“Scientists and researchers are celebrating what they call a ‘dream’ discovery after an exploratory drill confirmed a high concentration of helium buried deep in Minnesota’s Iron Range.
Thomas Abraham-James, CEO of Pulsar Helium, said the confirmed presence of helium could be one of the most significant such finds in the world.”
From CBS News.
Associated Press | Conservation & Biodiversity
“A genetic study of Asian elephants in northern Cambodia published Thursday reveals a larger and more robust population than previously thought, raising hopes the endangered species could slowly recover.
Researchers from the Fauna & Flora conservation group collected samples from elephant dung in Cambodia’s northern plains and extracted DNA. From the DNA they were able to identify individual elephants, estimate population size, and determine the sex of the animals and the overall genetic diversity of the population.
From their work they estimated that there are 51 elephants in the Prey Lang, Preah Roka, and Chhaeb Wildlife Sanctuaries, with greater genetic diversity — a ‘critical factor for long-term viability,’ the researchers said — than in two other areas of the country in which they live.
‘With sufficient suitable habitat remaining in the region, the population has the potential to grow if properly protected,’ the report concludes.”
From Associated Press.
“France has upped the ante in the quest for fusion power by maintaining a plasma reaction for over 22 minutes – a new record. The milestone was reached on February 12 at the Commissariat à l’énergie atomique et aux énergies alternatives (CEA) WEST Tokamak reactor.
Achieving the dream of commercial fusion power is the Holy Grail of engineering and has been for 80 years. With a single gram of hydrogen isotopes yielding the energy equivalent of 11 tonnes of coal, a practical fusion reactor would hold the promise of unlimited, clean energy for humanity until the end of time.”
From New Atlas.
Global Energy Association | Energy Consumption
“According to Dr. Kevin Kariuki, Vice President, Power, Energy, Climate Change & Green Growth, African Development Bank, in 2019, the African Development Bank reported that an additional 96 million African households had gained access to electricity between 2015 and 2019 and between 2019 and 2024, this trend has been sustained…
Northern African countries have nearly achieved universal access.
For sub-saharan counties :
In Central Africa, from Chad to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and the Central African Republic (CAR), countries are stepping up initiatives to overcome this energy poverty. Gabon and Equatorial Guinea have reached 90 % electrification rate. Some countries as Rwanda and Kenya are targeting universal access for 2025-2030.”
“In March 2024, Deb Manley, a volunteer in Big Bend National Park, Texas, uploaded photos of a small, low-lying plant covered in silvery fuzz to the species identification app iNaturalist. The app populates a public map with observations of plants and animals, which shows how frequently species are observed in a given area and can bring the user community together to tackle tricky identifications. Manley sparked one of those puzzles when she shared her photos of the plant, which she and other park staff had encountered on a hike. Curiosity soon gave way to excitement when users realized that the plant did not match any species known to science. Not only was this the first recorded sighting on iNaturalist, it was the first recorded sighting, period.”
From Atlas Obscura.
