Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Hightailing along high streets and raiding ponds: otters’ revival in Britain

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 10:00:33 +0000

Still rare only 20 years ago, the charismatic animals are in almost every UK river and a conservation success story

Week in wildlife: a baby echidna, a 600lb gator and an ‘unbearable’ bear

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 08:00:37 +0000

This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world

New fossils in Qatar reveal a tiny sea cow hidden for 21 million years

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 07:58:26 +0000

Fossils from Qatar have revealed a small, newly identified sea cow species that lived in the Arabian Gulf more than 20 million years ago. The site contains the densest known collection of fossil sea cow bones, showing that these animals once thrived in rich seagrass meadows. Their ecological role mirrors that of modern dugongs, which still reshape the Gulf’s seafloor as they graze. The findings may help researchers understand how seagrass ecosystems respond to long-term environmental change.

Air passengers exposed to extremely high levels of ultrafine particle pollution, study finds

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 06:00:37 +0000

Levels during boarding and taxiing were far above those defined as high by the World Health Organization

A study has revealed the concentrations of ultrafine particles breathed in by airline passengers.

A team of French researchers, including those from Université Paris Cité, built a pack of instruments that was flown alongside passengers from Paris Charles de Gaulle to European destinations. The machinery was placed on an empty seat in the front rows or in the galley.

Health and safety rules holding UK infrastructure back, says writer of government report

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 05:00:35 +0000

Exclusive: John Fingleton says regulators need to change their attitude to risk to end the country’s economic stagnation

Overbearing health and safety rules are stopping Britain building new infrastructure, according to the economist whom Keir Starmer has cited as an inspiration for his growth strategy.

Climate protesters win groundbreaking class action against Victoria police over use of capsicum spray

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 02:19:03 +0000

Potentially precedent-setting case brought after Jordan Brown hit with capsicum spray outside mining and resources conference in Melbourne in 2019

Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates

Changes to polar bear DNA could help them adapt to global heating, study finds

admin — Fri, 12 Dec 2025 01:00:29 +0000

Scientists say bears in southern Greenland differ genetically to those in the north, suggesting they could adjust

Changes in polar bear DNA that could help the animals adapt to warmer climates have been detected by researchers, in a study thought to be the first time a statistically significant link has been found between rising temperatures and changing DNA in a wild mammal species.

Orcas team up with dolphins to hunt salmon, study finds

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 16:00:18 +0000

Northern resident killer whales appear to use dolphins as ‘scouts’, in a surprising cooperative hunting strategy

Orcas and dolphins have been spotted for the first time working as a team to hunt salmon off the coast of British Columbia, according to a new study which suggests a cooperative relationship between the two predators.

Economic growth no longer linked to carbon emissions in most of the world, study finds

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 15:24:55 +0000

Analysis marking 10 years since Paris climate agreement underscores effectiveness of strong government policies

The once-rigid link between economic growth and carbon emissions is breaking across the vast majority of the world, according to a study released ahead of Friday’s 10th anniversary of the Paris climate agreement.

The analysis, which underscores the effectiveness of strong government climate policies, shows this “decoupling” trend has accelerated since 2015 and is becoming particularly pronounced among major emitters in the global south.

These Bald Eagles fly the wrong way every year and stun scientists

admin — Thu, 11 Dec 2025 14:32:06 +0000

Scientists tracking young Arizona Bald Eagles found that many migrate north during summer and fall, bucking the traditional southbound pattern of most birds. Their routes rely heavily on historic stopover lakes and rivers, and often extend deep into Canada. As the eagles mature, their flights become more precise, but they also encounter significant dangers like electrocution and poisoning. These discoveries point to the need for targeted conservation of critical travel corridors.