Jumping from rock to rock to rock over a creek formed off Austria's Jamtal glacier, scientist Andrea Fischer worries that precious scientific data will be irreversibly lost as the snow and ice melt faster than ever. "I couldn't have imagined that it would ever melt as dramatically as this summer... Our 'archive' is melting away," says the glaciologist. Fischer -- vice director of the Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research at the Austrian Academy of Sciences -- has spent more than 20 years surveying Jamtal and four other Alpine glaciers across Austria's highest peaks for the oldest areas of ice. For scientists looking to reconstruct the Earth's climate in the distant past, such ice formations are a unique time capsule stretching back thousands of years. The glaciers contain an invaluable treasure trove of data -- as they grew, the ice encapsulated twigs and leaves, which can now be carbon-dated, Fischer explains. And based on the age of such material and the depth … [Read more...] about Austrian scientists race to reveal melting glaciers’ secrets
Early 7 warning signs of dengue fever
Police probing suspected alcohol poisoning that killed two in Ho Chi Minh City
Police in Ho Chi Minh City have launched an investigation into a suspected case of methanol poisoning that occurred at a local restaurant, affecting eight young people, of whom two died, officers said on Saturday. Among the eight victims, six are employees of Mr Bao Restaurant in Thu Duc City, including a woman, while the other two are outsiders, both female, local police said. These victims, aged 19 to 24, opened a party at the restaurant late on Wednesday evening, after the facility closed, N.D.B., the owner, reported on Saturday. They ate food bought from outside and drank a can of five liters of alcohol available at the restaurant during the feast which ended at 4:00 am the next morning. B. said his restaurant, which started operations on June 1, recently bought five 5-liter cans of bottled water from a supplier but one of them was later found containing alcohol. This can had been kept in the eatery’s storage until it was consumed at the party, B. said, adding that the … [Read more...] about Police probing suspected alcohol poisoning that killed two in Ho Chi Minh City
Lavish farewell parties of former Director of Quang Ninh CDC to be investigated
A lavish farewell party in Quang Ninh with the participation of Mr. Ninh Van Chu. On August 7, in the face of public opinion about the fact that Mr. Ninh Van Chu, former Director of Quang Ninh CDC, continuously threw many lavish farewell parties before retiring, Quang Ninh Provincial Standing Party Committee assigned the Inspection Committee of the Provincial Party Committee to urgently inspect, verify, and clarify signs of violations to promptly advise the Provincial Party Committee's Standing Board to report to the competent authorities on the above content and report to the Standing Board of Provincial Party Committee before August 15. On the same day, following the direction of the Standing Committee of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee, the Inspection Committee of the Quang Ninh Provincial Party Committee issued a decision to check for signs of violations against the Party Committee of the Quang Ninh CDC and Mr. Ninh Van Chu. Previously, talking to the press, Mr. … [Read more...] about Lavish farewell parties of former Director of Quang Ninh CDC to be investigated
SIHUB – EXPARA Accelerator batch 4 – 2022 started
The startup accelerator program, SIHUB - EXPARA Accelerator batch 4 - 2022, has officially been launched. (Photo: SGGP) At this event, SIHUB and EXPARA officially introduced the sixth investment fund, Expara Southeast Asia Ventures, with a scale of up to US$450 million. Of which, one-third of the fund is for the Vietnamese market. When attending SIHUB - EXPARA Accelerator batch 4 - 2022, startups will have the opportunity to expand their network of partners, seek investors, learn from the experience sharing of CEOs, advisors, and guests, and have a chance to receive funding of up to $150,000. Investment enterprises that receive data from startups with growth potential can consider investing in and expanding that model. In addition, large enterprises can look for profitable investment opportunities through Expara Southeast Asia Ventures. Expara Southeast Asia Ventures is an early-stage (seed stage) venture capital fund that primarily invests in next-generation technology … [Read more...] about SIHUB – EXPARA Accelerator batch 4 – 2022 started
From coffee to toothpaste, Nigerians buy small as hardships bite
From five grams of toothpaste to 10 millilitres of cooking oil, many Nigerians struggling with soaring prices now buy their basic necessities in small quantities packed in tiny plastic bags to be consumed on the same day. Consumer brands behind this "sachetisation of the economy" see it as a creative innovation, allowing consumption for all Nigerians, the majority of whom live on less than $2 a day. But critics see the development as an economic and ecological aberration, even as Africa's largest economy struggles with the inflationary fallout from Russia's war in Ukraine. In the streets of Lagos, the vibrant economic capital of Africa's most populous country, small sachets are now part of the decor: they colour its streets, packing the wood and tin shops found on the corner of most streets. Sitting on a stool, Ibrahim Atahire has been running his small grocery store for 30 years in a busy area of Obalende, a popular district of the megalopolis. "At my place, you can buy … [Read more...] about From coffee to toothpaste, Nigerians buy small as hardships bite