Latest science news in Earth & Climate

Unique 1.5m year-old ice to be melted to unlock mystery

23 weeks ago from

BBC News went inside -23C freezers to see the ice that could "revolutionise" our knowledge of climate change.

UK's muddy saltmarshes vital to tackle climate change, report finds

23 weeks ago from

The UK's saltmarshes lock away climate-warming greenhouse gases in layers of mud, a new report from WWF says.

William warns ocean life 'diminishing before our eyes'

23 weeks ago from

The Prince of Wales gave a speech in Monaco hoping to drive investments to protect the world's oceans.

UK proposes wider ban on destructive ocean bottom trawling

23 weeks ago from

The government wants to prohibit bottom trawling from more protected areas of UK waters.

Oceans cannot become 'wild west', warns UN chief

23 weeks ago from

UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres spoke at the start of the UN Oceans Conference in Nice, France.

Warning over 'dirty secret' of toxic chemicals on farmers' fields

23 weeks ago from

Campaigners say that farmers' fields are being contaminated by chemicals and microplastics in sewage sludge.

England needs more hosepipe bans and smart water meters - watchdog

23 weeks ago from

The Environment Agency warns England needs a 'continued and sustained effort' to cut water demand.

Three years left to limit warming to 1.5C, leading scientists warn

23 weeks ago from

The Earth could be doomed to breach a key climate target in as little as three years, scientists warn.

Plastic bag bans and fees curb US shoreline litter, study suggests

23 weeks ago from

Shoreline litter data research shows policies caused a relative decrease in the percentage of plastic bags.

Recent droughts are 'slow-moving global catastrophe' - UN report

23 weeks ago from

It says drought has compounded poverty, hunger, and energy insecurity worldwide.

Unique 1.5m year-old ice to be melted to unlock mystery

23 weeks ago from

BBC News went inside -23C freezers to see the ice that could "revolutionise" our knowledge of climate change.

Five key takeaways from the landmark water sector review

23 weeks ago from

The wide-ranging review was launched amid growing public concern about sewage spills and rising bills.

Nor'easters have become 20% more destructive in the last 80 years, scientists warn

23 weeks ago from

Nor'easters are becoming more destructive as the climate warms, a new study finds, with a 20% increase in storm intensity recorded from 1940 to now.

Mount Thor: The mountain with Earth's longest vertical drop

23 weeks ago from

Mount Thor, also known as Thor Peak, is a mountain in Nunavut, Canada with the largest vertical drop in the world — a terrifying escarpment with an average overhang of...

Tuvalu residents prepare for world’s first planned migration of an entire nation — and climate change is to blame

23 weeks ago from

A first-of-its-kind lottery for residents of Tuvalu who want to move to Australia due to climate change threats is closing today, with more than 5,000 applications received.

First video of an earthquake fault cracking has revealed another surprise

23 weeks ago from

A stunning video of the ground cracking during a magnitude 7.7 earthquake in Myanmar is revealing new surprises.

How to watch Shark Week 2025: Live TV & streaming schedule for Discovery special

23 weeks ago from

All the broadcast information, including full program guide and show synopses, so you can watch Shark Week 2025 from anywhere from July 20-26.

We're within 3 years of reaching a critical climate threshold. Can we reverse course?

23 weeks ago from

A report published in June found that the world only has three years before it crosses the 1.5 C climate target. So what should we do now?

Hong Kong hit by strong winds, heavy rain as Typhoon Wipha skirts past

23 weeks ago from

Hong Kong was battered by strong winds and heavy rain on Sunday as Typhoon Wipha skirted along China's southern coast, with fallen trees and collapsed scaffolding spotted across the city.

Restoring sea floor after mining may not be possible, researchers warn

23 weeks ago from

Scientists present at the latest effort to hash out international rules for deep-sea mining say it's unclear if it's possible to restore damaged seafloor ecosystems—or how long it would take.

We detected deep pulses beneath Africa—what we learned could help us understand volcanic activity

23 weeks ago from

Earth's continents may look fixed on a globe, but they've been drifting, splitting and reforming over billions of years—and they still are. Our new study reveals fresh evidence of rhythmic...

World's major courts take growing role in climate fight

23 weeks ago from

The world's top court is poised to tell governments what their legal obligations are to tackle global warming, and possibly outline consequences for polluters that cause climate harm to vulnerable...

Arctic winter reaches melting point: Scientists witness dramatic thaw in Svalbard

23 weeks ago from

A new commentary published in Nature Communications by Dr. James Bradley, Reader in Environmental Science at Queen Mary University of London, and his team reveals a dramatic and concerning shift...

ICJ to deliver landmark climate ruling

23 weeks ago from

The top United Nations court will on Wednesday hand down a landmark global legal blueprint for tackling climate change that also sets out top polluters' responsibilities toward the countries suffering...

Living with climate change: How to adapt to rising sea levels and changing rainfall patterns at the North Sea coast

23 weeks ago from

The trek across the North Sea island of Norderney—a barrier island in the German North Sea—is around five kilometers long. Designed by Lena Thissen, a researcher from the University of...

Water tornado in the laboratory: A simple experiment simulates planet formation

23 weeks ago from

Researchers from the University of Greifswald and the Max Planck Institute for Astronomy (MPIA) in Heidelberg (both in Germany) have developed a prototype experimental setup that simulates flow properties using...

A plan to shoot 450,000 owls—to save a different owl—could be in jeopardy

23 weeks ago from

An unusual alliance of Republican lawmakers and animal rights advocates, together with others, is creating storm clouds for a plan to protect one threatened owl by killing a more common...

The Colorado River is officially contaminated with invasive zebra mussels: Can the state stop the spread?

23 weeks ago from

Water managers and state wildlife officials last year hoped the discovery of a microscopic zebra mussel larva in the Colorado River was a one-time event, not a sign of a...