When does ‘anomalous weather’ become a ‘new climate’? The moment that variations in a specific climate variable turn into the new normal is termed time of emergence (ToE). Scientists from the University of Groningen and the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute (KNMI) have developed a method to predict time of emergence in various Arctic regions, based on warming, wetting, and sea ice melting.

The Hebrew University of Jerusalem is proud to announce that Dr. Chaim Garfinkel, Professor in the Institute of Earth Sciences, has been named a 2025 Laureate of the Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel, one of the country’s most prestigious honors for early-career researchers.

The Blavatnik Family Foundation, the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities, and The New York Academy of Sciences announced today the Laureates of the prestigious 2025 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in Israel.  This year’s Laureates, who will each receive US$100,000, are:

Yonatan Stelzer, PhD (Life Sciences) – Weizmann Institute of Science – Recognized for breakthroughs in modeling the intricate process of mammalian embryonic development and for advancing our understanding of epigenetics, holding significant promise for regenerative and therapeutic medicine.

 

Benjamin Palmer, PhD (Chemical Sciences) – Ben-Gurion University of the Negev – Recognized for pioneering research on how organisms create crystals, revealing the biological processes underlying their formation and the unique ways they interact with light, leading to the emerging field of organic biomineralization and inspiring sustainable optical materials.

 

Chaim Garfinkel, PhD (Physical Sciences & Engineering) – The Hebrew University of Jerusalem – Recognized for advancing our ability to predict climate change on timescales from months to decades, improving weather forecast systems and providing critical insights for climate policy and adaptation strategies.

Copper is an economic and strategic metal consumed and produced in many nations. Previous studies of future copper demand and supply have revealed some deficiencies at the macro level. To minimize these gaps, we present here a comprehensive recycling scenario to examine the future copper sustainability for more than 50 countries by 2100. End-of-life metal recycling optimization can be a transparent, flexible and broadly applicable solution, coupled with circular economy strategies to reduce the supply of such metals and related environmental risks. Substantial recycling (estimated at 40 to 65 percent) would be more conducive to reducing primary demand in regions with large populations and rapid industrial growth. Although Latin America and Caribbean, Africa and Oceania can be identified as regions with low demand and recycling intentions by 2100, carbon emissions in Latin America will peak at 70 million tons by 2050 owing to concentrated primary copper production. In order to fully realize recycling targets, more efforts should be made to formulate policies and regulations for the copper industry, systematically scrap collection, and innovate effective technologies.

A new study published in The American Naturalist links grazing halo patterns in coral reefs, as well as those in other patchy habitats, to the spatial patterns of the shelter habitat itself. The researchers found that grazing halos are distinct when the coral is clustered but merge into each other when the coral is dispersed. According to the lead author, "...gaining a better understanding of how halo patterns reflect reef community dynamics may be useful in reef conservation efforts."

How do adaptation strategies implemented by dairy farmers to cope with drought affect milk and cheese quality? Researchers from INRAE and VetAgro Sup conducted a trial on an experimental farm in the French Massif Central to assess the effects of decreasing/increasing the amount of grass/corn silage fed to dairy cows on the quality of Cantal-type cheeses. Results published in the Journal of Dairy Science show the importance of maintaining a minimum of fresh grass in dairy cow rations to preserve cheese quality.

Summary:

Researchers developed an AI tool called ulrb to identify rare microbes, significantly improving biodiversity assessments and ecological research.

The open-source software, created through international collaboration, is versatile and applicable to both microbial and non-microbial data, enhancing studies on climate change and ecosystem health.