Cumberland, B.C., was built on coal mining—both literally and practically. Thousands of workers were employed and millions of tonnes of coal were exported over 80 years before the mines were shuttered, leaving deep holes in the ground and a deeper void in the village’s economy. Thanks to a partnership with the University of Victoria-led Accelerating Community Energy Transformation (ACET) initiative, Cumberland is planning for a future built on clean energy that comes from the maze of abandoned mine shafts and extraction tunnels that snake beneath its streets.

Researchers have found that a specific body profile—higher muscle mass combined with a lower visceral fat to muscle ratio—tracks with a younger brain age, according to a study being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Visceral fat is hidden deep within the abdominal cavity, surrounding vital internal organs.

Diets of wild orangutans are “culturally-dependent”: adult Sumatran orangutans have knowledge of around 250 edible food items, which is more than any one individual can attain without learning from other individuals.

Developmental experiments “in silico”: using computer simulations based on 12 years of observations on wild orangutans, researchers show that orangutans fail to develop “adult-like” diets if deprived of key social interactions that facilitate learning.

Deep roots of cultural inheritance: adult orangutan’s diets are the product of information that many different individuals must have discovered and learnt from each other. Humans’ capacity to accumulate broad cultural repertoires – to breadths no individual could produce alone – is potentially a capacity that evolved at least 13 million years, in our common ancestor with great apes.

Sixty-million-year-old rock samples from deep under the ocean have revealed how huge amounts of carbon dioxide are stored for millennia in piles of lava rubble that accumulate on the seafloor.

An international study published today in Communications Biology has used unique coral reefs in Papua New Guinea to determine the likely impact of ocean acidification on coral reefs in the face of climate change.

Oceans are becoming more acidic as they absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, and that acid will dissolve coral limestone. But it’s hard to predict what impact this will have on whole ecosystems from studies using aquariums and models.

The research team, led by the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), studied entire coral reefs, locally enriched with CO₂ that is seeping from the sea floor, near some of Papua New Guinea’s remote shallow submarine volcanoes.

Dr. Katharina Fabricius, a coral researcher at AIMS in Townsville and senior author on the paper, says the research has revealed which species can thrive under lifelong exposure to elevated CO₂.

“These unique natural laboratories are like a time machine,” said Dr Fabricius.  

“The CO₂ seeps have allowed us to study the reefs’ tolerance limits and make predictions. How will coral reefs cope if emissions are in line with the Paris Agreement level emissions? How will they respond to higher CO₂ emissions scenarios?”

Held on 8 May 2025, the 10th UN Multi-stakeholder Forum on Science, Technology and Innovation for the Sustainable Development Goals side event, titled “One Health for All: Synergistic Solutions Advancing SDG3 through Sustainable Science & Inclusive Innovation”, convened global experts to explore integrated strategies for advancing human, animal, and environmental health within the 2030 Agenda. The event highlighted innovations like artificial intelligence (AI)-driven surveillance and low-carbon diagnostics, emphasizing equity and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) acceleration. One milestone was the launch of an expert consensus promoting the global One Health index (GOHI), a roadmap to align research and experimental development (R&D) with SDG3 targets. Discussions centered on three key issues covering: the One Health approach for SDGs, the role of GOHI as a scientific tool addressing data fragmentation and capacity disparities, and GOHI's potential to enhance cross-sectoral governance, exemplified by case studies from Japan, Cambodia, and Singapore. A consensus emerged to promote GOHI at the sub-national level, recognizing its value as a comprehensive, structured framework offering practical tools, data transformation capabilities, economic analysis, and global knowledge sharing, despite implementation challenges. Six actionable recommendations were proposed, focusing on strengthening institutional coordination, bridging data gaps, integrating GOHI into governance, piloting localized interventions, mobilizing funding, and building capacity through global partnerships. The event marked a significant step forward, positioning the One Health framework, facilitated by tools like GOHI, as essential for achieving the SDGs and ensuring a healthier, more sustainable future for all.