model,…
Engineers in China Enhance Humanoid Robots’ Facial Expressions and Emotions In Dalian, a city on China’s northeastern coast, engineers at Ex-Robots are developing humanoid robots with an emphasis on facial expressions and emotions. https://youtu.be/lx-l3uVe71I Robot Development Process Inside the Ex-Robots factory, neck-length silicone masks, silicone arms, and feet are laid out on tables. Disembodied heads are displayed, while Emotionally Intelligent Humanoid Robots at various stages of construction stand nearby. Robot design drawings decorate the walls. “We have our own software and algorithm teams,” said Li Boyang, the Chief Executive of Ex-Robots. He mentioned that humanoid robots are the most complex…
Volunteers Protect Sea Turtle Eggs Amid Rising Temperatures On a secluded Malaysian beach, volunteers are taking action to protect sea turtle eggs. They carefully relocate newly laid eggs to cooler, shady areas, responding to concerns that rising temperatures are resulting in fewer male hatchlings. Temperature Determines Sex At the Chagar Hutang Turtle Sanctuary on Redang Island, researchers have noted a decrease in male sea turtle hatchlings. This change is attributed to climate change and exacerbated by the El Niño weather phenomenon, which has caused prolonged hot and dry spells. The temperature at which turtle eggs incubate determines the sex of…
European Powers Pressure Iran on Nuclear Deal Violations Three European powers, Britain, France, and Germany, have informed the U.N. Security Council of Iran’s violations of the 2015 nuclear deal. This move aims to pressure Tehran to address the issue diplomatically and avoid reimposing U.N. sanctions. Background of the Nuclear Deal The 2015 nuclear agreement, known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), involved the E3, China, Russia, and the United States. It limited Iran’s uranium enrichment to prevent the development of nuclear weapons. In return, sanctions from the U.S., U.N., and E.U. were eased. However, tensions escalated when then-U.S.…
China Successfully Launches CERES-1 Carrier Rocket with Three Satellites China launched a CERES-1 carrier rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China on Thursday, successfully sending three satellites into planned orbit. Details of the Launch The commercial rocket took off at 1:00 p.m. (Beijing Time), carrying the TEE-01B satellite and two additional satellites. This mission marks the 14th flight of the CERES-1 rocket series. Successful Mission The launch was another milestone for China’s space programme, showcasing its growing capabilities in commercial satellite deployment. The CERES-1 carrier rocket has been a reliable vehicle for such missions, further cementing China’s…
Bengaluru, June 5, 2024: Mr. S. Somanath, Chairman, ISRO inaugurated state-of-the-art Propellant Tank Production and CNC Machining facilities at HAL’s Aerospace Division today in the presence of Mr C B Ananthakrishnan, CMD (Addl. Charge), HAL and senior officers from ISRO and HAL. The newly established facilities will provide a major boost to ISRO’s ability to meet its growing production needs, particularly for the Launch Vehicle Mark–3, India’s heaviest and most powerful rocket. Currently, the existing capacity allows for only two LVM3 launches per year, whereas ISRO’s requirements stand at six launches annually. The facilities will address this gap, enabling HAL…
