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Why mountain meadows should be a priority for California’s new climate bond

More than half of California's Sierra meadows have been degraded or lost. Given their vital role assisting with water storage, carbon sequestration and providing a habitat to wildlife, investments from the newly passed Proposition 4 could boost ongoing restoration work.

Guest Commentary written by Ryan Burnett Ryan Burnett leads the Sierra Nevada Group at Point Blue Conservation Science and is the chair of the Sierra Meadows Partnership. When I stepped into a Sierra Nevada meadow over 25 years ago, I was struck by the diversity of life, the hub of biological activity — full of birds, frogs, fish and plants. As a wildlife ecologist, I was in love. That infatuation has endured, growing into one of the great passions in my life. As a lifelong Californian, I’ve always been enamored with the natural wonders our state contains, and meadows are no exception. Californians have a lot to be proud of. In addition to the highest GDP of any state, we have a proven track record as the country’s climate and environmental leader. Since voters recently approved Proposition 4, we can be proud that California will deepen its commitment to large-scale action to address the state’s water, wildfire and climate challenges. The $10 billion bond measure will flow to environmental projects large and small, including $1.2 billion for land conservation and habitat restoration, which will benefit communities and wildlife around the state. But one question looms: What might these investments to increase climate resilience look like on the ground? Some of the most important — and often overlooked — natural resources the state has are the verdant high elevation wetlands we call mountain meadows. These meadows lie at the headwaters of the rivers that flow out of the Sierra Nevada, Cascade and Klamath mountains, supplying the majority of water we rely on for agriculture and drinking, and supporting diverse ecosystems from the Sierra to the sea, from Yreka to San Diego. They serve an important role in improving water quality and increasing water storage, acting as giant sponges that soak up snow melt and slowly release it through the dry summer months. And mountain meadows are superstars at carbon sequestration, pulling carbon out of the atmosphere as fast as tropical rainforests.  Mountain meadows provide important wildlife habitat for a broad suite of species, including many that are threatened with extinction, such as Willow Flycatchers and Yosemite Toads. For a millennia, mountain meadows have also held a deep cultural significance for the many tribes that have stewarded these ecosystems.  Read Next Elections Prop. 4 passes: Californians approve $10 billion for water, wildfire, climate projects by Alejandro Lazo Unfortunately, over 50% of Sierra meadows have been heavily degraded or lost over the past 150 years, due to road-building, overgrazing, fire suppression, mining, water diversions and more. These meadows no longer provide the wealth of important services they once did. The Sierra Meadows Partnership has sought to protect and restore these crown jewels of the Sierra Nevada and Cascades mountains. Comprised of NGOs, government agencies, universities, conservation districts and restoration practitioners, we have restored more than 8,000 acres and protected 10,000 since 2016. The goal is to restore and conserve 30,000 acres by 2030. Prop. 4 has the potential to dramatically scale up the meadow restoration and conservation work taking place, which will pay dividends to the people and wildlife statewide that rely on the many natural benefits of healthy mountain meadows. The billions designated for water projects, forest health and nature-based climate solutions could increase funding possibilities to restore meadows, amplify Indigenous voices and improve the resilience of our watersheds. Recently, I had the privilege of engaging local elementary students from the small town of Chester to assist us in the restoration of Child’s Meadow, near Lassen Volcanic National Park. Witnessing their sense of purpose and accomplishment as they took an active role in restoring their watershed reminded me once again of why California invests in the restoration of our incredible natural resources.  Read More Water More water for urban areas, some farms: Biden, Newsom officials announce long-awaited new water delivery rules December 20, 2024December 20, 2024 Environment Unstoppable invasion: How did mussels sneak into California, despite decades of state shipping rules? November 26, 2024November 27, 2024

Climate
Mountains
Water

Air Quality, Not Just Fitness Level, Impacts Marathoners' Finish Times

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterTHURSDAY, Dec. 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Runners put a lot of thought into how much they must eat and drink...

By Dennis Thompson HealthDay ReporterTHURSDAY, Dec. 26, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- Runners put a lot of thought into how much they must eat and drink to endure a 26.2-mile marathon, properly fueling their bodies to sustain a record-setting pace.But the quality of the air they huff and puff during endurance events could also play a key role in their performance, a new study says.Higher levels of air pollution are associated with slower average marathon finish times, according to findings published recently in the journal Sports Medicine.“Runners at that level are thinking about their gear, their nutrition, their training, the course, even the weather,” lead researcher Elvira Fleury, a doctoral student at Harvard University, said in a news release. “Our results show that those interested in optimizing athletic performance should consider the effect of air pollution, as well.”Runners’ average finish times on a marathon steadily decreased for every increase in particle pollution of one microgram per cubic meter of air, results show.Men finished 32 seconds slower on average for every increased unit of air pollution, and women finished 25 seconds slower, researchers found.These effects also appeared to be more pronounced in faster-than-average runners, researchers said.“This means that air pollution can be a health risk not just for those who are elderly or susceptible — it can negatively affect even the most healthy and well-trained among us,” senior researcher Joseph Braun, a professor of epidemiology at Brown University, said in a news release from the college.For the study, researchers analyzed data from U.S. public marathons conducted between 2003 and 2019, involving more than 1.5 million male runners and more than 1 million female runners.The research team compared the runners’ finishing times with air quality data captured on event days, including the amount of particle pollution in the air along different points of the marathon route.“This really sophisticated spatial-temporal model of particulate matter allowed us to plot pollution at every mile of every course,” Fleury said. “Without a model like this, it wouldn't have been possible to look at so many different marathons in different states across different years.”Researchers specifically looked at levels of fine particle pollution, which are airborne particles smaller than the width of a human hair or grain of fine beach sand, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.These airborne particles are typically generated by fossil fuels burned by cars and power plants, although in recent years, wildfires have contributed to such pollution.Previous studies have shown that particle air pollution is associated with overall risk of death, as well as risk of heart disease, breathing problems and lung cancer, researchers said.Air pollution could be harming marathon runners’ performance by causing increases in blood pressure, constricted blood vessels, impaired lung function, and perhaps even short-term changes in brain function, researchers speculated.“People who can complete a marathon are generally quite healthy, and we can assume they have honed their cardiorespiratory fitness,” Braun said.“This study revealed a negative impact from air pollution, even at levels below current health-based standards, on these very healthy people,” Braun continued.These findings support efforts to reduce pollution emissions by shifting motor vehicles and power plants away from fossil fuels, researchers concluded.SOURCE: Sports Medicine, journal study, Dec. 18; Brown University, news release, Dec. 18, 2024Copyright © 2024 HealthDay. All rights reserved.

