Catastrophic

A sprawling international study of humpback whales in the northern Pacific has found their population has shrunk significantly since 2012 — despite the once-endangered species' remarkable comeback from the brink of extinction. The new research, published in Royal Society Open Science journal on Wednesday, estimated a roughly 20 per cent drop in the cetacean species' numbers over a decade.But despite that, one of the study's nearly 75 listed authors said the findings are not yet cause for alarm.Thomas Doniol-Valcroze is…

For the ninth straight month, Earth has obliterated global heat records — with February, the winter as a whole and the world's oceans setting new high-temperature marks, according to the European Union climate agency Copernicus.The latest record-breaking in this climate change-fuelled global hot streak includes sea surface temperatures that weren't just the hottest for February, but eclipsed any month on record, soaring past August 2023's mark and still rising at the end of the month.And February, as well the previous two…

The old fire rating system in Victoria, versus the new national system. Credit: AFDRS Victorians were braced for the worst on Wednesday amid soaring temperatures and gusty winds, creating the state's worst fire conditions in years. Authorities have declared a "catastrophic" fire risk in some parts of the state. At the time of writing, the Bayindeen…

Scientists are sounding the alarm that a crucial component of the planet’s climate system is in gradual decline and could one day reach a tipping point that would radically alter global weather patterns.The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation, or AMOC, is a system of ocean currents that circulate water in the Atlantic Ocean like a conveyor belt, helping to redistribute heat and regulate global and regional climates. New research, however, warns that the AMOC is weakening under a warming climate, and could…

A new study has shown that the amount of female leads in Hollywood movies is at a 10-year low.Despite the $1.4bn success of Barbie, last year’s top 100 films saw just 30 feature a female lead or co-lead, the worst result since 2014 according to a new study by the USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative.“This is a catastrophic step back for girls and women in film,” Dr Stacy L Smith, research head, said in a statement. “In the last 14 years, we have charted progress in the industry, so to see this reversal is both startling and…

A new study highlights the invasion of at least 70 imported earthworm species across North America, posing significant threats to native ecosystems and biodiversity. Researchers emphasize the urgent need for better understanding and management of these alien earthworms to protect native species and ecosystem processes.An alien invasion capable of triggering catastrophic changes is underway across North America. At least 70 imported earthworm species have colonized the continent, and represent a largely overlooked threat…

Small wooden tree-mounted boxes for bats are an increasingly common sight in B.C.'s urban parks, often resembling birdhouses except with entrances underneath.After a string of tragedies near bat boxes, B.C. scientists teamed up to investigate.What they learned over four years, they say, has changed how we should be building summertime homes for mother bats and their pups, with the species' survival at stake."For them to to raise that young they need just-right temperatures to do so," explained study co-author Cori Lausen.…

OpenAI, the artificial intelligence (AI) company behind the popular AI-powered chatbot ChatGPT, unveiled a framework to protect against the “catastrophic risks” posed by the rapidly developing technology. “The study of frontier AI risks has fallen far short of what is possible and where we need to be,” OpenAI said in a Monday news release. “To address this gap and systematize our safety thinking, we are adopting the initial version of our Preparedness Framework.” The framework aims to track the…

ChatGPT-maker OpenAI published Monday its newest guidelines for gauging "catastrophic risks" from artificial intelligence in models currently being developed. The announcement comes one month after the company's board fired CEO Sam Altman, only to hire him back a few days later when staff and investors rebelled. According to US media, board members had criticized Altman for favoring the accelerated development of OpenAI, even if it meant sidestepping certain questions about its tech's possible risks.In a "Preparedness…

It's now almost inevitable that 2023 will be the warmest year ever recorded by humans, probably the warmest for at least 125,000 years.Multiple temperature records were smashed with global average temperatures for some periods well above 1.5°C. Antarctic sea ice loss is accelerating at frightening rates along with many other indicators of rapid climate change. Does this mean 2023 is the year parts of the climate tip into a much more dangerous state?Most people expect that if a system, like someone's body, an ecosystem,…