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☆ Black-colored plastic used for kitchen utensils and toys linked to banned toxic flame retardants
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-01 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“That particular product had up to 22,800 parts per million of total flame retardants — that’s almost 3% by weight,” Liu said. That chemical is a member of the polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDE, class of flame retardants. “I would recommend not using black plastic for food contact materials or buying toys with black plastic pieces,” said Birnbaum, who was not involved in the study. What consumers can doExperts say there are ways that consumers can reduce their risk from flame retardants. “Replace your plastic kitchen utensils with stainless steel options or choose plastic free items to help reduce your overall exposure to harmful additives and plastic,” Liu said.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Megan Liu, ” Liu, Liu, DecaBDE, decaBDE, toxicologist Linda Birnbaum, “, Birnbaum, ” Erich Shea, ” Shea, that’s, hadn’t, Leonardo Trasande, “ I’m, Trasande, vacuuming, ” Birnbaum Organizations: CNN, Toxic, US Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, National Toxicology, Chemistry, ” Manufacturers, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Flame, Alliance, Amsterdam Institute for Life, Vrije Universiteit, “, NYU Langone Health Locations: United States, sofas, Vrije, Amsterdam, New York City

☆ Mysterious magma in extinct volcanoes may be filled with elements needed to power the future
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Rare earth elements, such as lanthanum, neodymium and terbium, are critical for helping the world break its long, destructive relationship with planet-heating fossil fuels. These materials — so-called rare earths — are not actually that rare but can be challenging to extract as they are often found in low concentrations. They wanted to understand whether this was “a geological accident, or is there something inherent about those iron-rich volcanoes that makes them rich in rare earth elements?” Anenburg told CNN. Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri, a former iron-ore mine, could also hold rare earth elements. Some experts have suggested there should be more of a focus on recycling rare earth elements rather than mining.

Persons: ”, Michael Anenburg, Anenburg, Jamie Kidston, Lingli Zhou Organizations: CNN, Australian National University, University of, Chinese Academy of Sciences, ANU, Companies, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Wildlife Locations: China, Kiruna, Arctic Sweden, United States, Chile, Australia, Vrije, “, Missouri

☆ A North Korean defector was made a minister in South Korea, likely irking Kim Jong Un, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-18 | by ( Joshua Nelken-Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Tae made a high-profile defection to South Korea in 2016, and was previously an ambassador at the North Korean Embassy in London. The appointment makes him the first North Korean defector to be given a vice-ministerial job in South Korea, according to AP. Related stories"He's definitely considered a traitor of the current North Korean regime and I think that's how they'll paint it," she said. But "North Korea doesn't consider the Council to be particularly relevant," Pardo, the KF-VUB Korea Chair, told BI. Smith added: "He has been and will continue to be actively involved in campaigns that expose the North Korean government and the problems of the North Korean population."

Persons: —, Yoon Suk, Yongho, Tae, Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Sarah A ., Kim Jong, He's, Pardo, Hazel Smith, Smith, It's Organizations: Service, Korea, Advisory Council, North Korean Embassy, Business, North, KF, VUB, Brussels School, Governance, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, National Assembly, CNN, Korean Studies, University of Sheffield, South Korea's National Assembly, Korea doesn't, SOAS University of London, South Korean, Korean Locations: North Korean, South Korea, London, VUB Korea, Vrije, North, Korea, North Korea

☆ Kim Jong Un and Putin have upgraded their bromance, saying Russia and North Korea have reached a 'new high of alliance'
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-19 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Read previewRussian President Vladimir Putin made his first visit to North Korea in 24 years on Wednesday, with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un saying the two nations have upgraded their partnership to "a new high of alliance." AdvertisementState-run Russian news agency TASS reported that North Korea returned the favor by gifting Putin several pieces of art depicting his likeness. "North Korea is supporting Russia right now," he added, "but I think more significant is that now, at least in theory, Russia will have to support North Korea." AdvertisementRussia and North Korea have developed closer ties since the launch of Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. CNN noted that while Putin did not explicitly describe the new agreement as an alliance, he acknowledged that ties between North Korea and Russia have reached a "new level."

Persons: —, Vladimir Putin, Kim Jong Un, Kim, gifting Putin, Putin, Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Antony Blinken, Biden Organizations: Service, North, Yonhap News Agency, Business, Korean, TASS, KF, VUB, Brussels School, Governance, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, UN, Ukraine, NBC News, CNN Locations: North Korea, Korea, VUB Korea, Vrije, Russia, Moscow, Pyongyang, Ukraine

☆ Plummeting fertility rates are making Asian countries worry about running out of soldiers
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-17 | by ( Joshua Zitser | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewEast Asia has some of the world's lowest fertility rates, forcing countries in the region to think hard about how to maintain their military strength. This is particularly concerning given the rise in tensions between North and South Korea, and between China and the US. China, Japan, and South Korea have fertility rates below the global replacement rate — resulting in declining populations. South Korea's fertility rate was 0.72 in 2023, the lowest in the world, compared to the global average of 2.2, according to The Lancet. Hughes said that, like South Korea, Japan has been left thinking about how automation and AI can mitigate the worst effects of a shortage of an army-age population.

