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UN passes resolution to curb space debris from anti-satellite missile tests
The UN General Assembly passed a resolution designed to deter nations from blowing up satellites that create space debris.
COP27 conference approves historic climate damage fund for developing nations
The COP27 climate conference delivered a breakthrough deal to help developing nations cope with the often catastrophic effects of climate change.
The Pacific island nation of Tuvalu is turning to the metaverse to preserve its culture
With sea levels rising, Tuvalu says it has no choice but to build a digital version of itself.
UN initiative will use satellites to detect methane emission hotspots
The UN is launching an initiative that uses satellites to detect methane emission hot zones — but whether countries use it is another story.
UN starts working towards a global plan to curb plastic pollution
After a week of negotiations in Nairobi, the United Nations has agreed to start working on a first-ever global plastic pollution treaty.
The 2022 Sundance Film Festival projects we're still thinking about
Another Sundance Film Festival has come and gone, and with it we've gotten a close look at some of the films and interactive experiences that'll be the talk of 2022.
China says its space station dodged Starlink satellites twice this year
China has complained that its space station had to evade Starlink satellites twice in 2021.
BMW will help recreate 'Rocket League' in real life for charity
BMW and LVL are producing a real-life 'Rocket League' with remote-controlled cars for charity, and you can watch the match live.
COP26 climate change deal falls short on coal targets
The COP26 climate conference has produced a deal that aims to speed up anti-global warming efforts, but goes soft on coal energy.
Meta details its latest efforts to combat climate change as COP26 starts
It aims to help users and businesses reduce their carbon footprint.
Facebook, Google, TikTok and Twitter pledge to improve women's safety online
Hundreds of prominent figures signed an open letter urging the tech giants to stick to their promises.
The UN created a game about protecting the ozone layer
The UN has created a mobile game, 'Reset Earth,' that tasks you with saving the ozone layer.
Google search helps refugees get official answers to their questions
Google's web search now offers UN-approved answers to refugees' questions about aid.
UN calls for investigation into alleged Saudi hacking of Jeff Bezos
The United Nations is joining the chorus of those concerned about allegations Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman was involved in hacking Jeff Bezos' phone. UN experts have issued a statement calling for an "immediate investigation" into claims the Crown Prince's account was used for a WhatsApp hack as well as his reported "continuous, multi-year, direct and personal" role in efforts to target opponents. These allegations are particularly "relevant" in light of looks into the Saudi royal's role in the murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, the UN experts said.
New models show that the earth is warming faster than first thought
Scientists have made no secret of the extreme challenges posed by climate change, with the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change (IPCC) repeatedly stressing the importance of keeping global warming below two degrees. But now it seems the situation is much more serious than previously understood, with new climate models predicting average temperatures could rise by as much as seven degrees by 2100.
UN claims North Korea hacks stole $2 billion to fund its nuclear program
United Nations experts say they are formally investigating at least 35 instances of cyberattacks by North Korea in 17 countries, believed to be carried out in a bid to fund its nuclear program. According to a report seen by Associated Press, North Korea has acquired as much as $2 billion from increasingly sophisticated cyber activities against financial institutions and cryptocurrency exchanges.
UN study finds female voice assistants reinforce harmful stereotypes
For the record, the appropriate response to being called a slut isn't, "I'd blush if I could." But that's what Siri is programmed to say. According to a report by the United Nations, the fact that most voice assistant are gendered as young women is reinforcing harmful stereotypes that women are docile and eager to please, even when they're called lewd names.
UN study says humans are damaging nature at 'unprecedented' rate
You probably weren't expecting a feel-good nature report from the UN after its alarming findings on climate change, and you won't get one. The organization's Intergovernmental Science-Policy Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES) has published a summary of an upcoming study that concludes nature is declining at a pace "unprecedented in human history," and that there are "grave impacts" likely for people around the world. While the finer points of the report aren't available, it makes certain grim facts clear.
Is it time we gave nuclear power another chance?
350 parts per million. That's the figure scientists agree is the "safe" upper limit of carbon dioxide in our atmosphere. Beyond that point, it's increasingly likely that our planet will become inhospitable for the humans that cling to its surface. Crops will fail, sea levels will rise and millions, if not billions, will die in catastrophic weather events. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Mauna Loa Observatory reports that levels have now reached 409.9 parts per million.
UN says US fears over Huawei’s 5G are politically motivated
The secretary general of the UN's internet and telecoms agency has suggested US concerns about 5G networks built using Huawei equipment have more to do with politics and trade, rather than legitimate worries over security. "There is no proof so far," Houlin Zhao, head of the International Telecommunication Union, said regarding claims about Huawei's security. He noted it's in telecoms' best interests to make sure their infrastructure is secure as they might otherwise feel the wrath of authorities.
