Major disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field may make northern lights visible far more south than usual
The aurora could be visible across Canada and much of the northern tier of US states on Monday night, and possibly even further south, following a major disturbance in the Earth’s magnetic field, a forecast shows.
The forecast, from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s space weather prediction center, comes amid intense geomagnetic and solar radiation storms, said Shawn Dahl, service coordinator at the center.
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Breaking Waves: Ocean News
01/19/2026 - 18:46
Life of Eraring power station in Lake Macquarie extended to April 2029, Origin Energy says
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Australia’s largest coal-fired power plant, Eraring in New South Wales, will stay open for an additional two years until 2029, amid concerns about the national energy grid’s ability to satisfy demand.
The operator of the plant in Lake Macquarie, Origin Energy, had previously agreed a deal with the state government to delay Eraring’s closure from 2025 to August 2027. While the state environment minister said the new extension would contribute to NSW’s emissions reductions, climate advocates described it as a “disaster”.
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01/19/2026 - 17:30
Exclusive: Campaigners claim changes will let companies ‘off the hook’, as government prepares to unveil new white paper for water industry
Water companies could be let off fines for polluting the environment under changes announced in the government’s new white paper.
The environment secretary, Emma Reynolds, hailed the changes as “once-in-a-generation reforms” featuring “tough oversight, real accountability and no more excuses”.
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01/19/2026 - 09:00
Trust had $254m invested in companies such as Chevron, BP and Shell in 2024, a nine-year record, analysis shows
The Gates Foundation Trust holds hundreds of millions of dollars in fossil fuel extractors despite Bill Gates’ claims of divestment made in 2019.
End-of-year filings reveal that in 2024 the trust invested $254m in companies that extract fossil fuels such as Chevron, BP and Shell. This was a nine-year record and up 21% from 2016, Guardian analysis found. Adjusting for inflation, it was the highest amount since 2019.
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01/19/2026 - 05:00
Study links rapid growth of ocean macroalgae to global heating and nutrient pollution
Scientists have warned of a potential “regime shift” in the oceans, as the rapid growth of huge mats of seaweed appears to be driven by global heating and excessive enrichment of waters from farming runoff and other pollutants.
Over the past two decades, seaweed blooms have expanded by a staggering 13.4% a year in the tropical Atlantic and western Pacific, with the most dramatic increases occurring after 2008, according to researchers at the University of South Florida.
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01/19/2026 - 04:00
Experts call for tighter regulation as GPS tracking reveals how people’s behaviour affects the lives of some of the world’s largest birds
Many people look up to admire the silhouette of raptors, some of the planet’s largest birds, soaring through seemingly empty skies. But increasingly, research shows us that this fascination runs both ways. From high above, these birds are watching us too.
Thanks to the development of tiny GPS tracking devices attached to their bodies, researchers are getting millions of data points on the day-to-day lives of these apex predators of the skies, giving us greater insight into where they hunt and rest, and how they die.
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01/19/2026 - 00:06
Police praise fast actions and bravery of boy’s friends on Sunday as he faces ‘fight for his life’ in hospital
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A 12-year-old boy is in for the “fight of his life” after being attacked by a large shark in Sydney Harbour on Sunday afternoon, with police warning against people entering the water at nearby swimming spots.
In a separate incident on Monday, a shark attacked an 11-year-old boy at Dee Why, in the city’s north. The shark left multiple bite marks on his board but the boy was unharmed.
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01/19/2026 - 00:00
npj Ocean Sustainability, Published online: 19 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s44183-025-00173-y
Trophic group responses to marine reserve protection in temperate and tropical reefs: a systematic review and meta-analysis
01/19/2026 - 00:00
npj Ocean Sustainability, Published online: 19 January 2026; doi:10.1038/s44183-026-00181-6
Walking the talk: voluntary actions on marine protected areas on the high seas
01/18/2026 - 20:46
A return to nuclear power is at the heart of Japan’s energy policy but, in the wake of the 2011 disaster, residents’ fears about tsunamis, earthquakes and evacuation plans remain
The activity around the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa nuclear power plant is reaching its peak: workers remove earth to expand the width of a main road, while lorries arrive at its heavily guarded entrance. A long perimeter fence is lined with countless coils of razor wire, and in a layby, a police patrol car monitors visitors to the beach – one of the few locations with a clear view of the reactors, framed by a snowy Mount Yoneyama.
When all seven of its reactors are working, Kashiwazaki-Kariwa generates 8.2 gigawatts of electricity, enough to power millions of households. Occupying 4.2 sq km of land in Niigata prefecture on the Japan Sea coast, it is the biggest nuclear power plant in the world.
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