Persons: —, Ramon Pacheco Pardo, Pardo, Chris Hughes, Hughes, They've, it's, China's Organizations: Service, Business, KF, VUB, Brussels School, Governance, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, South Korean, North, - Defense Forces, University, Warwick, Self - Defense Forces, Japan Times, Liberation Army, Nikkei Asia Locations: Asia, North, South Korea, China, Japan, Korea's, VUB Korea, Vrije, North Korea, Korea, Israel, Pardo, Ukraine, Russia

☆ For Campus Protesters in Brussels, Familiar Methods, but Different Outcomes
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-16 | by ( Matina Stevis-Gridneff | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

On the leafy campus of a Dutch-speaking university, students have for months been demanding that their institution break ties with Israeli academia over the war in Gaza. Their campaign borrows extensively from the U.S. campus protest playbook. The students have set up an encampment. They have staged daily demonstrations. But in Belgium’s capital, the protest at Vrije Universiteit Brussel, or V.U.B., has been far more peaceful because of a unique combination of factors: a supportive political environment (Belgium is a vocal critic of Israel); a proactive rector; strict protest rules; and, crucially, a tiny campus Jewish community that has chosen not to confront protesters despite discomfort over some of the protests.

Organizations: Vrije Universiteit Brussel Locations: Gaza, U.S, Israel, Palestine, United States, Belgium’s, Vrije, Belgium

☆ Meteorites may be lost to Antarctic ice as climate warms, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-10 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

Ice sampling occurs on a blue ice area during the 2022 Chilean Antarctic Institute field mission. “As the climate continues to warm, Antarctic rocks are sinking into the ice at an increasing rate. Meteorites are particularly plentiful in blue ice fields. Steven Goderis/Vrije Universiteit BrusselResearchers have identified areas of meteorite-rich blue ice mostly by luck. “The main worry is the logistical aspect of searching for Antarctica meteorites, which is already difficult today due to the remoteness of Antarctica.

Persons: Maria Valdes, ”, Valdes, Robert A, “, José, wasn’t, Balchenfjella, Steven Goderis, Veronica Tollenaar, ” Valdes, Tollenaar, ” Tollenaar, Harry Zekollari, Katherine Joy, Matthias van Ginneken, van Ginneken, Kevin Righter, Righter Organizations: CNN, Field, University of Chicago, Pritzker Center, Meteoritics, Polar Studies, Antarctic Institute, University of Santiago, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Université Libre de Bruxelles, University of Manchester, University of Kent’s, Astrophysics, NASA Johnson Space Center Locations: Antarctica, Chile, Vrije, Université, Belgium, Houston

☆ ChatGPT’s boss claims nuclear fusion is the answer to AI’s soaring energy needs. Experts say not so fast
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-26 | by ( Laura Paddison | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Yet according to Sam Altman, head of ChatGPT creator OpenAI, there is a clear solution to this tricky dilemma: nuclear fusion. Nuclear fusion — the process that powers the sun and other stars — is likely still decades away from being mastered and commercialized on Earth. A section of JT-60SA, a huge experimental nuclear fusion reactor at Naka Fusion Institute in Naka city of Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, on January 22, 2024. The sector was responsible for around 2% of global electricity demand in 2022, according to the IEA. But, he cautioned, this doesn’t necessarily mean AI’s electricity demand will fall.

Persons: Sam Altman, OpenAI, Altman, “, Lex Fridman, ” Altman, —, Alex de Vries, ”, Aneeqa Khan, ” Khan, Philip Fong, Vries, ” de Vries, Michael Khoo, “ We’re, Khoo, Yiannis Kourtoglou, Sen, Ed Markey, ” Markey, ” Khoo Organizations: CNN, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, University of Manchester, “, JT, Naka Fusion, Getty, International Energy Agency, Boston Consulting, Reuters, Microsoft, OpenAI, Boston Consulting Group, Google, Princeton, ” Locations: “, Naka, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, AFP, Pascal, Nicosia, Cyprus

VOORBURG, Netherlands (AP) — Cans of fish, jars of pasta sauce and bags of beans are stacked in blue crates. Meat, dairy and bread are kept cold in a huge freezer and a walk-in refrigerator in this affluent Dutch town. “There is a long list of things we need to do to challenge that cost-of-living crisis,” he told reporters at a campaign event. That shot up to 250 as a cost-of-living crisis swept across the world and did not spare the wealthy Netherlands. The Leidschendam-Voorburg food bank Kuipers oversees estimates that the true number of people eligible for food aid could be two to three times higher.

