Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Britain’s favourite butterfly revealed – and it’s a familiar backyard beauty

admin — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:00:36 +0000

More than 20,000 votes cast in Butterfly Conservation’s poll of 60 native species to find nation’s favourite for first time

The votes are in on Britain’s favourite butterfly, and it is one of the most ubiquitous yet spectacular backyard beauties that has flown to victory.

With its lavender, yellow and maroon eye spots and luscious rusty red and black colouration, the peacock butterfly is both beautiful and commonplace, flying throughout spring, summer and autumn in all corners of the British Isles.

‘The birds will fly away’: can Albania’s flamingo revolution keep its wetlands free from Trumps and tourists?

admin — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 04:00:34 +0000

A luxury resort backed by the US president’s family may be built on a wildlife-rich nature reserve in one of Europe’s poorest nations

If the real estate dreams of a billionaire political family come true, an island in one of Europe’s poorest countries will become a luxury hotel complex, sweeping up stretches of the wildlife-rich nature reserve that sits across the water.

‘Super El Niño’ is officially here, scientists say. What can we expect?

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 20:46:27 +0000

Experts say climate pattern could supercharge extreme weather events and push temperatures to record highs

EL Niño has officially arrived, US officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) said on Thursday, and scientists predict it could be the strongest of the century.

Subterranean fungi networks more than 100 quadrillion km in length, study finds

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:00:22 +0000

First ever global mapping of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi shows scale of hyphal systems that sustain plant life

Our planet’s soils contain enough of the subterranean fungi that sustain plant life and help regulate the climate to stretch from the Earth to the sun almost three-quarters of a billion times, a groundbreaking new study has found.

Scientists reveal surprising mechanism behind Venus flytrap’s rapid snap

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:00:22 +0000

Intricate tests show hair-trigger detection causes cells on outer surface of leaf to soften, prompting closure

The Venus flytrap is one of nature’s most impressive predators, luring insects with the intoxicating scent of nectar before capturing them with a snap of its jaw-like leaves.

Now, scientists have revealed the mechanism that allows the carnivorous plant to react with lightning speed, resolving a problem that stumped Charles Darwin and many researchers after him.

Bananas could vanish from US school meals. Here’s why

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:00:21 +0000

New Farm Bill places caps on non-US foods; nutritionists say it restricts availability of healthy meals for kids

School nutrition workers and advocates have “lots of concerns about bananas”, said Erin Ogden, policy associate for federal child nutrition programs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Bananas are nutrient-dense foods that many children like. That makes them popular offerings in school cafeterias, since any healthy food that a kid will eat prevents waste and ensures that child isn’t eating either nothing or something less wholesome instead.

El Niño forms in Pacific as experts say it will likely turbocharge extreme weather

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:50:55 +0000

Meteorologists in US predict it will be the strongest of century, while UN secretary-general calls it ‘urgent climate warning’

El Niño, the climate phenomenon that supercharges weather around the world, has officially arrived and could intensify to historic levels in the fall, US officials said on Thursday.

US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) forecasters confirmed the formation of El Niño in the warmer than usual Pacific Ocean near the equator, which affects global weather patterns.

Solar generates more energy in US than coal for first time

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:00:20 +0000

Solar supplied 12.8% of US electricity in May even as Trump boosts coal over clean energy

Even as Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the US and remains the leading source of new power.

Millions of homes in London, Essex and Kent at risk of sinking as climate crisis worsens

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 05:00:07 +0000

Analysis pinpoints areas most vulnerable to hotter, drier weather causing ground to shrink and drag foundations down

Millions of homes are at risk from climate-related subsidence, according to an analysis by the British Geological Survey (BGS).

Trump administration land gift to SpaceX would hurt Texas habitat, lawsuit says

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 22:12:15 +0000

Environmental groups say exchange between US government and SpaceX would worsen ecological risks