IIT-Guwahati's PhD scholar clinches best product design at Vishwakarma Awards 2023 for groundbreaking water quality monitoring system

Phase One Investigative Maui Wildfire Report to Be Released Next Month

Phase One Investigative Maui Wildfire Report , to Be Released Next Month. ABC reports that seven months after deadly wildfires devastated Maui, an investigative report will be released on April 17, 2024. Hawaii Attorney General Anne Lopez commissioned the Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) to conduct an independent investigation alongside several local agencies. The first phase of the investigation is meant to analyze how the disaster unfolded during the first 24 to 72 hours, as well as its aftermath. . The report also includes a comprehensive timeline of events. . According to the AG's office, the FSRI research team ran into unexpected delays while gathering information critical to their review. . In November of 2023, subpoenas were served to the Maui Emergency Management Agency, the County of Maui Department of Public Works and the County of Maui Department of Water Supply. Those subpoenas demanded materials relevant to the investigation, including documents and photos, as well as video and audio recordings. Being able to review all of the data, which is extensive, has a tremendous impact on the comprehensive analysis of the fire incident and our recommendations to make Hawaiʻi a safer place to live, work and play, Steve Kerber, Ph.D., PE, vice president and executive director of FSRI, via ABC. An analysis of this magnitude cannot be rushed, and we must allow for the time needed to make sure this investigation, based on science, is done correctly, Anne Lopez, Hawaii Attorney General, via ABC. I am confident that the Phase One report will provide some answers to the questions surrounding the tragic wildfire incident, Anne Lopez, Hawaii Attorney General, via ABC

Climate Change Altering Wildfire Patterns, Increasing the Risk of Night Fires

Climate Change Altering , Wildfire Patterns, , Increasing the Risk of Night Fires. 'Newsweek' reports that North America is facing an "emerging phenomenon" in which the dangerous conditions that spawn wildfires occur during the night. . Typically, these conditions have only existed during the daytime, as the cooler temperatures of night usually alleviate these conditions. Researchers found that accumulated fuel dryness brought on by drought has led to fires thriving at night. . I think it is important to bring this emerging phenomenon to the public to let them know that the night might not save us, Kaiwei Luo, Ph.D. student at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, via 'Newsweek'. The team's findings challenge conventional methods of fighting wildfires, as cooler night temperatures and higher humidity previously worked to slow wildfires' growth. Originally, I had thought that since nights are warming faster than days, higher temperatures and the associated lower relative humidity at night would lead to more overnight fires, Mike Flannigan, University of Alberta professor emeritus and researcher with Thompson Rivers University, via 'Newsweek'. In the extreme cases, there would be no difference between an overnight burn event and daytime burning, Kaiwei Luo, Ph.D. student at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, via 'Newsweek'. Researchers found that daytime drought conditions could be used as a , "predictor of overnight burning events.". Nighttime burning has long been overlooked. In a warmer and drier world, we can use daytime drought indicators to predict the night. More of these fires also increase the likelihood of a catastrophic fire, Kaiwei Luo, Ph.D. student at the University of Alberta's Faculty of Agricultural, Life & Environmental Sciences, via 'Newsweek'

This Day in History: Albert Einstein Is Born

This Day in History:, Albert Einstein Is Born. March 14, 1879. The celebrated theoretical physicist who radically enhanced human understanding of the universe was born in Ulm, Germany. Einstein spent his childhood in Italy and Germany. Studying physics and mathematics, he was awarded a Ph.D. by the University of Zurich in 1905. During that same year, Einstein worked as a patent clerk in Bern. He also published five theoretical papers that would transform modern physics. Known as Einstein's "miracle year," his papers included his general theory of relativity as well as the equation E=mc². The papers were almost immediately embraced by the scientific community. They marked the beginning of one of the most extraordinary scientific careers in history