Ukraine invasion: Would Vladimir Putin really start a nuclear war?

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine hasn’t gone to plan and has led to an economic backlash from the West. If Russian president Vladimir Putin feels backed into a corner, there is a real possibility he could use a nuclear weapon in an attempt to show strength, say analysts Humans | Analysis 28 February 2022 By Matthew … Read more

How Far Away Would You Need to Be to Survive a Nuclear Blast?

It’s been nearly 80 years since two nuclear bombs were detonated over the Japanese cities of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing at least 129,000 people, and causing devastating, long-term health effects.   To date, those are the only instances of nuclear weapons being used for warfare, but the reality is there are roughly 12,700 warheads remaining in … Read more

What Actually Is a ‘Bomb Cyclone’? An Atmospheric Scientist Explains

A bomb cyclone is a large, intense midlatitude storm that has low pressure at its center, weather fronts and an array of associated weather, from blizzards to severe thunderstorms to heavy precipitation. It becomes a bomb when its central pressure decreases very quickly – by at least 24 millibars in 24 hours.   Two famed … Read more

What is a Bomb Cyclone?

The following essay is reprinted with permission from The Conversation, an online publication covering the latest research. A bomb cyclone is a large, intense midlatitude storm that has low pressure at its center, weather fronts and an array of associated weather, from blizzards to severe thunderstorms to heavy precipitation. It becomes a bomb when its … Read more

SS Richard Montgomery: ‘Doomsday’ shipwreck will finally be tackled

By Mick Hamer The masts of the shipwrecked SS Richard Montgomery James Bell/Alamy Three masts sticking up above the waves near the coastal town of Sheerness in the UK mark the spot where a deadly wreck has been rusting for almost 80 years. They belong to the SS Richard Montgomery, a US second world war-era … Read more

SS Richard Montgomery: ‘Doomsday’ shipwreck will finally be made safe

By Mick Hamer The masts of the shipwrecked SS Richard Montgomery James Bell/Alamy Three masts sticking up above the waves near the coastal town of Sheerness in the UK mark the spot where a deadly wreck has been rusting for almost 80 years. They belong to the SS Richard Montgomery, a US second world war-era … Read more

India defuses its population bomb: Fertility falls to two children per woman | Science

Back in the 1960s, India faced an exploding population, with a fertility rate of nearly six children per woman. When famine struck, U.S. President Lyndon B. Johnson initially refused to deliver food aid, citing the country’s high birth rate. In response, India’s Prime Minister Indira Gandhi dramatically expanded the first national family planning program in … Read more