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CNN —China is making “significant progress” building the country’s fifth research facility in Antarctica after a several years-long lull in construction, according to a report by the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). The site – a research station China has hailed as a means to expand its scientific investigation in the Antarctic – could also be used to enhance the country’s intelligence collection, according to CSIS. In February 2020, a team of US inspectors visited the station, where they were hosted by station leader Wang Zhechao of the Polar Research Institute of China. China has established four scientific research bases in Antarctica since 1984, according to the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Under the 1959 treaty Antarctic Treaty, to which China is party, activities on the continent are restricted to “peaceful purposes.”Military personnel are allowed to conduct scientific research, but may not set up bases, test weapons of carry out maneuvers.

☆ From making parts with A.I. to digitally cloning cars: What factories will look like in the future
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-19 | by ( Ryan Browne | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

RittalConversational artificial intelligence that can be used to communicate with equipment and generate machine parts. These are just a few of the technologies that will power the factories of the future, according to technologists and industry experts who spoke with CNBC. Floyd said that Google is already working to achieve this with natural language processing capabilities in its AI tools. "In the future, there is potential to generate content from and for many types of manufacturing equipment, ranging from specific repair instructions to software code that is tailored to a specific asset." Many manufacturers see potential in the "industrial metaverse," a version of the metaverse tailored to the manufacturing, construction and engineering industries.

☆ Winter Showers (and Showers and Showers) Bring a Bounty of Wildflowers
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-16 | by ( Jill Cowan | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: 1 min

LAKE ELSINORE, Calif. — Torrential downpours this winter sent California residents fleeing from floods and mudslides. Blizzards dumped snow in the mountains, trapping locals in their homes for weeks. Hulking trees crashed into homes and severed power lines. After such a disastrous start to the year, it may be a while before nature can fully recompense Californians for their struggles. But the succession of atmospheric rivers did deliver relief from a prolonged drought.

☆ 2023 Hurricane Season Predicted to Be Below Average After a Costly 2022
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Richard Vanderford | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Fort Myers Beach, Fla., is rebuilding after being hit by Hurricane Ian in September. This year’s Atlantic hurricane season will likely bring fewer storms than average, scientists said—offering a potential respite for coastal locales after a costly 2022—though they cautioned the forecast is less certain than usual because it is complicated by El Niño. Researchers at Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Science anticipate 13 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes in 2023, according to a forecast released Thursday. A typical hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, results in 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

☆ Racial Disparities are worsening disaster recovery for people of color. With climate change, things could get worse
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-14 | by ( Lauren Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +13 min

Rolling Fork, Mississippi suffered massive damage from a powerful tornado on March 24. Racial disparities existed in Rolling Fork for decades. She started I-DIEM after spending over 14 years in disaster management. Shirley Stamps stands in the rubble of her home in the aftermath of the Rolling Fork tornado. And increasingly, non-profits are doing things differently to address racial disparities in disaster management.

☆ What is a red flag warning? What to know as fire weather conditions affect more parts of the US
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Chris Panella | Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Here's what to know when you see a red flag warning in your area, and how to protect yourself. Red flag warnings indicate dry, arid weather and strong wind conditions that increase the possibility of dangerous wildfires. One map shared on Twitter by climate reporter Dave Levitan shows the latest range of red flag warnings stretching from New Mexico to Massachusetts. Be careful with cigarettes during a red flag warning. Lastly, the NWS has some basic guidelines to avoid igniting fires during a red flag warning:

☆ How Unusual Was This Winter’s Snowfall Across the U.S.?
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Zach Levitt | Elena Shao | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +9 min

Boston New York City 120 inches 120 80 80 Previous years since 2003 40 40 This year Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr. Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr. Philadelphia Washington, D.C. 120 120 80 80 40 40 Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr. Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr. Boston 100 inches Previous years since 2003 80 60 40 20 This year Oct. Dec. Feb. Apr.

