Search Results (6)

In recent years, Ammonia has emerged as a promising carbon-free fuel alternative, offering considerable potential to reduce CO₂ emissions and contribute to the decarbonization of the transportation industry. This study focuses on the economic feasibility and market price of ammonia now and in the future, highlighting the necessary infrastructure for emission-free transport operation. The project compares various production pathways for alternative fuels including hydrogen, ammonia, methanol, LNG, and diesel, considering both “green” and “gray” production methods. A key output of this research is the development of a flexible cost calculation tool, which allows users to simulate various scenarios by adjusting variables to ensure the continuity of the project. This tool enables dynamic analysis of future fuel prices and operational costs, accounting for the fluctuating electricity prices for green ammonia production and the long-term rise in CO₂ prices. Moreover, the study provides detailed cost modeling, infrastructure requirements, and refueling options for ammonia in comparison to other fuels. The findings indicate that ammonia is a promising long-term option for the maritime sector. While the adaptation to ammonia-based engines remains in the research phase, the long-term benefits of lower emissions and operating costs justify the investment in the necessary research and infrastructure, such as storage and refueling facilities. Full article

Anyone who has tried lighting a campfire on a windy day can appreciate how difficult it could be. However, despite real-life experience and despite laboratory experiments which have demonstrated that fire ignition risk dramatically decreases beyond a certain wind threshold, current fire weather indices (FWIs) do not take this effect into account and assume a monotonic relation between wind velocity and ignition risk. In this paper, we perform a global analysis which empirically quantifies the probability of ignition as a function of wind velocity. Using both traditional methods (a logistic regression and a generalized additive model) and machine learning techniques, we find that beyond a threshold of approximately 3–4 m/s, the ignition risk substantially decreases. The effect holds when accounting for additional factors such as temperature and relative humidity. We recommend updating FWIs to account for this issue. Full article

The aim of this study was to develop a database of historical cold-related mortality in Bangladesh using information obtained from online national newspapers and to analyze such data to understand the spatiotemporal distribution, demographic dynamics, and causes of deaths related to cold temperatures in winter. We prepared a comprehensive database containing information relating to the winter months (December to February) of 2009–2021 for the eight administrative divisions of Bangladesh and systematically removed redundant records. We found that 1249 people died in Bangladesh during this period due to cold and cold-related illnesses, with an average of 104.1 deaths per year. The maximum number of cold-related deaths (36.51%) occurred in the Rangpur Division. The numbers were much higher here than in the other divisions because Rangpur has the lowest average monthly air temperature during the winter months and the poorest socioeconomic conditions. The primary peak of cold-related mortality occurred during 21–31 December, when cold fronts from the Himalayas entered Bangladesh through the Rangpur Division in the north. A secondary peak occurred on 11–20 January each year. Our results also showed that most of the cold-related mortality cases occurred when the daily maximum temperature was lower than 21 °C. Demographically, the highest number of deaths was observed in children aged six years and under (50.68%), followed by senior citizens 65 years and above (20.42%). Fewer females died than males, but campfire burns were the primary cause of female deaths. Most mortality in Bangladesh was due to the cold (75.5%), cold-triggered illness (10.65%), and campfire burns (5.8%). The results of this research will assist policymakers in understanding the importance of taking necessary actions that protect vulnerable public health from cold-related hazards in Bangladesh. Full article

Hematite, the mineral that gives color to bright red iron ochres, occurs naturally, but there is much evidence that early humans sometimes artificially produced hematite by heating a related mineral, goethite, in wood fires. This represents an important cognitive and technological advance in early human prehistory. Thus, there is a need to distinguish natural hematite from hematite generated by heating goethite in a wood fire. Measuring the line widths of powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) in hematite has been explored, and synthetic goethite heated in a modern furnace has been used as a model system for studying this process. We now show that to be an inappropriate model. Although chemically identical, natural goethite is physically different from and much more variable than goethite produced in a laboratory. Furthermore, by replicating the process using Stone Age technology, we show that heating goethite in a wood fire complicates the interpretation of XRD line widths of the resulting hematite. We conclude that strategies other than powder XRD are necessary to draw conclusions about the ancient processing of iron ochres. Full article

The unprecedented global rise in mental anguish is closely linked with the erosion of our social fabric, economic and political systems, and to our natural environments. We are facing multiple new large-scale threats to health, safety, and security, with a growing lack of trust in others and in authorities. Pervasive stress, anxiety, depression, and uncertainty are of a nature and scale we have never seen before—manifesting in surging violence, community breakdown, domestic abuse, opioid and other drug overdoses, social isolation, and suicides—with alarming new mental health trends in children and young people. This has been made worse by the COVID-19 pandemic and amplified by an exponential increase in the amount and immediacy of information propagated through electronic media—often negative with manipulative intent aimed at dividing opinions through anger and fear. At the same time, there has been progressive erosion of kindness, civility, compassion, and social supports. Here, in this report from a “campfire” meeting held by the Nova Institute for Health, we discuss the importance of understanding the complexity of these interrelated threats which impact individual and collective mental health. Our dialog highlighted the need for efforts that build both individual and community resilience with more empowering, positive, and inspiring shared narratives that increase purpose and belonging. This includes placing greater value on positive assets that promote awareness and resilience, including creativity, spirituality, mindfulness, and nature connection—recognizing that ‘inner’ transitions contribute to shifts in mindsets for ‘outward’ transformation in communities and the world at large. Ultimately, these strategies also encourage and normalize mutualistic values that are essential for collectively improving the health of people, places, and the planet, by overcoming the destructive, exploitative worldviews which created so many of our current challenges in the first place. Full article

The coastal areas of Finnmark have deep Sámi roots. With the Norwegian assimilation policy—Norwegianization—the transition to the Norwegian language has been extensive here, placing the region outside Sámi core areas. Nevertheless, indigenous Sea Sámi identity still exists, and language vitalization and raising awareness of culture are shown in Sámi institution building. Within these frames, kindergarten teachers with Sámi backgrounds work to strengthen their local Sámi language and culture in a Sámi department of a kindergarten outside the core Sámi areas. This article aims to shed light on how the use of their bilingual resources in pedagogical translanguaging practices can build sustainable language practices for North Sámi. With children and adults, we explored how culturally aware, situated outdoors activities, such as building a campfire and gathering berries, encouraged children’s use of North Sámi. Both children and adults recorded these activities with GoPro cameras. The material was transcribed and analyzed using Conversation Analysis and translanguaging. For this article, I chose three episodes in which kindergarten teachers used their bilingual language register to interact with children in different pedagogical practices to give children input in North Sámi. Pedagogical translanguaging with young language learners in an emergent bilingual situation could help strengthen North Sámi language and culture outside Sámi core areas. Full article