A powerful El Niño has intensified to levels scientists call unprecedented, with Australia's Bureau of Meteorology reporting average weekly sea-surface temperatures in the central Pacific at record highs and daily September readings surpassing those of the 2015 event. Parts of the tropical Pacific have recorded surface temperatures above 30°C, alongside exceptional subsurface warmth and record SST anomalies. Forecasters are using a Relative Ocean El Niño Index (RONI) to strip out long-term human-driven ocean warming; even on that adjusted metric the event now exceeds the strength seen in December 2015. The warmth is also expanding beyond the traditional El Niño monitoring region, spreading across much of the Pacific and into the Gulf of Mexico.
Those ocean changes are already altering global weather patterns and amplifying heat released into the atmosphere, pushing 2026 toward being one of the warmest years on record and sustaining elevated temperatures into 2027. Historical parallels - 1997-98 and 2015-16 - show super El Niños trigger drought, wildfires, severe floods and food-security crises in vulnerable regions; tropical cyclone activity tends to be suppressed in the Atlantic and enhanced in parts of the Pacific, a pattern observed this year. Global agencies forecast a December peak for this event, with scientists warning continued disruptions to rainfall, agriculture and disaster risk as the El Niño progresses.
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Researchers from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have developed BioPykrete, an ice-based material that is ten times stronger than regular ice and more energy-absorbent. The biodegradable material could be used for construction in cold regions, reducing environmental impact compared to traditional building materials. (sciencealert.com)
Mary Tsingou Menzel, a mathematician, waited 50 years for recognition of her contributions to the development of the Manhattan Project. She passed away at the age of 89, finally receiving proper credit for her work in computational physics. (nytimes.com)
Terence Tao, renowned as the 'Mozart of Math,' discusses how artificial intelligence is enabling new possibilities in mathematics. He also highlights challenges facing the U.S. science ecosystem and the importance of adapting to technological advances. (newsroom.ucla.edu)
A study shows that loneliness rewires the brain to increase alcohol consumption in male mice, while reducing it in females. The research identifies a specific brain circuit involved in this process, linking social isolation to substance misuse. (news.northwestern.edu)
In 1976, the Four Color Theorem was proven using a computer, marking a breakthrough in mathematical proof methods. The proof sparked controversy among mathematicians, with some accepting it and others rejecting it for relying on computer verification instead of traditional reasoning. (newsletter.pessimistsarchive.org)
A comprehensive catalog lists 5,426 fast matrix multiplication algorithms for sizes from 2x2 to 32x32, focusing on tensor rank and non-commutative multiplications. The table includes references, complexity, symmetry groups, and links to detailed algorithm descriptions. (fmm.univ-lille.fr)
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