Health
Pollution

‘Britain’s wildlife safari’: baby boom in Norfolk as seal colonies flourish

Grey seals are growing in numbers on England’s east coast as a result of environmental safe havens and cleaner North Sea watersIt is a cold winter’s day to be lying on a beach, but the seal pup suckling from its mother doesn’t mind. A few metres away, a pregnant seal is burrowing into the sand, trying to get comfortable, while a third seal, which has just given birth, is touching noses with her newborn pup.The shoreline – a mass of seals and their white pups – is one of Britain’s greatest wildlife success stories: a grey seal colony on the east Norfolk coast. Continue reading...

It is a cold winter’s day to be lying on a beach, but the seal pup suckling from its mother doesn’t mind. A few metres away, a pregnant seal is burrowing into the sand, trying to get comfortable, while a third seal, which has just given birth, is touching noses with her newborn pup.The shoreline – a mass of seals and their white pups – is one of Britain’s greatest wildlife success stories: a grey seal colony on the east Norfolk coast.More than 1,200 seal pups were born between the colony in Horsey and a neighbouring beach in November, and 2,500 more are expected to be born before the breeding season ends in January. It is a dramatic increase since 2002, when the seals first formed a colony at Horsey and 50 pups were born.Richard Edwards, a volunteer seal warden at Winterton beach in Norfolk during the pupping season. Photograph: Joshua Bright/The GuardianStanding on a sand dune that overlooks the North Sea, Richard Edwards, a volunteer seal warden, is keeping a close watch over the colony from a distance. “We can all take pride that this is happening on our doorstep,” he says. “It’s incredible.”Why go to the wilds of Africa when there is such an extraordinary spectacle on the Norfolk coast, he asks, adding: “This is Britain’s wildlife safari.”Seals are flourishing about 50 miles farther south, too. In 2021, a group of grey seals established the first seal colony in nearby Suffolk and began breeding on a remote shingle beach at Orford Ness, now a National Trust site but once the location for cold war weapons-testing.“One day, there were none, and the next day there were 200,” says Matt Wilson, a countryside manager for the trust. “Since then, they’ve come back each year, and the juveniles have stayed.”Grey seals are known to form breakaway groups when colonies reach a certain size and Wilson says he is “fairly sure” the seals migrated from north Norfolk. In just three years, the number of pups born at the site has increased fivefold, with more than 600 seals recorded there this year.“Mortality seems to be much lower than in other colonies,” he says. The first seal pup of this season was born there just over a month ago.The 10-mile beach at Orford Ness, which is closed to the public in winter, is a safe haven for seals during their breeding season, says Wilson. “We don’t get a lot of big boats coming close to shore and disturbing the marine environment locally. Also, in bad weather, the seals can come farther inland to shelter behind a ridge.”The grey seal colony at Horsey in Norfolk. Access to the seals’ beaches is restricted over the breeding season. Photograph: Joshua Bright/The GuardianThis is crucial to the survival of the species because as sea levels rise and storms become more frequent and severe, conservationists fear the mortality rate of seal pups is rising.Sue Sayer, founder of the Seal Research Trust, says: “In Cornwall last year, we had more seal deaths than births – and over half were of seals under a year old.”If seals cannot move inland during a storm, pups can become separated from their mothers by a high surge of water or get washed out to sea. Edwards says: “They die of hypothermia or starvation, or drown.”Some species have seen dramatic declines of up to 90%, just on our site, so to have a species swimming against the tide is amazingIn Norfolk, the charity Friends of Horsey Seals has created a safe, fenced-off area of the dune where seals can retreat inland during a storm, and access to the seals’ beaches is restricted over the winter breeding season. Volunteer wardens such as Edwards patrol the site daily to raise awareness about the need for the public to keep their distance and keep dogs on leads: a female seal, if scared enough, will desert her pup and head into the sea.Volunteer seal wardens at Winterton beach in Norfolk try to keep the visiting public at a distance from the seals during the pupping season. Photograph: Joshua Bright/The GuardianWilson and Sayer speculate that more seals are breeding on the east coast because offshore windfarms may have provided a new footing there for underwater vegetation, crustaceans, molluscs, small fish and other marine life, creating a fish nursery that the seals are feeding on.The structures also form a physical barrier near the coast, pushing shipping traffic further out and preventing commercial fishing boats from competing with seals by the shoreline.Another likely cause of the population growth is that grey seals have been displaced from northern Scotland, where numbers of sand eels – which seals love to eat – have declined.“The seals seem to be moving south, and this is likely to be to do with food,” says Sayer. These seals may be preying on other displaced species, such as anchovies from the Bay of Biscay, which are becoming more common in southern British waters due to global heating, she suggested.Cleaner water in the North Sea may also have contributed to the increase in seal numbers on the east coast, she added. In 2021, an analysis of two decades of research by the North Sea Foundation revealed there is now 27% less beach waste on non-tourist beaches than there was 10 years ago.Another reason why seals are thriving in Britain today is that people are no longer hunting and killing them. “We only stopped culling seals in 1978 and it only became illegal for a fisher to kill a seal in March 2021,” says Sayer.For Wilson, the new seal colony in Suffolk is a source of hope. “We do a lot with wetland birds and waders,” he says. “Some species, particularly large gulls, have seen dramatic declines of up to 90% in their numbers, just on our site, never mind the national picture.“So, to have a species going in the opposite direction – literally, swimming against the tide – is amazing.”The success of the seal colony at Winterton-on-Sea can be measured in the 2,000 pups born there this season. Photograph: Joshua Bright/The Guardian

