Technology

Climate change is erasing previous gains in air quality — fires are mostly to blame

Published

6 months ago

February 12, 2024

Climate change is erasing previous gains in air quality — fires are mostly to blame

Air quality in the US is projected to backslide in the coming decades, landing back where it was in the mid-2000s as a result of climate change, according to a new report. The report comes with an online tool for users to zoom in on individual properties to see what kind of air quality residents might experience there in the future. It paints a picture of a changing landscape for regulators, who are going to have to adapt to evolving threats.

“Air quality really highlights how the changing climate is being felt by individuals.”

A hotter planet sets the stage for more wildfire smoke and supercharges the chemical reactions that lead to smog. That means the game is changing when it comes to how to prevent pollution in the future. After decades of success reining in pollution from smokestacks and tailpipes, climate change is erasing some of those gains.

“Air quality really highlights how the changing climate is being felt by individuals,” says Jeremy Porter, lead author of the report published by the nonprofit research organization First Street Foundation. “Really bad floods and really bad wildfires are relatively rare, [although] we see them more and more often. But something like poor air quality, it doesn’t just affect the low houses on the street, it affects everybody in the community,” Porter says. First Street has previously released research and online tools for assessing flood, fire, and heat risks for individual properties.

While anthropogenic emissions decrease, climate impacts such as fine particle pollution concentrations will worsen.

Image: First Street, EPA: hourly PM2.5 non-FRM / FEM mass

The group’s latest work shows that around 10 percent of properties in the US (roughly 14.3 million) already have to cope with a week or more of days when air quality is considered “unhealthy” due to fine particle pollution, also called soot. Nearly half of those properties have it much worse, experiencing two weeks of unhealthy air quality days.

To suss that out, First Street looked back on data from the Environmental Protection Agency’s network of air quality sensors across the nation. Porter and his colleagues were then able to combine that data with First Street’s existing peer-reviewed fire and heat models to make predictions about the future.

First Street modeled air quality 30 years from now, the length of a typical mortgage. On its current trajectory, air quality in 2054 could revert back to how bad it was in 2004, according to First Street, “wiping away 20 years of air quality improvements.” An additional 1.7 million properties are expected to face 10 or more poor air quality days a year from both soot and smog — a 15 percent rise from today.

That upward trend reflects a “climate penalty,” the report says. Smog, or ground-level ozone, in technical terms, is produced through a photochemical reaction where nitrogen oxides and volatile organic compounds react with each other in sunlight. As a result, smog can be worse on hot, sunny days. Climate change is making heatwaves longer and more intense, and pollution is part of that problem.

Hot, arid conditions also prime the land to burn. Fire is the primary driver of worsening air with climate change, the report finds. It’s particularly egregious in the Western US, where the number of poor air quality days grew by as much as 477 percent between 2000 and 2021.

That figure is based on the EPA’s color-coded air quality index and counts the number of days in which the index value is at least considered “unhealthy for sensitive groups” — an orange day. Red days are “unhealthy,” purple are “very unhealthy,” and maroon is considered “hazardous.” Averaging the highest daily soot levels across the US, the researchers found that the average highest value has risen from orange to red since 2000.

Average maximum values for fine particle pollution between 2000 and 2001.

Image: First Street, EPA: hourly PM2.5 non-FRM / FEM mass

That generally accounts for peak levels of particle pollution during specific events like wildfires. The health risks from sudden, brief periods of pollution are different than those linked to persistent exposures to pollution from living next to a busy freeway, for example. Health risks including problems related to respiratory and cardiovascular disease increase with chronic exposure.

“If you have, say, more fires but less pollution in the rest of the year, you’d see these acute effects increase, but they will be offset by decreases in chronic effects,” says Drew Shindell, a professor of earth science at Duke University who studies climate change and air quality but was not involved in the First Street report.

Shindell also points out that there’s still the opportunity to change the trajectories laid out in the report. Just like the Clean Air Act led to big improvements in air quality between the 1970s and 1990s, the US has the opportunity to act now. Cleaning up pollution is just going to have to look different than it used to for policymakers, both Shindell and Porter say.

