Science News Round Up, June 11, 2025

by Jon Scaccia June 11, 2025

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A history of the Internet, part 2: The high-tech gold rush begins

The rise of the World Wide Web in the 1990s marked a revolutionary shift in technology, commercializing connections initially forged through government networks and leading to the explosive growth of web browsers like Netscape, and ultimately ushering in the dot-com bubble. This era showcased both the immense potential and the peril of technology-driven market highs, reinforcing how quickly digital innovations can reshape economies, our ways of communication, and the global landscape—while also warning of the dangers of unchecked exuberance and speculative investment.

Artificial Intelligence Will Soon Replace Many Human Arbitrators

The integration of artificial intelligence into arbitration offers a promising shift towards more efficient, impartial, and cost-effective dispute resolution, particularly for smaller cases. By mitigating human biases and errors, AI could enhance the fairness of arbitration outcomes, though initial implementation will likely require human oversight to ensure accuracy and reliability.

In Seattle, preserving trees while increasing housing supply is a climate solution

As climate change exacerbates risks such as heat waves and floods, cities like Seattle grapple with the challenge of increasing housing density while preserving vital tree canopies, which offer cooling, carbon absorption, and pollutant filtration. Innovative solutions are emerging, with some developers embracing tree preservation and integration into new urban developments, demonstrating that urban growth and nature conservation can coexist to combat the effects of a warming planet.

Jamaica’s ‘crocodile guardian’ is fighting to save the island’s feared predators

The American crocodile in Jamaica faces a dire plight amid illegal hunting, habitat destruction, and misguided fears, leading to a significant population decline. Championing their survival, Lawrence Henriques, known as “The Crocodile Guardian,” is tirelessly working through his Holland Bay Crocodile Sanctuary to rehabilitate and release these keystone predators while advocating for their ecological importance and dispelling harmful myths, but sustained conservation efforts are crucial to ensuring their future survival against growing threats.

Republicans say they want energy dominance. But will ‘big bill’ deliver?

The article highlights the growing tension within U.S. energy policy as the Trump administration’s push for fossil fuel “energy dominance” threatens the burgeoning renewable sector, which has been pivotal in driving economic growth and manufacturing revival through sizable private investments and job creation. As debates unfold over energy infrastructure, the potential rollback of tax incentives for renewables signals a considerable setback for decarbonization efforts and stymies the urgent expansion of solar and wind power—the most immediate and cost-effective solutions to meet rising electricity demands.

The Bee space

Honey bees are master architects, optimizing their hive space with precise comb construction and utilizing natural materials like propolis for structural integrity and health maintenance. The crucial concept of “bee space,” effectively harnessed by Lorenzo Langstroth, revolutionized modern beekeeping, enabling hive designs that minimize disturbance and promote efficient honey production, emphasizing a harmonious partnership between human innovation and bee ingenuity.

The Viral Storm Streamers Predicting Deadly Tornadoes—Sometimes Faster Than the Government

As the National Weather Service grapples with understaffing and budget cuts, a new generation of storm streamers like Ryan Hall and Max Velocity are stepping in to fill the void, providing real-time, potentially life-saving weather updates to millions through YouTube, though they must navigate high false alarm rates and audience sensitivities around climate change discussions. Their efforts underscore the critical need for robust federal weather services amid increasing storm severity fueled by climate change, highlighting both the power and limitations of independent media in disaster preparedness.

We’re Trying to Fight the Human Nightmare of Climate Change With Guns

The growing climate crisis and mass displacement of people are driving the United States to double down on border enforcement, framing climate-induced migration as a national security threat rather than addressing the core issue of climate change. While millions are displaced annually due to extreme weather, the focus remains on building a trillion-dollar border-industrial complex, overshadowing the urgent need for sustainable climate solutions and illustrating an “upside-down world” where militarization takes precedence over environmental action.

When an unnatural heat wave kills, has Big Oil committed murder?

The responsibility for deaths caused by unnatural heat due to climate change is increasingly being scrutinized in legal arenas, with both civil and criminal avenues being explored against fossil fuel companies. Emerging wrongful-death lawsuits, like the one filed by Julie Leon’s family, and potential criminal prosecutions could hold these corporations accountable for their significant role in contributing to climate change, shifting focus from civil remedies to also include criminal justice as a means of deterrence and moral accountability.