ScienceMidday Newsen-ushttps://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/science23179248<![CDATA[Google rolls out new feature for font size changes in conversation threads]]>2021-06-21T3:57 PMhttps://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/science/article/google-rolls-out-pinchtozoom-feature-for-font-size-changes-in-conversation-threads--23179248Mid-dayScienceGoogle is rolling out a new option where users can now pinch-to-zoom to change the font size in Google Messages for Android.  

The functionality is quite straightforward and starts by opening any thread. Pinching out with two fingers increases most text in the current window, though the app bar stays the same.  

All timestamps and message bubbles adjust accordingly, including the prompt and any entered text in the compose field.  

Icons, like contact avatars and the send button, and menus remain static, 9To5Google reported. 

There are several increments and users can pinch-in to return to the default size.  

Users cannot adjust text size while the keyboard is open. The current font size applies to all conversation threads, but the main list view is unchanged.  

In the past, those that needed bigger text in Google Messages had to head into system settings and adjust the font and/or display size, thus impacting the entire device.  

This is a nice app-level implementation. That said, while the adjustment is intuitive, it`s quite hidden, the report said.  

This ability to change the font size in Google Messages has been a long-running request for some. It`s not clear what version enabled it, but the adjustment is available on current versions, including the latest 8.3.026 beta. 

Also Read: Massachusetts `MassNotify` Android app for Covid-19 auto-installed

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23172623<![CDATA[What are the urgent steps required to reduce methane emissions?]]>2021-05-10T3:46 PMhttps://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/science/article/what-are-the-urgent-steps-required-to-reduce-methane-emissions-23172623Mid-dayScienceA Global Methane Assessment released on Thursday by the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) showed that human-caused methane emissions can be reduced by up to 45 per cent this decade.

Such reductions would avoid nearly 0.3 degree Celsius of global warming by 2045 and would be consistent with keeping the Paris Climate Agreement`s goal to limit global temperature rise to 1.5-degree Celsius within reach.

The assessment, for the first time, integrates the climate and air pollution costs and benefits from methane mitigation.

Because methane is a key ingredient in the formation of ground-level ozone (smog), a powerful climate forcer and dangerous air pollutant, a 45 per cent reduction would prevent 260,000 premature deaths, 775,000 asthma-related hospital visits, 73 billion hours of lost labour from extreme heat, and 25 million tonnes of crop losses annually.

"Cutting methane is the strongest lever we have to slow climate change over the next 25 years and complements necessary efforts to reduce carbon dioxide. The benefits to society, economies, and the environment are numerous and far outweigh the cost. We need international cooperation to urgently reduce methane emissions as much as possible this decade" said UNEP Executive Director Inger Andersen.

Rick Duke, Senior Advisor to the US Special Presidential Envoy on Climate Change, said: "Methane accounts for nearly one-fifth of global greenhouse gas emissions and, now that the world is acting to phase down hydrofluorocarbons through the Montreal Protocol, it is by far the top priority short-lived climate pollutant that we need to tackle to keep 1.5 degrees C within reach.

"The United States is committed to driving down methane emissions both at home and globally -- through measures like research and development, standards to control fossil and landfill methane, and incentives to address agricultural methane. We look forward to continued partnership with the CCAC on this crucial climate priority.

Kadri Simson, European Union Commissioner for Energy, said: "Building on the EU methane strategy last October, this UN report highlights just how damaging methane emissions can be, and the need to take concerted action at international level."

The need for action is urgent. Human-caused methane emissions are increasing faster than any time since record keeping began in the 1980s.

Despite a Covid-19 induced economic slowdown in 2020 that prevented another record year for carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the amount of methane in the atmosphere shot up to record levels according to data recently released by the United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

This is a concern because methane is an extremely powerful greenhouse gas, responsible for about 30 per cent of warming since pre-industrial times.

The good news is that unlike CO2 which stays in the atmosphere for 100s of years, methane starts breaking down quickly, with most of it gone after a decade.

This means cutting methane emissions now can rapidly reduce the rate of warming in the near-term.

The report notes that most human-caused methane emissions come from three sectors: fossil fuels, waste, and agriculture.

In the fossil fuel sector, oil and gas extraction, processing, and distribution account for 23 per cent, and coal mining accounts for 12 per cent of emissions.

In the waste sector, landfills and wastewater make up about 20 per cent of emissions.

In the agricultural sector, livestock emissions from manure and enteric fermentation represent roughly 32 per cent, and rice cultivation eight per cent of emissions.

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23171981<![CDATA[IEA report states clean energy demand for critical minerals set to soar]]>2021-05-06T3:18 PMhttps://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/science/article/iea-report-states-clean-energy-demand-for-critical-minerals-set-to-soar-23171981Mid-dayScienceSupplies of critical minerals essential for key clean energy technologies like electric vehicles need to pick up sharply over the coming decades to meet the world`s climate goals, creating potential energy security hazards that governments must act now to address, a new report by the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Wednesday.

The special report, The Role of Critical Minerals in Clean Energy Transitions, is the most comprehensive global study to date on the central importance of minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel, cobalt and rare earth elements in a secure and rapid transformation of the global energy sector.

