Invasion

Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the conflict in Gaza, have left tens of thousands dead and sent shockwaves across Europe and the Middle East. But—brutal and tragic as they are—the wars in Ukraine and Gaza are regionally bounded, meaning that most of the rest of the world rolls along, largely unaffected. This will not be the case if armed conflict breaks out in east Asia.…

PINE MOUNTAIN CLUB, Calif. —  Led by a sense of smell 100 times keener than that of humans, the predators have crashed through windows, ripped tiles off roofs and torn solid wood doors off their hinges to get at leftover pizza in a refrigerator. They have also defecated on counters, furniture and floors as a “calling card,” officials say.In a region of Southern California that wildlife authorities call a human-black bear conflict zone, the impending arrival of spring in this small mountain village is met with dread and…

This weekend marks exactly two years since Russia’s illegal, unprovoked and brutal invasion of Ukraine. Despite overwhelming odds and continued hiccups in the supplies of Western aid to fight off Russia’s onslaught, the country and its tech startup ecosystem has literally soldiered on, becoming a case-study in resilience. For instance, of the 511 tech companies based in Kharkiv before February 2022 — these days a city better known for coming under regular Russian bombardment — 500 are still operating, according to…

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…

New research explores the scaling of waste production in urban systems, finding that solid waste increases linearly with population growth, while wastewater and greenhouse gas emissions scale differently. This highlights the need for improved waste management strategies in growing urban areas and the development of a new science of waste to ensure sustainability and reduce environmental impact.Waste is an inherent outcome of life on Earth and the functioning of human economies. Over time, living systems have adapted to…

Fans of the hit Apple TV Plus sci-fi drama Invasion can start to look forward to a new third season after the streamer confirmed a third renewal of the show. The third season hasn't been given a release window yet, but Apple TV Plus promises that viewers can expect it to "continue to build on the scale, stakes, and propulsion" while keeping the characters at the heart of the story.The second season of Invasion has been well received and it can be streamed online now, alongside the debut season, for those who have yet to…

Apple TV Plus has some more aliens on the way. The streaming service has confirmed that its sci-fi drama Invasion will be getting a third season, after wrapping up season 2 in October. There aren’t many details about the new season — including when it might start streaming — but production is set to begin sometime in February.In a statement, series creator Simon Kinberg said, “This new season will continue to build on the scale, stakes and propulsion of the Invasion, while keeping our characters front and center, bringing…

Robotics startup Figure said last month it forged a partnership with Germany's BMW to deploy humanoid robots in the carmaker's South Carolina factory to take on certain physical tasks. North American companies ordered about a third fewer robots last year as worries about a slowing economy and higher interest rates made it harder to justify buying the advanced machines, the first hiccup in five years in what has been a steady progression of the robot invasion of the…

A picture of a smartphone with a red line through it serves as a warning in the window of a hairdresser’s shop in a French village that has voted to ban people scrolling on their phones in public. “Everyone is struggling with too much screen time,” said Ludivine, a cardiology nurse, as she had her hair cut into a bob, leaving her phone out of sight in her bag. “I voted in favour, this could be a solution.”Seine-Port, in the Seine-et-Marne area south of Paris, with a population of fewer than 2,000 people, last weekend…

There's been a takeover of North America's soil by scores of non-native earthworm species this past century. It's time we pay more attention to the invaders and their potentially major impact on the continent's ecosystem, says a new Stanford study.Since the late 1800s people have been importing earthworms to the shores of the Americas from nearly every other continent in order to bolster farms and gardens. The worms help in this regard because they make tunnels that allow water, nutrients, and air to penetrate the soil…