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Editor’s note: The following contains spoilers for “The End is Nye” series on Peacock TV.

What would Bill Nye the Science Guy get our home planet for Earth Day?

The ultimate gift: fusion energy.

“We need electricity,” Nye told Live Science in an exclusive interview on Thursday (April 20). “We need not only what we can get right now with existing technologies — with wind, and solar and geothermal energy — but we need that so-called baseload. We need electricity when the sun’s not shining and the wind’s not blowing.” And although powerful, nuclear energy carries the risk of a meltdown and creates nuclear waste, he added. 

Fusion is an achievement any scientist would go starry-eyed over. With nuclear fusion — a process that smashes two light atoms together to create a heavier, new element, just as the sun does when it fuses hydrogen atoms together to make helium — humans would have clean, nearly limitless energy. 

Related: What’s the minimum number of people needed to survive an apocalypse?

Bill Nye the Science Guy discusses nuclear fusion in an exclusive Zoom interview with Live Science. (Image credit: Screengrab)

Scientists have spent decades searching for this elusive source of near unlimited power, and are closer than ever to achieving fusion, but despite major advancements, useful, cost-effective nuclear fusion is still many years away. To achieve such a feat would be an invaluable present for Earth Day on Saturday (April 22). It would also make for a nice gesture from the Science Guy to the planet given that in Nye’s latest TV series, “The End is Nye,” Mother Nature basically kills him in every single episode. 

The series, released in December 2022, details how a multitude of planet-wrecking disasters, such as simultaneous record-breaking hurricanes; a swarm of earthquakes and tsunamis; harrowing dust storms and a string of space rocks slamming into Earth, could play out, should they come to pass.

“I get killed seven times in six shows,” Nye said. “But then I come back.” (opens in new tab) Watch The End is Nye on NBC Peacock: $4.99/month for Premium or $9.99/month for Premium Plus (no ads) (opens in new tab)

Sign up to Peacock to watch Bill Nye as he explores all the world of disasters, both natural and man-made, and explain how we can survive the worst that the world can throw at us.View Deal (opens in new tab)

In every episode, with cameos from executive producer Seth MacFarlane, Nye investigates how humans could exacerbate these disasters through so-called “acts of cow,” which refers to a cow that allegedly kicked over a lantern and started the Great Chicago Fire of 1871. (Despite popular use of the phrase, this story may not be true and may have racist overtones, as the woman who owned the cow was reportedly poor, Irish and an easy scapegoat to frame for the tragedy, Nye noted.) It would be an act of cow, for instance, for government agencies to fail to act if potentially hazardous asteroids were zooming toward Earth, or if officials didn’t shut down electrical grids before a solar storm threatened to fry their electrical components to smithereens.

As he walks us through the science of each disaster in the show, Nye provides “evidence-based optimism” about how we could form scientifically informed plans to avoid such acts of cow and protect against the worst of these chilling scenarios. 

“Well look, you have to be optimistic, or you’re not gonna get anything done — and I’m talking about anything,” Nye said. “If you think you’re gonna lose the soccer game, you will lose.” Except in this case, the result of the soccer game concerns the fate of all humanity.

But in addition to optimism, we also need a plan, and that’s where science comes in, he said. “You’ve got to have a plan, not just hope and optimism,” he said. “And that plan comes from science. From evaluating evidence.”

It’s no wonder Nye wants to gift Earth nuclear fusion, as this would help abate a lot of humanity’s problems, including human-caused climate change, which is linked to a host of disasters, including increasingly severe hurricanes, heat waves and droughts that also grow more frequent by the year. related stories—Fission vs. fusion: What’s the difference?

—Physicists just rewrote a foundational rule for nuclear fusion reactors that could unleash twice the power

—Mountain of evidence confirms: Climate change is really, really bad for human health and well-being

In an example of an evidence-based plan that could one day come to fruition, fusion could help raise the standard of living for people worldwide by providing energy that could power the internet, which in turn could deliver education, especially to families and women, he added. “Then, I believe we could invest in and have clean water for everybody on Earth,” he said. “That’s it: change the world.”

Only humans are capable of formulating such forward-thinking plans that could protect and elevate our species. The dinosaurs, he said, were not so lucky when the asteroid collided with Earth 66 million years ago. It’s not like they had the means to design and test a Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission like NASA did recently by using a spacecraft crash into to change the trajectory of an asteroid.

“There is no evidence that the ancient dinosaurs had a space program,” Nye said. “If they did, it wasn’t good enough, let’s face it.”Watch The End is Nye on Peacock (opens in new tab) Peacock Premium (opens in new tab) $4.99 (opens in new tab) $4.99 /mth (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab) at Peacock TV (opens in new tab) (opens in new tab) Peacock Premium Plus (opens in new tab) $9.99 /mth (opens in new tab) View (opens in new tab) at Peacock TV (opens in new tab)

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World

Footage shows Palestinian family in car under attack during Israeli army raid in occupied West Bank

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Footage shows Palestinian family in car under attack during Israeli army raid in occupied West Bank

A series of videos show the moment a car carrying a family in the occupied West Bank came under attack during an Israeli raid into the city of Jenin yesterday.

