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Irish Times
3 hours ago
- Science
- Irish Times
Amazon remains in great peril and should top Cop30 agenda
From the foothills of the Andes in Ecuador the largest tropical forest on earth stretches more than 3,500km – more than the distance from Galway to Moscow – before spilling into the Atlantic Ocean. It took Spaniard Franciso de Orellana more than eight months to descend the full length of the great river when his party became the first Europeans to do so in 1542. The accounts of Orellana's improbable adventure chronicled a jungle that was then inhabited by a large population, possibly as many as five million in total, according to modern scholars. These included advanced agricultural societies that had lived along the rivers of the Amazon basin for perhaps as long as 13,000 years. But the forest stretches deep into time as well as across space. Geological studies suggest it has existed for at least 25 million years, making human history of any kind in the region a very recent affair. In this time, a wondrous diversity of life has evolved so that despite covering only half a per cent of the earth's surface, it accounts for ten per cent of all named plants and vertebrate animals. A full accounting of its true biodiversity remains a work in progress. The Amazon has also been described as a 'critical component' of the Earth's climate system, 'strongly regulating global carbon and water cycles', a study published in the journal Science in 2023 concluded. READ MORE Orellana's tales of this vast jungle, hinting it contained troves of silver and gold equal to those his fellow conquistadors found in Mexico or Peru, fired a lust for conquest that brought misery and death to the indigenous peoples and a destructive force that, 500 years later, shows no signs of abating. Enslavement and disease wiped out whole populations; the rubber trade of the late 1800s immiserated those who remained. By the 1970s, the paranoid military dictatorship in Brazil encouraged a wave of settlers to colonise the jungle to bring 'people without land' to a 'land without people', as they saw it. Fires along the Trans-Amazonian Highway near the Aripuana National Forest, in the state of Amazonas. Photograph:The aforementioned Science paper concluded human impacts are outpacing natural processes and 'the Amazon is now perched to transition rapidly from a largely forested to a nonforested landscape, and the changes are happening much too rapidly for Amazonian species, peoples, and ecosystems to respond adaptively'. Even since this sentence was written, events have accelerated. During the presidency of Jair Bolsonaro in Brazil from 2019 to 2023, tacit approval was given to land grabbers and ranchers to clear land, driving a spike in rates of deforestation. The leftist Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva (Lula, as he is better known) succeeded him with a promise to reverse this trend. His efforts have met some success and data published in May showed deforestation rates across the country had dropped by one-third in 2024 compared to a year previously. Good news. However, this fall in land clearance is being swamped by losses of forest due to fires. The year 2024 was the hottest on record, while the drought that afflicted the Amazon basin was the worst in seven decades. According to new data from the World Resources Institute (WRI), 2024 marked a 'record-shattering' level of primary forest loss globally, with more than half of that in Brazil and its neighbour, Bolivia. During a webinar in May, Rod Taylor, global director of the Forests Programme at the WRI warned we are entering 'a new phase ... a climate/fire feedback loop' that is entirely down to deliberate land clearance for agriculture, since fires are not a natural phenomenon in the rainforest. In Bolivia, far from this being beyond the reach of authorities, it is the result of deliberate policies designed to increase agricultural exports from its Amazon region. The 3.1 gigatonnes of greenhouse gas emissions released by the fires globally were greater than the entire emissions from India for one year. Marina Silva, Lula's respected environment minister, told Time magazine in May that 'even if we can nullify deforestation, with climate change, if we don't reduce carbon from fossil fuel emissions, the forest will be destroyed anyway'. Lula has staked his reputation as a climate leader by going out of his way to host the Cop30 climate summit, to be held in the Amazonian city of Belem this November. Fernanda Wenzel is an investigative journalist based in Brazil for Mongabay, a news outlet dedicated to nature conservation. She agrees that Lula's policies have resulted in 'some good news ... but there are contradictions as well'. She hails Marina Silva as 'very competent ... she knows