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A team of environmental scientists and physical limnologists has published a fascinating study that may provide a scientific explanation for one of the most famous stories in the Bible: Jesus’ miraculous “multiplication” of fish. This research investigates natural events that may have created an abundance of fish in <keyword id="23812630" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="lake-kinneret" source="keywords">Lake Kinneret</keyword>, also known as the Sea of Galilee, without any need for divine intervention.<br /><h2>The story behind the miracle</h2>The New Testament recounts two instances where Jesus multiplied a small amount of food to feed the hungry. In the Gospel of Luke, Jesus tells Simon Peter to cast his nets in the Sea of Galilee, leading to an overwhelming catch of fish. In the Gospel of John, Jesus supposedly turned a few loaves of bread and a handful of fish into a meal for thousands of followers. For nearly two millennia, Christians have interpreted these events as miracles, showcasing Jesus’ divine power. But could there have been a natural phenomenon behind these "miraculous" catches?<br /><br />The new study doesn’t aim to discredit these ancient accounts but rather to explore what might have been happening in the lake at the time. Using a range of modern scientific techniques, the research team examined Lake Kinneret’s unique conditions to see if there might be another reason for these “miraculous” catches of fish.<br /><h2>What happens in Lake Kinneret</h2>The researchers found that Lake Kinneret is naturally stratified, with two distinct layers of water: a warmer, oxygen-rich upper layer, where most fish reside, and a colder, oxygen-poor lower layer. Normally, these two layers remain separate, but every once in a while, a unique combination of environmental conditions causes them to mix. This phenomenon, known as “thermal stratification,” results in a sudden and dangerous depletion of oxygen throughout the lake, leaving fish unable to breathe at any level of the water.<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114938626" title="&amp;quot;Sugar early in life is the new tobacco&amp;quot;: Scientists urge food companies to reformulate baby foods and tax sugary options" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>When this mixing happens, the fish die off en masse and float to the surface. To someone on the shore, this could look like an abundance of fish suddenly appearing, ready for easy collection. Imagine standing by the lake as hundreds or even thousands of fish rise to the surface — the scene could easily inspire stories of miraculous bounty.<br /><h2>A coincidence or a miracle?</h2>To investigate the phenomenon, the research team deployed temperature sensors, oxygen metres, and even tested wind speed and direction in the lake. These instruments confirmed that Lake Kinneret experiences regular die-offs of fish due to stratification, followed by these mass appearances of fish near the surface. According to their findings, similar environmental conditions existed around the time of Jesus, making it possible that such a die-off event occurred then, too.<br /><div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="114885489" title="A 14-year-old took home $10,000 for his award-winning investigation into train derailments. Here&amp;#39;s what he found." mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>The team’s research also indicated that strong winds across the lake could drive oxygen-poor waters to the surface, killing off fish in greater numbers. They observed that specific types of fish in Lake Kinneret are especially prone to this kind of die-off and tend to end up along the shore, where they could be easily collected by a hungry populace.<br /><br />While the study’s findings don’t rule out the possibility of miracles, they suggest that at least some of the stories of miraculous catches might be explained by natural processes. If Jesus and his disciples happened to be fishing in Lake Kinneret during one of these die-offs, the sudden appearance of fish may have seemed miraculous.<br /><br />From a modern perspective, it’s a reminder that ancient people often attributed unusual natural events to divine intervention simply because they lacked the scientific knowledge we have today. Rather than taking away from the significance of these stories, the scientific findings highlight the powerful ways in which natural events can intersect with human experience, shaping beliefs and narratives that endure through millennia.<br /><br />The findings of this research have been published in <em>Water Resources Research</em> and can be accessed <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2024WR037894">here</a>.<br />

How did Jesus 'multiply' his fish? A new study provides an answer that is more science than miracle

