Larry Ellison, the co-founder of Oracle and the world’s second-richest man after Elon Musk, has pledged to donate 95% of his estimated $373 billion fortune. His vast wealth comes primarily from his 41% stake in Oracle and significant investments in Tesla, both of which surged in value due to the AI boom. Ellison first made this pledge in 2010 through the Giving Pledge, a global philanthropic commitment by billionaires to give away most of their fortunes.

  Commuters in Washington DC are being urged to plan ahead as a major road closure will impact traffic in the downtown area on Wednesday, September 24. The closure is scheduled to allow for the annual testing of the flood protection levee system along 17th Street in northwest DC. According to officials, 17th Street from Constitution Avenue NW to Independence Avenue SW will remain closed from 5 a.m. until 2 p.m. while the tests are conducted. The levee is managed and o

Kerala is battling a serious health challenge after 19 people lost their lives to Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare but deadly infection caused by the brain-eating amoeba Naegleria fowleri. The state has confirmed 69 cases in 2025, almost double last year’s count, making it one of the worst outbreaks in recent years. Cases have been reported across multiple districts, affecting patients as young as three months and as old as 91 y

Santa Clara County is taking an innovative step to reduce food waste and at the same time support residents struggling with food insecurity. The county has rolled out a food recovery program that directly places commercial refrigerators stocked with fresh produce and ready-to-eat meals inside affordable housing developments. Residents can now access nutritious food right where they live without needing to travel long distances or rely on irregular food distribution events. The initi

Thousands of residents in Northern California’s wine country and central Oregon are under evacuation orders and warnings as massive wildfires continue to spread in dangerously hot and dry conditions. Firefighters are battling around the clock to contain flames that have consumed homes, scorched land, and forced families to flee. The combination of steep terrain, dried-out vegetation, and triple-digit temperatures has created a dangerous setting for both r

AI is everywhere right now — writing emails, powering chatbots, predicting your shopping habits… and maybe even taking your job. But here's the real question: What’s next? What comes after AI? What’s the next big thing that could be bigger, bolder, and more life-changing than artificial intelligence? You’re about to find out. Let’s dive into 5 f

2025’s Green Job Boom: These 10 Careers Are Redefining the Future The world is undergoing a massive shift toward sustainability, and 2025 is shaping up to be the year when green jobs dominate the career landscape. Governments are investing in clean energy, companies are adopting eco-friendly practices, and individuals are becoming more environmentally conscious. The result? A surge in demand for skilled professionals who can help create a cleaner, greener future.

India has achieved a significant milestone in its space exploration and climate monitoring goals with the successful launch of the Nasa-Isro Synthetic Aperture Radar (Nisar) satellite. Launched on July 30, 2025, from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, the satellite is a $1.5 billion joint venture between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) and the United States’ National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa). Weighing 2393 kil

India marked a major milestone in space collaboration today with the successful launch of the NISAR mission, a joint project between ISRO and NASA. Lifted into orbit aboard the GSLV-F16 from Sriharikota, NISAR is set to become the world’s most advanced Earth observation satellite. With a unique dual-frequency Synthetic Aperture Radar that combines NASA’s L-band and ISRO’s S-band systems, the satellite can penetrate clouds, forests, and even d

Tech investor and venture capitalist Vinod Khosla has warned that the United States could lose its leadership position in climate technology due to ongoing immigration restrictions, many of which stem from policies introduced during former President Donald Trump’s administration. Speaking at a recent conference in Seattle, Khosla emphasized that innovation in climate-focused sectors is already being hindered by a slowdown in the inflow of skilled workers from abroad. Khos

Artificial intelligence could become a powerful ally in fighting climate change, helping to significantly reduce carbon emissions without forcing society to give up the comforts of modern living. A new study suggests that AI applications across just three major sectors—power generation, food production, and transportation—could collectively cut between 3.2 and 5.4 billion tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions annually by the year 2035. That potential reduction would vastl

A Houston-based pediatrician is no longer employed after a controversial social media post in which she appeared to politicize the devastating Central Texas floods drew widespread criticism from the public and ultimately led to her termination. The physician, Dr. Christina Propst, was a practicing pediatrician at Blue Fish Pediatrics before her now-viral comments sparked outrage among parents, patients, and the general community. The controversy began after Dr. Propst posted a

While most parts of the planet continue to experience rising temperatures, a mysterious cold patch in the Atlantic Ocean south of Greenland defies the trend. Known as the “cold blob,” this area has cooled by up to 0.3 degrees Celsius over the past century, even as surrounding waters have warmed. New research led by Penn State University has shed light on this anomaly, offering critical insights into the balance between ocean currents and atmospheri

A groundbreaking new study has uncovered a crucial piece of Earth’s ancient climate puzzle, shedding light on one of the most significant climate disasters in history: the Permian–Triassic Mass Extinction, or the "Great Dying." Occurring around 252 million years ago, this event wiped out nearly 90% of life on Earth, leaving scientists to wonder why the planet remained in extreme heat for millions of years afterward, even after the volcani

Emperor penguins, the largest of all penguin species, are facing an uncertain future as new scientific research highlights the accelerating impact of climate change on their habitat. Although these majestic birds live in the cold, remote expanses of Antarctica, far removed from industrial civilization, they are now suffering the consequences of a rapidly warming planet. A new report published in the journal Nature has raised alarm among scientists who have spe

The G7 Summit is an annual meeting of leaders from seven of the world’s largest and most advanced democratic economies. These include the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, and Japan. The European Union also takes part in the discussions as a non-enumerated participant. Together, these nations represent a small portion of the world’s population but command nearly one-third of the global GDP, giving them substantial i

A French doctor who was aboard the intercepted humanitarian aid boat heading to Gaza has accused Israeli authorities of mistreating passengers, including climate activist Greta Thunberg. The boat, named Madleen and organized by the pro-Palestinian Freedom Flotilla Coalition, departed from Italy on June 1 with the aim of delivering aid to Gaza amid worsening humanitarian conditions. The vessel was stopped by the Israeli navy roughly 200 kilometers from the Gaza

World Environment Day 2025 will be observed on June 5 with a global focus on one of today’s most urgent environmental crises: plastic pollution. Organized by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), this year’s campaign is hosted by the Republic of Korea. The theme, “Beat Plastic Pollution,” calls for unified global efforts to reduce plastic waste and transition toward a sustainable future.

A few years ago, a headline claiming the United States had imposed tariffs as high as 3,521% on solar panels from Southeast Asia might have seemed like exaggerated satire. Today, it barely stands out amid an unrelenting wave of policy shifts and dramatic moves that have marked Donald Trump’s second term in office. These tariffs, however, are more than just economic tools; they are signals of deeper geopolitical shifts where trade wars, technological competition, and power rivalries are

  Valley Water continues its critical mission to deliver safe, clean, and reliable water across Santa Clara County, serving homes, farms, and businesses. While clean water is often taken for granted in daily life, it remains essential for public health, economic stability, and the innovation-driven ecosystem of Silicon Valley. However, much of the county’s water infrastructure was built several decades ago and is now in urgent need of upgrades. As challenges from climate