A Missouri jury has awarded $745 million to the parents of a young woman killed on a sidewalk outside an urgent care center by a driver who huffed nitrous oxide canisters right before the accident

Artificial intelligence is using gallons upon gallons of water. Microsoft alone used more than 2,500 Olympic-sized swimming pools of water in its data centres last year. The latest numbers are leading to yet more questions about the sustainability and environmental dangers of the growth of artificial intelligence and related technology. Artificial intelligence requires vast computing resources, undertaking deeply complex calculations on behalf of people around the world. AI systems tend to be run in the cloud rather than on individual people’s computers, meaning that companies running them must operate vast server farms to deal with the queries of their users. Those server farms in turn need to pump in water to cool themselves down, because of the heat generated by those computers. That has long been a concern for environmentalists, but the sharp growth in artificial intelligence has led to even more use. Microsoft’s water consumption rose 34 per cent between 2021 and 2022, according to its latest environmental report, highlighted by the Associated Press. It was up to almost 1.7 billion gallons. Not all of that is from artificial intelligence. But Shaolei Ren, a researcher at the University of California, Riverside working to better understand the environmental impact of AI told the AP that the “majority of the growth” is because of the technology. Google also said that its water use had increased by 20 per cent over the same period. That varied across its different data centres, which are based in different parts of the US. For each 5 to 50 prompts, or questions, put to ChatGPT, it uses 500 millilitres of water, according to a paper that will be published by Professor Ren and his team later this year. Many technology companies have expressed concerns about their own water use, and how to minimise any negative effects of their data centres. The environmental concerns can be especially pressing because the use of water can be focused in particular areas around a data centre, meaning that the damage may not be spread. Google said last year for instance that “Wherever we use water, we are committed to doing so responsibly”. That includes analysing where water is being used and how much stress it might put on the surrounding area, for instance. Read More AI can help generate synthetic viruses and spark pandemics, warns ex-Google executive China’s ‘government-approved’ AI chatbot says Taiwan invasion likely Google launches AI to go to meetings for you

As the U.S. races to build offshore wind power projects that will transform coastlines from Maine to South Carolina, much remains unknown about how the facilities could affect the environment

Pennsylvania authorities have been forced to expand the search perimeter in their manhunt for escaped convict Danelo Cavalcante after he stole a transit van and drove to the homes of former associates. Cavalcante, 34, remains on the run more than 10 days after he escaped from Chester County Prison on 31 August. Pennsylvania State Police are facing growing scrutiny after it was confirmed on Sunday that Cavalcante had managed, yet again, to sneak past the search perimeter. Lt Col George Bivens said that the fugitive stole a van from a dairy farm near Longwood Gardens botanical park, where the search was initially focused and a 10-mile perimeter had been established. Cavalcante used the van to travel to Phoenixville, a town roughly 20 miles away from Chester County Prison and 25 miles away from the botanical garden. In Phoenixville, Cavalcante visited the home of two former associates. Around 9.50pm on Saturday, he knocked on the door of a former coworker who was not home and later alerted authorities when he reviewed his doorbell camera footage. Fifteen minutes later, Cavalcante showed up at the home of another individual and law enforcement was eventually notified of the incident. The stolen van was then discovered by law enforcement in a field behind a barn in East Nantmeal Township on Sunday morning. Lt Col Bivens said he believed Cavalcante abandoned the vehicle at least in part because it was low on fuel. Authorities are concerned that he would attempt to obtain another vehicle or has already done so. Doorbell video images showed Cavalcante to be now clean-shaven and wearing a green hooded sweatshirt, black baseball cap, green prison pants and white shoes. The manhunt has been repeatedly expanded as Cavalcante has managed to elude hundreds of law enforcement officers for more than a week. Mr Bivens said that some underground tunnels and “very large drainage ditches” made it very difficult to completely secure the search area. “No perimeter is 100 per cent secure. We do the best we can. Most times we’re able to secure it adequately,” Mr Bivens said on Sunday. “You couple that with weather, aviation being down during the night ... No excuses, we took over the responsibility and we [are giving it] an exceptionally good effort.” Mr Bivens asked Chester County residents to be vigilant and make sure they do not leave their keys inside their vehicles as Cavalcante will “undoubtedly take any opportunity to aid himself”. State police also confirmed on Sunday that Cavalcante’s sister Eleni Cavalcante was arrested by ICE over “some immigration issues”. Mr Bivens refused to comment on whether she is believed to have aided Cavalcante. Police had been planning to use close to 600 personnel Monday for “one massive sweep” of the search area, Mr Bivens said. “He’s very determined, we are even more determined. He will be held to justice and we are going to bring him back into custody,” Mr Bivens added. Cavalcante escaped while awaiting transfer to state prison. Last month, he was convicted for the April 2021 murder of his former girlfriend Deborah Brandao and sentenced to life in prison. US Marshalls, the FBI, and SWAT teams have joined the full-scale search for Cavalcante. Police had been planning to use close to 600 personnel Monday for “one massive sweep” of the search area, Mr Bivens said. Local and federal police and the state’s Crime Stoppers have offered a combined $20,000 reward for information that leads to Cavalcante’s capture. Authorities have warned the public that Cavalcante is believed to be “extremely dangerous” and have asked anyone who comes in contact with him to immediately call 911. Cavalcante climbed up a wall by crab-walking up from the recreation yard, climbing over razor wire and then running across a roof before jumping to the ground — the same method an inmate used in May before he was captured within minutes. Cavalcante’s escape went undetected for more than an hour until guards took a headcount. The jailbreak is being investigated by the state’s attorney’s office and a prison tower guard who failed to report it has already been fired. Anyone with information about Cavalcante’s current whereabouts is asked to call 911 or the US Marshals’ Tipline at 877-WANTED-2. Read More Danelo Cavalcante - live updates: New sightings in prison escape search as stolen van found and sister arrest Danelo Cavalcante’s sister arrested by ICE as police reveal his attempts to contact coworkers Police say Danelo Cavalcante has changed his appearance as escaped killer is spotted again

A software error coupled with a radar failure led to the loss of NASA's first Venus probe.

Bells were rung and the names of nearly 3,000 people were read out in somber ceremonies in New York, Washington and Pennsylvania on Monday to mark the 22nd anniversary of...

Dracunculiasis, or Guinea worm disease is, by all accounts, pretty awful: A person with the disease hosts a parasitic worm that forms a painful blister under the skin that eventually bursts, allowing the worm to emerge and lay its eggs in water. Those afflicted don't just endure pain (although there's plenty of that); they also run the risk of secondary infection and permanent paralysis, and there are economic consequences to the disease, too.

LONDON British scientist Ian Wilmut, whose research was central to the creation of the famous cloned animal, Dolly

A day after violence and arson marred a memorial march, Chile marked 50 years since the coup d'etat that brought Augusto Pinochet to power with events Monday...

Shabina Bano says she did not know if her family would survive when Friday's quake struck.

President Joe Biden will mark the 22nd anniversary in Alaska on his way back from Vietnam.

Britain’s home secretary says she is seeking “urgent advice” on banning a type of American Bully dog, highlighting an attack on a 11-year-old girl over the weekend