“The job of somebody like an air quality regulator is changing because it used to be 100 percent of your attention would be on emissions from human activities — so you’d worry about power plants, and industry, and motor vehicles,” Shindell says. “We’ve done a good job of controlling many of these things. But we haven’t done a good job of controlling greenhouse gases.”

In other words, to get soot and smog under control, regulators will also have to prioritize slashing other pollutants — carbon dioxide and methane emissions that cause climate change. They’ll also have to think about things like forest management to better keep wildfires under control. That all links the local effects of air pollution to what’s going on in the wider world, on top of worrying about what your neighbors might be emitting. Last year, wildfires in Canada sent a plume of smoke down to the Northeastern US, causing New York City to briefly hold the title for worst air quality in the world.

To see historical data and forecasts for future air quality in your region, you can check out First Street’s online tool at RiskFactor.com. It uses First Street’s peer-reviewed models for forecasting flood, fire, heat, and now, air quality risk. It’ll show how a property ranks compared to others in the US when it comes to local air quality, which sources of pollution are nearby, and how many days of poor air quality in the area to expect now and in the future.

Technology

Here’s your first look at Amazon’s Like a Dragon: Yakuza

Published

5 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

Here’s your first look at Amazon’s Like a Dragon: Yakuza

Amazon says that the show “showcases modern Japan and the dramatic stories of these intense characters, such as the legendary Kazuma Kiryu, that games in the past have not been able to explore.” Kiryu will be played by Ryoma Takeuchi, while Kento Kaku also starts as Akira Nishikiyama. The series is directed by Masaharu Take.

Like a Dragon: Yakuza starts streaming on Prime Video on October 24th with its first three episodes.

Technology

Exciting AI tools and games you can try for free

Published

5 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

Exciting AI tools and games you can try for free

I’m not an artist. My brain just does not work that way. I tried to learn Photoshop but gave up. Now, I create fun images using AI.

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Some AI tech is kind of freaky (like this brain-powered robot), but many of the new AI tools out there are just plain fun. Let’s jump into the wide world of freebies that will help you make something cool.

20 TECH TRICKS TO MAKE LIFE BETTER, SAFER OR EASIER

Create custom music tracks

Not everyone is musically inclined, but AI makes it pretty easy to pretend you are. At the very least, you can make a funny tune for a loved one who needs some cheering up.

AI to try: Udio

Perfect for: Experimenting with song styles

Starter prompt: “Heartbreak at the movie theater, ‘80s ballad”

Cheerful man sitting in front of his computer monitor eating and working. (iStock)

Just give Udio a topic for a song and a genre, and it’ll do the rest. I asked it to write a yacht rock song about a guy who loves sunsets, and it came up with two one-minute clips that were surprisingly good. You can customize the lyrics, too.

Produce quick video clips

The built-in software on our phones does a decent job at editing down the videos we shoot (like you and the family at the beach), but have you ever wished you could make something a little snazzier?

AI to try: Invideo

Perfect for: Quick content creation

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Starter prompt: “Cats on a train”

Head to Invideo to produce your very own videos, no experience needed. Your text prompts can be simple, but you’ll get better results if you include more detail.

You can add an AI narration over the top (David Attenborough’s AI voice is just too good). FYI, the free account puts a watermark on your videos, but if you’re just doing it for fun, no biggie.

Draft digital artwork

You don’t need to be an AI whiz skilled at a paid program like Midjourney to make digital art. Here’s an option anyone can try.

Closeup shot of an unrecognizable woman using a laptop while working from home. (iStock)

AI to try: OpenArt

Perfect for: Illustrations and animations

Starter prompt: “A lush meadow with blue skies”

OpenArt starts you off with a simple text prompt, but you can tweak it in all kinds of funky ways, from the image style to the output size. You can also upload images of your own for the AI to take its cues from and even include pictures of yourself (or friends and family) in the art.

If you’ve caught the AI creative bug and want more of the same, try the OpenArt Sketch to Image generator. It turns your original drawings into full pieces of digital art.

