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A 1971 nuclear test at Mururoa Atoll in French Polynesia.Credit: Galerie Bilderwelt/Getty
Doomsday Clock stalls at two minutes to midnight
The symbolic Doomsday Clock that measures humanity’s risk of annihilation will remain at two minutes to midnight. The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists says that its decision to leave the clock in the same position as in 2018 reflects a “new abnormal” of inaction on climate change and increased nuclear threats, as well as a worsening cyberwarfare situation.
Drones unleashed against invasive rats in the Galápagos
A conservation group is using drones to eradicate invasive rats by dropping poison on two Galápagos islands — the first time such an approach has been used on vertebrates in the wild.
French court bans Roundup weedkiller
A French court has extended the ban on the sale of Roundup Pro 360 to professional gardeners and farmers. The weedkiller contains the controversial ingredient glyphosate, which the World Health Organization says is “probably carcinogenic” to humans, although other studies disagree.
Aquifers could store renewable energy
Saltwater aquifers could act as batteries for renewable energy, storing surplus supply in the form of compressed air. Researchers calculated that aquifers below the North Sea have room to store enough energy to power the United Kingdom for two months.
Nature Research Highlights | 1 min read
Reference: Nature Energy paper
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FEATURES & OPINION
The dawning of the age of Estonia
In the past quarter of a century, Estonia has revamped its science system and created one of the world’s most advanced digital infrastructures. Nature explores how the tiny country shrugged off the gloomy days of Soviet rule, and what’s in store for the future.
Where supermassive black holes come from
Supermassive black holes sit at the centre of most galaxies, but it’s a mystery how they evolved in the early Universe. In this week’s podcast, discover how scientists are simulating these cosmic monsters to find the answer.
Nature Podcast | 23 min listen
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BOOKS & ARTS
Chloroplasts inside moss cells. These organelles conduct photosynthesis, a process that relies on quantum effects.Credit: John Durham/SPL
Maxwell’s demon and the hunt for alien life
A new book from boundary-transcending cosmologist and writer Paul Davies presents a case that life’s defining characteristics can be understood in terms of information. Davies weaves the disparate threads of information theory, James Clerk Maxwell’s thought experiments, and extraterrestrial life into a thought-provoking read.
INFOGRAPHIC OF THE WEEK
SCIENTIFIC LIFE
Postdoctoral mentorship key to career success
Scientists who incorporate ideas and techniques from multiple mentors while still forging their own paths are the most likely to succeed in academia, according to a study of 18,865 biomedical researchers. The authors also suggest that mentoring received during postdoctoral training has a bigger impact than mentoring received during graduate school.
Reference: Nature Communications paper
IMAGE OF THE WEEK
Subzero temperatures froze Niagara Falls this week: these are the American Falls viewed from the Canadian side. (Moe Doiron/REUTERS)