Electric vehicles (EVs) are all the rage these days. With their promise of lower emissions and smooth, quiet rides, it’s no wonder that the global demand for EVs has been soaring. However, if you live near the coast — or anywhere prone to flooding — there’s a less-talked-about risk that could make you rethink that shiny new electric car parked in your driveway: saltwater-induced fires from flooded EV batteries.<br /><h2>Saltwater and EV batteries</h2>When it comes to EVs, the heart of the vehicle’s power lies in its battery, usually a lithium-ion (Li-ion) pack. These batteries are highly efficient, but they’re also sensitive to water, especially the salty kind. In September and October 2024, the Southeast U.S. was hit by hurricanes Helene and Milton, which caused catastrophic flooding. Thousands of homes were damaged, and in a particularly frightening twist, 11 electric cars and 48 lithium-ion batteries caught fire after being exposed to salty floodwaters.<br /><br />Saltwater is a conductor of electricity, which means it can get into the EV battery packs, triggering a dangerous reaction. When water seeps into the battery, it can cause a short-circuit between the battery's terminals, which may lead to overheating, violent fires, and even explosions. In many cases, the fire doesn’t start right away — it can take hours or even days after the exposure before a thermal runaway event occurs, causing a dangerous blaze. Once the fire starts, it’s nearly impossible to put out with regular fire-fighting methods. Firefighters often have no choice but to let the battery burn itself out.<br />    <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="113906136" title="Planning to purchase an EV? Here&amp;#39;s how to ensure it never catches on fire" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>In 2022, during Hurricane Ian in Florida, 36 EVs that had been flooded reportedly caught fire, even some that were being towed on flatbed trucks. The problem lies in how lithium-ion batteries react to saltwater. The metal terminals in these batteries, when exposed to salty water, can corrode and build short-circuiting paths that lead to fires days later. The fire hazard remains even in fully discharged batteries, meaning even seemingly "safe" vehicles after flooding could still pose a serious threat.<br /><h2>The risk to coastal cities</h2>This issue is especially concerning for coastal cities where rising sea levels and hurricanes are becoming more frequent. According to a 2023 report by the International Energy Agency (IEA), <keyword id="381751" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="electric-vehicle" source="Orion">electric vehicle</keyword> adoption is growing rapidly in many parts of the world, including India, where EV sales increased by around 50% in the first quarter of 2024 alone. Cities like Mumbai, Chennai, and Kochi are embracing EVs due to their environmental benefits and growing infrastructure support. However, these coastal cities are also at higher risk for flooding, making the combination of increased EV adoption and rising sea levels a perfect storm for potential disaster.<br /><br />In fact, areas prone to heavy rains and floods, like India’s coastal cities, are facing unique challenges. The combination of frequent monsoon floods and rising sea levels presents a scenario where more and more EVs could end up submerged in salty floodwaters, increasing the risk of battery fires in the region.<br /><h2>What does this mean for you?</h2>While electric cars are generally safe under normal conditions, the growing risk of battery fires due to flooding is an important factor to consider if you live in flood-prone areas, especially near the sea. The key takeaway here is that EV owners should take extra precautions when natural disasters loom, particularly hurricanes and floods. Here's what you can do to protect your EV:<br /><br /><ul><li>Move your EV to higher ground: If you're in a flood zone, take your EV to higher ground or evacuate it if possible. This will help prevent it from being submerged in salty water.</li><li>Evacuate early: Be proactive and evacuate before the floodwaters hit. Don't wait for the last minute to move your vehicle to safety.</li><li>After the flood, treat submerged EVs with caution: If your EV has been submerged in water, especially saltwater, it’s essential to avoid using it, charging it, or even moving it until it’s been inspected by professionals. Contact the manufacturer for a thorough inspection of the battery.</li><li>Do not attempt DIY fixes: If your vehicle has been exposed to saltwater, do not try to start it, charge it, or fix the battery yourself. The risks of fire are too high, and professionals are trained to handle such situations safely.</li></ul>

Buying an EV may be a somewhat dangerous move if you live near the sea

<ul class="summary-list"><li>In his first term, Donald Trump ramped up military actions to counter China in the South China Sea.</li><li>Four years later, China has grown more confrontational, leaving less margin for error.</li></ul><p>As President-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to office, one of his biggest challenges could be an issue that hardly came up on the campaign trail.</p><p>The South China Sea — contested waters that China says are its own and the US says belong to no single nation — has only grown as a risk factor in the years Trump was out of government.</p><p>During his first term, Trump's administration took a hard line against China, stepping up its patrols and exercises in the region, and rejecting Chinese territorial claims.</p><p>Since then, China has expanded its presence in the region, growing more willing to confront other countries there, including the Philippines, an ally the US is treaty-bound to defend.</p><p>"The margin for error has shrunk since 2016-2020," said Hunter Marston, an Asia-Pacific researcher at the Australian National University.</p><p>"It would now take less of a spark for a skirmish or collision to trigger a conflict involving all parties," he said.</p><h2 id="26704ad2-dec7-4144-a34a-9f5597d2ab7e">A vital ally</h2><p>Trump hasn't said how he would handle the region in his second term as president.</p><p>South China Sea observers expect continuity with the Biden administration, which tried to ramp up diplomatic efforts and strengthen US alliances and security partnerships.</p><p>Gregory Poling, director of Southeast Asia Program at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, said that Trump "introduces a level of personal unpredictability compared to Biden."</p><p>"But there is no reason to expect any major changes to US policies on this front."</p><h2 id="fef0cfd6-98da-4aac-a5b1-2e1ac4fe2670"><strong>A delicate balance to strike</strong></h2><p>Trump, like President Joe Biden before him, has a delicate balance to navigate.</p><p>Recent months have seen clashes between Chinese and Filipino coast guard vessels, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/philippines-soldiers-bare-hands-fight-armed-china-coast-guard-swords-2024-6">including one</a> where swords and knives were brandished.</p><div type="image" title="Chinese Coast Guard holding knives and machetes as they approach Philippine troops in the Second Thomas Shoal at the disputed South China Sea" height="2374" width="3165" msid="115257414" hostid="261" sizebytes="149654"></div><p>Under a treaty from 1951, the US is obliged to aid the Philippines against armed attack — something China has avoided through so-called <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-taking-over-south-sea-us-not-stopping-experts-philippines-2024-9"><u>gray-zone operations</u></a> that are not technically "armed."</p><p>The Filipino secretary of national defense told CBS News' <a target="_blank" rel="" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/philippines-expects-us-to-intervene-if-china-takes-rusted-warship-2024-9"><u>"60 Minutes"</u></a> in September that there were ongoing discussions about exactly what would prompt US intervention.</p><p>Though Trump hasn't outlined a specific South China Sea plan, he could pursue his broader foreign policy mantra of "peace through strength."</p><p>That brings its own risks.</p><p>"Unrestrained US militarization is precisely what drives Beijing's insecurity and will continue to exacerbate tensions in the South China Sea," Marston said.</p><h2 id="96ada877-488a-45fb-9d45-6c143317081e">An alliance at stake</h2><p>Sari Arho Havrén, an associate fellow at the UK's Royal United Services Institute specializing in China, said Trump would need to decide how much to commit to the region.</p><p>"To be globally influential, the US needs its allies," she said.</p><p>Trump has often adopted a skeptical posture toward alliances he deemed unfair to the US — including its roles in helping the defense of Europe, its support for Ukraine, and its military commitments in South Korea.</p><div type="image" title="President Donald Trump arrives to speak during an election night event at the Palm Beach Convention Center on November 06, 2024" height="4000" width="6000" msid="115257416" hostid="261" sizebytes="444246"></div><p>Zeno Leoni, a lecturer at King's College London's Defense Studies Department, believes US economic interests in the South China Sea make the region an exception.</p><p>A yearlong conflict in East Asia, which covers the South China Sea, could result in a 5-10% loss of US GDP, according to a 2016 <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.rand.org/pubs/research_reports/RR1140.html">research report</a> by the Rand Corporation, a prominent think tank.</p><p>Leoni believes the Trump administration will try to achieve balance.</p><p>"Both Trump's and Biden's National Security Strategy prioritized tackling the rise of China, and this is unlikely to change in the context of a more isolationist foreign policy," he said.</p>

