📌 TOPINDIATOURS Eksklusif ai: Ship of Scientists Headed to Doomsday Glacier Terbar

A team of scientists are staring climate change in the eye, the New York Times reports, setting sail for the infamous “Doomsday Glacier” in Antarctica in an attempt to study it up close.

The enormous Thwaites Glacier, at roughly the size of Florida, harbors enough water to raise sea levels across the globe by over two feet should it melt completely. Research has suggested that it’s already undergoing rapid melting — but its future, which holds the fate of our planet in the balance, is uncertain.

On Saturday, a crew of nearly 40 researchers left on a ship from a port in New Zealand to get more answers. A number of intriguing experiments are slated, but everyone’s going in knowing that all won’t go according to plan.

“There will be a Plan A through F,” Chris Pierce, a glaciologist at Montana State University whose team hopes to use airborne radar to effectively x-ray Thwaites’ ice, told the NYT.

There’s no doubt that Thwaites is melting quickly. How quickly, and what its melting could cause, however, are the questions that loom large. 

Scientists fear that the glacier’s melting could trigger a collapse of the broader West Antarctic ice sheet. Over a mile thick in some portions, if the sheet collapsed, it could raise sea levels by up to a staggering 15 feet, practically drowning the planet over the course of several centuries. This is a worst case scenario, but the possibility is too severe to ignore, with some evidence suggesting that a similar event may have taken place around 120,000 years ago.

Recent research has suggested that Thwaites is more vulnerable to warming than once thought. Perhaps the most alarming discovery was that the glacier’s vast underbelly, once thought to be sealed off from warming because it hugged the seafloor, was being exposed to warm seawater which sneaks in as rising tides lift the glacier off the seafloor, causing “vigorous melting.”

“Thwaites has really broken up in front of our eyes,” Doug Benn, a glaciologist at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, told the NYT.

One of the most intriguing experiments will rely on an unlikely source of help: seals. Rather than having robots collect data, the researchers will attach sensors to the blubbery mammals, collecting data on ocean temperature and salinity that’s transmitted to satellites. 

The data the seals gather won’t be as random as you might think, Lars Boehme, an ecologist at the University of St. Andrews, told the NYT.  The seals “go where the food is,” Boehme said. “And very often, that’s a place where, in terms of the environment and oceanography, things are happening.”

More on climate change: Rivers Turn Bright Orange in Alaska

The post Ship of Scientists Headed to Doomsday Glacier appeared first on Futurism.

🔗 Sumber: futurism.com

📌 TOPINDIATOURS Eksklusif ai: Virgin Islands sues Meta in lawsuit over scam ads, c

The U.S. Virgin Islands has filed a lawsuit against Meta Platforms, accusing the company of profiting from scam advertisements and failing to prevent widespread fraud on its social media platforms.

The lawsuit, brought by the territory’s attorney general, focuses on Meta’s advertising practices on Facebook and Instagram.

It alleges the company allowed fraudulent ads to run because they generated substantial revenue.

The case was filed in the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands on St. Croix. It seeks civil penalties under local consumer protection laws.

Officials say the lawsuit is the first brought by an attorney general that directly targets alleged scam-related advertising revenue at Meta.

According to the lawsuit, Meta produced internal revenue projections showing a notable portion of its income came from ads linked to scams, illegal gambling, and prohibited products.

The filing points to estimates suggesting such advertising could generate billions of dollars annually.

It argues that Meta accepted this outcome as part of its business model.

The lawsuit claims Meta often delayed blocking advertisers flagged for suspicious behavior.

It says the company required near certainty before taking enforcement action.

Investigators argue this standard allowed fraudulent ads to remain active.

They say users suffered financial harm while Meta continued to collect ad fees.

After public reporting revealed the internal projections, U.S. lawmakers urged federal regulators to investigate. They asked agencies to examine potential consumer and securities law violations.

Virgin Islands officials say the lawsuit aims to address gaps left by federal oversight.

Claims of misleading conduct

The lawsuit also accuses Meta of providing inaccurate descriptions of its safety practices.

According to the filing, Meta promoted internal policies designed to protect users.

The lawsuit argues the company failed to apply those policies consistently.

It also references internal guidance governing Meta’s artificial intelligence systems.

Those documents previously allowed certain interactions between chatbots and minors.

Officials say the policies raised concerns about child protection.

They argue Meta revised the guidance only after public attention increased.

The attorney general alleges these practices misled users and regulators about platform safeguards.

Meta pushes back

Meta has denied the allegations and says the lawsuit lacks merit.

Company spokesperson Andy Stone said Meta actively combats scams across its platforms. He said fraudulent advertising harms users and legitimate businesses.

Stone said reports of scams from users have declined in recent months. He credited improved detection tools and enforcement.

Meta also rejected claims that it failed to protect younger users.

Stone said the company maintains strong safeguards and updates its policies.

Meta says evidence will show sustained efforts to reduce fraud.

The lawsuit adds to growing scrutiny of online advertising practices.

Regulators continue to examine how major platforms police fraudulent content and advertiser behavior.

🔗 Sumber: interestingengineering.com