Global Warming, AI Chips, Trash Balloons (They’re Back!), & Halloween Costumes
October 25, 2024
Hello, readers – happy Friday! Today, we’ll be talking about Gaza, global warming, Nvidia, trash balloons, hurricanes, lead paint, and Halloween costumes.
Here’s some good news to hold you over through the weekend: a recent study conducted by AAA found that automatic emergency braking in vehicles is improving. Also, a group called the Two Frontiers Project is asking people to look for “weird microbial growth” at home in the hopes that they can find something capable of absorbing CO2 from the atmosphere or breaking down pollutants. Finally, President Biden is expected to issue a formal apology for the federal government’s Native American boarding schools today.
“All change is not growth, as all movement is not forward.” – Ellen Glasgow
A Dire Situation In The Desert
According to U.N. officials and international aid organizations, northern Gaza is on the brink of humanitarian collapse as Israel continues to expand its military offensive in the area. The last open hospital is on the edge of shutting down, Israel is continuing its blockade on almost 100% of aid deliveries, and IDF soldiers are restricting how aid workers are able to move through the enclave.
“People suffering under the ongoing Israeli siege in North Gaza are rapidly exhausting all available means for their survival,” wrote U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres on Wednesday. According to Mohammad Wadi, the deputy project coordinator for Doctors Without Borders in Gaza, medicine shortages have forced doctors to pick which patients get care, while others are left to die.
A Fiery Future Awaits
Back to the bleak news, the United Nations has informed governments around the world that humanity is currently on pace to create between 2.6 and 3.1 degrees Celsius of global warming this century. Current policies are so behind the curve, the U.N. said in its new report, that there is zero chance for the planet to limit global warming to the 1.5C limit agreed to during the Paris climate agreement in 2015.
If we aren’t able to pump the brakes before global warming reaches 3C worldwide, scientists warn that we could reach a point of no return – different ecosystems around the world would be irreparably damaged, sea level rise would wipe out coastal environments, and polar ice caps could disappear.
The report comes just weeks before international leaders are set to meet at the COP29 climate summit in the Azerbaijani capital of Baku. It seems, though, that leaders are looking to punt this year – most countries are apparently looking at COP29 as a stepping stone for the COP30 summit in Brazil, as next year’s summit is the deadline for countries to submit their plans to meet their Paris agreement goals.
Nvidia Goes All-In On India
- Nvidia, one of the biggest companies in the world right now, is turning its sights to India. The tech firm, which designs the graphics processing units (GPUs) used to train AI models, signed multiple deals with top Indian AI firms yesterday to get its chips into the most populous nation in the world.
- Nvidia will partner with Reliance, India’s most valuable company, to build custom AI infrastructure for the conglomerate. It will also work with Tech Mahindra to build a Hindi-language AI model, and infrastructure companies Tata Communications and Yotta Data Services are set to buy tens of thousands of Nvidia AI chips later this year. “India used to be a country that exported software. In the future, India will be a country that exports AI,” said CEO Jensen Huang.
A Different Kind Of Airdrop
- A second balloon carrying a payload of trash has fallen on South Korea’s presidential compound in Seoul. The trash balloon is one of many that North Korea has sent southwards in recent months in response to an alleged South Korean campaign of using drones to drop propaganda flyers over its own capital, Pyongyang.
- The first time that a North Korean garbage balloon landed in South Korea’s presidential compound was in July of this year. You’d think that Seoul would maybe step up their anti-balloon measures or something in response to the incident, but apparently not. One South Korean research fellow claims that the ability of North Korea to land two giant balloons full of trash on South Korea’s equivalent of the White House lawn is just dumb luck.
