The United Nations organization responsible for international marine shipping today approved new emission reduction policies.  A new paper published in Earth’s Future highlights the need. 

UBC researchers surveyed 149 marine shipping experts in 2021 and found they expect the sector to see a reduction of 30 to 40 per cent in the carbon intensity of shipping — a measure of the amount of CO2 emitted to ship cargo over a given distance — by 2030 compared with 2008 levels.

But they expect the sector won’t meet its net-zero goal for 2050, instead achieving about 40 to 75 per cent reductions from 2008 levels.

It’s becoming increasingly commonplace for people to develop intimate, long-term relationships with artificial intelligence (AI) technologies. At their extreme, people have “married” their AI companions in non-legally binding ceremonies, and at least two people have killed themselves following AI chatbot advice. In an opinion paper publishing April 11 in the Cell Press journal Trends in Cognitive Sciences, psychologists explore ethical issues associated with human-AI relationships, including their potential to disrupt human-human relationships and give harmful advice. 

Researchers from Queen Mary University of London have developed an AI tool that creates synthetic yet medically accurate models of fibrotic heart tissue (heart scarring), aiding treatment planning for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. The study, published in Frontiers in Cardiovascular Medicine, could lead to more personalised care for patients affected by this common heart rhythm disorder. 

Researchers at the University of Liège (ULiège) have developed a pioneering, sustainable method for producing cadmium-based quantum dots (QDs) in water using a biocompatible chalcogen source. This fully aqueous, continuous flow process avoids harmful organic solvents and offers enhanced safety, scalability, and environmental performance. A collaboration led to the creation of a water-soluble chalcogen transfer agent inspired by peptide chemistry. Real-time Raman spectroscopy enabled detailed analysis of reaction mechanisms. The new system improves productivity while reducing waste and energy use. Although cadmium QDs are efficient, their toxicity remains a concern, prompting the team to explore greener alternatives. This innovation marks a significant step toward responsible, large-scale nanomaterial production.