Harvard cancels geoengineering experiment + 2 more stories

There has been very few significant news stories in the last several days.

Just a quick reminder: this newsletter has no fixed schedule. I wait until we have enough significant stories collected (at least 2 or 3) before sending an email, so no email usually means that nothing significant happened that day.

Today ChatGPT read 9098 top news stories. After removing previously covered events, there are 3 articles with a significance score over 5.6.

[6.0] Major powers urge de-escalation and ceasefire in Gaza — The White House

Leaders from the United States, United Kingdom, France, Germany, and Italy issued a joint statement regarding the Middle East, emphasizing support for de-escalation efforts and a ceasefire in Gaza. They endorsed renewed talks involving President Biden, Egypt's President Sisi, and Qatar's Amir Tamim.

The statement also condemned Iranian aggression and warned of serious regional security consequences if military threats against Israel continue.

[5.7] NASA's NEOWISE asteroid-tracking mission has been shut down — The Conversation

NASA's NEOWISE mission, launched in 2011, was shut down on August 8, 2024, after detecting over 3,000 near-Earth objects (NEOs).

NEOWISE contributed significantly to planetary defense knowledge, identifying more than 200 previously unknown NEOs. Its successor, the NEO Surveyor, is set to launch in 2027, aiming to discover two-thirds of NEOs larger than 140 meters. NEOWISE will re-enter Earth's atmosphere by year-end.

[5.6] Harvard cancels solar geoengineering experiment due to ethical concerns — theverge.com

Harvard's Stratospheric Controlled Perturbation Experiment (SCoPEx) aimed to test solar geoengineering by releasing reflective particles into the atmosphere.

Canceled after local Indigenous opposition and ethical concerns, the project faced criticism for inadequate public engagement. The advisory committee recommended its termination, highlighting risks of catastrophic consequences. Discussions on governance for geoengineering research are ongoing, but no new policies have emerged yet.

Highly covered news with significance over 5.3

[5.5] Africa public health body declares continental emergency over mpox surge
(npr.org + 47)

[5.4] UN warns Sudan's crisis is at a catastrophic breaking point amid flooding and fighting
(abcnews.go.com + 4)

[5.3] Major wildfire near Athens prompts evacuations and firefighting efforts
(The Associated Press + 29)

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Thanks for reading and see you soon,

Vadim