Science
Switzerland's 'wake-up call' as glaciers melt in record-breaking summer
Switzerland's 'wake-up call' as glaciers melt in record-breaking summer In short: Scientists in Switzerland have warned global warming is having a dire effect on the country's glaciers. New research claims more than 5 per cent of Swiss ice volume has melted this year alone. Glaciologist Mattias Huss told the ABC "we need to stabilise global warming" in order for the ice to recover.
Poor communication marred emergency response to deadly L.A. area fires, report finds
During last year’s fires in the Los Angeles area, police dispatchers had to temporarily route 911 calls through a single captain’s personal cellphone. So many calls came in that some firefighter units went “dark” — meaning dispatchers were no longer tracking them. As communications broke down, some firefighters began to take their cues from captains they trusted instead of the agency’s top leaders.
MI5 issues spy alert to UK universities over Chinese front company stealing research
Security service says academics should stop taking grants from and working with firm backed by China’s intelligence serviceUK politics live – latest updatesChina’s intelligence service used a front company to pay grants to British universities and steal crucial research about technology projects, MI5 said on Wednesday in a rare public espionage warning. Britain’s domestic security service said researchers and academics should cease work with the China General Technology Research Institute...
Breaking: Multiple shark warnings issued as whale carcass washes up on City Beach
Whale carcass found on City Beach, shark warnings issued A whale carcass has washed up on Perth's City Beach, with authorities issuing multiple shark warnings for the popular swimming spot. Several sharks have already been spotted circling in the area. Local surf lifesavers found the carcass this morning and sounded the alarm.
Victoria considers 'emergency extractions' of wildlife as bird flu spreads
'Emergency extractions' of wild birds considered as H5 bird flu spreads in Victoria In short: The Victorian government is considering "emergency extractions" of threatened bird species from the wild, as H5 avian influenza spreads. The breeding season has commenced in Victorian wetlands this spring, increasing the risk of bird flu circulating among the congregating fauna. The government has identified nearly 100 bird species at risk of H5N1, including black swans and brolgas.
Nor'easter storm brings coastal flooding, as New York and New Jersey declare emergency
Concerts, sports events and more have been cancelled due to the weather conditions.
Breaking up Troy Aikman and Joe Buck would be a big mistake for ESPN | Bobby Burack
ESPN will broadcast its first Super Bowl this February, with Joe Buck and Troy Aikman on the call. It will mark the duo’s seventh Super Bowl broadcast together — and perhaps its last. Buck recently agreed to a new six-year, $108 million contract extension with ESPN.
Astronomers detected radio signals coming from an exoplanet for the first time. Spoiler alert: It's not aliens.
Astronomers detected radio signals coming from an exoplanet for the first time. Spoiler alert: It's not aliens. Scientists have found the first convincing direct evidence of radio signals coming out of the exoplanet Beta Pictoris b.
Developing El Niño becomes strongest on record weeks before expected peak
Scientists say the developing El Niño is now the strongest on record with weather impacts already being felt around the world.
The Urgent Mystery of Where Viruses Hide
Some viruses appear to vanish when outbreaks dissipate, only to emerge again. Scientists don’t always know which animals they lurk in — and how to stop them from spilling back over.
Typhoon Dujuan tracking close to Tokyo triggers rare evacuation alert
More than 1.9 million people are under evacuation orders as Typhoon Dujuan batters Japan.
Tiny molecular scissors reveal how crystals bend without breaking
Crystals are usually thought of as rigid and brittle. Yet some molecular crystals can bend, jump, twist or even change shape when exposed to light. Understanding how tiny molecular movements inside an ordered crystal can produce such large visible motions is an important challenge for developing responsive materials that could eventually be used in actuators, sensors and other miniature devices.
US on alert after China's 'dual-use' research vessels spotted near Alaska
The US said it is observing increased activity of Chinese research vessels around the arctic offshores of Alaska, raising mineral and security concerns. These research vessels have been reportedly observed close to the maritime zones near Alaska's Aleutian Islands, into the Bering Strait between the US and Russia, and as far as the North Pole. Four Chinese research vessels have conducted work offshore in the US Arctic since the beginning of 2026, compared to a total of five last year,...
Which emergency foods should you stock up on?
The BBC's Annabel Rackham shares some dos and don'ts, following government advice in case of food supply chain disruption.
The world’s rivers are at breaking point. Can we save them before it is too late?
In this week’s newsletter: As the Guardian launches a year-long project, Our Rivers, we take stock of the issues facing waterways around the worldDon’t get Down to Earth delivered to your inbox? Sign up hereThe nicknames of the world’s biggest rivers give a sense of how we feel about them: “the great river”, “the river that swallows all rivers”, “Mother Ganga” and “Old father Thames”. They feed and water us, and many other animal species.
Bodies of eight women found in same area of Johannesburg as public alert issued
Bodies of eight women found in same area of Johannesburg as public alert issued Cops in South Africa have called for calm amid speculation that the grim discoveries could be the work of a serial killer - but the similarities between the victims have led cops to issue a public warning The discovery of the bodies of eight women in same area of Johannesburg has sent shockwaves through South Africa with police issuing a public warning. The horrifying finds were all made in the last two months in...
