Germany recognizes Armenian ‘genocide’ disputed by Turkey.
Turkish protesters demonstrated against the resolution made by the German Parliament. (Image courtesy of BBC News)
The German parliament has approved of a resolution that ruled the mass killings of Armenians during WWI as a genocide. Armenians say that up to 1.5 million people died in the atrocities led by Ottoman Turks. However, Turkey states that the death toll was much lower and that it was not a ‘genocide’. This decision by German MPs increased German-Turkish tensions during a time when Turkish aid is needed with the flow of migrants. In response to the vote, Turkey has recalled its ambassador and has threatened further action. More than 20 nations have recognized the ‘genocide’. Turkey denies the systematic slaughter of Armenians and added that many Turkish civilians died during the collapse of the Ottoman Empire. Turkey’s foreign minister even accused Germany of trying to deflect its dark history, referencing to its Nazi past. However for many Germans, the resolution was about facing up to German historical guilt.
Source and more information can be found here.
This map shows the amount of man-made sulphur dioxide that had not been reported. (Image courtesy of CBC News)
Big polluters revealed using Canadian space satellites.
Canadian researchers have found a way to detect sulphur dioxide using satellites, preventing polluters from hiding by not reporting them. They have uncovered some very big polluters, notably oil and gas plants in the Persian Gulf that did not report their emissions. The data has also confirmed that sulphur dioxide emissions are falling worldwide. Sulphur dioxide is a harmful pollutant that causes acid rain, as well as many short-term and long-term health risks. In Canada, emission readings are generally accurate, but other countries may have estimated and more inaccurate statistics. Data from NASA’s Earth-observing AURA satellite, combined with wind directions and speeds, helped pinpoint sulphur dioxide sources. A large amount was found to be coming from from volcanoes in the Pacific, despite the fact that they were not erupting. These dormant volcanoes emitted almost 30% of the sulphur dioxide in the atmosphere. Most unreported emissions came from Middle Eastern oil and gas extraction facilities. Fortunately, there were no missing sources in Canada. The researchers think this new technique could help us detect other pollutants from space.
Source and more information can be found here.
Humanoid diving robot sent down to ancient shipwreck.
The OceanOne robot recovers a vase from a wrecked French flagship. (Image courtesy of Teddy Seguin/Osada/Seguin/DRASSM)
Robotics scientists at Stanford University have successfully sent an automated avatar, the “robo-mermaid” to retrieve a vase from the sunken French ship, La Lune. The robot was piloted by Oussama Khatib, professor of computer science at Stanford, using virtual reality techniques. The design of OceanOne was inspired by a desire to study coral reefs beneath the Red Sea, able to be reached only by robot submersibles. The robot has human-like vision and fully-articulated wrists and hands, which relay a sense of touch to the controller, Khatib. He could feel the contours of the vase, as well as assess its weight before carrying it to the surface in a basket. “The intent is to have a human diving virtually – to put the human out of harm’s way,” said Khatib.
Source and more information can be found here.
The remains of tiger cubs are laid out in the Tiger Temple in Thailand. (Image courtesy of CBC News)
40 dead tiger cubs found in Thai temple.
Thai wildlife authorities have found 40 tiger cubs in a freezer in Thailand’s Tiger Temple. The Buddhist temple became a tourist destination, but had been suspected for wildlife trafficking and abuse. The temple has said that the authorities had already been aware of the tiger carcasses, and that the dead cubs had been kept rather than cremated on the instructions of a former vet. Since then, officials have moved 61 tigers from the temple, leaving 76 still there.
Source and more information can be found here.
Switzerland completes world’s longest railway tunnel.
The Gotthard Base Tunnel, completed after 17 years, is longest tunnel in the world. (Image courtesy of Business Insider)
On Wednesday, Switzerland inaugurated the Gotthard Railway Tunnel, which was recently completed after 17 years of construction. This major engineering achievement under the Swiss Alps extends 56 km and cost 12.2 billion Swiss Francs. The Gotthard Pass already has two tunnels under the Alps; the first was built in 1882. The new tunnel, the Gotthard Base Tunnel, is now the world’s longest and bores deeper than any other tunnel, running as far as 2.3 km underground. It aims to cut travel times, ease traffic, and draw cargo from “pollution-spewing lorries”. Once it starts its service in December, the tunnel will take up 260 freight trains and 65 passenger trains per day.
Source and more information can be found here.
