Hi, I'm Scientific American Podcast Editor Steve Mursky, and here's a short piece from the January 2019 issue of the magazine in the section called Advances, Dispatches from the Frontiers of Science, Technology, and Medicine. The article is titled Quick Hits, and it's a rundown of some science and technology stories from around the globe compiled by editorial

contributor Emiliano Rodriguez Mega.

From Italy, Europe's most relentless volcano, Mount Etna, is slowly sliding into the sea under its own weight.

If part of it collapses suddenly, researchers say it could trigger mega tsunamis in the Mediterranean.

From Indonesia, the construction of a hydroelectric dam and power plant in North Sumatra's

Batang Toro Forest caused orangutangs from an endangered newly described

species to flee the project site.

The government has sent guards to monitor the apes, which have built their nests on local plantations.

From the Netherlands, a court of appeals in the Hague has ruled that the Dutch government needs to take action to help stop climate change.

The ruling states that the country must reduce greenhouse gas emissions

to at least 25% below 1990 levels by 2020.

From Kazakhstan, an astronaut and a cosmonaut escaped a Russian spacecraft that experienced a launch

failure shortly after takeoff. Nick Haig and Alexei of Chinin landed safely after their capsule made an emergency separation from the rocket.

From Papua New Guinea, health authorities detected the first polio outbreak in Papua in 18 years.

The three cases were identified in Morobe Province where sanitation is limited and vaccine coverage is low.

And from Bulgaria, the world's oldest intact shipwreck

was discovered at the bottom of the Black Sea off the coast.

Radio-carbon analysis suggests the wood vessel dates back to 400 BC.

That was quick hits by Emiliano Rodriguez Meaga.