World News
Find out what’s happening in Science & Society around the world. Discover changes to science policy and law, new scientific study results, Supreme Court rulings, debates about nature versus nurture, and news about the sharing of genetic information.
Fri, Dec 06
New National Heat Strategy ‘A Game Changer,’ Duke Experts Say
Summary: The National Integrated Heat Health Information System (NIHHIS) on Wednesday released the first-ever National Heat Strategy to promote proactive coordination between federal agencies on heat planning, response and resilience. Comments below from Duke University experts Ashley Ward and Jordan Clark are available for your coverage.
Ashley Ward
Quotes:
“Federal leadership is crucial for addressing the growing impacts of extreme heat on vulnerable populations across the United States,” says Ashley Ward, director of the Heat Policy Innovation Hub at Duke University’s Nicholas Institute for Energy, Environment and Sustainability. “This report represents years of dedicated work by NIHHIS and its partners. They have developed a sound, evidence-based strategy that can be implemented with the right resources.”
“The strategy’s emphasis on local engagement is its hidden strength. By recognizing the diversity of heat impacts across different communities, it’s setting the stage for a nuanced, bottom-up approach to resilience.”
Thu, Dec 05
We need to start wrestling with the ethics of AI agents
Generative AI models have become remarkably good at conversing with us, and creating images, videos, and music for us, but they’re not all that good at doing things for us.
AI agents promise to change that. Think of them as AI models with a script and a purpose. They tend to come in one of two flavors.
The first, called tool-based agents, can be coached using natural human language (rather than coding) to complete digital tasks for us. Anthropic released one such agent in October—the first from a major AI model-maker—that can translate instructions (“Fill in this form for me”) into actions on someone’s computer, moving the cursor to open a web browser, navigating to find data on relevant pages, and filling in a form using that data. Salesforce has released its own agent too, and OpenAI reportedly plans to release one in January.
Tue, Dec 03
Focus on the ‘Forgotten Greenhouse Gas’ Intensifies as All Eyes Are on the U.S. and China to Curb Pollution
NEW YORK—As scientists, policymakers and environmental advocates seek to accelerate efforts to address climate change, they’re zeroing in on a pollutant long considered the “forgotten greenhouse gas.”
The third-largest driver of climate change and the leading source of atmospheric ozone depletion, nitrous oxide was center stage Wednesday night at Climate Week, one of the world’s largest annual events dealing with the climate crisis. The N2O talk, at New York University, focused on the growing impacts of that pollution and the potential levers that could be pulled to curb it.
The presentations came amid ongoing bilateral discussions between the U.S. and China—countries that collectively account for about a third of the world’s N2O pollution—on how to reduce these emissions.
Sun, Dec 01
NC governor, AG powers stripped as part of Hurricane Helene relief bill
RALEIGH, N.C. (QUEEN CITY NEWS) — Legislation that both funds hurricane relief and strips power from two high-ranking statewide offices is headed to the governor’s desk.
SB 382 provides hundreds of millions of dollars in relief money for areas impacted by Hurricane Helene, but it also changes powers reserved for the governor and attorney general. It passed the House on Tuesday and the Senate on Wednesday afternoon.
The aid package includes money for local government loans and water infrastructure repair. Republicans argued Tuesday that relief is needed now.
Sun, Nov 17
What’s At Stake In The Supreme Court’s Landmark Social Media Case
The Supreme Court is poised to decide whether a pair of state laws are allowed to reshape the ability of social media companies to control what does — and doesn’t — appear on their platforms.