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☆ Billionaire founder of Paul Mitchell and Patron invests in man-made coral reefs
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Diana Olick | In Dianaolick | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

Coral reefs, often called the "rainforests of the sea," support roughly 25% of all known marine species. And the planet has lost half its coral reefs since the 1950s due in large part to climate change. The annual value of U.S. commercial and recreational fisheries dependent on coral reefs is $200 million. Brosnan has been studying coral reefs for more than 25 years, with a specific focus on the Caribbean. So right now today, we lose more coral reefs in a day than we can restore in a decade."

☆ Webb telescope takes striking image of planet Uranus
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-07 | by ( Taylor Nicioli | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —The James Webb Space Telescope has captured a new stunning image of ice giant Uranus, with almost all its faint dusty rings on display. Uranus has 13 known rings, with 11 of them visible in the new Webb image. A November Hubble image of Uranus (left) captured the planet's bright polar cap, while the recent Webb image displayed more detail, with a subtle enhanced brightness at the cap's center. With the exact mechanism behind the haze unknown, scientists are studying the polar cap using telescope images such as this new Webb image. In this new Webb image, similar to other recent images by the Hubble Space Telescope, storm clouds can be seen at the edge of the polar cap.

☆ 478 tornado reports across 25 states: How a mild winter led to destruction
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-06 | by ( Denise Chow | Nigel Chiwaya | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

There have been at least 478 tornado reports this year across 25 states as of Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service. Only 2017, with 503 tornado reports, and 2008, with 523, had more at this point in the year. The southern part of the U.S. was not particularly cold this winter." This dynamic is why tornadoes in the South occur more commonly in the cooler months, from late fall through winter and into early spring. These storms are also projected to hit Southern states like Alabama, Mississippi and Tennessee more frequently in the future, according to the research.

☆ An ominous-looking shelf cloud descended over Chicago, EarthCam footage shows, bringing severe winds up to 60 mph
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Chris Panella | Jessica Orwig | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

An imposing, ominous shelf cloud was spotted in the skies above Chicago. Video shows the cloud moving through the city, bringing strong winds up to 60 mph with it. If you see one of these apocalyptic-looking shelf clouds coming toward you, it's important to seek shelter, Wysocki said. The National Weather Service of Chicago said the area was experiencing severe weather threats throughout this morning, with strong winds and rains. Derek Van Dam, a CNN meteorologist, tweeted that the "powerful" shelf cloud brought wind gusts of up to 60 mph to Chicago.

☆ Stocks making the biggest moves premarket: Johnson & Johnson, FedEx, Zions and more
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( Pia Singh | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

A FedEx delivery man is seen on Chestnut Street in San Francisco on January 11, 2023 as atmospheric river storms hit California, United States. Zions Bancorporation — Shares of Zions Bancorporation rose 3.2% after Baird upgraded the regional bank stock to an outperform rating. Lamb Weston — Shares of the potato processing giant were up about 1% ahead of the company's scheduled earnings release on Thursday. FedEx — Shares of the shipping company gained 3.1% in premarket trading after FedEx announced a dividend hike and a corporate reorganization. FedEx said it will raise its dividend by 10%, consolidate its different business divisions and change its executive compensation packages.

☆ Multiple killed and injured after tornado slices through southeastern Missouri
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-05 | by ( David K. Li | Kathryn Prociv | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

The tornado caused widespread destruction and killed and injured multiple people. A "significant" tornado tore through southeastern Missouri on Wednesday morning, leaving multiple people dead and widespread destruction as authorities warned of more twisters. Mike Parson posted an aerial picture of the devastation in Bollinger County, saying that "fatalities have been confirmed and others have been injured." There are at least "four weather-related deaths" in or around Bollinger County, Highway Patrol Sgt. The highway patrol has urged people to avoid the area as first responders work to find injured.