Trump's first term avoided a fight in the South China Sea. It's only getting harder.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>The Black Sea faces a long-term danger from naval mines in the Russia-Ukraine war.</li><li>Ships have struck drifting mines in the last two years as Ukraine struggled to clear shipping routes.</li></ul><p>Against all odds, Ukraine has gained the initiative in the Black Sea.</p><p>But a silent threat under the waves is poised to long outlast Russia's aggression: an unknown number of naval mines likely laid by both sides.</p><p>Even their locations — classified information to each of the warring parties — have become an open question as multiple incidents indicate that some have been drifting.</p><p>The issue is underscored by recent joint exercises between the US and NATO partners off the coast of Bulgaria, where it was<a target="_blank" href="https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2024-09-11/sea-mines-russia-ukraine-15140456.html"> announced</a> that US and allied reconnaissance aircraft had spotted more than 100 mines in the Black Sea since the start of Russia's full-scale invasion. At least five ships have been affected, US 6th Fleet commander Vice Adm. Thomas Ishee <a target="_blank" href="https://www.stripes.com/theaters/europe/2024-09-11/sea-mines-russia-ukraine-15140456.html">said</a>.</p><p>Keeping sea lanes clear of mines is critical to Ukraine's ability to export grain — in December last year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67834841">Ukraine said</a> that a Panama-flagged bulk carrier had struck a mine, injuring two.</p><p>They've also washed up on Black Sea shores well beyond Ukraine's territorial waters — most recently on August 13, when Romanian authorities<a target="_blank" href="https://www.rferl.org/a/romania-mine-black-sea-danube-delta/33077047.html"> conducted a controlled explosion</a> of a mine in a Danube conservation area.</p><p>Today, ships are passing through Ukraine's grain corridor with relative confidence, although they remain on alert.</p><p>"The threat of mines in the Black Sea still exists," Arlo Abrahamson, head of public affairs at NATO Maritime Command, told Business Insider.</p><p>They pose a threat to the Black Sea's coastal dwellers and seafarers and, in enough numbers, could threaten the region's economies and grain shipments.</p><p>It's unclear how many remain out there — and nobody knows how long it will take to clear up.</p><h2 id="ff62bd2e-457f-4c36-b661-7d700f1a8049"><strong>Combing the sea</strong></h2><p><a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/density-russia-minefields-insane-says-ukraine-official-counteroffensive-2023-8">Landmine clearance</a> work is slow — and naval mine clearance is slower, said Steve Horell, a former naval intelligence officer and a senior defense fellow at the Center for European Policy Analysis.</p><p>"It's inaccurate to say 'demining' about naval mines," he said. The relevant term at sea — "mine countermeasures" — is a testament to how much harder it is to ensure there's not an explosive still lurking somewhere.</p><div type="image" title="Ukrainian landmine warning" height="683" width="1024" msid="113697836" hostid="261" sizebytes="59986"></div><p>On land, demining efforts focus on a single level, not particularly deep in the soil. But underwater, the search goes deep as well as wide.</p><p>Also, landmines tend to stay put. Once exploded, "at some point you can have some degree of certainty you've combed over this piece of earth," as Horell put it. But at sea, a new mine could drift into the same spot the next day, he said.</p><p>Modern naval mines are generally triggered in two ways — a magnetic trigger, or a pressure-sensitive one, he said. Either way, you can't move fast to remove them. Older mines can be triggered by contact with a ship's hull.</p><p>"What you've got is, generally speaking, smaller ships moving slowly so that they don't trigger the mines that they're trying to find and disable, and just searching very painstakingly in repetitive patterns," he said.</p><p>Mine-hunting is methodical, technical, and dangerous. Ships can also look for naval mines using sonar or magnetic detection, and helicopters and remote vehicles can also seek them out.</p><p>"But it's always going to be that slow kind of an effort," Horell said.</p><h2 id="01498c06-7cda-49f5-9d84-4d10a905308e"><strong>A desperate move</strong></h2><p>When Russia began its full-scale invasion in February 2022, Ukraine's navy was badly outmatched.</p><p>Russia's Black Sea Fleet flagship, the Moskva, prowled the waters, famously<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-snake-island-border-guards-are-actually-alive-and-well-2022-2"> capturing Snake Island</a>.</p><p><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukraine-says-drove-russia-snake-island-russia-says-goodwill-2022-6">The Moskva</a> — and Russian control of the island — are now distant memories. But at the time, Ukraine's only available move was defensive. It <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ukrainian-sailors-sank-their-own-flagship-to-prevent-capture-russia-2022-3">scuttled its own flagship</a> to prevent it falling into Russian hands.