Persons: ”, Rob Kuipers, Maurice Crul, Pieter Omtzigt, Mark Rutte —, “, Frans Timmermans, Kuipers Organizations: Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Democrat, People’s Party for Freedom and Democracy, Union, . Locations: Netherlands, Leidschendam, The Hague

☆ What an isolated community in Africa may be able to teach about child care
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-17 | by ( Katie Hunt | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

The children had a high degree of physical contact and care for most of time they were observed. Nikhil ChaudharyResponses to cryingWhat was notable, Chaudhary said, wasn’t necessarily the amount of care children received, but that mothers weren’t responsible for all of it. Other caregivers — fathers, older siblings and nonrelatives — were responsible for 38% to 46% of close care, according to the study. The mean number of caregivers other than a child’s mother was 14.4, but these weren’t all adults. “How representative would a day care center with 18 children in inner-city London be of childhood … anywhere?” he asked.

Persons: “, ”, Nikhil Chaudhary, ” Chaudhary, Chaudhary, ’, —, reexamine, wasn’t, nonrelatives —, …, Jennifer Lansford, Malcolm Gillis, ” Lansford, Carlo Schuengel, ” Schuengel, ” Marc Bornstein, we’re Organizations: CNN, Leverhulme, University of Cambridge, “, Central African, Center for Child, Duke University, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam Locations: Republic of Congo, Central African Republic, North Carolina, London

☆ Dinosaur-killing asteroid impact fouled Earth's atmosphere with dust
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-30 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +5 min

The total amount of dust, they calculated, was about 2,000 gigatonnes - exceeding 11 times the weight of Mt. While prior research highlighted two other factors - sulfur released after the impact and soot from the wildfires - this study indicated dust played a larger role than previously known. "It was cold and dark for years," Vrije Universiteit Brussel planetary scientist and study co-author Philippe Claeys said. "While the sulfur stayed about eight to nine years, soot and silicate dust resided in the atmosphere for about 15 years after the impact. "Without the impact, my guess is that mammals - including us - had little chance to become the dominant organisms on this planet."

Persons: grâce, Cem Berk Senel, Philippe Claeys, Özgür Karatekin, Karatekin, Claeys, Will Dunham, Rosalba O'Brien Organizations: Royal Observatory of, Vrije Universiteit Brussel, Nature, Dinos, Thomson Locations: North Dakota, WASHINGTON, Yucatan, Everest, Dakota, Royal Observatory of Belgium, Vrije, Belgium

☆ Introverts, stop acting like extroverts to be successful—do this instead, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-21 | by ( Natasha Piñon | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The research is clear: Making extra small talk or raising your hand for networking opportunities can help introverts find more energy, better social connections and higher levels of happiness. Extroverts may feel recharged and revitalized after some small talk, while introverts are ready to lie down, even if they enjoyed those conversations just as much. Of course, not every stereotypically extroverted action drains introverts: Some might love rowdy happy hours or off-the-cuff brainstorms. "Acting like an extrovert" might just mean reaching out to others more often, despite knowing you typically find those interaction tiring. A simple calculation can help you determine when to put yourself out there and when to pull back, Shapiro says.

☆ STUDIU: Incendiile ''zombie'' riscă să fie ''mai frecvente şi mai catastrofale'' odată cu schimbarea climei
▼ + stars: | 2021-05-19 | by ( Publika.Md - Aici Sunt Știrile | ) www.publika.md time to read: +3 min

Într-un an, însă, ''incendiile zombie'' au fost responsabile de 38% dintre regiunile arse, scrie agerpres.ro. Pe măsură ce schimbările climatice aridizează peisajele şi conduc la creşterea numărului de incendii violente pe perioada verii, aceste ''incendii zombie'' vor deveni probabil mai frecvente, a precizat cercetătorul. Pentru a calcula amploarea ''incendiilor zombie'' dintr-o zonă, cercetătorii au conceput un algoritm computerizat care ia în considerare imaginile satelitare, datele privind fulgerel şi prezenţa umană şi infrastructura. Pentru a supravieţui pe timpul iernii, incendiile trebuie să ardă la temperaturi deosebit de ridicate şi în profunzime, sugerează studiul. ''Ceea ce în trecut a fost un fenomen relativ rar ar putea deveni ceva mai frecvent şi mai catastrofal'', a subliniat Fresco.

Persons: Reuters, Sander Organizations: Universitatea din Locations: ştiinţă, Olanda, Alaska, SUA, Teritoriile de Nord, Vest, Canadei, Amsterdam, Teritoriile de Nord - Vest, Canada, Siberia, Rusiei, Nancy, Universitatea din Alaska, Fairbanks

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