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May 2025 was world's second-hottest on record, says EU climate agency

May 2025 was world's second-hottest on record, says EU climate agency

The world experienced its second-warmest May since records began this year, a month in which climate change fuelled a record-breaking heatwave in Greenland, scientists said on Wednesday.
Last month was Earth's second-warmest May on record - exceeded only by May 2024 - rounding out the northern hemisphere's second-hottest March-May spring on record, the EU's Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S) said in a monthly bulletin.
Global surface temperatures last month averaged 1.4 degrees Celsius higher than in the 1850-1900 pre-industrial period, when humans began burning fossil fuels on an industrial scale, C3S said.
That broke a run of extraordinary heat, in which 21 of the last 22 months had an average global temperature exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial times - although scientists warned this break was unlikely to last.
"Whilst this may offer a brief respite for the planet, we do expect the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold to be exceeded again in the near future due to the continued warming of the climate system," said C3S director Carlo Buontempo.
The main cause of climate change is greenhouse gas emissions from burning fossil fuels. Last year was the planet's hottest on record.
A separate study, published by the World Weather Attribution group of climate scientists on Wednesday, found that human-caused climate change made a record-breaking heatwave in Iceland and Greenland last month about 3C hotter than it otherwise would have been - contributing to a huge additional melting of Greenland's ice sheet.
"Even cold-climate countries are experiencing unprecedented temperatures," said Sarah Kew, study co-author and researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute.
The global threshold of 1.5 degrees Celsius is the limit of warming which countries vowed under the Paris climate agreement to try to prevent, to avoid the worst consequences of warming.
The world has not yet technically breached that target - which refers to an average global temperature of 1.5 degrees Celsius over decades.
However, some scientists have said it can no longer realistically be met, and have urged governments to cut CO2 emissions faster, to limit the overshoot and the fuelling of extreme weather.
C3S's records go back to 1940, and are cross-checked with global temperature records going back to 1850.
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Startup claims it can make gold from mercury using fusion; science fiction turns real
Startup claims it can make gold from mercury using fusion; science fiction turns real

Time of India

time18 hours ago

  • Time of India

Startup claims it can make gold from mercury using fusion; science fiction turns real

