18 MAY. 2024 · A vessel powered by burning wood pellets could reduce carbon emissions by 22% compared to ships using fossil fuels. Japanese transportation companies NYK Line, NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers (NBP), and Tsuneishi Shipbuilding are collaborating with the UK renewable energy company Drax to develop the world's first wood pellet-powered cargo ship. According to the recently signed memorandum of understanding, the ship is expected to set sail in 2029. This collaboration aligns with Japan's shift towards green energy sources. Japan is transitioning from fossil fuel-based electricity production to low-carbon and renewable sources, while the demand for wood pellets in the country—typically made from forestry residues and sawmill waste—is increasing. These wood pellets are primarily imported from North America.

18 MAY. 2024 · UAE - The Warsan company's plant in Dubai will process 2 million tons of waste per year and meet the electricity needs of 135,000 households. In Dubai, nearly half of the discarded waste contributes to powering homes. Most of the waste is collected at the plant operated by the waste management company Warsan. According to Tim Clarke, the company's CEO, about 45% of Dubai's total waste is sent to this facility. Operating since March this year, the Warsan plant will use 2 million tons of waste annually to generate electricity, enough to power around 135,000 households, CNN reported on May 17.

18 MAY. 2024 · BRAZIL - Snake Island is the only place on Earth where the critically endangered golden lancehead pit viper can be found, with numbers reaching into the thousands. Snake Island is a small island off the coast of Brazil, home to thousands of highly venomous snakes. These snakes, measuring up to 1.2 meters, belong to the golden lancehead pit viper species (Bothrops insularis). They are so venomous that the Brazilian Navy has prohibited public access to the island since the 1920s. The island is located about 34 kilometers off the southeastern coast of Brazil and spans an area of 43 hectares, roughly equivalent to 80 American football fields. The island is covered by rainforests for more than half of its area, while the rest is barren land and rocky outcrops.

18 MAY. 2024 · The spacecraft of the American startup Inversion Space will act as a warehouse, delivering goods to any location on Earth within an hour.Inversion Space, a U.S. startup founded in 2021, aims to revolutionize military logistics with the concept of a "warehouse in space," Interesting Engineering reported on May 17. The company plans to deploy reusable reentry spacecraft to store goods in orbit and deliver them anywhere on Earth within an hour.The pioneering mission, Ray, is expected to launch as early as October. In this mission, the experimental spacecraft will be sent into space on SpaceX's Transporter-12 rideshare flight. Ray will test technologies to support the development of a larger spacecraft, according to Inversion Space co-founder and CEO Justin Fiaschetti.

12 MAY. 2024 · Japan has added fin whales, a marine mammal species that was once considered vulnerable, to its list of commercially hunted species, raising concerns among conservationists.The Japanese government announced on May 9th that fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) are now the target of whaling ships within its exclusive economic zone, according to the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA). The addition of fin whales brings the total number of commercially hunted whales in Japan to 4 species, along with minke whales, Bryde's whales, and sei whales.The latest addition to the supplementary decision is particularly surprising due to the size and rarity of this species. At 25 meters long, fin whales are the second-largest animals on Earth in terms of length, second only to blue whales. They can live up to 90 years and have a wide range of habitats across the world's oceans.

12 MAY. 2024 · The stonefish holds the record for the largest venomous spines of any fish, as recognized by the Guinness World Records.Stonefish have 13 venomous spines hidden along their dorsal fin. They inhabit coral reefs and typically hunt fish and crustaceans by lying motionless and waiting for prey to approach, then striking rapidly, according to the Australian Museum in Sydney.The toxin from this fish is secreted from the spines running along its back, containing highly potent venom that can cause intense pain and even lead to death. The sharp spines act as a defensive mechanism and are erected vertically when the fish feels threatened.Each spine on the back is equipped with two venom glands on the outside. The severity of the injury is assessed based on how many spines the victim has come into contact with and the depth at which the spines penetrate the skin.

12 MAY. 2024 · Coral reefs are currently undergoing bleaching and disappearing. A study shows that coral reefs are facing "mass extinction" as ocean currents change, causing widespread bleaching.Researchers at the Global Coral Reef Alliance have published a new study in the Oxford Open Climate Change journal, revealing the severe bleaching of some of the world's largest coral reefs in 2023. The study indicates that climate change is altering ocean currents, making the impacts more severe, helping scientists better understand bleaching events and the best ways to prevent them.Thomas Goreau, the lead author of the paper and director of the Global Coral Reef Alliance, shared in a statement: "Coral reefs, the most vulnerable ecosystems, have been experiencing bleaching and dying due to high temperatures since the 1980s."

10 MAY. 2024 · In NASA's new project, robots will hover on lunar rails using "magnetic levitation" technology, transporting 100 tons of material per day. NASA's Innovative Advanced Concepts (NIAC) program has selected six projects to establish a sustained human presence on the lunar surface for sponsorship and further development. These projects have completed Phase I of the NIAC program, demonstrating their promise, and have entered Phase II, as reported by IFL Science on May 7th.

10 MAY. 2024 · Newly released images of Chang'e 6, China's latest Moon mission, reveal a small rover attached to the lander spacecraft. On May 3, China's Space Technology Institute (CAST) successfully launched the Long March 5 rocket into space carrying payloads for the Chang'e 6 mission. These payloads entered lunar orbit on May 8. Chang'e 6 is set to become the first mission in history to collect samples from the far side of the Moon and return them to Earth.

10 MAY. 2024 · Five years before the first flight of the Concorde, another supersonic aircraft took to the skies. It was the XB-70 Valkyrie, an experimental aircraft developed by the US Air Force. Its maiden flight 60 years ago in September 1964 heralded the golden age of supersonic flight. This aircraft later achieved speeds of over 3,218 km/h, nearly 50% faster than the Concorde, according to CNN. The XB-70 program had its own challenges. As a military aircraft, it became obsolete even before deployment. Its short lifespan was marked by a tragic accident. However, the design of the aircraft remained an icon of supersonic flight.