what has to be done. We have environmental agents back on the ground and there have been several raids on indigenous lands to expel invaders – land grabbers, illegal loggers and miners – and we have an increase in remote monitoring using satellite imagery. We have clear signs that things have changed.' However, even with these successes, 'seven trees are knocked down every second ... deforestation is still advancing, we are far from zero deforestation', something that many tropical countries, including Brazil, have committed to achieving by 2030. Wenzel points to Lula's close relationships with big business, including the powerful livestock industry, mining and fossil fuel interests, including in the Amazon basin. She is sceptical that deforestation can be brought to a halt, partly because Lula is not in a politically strong position. 'We have a very conservative congress that has never been so strong and is backing agribusiness interests. They are making it difficult to demarcate new indigenous lands, and we know that those territories [are managed by] those who most protect the forest.' She also notes how the effects of climate change are being felt: 'I think it's going to be really hard to reach zero deforestation by 2030.' All of the commodities coming from the Amazon, particularly soy and beef, are not being produced to satisfy demand in Brazil. Rather, they are heading north, to countries like Ireland, and concerns have been raised that new trade deals, such as the one between the EU and the Mercosur regional trade block, will make matters worse. 'Everything that boosts Brazilian agribusiness production has an impact in the Amazon,' says Wenzel. Deforestation to provide for livestock. Photograph: Getty Images This point is echoed by Natalie Unterstell, president of the Talona Institute, a think tank dedicated to Brazilian climate policy. She says the 'EU-Mercosur deal could either support or undermine forest protection. Without strong safeguards and accountability, increased trade risks accelerating deforestation, as scientific research has repeatedly shown.' As part of the Green Deal, the EU agreed to a deforestation regulation that would ban products, such as beef and soy, from any land deforested from December 2020. However, this has met resistance from countries in the EU as well as Brazil itself, and its implementation has been delayed for one year. 'The real challenge is to align trade with both the EU and China, to zero-deforestation goals,' adds Unterstell. And what of Cop30 in Belem? According to Unterstell, Lula's 'climate leadership will only be confirmed if he sustains the Amazon turnaround [in deforestation] and commits to curb ongoing fossil fuel expansion across Brazil'. He plans to launch the Tropical Forests Forever Facility at the Belem gathering to finance forest preservation and restoration. Greenpeace has described the need for this initiative as 'urgent and clear'. Yet, the willingness to act with the ambition required has not been apparent. 'Right now, countries like the US and Brazil are still doubling down on investments in oil, coal, and gas as if time were on our side. It's not,' says Unterstell. In 1658, with the European invasion of the Amazon well under way, a Jesuit priest from Co Waterford, Richard Carew, witnessed the forced displacement of thousands of people, among them women, children and the sick, from the jungle to work the plantations around Belem, the city of Cop30. Two thousand people had just arrived in the city, many to face enslavement and hard labour, but the plantation owners wanted more. Carew wrote at the time: 'Even though the rivers of these lands are the biggest in the world, the greed of the colonists is greater than all the water.' There is scarcely any sign that it has yet to abate.
CBS News
10 hours ago
- Climate
- CBS News
What is the "Cape May Bubble" in New Jersey? CBS News Philadelphia explains geography patterns
At the southern tip of New Jersey, Cape May isn't just famous for beaches and Victorian homes — it's also known for the mysterious Cape May Bubble. Locals swear storms split or vanish before hitting town, while nearby areas get drenched. So what's really going on? It's all about geography. Cape May is wedged between the Atlantic Ocean and Delaware Bay, both of which help regulate temperatures and can weaken or steer storms. Sea breezes — cooler air blowing inland — can also interrupt storm systems as they approach. Top that off with the right atmospheric setup — like pressure differences and jet stream placement — and Cape May ends up dodging bad weather more often than not. It's not magic, just a perfect storm of natural ingredients that gives the bubble its name. Is it a real shield? Nope. But the Cape May Bubble is a great example of how local geography can seriously influence the forecast.