At least seven gunshots are heard as the passengers including children scream before the footage filmed from inside the Kia vehicle shows the car crashing on the side of the road.

Wadah Soubeh, who was inside the car, said his 43-year-old cousin who was driving, Ahmed al Shayeb, was killed in the attack.

The dashboard seen in the footage filmed inside the car shows that it was taken at 1.10pm local time on Tuesday.

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A family was driving in Jenin in the West Bank when their car was attacked.

Israel launched a major military operation into Jenin on Tuesday and said its forces had “initiated a counterterrorism operation” in the area.

Sky News geolocated another video filmed after the attack that shows the abandoned vehicle on the same road around 600m northwest of the Jenin refugee camp.

An Israeli military vehicle can be seen in the background – less than 100m from the car. It’s unclear whether that vehicle was involved and how long after the attack this particular video was filmed.

Mr Soubeh said the family left Jenin at the start of the raid and were “heavily shot at”.

“When we turned right on the road to Burqin, we drove another 30 or 40 metres. Ahmed al Shayeb said ‘oh God’. After he said ‘oh God’, he stopped breathing,” he added.

A funeral was held on Wednesday for Mr al Shayeb, who owned a mobile phone shop in Jenin.

Sky News asked the IDF whether its forces were involved and why it had a vehicle in the area at the time and received the following response: “The IDF arrests individuals wanted for suspected terrorist activities, incitement of terrorism, and terrorists who have carried out or are planning to carry out attacks.

“Additionally, security forces are deployed in the area to ensure the safety of the region and its residents, as well as the security of the State of Israel and its citizens.

“The IDF operates wherever necessary, especially in areas with a high levels of terrorism, such as Jenin. The IDF follows international law and takes feasible precautions to mitigate harm to uninvolved individuals.

“In cases where uninvolved individuals are harmed, the events are investigated and handled accordingly.

“The case mentioned is under review.”

Mourners cry at Ahmad Nimer Al-Shaib's funeral. Pic: AP
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Mourners cry at Mr al Shayeb’s funeral. Pic: AP

The Palestinian Red Crescent said it is “deeply concerned” about the wellbeing of civilians in Jenin city and refugee camp.

At least nine Palestinians were killed on Tuesday, including a 16-year-old, and 40 were wounded, the Palestinian Health Ministry said.

The move into Jenin, where the Israeli army has carried out multiple raids and large-scale incursions over recent years, comes just days after the Gaza ceasefire started.

The Palestinian Health Ministry said hundreds of Palestinians were trapped in Jenin Government Hospital and were unable to leave for hours. Videos filmed by the hospital shows bulldozers outside the hospital.

Mourners carry the body of Ahmed al Shayeb after he was killed during an Israeli military operation in Jenin, on Wednesday. Pic: AP
Image:
Mourners carry the body of Ahmed al Shayeb after he was killed during an Israeli military operation in Jenin, on Wednesday. Pic: AP

The Israeli military said its forces were trying to detonate explosive devices planted by militants beneath the road outside the hospital in the city of Jenin, and had told patients and doctors not to exit the hospital during the detonations.

Dozens of military bulldozers have carved up tracts of roads in the city.

It was the third major incursion by the Israeli army in less than two years into Jenin, a major stronghold of militant groups including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which said its forces were fighting Israeli troops.

As the raid began, Palestinian Authority (PA) security forces pulled out after having conducted a weeks-long operation to try to reassert control over the refugee camp, dominated by Palestinian factions that are hostile to the PA, which exercises limited governance in parts of the West Bank.

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Royal Navy attack submarine warned off Russian spy ship from UK waters

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Royal Navy attack submarine warned off Russian spy ship from UK waters

A Royal Navy attack submarine surfaced close to a Russian spy ship off the UK coast in an extraordinary warning to stop spying on British undersea cables, the defence secretary has revealed.

John Healey, in a highly unusual statement to MPs, said the incident involving HMS Astute happened in November but the research vessel, called Yantar, then returned to UK waters this week.

To counter the first spying mission, he said he changed the navy’s rules of engagement to enable British warships and the submarines to get closer to vessel and better track its activities.

Defence Secretary John Healey arrives in Downing Street, London, for a Cabinet meeting. Picture date: Tuesday January 21, 2025.
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Defence Secretary John Healey. Pic: PA

In a message to Russian President Vladimir Putin, Mr Healey said: “We see you. We know what you are doing. And we will not shy away from robust action to protect this country.”

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It is very rare for the UK to reveal details about the movement of its top secret fleet of nuclear-powered submarines.

A decision to tell parliament that one of the submarines had surfaced next to the surveillance vessel underlines the extreme seriousness that the UK views the Russian activity back in November and again this week.

More on John Healey

Mr Healey said the Russian ship had been used for gathering intelligence and mapping the UK’s critical underwater infrastructure.