☆ Study explains how primordial life survived on 'Snowball Earth'
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Will Dunham | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +4 min

Life somehow managed to survive during this time called "Snowball Earth," and a new study offers a deeper understanding as to why. "Our study shows that, at least near the end of the Marinoan 'Snowball Earth' event, habitable areas extended to mid-latitude oceans, much larger than previously thought. And the Earth spiraled into Snowball Earth conditions," Virginia Tech geobiologist and study co-author Shuhai Xiao said. Multicellular organisms including red algae, green algae and fungi emerged before the Cryogenian and survived "Snowball Earth." "It is fair to say that the 'Snowball Earth' events were significant challenges to life on Earth," Xiao added.

☆ A long-dormant lake has reappeared in California, bringing havoc along with it
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-04 | by ( Evan Bush | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

David Swanson | ReutersPeople have worked for a century to make California's Tulare Basin into a food grower's paradise. The Tulare Basin is at the southern end of California's San Joaquin Valley — and in essence, it's a massive bowl. Before irrigators dug canals and rerouted water for farming in the late 1800s, Tulare Lake filled the bowl's lower reaches. Today, the irrigation system is designed to "use every single drop of water" that flows into the basin, Mount said. Tulare Lake refilled in 1997 and 1983 during very wet seasons.

☆ A camera caught a fish swimming more than 8,300 meters below the surface near Japan, making it the deepest observation of a fish ever recorded
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-02 | by ( Kenneth Niemeyer | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +2 min

Researchers spotted the fish in the Izu-Ogasawara trench near Japan, the outlet reported. Previously, the deepest recorded fish was seen at 8,178 meters in the Mariana Trench in 2018Top editors give you the stories you want — delivered right to your inbox each weekday. Previously, the deepest recorded fish was spotted 8,178 meters down in the Mariana Trench, according to BBC News. The previous deepest recorded fish in the Mariana Trench was identified as a Mariana snailfish, which had been known to scientists since 2014, Insider reported at the time. "We predicted the deepest fish would be there and we predicted it would be a snailfish," Jamieson said according to the outlet.

☆ California’s Winter Storms: 25 Atmospheric Rivers, Near-Record Snow, Billions in Damages
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Suryatapa Bhattacharya | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

This copy is for your personal, non-commercial use only. Distribution and use of this material are governed by our Subscriber Agreement and by copyright law. For non-personal use or to order multiple copies, please contact Dow Jones Reprints at 1-800-843-0008 or visit www.djreprints.com. https://www.wsj.com/articles/californias-winter-storms-25-atmospheric-rivers-near-record-snow-billions-in-damages-2a4bd219

☆ A powerful 'X-class' solar flare just hit Earth. Forecasters are bracing for more sun activity in the coming days.
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Morgan Mcfall-Johnsen | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

The sun blasted Earth with a powerful X-class solar flare on Tuesday, causing radio blackouts. Three more moderate solar flares followed, and we could see more eruptions in the coming days. This may be a precursor to even more solar activity in the coming days. NASA/SDOThat report forecast a chance of more M-class flares in the coming days, with a "slight chance" of another X-class flare on Thursday. More often, though, solar activity triggers energetic displays of Northern Lights, or aurora borealis, sometimes pushing them further south than their normal Arctic occurrence.

☆ Florida aquarium to release orca after more than 50 years in captivity
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-30 | by ( Tyler Clifford | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] A killer whale jumps out of the water in the sea near Rausu, Hokkaido, Japan, July 1, 2019. REUTERS/Kim Kyung-HoonMarch 30 (Reuters) - A Florida aquarium has reached a deal with animal welfare advocates to release Lolita, a 5,000-pound (2,268 kg) killer whale held in captivity for more than half a century, officials said on Thursday. The plan to return Lolita to her natural habitat requires federal approval, according to the newspaper. The Seaquarium's previous owner, SeaWorld Entertainment Inc (SEAS.N), phased out killer whale shows in 2016. Killer whales are highly social mammals that have no natural predators and can up to 80 years.