South Africa on alert after seventh woman’s body found near capital
A woman’s body was found on Tuesday in the same area east of Johannesburg in South Africa where the discovery of several other victims in the past two months has sparked fear of a potential serial killer at large and led to a public warning by the police. According to South African authorities, the cases appear to be linked, though they did not confirm whether they are the work of the same killer. The South African Police Services (SAPS) has issued a public warning for women to be cautious...
Scientists call for ‘emergency’ measures to save sea life from El Niño
Prominent scientists have called for “emergency” interventions to protect marine life as the strongest-ever El Niño heats the ocean to unprecedented levels, including removing endangered species from the water and experimenting with geoengineering. “We shouldn’t just cry into our beer about it. We should actually try and do things about it,” says Michael Meredith at the British Antarctic Survey, one of the authors of a journal article that is being sent to officials in the UK, the US and...
People forced from homes during security alert
A number of homes have been evacuated following the discovery of a suspicious object in Victor Place in east Belfast.
Mount Etna erupts in Sicily as 'red alert' issued and Catania Airport flights stopped
Mount Etna erupts in Sicily as 'red alert' issued and Catania Airport flights stopped Arrivals are being diverted away from Catania Airport as Mount Etna has sent volcanic ash into the sky Catania Airport has been closed due to volcanic ash after an eruption at Mount Etna, with passengers warned to check the status of their flights. SAC, the company that manages Catania Airport in Sicily, said arrivals would be suspended until 4pm this afternoon due to volcanic ash in the atmosphere. The...
Low-cost phone lessons keep children learning during emergency school closures across five countries
The COVID-19 pandemic lockdowns forced people to find ways to get things done remotely. Companies developed systems that made working from home run smoothly. Educators also had to shift to mobile phones and group video calls to get their lessons across and make sure students didn't lose out on their progress.
Side-efect alert for anyone taking menopause pills as they lack key ingredients
Side-efect alert for anyone taking menopause pills as they lack key ingredients Experts said many ingredients can be found in herbal products and general multivitamins, which are often cheaper Some supplements claiming to ease menopause symptoms lack key nutrients and have a “huge variation” in vitamin and mineral doses which could cause side-effects when consumed long-term, a study has found. It comes amid a growing “menopause gold rush” in the supplement industry, researchers said. Social...
Record-breaking rain in California was caused by abnormally high temperatures on the other side of the world, study finds
Record-breaking rain in California was caused by abnormally high temperatures on the other side of the world, study finds Scientists have identified a "climate teleconnection" between the Rocky Mountains and the Tibetan Plateau, where warm spots left a kink in the jet stream that intensifed weather in the western U.S. Abnormally high temperatures on the Tibetan Plateau triggered two catastrophic rainfall events halfway around the world in California and nearby states in early 2017 and 2023,...
From Caravaggio to Korea: How Malta’s artists are breaking out of the baroque
The BEJN pavilion connects Malta and Korea through poetry, sacred ropes, festa traditions and space data. Julien Vinet wants you to picture twilight with him. The sun will lay itself like a crown atop the limestone buildings.
Breaking: Men who killed Irma Palasics during 1999 burglary jailed
Men who killed Canberra grandmother Irma Palasics during 1999 burglary jailed The two men found guilty of manslaughter over the 1999 cold case killing of Irma Palasics have both been jailed for more than a decade. Joseph Vekony and Steve Fabriczy, now in their 70s, were linked to the violent home invasion in Canberra by DNA left on a milk bottle and a water container in the couple's fridge. Today, in the ACT Supreme Court, Fabriczy was sentenced to 16 years and six months in jail, while...
Glaciers in the Alps are on track for record-breaking ice loss
I am climbing Switzerland’s Rhône glacier when I feel a thump deep under my feet, then another. The glacier is shifting and cracking as it slides down the mountain, opening new crevasses within. Dazzling blue melt streams grow and multiply across the sooty ice.
RSPB reports record-breaking chough numbers
RSPB England says 161 Choughs have been counted - 32 more than the 129 recorded last year.
Council set to axe climate emergency declaration
Barnsley Council says a review is under way to asses climate and net zero-related activity.
Breaking up of swan families in winter disrupts spring migration
Young Bewick's swans only survive their first spring migration if they stay with their parents long enough. If they lose their parents in winter, they leave later and are unable to keep up with the rest of the population. As a result, there is a greater chance that they will die in their first year of life.
‘A secret had been shared’: The inside story of an emergency climate briefing that made experts cry
The People’s Emergency Briefing has been screened nearly 2,000 times around the UK - and Germany is preparing its own. Who else remembers the COVID briefings on TV given by governments around Europe at the height of the crisis? In the UK, the Prime Minister and top scientists stood behind lecterns, earnestly briefing the nation about the number of deaths, how quickly COVID was spreading and how we should be behaving to protect ourselves.