Multiple climate tipping points to be triggered as corals die, ice sheets collapse
Scientists stress the need for more sustainable practices for a sustainable future. (Photo: Getty)
advertisement
The paper mentions that, on average, current policies could trigger the risk of 62% of tipping points, which could be reduced by practising more sustainable pathways, such as lower greenhouse gas emissions.While analysing the influence of one tipping point on the other, a study done by the Universities of Exeter and Hamburg on Amazon rainforest dieback and permafrost thaw has found no interlinking influence.On controlling the effects of tipping points on the Earth, lead author of the study, Jakob Deutloff, said, 'The good news from our study is that the power to prevent climate tipping points is still in our hands.''And it appears that breaching tipping points within the Amazon and the permafrost region should not necessarily trigger others.'The study assessed tipping point probabilities in five different scenarios, known as shared socioeconomic pathways (SSPs). advertisementWhile mentioning the dangers posed by tipping points, Professor Tim Lenton, from Exeter's Global Systems Institute, said, 'Climate tipping points could have devastating consequences for humanity.''It is clear that we are currently on a dangerous trajectory, with tipping points likely to be triggered unless we change course rapidly.'We need urgent global action – including the triggering of 'positive tipping points' in our societies and economies – to reach a safe and sustainable future.'Scientists stress the need for more sustainable practices for a sustainable future. This could be achieved with lower emissions of fossil fuels and by upgrading the current policies.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
India Today
an hour ago
- India Today
It's growing! Astronomers spot strange structure in the heart of Milky Way galaxy
Astronomers from Sweden's Chalmers University of Technology have made a remarkable discovery in our Milky Way galaxy: an immense structure is an expanding bubble of gas and dust surrounding the red supergiant star DFK 52. This newly detected structure is the largest of its kind ever seen, stretching an astonishing 1.4 light-years from its host star and containing nearly as much mass as the scientific team, led by Mark Siebert, used the ALMA radio telescope in Chile to observe DFK 52, a star considered a near twin to the famous Betelgeuse in Orion. To their astonishment, the data revealed the star enveloped in a sprawling, chaotic bubble, an unexpected sight, even for experts accustomed to the dramatic lives of supergiant stars. 'We got a big surprise when we saw what ALMA was showing us. The star is more or less a twin of Betelgeuse, but it's surrounded by a vast, messy bubble of material,' Siebert reported. ALMA's sensitive radio measurements allowed scientists to observe the cloud's expansion. (Photo: Getty) The bubble's mass is roughly equal to the Sun's and, if DFK 52 were as close as Betelgeuse is to Earth, it would dominate our sky, spanning a third of the full Moon's sensitive radio measurements allowed scientists to observe the cloud's expansion, pointing to a dramatic outburst about 4,000 years ago when the star ejected part of its outer layers in a massive eruption.'The bubble is made of material that used to be part of the star. It must have been ejected in a dramatic event, an explosion,' explained astronomer Elvire De Beck. The cause of such a huge ejection, without the star itself going supernova, remains a puzzle. One possibility: a hidden companion star may have helped DFK 52 shed its supergiants like DFK 52 are thought to be in the final stages of their lives, destined to explode as supernovae. Could this star be the next to light up our galaxy? 'If this is a typical red supergiant, it could explode sometime in the next million years,' says De team plans further observations to unravel the mysteries of this extraordinary structure and better understand the final acts of colossal stars.- EndsTrending Reel
India Today
7 days ago
- India Today
Nasa to build nuclear reactor on the Moon: Is it possible by 2030?
