Large lakes of the world: A global science opportunity

In natural water, as a rule, there is a violation of radioactive equilibrium in the chain 238U … → 234U → 230Th →. Groundwater usually has a 234U/238U ratio in the range of 0.8–3.0 (by activity). However, in some regions, the 234U/238U ratio reaches >10 and up to 50. Ultrahigh excesses of 234U can be explained by climatic variations. During a cold period, minerals accumulate 234U as a normal component of the radioactive chain, and after the melting of permafrost, it is lost from the mineral lattice faster than 238U due to its higher geochemical mobility. This hypothesis was tested using data on the isotopic composition of uranium in the chemo- and bio-genic formations of the World Ocean and large lakes, which are reservoirs that accumulate continental runoff. The World Ocean has the most significant 234U enrichments in the polar and inland seas during periods of climatic warming in the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. In the bottom sediments of Lake Baikal, the 234U/238U ratio also increases during warm periods and significantly exceeds the 234U excess of the World Ocean. Furthermore, the 234U/238U ratio in the water of Lake Baikal and its tributaries increases from north to south following a decrease in the area of the continuous permafrost and has a seasonal variation with a maximum 234U/238U ratio in summer. The behavior of 234U in large water reservoirs is consistent with the hypothesis about the decisive influence of permafrost degradation on the anomalies in 234U/238U ratios in groundwater.

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The Crisis of Ethically Neutral Science

10.5644/pi2021.200.15 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Mile Babić

Keyword(s):

Multinational Corporations ◽

Modern Science ◽

Human Action ◽

Current Crisis ◽

Black And White ◽

Global Science ◽

Global Responsibility ◽

Do No Harm ◽

The World ◽

The Individual

Current crisis of morality in scientific and technical civilization leads us to a common ruin because modern science (which is free of morality) is inextricably linked to technology, and can therefore be called technoscience. As such, today it has a monopoly on knowledge of the world and therefore has the greatest power in history and is in tight collusion with the holders of power: the economy, politics, medicine, media, countries and multinational corporations. To have the greatest imaginable power (which, according to Kant, corrupts the freedom of mental reasoning), while being free from the morals that limit that power, means to turn the world into a world of the most modern barbarism and violence, destruction and self-destruction. Only morally responsible science is capable for future and it is the premise of a civilization capable of the future. Only responsible science can prevent science from turning into a comprehensive dogma. Therefore, science must be free from any ideology that depicts reality in black and white and thus produces vanity, hatred and violence. Global science requires a global ethos (global responsibility). Science cares about the truth that liberates us from lies and connects us into a single community. The fundamental ethical imperative primum non nocere (“first, do no harm”) is valid everywhere and forever. Ethically responsible science requires a change in the consciousness of the individual and a rediscovery of the idea of brotherhood. No human action should undermine and destroy existing reality, but rather improve it.

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Risk assessment of threats to large lakes around the world — a pilot survey

SIL Proceedings 1922-2010 ◽

10.1080/03680770.2009.11902294 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 30 (7) ◽

pp. 1030-1034 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

R.G. Randall ◽

M.A. Koops ◽

M. Munawar ◽

C.K. Minns

Keyword(s):

Risk Assessment ◽

Large Lakes ◽

Pilot Survey ◽

The World

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On doing Hydrology with Lions

10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-9924 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Thorsten Wagener