</p><div type="image" title="A plume of water and some debris shoot out of the Black Sea off the coast of Burgas, Bulgaria, on July 22 2022 during military mine countermeasures exercise Sea Breeze." height="674" width="1000" msid="113697839" hostid="261" sizebytes="50280"></div><p>But while it was short on ships, it had a large stock of Soviet-era naval mines, which it drew on for defenses.</p><p>Russia, too, had plenty of spare mines, and as incidents racked up all along the Black Sea's western coasts in 2022, it was<a target="_blank" href="https://maritime-executive.com/article/uk-mod-mines-in-black-sea-are-almost-certainly-of-russian-origin"> soon accused</a> of laying them.</p><p>It's a cheap and very easy thing to do.</p><p>"Any platform — ship, boat, submarine, aircraft — could be a mining platform," said Horell. "And with varying degrees of sophistication, you could basically have a general-purpose fishing boat or work boat and just push these things off the back."</p><p>It's unclear exactly how many have been laid; <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dw.com/en/experts-warn-black-sea-mines-pose-serious-maritime-threat/a-61334599">Estimates initially ranged in the hundreds</a>, with Ukraine regularly accusing Russia of air-dropping more.</p><h2 id="9537ecb0-5a6f-4926-8688-3d6e1f2cd944"><strong>Mines where you really don't want them</strong></h2><p>In the simplest possible terms, the Black Sea's main currents run counter-clockwise and, according to Horell, take "about three to six months for a full rotation."</p><p>It means that "any naval mining, in pretty short order, becomes a risk and a threat in the entire Black Sea," he said.</p><div type="image" title="A map of the Black Sea with numerous arrows indicating the direction of water circulation. The arrows largely run counterclockwise." height="373" width="768" msid="113697823" hostid="261" sizebytes="54462"></div><p>A mine on the loose near Ukraine's major port of Odesa — in the northwestern Black Sea — could within weeks pass through the territorial waters of Romania, Bulgaria, and Turkey.</p><p>Which is exactly what happened.</p><p>Several had been <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/dangerous-naval-mines-used-in-russia-ukraine-war-floating-away-2022-4">found drifting</a> far from where a mine should be — one was so <a target="_blank" href="https://www.dw.com/en/experts-warn-black-sea-mines-pose-serious-maritime-threat/a-61334599">close to the Bosphorus</a>, the Turkish channel that connects the Mediterranean to the Black Sea, that the strait had to be closed.</p><p>In May 2022, the International Maritime Organization<a target="_blank" href="https://wwwcdn.imo.org/localresources/en/MediaCentre/HotTopics/Documents/Ukraine%20crisis%20CL%204524/Circular%20Letter%20No.4573%20-%20Maritime%20Security%20Threat%20Posed%20By%20Free%20Floating%20Sea%20Mines%20In%20TheBlack%20Sea%20Region%20(Secretariat).pdf"> sent out a warning</a> about "a serious and immediate threat to the safety" of ships operating in the Black Sea due to free-floating mines.</p><p>How they started drifting is unclear.</p><p>Later, in 2023, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/kherson-dam-explosion-mines-being-swept-away-in-ukraine-2023-6">the destruction of the Kakhovka Dam</a> and <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/black-sea-mines-russia-possible-unmoored-during-ukrainian-winter-storm-2023-11">a fierce winter storm</a> both gave rise to worries that fixed mines could have become dislodged by flooding.</p><p>"It's also quite plausible that Russia was adding more mines to the water in that situation," said Horell.</p><p>It's also not known for sure which types were in use, but several<a target="_blank" href="https://www.dw.com/en/experts-warn-black-sea-mines-pose-serious-maritime-threat/a-61334599"> were reported</a> to be contact mines anchored just below the water's surface. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/bulgaria-destroys-naval-mine-off-its-black-sea-coast-2022-07-01/">One such contact mine</a>, found off the coast of Bulgaria in July 2022, was a YaM mine — a Soviet-era anchor-type river mine that floats a few feet below the surface.</p><p>"So was it actually floating mines that came loose due to weather conditions, or were they placed intentionally to create a threat perception?" asked Johannes Peters, head of the Center for Maritime Strategy and Security at Kiel University in Germany. "We're still not quite sure."</p><p>"Most of the mines were quite old," he added. "It doesn't make them less dangerous, but we don't know the maintenance situation."</p><p>Anchored mines are required in international law to have a failsafe that neutralizes the explosive if they come loose, he said — but, he added, there's no way of knowing if that mechanism still works.</p><p>The matter raised major fears for ships transiting Ukraine's grain corridor, which Russia openly threatened after withdrawing from the Black Sea Grain Initiative in the summer of 2023.</p><p>Soon after, Ukraine's armed forces <a target="_blank" href="https://www.facebook.com/OperationalCommandSouth/posts/pfbid0vZHgUj7itLXcCw9kHENM1AF1bKfW1AbXGkAdFnzKMdzqoefH3b32xyq4GCqpn5Brl">accused Russia</a> of dropping several mines onto the corridor, and in December 2023 a Panamanian-flagged cargo ship <a target="_blank" href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-67834841">hit a mine</a>, injuring two.