water

Hurricane Polo has intensified to rank among the strongest storms ever recorded, with El Niño conditions cited as the driver behind its unusual strength. The storm's rapid strengthening is drawing attention to how warming Pacific waters linked to El Niño can supercharge tropical cyclones, prompting questions about what it signals for the rest of the hurricane season.

Local communities are mounting resistance to the construction of AI data centers in their areas, citing concerns over electricity and water use, noise, and limited local economic benefit. The debate is playing out across multiple regions as companies race to expand computing capacity for artificial intelligence, turning siting decisions into a contested political issue.

California is examining results from projects that place solar panels over irrigation canals, an approach meant to generate clean power while reducing water evaporation. The state is learning how the panels perform in practice and whether covering canals at scale could cut both water loss and emissions, drawing attention to a idea piloted in the Turlock Irrigation District's Project Nexus.

A new report warns that climate change and the rapid growth of artificial intelligence are together placing unprecedented pressure on the world's water systems. Rising temperatures are disrupting rainfall and depleting supplies, while AI data centres consume vast amounts of water for cooling, intensifying competition for a scarce resource.

The European Union is moving to restrict the energy and water consumption of data centres, a sector whose rapid growth driven by cloud computing and artificial intelligence has put mounting pressure on electricity grids and water supplies. The proposal signals tighter regulation of tech infrastructure across member states, with debate focusing on how sustainability rules will affect data centre operators and Europe's digital economy.

California is preparing for flooding and landslides as forecasters expect a strong El Niño this year, a warming of equatorial Pacific waters that disrupts weather worldwide. After years of coastal erosion — with Pacifica, south of San Francisco, already hit — officials warn the storms the pattern typically brings could prove especially damaging to weakened coastlines and hillsides.

A powerful nor'easter is battering the Northeastern United States, causing coastal flooding and leaving more than 130,000 customers without power. High tides are threatening coastal communities as the storm pushes water onshore, with utilities working to restore service. Outlets including AP and Spectrum News are tracking flooding conditions and outage numbers as the storm continues.

Opposition to data center construction has emerged as an issue bringing together Americans from across the political spectrum. A 60 Minutes segment examined how communities on the left and right are pushing back against large-scale data center projects, citing concerns such as energy consumption, water use, noise and strain on local infrastructure, making it one of the few issues with broad cross-partisan agreement.

Singapore's national water agency PUB has urged the public to avoid several areas across the city-state because of flash flood risks. The advisory comes amid heavy rainfall, and residents are being told to stay clear of affected low-lying spots until conditions improve. The warning is drawing wide attention as floods can develop quickly during intense downpours in Singapore.

Reports highlight the growing environmental footprint of AI data centers, which consume large amounts of electricity and water to power and cool the servers behind artificial intelligence services. As AI adoption accelerates, questions are mounting over energy demand, carbon emissions and strain on local water supplies, prompting calls for greater transparency and sustainability measures from the tech industry.

NASA's Perseverance rover has uncovered evidence that Jezero Crater on Mars was more complex than previously thought, indicating it was not simply an ancient lake. The finding suggests the crater experienced a richer and more varied geological history, with implications for understanding Mars' past water activity and its potential to have once supported life.

Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said a cyclosporiasis outbreak is under control even as at least 1,600 cases have been reported across five US states. The intestinal illness, typically linked to contaminated food or water, has driven renewed scrutiny of the federal response, with critics questioning the assessment given the case count and uncertainty over the outbreak's source.

Bridgewater argues that the current surge in artificial intelligence capital expenditure can only be justified if enterprise and consumer adoption of AI scales rapidly enough to generate returns. The hedge fund's analysis adds to the debate over whether massive spending on data centres and chips by tech companies will pay off, or whether it resembles an investment bubble.

King tides are inundating streets across South Florida, with water pooling in low-lying neighborhoods in and around Miami. Forecasters and officials warn that the seasonal flooding is expected to continue and possibly worsen in the coming days as tides peak. Residents are being advised to prepare for standing water and street closures during this year's highest tides.

The conservation foundation Oceana is pressing the European Union to preserve the strength of its common fisheries policy, warning against any weakening of current rules. The appeal, reported by Politico Europe, comes as the EU reviews how the policy is implemented. Oceana argues that rolling back commitments would threaten fish stocks and the sustainability of European waters.

The Nigeria Correctional Service says it has contained a cholera outbreak at the Kano custodial centre. No details were given on the number of cases or hospitalisations. Cholera remains a recurring public health risk in Nigeria, particularly in crowded facilities, and outbreaks in custodial centres raise concerns about sanitation, water safety and access to medical care for inmates.

Researchers subjected water to light roughly 10 billion times brighter than sunlight, expecting faster evaporation, but the water did not evaporate any quicker. The surprising null result challenges assumptions about how extremely intense light interacts with liquid water, and is drawing attention from physicists curious about what limits evaporation under such extreme conditions.

A strong, or 'super', El Niño event is being linked to significant regional weather impacts across the Midwestern United States. The phenomenon, driven by unusually warm Pacific Ocean waters, typically alters precipitation and temperature patterns, affecting the Midwest's agriculture, flooding risks and winter conditions. Attention is focused on how this cycle may play out differently for the region.

Sea level rise is reshaping a California beach town, with encroaching ocean waters now threatening a key rail line serving the community. Erosion and flooding are forcing residents and officials to confront hard choices about how to protect infrastructure and homes along the coast. The story has drawn attention to the wider challenge coastal California faces as climate change accelerates erosion and sea level rise.