Building on the IEA`s longstanding leadership role in energy security, the report recommends six key areas of action for policy makers to ensure that critical minerals enable an accelerated transition to clean energy rather than becoming a bottleneck.

"Today, the data shows a looming mismatch between the world`s strengthened climate ambitions and the availability of critical minerals that are essential to realising those ambitions," said IEA Executive Director Fatih Birol.

"The challenges are not insurmountable, but governments must give clear signals about how they plan to turn their climate pledges into action. By acting now and acting together, they can significantly reduce the risks of price volatility and supply disruptions."

"Left unaddressed, these potential vulnerabilities could make global progress towards a clean energy future slower and more costly -- and therefore hamper international efforts to tackle climate change," Birol said.

"This is what energy security looks like in the 21st century, and the IEA is fully committed to helping governments ensure that these hazards don`t derail the global drive to accelerate energy transitions."

The special report, part of the IEA`s flagship World Energy Outlook series, underscores that the mineral requirements of an energy system powered by clean energy technologies differ profoundly from one that runs on fossil fuels.

A typical electric car requires six times the mineral inputs of a conventional car, and an onshore wind plant requires nine times more mineral resources than a similarly sized gas-fired power plant.

Demand outlooks and supply vulnerabilities vary widely by mineral, but the energy sector`s overall needs for critical minerals could increase by as much as six times by 2040, depending on how rapidly governments act to reduce emissions.

Not only is this a massive increase in absolute terms, but as the costs of technologies fall, mineral inputs will account for an increasingly important part of the value of key components, making their overall costs more vulnerable to potential mineral price swings.

The commercial importance of these minerals also grow rapidly. Today`s revenue from coal production is 10 times larger than from energy transition minerals. However, in climate-driven scenarios, these positions are reversed well before 2040.

To produce the report, the IEA built on its detailed, technology-rich energy modelling tools to establish a unique database showing future mineral requirements under varying scenarios that span a range of levels of climate action and 11 different technology evolution pathways.

In climate-driven scenarios, mineral demand for use in batteries for electric vehicles and grid storage is a major force, growing at least 30 times to 2040. The rise of low-carbon power generation to meet climate goals also means a tripling of mineral demand from this sector by 2040.

Wind takes the lead, bolstered by material-intensive offshore wind. Solar PV follows closely, due to the sheer volume of capacity that is added. The expansion of electricity networks also requires a huge amount of copper and aluminum.

Unlike oil -- a commodity produced around the world and traded in liquid markets -- production and processing of many minerals such as lithium, cobalt and some rare earth elements are highly concentrated in a handful of countries, with the top three producers accounting for more than 75 per cent of supplies.

Complex and sometimes opaque supply chains also increase the risks that could arise from physical disruptions, trade restrictions or other developments in major producing countries.

In addition, while there is no shortage of resources, the quality of available deposits is declining as the most immediately accessible resources are exploited.

Producers also face the necessity of stricter environmental and social standards.

 

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23161580<![CDATA[Report says India among world’s top markets for solar energy]]>2021-02-27T11:57 AMhttps://www.mid-day.com/lifestyle/science/article/report-says-india-among-world’s-top-markets-for-solar-energy-23161580Mid-dayScienceIndia is now one of the world`s top markets for solar energy, a new report by the International Solar Alliance (ISA) said on Wednesday.

The report, `Ease of Doing Solar 2020`, identified countries that were high solar energy performers in 2020.

The report is a continuation of the pilot study conducted for four member countries in 2019 which has now been expanded to cover 80 countries with a refined evaluation framework.

ISA is a joint initiative of France and India, launched during COP21 with the aim of making an unprecedented effort to promote solar energy.

The goal of ISA is to set the ground rules, norms and standards for solar energy, in order to obtain a rapid and massive deployment in countries that are rich in solar resources but where the risks are still seen as high.

Using data across its 80 member countries, ISA reveals the world`s easiest markets to execute and invest in solar projects. Owing to its strong potential, ambitious sustainability targets, high solar irradiation, and robust power infrastructure, India has emerged as a leading performer along with countries like Brazil, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates.

The report lists countries like Rwanda, Sri Lanka, Nigeria, Argentina, Egypt and 24 others as having moderately favourable conditions for solar investments.

Countries such as Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, Mozambique and several others have been listed as progressive states that are in initial stages of development of a favourable ecosystem.

The report highlights the best practices in policy and regulation amongst member countries. It is also of particular importance to international financing institutions, as the data reveals the countries that have transparent and infrastructure-ready regimes supported by investor-friendly markets.

It provides a snapshot of the progress made by the member countries by using an evaluation framework consisting seven key indicators - macro economy, policy enablers, technical feasibility, market maturity, infrastructure, financing ecosystem, and energy imperatives.

Globally, ISA aims to undertake joint efforts to reduce the cost of finance and the cost of technology and mobilise large-scale investment in the solar sector.

It plans to launch a World Solar Bank at the United Nation`s annual global climate summit, COP26, scheduled to take place in Glasgow, the UK, in November this year.

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