Mark PoyntingClimate and science reporter, BBC News BBC When Matthias Huss first visited Rhône Glacier in Switzerland 35 years ago, the ice was just a short walk from where his parents would park the car. “When I first stepped onto the ice… there [was] a special feeling of eternity,” says Matthias. Today, the ice is […]
Renewables overtake coal as world’s biggest source of electricity
Justin RowlattClimate Editor AFP via Getty Images Renewable energy overtook coal as the world’s leading source of electricity in the first half of this year – a historic first, according to new data from the global energy think tank Ember. Electricity demand is growing around the world but the growth in solar and wind was […]
Three win prize for paving way for very powerful computers
The Nobel Prize in Physics has been awarded to John Clarke, Michel H. Devoret and John M. Martinis for their work on quantum mechanics that is paving the way for a new generation of very powerful computers. “There is no advanced technology used today that does not rely on quantum mechanics, including mobile phones, cameras… […]
Chemistry Nobel awarded to three scientists for their work on metal organic frameworks
The Nobel Prize for Chemistry has been awarded to Susumu Kitagawa, Richard Robson, and Omar M Yaghi for their work on metal-organic frameworks. The three scientists’ work could tackle some of the biggest problems on our planet, including capturing carbon dioxide to help tackle climate change and reducing plastic pollution using chemistry. “I’m deeply honoured […]
Water bills to rise further for millions after appeal
Faarea MasudBusiness reporter Getty Images Millions of households in England will have to pay higher water bills than previously announced after the UK’s competition body agreed to let five water companies increase charges. The companies – Anglian, Northumbrian, Southern, Wessex and South East – had asked for permission to raise bills by more than the […]
Naked mole rats reveal genetic secret to long life
Victoria GillScience correspondent, BBC News Washington Post via Getty Images Naked mole rats live for up to 40 years, compared to about three years for a mouse They are weird, bald, subterranean rodents that look like sausages with teeth, and they have just revealed a genetic secret to long life. A new study of the […]
Fossil found on UK coast is unique ‘sword dragon’ species
Jonah FisherEnvironment correspondent Dean Lomax Ichthyosaur experts Dr Dean Lomax and Professor Judy Massare with the 185m year old skeleton A near-complete skeleton found on Dorset’s Jurassic coast has been identified as a new species of ichthyosaur, a type of prehistoric marine reptile that once ruled the oceans. The dolphin-sized ichthyosaur has been named Xiphodracon […]
‘How a prescription to grow a sunflower helped me fight anorexia’
Malcolm Prior and Jenny KumahBBC News rural affairs team Andy Alcroft/BBC Emily Hough is now using her experiences to help shape nature prescribing schemes For Emily Hough, nature was too often simply something “out there”, a world apart from her, a view from a hospital window. Years spent in and out of specialist mental health […]
Green turtle bounces back from brink in conservation ‘win’
Helen BriggsBBC environment correspondent Getty Green turtles are large sea turtles found in tropical and subtropical oceans, known for their plant-based diet and reliance on beaches for nesting The green turtle has been rescued from the brink of extinction in what scientists are calling a major conservation victory. Once hunted extensively for turtle soup, its […]