Breaking Waves: Ocean News

05/08/2026 - 04:29
Findings come after third-hottest April on record globally and amid fears of more brutal European summer weather Economic inequality adds more than 100,000 deaths to the vast toll from heat and cold in Europe each year, research has found. Cutting the level of inequality to that of Europe’s most equal region, as measured by the Gini index, would reduce temperature-related mortality by as much as 30%, equating to 109,866 people, the study found. Continue reading...
05/08/2026 - 02:00
This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world Continue reading...
05/07/2026 - 23:10
Beneath the beauty of coral reefs lies a hidden universe of microbes unlike anything scientists expected. Each coral species supports its own specialized microbial partners, many of which have never been studied before. These microbes produce a stunning variety of chemical compounds with potential uses in medicine and biotech. The discovery highlights just how much is at stake as coral reefs face growing threats.
05/07/2026 - 22:45
Water minister Rose Jackson calls drying in Gwydir region ‘devastating’ as bill passes upper house Sign up for climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s free Clear Air newsletter here Water flows to parched New South Wales wetlands where an urgent rescue mission to save dying wildlife unfolded are a step closer to resuming after legislation passed the state parliament’s upper house. The water minister, Rose Jackson, told the parliament on Thursday night the impact of a halt to environmental flows in the internationally significant Gwydir region had been “devastating” as she introduced legislative amendments she said would allow flows to resume. Sign up to get climate and environment editor Adam Morton’s Clear Air column as a free newsletter Continue reading...
05/07/2026 - 18:52
Naturalist says he has been ‘overwhelmed by greetings’ as milestone is marked with event at Royal Albert Hall David Attenborough said he had been “completely overwhelmed by birthday greetings” for his centenary on Friday and thanked wellwishers “most sincerely”. The naturalist said he had hoped to celebrate his 100th birthday quietly. Instead, the milestone will be marked with a live event at the Royal Albert Hall broadcast on BBC One, featuring music from his programmes as well as stories and reflections from public figures and leading advocates for the natural world. In a recorded audio message shared on Thursday night, Attenborough said: “I had rather thought that I would celebrate my 100th birthday quietly, but it seems that many of you have had other ideas. Continue reading...
05/07/2026 - 13:15
There will still be a need to have gas in the wings to keep the lights on, so the financials stack up on Severn plant purchase The eye-catching non-Hormuz news in energy-land last month was that Great Britain is set for a record-breaking summer for wind and solar power generation. The national energy system operator even thought there could be periods – a sunny weekend or a bank holiday afternoon of low demand, for example – when more renewable power would be available than the electricity grid needed. So, on the face of it, it is an odd moment for Centrica, the owner of British Gas, to fork out £370m to buy a 16-year-old combined-cycle gas turbine plant in south Wales. After all, the government’s clean power plan imagines that, come 2030, Great Britain’s entire fleet of gas plants will be used to generate only 5% of its electricity, down from 31.5% in 2025. Continue reading...
05/07/2026 - 13:06
Sir David Attenborough has released an audio message thanking the public for the flood of goodwill messages sent in the run-up to his 100th birthday. The veteran broadcaster said he had expected to celebrate quietly, but expressed gratitude for the well-wishes he had received. Attenborough, who was born on 8 May 1926, joined the BBC in 1952 and went on to become one of the world's most respected and influential wildlife presenters Tiny parasitic wasp named after David Attenborough for his 100th birthday Continue reading...
05/07/2026 - 12:08
Discover and buy more of Ben’s cartoons here Order your own print of this cartoon from the Guardian Print Shop Continue reading...
05/07/2026 - 08:58
A trip to a museum becomes an unexpected adventure in a new immersive family show by Theatre-Rites and Factory International Continue reading...
05/07/2026 - 07:00
US war with Iran drives diesel fuel prices up during spring planting season, ‘hitting us at the wrong time’, farmers say It has been a tough few years for American farmers. Squeezed last year by tariffs, they lost an estimated $34.6bn when former trade partners stopped buying. Now, the war with Iran has not only depleted crucial fertilizer stores but has also driven diesel fuel up to record prices. Like the trucking industry, agriculture relies heavily on diesel to run machinery, as diesel-powered engines are more fuel efficient than gasoline-powered ones. Continue reading...