Sir_Kevin

The water level at a major river port in Brazil’s Amazon rainforest hit its lowest point in at least 121 years on Monday, as a historic drought upends the lives of hundreds of thousands of people and damages the jungle ecosystem.

Rapidly drying tributaries to the mighty Amazon river have left boats stranded, cutting off food and water supplies to remote jungle villages, while high water temperatures are suspected of killing more than 100 endangered river dolphins.

The port in Manaus, the region’s most populous city located where the Negro river meets the Amazon river, recorded a water level of 13.59 meters on Monday, according to its website. That’s the lowest level since records began in 1902, passing a previous all-time low set in 2010.

Some areas of the Amazon have seen the lowest rain levels from July to September since 1980, according to the Brazilian government disaster alert center Cemaden.

These are the same mosquitos that pass lyme and other diseases. They're all over the world where there are tropical climates. This is relevant because climate change is making more areas suitable for these insects to live and breed. As those areas expand, the human population is going to have to change infrastructure to compensate. Any surface where water can stand for a length of time is a breeding ground for mosquitos. Many parts of the world don't have safeguards like screens over windows and such to prevent insects from entering homes.

Since the URL may expire I have pasted the job post below:

Position Overview:

Koniag Management Solutions (KMS) is looking for a highly qualified Video Game Designer to support our government customer located in Fort Eustis, VA. This opportunity offers the chance to work with some of the best and brightest minds in the Department of Defense (DoD) and US Industry to develop and implement Training and Education (T&E) products and support services for the Department of the Army and its Army Virtual Learning Environment (AVLE) 2.0.

Essential Functions, Responsibilities & Duties may include, but are not limited to:

AVLE 2.0 is a revolutionary concept that will shift the way the Army develops and delivers training and education products to the total force. AVLE 2.0 leverages new learning using technologies in courseware design and delivery to enable the execution of rigorous, relevant, and tailorable learning content at the point of need. The AVLE 2.0 provides a total Army capability that will enable a dynamic learning environment to support the Active, Reserve and Army Civilian professional workforce with products developed at the newly defined interactivity levels of 0 through 4. AVLE 2.0 provides the Army the ability to achieve a more effective and efficient T&E environment that will establish the conditions that are vital for the preparation of mission-ready Soldiers, leaders, civilians, and organizations. AVLE 2.0 provides T&E, which can be delivered anytime and anywhere, with or without an instructor, to new and varied delivery platforms. The successful candidate will provide the following:

Support the provision of an Army Virtual Learning Environment (AVLE) 2.0 for Training and Education (T&E) products for the Department of the Army. The AVLE 2.0 provides a total Army capability that will enable a dynamic learning environment to support the Active, Reserve and Army Civilian professional workforce with products developed at the newly defined interactivity levels of 0 through 4. Design and develop video games for the AVLE 2.0, focusing on T&E products for the US Army Collaborating with stakeholders, instructional designers, and subject matter experts to understand training objectives and requirements for AVLE 2.0 Utilize computer graphic techniques and tools to create visually appealing and immersive gaming experiences. Develop game mechanics, gameplay systems, and level designs that provide a dynamic learning environment. Incorporate scoring and assessment mechanisms specific to Army Games for Training (AGFT), allowing for effective tracking and evaluation of learner performance. Implement scoring mechanisms for Distributed Learning (DL) within AGFT Integrate immersive multimedia or computer-simulated virtual or augmented reality elements into the game design, creating real-life scenarios where learners respond to sensory cues. Conduct user testing and gathering feedback to refine and improve the gameplay mechanics, visuals, and overall user experience of the games. Collaborate with the development team, including programmers, artists, and sound designers, to ensure the successful implementation of game design elements. Optimize game performance, including load times, frame rates, and memory usage, to ensure smooth gameplay experiences. Stay up to date with emerging trends, technologies, and best practices in video game design, computer graphics, VR development, and immersive learning experiences.

Work Experience, Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

B.S. of Computer Science (Specialization in Computer Graphics) Minimum of five (5) years of paid experience developing successful Army Games for Training (AGFT) scoring DL that must have included successful development. Minimum of at least one (1) year of experience using Microsoft C# in support VR development Experience with Level 4 IMI - immersive multimedia or computer-simulated virtual or augmented reality, in which the learner engages in a real-life scenario responding to sensory cues. Knowledge of the US Army, TRADOC or The Army Distributed Learning Program (TADLP) is a plus.

CNN — 

More than a hundred dolphins have been found dead in the Brazilian Amazon amid an historic drought and record-high water temperatures that in places have exceeded 102 degrees Fahrenheit.

The dead dolphins were all found in Lake Tefé over the past seven days, according to the Mamirauá Institute, a research facility funded by the Brazilian Ministry of Science.

The institute said such a high number of deaths was unusual and suggested record-high lake temperatures and an historic drought in the Amazon may have been the cause.

The news is likely to add to the concerns of climate scientists over the effects human activity and extreme droughts are having on the region.

“It’s still early to determine the cause of this extreme event but according to our experts, it is certainly connected to the drought period and high temperatures in Lake Tefé, in which some points are exceeding 39 degrees Celsius (102 degrees Fahrenheit),” the institute said in comments carried by CNN affiliate CNN Brasil.

The Amazon River, the world’s largest waterway, is currently in the dry season, and several specimens of river fauna are also suffering from record-high temperatures.

Researchers and activists are trying to rescue surviving dolphins by transferring them from lagoons and ponds in the outskirts to the main body of the river where the water is cooler, reported CNN Brasil, but the operation is not easy due to the remoteness of the area.

“Transferring river dolphins to other rivers is not that safe because it’s important to verify if toxins or viruses are present [before releasing the animals into the wild],” André Coelho, a researcher at the Mamiraua Institute, told CNN Brasil.

The drought in the Amazon is impacting the economy as well.

Below average levels of water have been reported in 59 municipalities in Amazonas State, impeding both transport and fishing activities on the river.

Authorities expect even more acute droughts over the next couple of weeks, which could result in further deaths of dolphins, CNN Brasil reported.

They can't have their own account until they're 13 but they're allowed on the platform. I think Meta is making the VR experience worse for everyone but greed is steering that boat.