Water
Conservation
Waste

Our Best Food Justice Reporting of 2024

In 2024, for example, we wrote about the often-overlooked food angle in the Land Back Movement, which aims to return land to tribal communities. We also brought you stories about farmworkers pushing for wage, heat, and labor protections, and showcased the efforts of people like Gail Taylor and Jim Embry, who have spent years working […] The post Our Best Food Justice Reporting of 2024 appeared first on Civil Eats.

Civil Eats has focused on food justice since our inception in 2009. Rare for the media landscape, we regularly report on the food system’s disproportionate impact on people of color and immigrant communities, and we are one the few outlets dedicated to covering the unique food-related issues facing Indigenous communities. We also strive to cultivate perspectives from people of color, as reporters, op-ed contributors, and sources in our reporting. In 2024, for example, we wrote about the often-overlooked food angle in the Land Back Movement, which aims to return land to tribal communities. We also brought you stories about farmworkers pushing for wage, heat, and labor protections, and showcased the efforts of people like Gail Taylor and Jim Embry, who have spent years working to change the food system and provide greater access for all. Here are our best food justice stories of 2024. The Land Back Movement Is Also About Foodways When Native peoples’ land was stolen, they lost important hunting and fishing grounds and myriad places to gather and prepare food. Now, the Land Back movement is helping communities regain access to both food and land. From Civil Rights to Food Justice, Jim Embry Reflects on a Life of Creative Resistance The veteran food-systems organizer says, “within agriculture [is] where we have the most profound need for change, and the most powerful fulcrum point for social transformation of all other human institutions.” Florida Banned Farmworker Heat Protections. A Groundbreaking Partnership Offers a Solution. The Fair Food Program offers the strongest, legally binding protocols to keep people safe when politicians fall short. Yupik subsistence whalers from the Alaska town of Gambell, parting the ice as they tow a bowhead whale to shore. (Photo credit: Jim Wickens) For This Alaska Town, Whaling Is a Way of Life The PBS documentary ‘One with the Whale’ explores the importance of subsistence hunting and gathering in a Yupik village—and what happens when mainlanders misunderstand it. The Shrimp on Your Plate Has a Dark History Shining a light on India’s exploited shrimp workers, the spread of avian flu, and the big banks undermining climate goals. Strawberry Farmworkers Fight for a Living Wage Picking strawberries is one of the lowest-paid, most brutal jobs in agriculture. A new report argues for a better path forward that benefits everyone, including the growers.  Ira Wallace (left) and Sariyah Benoit sit together in Spelman College’s Victory Garden. (Photo credit: Heirloom Gardens Project) Oral History Project Preserves Black and Indigenous Food Traditions The Heirloom Gardens Project records the stories of elders and honors both long-held expertise and culturally meaningful foods. A US Court Found Chiquita Guilty of Murder in Colombia. What Does the Ruling Mean for Other U.S. Food Corporations Abroad? The case marks the first time a U.S. court held a corporation liable for human rights abuses committed in another country. In Brazil, a Powerful Law Protects Biodiversity and Blocks Corporate Piracy The country’s genetic heritage law aims to compensate Indigenous peoples for their knowledge of the plants and seeds that many US food and agribusiness companies use to develop profitable products. Farmworkers Push Kroger’s Shareholders for Heat and Labor Protections The Coalition of Immokalee Workers, a Florida worker rights organization, has repeatedly asked Kroger to join its Fair Food Program, which has the strongest heat protections in the nation. On Cape Cod, the Wampanoag Assert Their Legal Right to Harvest the Waters Not everyone respects that right. But the Wampanoag are determined to continue, saying their work is an essential expression of 12,000 years of heritage, sovereignty, and lifeways. Labor Protections for Immigrant Food Workers Are at Stake in the 2024 Election A Biden administration policy shields immigrants who report on workplace abuses. It could face an uncertain future—and so could visa policies. Op-ed: Food Security Is Urgently Needed in Black Rural Appalachia A food justice advocate who grew up near this mountainous region explains how Black communities here struggle to access healthy food, and lays out ways to build local food systems that reach everyone. Luz Gallegos, executive director of TODEC, an immigrant advocacy organization, during a heat awareness education outreach in 2023. Hemet, CA. (Photo by Mario Tama/Getty Images) Farmworker Challenges, Solidarity Emphasized as Threat of Mass Deportations Looms Results of a historic farmworker tribunal, an anti-monopoly roadmap for Trump 2.0, and more. A Black-Led Agricultural Community Takes Shape in Maryland An urban farm trailblazer begins building a Black agrarian corridor in rural Maryland, fostering community and climate resilience. Land access was the first step. Black Earth: A Family’s Journey from Enslavement to Reclamation In North Carolina, a Black farmer purchased the plantation where his ancestors were enslaved—and is taking back his family’s story, his community’s health, and the soil beneath his feet. The Mashpee Wampanoag Work With a Cape Cod Town to Restore Their Fishing Grounds If the plan succeeds, it will help rebuild wetlands and food sources for the tribe, once largely excluded from environmental decision-making. The post Our Best Food Justice Reporting of 2024 appeared first on Civil Eats.

