Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Magic mushrooms: how scientists discovered fungi are the secret ingredient for restoring the world’s forests

admin — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 05:00:24 +0000

Healthy fungal networks help trees and plants grow, making them key to successful reforestation. The only problem? Almost nothing is known about this subterranean ecology

Even in midsummer, the ancient hazelwoods on the Hebridean island of Seil are cool and quiet. Countless slanted stems of hazel support a thick canopy, which blots out the sun and blankets everything below in a sort of “fairytale darkness”, says Bethan Manley, a biologist at the Wellcome Sanger Institute.

Climate crisis harming world heritage painted houses in Burkina Faso, say residents

admin — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 05:00:23 +0000

Tiébélé’s wavy-walled houses covered in geometric lines showing signs of disintegration amid erratic weather

A world heritage site that was once a famous tourist destination is suffering from signs of disintegration, as climate change affects weather patterns.

The wavy-walled houses covered with singular geometric lines of the Royal Court of Tiébélé in Burkina Faso, established in the 16th century, are recognisable all over the world. The paintings represent the thoughts, culture, and religion of the Kassena people, literally written on the walls.

Fixing Australia’s broken environmental laws must be the first step in improving productivity | Ken Henry

admin — Fri, 15 Aug 2025 00:37:08 +0000

There is no chance of Australia becoming more economic resilient if we don’t have robust national laws that set clear environmental standards

One Big Idea is a new series on how to transform Australia’s economy ahead of Jim Chalmers’ economic roundtable
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Countries urged to ‘hold the line’ in Geneva plastics treaty negotiations

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 18:59:41 +0000

Talks continue amid warnings from environmental groups over being ‘sold out’ without meaningful or legally binding measures

Talks between nations to hammer out a plastics treaty to end plastic pollution continued behind closed doors in Geneva on Thursday, the final day of negotiations, as civil society groups urged countries to “hold the line” to secure a strong agreement.

Week in wildlife: A wild elephant, a playful dolphin and fighting zebras

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 17:55:39 +0000

The best of this week’s wildlife photographs from around the world

Europe scorched by wildfires – pictures from space

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 16:59:39 +0000

Satellite imagery shows the impact on Europe after wildfires raged across the south of the continent

Wildfires claim third life in Spain as intense heat continues across Europe

Trump’s space order risks environmental disaster while rewarding Musk and Bezos, experts say

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:53:39 +0000

US president is pushing an ‘end run around’ on safeguards, risking harm to wildlife, air and water, attorney says

A draft executive order from Donald Trump that aims to largely exempt space launches from environmental review is viewed as a gift to commercial space industry players such as Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos and others who have long targeted the regulations.

Plan to extend Queensland coalmine would bulldoze ‘critical’ koala habitat

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 15:00:07 +0000

Glencore says it is working with state and federal governments to minimise the impact of flora and fauna in the 680ha area west of Mackay

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‘Demon’ rabbits growing hornlike warts in Colorado are no danger, scientists say

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:53:12 +0000

Cottontails seen in Fort Collins have mostly harmless Shope papillomavirus, which cannot be spread to other species

A group of rabbits in Colorado with grotesque, hornlike growths may seem straight out of a low-budget horror film, but scientists say there is no reason to be spooked – the furry creatures merely have a relatively common virus.

British Gas owner buys £1.5bn gas terminal in big bet on fossil fuel reliance

admin — Thu, 14 Aug 2025 14:50:46 +0000

Deal for Europe’s biggest facility for LNG imports comes as overall UK gas demand fell sharply last year

The owner of British Gas has placed a £1.5bn bet on the UK’s future reliance on fossil fuel imports after striking a deal to buy Europe’s biggest gas import terminal.

Centrica plans to partner with a US private equity firm to acquire the Isle of Grain terminal in Kent, which can import 15m tonnes of liquefied natural gas a year, even after Britain’s gas demand fell last year to its lowest level since the early 1990s.