The UK and its NATO allies are increasingly concerned about the risk that President Putin’s country poses to offshore cables, pipelines and other infrastructure.

HMS Somerset flanking Russian ship Yantar near UK waters.
Pic: Royal Navy/PA
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HMS Somerset (bottom) flanking Russian ship Yantar near UK waters. File pic: Royal Navy/PA

Describing the most recent sighting, the defence secretary said Yantar entered the “UK exclusive economic zone about 45 miles off the British coast” on Monday.

He said that for the last two days, the Royal Navy has deployed Type 23 frigate HMS Somerset and patrol ship HMS Tyne to “monitor the vessel every minute through our waters”.

Navy rules of engagement changed

The defence secretary said he changed the navy’s rules of engagement so “our warships can get closer and better track the Yantar”.

He said the ship “has complied with international rules of navigation” and has since sailed into the North Sea.

Russia has said Yantar is an oceanographic research ship which is operated by its defence ministry.

RFA Proteus monitoring Russian ship Yanter in November 2024. 
Pic: Royal Navy/PA
Image:
RFA Proteus monitoring Russian ship Yanter in November 2024. Pic: Royal Navy/PA

Second incident in months

Mr Healey told the House of Commons it was the second time Yantar had entered British waters in recent months, after it was detected in November “loitering over critical undersea infrastructure”.

Back then, the Royal Navy nuclear-powered submarine was used to warn off the spy ship.

‘Monitoring its every move’

RAF maritime patrol aircraft, minehunter HMS Cattistock, offshore patrol vessel HMS Tyne and surveillance ship RFA Proteus were also deployed “to shadow Yantar’s every movement”.

Mr Healey said: “I authorised a Royal Navy submarine, strictly as a deterrent measure, to surface close to Yantar to make clear that we had been covertly monitoring its every move.

“The ship then left UK waters without further loitering and sailed down to the Mediterranean.”

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Mr Healey warned: “Russia remains the most pressing and immediate threat to Britain, and I want to assure the House and the British people that any threat will be met with strength and resolve.”

P-8 Poseidon and Rivet Joint spy planes will join the NATO operation to protect undersea cabling in the Baltic Sea, while RFA Proteus has also been deployed to monitor offshore infrastructure.

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Technology

Here’s why you’re suddenly following President Trump on Instagram

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Here's why you’re suddenly following President Trump on Instagram

(L-R) Priscilla Chan, CEO of Meta and Facebook Mark Zuckerberg, and Lauren Sanchez attend the inauguration ceremony before Donald Trump is sworn in as the 47th US President in the US Capitol Rotunda in Washington, DC, on January 20, 2025. 

Saul Loeb | Afp | Getty Images

Instagram users are complaining this week that they’re being forced by Meta to follow President Donald Trump’s social media accounts without their consent.

In a Threads post on Wednesday, a Meta representative said users are seeing posts from @POTUS, @VP and @FLOTUS because those accounts are handed off when a presidential transition occurs in the U.S.

“People were not made to automatically follow any of the official Facebook or Instagram accounts for the President, Vice President or First Lady,” wrote Andy Stone, a spokesperson for Meta. “Those accounts are managed by the White House so with a new administration, the content on those Pages changes.”

Users who previously followed the accounts continue to follow them, as well as the former administration’s archive accounts, when the transition of power occurs, Meta confirmed in an email. That includes the account for @WhiteHouse.

Trump’s inauguration on Monday marked the third handoff from one administration to the next. The Obama administration, which created many of the accounts that are used today, addressed the matter in a blog post ahead of the 2016 election, which Trump also won. 

“On Instagram and Facebook, the incoming White House will gain access to the White House username, URL, and retain the followers, but will start with no content on the timeline,” the Obama administration wrote. “An archive of White House content that was posted to the Obama White House Instagram and Facebook will continue to be accessible to the public at Instagram.com/ObamaWhiteHouse and Facebook.com/ObamaWhiteHouse.”

The Obama administration added that all posts and materials created by the accounts would be preserved with the National Archives and Records Administration and that new accounts would also be created to preserve the content. 

Posts from the accounts previously used by former President Joe Biden, former Vice President Kamala Harris and former First Lady Jill Biden have moved to @potus46archive, @vp46archive and @fotus46archive, respectively. 

Political chatter has picked up on Meta’s platforms following a series of moves taken by CEO Mark Zuckerberg that appeared to be aimed at appeasing President Trump.

Zuckerberg donated $1 million to Trump’s inauguration and attended the event in Washington D.C., even co-hosting a celebratory reception

Zuckerberg this month announced several policy changes for Meta, including eliminating third-party fact checking and ending the company’s diversity, equity and inclusion program. The company also appointed Joel Kaplan, a former Republican White House staffer, as its new policy chief, and Zuckerberg, in an appearance on Joe Rogan’s podcast, touted the benefits of masculinity.

“I think having a culture that celebrates the aggression a bit more has its own merits,” Zuckerberg said on the podcast. 

WATCH: Critics pan Zuckerberg’s move towards MAGA

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