Food
Agriculture
Climate

Snowy Owl Rescued From Car Grille by Minnesota Woman Who Saved Another Bird Hours Earlier

A great gray owl and a snowy owl are being treated by experts after being rescued by a northern Minnesota woman

Annabell Whelan woke up Tuesday and frantically checked on her holiday overnight guest — Nowl the snowy owl, who she rescued from the grille of a car the day before. Whelan was out with her boyfriend's family Monday in Duluth, Minnesota, when she saw the owl “just hanging out there, literally" after car and bird had collided, she told The Associated Press. The car's owner had already called for help, but the animal rescue organization that the bird needed was closed — so Whelan stepped in, not for the first time that day. Earlier Monday, Whelan found an injured great gray owl on the ground further north in Two Harbors, Minnesota. Experts at Wildwoods, a Duluth-based wildlife rehabilitation center, told her how to safely catch the bird. “I definitely thought that I had had my fix of owls with the first one," said Whelan, 22, a Lake Superior Zoo guest experience manager who graduated earlier this year with a biology and environmental science degree. “I could tell he was having a hard time with one of his eyes," she said. “I kind of took my time and just sat there with him and talked quietly and was just kind of trying to coax him to trust me a little bit.”Whelan scooped the owl up in a blanket, transferred him to a dog crate in the car and dropped the great gray owl off at Wildwoods. He was sent along with another animal to the University of Minnesota's Raptor Center in St. Paul.But the snowy owl she found hours later was in a much scarier situation, she said. “It was obviously a lot more trauma," she said.Since Wildwoods had already closed for the night, Whelan wrapped Nowl in a blanket and crated her overnight in a dark, quiet room in her home — keeping her and her cousin's curious cats and dog at bay. She named her Nowl, a play on noel. “I tried to prepare myself in case I woke up in the morning and she didn't make it through the night,” Whelan said. But she said she cried happy tears when she saw Nowl moving and awake, bringing her to Wildwoods that morning. Nowl “is quite beaten up," Wildwoods posted on Facebook Tuesday after examining the bird. “We applied a wing wrap, gave her meds, and coordinated with The Raptor Center to get her down to them.”The rescue said people should slow down, stay alert, and call for help when they see an injured animal. The animals are terrified of people and should be quickly moved to a quiet, safe space where they can be left alone until professionals can step in, the rescue said. Fingerhut reported from Des Moines, Iowa.Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Animals
Science

EPA to formally review risks of vinyl chloride and other toxic chemicals

Evaluation could lead to limits or bans on substances commonly used in the production of plastic and rubberThe Environmental Protection Agency is launching a formal review of five highly toxic plastic chemicals, including vinyl chloride, the notorious compound at the center of the East Palestine, Ohio, train wreck fire.The move could lead to strong limits or bans on the substances. Continue reading...

The Environmental Protection Agency is launching a formal review of five highly toxic plastic chemicals, including vinyl chloride, the notorious compound at the center of the East Palestine, Ohio, train wreck fire.The move could lead to strong limits or bans on the substances.Vinyl chloride is most commonly used in PVC pipe and packaging production, but is also cancerous and highly flammable. For about 50 years, the federal government has considered limits on the substance, but industry has thwarted most regulatory efforts, hid the substances’ risks and is already mobilizing against the new review.The step is “one of the most important chemical review processes ever undertaken” by the agency, said Judith Enck, president of Beyond Plastics and a former EPA administrator.“I applaud the EPA,” she added.The federal government designates vinyl chloride as a known carcinogen, and the substance is also a neurotoxicant linked to liver damage, permanent changes to bones, and other serious health issues. The EPA is also reviewing acetaldehyde, benzenamine, acrylonitrile and MBOCA, each used in the production of plastic and rubber. All the chemicals are considered to be or are probable carcinogens and linked to other health problems, like anemia, kidney damage and neurotoxicity.The nation’s use of vinyl chloride drew intense scrutiny after dozens of cars on a Norfolk Southern train derailed and burned in February 2023 in East Palestine. The fire burned near tankers carrying vinyl chloride, and, two days later, fearing a “major explosion”, officials conducted a controlled burn of the chemical as a preventive measure.When vinyl chloride burns, it creates dioxins, a highly toxic and carcinogenic chemical class that can stay in the environment for generations. The levels of dioxin found in East Palestine in the days after the wreck were hundreds of times greater than the exposure threshold above which the EPA in 2010 found poses cancer risks. Soil and food contamination are considered to be among the most common exposure routes, and the controlled burn’s towering plume also sent dioxins across 16 states.Vinyl chloride is transported in freight trains that are prone to accidents, and East Palestine was only one in a series of vinyl chloride incidents – experts expect a similar accident. A recent report found more than 3 million Americans live within one mile of railroad tracks on which vinyl chloride is transported.The Vinyl Institute, which represents vinyl chloride and PVC producers, has downplayed the risk, and labeled the reports “publicity stunts”.The EPA’s announcement concludes a year-long period in which it gathered comments from industry, public health advocates, labor and others involved in the substances’ use, as is required under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which covers the nation’s use of toxic chemicals.It will spend the next three months gathering more information, and, following that, determine whether to classify the chemicals as high-priority substances under TSCA. That would trigger a formal study to determine if vinyl chloride presents an unreasonable risk to human health or the environment.That assessment could take three years, and, following that, the EPA would establish new rules. But the action faces an uncertain future – incoming Trump allies have already signaled that they will kill any proposed regulations that have not been finalized.Opposition from industry against PVC limits is expected to be stiff in part because the substance is used in medical devices, vinyl siding for buildings, drinking water pipes, electrical wiring, household goods like shower curtains and raincoats. Industry groups have already touted the substance’s ubiquity in a statement on the EPA’s announcement.“[It] presents a welcome opportunity to share our expertise on the many indispensable uses of this highly regulated material,” the Vinyl Institute wrote.