</p><p>This was the last major incident between a commercial ship and a stray mine, and, Peters said, the volume of naval mines in these waters is likely much smaller than initially feared.</p><p>Today, the situation has stabilized; even as mines continue to wash up on beaches, exports have begun approaching pre-war levels.</p><h2 id="249f78f8-7843-41be-928e-10e3b55c0c99"><strong>Sounding the alarm</strong></h2><p>Nonetheless, campaigners at Greenpeace have concerns in connection to a major gas extraction project in the Black Sea.</p><p>Neptun Deep is a joint project of Romanian energy companies OMV Petrom and Romgaz to build an offshore gas field in Romanian territorial waters.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.oxfordenergy.org/wpcms/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Insight-133-Black-Sea-upstream-Neptun-Deep-FID-taken.pdf"> Analysts say</a> that the deepwater project, due to start pumping gas in 2027, is set to turn the country into a net exporter of gas, further freeing the continent from dependence on Russian energy.</p><div type="image" title="An aerial view of an offshore platform operated by Romanian energy company OMV Petrom in the Black Sea." height="584" width="1000" msid="113697843" hostid="261" sizebytes="28346"></div><p>But — as part of broader objections to fossil fuel extraction — Greenpeace said in<a target="_blank" href="https://www.greenpeace.org/static/planet4-romania-stateless/2024/06/7b5c64be-en_mines_risk_analysis_black_sea.pdf"> a June 2024 report</a> that OMV Petrom and Romgaz' impact assessment "fails to consider the risk caused by naval mines."</p><p>The Greenpeace report's co-author Marc Dengler, a climate and energy expert at the campaign group, told BI last week that this is a serious omission. The main risk would be the danger to ships and workers during the construction phase, he said.</p><p>"But it can also hit the platform itself and especially the pipeline," he added. The consequences to the environment would be "really, really dramatic," he said.</p><p>Romgaz and OMV Petrom did not respond to Business Insider's request for comment.</p><p>Considering Greenpeace's concerns, Peters acknowledged that the extraction area is close to a mined war zone. But Romania's navy is well equipped at detecting and dealing with mine encounters, he said.</p><p>For Horrell, the security relief brought about by reducing Europe's dependence on Russian energy outweighs concerns about mines impacting the project.</p><p>"Certainly there's ecological risks to any offshore drilling, but to suggest that the risk of a floating mine vastly increasing that, is to me a stretch," he said.</p><h2 id="0eca6bae-5037-4489-887c-5224aba3a91d"><strong>Tomorrow's problem</strong></h2><p>Earlier this year, Turkey, Bulgaria, and Romania — the three countries other than Ukraine most affected by the drifting mine threat — banded together in a naval alliance to clear their waters.</p><p>Three ships will go mine hunting at least twice every six months,<a target="_blank" href="https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2024/01/11/turkey-bulgaria-romania-team-up-to-clear-black-sea-mines/"> Defense News reported</a>.</p><div type="image" title="Turkish Defense Minister Yasar Guler (C), Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tilvar (L) and Bulgaria's Deputy Defense Minister Atanas Zapryanov (R) shake hands after signing an agreement on demining the Black Sea to ensure safe waters after Russia's war in Ukraine, in Istanbul, on January 11, 2024." height="667" width="1000" msid="113697828" hostid="261" sizebytes="45318"></div><p>The move is to be applauded, Horell said — but the "limited capacity of those three navies to do that is going to mean it would be a long time before you can have that sort of assurance."</p><p>Clearing the rest of the Black Sea, including Ukraine's own waters, may have to wait until long after the war.</p><p>A pair of minesweepers sold to Ukraine by the UK remain at anchor in Portsmouth. They're blocked from entering the Black Sea by Turkey's reading of<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/russia-ukraine-montreux-convention-keeping-warships-out-of-black-sea-2023-10"> the Montreux Convention</a>, which bars warships passing through the Bosphorous in wartime.</p><p>In the absence of ships like that, Horell suggested other means, such as uncrewed mine-seeking vessels, that can pass through smaller waterways to the Black Sea.</p><p>Even after hostilities end, Ukraine has learned that any peace with Russia comes with few guarantees — and Ukraine may say: "'Okay, we are not in a war anymore, but we are far away from peace as well,'" said Peters.</p><p>In that instance, Kyiv may decide to keep its coastal defenses in place.</p><p>For Peters, no one can say exactly how long it would take to clear the waters.</p><p>"It has a political dimension, it has a technical dimension, it has a capability dimension," he said.</p><p>He added: "It's hard to declare that 'it is cleared.' You just can define the degree of uncertainty you want to live with."</p>

