Science

National Weather Service researchers have discovered a previously unknown fourth stage in tornado formation and identified distinct regional formation patterns, revolutionizing severe weather prediction. This breakthrough, coupled with AI-powered detection technologies, could extend warning times from minutes to hours and confirms the climate change-driven eastward shift of "Tornado Alley."

Durham-based Sennos has secured $15 million in Series A funding to scale its groundbreaking AI-powered fermentation platform. The company's technology, which combines advanced sensors with machine learning analytics, has shown significant yield improvements and is attracting interest from major biotech firms for applications beyond brewing.

Recent staffing disruptions at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have severely compromised the agency's ability to predict severe weather events. With hurricane season approaching, meteorologists warn that reduced forecasting capabilities could have life-threatening consequences for communities in storm-prone regions.

With federal AI regulation stalled, two competing state-level frameworks have emerged in 2024, with Colorado focusing on high-risk use cases while California emphasizes computational capabilities. These pioneering approaches have sparked a nationwide wave, with 31 states now developing their own AI governance models, primarily favoring Colorado's pragmatic sector-specific regulations.

Brookhaven National Laboratory scientists have developed a groundbreaking catalyst that converts methane to methanol in a single step at temperatures below 100°C, achieving 100% selectivity. This technology could revolutionize natural gas utilization while reducing greenhouse gas emissions from stranded gas reserves.