151 articles from TUESDAY 5.7.2022

Is the German discount on fuel being passed on to consumers?

The German federal government introduced the "fuel discount" on June 1, 2022. This reduction in energy taxes means that consumers should pay less for fuel. A team of researchers from Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU) have now investigated to what extent the oil companies pass on the tax cuts and what impact the fuel discount is actually having on consumers' wallets.

Pivoting on greenhouse gas regulation

As expected, in West Virginia v. EPA, the Supreme Court continued its radical right-wing and ideological effort to limit the regulatory authority of federal administrative agencies. This terrible decision among a series of terrible decisions is unfortunate but far from fatal to efforts to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Fortunately for our planet, fossil fuels are already more...

Study sheds light on the core of pro-coal logic

To push ahead with the now urgently needed global coal phase-out, the concerns of the affected regions about their future viability must be taken seriously. New coal-fired power plants, as damaging as they are to the climate, have been economically lucrative in the past. A new study by the Berlin-based climate research institute MCC (Mercator Research Institute on Global Commons and Climate...

Buying into conspiracy theories can be exciting—that's what makes them dangerous

Conspiracy theories have been around for centuries, from witch trials and antisemitic campaigns to beliefs that Freemasons were trying to topple European monarchies. In the mid-20th century, historian Richard Hofstadter described a "paranoid style" that he observed in right-wing U.S. politics and culture: a blend of "heated exaggeration, suspiciousness, and conspiratorial fantasy."

Unchecked emissions could double heat-related child mortality

If carbon emissions are limited to slow temperature rise, up to an estimated 6,000 child deaths could be prevented in Africa each year, according to new research. New work estimated the impact of climate change on annual heat-related deaths of children under five years old in sub-Saharan Africa, from 1995 -- 2050. It shows that thousands of heat-related child deaths could be prevented if...

Why natural gas is not a bridge technology

The expansion of natural gas infrastructure jeopardizes energy transition, as natural gas is not a bridge technology towards a 100 per cent renewable energy system as defined by the Paris Climate Agreement. The researchers have examined the natural gas issue from five perspectives and given gas a fairly poor climate balance, comparable to that of coal or oil. They recommend that politicians and...

Evaluating new processing platforms for pharmaceutical production

The pharmaceutical industry is one of the most relevant sectors in today's economy. For more than a century, pharmaceutical production has relied on batch production, but this lacks the agility, flexibility, and robustness to comply with today's challenges. With an exponentially growing population and rapidly diminishing resources, the pharmaceutical industry is confronted with public health...

In pretending that Covid is over, the UK government is playing a dangerous game | Stephen Reicher

Acting like the virus is no longer a risk undermines our trust in public health measures and the scientists proposing themCovid is alive and kicking. About 2.3 million people are infected with the virus in the UK, including as many as one in 18 in Scotland. There are more than 10,000 Covid patients in hospital. These infections are increasing the burden on the NHS and contributing to the staff...

UK Covid cases are rising – should we wear masks again?

Three experts weigh in on the benefits of reintroducing face coverings in certain settingsWith Covid infection levels increasing and hospitalisations following suit with the rise of the Omicron sub-variants BA.4 and BA.5, some experts have called for a reintroduction of mask-wearing in certain settings, with the chair of the Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation, Sir Andrew Pollard,...

Eavesdropping on whales in the high Arctic

Earth's oceans are crisscrossed with roughly 1.2 million km of fiber optic telecommunication cables. Researchers have now succeeded in using a fiber in a submarine cable as a passive listening system, enabling them to listen to and monitor whales.

Link between recognizing our voice and feeling in control

Being able to recognize our own voice is a critical factor for our sense of control over our speech, according to a new study. If people think they hear someone else's voice when they speak, they do not strongly feel that they caused the sound. This could be a clue to understanding the experience of people who live with auditory hallucinations and could help to improve online communication and...

Scientists warn MEPs against watering down EU deforestation law

More than 50 experts say proposal redefining forest degradation could undermine net zero emissions plansMore than 50 scientists have warned MEPs that a high-level move to water down EU legislation on deforestation could undermine Europe’s net zero emissions plans.European environment ministers rewrote a draft regulation last week to define “forest degradation” as the replacement of primary...