By Kristin Skare Orgeret, Oslo Metropolitan University (The Conversation) – The past year has been the deadliest for journalists since the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) began tracking fatalities in 1992. Since 7 October 2023, at least 146 journalists have been killed in Gaza, the West Bank, Israel, and Lebanon, though the actual numbers are […]
Gaza, Ukraine, Sudan: What is a War Crime?
By Hurst Hannum, Tufts University (The Conversation) – What are war crimes and when did they start? – Artie, 12, Queens, New York I imagine you’re asking about “war crimes” because you’ve heard that term mentioned lately in news about the conflicts underway in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan. The idea may sound confusing, because war […]
Why we need to Transform the Arctic Ocean into a North Pole Marine Reserve
(The Conversation) – Kirsten Freja Young, University of Exeter and Brendan Godley, University of Exeter At the most northerly tip of the UK, looking north from the island of Muckle Flugga, Shetland, the cold wind whips up the sea and gannets dive. While biodiversity loss in the Arctic Ocean may seem like a distant issue, […]
We need better ways of storing renewable electricity for later: ‘flow batteries’ can help
By Maria Skyllas-Kazacos, UNSW Sydney (The Conversation) – As more and more solar and wind energy enters Australia’s grid, we will need ways to store it for later. We can store electricity in several different ways, from pumped hydroelectric systems to large lithium-ion battery systems. We can also use flow batteries. These are a lesser-known […]
First Nations Peoples are now Key to Australia’s clean Energy Revolution, after 65,000 Years of Caring for this Land
By Heidi Norman, UNSW Sydney (The Conversation) – Australia is on the cusp of a once-in-a-generation transformation, as our energy systems shift to clean, renewable forms of power. First Nations peoples, the original custodians of this land, must be central to – and benefit from – this transition. That is the key message of the […]
In 2025, let’s make it Game On – not Game Over – for our precious natural World
By Darcy Watchorn, Deakin University and Marissa Parrott, The University of Melbourne It’s just past midnight in the cool, ancient forests of Tasmania. We’ve spent a long day and night surveying endangered Tasmanian devils. All around, small animals scurry through bushes. A devil calls in the darkness. Microbats swoop and swirl as a spotted-tailed quoll […]
Climate Change is making Plants less Nutritious − that could already be hurting Animals that are Grazers
By Ellen Welti, Smithsonian Institution (The Conversation) -More than one-third of all animals on Earth, from beetles to cows to elephants, depend on plant-based diets. Plants are a low-calorie food source, so it can be challenging for animals to consume enough energy to meet their needs. Now climate change is reducing the nutritional value of […]
What is the Drug Captagon and how is it Linked to Syria’s Fallen Assad Regime?
By Nicole Lee, Curtin University (The Conversation) – After the fall of the al-Assad regime in Syria, large stockpiles of the illicit drug captagon have reportedly been uncovered. The stockpiles, found by Syrian rebels, are believed to be linked to al-Assad military headquarters, implicating the fallen regime in the drug’s manufacture and distribution. But as […]
What next for Syria? The Danger of Violence in post-war Transitions
By Chelsea Johnson, University of Liverpool Images emerging from Syria over the past week have shown jubilation on the streets, as millions celebrate the end of 24 years of repression under Bashar al-Assad. It is rare for rebels to manage to tip the scales in their favour and win a war outright after such a […]