Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Vast ‘doughnut’ discovered in molten metal of Earth’s core

admin — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 18:00:13 +0000

Australian scientists hail finding as a step in unlocking secrets of planet’s protective magnetic field

By travelling to the centre of the Earth via seismic waves scientists have discovered a ring-like structure within the swirling pool of molten metal known as the outer core.

Research published in the journal Science Advances has identified a doughnut-shaped region within the outer core, parallel to the equator.

‘I panic when I hear rain’: New York’s deadly basement apartments face growing flooding risk

admin — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 13:00:07 +0000

Many of the roughly 100,000 units are illegal and do not conform to codes, making them a hazard for fires and floods

Josh Alba had lived in an illegal basement apartment in Queens, New York, for almost five years. Despite the low ceilings, he savored his chance to afford housing without roommates. But his tenure there ended during Hurricane Ida.

He’d been asleep on his couch as the rain started falling. He only woke up when his cat smacked him in the face, and he noticed water coming in from outside, rising to at least an inch on the floor.

Badger culling to end in England by 2029, government says

admin — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 11:45:34 +0000

Defra sources say some licensed culls will continue until 2026 but it is highly unlikely any new ones will be granted

Badger culling will end in England by 2029, the government has said.

Some culls under existing licences will continue until 2026, according to sources at the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), but it is highly unlikely any new ones will be granted.

Olympic champion joins climate activists for Windsor protest

admin — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 10:01:10 +0000

Etienne Stott among Extinction Rebellion protesters to call for citizens’ assembly to tackle climate crisis

An Olympic gold medal-winning canoeist will be among climate activists protesting in Windsor this weekend to demand the Labour government takes climate action seriously.

Extinction Rebellion, which is organising the three-day event, which began on Friday, said it had been disappointed by the new administration’s lack of action on reducing fossil fuel emissions.

Colony of invasive red dwarf honeybee found for first time in Europe

admin — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 04:00:52 +0000

Discovery of Apis florea in Malta raises fears of devastating impact on native bee populations

The red dwarf honeybee has established a colony in Europe for the first time, scientists have found.

The bee, Apis florea, is native to Asia and its discovery has raised alarm among local beekeepers and conservationists, who fear the potentially devastating impact on native bee populations.

Sydney records hottest August day since 1995 as Australia swelters through warm end to winter

admin — Fri, 30 Aug 2024 01:30:30 +0000

Sydney passes 30C on Friday while Brisbane expected to reach mid-30s during weekend

Week in wildlife in pictures: a sea lion takeover, an unlucky caiman and a hungry gull

admin — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 19:14:45 +0000

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

Number of fish species at risk of extinction fivefold higher than previous estimates, according to a new prediction

admin — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 18:08:16 +0000

Researchers predict that 12.7% of marine teleost fish species are at risk of extinction, up fivefold from the International Union for Conservation of Nature's prior estimate of 2.5%. Their report includes nearly 5,000 species that did not receive an IUCN conservation status due to insufficient data.

How a salt giant radically reshaped Mediterranean marine biodiversity

admin — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 18:08:10 +0000

A new study paves the way to understanding biotic recovery after an ecological crisis in the Mediterranean Sea about 5.5 million years ago. Researchers have now been able to quantify how marine biota was impacted by the salinization of the Mediterranean: Only 11 percent of the endemic species survived the crisis, and the biodiversity did not recover for at least another 1.7 million years.

After wood pellet reporting failures, it’s time for a proper review of Drax’s subsidies | Nils Pratley

admin — Thu, 29 Aug 2024 17:39:50 +0000

Before biomass firm is promised a penny extra from billpayers, Ed Miliband should commission a review of its business model

A finding that you submitted dodgy data to the regulator on where your wood pellets come from sounds like very bad news if, like the biomass power generator Drax, you are the lucky recipient of £500m-plus of subsidies every year and are trying to keep the handouts flowing beyond their scheduled end date of 2027.