The Black Sea has a deadly naval mine problem that will long outlast the Ukraine war

<ul class="summary-list"><li>A US admiral said that American ships could escort Philippine vessels in the South China Sea.</li><li>Tensions are high in the area as clashes continue between China and the Philippines.</li></ul><p>The US could come to the aid of a key Pacific ally as China targets its ships in contested waters, a leading admiral in the Pacific said.</p><p>The comments come as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/china-ax-attack-philippines-south-china-sea-grab-territory-experts-2024-6">tensions rise between China and the Philippines in the South China Sea</a>, where clashes have been common occurrences in recent months.</p><p>On Tuesday, Adm. Samuel Paparo, head of US Indo-Pacific Command, told reporters at the 35th Annual International Military Law and Operations Conference in the Philippines that it was "an entirely reasonable option" that the US could send ships to escort Philippine vessels on resupply missions, <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/philippines-says-china-is-biggest-disruptor-peace-region-2024-08-27/">per Reuters</a>.</p><p>Paparo noted that "escort of one vessel to the other is an entirely reasonable option within our Mutual Defense Treaty" with the Philippines, which was signed in 1951 and explicitly states that both nations will come to the others' aid should they be attacked.</p><p>Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has said the current conflict in the South China Sea hasn't yet risen to the level of needing to activate the treaty.</p><div type="image" title="US Indo-Pacific Command Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo stands at a podium with a microphone in front of him and flags behind him." height="2581" width="3872" msid="112846045" hostid="261" sizebytes="635310"></div><p>Paparo's comments align with his previous statements on the subject, including reaffirming the US commitment to come to the aid of the Philippines if necessary and denouncing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-military-china-missile-problem-getting-worse-2024-5">China's aggressive behavior in the region</a>.</p><p>Paparo didn't explain what types of US ships would escort Philippine vessels. It's also unclear whether the Philippines would want such support, with Philippine military chief Romeo Brawner saying Manila likes to run resupply missions on its own, even as China repeatedly interferes with these missions.</p><p>"We are going to try all options, all avenues that are available to us," Brawner told reporters, according to Reuters. "While we can do it by ourselves, we will do it."</p><p>But if the Philippines could not continue its missions independently, he added, it would seek alternative options.</p><div type="image" title="A screen grab taken from a video provided by the Philippine Coast Guard showing Chinese Coast Guard ships firing water cannons against Philippines vessels near Scarborough Shoal, South China Sea, on April 30, 2024." height="1542" width="2710" msid="112846043" hostid="261" sizebytes="57048"></div><p>China and the Philippines have clashed frequently in recent months as Beijing looks to illegally <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/philippines-soldiers-bare-hands-fight-armed-china-coast-guard-swords-2024-6">assert its control over contested areas of the South China Sea</a>, such as the Scarborough Shoal.</p><p>The major maritime confrontations have often involved Chinese coast guard vessels harassing Philippine ships with water cannons or ramming them.</p><p>But there have been other fights. Earlier this month, for instance, the Philippines accused China's Air Force of <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/chinas-air-force-harassed-us-ally-aircraft-south-china-sea-2024-8">endangering one of its light transport planes</a> flying above the region. Manila said China's jets flew very closely to the plane and fired just under ten flares in its flight path. Then a few days ago, the Chinese military was accused of doing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/philippines-says-china-fighter-jet-shot-flares-meters-aircraft-2024-8">the same thing again</a>.</p>