From Sir Isaac Newton to the ancient Egyptians, some of the finest minds in history have been captivated by the prospect of converting base metals into gold. However, a Silicon Valley startup now asserts that, with the use of nuclear fusion technology, it has finally solved the age-old alchemical enigma. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Public Policy Operations Management Design Thinking Management Leadership Product Management MBA CXO Artificial Intelligence Degree Healthcare Finance Digital Marketing Project Management Technology Others PGDM Data Science MCA others Data Science healthcare Data Analytics Cybersecurity Skills you'll gain: Duration: 12 Months IIM Calcutta Executive Programme in Public Policy and Management Starts on undefined Get Details Skills you'll gain: Economics for Public Policy Making Quantitative Techniques Public & Project Finance Law, Health & Urban Development Policy Duration: 12 Months IIM Kozhikode Professional Certificate Programme in Public Policy Management Starts on Mar 3, 2024 Get Details By subjecting mercury isotopes to high-energy neutron bombardment, Marathon Fusion says it has found a way to turn mercury into gold. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 20 Highest-Salary Jobs for 2025 When two hydrogen isotopes are pushed together to make helium, a process known as nuclear fusion, the neutrons are released. This implies that power generation and the alchemical process can coexist. Live Events "Our approach is economically irresistible, practically feasible, and massively scalable, in contrast to prior attempts," Marathon Fusion stated. "An entirely new golden age begins now." The company has released a scientific article on the proposed transmutation technology and is working on fuel processing and recycling methods for the emerging fusion industry. Peer review has not yet been done on it. Alchemy has been around for thousands of years, and its main goals have been turning metals into gold and finding an elixir of immortality. It has fascinated intellectuals for thousands of years, including Newton, the English physicist who created the mathematical law of universal gravitation in the latter part of the 17th century. The creation of a "philosopher's stone" that would act as a catalyst to turn base metals like lead into gold was a fantasy of many. Marathon's concept is based on using components from the well-known nuclear fusion process in its place. When two hydrogen isotopes, tritium and deuterium, are forced together to form helium, high-energy subatomic particles known as neutrons are released. This process is known as fusion. In order to achieve this, the deuterium and tritium atoms are heated to extremely high temperatures, more than 100 million degrees Celsius, and then confined to a small area, where they will clash. When helium atoms collide with the fuel particles, their energy is transferred and the reaction continues, making the process self-sustaining. However, in order to guarantee that there is always an adequate amount of tritium in the mixture, fusion reactors usually contain other elements, such as beryllium, lead, or lithium isotopes. Because they emit two neutrons in their place when struck by one, these are referred to as "multipliers." Tritium is subsequently created when these additional neutrons react with lithium. A radical change Mercury-198, a typical type of mercury, is used as a multiplier in Marathon's approach. These atoms transform into mercury-197, a less stable form, when struck by a neutron. Those atoms then spontaneously transform into a stable form of gold over a few days. According to Marathon, this implies that gold supplies could be produced as a byproduct of the fusion process "without any compromise to fuel self-sufficiency or power output." According to the business, a fusion power station with a one gigawatt capacity could produce 5,000 kilogrammes of gold annually using the new method. The business states that although the gold generated by the reaction is stable, it may contain some radioactive gold isotopes, which could require storage for up to 18 years. Marathon's techno-economic modelling indicates that fusion plants could generate as much economic value from the production of gold as they do from the production of electricity, potentially doubling the facilities' value and drastically altering the economics of fusion and energy in general, the start-up continued. In addition to gold, it stated that the transmutation process might be utilised to create materials for "nuclear batteries," medicinal isotope synthesis, and precious metals like palladium. Adam Rutkowski, a former engineer at SpaceX, Elon Musk's rocket company, and Kyle Schiller, a fellow at Schmidt Futures, the research foundation founded by former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, founded Marathon. The method allows power plants to produce 5,000 kg of gold annually each gigawatt of energy generated (~2.5 GWth) without sacrificing power output or fuel self-sufficiency, claims the startup. Leading investors including Strong Atomics and the 1517 Fund, as well as multiple grants from the US Department of Energy and the Breakthrough Energy Fellows program, fund Marathon Fusion. The Fusion community's reaction Leading scientists are excited about the pre-print even as it awaits proper peer review: "This new technology approach that Marathon Fusion is developing changes fundamentally how we should think about fusion as an energy source." — Dr. Per F. Peterson , Distinguished Professor of Nuclear Engineering at U.C. Berkeley and Scientific Advisor to Marathon Fusion "The technology described could have a major impact on the economics of fusion energy if it's able to be fully realized and integrated into upcoming power plants. Improved economics could further relax some engineering and scientific requirements, accelerating the path to commercial deployment. This is potentially highly impactful, and I'll be paying close attention to the results of rigorous peer review" — Dr. Dan Brunner , former CTO of Commonwealth Fusion Systems, and Scientific Advisor to Marathon Fusion "The discovery of scalable gold transmutation by leveraging fusion neutrons could fundamentally shift the techno-economic landscape. Marathon Fusion's breakthrough—commercial-scale gold synthesis via nuclear reactions—redefines fusion economics and could unlock the capital needed for next-generation power plants." — Dr. Ahmed Diallo , Principal Research Physicist and Distinguished Research Fellow at Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL), and Scientific Advisor to Marathon Fusion

Giant Mysterious Circles In Saudi Desert Baffle Internet – What's Going On Beneath The Sand?
Giant Mysterious Circles In Saudi Desert Baffle Internet – What's Going On Beneath The Sand?

India.com

timea day ago

  • India.com

Giant Mysterious Circles In Saudi Desert Baffle Internet – What's Going On Beneath The Sand?