Chemicals
Food
Health

Grief, Hope, Joy: Faith in the Time of Climate Change

As the director of Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina, Sarah Ogletree has spent the last three and a half years working from her base in Mitchell County to empower congregations and interfaith organizations in the fight for climate and environmental justice.  She and other faith leaders active in the climate movement have long […]

Leaders from different spiritual traditions share their unique approaches to wrestling with existential climate fears.By Nina DietzAs the director of Creation Care Alliance of Western North Carolina, Sarah Ogletree has spent the last three and a half years working from her base in Mitchell County to empower congregations and interfaith organizations in the fight for climate and environmental justice. 

Climate

AI use cases are going to get even bigger in 2025

Over the past two years, generative AI has dominated tech conversations and media headlines. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, and Sora captured imaginations with their ability to create text, images, and videos, sparking both excitement and ethical debates. However, artificial intelligence goes far beyond generative AI—which is just a subset of AI—and its associated models. AI’s real promise lies in its ability to address complex challenges across diverse industries, from military technology to cybersecurity, medicine, and even genome sequencing. As we move into 2025 and beyond, the question isn’t whether AI use cases will expand—it’s how big and transformative they’ll get. MILITARY TACTICS AND INTELLIGENCE Few sectors stand to gain more from AI advancements than defense. “We are witnessing a surge in applications like autonomous drone swarms, electronic spectrum awareness, and real-time battlefield space management, where AI, edge computing, and sensor technologies are integrated to enable faster responses and enhanced precision,” says Meir Friedland, CEO at RF spectrum intelligence company Sensorz. Friedland notes that recent conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and across the Middle East, have highlighted critical vulnerabilities in military operations, from tactical to strategic levels—a factor he says will drive the adoption of AI use cases in the military. While Axios said in April that AI hit trust hurdles with the U.S. military, Friedland notes that with the rise of global tensions and defense budgets at an all-time high, “we can expect significant investment in AI to maintain a combat edge.” For Friedland, the defense sector’s growing embrace of innovation from startups like Palantir and Anduril reflects how AI is going to increasingly change things across the global defense sector. CRACKING THE CODE OF LIFE The healthcare sector is witnessing a sharp rise in AI-driven innovation, especially in precision medicine and genome sequencing, transforming how diseases are understood and treated. For many years, scientists and medical professionals have been trying to understand human DNA in an attempt to crack the code that powers life as we know it. Now, with new AI models like GROVER, they have a real chance at getting closer to that goal, Science Daily reports. “AI is transforming genome sequencing, enabling faster and more accurate analyses of genetic data,” Khalfan Belhoul, CEO at the Dubai Future Foundation, tells Fast Company. “Already, the largest genome banks in the U.K. and the UAE each have over half a million samples, but soon, one genome bank will surpass this with a million samples.” But what does this mean? “It means we are entering an era where healthcare can truly become personalized, where we can anticipate and prevent certain diseases before they even develop,” Belhoul says. Genome banks, powered by AI, are facilitating the storage and retrieval of vast amounts of genetic data, which can be analyzed to identify patterns and predispositions to certain diseases. Beyond diagnostics, AI is playing a pivotal role in drug development, accelerating the discovery of therapies for complex diseases. By analyzing genetic mutations and environmental factors, AI enables researchers to design treatments tailored to individual patients. “These tools are not only improving outcomes but also reducing costs and timelines associated with traditional medical research,” says Belhoul. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION INTELLIGENCE Today, businesses swim in a vast ocean of applications—spanning email, messaging apps like WhatsApp and iMessage, and collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams—that eventually make communication fragmented and often get important details lost in silos. But AI agents like LeapXpert’s patented Maxen are solving this challenge by combining external messaging channels with enterprise platforms to deliver what Dima Gutzeit, founder and CEO at LeapXpert, describes as “communication intelligence.” While Maxen is similar to Microsoft Copilot—which works only within the Microsoft product suite for now—it’s differentiated in its ability to integrate with multiple communications platforms, including WhatsApp, iMessage, and Microsoft Teams. Gutzeit explains that Maxen is an extension of the LeapXpert Communications Platform (which unifies and governs communication channels) and uses AI to provide relationship managers with real-time insights into client interactions. While that’s commendable, he notes that we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of how AI will transform business communication. “2025 will see the rise of AI assistants tailored for enterprise needs, focusing on unifying communication data and driving actionable insights. Compliance and security AI will evolve further, flagging suspicious activity in real time and reinforcing trust in digital interactions,” Gutzeit says. AI’s role in business communication isn’t just about boosting efficiency. It’s also helping enterprises navigate the growing complexity of data governance and regulatory compliance. For Gutzeit, the future of AI in communication will combine privacy-first AI, compliance, and actionable insights, enabling businesses to thrive in a digitally interconnected world. AI-POWERED CYBERSECURITY OPERATIONS AI operates on both the offensive and defensive sides of the cybersecurity equation. One classic example is how cybercriminals used AI-generated deepfake technology to impersonate a company executive in Hong Kong, tricking him into transferring several millions of U.S. dollars. But in response to such threats, companies are deploying AI-driven anomaly detection tools like Darktrace and Vectra AI that monitor network traffic to detect and respond to irregular patterns. Alex Yevtushenko, CEO at Salvador Technologies, highlights the dual nature of AI in this space: “On the one hand, AI enables expansive behavioral analysis and anomaly detection, improving efficiency and speeding up threat detection. On the other, cybercriminals are leveraging AI to launch more sophisticated attacks.” A growing and worrisome trend is the use of AI for polymorphic malware—a type of malware that shapeshifts its codes, making it difficult to detect. Attackers are also deploying AI for large-scale phishing campaigns, voice cloning, and social engineering attacks. “National and other critical infrastructures, often reliant on legacy systems, are particularly vulnerable,” Yevtushenko warns. AI’s ability to automate malicious code generation and exploit vulnerabilities amplifies these risks. Yevtushenko emphasizes the importance of resilience strategies to combat these threats, noting that organizations, especially critical infrastructure operators and industrial enterprises, must invest in robust recovery systems that enable rapid restoration of operations. Salvador Technologies, for example, offers a platform that ensures operational continuity and facilitates rapid recovery, bypassing traditional protocols to minimize downtime. Speaking about major AI trends to expect in the coming year, Yevtushenko says that 2024 has illustrated that “AI, although not a technology that just emerged, is a hugely useful tool that can become a ‘game changer’ in many fields.” He says that in 2025 “we will see more and more AI-based systems and tools in everyday cybersecurity-based operations, empowering business decision-makers to make the right kind of decisions with the ultimate goal to increase overall security.” WHAT LIES AHEAD? The potential for AI extends far beyond the use cases dominating today’s headlines. As Friedland notes, “AI’s future lies in multi-domain coordination, edge computing, and autonomous systems.” These advancements are already reshaping industries like manufacturing, agriculture, and finance. In manufacturing, for example, AI-powered robotics is enhancing productivity and reducing waste by optimizing workflows. Take Machina Labs, which uses the latest advances in robotics and AI to build the next generation of factories for the manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, in the agricultural field, precision AI tools are helping farmers monitor crop health, predict yields, and conserve resources. A great example is CropX, which uses AI-powered algorithms to aggregate data from the soil and sky, then transform it into useful insights that help farmers monitor the health of their fields and crops. In finance, AI is improving fraud detection, enabling smarter investment strategies, and automating routine tasks, with companies like CertifID, Hawk AI, Riskified, and others using AI to detect and mitigate fraud at scale. As we move further into the decade, the consensus by many experts is that AI will increasingly take over routine tasks, freeing human experts to focus on complex challenges that require nuanced decision-making. Emerging technologies like quantum computing and hardware acceleration are also expected to supercharge AI’s capabilities, enabling more powerful models and faster decision-making processes. “AI will become more useful for decision-making in the C-suite,” says Belhoul, who also predicts that “we may see the first AI board member of a Fortune 500 company next year.”