US admiral says American ships could sail into a South China Sea standoff to shield an ally amid tensions with China

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Sea ice levels in Antarctica are at an all-time low, the National Snow and Ice Data Center reports.</li><li>A researcher from the NSIDC told the BBC these levels are "mind-blowing."</li></ul><p>Sea-ice levels in <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biggest-surprises-living-working-antarctica-worlds-most-remote-post-office-2023-5">Antarctica</a> reached a record low in mid-September, satellite imagery from the National Snow and Ice Data Center shows.</p><p>Sea ice, the water that freezes on the surface of the sea in the Arctic and Antarctic hemispheres, has been <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/understanding-climate/climate-change-arctic-sea-ice-summer-minimum">decreasing</a> in both regions. </p><p>In Antarctica, sea ice levels reached record lows at least <a href="https://weather.com/news/climate/video/antarctic-sea-ice-reaches-new-record-low">twice</a> in 2023 after <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2023/06/1137787">record minimums</a> were detected in 2017 and 2022.</p><p>"It's so far outside anything we've seen, it's almost mind-blowing," Walter Meier, senior research scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center, told the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-66724246" target="_blank" rel="noopener">BBC</a>.</p><p>An unstable Antarctica could have far-reaching consequences for Earth's climate, forcing <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/americans-new-climate-normal-is-hotter-wetter-and-more-extreme-2021-5" target="_blank" rel="noopener">global temperatures to rise</a> with potentially devastating consequences for humanity, scientists warn.</p><div type="image" title="Chart showing the level of sea ice in Antarctica from 1981 to 2023" height="787" width="1050" msid="103732989" hostid="261" sizebytes="33866"></div><p>Understanding the extent of climate crisis in Antarctica has been challenging for scientists. The region is 1.5 times the size of the US, and there's a lack of historical information.</p><p>"When I started studying the Antarctic 30 years ago, we never thought extreme weather events could happen there," Prof Martin Siegert, a glaciologist at the University of Exeter, told the BBC. But scientists seem to be changing their mind.</p><p>Antarctica has been affected by global warming in many ways — it's seen record temperature increases of <a href="https://www.bas.ac.uk/data/our-data/publication/antarctica-and-climate-change/" target="_blank" rel="noopener nofollow">3.2°C (37.76°F)</a> since the 1950s, over three times more than the global average. Its ocean is also <a href="https://www.asoc.org/learn/climate-crisis-in-antarctica/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">heating more rapidly than the rest of the world</a>, and its ice shelves are melting six times faster than in the 1980s, according to the Antarctic and Southern Ocean Coalition.</p><p>The behavior of sea ice in the region has shifted widely since the beginning of the 20th century. After a decline in the early 1900s, it began increasing again, and in recent years, both record highs and record lows have been detected, the <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-64649596">BBC</a> reported in February. In 2018, for example, a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/watch/?v=10153178100249071">NASA report</a> said some parts of the region were gaining ice.</p><p>But recent record lows are a cause for concern.</p><p>A <a href="https://affiliate.insider.com?h=fbfdddfefa9514d48e21ae35ec00d34542727c088f2af034e3d11febe739423c&amp;postID=6506ba0b74fcf693ad393290&amp;postSlug=sea-ice-levels-in-antarctica-reached-a-new-historic-low-2023-9&amp;site=bi&amp;u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nature.com%2Farticles%2Fs43247-023-00961-9" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> published in Nature links the recent record lows in sea-ice levels to the rise in the ocean's temperature, saying that the ice is essentially melting from below. </p><p>Report co-authors Ed Doddridge and Ariaan Purich told Australia's <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-09-13/climate-scientists-issue-warning-over-antarctic-sea-ice-levels/102849334">ABC</a> News that this year's level in sea ice is about 930,000 square miles less than the maximum coverage usually seen in September and that these changes may be irreversible. </p>

Sea-ice levels in Antarctica at a 'mind-blowing' historic low

Photos show how rising sea levels are washing away a small seaside town in North Carolina

Take a look at plans for the 'world's first floating city' in South Korea, designed to adapt to rising sea levels

