Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/index.php en ‘You could dig up a lot of asphalt’: Tim Smit’s Chelsea garden prioritises growing food https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/you-could-dig-lot-asphalt-tim-smit-s-chelsea-garden-prioritises-growing-food <p>Eden Project founder wants to inspire councils to build community gardens so young people can grow vegetables</p> <p>Local councils should “rip up asphalt” to build community gardens so young people can grow vegetables, a co-founder of the Eden Project has said.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/you-could-dig-lot-asphalt-tim-smit-s-chelsea-garden-prioritises-growing-food" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sun, 17 May 2026 06:00:30 +0000 admin 103325 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Scientists warn that the world’s rivers are running out of oxygen https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/scientists-warn-world-s-rivers-are-running-out-oxygen <p>Rivers around the world are quietly running out of oxygen — and climate change is emerging as the main culprit. A sweeping global analysis of more than 21,000 river systems found that nearly 80% have been steadily losing dissolved oxygen over the past four decades, threatening fish, biodiversity, and the overall health of freshwater ecosystems. Surprisingly, tropical rivers are being hit the hardest, even more than rivers in rapidly warming polar regions.</p> Sun, 17 May 2026 03:35:49 +0000 admin 103326 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Timmy the whale confirmed dead by Danish authorities https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/timmy-whale-confirmed-dead-danish-authorities <p>Humpback had been found deceased on Friday after rescue attempt criticised as ‘pure animal cruelty’</p> <p>Timmy the whale has been confirmed dead by Danish authorities two weeks after the beached humpback was <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/may/05/expert-brands-rescue-of-timmy-the-whale-an-all-round-catastrophe-over-deficient-tracker">transported to the North Sea in a rescue attempt </a>criticised as “pure animal cruelty”.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/timmy-whale-confirmed-dead-danish-authorities" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 16 May 2026 17:22:22 +0000 admin 103324 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Pity the poor AI data centers facing ‘discrimination’ | Arwa Mahdawi https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/pity-poor-ai-data-centers-facing-discrimination-arwa-mahdawi <p>The centers are diverting much-needed resources from regular people. Local resistance has the industry playing defense</p> <p>Back in 2016, Marco Gutiérrez, the Mexican-born founder of Latinos for Trump, issued an ominous warning to the US. “My culture is a very dominant culture,” he <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/sep/02/taco-truck-on-every-corner-trump-mexican-marco-gutierrez">said on MSNBC</a>. “It is imposing and it’s causing problems. If you don’t do something about it, you’re going to have taco trucks on every corner.”</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/pity-poor-ai-data-centers-facing-discrimination-arwa-mahdawi" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 16 May 2026 12:00:10 +0000 admin 103323 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Peacock ‘invasion’ of Italian seaside town ruffles feathers https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/peacock-invasion-italian-seaside-town-ruffles-feathers <p>With Punta Marina residents loving or loathing the incomers, ‘peacock rangers’ have been appointed to defuse tensions</p> <p>Federico Bruni was sitting on a bench, eating a <em>piadina romagnola</em> (flatbread sandwich) and minding his own business, when a peacock strutted up in the hope of a few crumbs. High-pitched squeals emanated from the direction of a disused military barracks across the road. “That would be the call to love,” Bruni said. “The male peacocks are courting the female ones – we’re in peak mating season.”</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/peacock-invasion-italian-seaside-town-ruffles-feathers" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 16 May 2026 12:00:08 +0000 admin 103321 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Maldives diver dies in operation to recover bodies of Italians from cave https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/maldives-diver-dies-operation-recover-bodies-italians-cave <p>Mohamed Mahudhee suffered decompression sickness after searching for scuba divers in Vaavu Atoll and died in hospital</p> <p>A Maldivian military diver has died during a high-risk operation to recover the bodies of four of the Italian scuba divers who drowned while exploring a deep underwater cave in the Maldives.</p> <p>The diver suffered underwater decompression sickness after searching for the bodies of the Italians who, according to Italy’s foreign ministry, had “apparently died while attempting to explore caves at a depth of 50 metres (164ft)”.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/maldives-diver-dies-operation-recover-bodies-italians-cave" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 16 May 2026 11:45:36 +0000 admin 103322 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘It didn’t seem real’: the Black mushroom hunters unearthing the US’s essential fungi https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/it-didn-t-seem-real-black-mushroom-hunters-unearthing-us-s-essential-fungi <p>Enthusiasts say mycology offers connection, nourishment and a deeper tie to the land – and the African diaspora</p> <p>On her typical walk in the woods in Newton, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/massachusetts">Massachusetts</a>, something stopped Maria Pinto in her tracks. She spotted what appeared to be a glowing yellow figure with a metallic sheen among the pine needles on the ground. It was the first time Pinto was enthralled by a mushroom – the American yellow fly agaric<em>, </em>a poisonous fungus that is relatively common where Pinto lives in Massachusetts.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/it-didn-t-seem-real-black-mushroom-hunters-unearthing-us-s-essential-fungi" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 16 May 2026 11:00:10 +0000 admin 103320 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Florida tightens rules on capturing giant manta rays but stops short of full ban https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/florida-tightens-rules-capturing-giant-manta-rays-stops-short-full-ban <p>Move follows upsetting viral video of ray being manhandled into unmarked boat in Florida waters last year</p> <p>Wildlife officials in <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/florida">Florida</a> will continue to allow threatened giant manta rays to be taken from the ocean, but have tightened their policies after a <a href="https://www.facebook.com/reel/1116904387040385/">viral video</a> showed a captured ray in severe distress, and a bipartisan group of politicians called for an end to the controversial practice.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/florida-tightens-rules-capturing-giant-manta-rays-stops-short-full-ban" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 16 May 2026 10:00:07 +0000 admin 103319 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Declare climate crisis a global public health emergency, experts tell WHO https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/declare-climate-crisis-global-public-health-emergency-experts-tell-who <p>Exclusive: Commission says alert would trigger coordinated international response that could help avoid millions dying</p> <p>The climate crisis should be declared a global public health emergency by the World Health Organization, or millions more people will die unnecessarily, leading international experts have said.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/declare-climate-crisis-global-public-health-emergency-experts-tell-who" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 16 May 2026 04:00:00 +0000 admin 103318 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Ban private jets and cut speed limits to avert UK fuel crisis, say campaigners https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/ban-private-jets-and-cut-speed-limits-avert-uk-fuel-crisis-say-campaigners <p>Climate and transport organisations warn ministers not to ‘sleepwalk into crisis’ amid Iran war oil and gas shortages</p> <p>Private jets should be banned and the speed limit on UK motorways reduced to 60mph as part of a pre-emptive effort to ease the looming fuel supply crisis, according to leading climate and transport organisations.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/ban-private-jets-and-cut-speed-limits-avert-uk-fuel-crisis-say-campaigners" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 15 May 2026 10:12:29 +0000 admin 103317 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org