Scientists fear global heating may have shifted region into new era of disappearing ice with far-reaching consequences
Antarctica has likely broken a new record for the lowest annual maximum amount of sea ice around the continent, beating the previous low by a million square kilometres.
The new mark is the latest in a string of records for the continent’s sea ice, as scientists fear global heating could have shifted the region into a new era of disappearing ice with far reaching consequences for the world’s climate and sea levels.
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Breaking Waves: Ocean News
09/25/2023 - 21:59
09/25/2023 - 21:23
Clean Energy Regulator says consumers looking to save money on energy but investment in large-scale wind and solar all but stalled
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Households are on track to add three gigawatts of rooftop solar capacity to the electricity grid this year but investment in large-scale wind and solar remains all but stalled, according to the Clean Energy Regulator.
The regulator said 1.4GW of capacity, from almost 160,000 rooftop systems, was added to the grid in the first half of 2023, which chief executive and chair David Parker said showed consumers were looking to save money on their energy usage while reducing their carbon footprint.
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09/25/2023 - 12:00
Green New Deal for Schools demands districts teach climate justice, update buildings and plan for extreme weather
Students at more than 50 high schools across the US are proposing a Green New Deal for Schools, demanding that their districts teach climate justice, create pathways to green jobs after graduation and plan for climate disasters, among other policies.
The campaign, coordinated by the Sunrise Movement, a youth-led climate justice collective, is a reaction to rightwing efforts to ban or suppress climate education and activism at schools. The national effort could include teach-ins and walkouts, as well as targeted petitions to school boards and districts in the coming weeks, organizers with Sunrise told the Guardian, ahead of the Monday launch.
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09/25/2023 - 11:47
Ocean acidification will likely almost triple by the end of the century -- a drastic environmental change that could impact important marine species like fleshy seaweeds, algae that grow vertically and promote biodiversity in more than a third of the world's coastline. To get a better idea of how seaweeds might fare in a rapidly acidifying ocean, a team of marine scientists subjected a common fleshy seaweed species to the acidification levels expected by the end of the century. They report that increased acidification impacted the seaweed's chemical balance, made both its structure and its tissues weaker, and reduced its overall chances of survival.
09/25/2023 - 11:00
Birders have flocked in their hundreds to see the songbirds, blown across the Atlantic by Hurricane Lee
A record-breaking number of “uber-rare” North American songbirds have arrived in the UK this week, blown over the Atlantic in the aftermath of Hurricane Lee.
More than a dozen species of small songbirds – one of which has never been seen in the UK before – were sent veering off their usual migration routes by the high winds.
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09/25/2023 - 07:43
Eight questioned over claims that negligence and mistakes contributed to disaster in which thousands died
Libya’s chief prosecutor has ordered the detention of eight current and former officials pending a full inquiry into the collapse of two dams during torrential rain that left thousands dead in the port city of Derna this month.
There have been widespread claims that local officials knew the dams were too weak to withstand flooding but for various reasons no structural repairs were undertaken. The Libyan State Audit Bureau has submitted evidence that funds were made available for repair work that was never undertaken.
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09/25/2023 - 07:00
Carmaker says it will ‘press ahead’ with plans to achieve 100% EV in Europe and all new models will be entirely electric
Nissan has vowed to “press ahead” with a plan to only sell electric vehicles in Europe by 2030 despite Rishi Sunak’s delay to the UK ban on new petrol and diesel car sales.
The Japanese carmaker said all new models in Europe will be entirely electric by the end of the decade, as it launched a new EV design in London.
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09/24/2023 - 20:00
In the latest episode of the American Shoreline Podcast, hosts Peter Ravella and Tyler Buckingham sit down with the team behind the forthcoming documentary "Chasing the Tide," set to begin filming in October. With just a week left before the cameras roll, guests Jay Kleberg, Chrissy Kleberg, and John Aldrich discuss the final stages of preparation, including the expert interviews they've already conducted and the scouting expeditions they've undertaken. The episode provides a deep dive into what the filmmakers aim to achieve with the project, why they felt an urgent need to make the film, and the logistical and environmental challenges unique to shooting on the Texas coast.
09/24/2023 - 18:01
Researchers explore whether the animals adapt their behaviour in response to people’s happiness, sadness or anger
They are known for living in packs and being sociable animals. Now meerkats are being investigated to see if they can also pick up on human emotions.
Researchers and psychologists from Nottingham Trent University are studying meerkats in zoos to see if they can detect emotions such as happiness, sadness or anger from people, and whether they then adapt their behaviour accordingly.
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09/24/2023 - 17:40
Danish company says complications with non-oil-based materials would have entailed higher total carbon emissions
Lego has stopped a project to make bricks from recycled drinks bottles instead of oil-based plastic, saying it would have led to higher carbon emissions over the product’s lifetime.
The move, first reported by the Financial Times, followed efforts by the world’s largest toymaker to research more sustainable materials, as part of a wave of companies reassessing their contribution to global emissions as the climate crisis hits.
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