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Large Scale ◽

Current Knowledge ◽

Knowledge Gaps ◽

Hydrologic Modelling ◽

Global Science ◽

Scientific Goal ◽

Model Predictions ◽

The World ◽

Global Datasets

Humanity has always been uncomfortable with knowledge gaps. When John Cabot left Bristol harbour in 1497 to find a new route to Asia, he was trying to fill one of those knowledge gaps. World maps available to him at the time seemingly described the world in great detail. However, when inspecting such maps more closely, one could see that much of this information were just drawings of lions and other monsters, reflecting areas that were actually unexplored. It is claimed that ancient mapmakers demarcated such unknown areas with the phrase HIC SUNT LEONES, "here be lions", suggesting that exploring such areas was dangerous and undesirable. But, less than a hundred years later, such maps had changed. They now revealed large areas of white space to reflect a lack of knowledge, thus inviting exploration to discover what was beyond the edge of current knowledge. Acknowledging the unknown became a scientific goal in itself.Hydrology is rapidly developing into a global science where both mechanistic and data-based models assimilate global datasets to predict hydrologic behaviour across continental and even global domains. Model outputs showing global maps of hydrologic variables like streamflow, soil moisture or groundwater recharge have become increasingly common. However, such maps rarely contain information about where model predictions are made with more or less confidence. Where are models producing trustworthy information and where are we showing (hydrologic) lions? What are the reasons for variability in confidence that should be considered? How can we overcome these reasons? I will explore these questions with different examples drawn from large-scale hydrologic modelling.

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Integrating science to address food and health within Global Agenda 2030

npj Science of Food ◽

10.1038/s41538-021-00088-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 5 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Gordon A. McBean

Keyword(s):

Food Systems ◽

Global Risk ◽

Agenda 2030 ◽

Scientific Network ◽

Global Science ◽

The World ◽

World Economic ◽

Science Community ◽

To Come ◽

Global Agenda

AbstractWhen recovering from the pandemic, it is important for Planet Earth to address the Global Agenda 2030, including food and water crises, and to bounce forward sustainably. The World Economic Forum’s Global Risk Report and Global Agenda 2030 provide a framework for action and an integrated global science agenda response, involving food and health, is essential. The UN 2021 Summit on Food Systems provides an opportunity for the global science community to come together to address the Summit’s Action Tracks, including building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks and stresses. There would be major global benefits to have an international scientific network working with the UN to address the mandates of the UN Food Summit and Global Agenda 2030.

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Large lakes of the world [morphometry, water quality, bathymetry, geography]

Deep Sea Research Part B Oceanographic Literature Review ◽

10.1016/0198-0254(83)90394-1 ◽

1983 ◽

Vol 30 (6) ◽

pp. 486

Keyword(s):

Water Quality ◽

Large Lakes ◽

The World

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Diversity and Inclusion in Education

10.5194/epsc2021-874 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rosa Doran ◽

Priscila Doran

Keyword(s):

Inclusive Education ◽

Design Thinking ◽

Universal Design For Learning ◽

Learning Design ◽

Diversity And Inclusion ◽

Global Science ◽

The World ◽

Digital Skills ◽

Design For Learning ◽

Knowledge Content

The world of education has many pillars that are equally important but the acceptance of the human nature and the understanding of what it entails is probably the most basic one. We educate students so they can thrive in their profession at a later stage in their lives. We try to empower little brains to embrace their passion and enhance their skills. But we often forget the importance of diversity and inclusion, which are the basic secret of being human. There is no life without diversity and inclusive environments. So where do we start? Well, by ensuring that education is built strongly build upon these pillars, by promoting an inclusive education where all talents and preferences are properly addressed and nurtured. We address these pillars by ensuring that diversity is accepted as normal and something that should be integrated in all learning stages. Empowering educators with the necessary tools to embed these notions in their lessons is key. In this presentation we aim to show to the audience a few efforts we have been lately involved where we use the Universal Design for Learning, Design Thinking and STEAM methodologies to improve the competence profile of educators. We are currently supporting educators from all over the world to cope with the contingencies brought by COVID-19. The lack of digital skills, the need for the integration of innovative methodologies in classroom and the openness of schools for the community they serve is not something new. The current pandemic just brought to light the urgent needs. We are combining components of projects like Reflecting for Change, InSteam, ASSESS, Polar Star and Global Science Opera for Schools to empower them with the necessary tools and resources. Teachers are being invited to rethink the way they present knowledge content, to avoid stereotypes, to embrace diversity as a normal part of their lessons and to ensure inclusion is present at every stage of their interaction with the students.&#160; A summary of this effort will be presented in this talk.

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