Breaking Waves: Ocean News

‘High quality, low price and dizzying variety’: how the Chinese switched to electric cars

admin — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 13:00:10 +0000

The country has long been the world’s biggest market – but the government’s interest is more geopolitical than environmental

When Kenzi, an advertising worker in Shanghai, bought an electric vehicle in November she wasn’t even thinking about the environmental benefits. She had read Elon Musk’s biography and thought the Tesla 3 looked good. She also knew that if she bought an EV she could bypass the long wait and cost of getting licence plates, which are rationed by the government.

Heathrow prepares third-runway blueprint for Labour amid record passenger numbers

admin — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 11:24:04 +0000

UK’s biggest airport served almost 40m passengers in first half of 2024, straining its system ‘to the maximum’

Heathrow is preparing to announce a fresh blueprint for a third runway for the Labour government’s approval as record passenger numbers “strain its system to the maximum”.

The UK’s biggest airport served almost 40 million passengers in the first half of 2024, culminating in its busiest day ever on 30 June.

Revealed: Tories failed to do impact check before approving banned pesticide

admin — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 10:12:50 +0000

Exclusive: UK campaigners say it is ‘unacceptable’ no nature assessments were made on bee-killing Cruiser SB

The Conservative government did not carry out a legally required assessment of how greenlighting the use of a banned pesticide, described as a “death blow to wildlife”, would affect some of the most important nature sites, documents have revealed.

The previous government gave emergency approval this year for sugar beet farmers to use Cruiser SB for the fourth year in a row.

Revealed: wealthy western countries lead in global oil and gas expansion

admin — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 10:00:06 +0000

The US and the UK among countries with low dependence on fossil fuels criticized for ‘hypocrisy’ on climate pledges

Head of king’s property portfolio given 20% pay rise to £1.9m

admin — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:50:35 +0000

Crown estate reward for Dan Labbad comes amid doubling of profits on back of offshore wind developments

King Charles’s property management company has given its chief executive a pay increase of almost 20% after tripling his pay packet over the previous three years.

Australian scientists genetically engineer common fly species to eat more of humanity’s waste

admin — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:00:07 +0000

Black soldier flies could help cut planet-warming methane produced when organic waste breaks down, Macquarie University team says

Komodo dragons have iron-coated teeth, scientists find

admin — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 09:00:07 +0000

Reptile’s teeth found to have covering that helps keep serrated edges razor sharp and resistant to wear

With their huge size, venomous bite and the fantastical connotations of their name, Komodo dragons seem like the stuff of legend.

Now, that status has been elevated further: scientists have discovered that their teeth are coated with a layer of iron that helps keep their serrated edges razor sharp.

Reality TV contestant apologises for killing and eating protected New Zealand bird

admin — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 06:39:05 +0000

An American contestant on Race to Survive has apologised for eating a weka, a large, brown flightless bird known for its curiosity

Things got a little too real on the reality TV show Race to Survive when one of the contestants killed and ate a protected New Zealand bird species, prompting a warning from authorities.

Hydrothermal eruption in Yellowstone National Park sends sightseers fleeing

admin — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 05:43:52 +0000

Video posted online shows people running away to escape the explosion at Biscuit Basin, which is now closed to visitors

A surprise hydrothermal explosion in Yellowstone national park has sent sightseers running for safety, after steam and dark-coloured rock and dirt shot up high into the sky.

The eruption happened around 10am local time on Tuesday in Biscuit Basin, a collection of hot springs a couple miles north of the famous Old Faithful Geyser.

Australia’s environment could be fixed and threatened species saved for just 0.3% of GDP, experts say

admin — Wed, 24 Jul 2024 03:30:08 +0000

Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists estimates $7.3bn a year for 30 years could avoid most extinctions, repair soils and restore rivers