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More free AI fun

Maybe creating videos and works of art isn’t your thing. There’s still lots of fun to be had with AI.

Good time for kids and adults: Google’s Quick, Draw! Try to get the AI to recognize your scribblings before time runs out in this next-gen Pictionary-style game.
Expose your kid to different languages: Another option from Google, Thing Translator, lets you snap a photo of something to hear the word for it in a different language. Neat!
Warm up your vocal chords: Freddimeter uses AI to rate how well you can sing like Freddie Mercury. Options include “Don’t Stop Me Now,” “We Are the Champions,” “Bohemian Rhapsody” and “Somebody To Love.”

Mother works from home while her child sits on the couch

A mother uses a laptop while a little boy uses a tablet. (iStock)

If you’re not tech-ahead, you’re tech-behind

Award-winning host Kim Komando is your secret weapon for navigating tech.

Technology

There is no fix for Intel’s crashing 13th and 14th Gen CPUs — any damage is permanent

Published

12 hours ago

July 26, 2024

Press Room

There is no fix for Intel’s crashing 13th and 14th Gen CPUs — any damage is permanent

On Monday, it initially seemed like the beginning of the end for Intel’s desktop CPU instability woes — the company confirmed a patch is coming in mid-August that should address the “root cause” of exposure to elevated voltage. But if your 13th or 14th Gen Intel Core processor is already crashing, that patch apparently won’t fix it.

Citing unnamed sources, Tom’s Hardware reports that any degradation of the processor is irreversible, and an Intel spokesperson did not deny that when we asked. Intel is “confident” the patch will keep it from happening in the first place. (As another preventative measure, you should update your BIOS ASAP.) But if your defective CPU has been damaged, your best option is to replace it instead of tweaking BIOS settings to try and alleviate the problems.

And, Intel confirms, too-high voltages aren’t the only reason some of these chips are failing. Intel spokesperson Thomas Hannaford confirms it’s a primary cause, but the company is still investigating. Intel community manager Lex Hoyos also revealed some instability reports can be traced back to an oxidization manufacturing issue that was fixed at an unspecified date last year.

This raises lots of questions. Will Intel recall these chips? Extend their warranty? Replace them no questions asked? Pause sales like AMD just did with its Ryzen 9000? Identify faulty batches with the manufacturing defect?

We asked Intel these questions, and I’m not sure you’re going to like the answers.

Why are these still on sale without so much as an extended warranty?

Intel has not halted sales or clawed back any inventory. It will not do a recall, period. The company is not currently commenting on whether or how it might extend its warranty. It would not share estimates with The Verge of how many chips are likely to be irreversibly impacted, and it did not explain why it’s continuing to sell these chips ahead of any fix.

Intel’s not yet telling us how warranty replacements will work beyond trying customer support again if you’ve previously been rejected. It did not explain how it will contact customers with these chips to warn them about the issue.

But Intel does tell us it’s “confident” that you don’t need to worry about invisible degradation. If you’re not currently experiencing issues, the patch “will be an effective preventative solution for processors already in service.” (If you don’t know if you’re experiencing issues, Intel currently suggests the Robeytech test.)

And, perhaps for the first time, Intel has confirmed just how broad this issue could possibly be. The elevated voltages could potentially affect any 13th or 14th Gen desktop processor that consumes 65W or more power, not just the highest i9-series chips that initially seemed to be experiencing the issue.

Here are the questions we asked Intel and the answers we’ve received by email from Intel’s Hannaford:

How many chips does Intel estimate are likely to be irreversibly impacted by these issues?

Intel Core 13th and 14th Generation desktop processors with 65W or higher base power – including K/KF/KS and 65W non-K variants – could be affected by the elevated voltages issue. However, this does not mean that all processors listed are (or will be) impacted by the elevated voltages issue.

Intel continues validation to ensure that scenarios of instability reported to Intel regarding its Core 13th and 14th Gen desktop processors are addressed.

