Science
As El Niño strengthens across the Pacific, Australian farmers could face fierce frosts
In the highlands of Papua New Guinea, crops have been killed by drought and frost. Severe frosts have destroyed food crops such as taro, sweet potatoes, bananas and sugarcane, lea…
Pigeon fathers take on more responsibility when times get tough
A study published in the journal Royal Society Open Science by researchers at the Technical University of Munich (TUM) shows that when food becomes scarce, male pigeons spend more…
Climate refuges may be key to restoring imperiled amphibians
As a deadly fungal disease ravages wild frog populations around the globe, scientists have identified potential locations in Panama where amphibians might persist despite the dise…
Homeowners in England urged to check flood risk: ‘A third of people don’t realise’
Environment Agency warns residents of 6m properties to prepare for a wet and windy three months aheadMore than two million people in England are unaware their properties are at ri…
Study reveals how tilapia adapt to extreme salt stress
In the world of aquatic life, the Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) is remarkably tolerant of saltwater, surviving in habitats ranging from fresh water to hypersaline p…
Laser-made muons produce first images of dense objects
Muons are constantly being created as cosmic rays collide with molecules in Earth's upper atmosphere. With their ability to penetrate far into dense, solid materials, these cosmic…
Unlocking the cell's supply chain: How cholesterol keeps cellular recycling centers running
Mention cholesterol, and most people will think of clogged arteries or health warnings. But inside the microscopic universe of the human cell, cholesterol has a drastically differ…
The north pole of Mars is less dusty than scientists thought
Although Mars may have once resembled Earth, the rocky red planet now appears far from hospitable. Still, certain details—such as ice-bound water—pique researchers' curiosity. As …
Starship's first orbital flight put its heat shield to the test
SpaceX's Starship, the most powerful launch vehicle ever developed, reached Earth orbit for the first time on Sept. 28, 2026. This mission, the rocket's 14th test flight, also mar…
More cats: The key to happy countries?
National happiness is influenced by complex relationships beyond basic economic factors, according to a study by Javier I. Borráz-León of the Secretariat of Science, Humanities, T…
E. coli survives longer in poultry-amended Georgia onion soils, two-year study finds
New research suggests that poultry litter-based soil amendments and weather conditions, particularly extreme weather events, may influence how long bacteria survive in agricultura…
New simulations connect the first stars to cosmic fingerprints still visible today
Researchers have used some of the most detailed simulations yet of the early universe to investigate how the first stars and galaxies formed. Led by researchers at the University …
UK banks are Europe’s biggest coal financiers, report finds
Study says UK-based banks provided $8.3bn in coal financing in four year, with Barclays and HSBC leading riseUK banks are Europe’s biggest financial backers of the global coal ind…
After 20 years, jet diffusion wakes detected in quark-gluon plasmas
Boats passing over smooth water form a pair of diffusion wakes behind them veering off at a certain angle. Turbulence occurs along the line directly behind the boat, but the two d…
Gene-silencing technology to protect forests from invasive pests
A University of Kentucky forest entomologist is advancing a pest-control approach designed to target destructive forest beetles while minimizing effects on surrounding wildlife.
Do you want help from humans or AI bots? Because the UK civil service is changing – and not for the better | The civil servant
Rapidly expanding AI use within the government is numbing departments to its profound threats. And try arguing with a faceless digital bureaucratAnother day, another apocalyptic w…
Wild crabapples have genetic potential to improve domestic varieties
A bad apple doesn't always ruin the bunch. In fact, it might make the bunch a little stronger. A new study published in Horticulture Research by Ben Mansfeld, an assistant profess…
Snakes' appearances linked to how scary or appealing people find them
Snakes can elicit a wide range of human responses, including fear, disgust, awe and admiration. Past studies suggest that both humans and nonhuman primates, such as monkeys and ap…
Mass Heat Wave Deaths in Europe Show Climate Extremes Are Outpacing Adaptation Efforts
A series of deadly heat waves from May to August overwhelmed Germany’s healthcare and emergency response systems and led to an estimated 16,000 heat-related deaths during the summ…
Study of Groundwater Near Fracking Sites Finds Low Radium Levels, but Raises Concerns About Increased Salinity
Testing in a limited number of shallow aquifers near fracking sites in southwestern Pennsylvania found low levels of radium overall, but there aren’t yet enough samples to draw fi…
Paw-fect candidate: Australia finds new koala rescue dog
The hunt is over: After trawling through dozens of applications, an Australian animal welfare group has found a successor to a hero hound credited with saving more than 100 koalas…
Half a million trees to be planted in England in three years, says government
Exclusive: Environment secretary Angela Eagle to make pledge as part of efforts to protect against extreme weatherHalf a million trees will be planted across England in the next t…
World’s seas heated by a record 23 zettajoules last year
The injection of thermal energy, 40 times that used by humanity in total, comes amid an increasing rise in sea levels and continuing acidificationA record-breaking 23 zettajoules …
Country diary: The land here is scarred from a year of hard weather – now what will winter hold? | Alexandra Pearce-Broomhead
Camborne, Cornwall: There will be more storms like Goretti and more fires next summer, but we can make the landscape more resilientA grey wagtail flits at the stream’s edge, its f…