More Mixed Nuts
- King Charles becomes Samoan ‘high chief’ and drinks narcotic kava at welcoming ceremony (Guardian)
- Pope Francis denounces a world ‘losing its heart’ in 4th encyclical of his papacy (AP)
- UK ‘open to discussing non-cash forms of reparatory justice’ for former colonies (Guardian)
- Nigeria releases American crypto executive after dropping money laundering case (ABC)
- India Evacuates 1 Million as Tropical Cyclone Dana Nears (NYT, $)
Middle East Mixed Nuts
- The Israeli military has used Palestinians as human shields in Gaza, soldier and former detainees say (CNN)
- ‘We have to let some die’: Doctor says Gaza hospital is out of blood, medication (CNN)
- The Paris conference for Lebanon raises $1 billion in pledges for humanitarian and military support (AP)
A Big-Budget Rebuilding Effort
- It’s been about a month since Hurricane Helene tore through North Carolina, causing 1,400 landslides and damaging over 160 water and sewer systems, at least 6,000 miles of roads, more than 1,000 bridges and culverts, and an estimated 126,000 homes. The state budget office estimated that the storm caused at least $53 billion in damages and recovery needs. That’s a record-setting bill, smashing the $17 billion from Hurricane Florence in 2018.
- In more hurricane-related news, new research from the Institute for Strategic Dialogue, which tracks disinformation and online extremism, Russian state media and networks of social media accounts and websites helped to spread false content about the federal government’s response to Hurricanes Helene and Milton. The campaign was part of the effort to sow discord ahead of the upcoming election.
Getting Ahead Of Lead
- A final rule announced by the EPA yesterday will impose new restrictions on lead paint dust on floors and windowsills in pre-1978 residences and childcare facilities to levels below detection. “There is no safe level of lead,” said Michal Freedhoff, the EPA’s assistant administrator for chemical safety and pollution prevention.
- The EPA estimates the new rule will reduce the lead exposures of up to 1.2 million people a year, including 178,000 to 326,000 children under the age of six. More than 30 million homes in the U.S. are thought to still contain lead paint, including nearly 4 million homes where children under the age of six live, despite being banned in 1978.
More Nuts In America
- They were lobbying on legislation before his committee. They were also employing his son. (Politico)
- After news of DOJ warning, Elon Musk’s super PAC didn’t announce ‘daily’ lottery winner on Wednesday (CNN)
- 82 Nobel-Prize recipients in science fields endorse Harris (Axios)
- Trump says he would ‘fire’ Jack Smith ‘within two seconds’ if elected (NBC)
- Project 2025 will ‘upend’ the lives of Black Americans, new report shows (Guardian)
- Most U.S. counties have little to no local news sources (Axios)
Searching For Your Halloween Costume?
- Halloween is fast approaching, which means it’s time to use big data to predict what people will be wearing next Thursday. As a yearly tradition, Google has released its annual “Frightlist,” a collection of the 25 most “trending” costume ideas according to Google search data.
- Bob, a ghoul with a shrunken head from the movie “Beetlejuice Beetlejuice,” is the most popular on the list, with Olympic breakdancer Raygun – known for her… interesting dance routine at the Paris games – coming in second place. Third is CatNap, a monster from a video game called “Poppy Playtime.” Other top costume searches include Lady Deadpool (exactly what you’d think it is) and pop star Sabrina Carpenter.
- Google has also added location-specific trends to its list: Dolly Parton appears to be big in Tampa, Florida, and Ron Burgundy from “Anchorman” was a top pick from Marquette, Michigan. The populations of Duluth, Minnesota, and Tucson, Arizona appear to have a whole lot of children, as children’s cartoon character Bluey is the most trending costume in both of those cities.
More Loose Nuts
- Lost for centuries, Silk Road cities are revealed by drone technology (NBC)
- Hong Kong discovers dinosaur fossils for first time (AP)
- Hallmark Did Not Want to Cast ‘Old People’ Like Holly Robinson Peete and Lacey Chabert, Suit Claims (Variety)
- Cable companies ask 5th Circuit to block FTC’s click-to-cancel rule (Ars Technica)
- Parent of WWE and UFC is buying Professional Bull Riders, On Location and IMG for $3.25 billion (AP)
- Stunning fossil trapped in amber reveals previously unknown species that lived during the time of dinosaurs (CNN)
Team Thoughts
Kayli – I haven’t picked a Halloween costume yet, but now I’m leaning towards Bob…
Marcus – If you want to see the consequences of climate change, just read the Hurricane Helene story. But sure, we can wait another year to solve the problem!