Over the past two years, generative AI has dominated tech conversations and media headlines. Tools like ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, and Sora captured imaginations with their ability to create text, images, and videos, sparking both excitement and ethical debates. However, artificial intelligence goes far beyond generative AI—which is just a subset of AI—and its associated models. AI’s real promise lies in its ability to address complex challenges across diverse industries, from military technology to cybersecurity, medicine, and even genome sequencing. As we move into 2025 and beyond, the question isn’t whether AI use cases will expand—it’s how big and transformative they’ll get. MILITARY TACTICS AND INTELLIGENCE Few sectors stand to gain more from AI advancements than defense. “We are witnessing a surge in applications like autonomous drone swarms, electronic spectrum awareness, and real-time battlefield space management, where AI, edge computing, and sensor technologies are integrated to enable faster responses and enhanced precision,” says Meir Friedland, CEO at RF spectrum intelligence company Sensorz. Friedland notes that recent conflicts, particularly in Ukraine and across the Middle East, have highlighted critical vulnerabilities in military operations, from tactical to strategic levels—a factor he says will drive the adoption of AI use cases in the military. While Axios said in April that AI hit trust hurdles with the U.S. military, Friedland notes that with the rise of global tensions and defense budgets at an all-time high, “we can expect significant investment in AI to maintain a combat edge.” For Friedland, the defense sector’s growing embrace of innovation from startups like Palantir and Anduril reflects how AI is going to increasingly change things across the global defense sector. CRACKING THE CODE OF LIFE The healthcare sector is witnessing a sharp rise in AI-driven innovation, especially in precision medicine and genome sequencing, transforming how diseases are understood and treated. For many years, scientists and medical professionals have been trying to understand human DNA in an attempt to crack the code that powers life as we know it. Now, with new AI models like GROVER, they have a real chance at getting closer to that goal, Science Daily reports. “AI is transforming genome sequencing, enabling faster and more accurate analyses of genetic data,” Khalfan Belhoul, CEO at the Dubai Future Foundation, tells Fast Company. “Already, the largest genome banks in the U.K. and the UAE each have over half a million samples, but soon, one genome bank will surpass this with a million samples.” But what does this mean? “It means we are entering an era where healthcare can truly become personalized, where we can anticipate and prevent certain diseases before they even develop,” Belhoul says. Genome banks, powered by AI, are facilitating the storage and retrieval of vast amounts of genetic data, which can be analyzed to identify patterns and predispositions to certain diseases. Beyond diagnostics, AI is playing a pivotal role in drug development, accelerating the discovery of therapies for complex diseases. By analyzing genetic mutations and environmental factors, AI enables researchers to design treatments tailored to individual patients. “These tools are not only improving outcomes but also reducing costs and timelines associated with traditional medical research,” says Belhoul. BUSINESS COMMUNICATION INTELLIGENCE Today, businesses swim in a vast ocean of applications—spanning email, messaging apps like WhatsApp and iMessage, and collaboration platforms like Microsoft Teams—that eventually make communication fragmented and often get important details lost in silos. But AI agents like LeapXpert’s patented Maxen are solving this challenge by combining external messaging channels with enterprise platforms to deliver what Dima Gutzeit, founder and CEO at LeapXpert, describes as “communication intelligence.” While Maxen is similar to Microsoft Copilot—which works only within the Microsoft product suite for now—it’s differentiated in its ability to integrate with multiple communications platforms, including WhatsApp, iMessage, and Microsoft Teams. Gutzeit explains that Maxen is an extension of the LeapXpert Communications Platform (which unifies and governs communication channels) and uses AI to provide relationship managers with real-time insights into client interactions. While that’s commendable, he notes that we haven’t even begun to scratch the surface of how AI will transform business communication. “2025 will see the rise of AI assistants tailored for enterprise needs, focusing on unifying communication data and driving actionable insights. Compliance and security AI will evolve further, flagging suspicious activity in real time and reinforcing trust in digital interactions,” Gutzeit says. AI’s role in business communication isn’t just about boosting efficiency. It’s also helping enterprises navigate the growing complexity of data governance and regulatory compliance. For Gutzeit, the future of AI in communication will combine privacy-first AI, compliance, and actionable insights, enabling businesses to thrive in a digitally interconnected world. AI-POWERED CYBERSECURITY OPERATIONS AI operates on both the offensive and defensive sides of the cybersecurity equation. One classic example is how cybercriminals used AI-generated deepfake technology to impersonate a company executive in Hong Kong, tricking him into transferring several millions of U.S. dollars. But in response to such threats, companies are deploying AI-driven anomaly detection tools like Darktrace and Vectra AI that monitor network traffic to detect and respond to irregular patterns. Alex Yevtushenko, CEO at Salvador Technologies, highlights the dual nature of AI in this space: “On the one hand, AI enables expansive behavioral analysis and anomaly detection, improving efficiency and speeding up threat detection. On the other, cybercriminals are leveraging AI to launch more sophisticated attacks.” A growing and worrisome trend is the use of AI for polymorphic malware—a type of malware that shapeshifts its codes, making it difficult to detect. Attackers are also deploying AI for large-scale phishing campaigns, voice cloning, and social engineering attacks. “National and other critical infrastructures, often reliant on legacy systems, are particularly vulnerable,” Yevtushenko warns. AI’s ability to automate malicious code generation and exploit vulnerabilities amplifies these risks. Yevtushenko emphasizes the importance of resilience strategies to combat these threats, noting that organizations, especially critical infrastructure operators and industrial enterprises, must invest in robust recovery systems that enable rapid restoration of operations. Salvador Technologies, for example, offers a platform that ensures operational continuity and facilitates rapid recovery, bypassing traditional protocols to minimize downtime. Speaking about major AI trends to expect in the coming year, Yevtushenko says that 2024 has illustrated that “AI, although not a technology that just emerged, is a hugely useful tool that can become a ‘game changer’ in many fields.” He says that in 2025 “we will see more and more AI-based systems and tools in everyday cybersecurity-based operations, empowering business decision-makers to make the right kind of decisions with the ultimate goal to increase overall security.” WHAT LIES AHEAD? The potential for AI extends far beyond the use cases dominating today’s headlines. As Friedland notes, “AI’s future lies in multi-domain coordination, edge computing, and autonomous systems.” These advancements are already reshaping industries like manufacturing, agriculture, and finance. In manufacturing, for example, AI-powered robotics is enhancing productivity and reducing waste by optimizing workflows. Take Machina Labs, which uses the latest advances in robotics and AI to build the next generation of factories for the manufacturing industry. Meanwhile, in the agricultural field, precision AI tools are helping farmers monitor crop health, predict yields, and conserve resources. A great example is CropX, which uses AI-powered algorithms to aggregate data from the soil and sky, then transform it into useful insights that help farmers monitor the health of their fields and crops. In finance, AI is improving fraud detection, enabling smarter investment strategies, and automating routine tasks, with companies like CertifID, Hawk AI, Riskified, and others using AI to detect and mitigate fraud at scale. As we move further into the decade, the consensus by many experts is that AI will increasingly take over routine tasks, freeing human experts to focus on complex challenges that require nuanced decision-making. Emerging technologies like quantum computing and hardware acceleration are also expected to supercharge AI’s capabilities, enabling more powerful models and faster decision-making processes. “AI will become more useful for decision-making in the C-suite,” says Belhoul, who also predicts that “we may see the first AI board member of a Fortune 500 company next year.”

