Pope Urges World Leaders to Do More to Tackle Climate Change

 Pope Francis, flanked by a grandmother and grandson (names not available) appears at his studio's window overlooking St. Peter's Square at The Vatican for the Sunday's blessing, on the 3rd World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, Sunday, July 23, 2023. (AP)
Pope Francis, flanked by a grandmother and grandson (names not available) appears at his studio's window overlooking St. Peter's Square at The Vatican for the Sunday's blessing, on the 3rd World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, Sunday, July 23, 2023. (AP)
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Pope Urges World Leaders to Do More to Tackle Climate Change

 Pope Francis, flanked by a grandmother and grandson (names not available) appears at his studio's window overlooking St. Peter's Square at The Vatican for the Sunday's blessing, on the 3rd World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, Sunday, July 23, 2023. (AP)
Pope Francis, flanked by a grandmother and grandson (names not available) appears at his studio's window overlooking St. Peter's Square at The Vatican for the Sunday's blessing, on the 3rd World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly, Sunday, July 23, 2023. (AP)

Pope Francis said on Sunday that recent heat waves across many parts of the world and flooding in countries such as South Korea showed that more urgent action was needed to tackle climate change.

"Please, I renew my appeal to world leaders to do something more concrete to limit polluting emissions," the Pope said at the end of his Angelus message to crowds in St. Peter's Square.

"It is an urgent challenge, it cannot be postponed, it concerns everyone. Let us protect our common home," the pope added.

Francis has called on the world to rapidly ditch fossil fuels and made the protection of the environment a cornerstone of his pontificate. He noted in his landmark 2015 "Laudato Si" (Praised Be) encyclical that the planet was "beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth".

On Sunday, the pope expressed solidarity with those who were suffering from the climate crisis and those helping them.

Parts of the southern United States have baked in a record-breaking heat wave, while extreme temperatures have also been recorded in China and southern Europe, including Italy and Greece.

A wildfire raging on the Greek island of Rhodes forced thousands of tourists and island residents to shelter in schools and indoor stadiums on Sunday after they were evacuated from coastal villages and resorts.



Saudi KAUST Researchers Develop Lithium-Metal Battery

Saudi KAUST Researchers Develop Lithium-Metal Battery
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Saudi KAUST Researchers Develop Lithium-Metal Battery

Saudi KAUST Researchers Develop Lithium-Metal Battery

Scientists at Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), in collaboration with their counterparts at King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST), have made a breakthrough that could increase the power and lower the cost of lithium-metal batteries by incorporating nylon into the design.

In a statement on Sunday, KAUST said the study highlights the advantages of lithium metal batteries, known for their high energy density and lightweight properties, over conventional lithium-ion batteries.

While lithium-ion batteries remain the industry standard, lithium-metal batteries offer superior performance, making them ideal for applications in robotics, transportation, and consumer electronics. However, current production methods rely on hazardous and corrosive chemicals that compromise efficiency and safety.

Head of the KAUST Center of Excellence for Renewable Energy and Storage Technologies Professor Husam Alshareef said: “My research team is dedicated to building renewable energy and storage solutions such as higher energy density and safer batteries to accelerate decarbonization adoption in the Kingdom. This was a discovery that promises cheaper and safer additives and demonstrates the benefits of basic scientific research.”