Geek Vibes Nation
14 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Geek Vibes Nation
Arrow Video's August Releases Include Leatherface, Disaster Epics & More
Arrow Video has announced four new titles to join their collection on 4K UHD and Blu-Ray in August: Poseidon (2006), Perpetrator (2023), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning (2006). These represent a cruise ship disaster epic from legendary director Wolfgang Peterson, an unsettling feminist coming-of-age horror story, and two grisly outings with the infamous horror icon Leatherface. Details on these films can be found below: Poseidon [4K UHD Blu-Ray Limited Edition] Street Date: August 12, 2025 Synopsis: Legendary director Wolfgang Petersen (Das Boot, The Perfect Storm) brings all his talent for jaw-dropping spectacle to his 2006 epic disaster movie Poseidon, a pulse-pounding update of Paul Gallico's classic adventure novel. Passengers and crew members alike are celebrating New Year's Eve aboard the cruise-liner Poseidon, the pinnacle of engineering and the height of luxury. But soon after the clock strikes midnight, a gigantic rogue wave comes crashing against the vessel, sending it plummeting towards the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. As the ship sinks further down, a group of survivors must learn to work together if they are to pull through this terrifying ordeal. With an outstanding ensemble cast including Kurt Russell, Josh Lucas, Richard Dreyfuss, Andre Braugher and Emmy Rossum, and stunning special effects by Industrial Light and Magic, Poseidon is an audiovisual tour de force, presented for the first time on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray. Bonus Materials 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Ocean View, a brand-new interview with director of photography John Seale Big Sets for Big-Time Directors, a brand new interview with production designer William Sandell Surfing the VFX Wave, a brand new interview with visual effects supervisor Boyd Shermis Bringing Out the Dead, a brand new interview with make-up effects on-set supervisor Michael Deak Set a Course for Adventure, a brand new retrospective on the film by Heath Holland Poseidon: A Ship on a Soundstage, a featurette looking at the film's production featuring interviews with cast and crew Poseidon: Upside Down, a featurette exploring the film's challenging set design A Shipmate's Diary, a featurette following production assistant Malona Voigt on the set of Poseidon Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jacey Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Priscilla Page Perpetrator [Blu-Ray Limited Edition] Street Date: August 19, 2025 Synopsis: From the exquisite mind of Jennifer Reeder (Knives and Skin and V/H/S/94) comes Perpetrator, a brilliantly original and twisted take on female suppression, dangerous male predators and the pains of adolescence, with a stunning lead performance from Kiah McKirnan. On the eve of her 18th birthday, wild and rebellious Jonny is sent by her father to live with her estranged Aunt Hildie, where she begins to experience a radical metamorphosis: a family spell called the Forevering. With her newly uncovered powers, alongside a growing obsession with blood, a freshly feral and self-assured Jonny sets out on a perilous hunt to find a lethal perpetrator, responsible for the disappearances of several local women. Superbly blending a feminist coming-of-age drama with serial killer and supernatural fantasy genres, Perpetrator is beautifully shot in Bava-esque colors by director of photography Sevdije Kastrati, and features a phenomenal supporting cast, including Alicia Silverstone (Clueless), Melanie Liburd (Bad Boys: Ride or Die) and Christopher Lowell (Promising Young Woman). Bonus Materials LIMITED EDITION BLU-RAY CONTENTS High Definition (1080p) Blu-ray presentation Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 surround audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Brand new audio commentary by writer-director Jennifer Reeder and director of photography Sevdije Kastrati Perpetrator: Mirrors and the Monstrous Womb, a brand new video essay by filmmaker Jen Handorf On-set cast interviews with Kiah McKirnan, Alicia Silverstone, Melanie Liburd and Christopher Lowell Screenplay (2024), a music video for Aitis, directed by Jennifer Reeder Tiny Baby (2024), a music video for Joan of Arc, directed by Jennifer Reeder Three short films directed by Jennifer Reeder: All Small Bodies (2018, 20 mins); I Dream You Dream of Me (2018, 11 mins); LOLA, 15 (2017, 5 mins) Original trailer Reversible sleeve featuring two original artwork options by Creepy Duck Design and Duke Aber / Shudder Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Kat Hughes and Marianne Lampon The Texas Chainsaw Massacre [4K UHD Blu-Ray Limited Edition] Street Date: August 26, 2025 Synopsis: For its inaugural film, Michael Bay's studio Platinum Dunes brought together scriptwriter Scott Kosar (The Machinist) and director Marcus Nispel (2009's Friday the 13th) for a grisly update of Tobe Hooper's classic tale of Texan terror. The result would conquer the 2003 box office, introducing a new generation of genre fans to the franchise. A group of carefree young adults' road trip through Texas is cut short when the panic-stricken hitchhiker they've picked up shoots herself in the back of their vehicle. Desperate to find help, our heroes are directed to the home of the local Sheriff, but little do they know they are stumbling into the lair of the Hewitts, the most violent family in all of Texas, including their chainsaw-wielding son. Described by critic Roger Ebert as 'vile, ugly and brutal', 2003's The Texas Chainsaw Massacre is a boundary pushing, agonizingly violent gorefest masterpiece ready to traumatize and delight horror fans anew with this brand new 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray edition! Bonus Materials 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) Original DTS-HD MA 7.1 and 5.1 surround audio and lossless stereo audio Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing Brand new audio commentary with Dread Central co-founder Steve 'Uncle Creepy' Barton and co-host of The Spooky Picture Show podcast Chris MacGibbon Archival audio commentary with director Marcus Nispel, producer Michael Bay, executive producers Brad Fuller and Andrew Form and New Line Cinema founder Robert Shaye Archival audio commentary with Marcus Nispel, director of photography Daniel Pearl, production designer Greg Blair, art director Scott Gallager, sound supervisor Trevor Jolly and composer Steve Jablonsky Archival audio commentary with Marcus Nispel, Michael Bay, writer Scott Kosar, Brad Fuller, Andrew Form and actors Jessica Biel, Erica Leerhsen, Eric Balfour Jonathan Tucker, Mike Vogel and Andrew Bryniarski Reimagining a Classic, a brand new interview with director Marcus Nispel Shadows of Yesteryear, a brand new interview with cinematographer Daniel Pearl The Lost Leatherface, a brand new interview with actor Brett Wagner Masks and Massacres, a brand new interview with makeup effects artist Scott Stoddard Chainsaw Symphony, a brand new interview with composer Steve Jablonsky Chainsaw Redux: Making A Massacre, a making-of documentary Ed Gein: The Ghoul of Plainfield, an in-depth look at the infamous killer who inspired the character of Leatherface Severed Parts, a look at the cutting room floor and some of the scenes excised from the final edit Deleted scenes including an alternate opening and ending Screen tests for Jessica Biel, Eric Balfour and Erica Leerhsen Behind-the-scenes featurette Cast and crew interviews Theatrical trailers and TV spots Concept art galleries Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron Lea Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron Lea Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Michael Gingold The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning [4K UHD Blu-Ray Limited Edition] Street Date: August 26, 2025 Synopsis: After 2003's successful remake of The Texas Chain Saw Massacre, Michael Bay's Platinum Dunes would take another trip to the Lone Star State for the terrifying prequel, The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. In the summer of 1969, brothers Eric and Dean and their girlfriends Chrissie and Bailey are having one last road trip before the boys set off to Vietnam. An altercation with a shotgun-wielding biker leads them to crash their car, only for them to be rescued by Sheriff Hoyt. But their savior isn't as benevolent as he seems, and the gang are taken hostage and dragged to the residence of the murderous Hewitt family, among them Hoyt's brother Thomas, a hulking brute who conceals his face behind a leather mask. Feast your eyes on this twisted and horrifying vision of the Hewitts' origins, presented here in its original Theatrical Version and the extended Uncut Version for the first time on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray! Bonus Materials 4K ULTRA HD BLU-RAY LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS 4K (2160p) Ultra HD Blu-ray presentation