Month: January 2022
Microbes used in Food Making
a perfect balance to the other strong food flavours, comes courtesy of bacteria that produce lactic acid. It is a strategy the bacteria evolved to prevent the growth of other, less acid-tolerant microbes; by nobbling the competition they get more food for themselves—and leave the rest safe for human consumption. Such bacteria are also at
ExxonMobil Climate Strategy
Exxon Mobil, the largest Western oil major. The firm has historically been less enthusiastic than rivals about taking climate change seriously. But a shareholder revolt last May placed three green-tinted directors on its board. On January 18th Mr Woods unveiled the firm’s long-awaited update to its climate strategy. “Is society sincere in its desire for
The Impact of Omicron on Global Economy
The impact of Omicron is slowly coming into focus. So far it is, largely, better than feared. On January 18th the price of a barrel of Brent crude oil approached $88, its highest level in seven years. Although global stockmarkets have sold off in recent days and are at the same level as in late
war in Ukraine
as Russia sends more and more units to Ukraine’s borders, a grim momentum is building. Last week’s diplomacy yielded nothing. Some of Vladimir Putin’s demands are impossible for nato to accept, as he well knew. (Essentially, he wants nato never to admit new members, and to remove its forces from any country Russia threatens.) On
Russia Gas Supply to Europe
What happens if Vladimir Putin invades Ukraine again, the West hits Russia with sanctions, and Mr Putin retaliates by shutting down all the pipelines carrying Russian gas to the West? The conventional wisdom has long been that a complete shutdown of piped gas from Russia, which makes up roughly a third of the gas burned
Wildfire shuts California Highway
An unseasonal wildfire is raging in California’s Monterey County, forcing evacuations and the closure of Highway 1. The blaze along the Big Sur Pacific coast, dubbed the Colorado Fire, has scorched about 1,500 acres. Strong winds pushed the fire toward the sea, and flames were seen burning near the famous Bixby Creek Bridge. Climate change
Carrie Lam defends Covid hamster cull
Hong Kong leader Carrie Lam has warned that Covid-19 infections could be growing exponentially in one part of the city and more cases spreading due to an outbreak in pet hamsters. The spate of Delta cases had been linked to a pet shop worker which prompted officials to test hamsters, with some found positive. Ms
Investors to target Failing Bosses on Climate
On human rights, Aviva expects companies it backs to scrutinise the impact they have when doing business, and to take action to stop harm. Firms will need to give more detailed explanations of how they intend to meet environmental goals, it added. Aviva Investors also wants bosses’ pay to be linked to sustainability goals. It
Fortescue Metals buys Williams F1 battery arm
The mining giant founded by Australia’s richest man is buying the battery and technology arm of the Williams Formula One racing team for $222.2m.The deal is aimed to help the iron ore producer achieve its target to be carbon neutral by 2030. Fortescue Metals will purchase UK-based Williams Advanced Engineering from private equity firm EMK
Brown bears starts hunting
Brown bears switch habitats in the spring so they can hunt reindeer and moose calves, researchers have said. This showed that after hibernation, the animals moved to areas preferred by reindeer and moose. They changed their preference for habitats close to wetlands and evergreen forests, to more rugged terrain and higher elevations favoured by reindeer