MIT scientists build the world’s largest collection of Olympiad-level math problems, and open it to everyone
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Every year, the countries competing in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) arrive with a booklet of their best, most original problems. Those booklets get shared among delegations, then quietly disappear. No one had ever collected them systematically, cleaned them, and made them available, not for AI researchers testing the limits of mathematical reasoning, and not […]
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DeBriefed 24 April 2026: Europe’s energy-crisis plan | Renewables overtake coal | Colombia’s fossil-fuel summit
Welcome to Carbon Brief’s DeBriefed. An essential guide to the week’s key developments relating to climate change. This week Europe’s energy plan ENERGY CUSHION: On Wednesday, the European Commission set out a package of measures to offset surging energy prices caused by the Iran war, reported Reuters. The draft “actions” include cutting electricity taxes and coordinating […]
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Q&A: China’s leadership calls for ‘strict control’ of fossil fuels
Chinese government leaders published a policy document on 22 April – Earth Day – calling for stricter controls on fossil-fuel consumption and greater oversight of heavy emitters. It has been interpreted by experts as a signal of China’s ongoing commitment to climate action and a bridging policy between the 15th five-year plan, published in March, […]
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AMOC: Is global warming tipping key Atlantic ocean currents towards ‘collapse’?
The Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) is a vast system of ocean currents that helps to distribute heat around the world. By transporting warm water from the tropics northwards and cold water back southwards, the AMOC keeps Europe warm and plays a role in controlling global rainfall. It connects into an even larger network of […]
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Federal Court Enjoins DOI’s Anti-Renewable Actions in Renew Northeast v. DOI
Earlier this week, on April 21, 2026, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts enjoined five secretarial orders issued by the Department of the Interior (“DOI”) and U.S. Army Corps (“USACE”) that collectively imposed sweeping constraints on wind and solar development across the United States. The Sabin Center’s Renewable Energy Legal Defense Initiative […]
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Iran war: EU strategy sets out 44 actions to limit ‘fossil-fuel price shocks’
The European Commission has launched a strategy to protect people in the EU from “fossil-fuel price shocks” and accelerate the expansion of “homegrown clean energy”. The strategy notes that the latest fossil-fuel crisis, triggered by the Iran war, has already cost the EU an additional €24bn for imports of oil and gas. Carbon Brief has […]
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PFAS removal from industrial wastewater: How can activated carbon help?
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This article contains sponsored content. Removing harmful per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from industrial wastewater and surrounding environments is a clear goal with many murky considerations. Water treatment agencies are flooded with information on the dangers of PFAS and their obligation to manage their removal, and yet uncertainty persists. Differing standards across regions, industries and […]
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Achieving accurate bulk solids dosing in water treatment: selecting auger-based equipment
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This article contains sponsored content. When handling bulk solids in water treatment facilities, important steps include storage, transportation, and finally dosing of the material. Often, transportation and dosing are handled by a single auger-based machine. Alternative technologies are available, such as vibratory feeders, pneumatic conveying, or aero mechanical conveyors. However, auger-based equipment can provide controlled, […]
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Teaching AI models to say “I’m not sure”
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Confidence is persuasive. In artificial intelligence systems, it is often misleading. Today’s most capable reasoning models share a trait with the loudest voice in the room: They deliver every answer with the same unshakable certainty, whether they’re right or guessing. Researchers at MIT’s Computer Science and Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (CSAIL) have now traced that overconfidence […]
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Climate Change, the Courts and US policy – a Critical Perspective From a Former Judge of the UK Supreme Court
Introduction As a British judge with a special interest in environmental law, I have over the last two decades taken a particular interest in the developing role of the courts across the world in response to the challenges of climate change. In this article I shall look back at my perceptions of the responses of […]
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Cropped 22 April 2026: Global food ‘catastrophe’ | BECCS emissions | UK solar farm controversy
We handpick and explain the most important stories at the intersection of climate, land, food and nature over the past fortnight. This is an online version of Carbon Brief’s fortnightly Cropped email newsletter. Subscribe for free here. Key developments Food ‘catastrophe’ FAO WARNING: On Monday, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) warned that a prolonged […]
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Why LiFePO4 Energy Storage Is Driving the Next Phase of Electrification
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The debate about electrification worldwide is now moving beyond the infancy period. Several years ago, all conversations were about increasing the number of panels, farms, and renewable sources. Such focus made sense. However, in 2026, the topic that occupies the center of public debates is somewhat different. Clean energy generation became less of a problem. […]
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Q&A: How the UK government aims to ‘break link between gas and electricity prices’
The UK government has announced a series of measures to “double down on clean power” in response to the energy crisis sparked by the Iran war. The conflict has caused a spike in fossil-fuel prices – and the high cost of gas is already causing electricity prices to increase, particularly in countries such as the UK. In […]
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State of the climate: Strong El Niño puts 2026 on track for second-warmest year
The first three months of 2026 have been the fourth warmest on record, with each successive month surpassing historical averages by a greater margin. While weak La Niña conditions pushed down temperatures at the start of the year, scientists expect the development of a strong – and potentially “super” – El Niño event by early […]
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Britain’s empty buildings could unlock billions, advocacy group tells treasury
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Advocacy group Don’t Waste Buildings is calling on the UK government to overhaul its tax system to incentivise the reuse of empty buildings, warning that Britain is missing out on billions of pounds of potential economic growth. The group launched its report, “The Reuse Dividend: Unlocking Economic Growth from Britain’s Existing Buildings”, at a reception […]
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Patent transfer agreement brings phosphorus recovery technology closer to full-scale rollout
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Haskoning ViviMag®team, from left to right: Sigrid Scherrenberg, Paul Roeleveld and Martijn van Leusden. Copyright Haskoning Royal HaskoningDHV has signed a patent transfer agreement with Kemira for ViviMag, a phosphorus recovery technology designed to improve resource extraction from sewage sludge. The agreement marks a shift from pilot-stage development to early commercial deployment, with a full-scale […]
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Comment: Efficiency in motion – why sustainable pumping must be a strategic priority
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Wayne Rose is chief executive of the British Pump Manufacturers Association (BPMA). By Wayne Rose of the BPMA Energy efficiency is no longer a peripheral consideration for the UK pump industry — it is now central to how the sector innovates, competes and contributes to national sustainability goals. Given that pumping systems account for a […]
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Hybrid lining system enables live repair of critical port infrastructure
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Shoreham Port pipe before cleaning and lining. UK utilities and drainage services provider Lanes Group says it has used a newly-developed lining system for the first time to seal four large-diameter pipes that are vital for keeping a sea port operational, as it explains here. The pipes feed water from a pump house to refill […]