in Dolby Vision (HDR10 compatible) of both the Theatrical Version and the Uncut Version Original DTS-HD MA 5.1 and 2.0 audio on the Theatrical Version and DTS-HD MA 7.1, 5.1 and 2.0 audio on the Uncut Version Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing on both cuts Brand new audio commentary on the Uncut Version with Dread Central co-founder Steve 'Uncle Creepy' Barton and co-host of The Spooky Picture Show podcast Chris MacGibbon Archival audio commentary on the Uncut Version with director Jonathan Liebesman and producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller Hoyt, Actually, a brand new interview with actor Lew Temple Original Skins: KNB FX, a brand new interview with special effects makeup artist Jake Garber and special effects makeup technician Kevin Wasner Light and Sawdust, a brand new interview with director of photography Lukas Ettlin Down to the Bone: Anatomy of a Prequel, an archival making-of documentary featuring many interviews with cast and crew members Deleted and extended scenes with optional commentary from director Jonathan Liebesman and producers Andrew Form and Brad Fuller Theatrical trailer Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron Lea Double-sided foldout poster featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Aaron Lea Illustrated collector's booklet featuring new writing on the film by Michael Gingol Before we let you go, we have officially launched our merch store! Check out all of our amazing apparel when you click here and type in GVN15 at checkout for a 15% discount! Make sure to check out our podcasts each week including Geek Vibes Live, Top 10 with Tia, Wrestling Geeks Alliance and more! For major deals and money off on Amazon, make sure to use our affiliate link!
CNN
2 days ago
- Climate
- CNN
The next ‘Storm of the Century' could be even stronger, new study shows
People in entertainment Climate changeFacebookTweetLink Follow The strongest nor'easters — destructive and often deadly storms that slap the US East Coast with paralyzing rain, snow and flooding — are being supercharged by the effects of climate pollution, a new study found. Nor'easters, which typically form between September and April, are fueled by the temperature contrast between cold Arctic air from the north and warmer, moist air from the Atlantic Ocean. They are a huge threat to densely populated cities along the East Coast. The past decades have been peppered with nor'easters so devastating, some are now known by nicknames which sound like disaster movie titles. The 'Storm of the Century' in March 1993 was one of the deadliest and costliest ever recorded. It packed more than 100 mph winds, dumped almost 60 inches of snow in some places and killed more than 200 people. 'Snowmageddon' in 2010 unleashed more than 20 inches of snow on parts of Pennsylvania, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia, killing 41 people and leaving hundreds of thousands without power. Michael Mann, a climate scientist at the University of Pennsylvania and an author of the study, was trapped in a Philadelphia hotel room for three days during Snowmageddon. It was this experience that first sparked his curiosity about how these storms might be affected by global warming. Fifteen years later he believes he has some answers. There is a general consensus there will be fewer nor'easters in a warmer world, because the Arctic is heating up faster than the rest of the Northern Hemisphere meaning there is less of a temperature contrast to fuel the storms. But what has been unclear is what will happen to the intensity of these storms, which have tended to be understudied, Mann said. To answer this question, the scientists used historical data and a cyclone tracking algorithm to analyze nor'easters between 1940 and 2025, pulling together a digital atlas of these storms. They analyzed 900 in total and found the maximum windspeed of the most intense nor'easters increased by around 6% since 1940, according to the study published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This may sound small but it vastly increases the damage a storm can wreak. A 6% boost in wind speed equates to a 20% increase in the storm's destructive potential, Mann said. 