For customers who are or have been experiencing instability symptoms on their 13th and/or 14th Gen desktop processors, Intel continues advising them to reach out to Intel Customer Support for further assistance. Additionally, if customers have experienced these instability symptoms on their 13th and/or 14th Gen desktop processors but had RMA [return merchandise authorization] requests rejected we ask that they reach out to Intel Customer Support for further assistance and remediation.

Will Intel issue a recall?

Will Intel proactively warn buyers of these chips about the warning signs or that this update is required? If so, how will it warn them?

Intel targets to release a production microcode update to OEM/ODM customers by mid-August or sooner and will share additional details on the microcode patch at that time.

Intel is investigating options to easily identify affected processors on end user systems. In the interim, as a general best practice Intel recommends that users adhere to Intel Default Settings on their desktop processors, along with ensuring their BIOS is up to date.

Has Intel halted sales and / or performed any channel inventory recalls while it validates the update?

Does Intel anticipate the fix will be effective for chips that have already been in service but are not yet experiencing symptoms (i.e., invisible degradation)? Are those CPUs just living on borrowed time?

Intel is confident that the microcode patch will be an effective preventative solution for processors already in service, though validation continues to ensure that scenarios of instability reported to Intel regarding its Core 13th/14th Gen desktop processors are addressed.

Intel is investigating options to easily identify affected or at-risk processors on end user systems.

It is possible the patch will provide some instability improvements to currently impacted processors; however customers experiencing instability on their 13th or 14th Generation desktop processor-based systems should contact Intel customer support for further assistance.

Will Intel extend its warranty on these 13th Gen and 14th Gen parts, and for how long?

Given how difficult this issue was for Intel to pin down, what proof will customers need to share to obtain an RMA? (How lenient will Intel be?)

What will Intel do for 13th Gen buyers after supply of 13th Gen parts runs out? Final shipments were set to end last month, I’m reading.

Intel is committed to making sure all customers who have or are currently experiencing instability symptoms on their 13th and/or 14th Gen desktop processors are supported in the exchange process. This includes working with Intel’s retail and channel customers to ensure end users are taken care of regarding instability symptoms with their Intel Core 13th and/or 14th Gen desktop processors.

What will Intel do for 14th Gen buyers after supply of 14th Gen parts run out?

Will replacement / RMA’d chips ship with the microcode update preapplied beginning in August? Is Intel still shipping replacement chips ahead of that update?

Intel will be applying to microcode to 13th/14th Gen desktop processors that are not yet shipped once the production patch is released to OEM/ODM partners (targeting mid-August or sooner). For 13th /14th Gen desktop processors already in service, users will need to apply the patch via BIOS update once available.

What, if anything, can customers do to slow or stop degradation ahead of the microcode update?

Intel recommends that users adhere to Intel Default Settings on their desktop processors, along with ensuring their BIOS is up to date. Once the microcode patch is released to Intel partners, we advise users check for the relevant BIOS updates.

Will Intel share specific manufacturing dates and serial number ranges for the oxidized processors so mission-critical businesses can selectively rip and replace?

Intel will continue working with its customers on Via Oxidation-related reports and ensure that they are fully supported in the exchange process.

Why does Intel believe the instability issues do not affect mobile laptop chips?

Intel is continuing its investigation to ensure that reported instability scenarios on Intel Core 13th/14th Gen processors are properly addressed.

This includes ongoing analysis to confirm the primary factors preventing 13th / 14th Gen mobile processor exposure to the same instability issue as the 13th/14th Gen desktop processors.

That’s all we’ve heard from Intel so far, though Hannaford assured us more answers are on the way and that the company is working on remedies.

Again, if your CPU is already damaged, you need to get Intel to replace it, and if Intel won’t do so, please let us know. In the meanwhile, you’ll want to update your BIOS as soon as possible because your processor could potentially be invisibly damaging itself — and if you know your way around a BIOS, you may want to adjust your motherboard to Intel’s default performance profiles, too.

Lastly, here is that Robeytech video that Intel is recommending to Redditors to potentially help them identify if their chip has an issue. Intel says it’s looking into other ways to identify that, too.