News in Brief
Japan says 1.5m people are living as recluses after COVID
THE GUARDIAN – A government survey in Japan has found that nearly 1.5 million working-age people are living as social recluses, with around 20 percent of cases attributed to the pressures of the pandemic.
Hikikomori, those who withdraw from society and spend most of their time isolated at home, account for 2 percent of people aged 15-62.
The survey found that relationship issues and job loss were common triggers for this behavior, with 20.6 percent citing the pandemic as a cause. The rise in the number of hikikomori has led some local authorities to take action, with one ward in Tokyo planning to hold metaverse socializing events for those affected.
The Greenland ice sheet is getting close to a melting point of no return
SCIENCE ALERT – A recent study that highlights the dangers of continued carbon emissions on the Greenland ice sheet (GIS).
The GIS is the second-largest body of ice in the world after the Antarctic ice sheet, covering 1.7 million square kilometers. The study identifies two tipping points for the GIS - releasing 1,000 gigatons of carbon into the atmosphere will completely melt the southern region of the ice sheet, while doubling that amount could almost wipe away the entire sheet. There is an urgent need for action to address climate change and reduce carbon emissions to prevent irreversible damage to the GIS and other natural
systems.