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Sea Level Rise Will Cause ‘Catastrophic Migration,’ Scientists Warn (Maria)
The author writes, “Sea level rise will become unmanageable at just 1.5 C (34 F) of global heating and lead to ‘catastrophic inland migration,’ scientists behind a new study have warned. This scenario may unfold even if the average level of heating over the last decade of 34 F continues into the future. The loss of ice from the giant Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets has quadrupled since the 1990s due to the climate crisis and is now the principal driver of sea level rise. … Today, about 230 million people live within 1 meter of current sea level, and 1 billion live within 33 feet above sea level.”
Food for Millions Rots in Storage After Trump’s USAID Cuts (DonkeyHotey)
The author writes, “Roughly 60,000 metric tons of food — enough to feed 3.5 million people for a month — is sitting unused in foreign countries because of the Trump administration’s sudden cut in funding to USAID earlier this year. … The food, valued at $98 million, was intended for emergency distribution in hunger-stricken regions including Gaza, Sudan, and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Most of it will now end up in incinerators or as animal feed.”
Trump Budget Would Cut Ocean Data and Leave Boaters, Anglers, and Forecasters Scrambling for Info (Reader Steve)
The author writes, “President Donald Trump wants to eliminate all federal funding for the observing system’s regional operations. Scientists say the cuts could mean the end of efforts to gather real-time data crucial to navigating treacherous harbors, plotting tsunami escape routes and predicting hurricane intensity.”
A Hopkins Professor Says America’s Descent Into Authoritarianism May Have Started With Policing in Blue Cities. If That’s True, We’re in Big Trouble. (Reader Jim)
From The Real News Network: “As the Trump administration continues to press the boundaries of the Constitution, Johns Hopkins Professor Lester Spence says we need to understand one yet-to-be-examined source of the push towards authoritarianism: urban policing.”
‘How Come I Can’t Breathe?’: Musk’s Data Company Draws a Backlash in Memphis (Laura)
From E&E News: “Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence company is belching smog-forming pollution into an area of South Memphis that already leads the state in emergency department visits for asthma. None of the 35 methane gas turbines that help power xAI’s massive supercomputer is equipped with pollution controls typically required by federal rules. The company has no Clean Air Act permits.”
Get Mad in Public, and 12 Other Ways to Save Health and Science (Mili)
From The New York Times: “The early months of Donald Trump’s presidency have brought sweeping changes to the country’s scientific and medical landscape. Deep cuts to research funding and widespread layoffs have threatened progress in medicine, energy, climate science and other key fields — areas where the United States has long been a global leader. The future is uncertain, but decline isn’t inevitable. Times Opinion asked experts across disciplines to share concrete ways that individuals, organizations and local leaders can keep science and health efforts moving forward. Here are their ideas.”
Researchers Puzzle Over Rash of Baby Monkey Kidnappings (Dana)
The author writes, “On an island in Panama, a fad that one researcher called ‘viscerally disturbing’ has recently taken off among a group of young male monkeys. These adolescents and juveniles have started to kidnap the infants of another monkey species, seemingly just for kicks. That’s what scientists think after watching a bunch of male white-faced capuchin monkeys walking around with baby howler monkeys clinging to their backs.”