Agriculture
Business
Health

Rewriting History: King Solomon’s Mines Proven Clean by Modern Science

A groundbreaking study from Tel Aviv University dispels long-standing myths about King Solomon’s Mines, revealing that ancient copper production in Timna Valley caused minimal and localized environmental harm. Researchers used advanced geochemical surveys to determine that pollution levels were far lower than previously assumed and posed no danger to ancient or modern populations. This discovery [...]

A groundbreaking study from Tel Aviv University dispels long-standing myths about King Solomon’s Mines, revealing that ancient copper production in Timna Valley caused minimal and localized environmental harm. Researchers used advanced geochemical surveys to determine that pollution levels were far lower than previously assumed and posed no danger to ancient or modern populations. This discovery [...]

Chemicals
Pollution

Hurricane-Force Winds Bear Down on California, Latest in Stretch of Extreme Weather

California has been hit hard by extreme weather over the past several weeks

LOS ANGELES (AP) — Record-setting flooding over three days dumped more than a foot of rain on parts of northern California, a fire left thousands under evacuation orders and warnings in Los Angeles County, forecasters issued the first-ever tornado warning in San Francisco and rough seas tore down part of a wharf in Santa Cruz.All of this extreme weather has hit California in the past several weeks, showcasing the state’s particular vulnerability to major weather disasters. Strong storms Tuesday produced waves that forecasters said could reach 35 feet (10.7 meters) around Santa Cruz. The National Weather Service issued a high surf warning until early evening, cautioning people to stay out of the ocean and away from piers. For Chandler Price, meteorologist with the National Weather Service in San Diego, these extreme weather events are both typical and unusual for a La Niña winter, a natural climate cycle that can cause extreme weather across the planet. In California, it means a wetter than average northern region and a drier south. “So far we’ve seen that pattern play out pretty well,” he said, but added, “obviously, you know, the tornado in the Bay Area was atypical. ... We haven’t seen that before, at least not for a very long time.”A storm and wind gusts of up to 60 mph (96 kph) prompted the San Francisco tornado warning that extended to neighboring San Mateo County, which went out to about 1 million people earlier this month. The tornado overturned cars and toppled trees and utility poles near a mall in Scotts Valley, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) south of San Francisco, injuring several people. Tornadoes do occur in California, but they rarely hit populated areas.In San Francisco, local meteorologists said straight-line winds, not a tornado, felled trees onto cars and streets and damaged roofs. The storm also dumped significant snow across the northern Sierra Nevada. F. Martin Ralph, director of the Center for Western Weather and Water Extremes, said climate change means that atmospheric rivers, long stretches of wet air that can produce heavy rains, will be responsible for a greater share of California’s yearly precipitation and the periods in between those big events will be drier. These storms are essential for the water supply but can also be dangerous.“When they are too strong and too many in a row, we end up getting floods,” he said, adding that they drive California’s weather extremes.During storms this week around Santa Cruz, one man was trapped under debris and died and another person was pulled into the ocean. The surf also splintered off the end of a Santa Cruz municipal wharf that was under construction, plunging three people into the ocean. One swam to shore and the other two were rescued. A series of atmospheric rivers are expected through the rest of the week. Overall, this pattern is not unusual — these storms regularly produce high winds, heavy snow in the mountains and torrential rain this time of year.“What’s a little unique about this setup is how closely spaced they are, so there’s not much of a break between them,” said David Lawrence, a meteorologist and emergency response specialist with the National Weather Service.But these storms haven’t stretched very far south, creating dry weather in Southern California that increases fire risk.One of the state’s most recent blazes, the Franklin Fire left some 20,000 people under evacuation orders and warnings and forced students at Pepperdine University to shelter in place. The blaze was fueled by the Santa Anas, the notorious seasonal winds that blow dry air from the interior toward the coast, pushing back moist ocean breezes.Most of the destruction occurred in Malibu, a community on the western corner of Los Angeles known for its beautiful bluffs and the Hollywood-famous Zuma Beach. The fire damaged or destroyed 48 structures and is one of nearly 8,000 wildfires that have scorched more than 1 million acres (more than 404,685 hectares) in the Golden State this year. The Santa Ana winds, which peak in December, have also contributed to warmer-than-average temperatures in parts of the southern state, said Price with the National Weather Service. “Eighty-degree (26.7 Celsius) Christmases are not entirely uncommon around here,” he added, but “there was a couple of high temperature record breaks in the mountains, which are usually less affected by the Santa Anas, and so those were a little unusual.” Phillis reported from St. Louis.Associated Press writers Martha Mendoza and Stefanie Dazio contributed to this story.The Associated Press receives support from the Walton Family Foundation for coverage of water and environmental policy. The AP is solely responsible for all content. For all of AP’s environmental coverage, visit https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environment.Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.Photos You Should See - Sept. 2024

Climate
Mountains
Water

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