Solving the “Whac-a-mole dilemma”: A smarter way to debias AI vision models
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In today’s hospitals and clinics, a dermatologist may use an artificial intelligence model for classifying skin lesions to assess if the lesion is at risk of developing into a cancer or if it is benign. But if the model is biased toward certain skin tones, it could fail to identify a high-risk patient. Perhaps one […]
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Traditional models still ‘outperform AI’ for extreme weather forecasts
Computer models that use artificial intelligence (AI) cannot forecast record-breaking weather as well as traditional climate models, according to a new study. It is well established that AI climate models have surpassed traditional, physics-based climate models for some aspects of weather forecasting. However, new research published in Science Advances finds that AI models still “underperform” […]
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The MIT-IBM Computing Research Lab launches to shape the future of AI and quantum computing
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The following is a joint announcement by the MIT Schwarzman College of Computing and IBM. IBM and MIT today announced the launch of the MIT-IBM Computing Research Lab, advancing their long-standing collaboration to shape the next era of computing. The new lab expands its scope to include quantum computing, alongside foundational artificial intelligence research, with […]
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Could energy harvesting reduce the battery waste burden?
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Battery dependence could become a sustainability and maintenance liability for large-scale IoT deployment. Ambient energy harvesting may offer an alternative way to power sensors and small connected devices, explain Dr Lethy Krishnan, of the University of St Andrews, and Clara Ko, Head of Technical Sales, Linkam Scientific Instruments Billions of batteries end up in landfill […]
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Enabling privacy-preserving AI training on everyday devices
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A new method developed by MIT researchers can accelerate a privacy-preserving artificial intelligence training method by about 81 percent. This advance could enable a wider array of resource-constrained edge devices, like sensors and smartwatches, to deploy more accurate AI models while keeping user data secure. The MIT researchers boosted the efficiency of a technique known […]
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World ‘will not see significant return to coal’ in 2026 – despite Iran crisis
A much-discussed “return to coal” by some countries in the wake of the Iran war is likely to be far more limited than thought, amounting to a global rise of no more than 1.8% in coal power output this year. The new analysis by thinktank Ember, shared exclusively with Carbon Brief, is a “worst-case” scenario […]
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Live monitoring helps Scottish Water avoid over-pumping at St Andrews station
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Pumps and associated equipment inside the dry well at St Nicholas Sewage Pumping Station in St Andrews. Real-time monitoring helped Scottish Water manage an unexpected maintenance problem at a strategic sewage pumping station in St Andrews, avoiding the need for temporary over-pumping and reducing environmental risk, according to technology supplier Xylem. Mark McCullagh, Xylem’s Scotland […]
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Pilot facility converts hard-to-recycle waste plastic to aviation fuel
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The Clean Planet team with with (second from left) Matthew Jee, Programme Manager for the UK SAF Clearing House. Clean Planet Technologies has opened what it describes as the world’s first pilot facility dedicated to converting hard-to-recycle waste plastics into sustainable aviation fuel. The Sustainability Innovation Centre, based at Discovery Park in Sandwich, Kent, will […]
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Oregon project aims to become world’s first superhot geothermal plant
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An illustration of the Project Obsidian power plant under development in Oregon (image credit: Quaise Energy) US geothermal technology startup Quaise Energy says its Project Obsidian in Oregon could deliver 50MW of always-on renewable power from superhot geothermal wells by 2030, in what the company describes as the world’s first power plant built around superhot […]
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A faster way to estimate AI power consumption
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Due to the explosive growth of artificial intelligence, it is estimated that data centers will consume up to 12 percent of total U.S. electricity by 2028, according to the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. Improving data center energy efficiency is one way scientists are striving to make AI more sustainable. Toward that goal, researchers from MIT and […]
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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 […]