Scientists Warn

• A UN scientific panel has warned that the rapid advancement of AI capabilities is currently outpacing regulatory oversight, potentially leading to "catastrophic harm." • Experts expressed specific concerns regarding the risks of AI deception, safety failures, and the concentration of global control. • Despite these risks, AI is driving significant progress toward Sustainable Development Goals, such as predicting over 200 million protein structures to accelerate vaccine and drug discovery.

• The UN has launched its first all-nations AI governance forum in Geneva, coinciding with warnings from a science panel that AI safety cannot be guaranteed and autonomous weapons have been deployed. • Secretary-General António Guterres highlighted a stark investment gap, noting that private AI infrastructure spending reached nearly $500 billion last year while public support for developing nations remained negligible. • To bridge this divide, over 20 member states have nominated national centers to a UN-supported Global Network for Exchange and Cooperation on AI Capacity Building.

Experts say dismantling the ocean observation system will ‘severely degrade’ the accuracy of weather predictionsThe Trump administration’s plan to dismantle an ocean observation system vital to understanding the climate crisis and marine ecosystems would “severely degrade” the accuracy of weather predictions and El Niño forecasts, with economic consequences for the US, European and American scientists have warned.Decommissioning the US system, which plays a major part in a global ocean observation network, would lead to a massive increase in error in the annual estimates of ocean heating rates, according to research published last month. Continue reading...

Exclusive: Science agency is planning to sack a third of the team working on the national climate model, sources sayGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastJob cuts at the national science agency mean Australia will no longer be able to submit climate projections to form part of global reports and will have significantly reduced ability to forecast future damage to the country, leading researchers have warned.Multiple sources told Guardian Australia that CSIRO planned to sack a third of the team working on the national climate model that provides projections relied on by governments, councils, industry and farmers as they plan for the future. Continue reading...

• Scientists warn that rapid advances in artificial intelligence and neurotechnology are advancing faster than our scientific understanding of consciousness, creating serious ethical risks. • The acceleration of AI capabilities and brain-computer interface technologies raises urgent questions about the nature of consciousness and ethical implications. • Researchers emphasize the need for parallel development of ethical frameworks to accompany technological progress.

• Carrie Wolinetz warns in a March 24, 2026, viewpoint that firing credible scientists and dismantling U.S. health agencies poses severe risks to public health and scientific integrity. • The article highlights the broader implications for national research capacity amid ongoing policy shifts affecting federal science funding and personnel. • Such actions undermine peer-reviewed findings and U.S. leadership in health research, potentially delaying responses to emerging threats.