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The current trajectory of Artificial Intelligence (AI) development represents a critical phase transition from a tenable academic pursuit to an untenable industrial behemoth, and ultimately toward an unsustainable environmental burden. This conceptual review and perspective article synthesizes evidence across sustainability science, information theory, AI governance, and regulatory studies to argue that Brute Force AI constitutes a systemic sustainability threat whose resolution requires a return to Algorithmic Parsimony. We formally redefine sustainability in sensu lato through a contrapositive logical criterion applicable to any system. We introduce an operationalized Intelligence-per-Joule ($\mathcal{I}/J$) index and Sustainability Index S, defined in terms of mutual information gain relative to thermodynamic and computational resource expenditure, and demonstrate their interpretive application across landmark AI systems. A quantitative synthesis of published empirical data across six landmark models (BERT through GPT-4) documents the Intelligence–Cost Divergence: the growing chasm between logarithmic capability gain and exponential resource cost. We further distinguish warranted from unwarranted scale—acknowledging that some large-scale capabilities are qualitatively irreplaceable—while arguing that the current default toward scale without efficiency justification is ecologically and socially indefensible. We introduce the Symbiotic Policy Covenant—a three-pillar governance framework encompassing Algorithmic Parsimony Mandates, Expanded Waste Taxonomy, and an AI Equity Safeguard addressing both access and benefit inequity—operationalized through a proposed ISO/IEC 42001-Plus standard addendum. We conclude that genuine intelligence and genuine sustainability are not in tension but are, at their mathematical foundations, the same aspiration. Full article

Soil microorganisms play a crucial role in maintaining soil fertility sensu lato. Sustainable soil management aims to make the soil environment more hospitable increasing microorganism diversity and complexity by means of the minimal disturbance of soil and inputs of organic material. This results in the effective functioning of agricultural systems, better crop productivity, and a reduction in environmental impacts. A study was carried out to evaluate the effects of the long-term application (more than 15 years) of sustainable practices versus conventional ones on soil microbial biomass activity and its functional diversity within different Mediterranean commercial fruit orchards located in Southern Italy. A preliminary survey—performed using the electromagnetic induction technique (EMI)—guided the collection of representative soil samples by reducing the spatial heterogeneity of soil microorganisms. Soil management practices, based on no tillage and the recycling of organic materials of different origins and quality produced within the orchard, increased soil organic carbon, telluric microorganisms activity and their functional diversity compared to ‘non-conservative’ management methods such as continuous tillage. In addition, the rational use of the orchard-inside organic matter (natural/seeded grass cover and pruning material) allowed it to virtuously transform from useless waste into precious resources, eliminating the logistical and economic constraints for their disposal. The simultaneous use of different types of soil management strategies aimed at soil conservation reinforced the positive effects on the microbiological indicators of soil quality rather than the application of a single strategy. This study provides the opportunity to represent what could be the possible evolution of tilled orchards towards more balanced soil conditions when subjected to conservative practices, offering a reference model for fruit growers and technicians who want to improve the stability and the resiliency of their agrosystems. Full article

Background: Numerous recent studies have shown that ticks and tick-borne pathogens pose a considerable threat in urban areas, such as parks, playgrounds, zoos, cemeteries, etc. Abandoned postindustrial localities, and other types of vague terrain, are other examples of urban wilderness areas that have been absolutely neglected in respect to ticks and tick-borne pathogens thus far, even though they provide ideal biotopes for ticks. Methods: The abundance of ticks and prevalence of Borrelia burgdorferi sensu lato spirochetes were compared between a city park and an adjacent abandoned construction waste disposal site in Prague, Czechia from June to October 2021. Results: The results showed that ticks and borrelia spirochetes are present at the city park as well as at the abandoned construction waste disposal site, although in lower numbers. Discussion: According to the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the presence of ticks and tick-borne pathogens in an urban postindustrial landscape. More detailed studies are needed to uncover the role of these localities in the ecology of ticks and ecoepidemiology of tick-borne diseases in urban areas. Full article