'That's substantial.' The rates of rain and snow dumped by these storms have also increased by about 10%, according to the analysis. The reason nor'easters are intensifying is 'basic physics,' Mann said. Warmer oceans and air mean more evaporation and more moisture in the atmosphere, which gets wrung out in the form of more intense rain or snow. The level of damage these storms can inflict make it vital to better understand how they'll change in a hotter world, Mann added. The 'Ash Wednesday' storm in 1962, for example, caused huge devastation along the East Coast, inflicting a total economic loss equivalent to tens of billions of dollars in today's money. It did 'as much damage as a major landfalling hurricane,' he said. The results also suggest the flooding risk in many East Coast cities may be underestimated, the study noted. 'Nor'easters have been neglected, and that's another contribution to increased coastal risk that we haven't really been focusing on enough,' Mann added. Jennifer Francis, a senior scientist at Woodwell Climate Research Center who was not involved in the study, said the findings highlight the need for better preparedness. 'Coastal communities in the Northeast where nor'easters strike should sit up and take notice… proactive preparation is less costly than post-storm recovery,' she told CNN. The findings are also important because they shine a light on the different ways the climate crisis plays out, said Judah Cohen, an MIT climatologist who was also not involved in the study. The effects 'can be counter-intuitive, including the idea that climate change can result in episodic increases in severe winter weather,' he told CNN. Even as the world warms, and the snow season shortens in many parts of the US, there will still be periods of heavy snowfall and intense cold, Mann said. 'Individual events may pack a bigger punch.'
CBS News
3 days ago
- General
- CBS News
Canadian couple's message in a bottle found 13 years later 2,000 miles away: "A metaphor for resilience"
A message in a bottle thrown into the Atlantic Ocean by a Canadian couple in Newfoundland 13 years ago recently washed ashore on a beach in Ireland. The couple, identified by various U.S. and Canadian media outlets as Brad and Anita Squires, were on Newfoundland's Bell Island in 2012 when they decided to cast a message out to sea. "Anita and Brad's day trip to Bell Island," the note said. "Today, we enjoyed dinner, this bottle of wine and each other, at the edge of the island." It asked whoever might find the message to "please call us," followed by a scribbled number. "I gave it everything I had," Brad Squires told The Canadian Press in an interview Wednesday. "We didn't see it hit the water, it was too high up. I just assumed it smashed on the rocks." The bottle survived the throw and for 13 years, it floated across the Atlantic Ocean until it washed up ashore about 2,000 miles away on Scraggane Bay in the Maharees Peninsula along the southwest coast of Ireland. It was picked up on Monday by Kate and Jon Gay, who shared the discovery with a local conversation group. "Really? A message in a bottle? Really? Wow!" Kate Gay told CBS News via email on Friday. "We couldn't see any writing on the paper inside — and decided to save the excitement of opening it until that evening." She is a community partner of the Maharees Conservation Association. They are working together to strengthen coastal resilience through creative exploration with the community, she said. "I thought it would be a fun way to start a project meeting we were having in my house that evening … and I wasn't wrong!" she said in her email. "That bottle had survived so many storms that have caused damage, erosion and flooding in Maharees … yet it arrived on our beach, that day, a little weathered but holding strong!" That night, the association shared a post on its Facebook page with photos of the bottle and the message. It quickly went viral. "Such a long way to travel and such a long time to get here but we got it! Now if only Anita and Brad would just answer the phone they told us to call them on!!!" the post said. "It seems we let a genie out of that bottle!" Kate Gay said. Within an hour, the Squires — now married with three children and living in Newfoundland, according to The Canadian Press — reached out to the conservation group confirming they were the Brad and Anita in the note. "Anita and I both feel like we have new friends, and we're all equally amazed," Brad Squires said. He and his wife are celebrating their 10th wedding anniversary next year. It is also the conversation association's 10th year anniversary. "It's such a romantic story - and it has brought joy to so many," Kate Gay told CBS News. "The 'message in a bottle' has gone from being a time capsule of a happy moment on Bell Island to a metaphor for resilience and the ripple effect of positive actions and connections."