Riyad (Saudi Arabia): Something unusual has begun to appear in Saudi Arabia's northern desert. Satellite images show vast green and circular patches in the desert that stand out like alien markings on a golden canvas of sand. These are not ancient symbols or signs of extraterrestrial life, but something far more earthly – fields of crops, which are designed in giant circles. The images came from space. The European Space Agency's Copernicus Sentinel-1 satellite caught them while scanning the desolate terrain earlier this year. To the untrained eye, the pictures are puzzling. Dozens of glowing and geometric rings scattered across the otherwise barren expanse. The kind of images that light up online speculation and ignite wild theories. But behind the visual mystery lies an engineered ambition. These circles are a glimpse into Saudi Arabia's agricultural experiment, one where desert becomes farmland. ​The satellite captured them from nearly 700 kilometres above the earth. Taken in October 2024, January 2025 and again in May, the photos document subtle changes over time. Each of these circular fields spans nearly a kilometre in diameter. At the center of each circle lies a deep well, tapping into aquifers far below. Long arms, fitted with rotating sprinklers, spiral around the central point, showering the soil evenly. This is precision farming, adapted to one of the world's most extreme climates. In a country where rain is rare and summer temperatures often soar beyond 50 degree Celsius, these green rings offer a rare sight. Wheat, vegetables and alfalfa pushing through dry ground. The location is near the city of Tabarjal, inside the Wadi as-Sirhan basin. It is a place once defined only by its dust and rock. Now, it is part of an ambitious transformation. From above, it looks like a surreal and psychedelic art installation. On the ground, it is the outcome of carefully managed irrigation systems, relentless sunlight and underground water reserves being pumped upward to sustain life. But scientists are raising a warning. The underground aquifers feeding these fields are not being replenished. With every rotation of the sprinklers, the water table drops a little lower. Over time, without new sources of water or more sustainable techniques, these green miracles could fade. In the satellite images, the contrast is clear. The glowing circles stand surrounded by dark patches – bare earth, dry sand and land without vegetation. Among them, Tabarjal shines as a modest yet vital hub. It keeps the region alive, supplying food, supporting rural communities and now, drawing the world's gaze. From orbit to oasis, this patch of Saudi Arabia is telling a story of human determination, natural limits and a desert slowly reimagined.

Arunachal to get Indias first fully indigenous 50-kw geothermal power plant
Arunachal to get Indias first fully indigenous 50-kw geothermal power plant

News18

time2 days ago

  • News18

Arunachal to get Indias first fully indigenous 50-kw geothermal power plant

Itanagar, Jul 22 (PTI) India's first fully indigenous geothermal power plant will be developed in Arunachal Pradesh, officials said on Tuesday. The 50-kw plant will be developed at a record low of 68 degrees Celsius, they said. In this regard, the Centre for Earth Sciences and Himalayan Studies (CESHS) and Shriram Institute for Industrial Research have inked a memorandum of understanding. CESHS geoscience chief Rupankar Rajkhowa said the project will come up in Tawang district. 'We have already identified three places — Mago, Thingbu and Damteng, and the research and structural mapping has been done," he said, adding that the project will cater to a population of over 5,000. Rajkhowa said the project is expected to be completed in three years. Maintaining that it's a first-of-its-kind in the Himalayan region, he said the project will be completed at a cost of over Rs 10 crore, funded by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy. A team of scientists from CESHS, led by its director Tana Tage, recently visited the demonstration site of an indigenously developed 20-kw geothermal power plant at SIIR. SIIR's geothermal project manager Bhupesh Sharma said multiple trials have been conducted using a smaller 5-kw lab-scale model to better understand the operational challenges of indigenous bipolar process technology, particularly at a lower temperature of just 68 degrees Celsius. Chief Minister Pema Khandu said, 'Arunachal Pradesh & CESHS take a visionary step by signing an MoU to develop India's first fully indigenous 50kw geothermal power plant at a record low of 68 degrees C. Harnessing Earth's energy, driving innovation, and leading India's clean energy revolution from the Himalayas!" 'It will be a milestone in clean energy and geothermal research," he added. Established in 2021 under the Department of Science and Technology, CESHS is dedicated to research in climatology, geoscience, hydrology, and renewable energy. PTI CORR UPL SOM view comments First Published: July 22, 2025, 15:45 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

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