☆ As climate change intensifies extreme weather, NOAA looks to startups to help improve its forecasts
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Magdalena Petrova | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. experienced 18 separate billion-dollar weather or climate disasters in 2022, costing a total of $165 billion in damages. This information is then fed into powerful supercomputers that produce weather models that meteorologists use to come up with forecasts. As climate change intensifies extreme weather events, accurate weather forecasting is becoming more important than ever. The weather forecasting services industry in the U.S. was estimated to be worth about $17.4 billion in 2023, according to IBISWorld. CNBC spoke with two such companies, Boston-based Tomorrow.io and Alameda, California-based Saildrone, to learn how their technology can help improve weather forecasting for NOAA and others.

☆ We're halfway to a tipping point that would trigger 6 feet of sea level rise from melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-29 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

An aerial view of meltwater lakes formed at the Russell Glacier front, part of the Greenland ice sheet in Kangerlussuaq, Greenland, on August 16, 2022. New research published this week in the journal Geophysical Research Letters found that carbon emissions are halfway to a tipping point after which 6 feet of sea level rise from the melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet would be unstoppable. The further the Earth overshoots the first tipping point of 1,000 gigatons of carbon emissions, the faster the Greenland Ice Sheet will melt. If total emissions of carbon stay below the 1,000 gigatons of carbon emissions threshold, then the melting Greenland Ice Sheet would "only" contribute tens of centimeters to total sea level rise, he added. Avoiding carbon emissions is in any case much cheaper than the energy required to capture this carbon again," Höning told CNBC.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailWhy predicting the weather is so hardWeather forecasting is a complicated task for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that begins with collecting billions of observations per day on metrics like temperature and wind speed. This information is then fed into supercomputers that produce weather models that meteorologists use to come up with forecasts. But these models are not perfect. Now, NOAA is exploring buying data as a service from startups like Tomorrow.io and Saildrone to improve its forecasting.

☆ A deadline looms for rules governing deep-sea mining, but a rushed decision may be risky
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-27 | by ( Catherine Clifford | In Catclifford | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +12 min

Proponents say that deep-sea mining there is a less damaging way to gather metals like nickel, copper, manganese and cobalt. Opponents of deep-sea mining say there is not enough information to make that kind of decision. Critics of the idea of deep-sea mining have said the process is being rushed. That's what's behind the drive for diversity of supply on land-based mining, as well as exploration of alternatives such as deep-sea mining." Finding consensus for the Wild West of the seaOpponents of deep-sea mining want to tap the brakes.

Entrepreneur Luke Iseman said the sulfur dioxide in the balloons would deflect sunlight and cool the atmosphere, a controversial climate strategy known as solar geoengineering. The Mexican government told Reuters it is now actively drafting “new regulations and standards” to prohibit solar geoengineering inside the country. While the Mexican government announced its intention to ban solar geoengineering in January, its current actions and plans to discuss geoengineering bans with other countries have not been previously reported. GLOBAL GEOENGINEERING BANClimate policy experts said Mexico is in a position to help set the rules for future geoengineering research. David Keith, a professor of applied physics and public policy at Harvard University who has dedicated much of his research to solar geoengineering, called Iseman's launch a "stunt."

☆ California’s Atmospheric Rivers Make for Summer Skiing
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Talal Ansari | Suryatapa Bhattacharya | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

California, synonymous with its beaches and sun, is keeping winter a little longer. Ski resorts in the state are extending their seasons amid near-record snowfall from a series of powerful winter storms that have thrashed the Golden State in recent months. Mammoth Mountain, in the Sierra Nevada range, said it would be open until at least the end of July. Heavenly Mountain Resort near Lake Tahoe will close May 7, while Big Bear Mountain in the San Bernardino Mountains and Mountain High in Los Angeles County are among the resorts planning to stay open through April.

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