The United States, led by Nasa, has set its sights on a lunar first, building a nuclear reactor on the Moon by bold initiative comes amid an intensifying space race with China and Russia, both of which have revealed similar ambitions for lunar nuclear power in the coming project aims to create a reliable energy source for future moon bases, enabling extended human habitation and supporting advanced research far from NUCLEAR POWER ON THE MOON?advertisement Solar power, long the default for space missions, faces major limitations on the lunar day-night lasts about four Earth weeks, two weeks of continuous sunlight followed by two weeks of complete darkness, making uninterrupted solar energy impossible without massive, impractical agree that nuclear fission is currently the only viable technology to ensure consistent power for habitats, life-support systems, experiments, and potential lunar target design is a compact reactor capable of generating around 100 kilowatts, enough to power approximately 80 homes on Earth. While much smaller than terrestrial nuclear plants, it would mark a huge leap from the few hundred watts delivered by current space-based nuclear AND LOGISTICAL CHALLENGESBuilding and deploying a reactor on the Moon brings daunting technical hurdles. The system must be lightweight enough for rocket transport, robust enough to survive the lunar landing, and engineered for remote assembly and activation in harsh conditions without atmosphere or reliable cooling are adapting proven technologies, transitioning from traditional terrestrial reactors to modular, autonomous fission systems capable of withstanding wild temperature swings and micrometeorite safety is crucial, too. The reactor would likely launch in an unirradiated state, minimising risks during transit. Once operational, management of radioactive waste and decommissioning processes must comply with international space treaties to protect celestial bodies from contamination. Designers are adapting proven technologies, transitioning from traditional terrestrial reactors to modular. (Photo: Getty) IS THE 2030 TIMELINE FEASIBLE?Experts say the 2030 deadline is ambitious yet achievable, if enough funding and political backing engineering is possible; prototypes of compact, remote-ready reactors already exist, and Nasa has awarded contracts for lunar reactor design since fluctuating agency budgets, legal complexities, and the inherent risks of space nuclear operations could slow progress. The American space agency is going through a period of intense insecurity with major budget cuts under the Donald Trump administration, followed by mass space agency is also facing a brain drain as scientists and engineers remain uncertain over employment at the multiple affiliated organisations of Nasa. Experts say the 2030 deadline is ambitious yet achievable. (Photo: AP) THE BIGGER PICTUREThis moonshot isn't just about energy. The first nation to establish a nuclear reactor on the Moon could gain a strategic edge in the competition for extraterrestrial resources and future Mars successful, America's lunar reactor would stand as a centerpiece in sustaining humanity's future off-Earth, a challenge that is truly monumental but now, remarkably, within reach.- EndsMust Watch
India Today
13-08-2025
- India Today
Perseid meteor shower to peak tonight: When and how to see it from India
Skywatchers across India have a rare treat in store this week as the Perseid meteor shower, one of the year's most spectacular celestial events, reaches its peak overnight from August 12 to for producing fast, bright meteors and occasional fireballs, this annual shower consistently fascinates astronomers and stargazers Perseids occur each year as Earth passes through debris left by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. As the cometary fragments slam into Earth's atmosphere at speeds of up to 59km/sec, they burn up and create glowing streaks across the sky, delighting viewers with up to 100 meteors per hour in ideal TO SEE IT IN INDIA? The shower's activity will be at its highest during the pre-dawn hours of Thursday, August 14, especially between 2:00 AM and 5:00 AM. However, eager viewers may catch glimpses of meteors as early as 10:00 PM on August 13, with the frequency ramping up through the year, skywatchers must contend with a bright waning gibbous Moon, which is expected to wash out fainter meteors and reduce average visibility to 15–25 meteors per hour, rather than the full 100 of dark-sky this, the Perseids remain visible with the naked eye, especially from locations with minimal light pollution. The Perseids occur each year as Earth passes through debris left by comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. (Photo: Getty) HOW TO WATCH PERSEIDS METEOR SHOWERChoose a Dark Spot: Leave city lights behind, rural locations or out-of-town terraces are Comfortable: Bring a blanket or chair and dress for pre-dawn Patient: Let your eyes adjust for at least 15–20 minutes in the dark. Avoid Up and North: The meteors appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, just below Cassiopeia in the northeast, but meteors can flash across any part of the Local Weather: Clear, moonless skies will greatly improve your with fewer visible meteors due to moonlight, the Perseids are set to offer an enthralling cosmic display for those willing to sacrifice a night's those unable to travel or contend with cloudy skies, live streams such as the Virtual Telescope Project will offer online viewing alternatives.- Ends