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Up to 3.6 billion people are highly vulnerable to <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/climate-disaster-death-toll-688-people-cost-145-billion-2021-2022-1">climate change</a>, a new UN report says.</li><li>Warming of 1.5 degrees Celsius or more could drastically alter our physical health, the places we live, and the survival of <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/photos-animals-added-to-extinction-list-birds-fish-mollusks-2021-10">animal species</a>.</li></ul><p>Rising global temperatures bring dire threats, such as <keyword id="48088" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="floods" source="Orion">floods</keyword>, heat-related injuries, water scarcity, and hunger, making up to 3.6 billion people — nearly half of the world's population — highly vulnerable to <keyword id="11896311" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="climate-change" source="Orion">climate change</keyword>.</p><p>That's according to a major report, released Monday, from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change — a UN body that recruits hundreds of scientists from across the globe to summarize years of research on the climate crisis. </p><p>"We are in an emergency headed for a disaster," Inger Andersen, executive director of the <keyword id="11896449" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="united-nations" source="Orion">United Nations</keyword> Environment Program, said at <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpK7eeYRhjQ">a Monday press conference</a>.</p><p>"Climate change isn't lurking around the corner ready to pounce," she said, adding, "It's already upon us, raining down blows on billions of people."</p><p>Human-caused emissions have already led the planet to warm by 1.1 degrees Celsius in the last 170 years. The report drills down on how 1.5 degrees of warming or more could drastically alter our physical health, food and water supply, the availability of safe places to live, and the survival of animal species.</p><div type="image" title="heat wave" height="2471" width="3600" msid="89908871" hostid="261"></div><h2>Here are some of the report's main takeaways:</h2><ul><li>By 2050, more than 1 billion people in low-lying coastal cities and small islands will be at risk of climate hazards from sea-level rise.</li><li>Under 1.5 degrees of <keyword id="6366055" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="global-warming" source="Orion">global warming</keyword>, children ages 10 and younger as of 2020 could experience a nearly four-fold increase in extreme weather events by 2100. </li><li>The percentage of people exposed to deadly heat stress (i.e., heat stroke) could increase from 30% today to 76% by the end of the century.</li><li>Under 2 degrees of global warming, between 800 million and 3 billion people could experience chronic water scarcity due to droughts. That figure could climb to 4 billion people if global temperatures rise 4 degrees.</li><li>Eight million to 80 million people will suffer from hunger by 2050. Under a high-warming scenario, up to 183 million additional people in low-income countries could become undernourished due to climate change.</li><li>Under 2 degrees of warming, up to 18% of all land species will be at high risk of going extinct by 2100. Under 4 degrees of warming, half of our plant and animal species could be threatened.</li></ul><p>Monday's release is the second portion of the <keyword id="6941656" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="ipcc" source="Orion">IPCC</keyword>'s sixth assessment. The first portion, released last year, focused on physical changes to the planet. The new report assesses how those changes will impact humans and ecosystems.</p><p>While some climate outcomes are preventable, others set in stone. Last year's portion of the <a href="https://www.businessinsider.com/still-time-to-address-climate-change-ipcc-scientists-report-2021-8">IPCC report</a> found that glaciers will continue melting and seas will continue to rise for hundreds or thousands of years.</p><p>"The world we live in today is not going to be the world we live in five years, 10 years, or even 20 years from now," Debra Roberts, the co-chair of the IPCC report, said at the press conference. "We have to be much more vigilant about our actions."</p><h2>How can the world adapt?</h2><div type="image" title="farmer walks through field of dried brown soybean plants" height="1667" width="2500" msid="89908872" hostid="261"></div><p>Governments and industries have taken some measures to adapt to their new climates and prepare for impacts to come. The agricultural sector, for example, is broadly improving irrigation practices to prepare for water scarcity across the globe. And in some regions like West Africa, farmers are planting more drought-tolerant crops.</p><p>But the IPCC report concludes that these adaptations are not enough to protect ecosystems and humans from the onslaught of extreme weather, rising oceans, and food and water shortages.</p><p>The report recommends restoring wetlands along flood plains to absorb floodwaters, and planting trees along rivers to create shade and prevent them from drying up. Farmers may also consider diversifying their crops and livestock so they aren't dependent on a single food source. Adding green space to rooftops and walls in cities can help cool temperatures and reduce stormwater runoff. Parks and ponds can help mitigate <keyword id="12137269" type="UNKNOWN" weightage="60" keywordseo="extreme-heat" source="Orion">extreme heat</keyword> in urban areas. And a diverse array of renewable-energy sources, like wind, solar, and hydroelectric power, can support rural populations in the face of extreme weather.</p><p>"The tricky thing is that there is no silver bullet. There is no one action that's going to solve everything," David Dodman, a lead author of the report and director of human settlements at the International Institute for Environment and Development, told Insider.</p><div type="image" title="seven adults wade through tropical storm harvey floodwaters carrying children and bags" height="1578" width="2400" msid="89908873" hostid="261"></div><p>Since every half-degree of global temperature rise carries major consequences, governments and industries can significantly reduce future human suffering and ecosystem collapse by cutting their greenhouse-gas emissions now.</p><p>But that also means there's little time to waste.</p><p>"The world is currently underprepared for the coming climate change impacts, particularly beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius," the IPCC authors wrote, adding, "At higher levels of warming, the effectiveness of most land- and water-based adaptation options starts declining, and the extent of residual risks increases, as do the chances of future unintended consequences."</p><h2>Rising temperatures could displace millions of people</h2><div type="image" title="woman in headscarf squats to collect grain" height="1875" width="2500" msid="89908874" hostid="261"></div><p>If global temperatures exceed 2 degrees of warming, low-lying coastal cities and certain mountain areas or polar regions may have difficulty supporting human life.</p><p>Changes in temperature, sea level, and food or water supply are already forcing people to relocate on every continent.<strong> </strong></p><p>For example, more people move from Mexico's rural areas into cities during droughts. Some communities in Alaska are making relocation plans as flooding encroaches on their homes. Droughts are also driving migration in sub-Saharan Africa, parts of South Asia, and South America, according to the report.<strong> </strong></p><p>The IPCC authors expect more Arctic communities, particularly indigenous peoples, to migrate as ice melt interferes with their ability to live and hunt.</p><div type="image" title="nenets indigenous woman in winter coat stands with reindeer herd in russian tundra" height="1681" width="2241" msid="89908875" hostid="261"></div><p>The report also predicts that hundreds of millions of people will be at risk of climate-related displacement by the second half of the 21st century.<strong> </strong>Eventually, people may pay a premium to live in climate-safe locations.</p><p>"There's concern over climate gentrification, where safer locations that formerly were home to lower-income groups in cities become more desirable, because of their perceived safety from climate risks and therefore the regional inhabitants begin to be priced out," Dodman said, adding, "I think that's a legitimate concern for the future."</p>

You Searched For "rising sea levels" and got 9 results

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