XPost: alt.global-warming   
      
   Current Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation weakest in last millennium   
   Nature Geoscience   
   In a "brief communication" paper, a group of researchers assess the   
   strength of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) -   
   "one of Earth's major ocean circulation systems". The team compares "a   
   variety of published proxy records to reconstruct the evolution of the   
   AMOC since about AD400". The findings show that "after a long and   
   relatively stable period, there was an initial weakening starting in   
   the 19th century, followed by a second, more rapid, decline in the   
   mid-20th century, leading to the weakest state of the AMOC occurring   
   in recent decades".   
      
   Atlantic Ocean current at weakest state in `over a millennium'   
   Daisy Dunne, The Independent via Carbon Brief   
   New research suggests that the Atlantic Ocean current that plays a   
   major role in the world's weather is at its weakest state in over a   
   millennium, reports the Independent. The paper continues: "The   
   research combines various lines of evidence to create a `consistent   
   picture' of how the ocean current system, which is known as the   
   `Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation' (AMOC), has changed over   
   the past 1,600 years. Sometimes called the Atlantic's `conveyer belt',   
   the AMOC is a vast ocean current system that moves warm, salty water   
   from the tropics to regions further north, such as the UK." The new   
   study, published in Nature Geoscience, builds on a 2018 paper by many   
   of the same authors, which found that the AMOC had weakened by around   
   15% since the mid 20th century. (See Carbon Brief`s coverage at the   
   time.) Dr Levke Caesar - lead author of both studies - explains to the   
   Independent that the research's main advance is that it combines   
   several different types of climate "proxy data" - natural records that   
   can be used to study the world's past climate. Caesar says: "The major   
   difference is that we didn't look at just one or 2 proxies - we   
   compiled a total of 11 proxies and found that they tell a consistent   
   story of how the AMOC evolved over the last 1600 years." This makes   
   the earlier conclusions on a weakening AMOC "considerably stronger",   
   co-author Prof Stefan Rahmstorf tells the Washington Post. The   
   findings are also "worrying", Rahmstorf tells the Financial Times: "If   
   this continues, we might be closing in slowly to a tipping point,   
   where this circulation could destabilise altogether." (For more on   
   tipping points, see Carbon Brief's in-depth explainer and accompanying   
   guest post specifically on AMOC.) The Times adds: "Climate scientists   
   had predicted that rising global temperatures could affect ocean   
   currents. One of the drivers of the system is water density, which is   
   affected by temperature and salinity. More localised precipitation and   
   more glacial melt in the Arctic means more fresh water entering the   
   sea, so changing that balance." Dr Andrew Meijers, the deputy science   
   leader of polar oceans at British Antarctic Survey, who was not   
   involved in the study, tells the Guardian: "The AMOC has a profound   
   influence on global climate, particularly in North America and Europe,   
   so this evidence of an ongoing weakening of the circulation is   
   critical new evidence for the interpretation of future projections of   
   regional and global climate." The Daily Telegraph, Sky News and Inside   
   Climate News also cover the study.   
      
      
   --   
   [Darwined!]   
   Facebook pledges to invest $1 bn in news after Australia standoff ends   
   CNBC, 24 Feb 2021 17:54Z   
   Facebook is planning to spend at least $1 bn in the news industry over   
   the next 3 years on the back of its fight with the Australian govt.   
      
   [Deregulation works!]   
   TX's deregulated electricity market raised consumer costs by $28B: WSJ   
   The Hill, 24 Feb 2021 16:53Z   
   TX's deregulated electricity market has raised costs to consumers by $28   
   bn since 2004,   
      
   Manhattan prosecutors reportedly obtain mns of pages of Trump's tax records   
   Yahoo News, 25 Feb 2021 15:26Z   
   The Manhattan district attorney is now in possession of mns of pages of   
   former President Trump's tax and financial records, CNN first reported,   
   following a ...   
      
   [Miniflu!]   
   Amid COVID-19 pandemic, flu has disappeared in the US   
   The Associated Press, 25 Feb 2021 05:59Z   
   New York. Feb is usually the peak of flu season, with doctors' offices   
   and hospitals packed with suffering patients. But not this year. Flu has ...   
      
   NASA wants to play a big part in the development of electric aircraft   
   Engadget, 24 Feb 2021 12:57Z   
   NASA is working with the aviation industry to develop Electrified Aircraft   
   Propulsion tools and designs in a bid to introduce the systems to commercial   
   flights by ...   
      
   CDC report: 68% of people who exercised indoors at one Chicago gym   
   contracted COVID-19   
   WGN TV Chicago, 25 Feb 2021 02:32Z   
   A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests   
   that some indoor exercise facilities may have trouble preventing the spread of   
   ...   
      
   Parker Solar Probe Offers Stunning View of Venus   
   NASA, 24 Feb 2021 20:17Z   
   NASA's Parker Solar Probe captured stunning views of Venus during its close   
   flyby of the planet in July 2020.   
      
   Moderna to begin clinical trials of Covid booster shots for variant from   
   South Africa, sends to NIH for study   
   CNBC, 25 Feb 2021 0:16Z   
   Moderna said it has shipped to the NIH doses of a new Covid-19 vaccine   
   designed to provide better protection against the variant from South Africa.   
      
   'I'm the only person she's revealed her beliefs to': How QAnon followers are   
   dealing with being wrong   
   ABC/The Signal, 24 Feb 2021 15:28Z   
   The QAnon conspiracy movement is moving the goalposts on its bizarre   
   predictions once again, promising Donald Trump will be inaugurated on   
   March 4. Why do supporters stick with the conspiracy theory when the   
   predictions keep on being wrong?   
      
   Brisbane officially named 'preferred' choice to host 2032 Summer Olympic Games   
   ABC News, 24 Feb 2021 19:27Z   
   Brisbane is on the cusp of being the third Australian city to host the   
   Summer Olympic Games as the IOC announce it as their preferred venue for the   
   2032 Games.   
      
   Burnt, stepped on and left in bed to rot: The real-life horror story inside   
   an exclusive nursing home   
   ABC/7.30, 24 Feb 2021 19:27Z   
   Dik, Brian and Vera's families paid top dollar for them to live at a "lovely"   
   nursing home, but damning reports from the aged care regulator and   
   allegations by a group of trainee nurses tell another story.   
      
   China and India battle for vaccine supremacy in soft power push across the   
   world   
   ABC News, 24 Feb 2021 19:26Z   
   Experts say Beijing and New Delhi are sending mns of doses of COVID-19   
   vaccinations abroad in the hopes of shoring up their international   
   reputations and securing some political goodwill in return.   
      
   Company building Australia's submarines warned to spend big on local companies   
   ABC News, 24 Feb 2021 19:32Z   
   The Australian govt is getting increasingly frustrated with French   
   company Naval Group's refusal to formalise a pledge to spend at least 60 per   
   cent of the contract value on local suppliers.   
      
      
   [continued in next message]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)