Global Scans · Science · Weekly Summary

• [New] The SBTi is inviting businesses to participate in pilot testing the draft Automotive Net-Zero Standard - a new framework tailored for automakers and auto parts manufacturers to set science-based targets aligned with keeping global heating below catastrophic levels and reaching net-zero by 2050. Science Based Targets Initiative
• [New] The Emirates Mission to the Asteroid Belt is a massive scientific project that will result in the establishment of Emirati companies specialised in space science and technology. Government of Dubai Media Office
• [New] The EU will submit a science-based 1.5 °C-aligned NDC by September, showing how the EU implements the outcomes of the Global Stocktake, and underscored their commitment to deliver on the NCQG. IISD Earth Negotiations Bulletin
• [New] The potential of zetta-scale supercomputers to transform science and industry is immense, raising questions about the future impact on global technological advancements. Rude Baguette
• [New] Science-fiction writers and artists fear that generative AI tools are plagiarizing their works to create automated products. Cosmic Log
• [New] The U.S. Geological Survey, Multi Hazards Demonstration Project uses hazards science to improve resiliency of communities to natural disasters including earthquakes, tsunamis, wildfires, landslides, floods and coastal erosion. USGS
• [New] Africa has immense potential for computer science and electronics engineering to address a wide range of challenges. IEEE Spectrum
• [New] Science and technology company Merck has partnered with company builder mantro GmbH to launch EdiMembre, a deep-tech spinout that will commercialize Merck's edible membrane technology for alternative proteins. vegconomist - the vegan business magazine
• [New] The space economy - valued at $400 billion in 2020-was projected to exceed $1 trillion by 2030, driven by advances in reusable rockets, satellite constellations, and asteroid mining technologies that moved from science fiction to venture capital portfolios. The American Bazaar
• [New] In the realm of planetary science, researchers analyzing NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter data combined with Apollo-era seismic records announced a new moonquake forecast model that can predict the frequency of tiny tremors on the Moon science. TS2 Space
• [New] NASA announced it has awarded Firefly a $176.7 million contract under the CLPS program (Commercial Lunar Payload Services) to deliver five science payloads to the Moon's south pole in 2029 ts2. TS2 Space
• [New] Transitioning from a satellite-launching nation to a full-spectrum space economy, India offers its youth a rare and transformative opportunity to shape the future of science, security, sustainability, and space exploration on a global stage. India Employer Forum
• [New] The Congress, which NMPF and the U.S. Dairy Export Council will lead, will help align public dietary guidance with up-to-date dairy science, and further strengthen partnerships between U.S. and Latin American health and agriculture sectors. NMPF
• With AI accelerating materials science (better semiconductors), chip design (AI-designed circuits), and entirely new computing paradigms (quantum-classical hybrids, photonic computing), we could see dramatic miniaturization within 10-15 years. Educational Technology and Change Journal
• IonQ intends to deliver the world's most powerful quantum computers with 2 million qubits by 2030, to accelerate innovation in drug discovery, materials science, financial modelling, logistics, cybersecurity, and defence. Quantum Zeitgeist
• The 2025 Axiom-4 mission, which will carry an Indian astronaut to the International Space Station, highlights India's readiness for global collaboration in orbital science, space tourism, and crew training. India Employer Forum
• The system, called Horizon Scan, was built by Israel's Ministry of Innovation, Science, and Technology and is described as the first national tool to fully tap into AI and big data to track and forecast global trends. The Defense Post
• The concept of creating virtual replicas of physical objects might sound like science fiction, but digital twin technology has emerged as one of the most transformative innovations of the 21st century. The Coders Blog | Home
• A new Science News feature highlights internal briefings within U.S., EU, and Asian defence departments warning that nation-states could soon weaponize AI at scale. News, Events, Advertising Options
• In materials science, researchers from the UK introduced CrystalGPT, a model trained on 706,000 crystal structures to predict material properties. TS2 Space
• NVIDIA and the National Science Foundation will work alongside nonprofit artificial intelligence center Ai2 to create bespoke multimodal large language models tailored to scientific research. Nextgov/FCW

Last updated: 01 September 2025