environment news
Climate policies ‘will transform UK landscape’
Britain’s countryside will be transformed by policies to combat climate change, the government’s former chief environment scientist says. Professor Sir Ian Boyd said climate policies after Brexit will alter the landscape more than most people expect. There will be many more trees and hedges but far fewer grazing animals as people eat less red meat, …
Brazil wildfires: Blaze advances across Pantanal wetlands
Image copyright AFP / Mato Grosso do Sul State Government Image caption The wetlands are one of the most biodiverse regions in the world A 50 kilometre-long (31 mile) wildfire is advancing across Brazil’s Pantanal wetlands. The governor’s office in the state of Mato Grosso do Sul said the fire was “bigger than anything seen …
Climate change ‘making mountaineering riskier’
Image copyright Project Permasense Image caption Frequent rock-falls have added risks for mountaineers in many regions Mountaineering in some parts of the world is becoming riskier because of climate change, climbing experts and scientists warn. They say warming in the Alps has thinned ice and snow cover, resulting into frequent rock-falls and landslides. Their concerns …
Spiders inspire double-sided sticky tape to heal wounds
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Spiders use a kind of sticky glue to catch their prey on rainy days A double-sided tape designed to stick body tissue together after surgery has been inspired by the way spiders exude “glue” to catch their prey in the rain. Scientists at Massachusetts Institute of Technology noticed how …
Measles makes body ‘forget’ how to fight infection
Image copyright SPL Measles has a devastating impact on the body’s immune system that could make it harder to fight infections for years, a pair of studies show. The virus can cause “immune amnesia” – meaning the body forgets how to fight bugs it once knew how to beat. Measles also resets the immune system …
Climate change: Spain offers to host COP25 in Madrid
Image copyright Getty Images Just a day after the President of Chile said his country could no longer hold the world’s annual climate conference, Spain has offered to host it in Madrid. The critical meeting, called COP25, was due to take place in Santiago for two weeks from 3 December. Chilean President Sebastián Piñera said …
Bronze Age monument discovered in Forest of Dean
Media playback is unsupported on your device Media captionBronze Age monument discovered in Forest of Dean A previously unknown Bronze Age monument has been discovered hidden in woodland in the Forest of Dean following an airborne laser scan. The ritual monument, known as a ring cairn, dates back to about 2,000 BC. It consists of …
Greta Thunberg rejects Nordic Council environmental award
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Greta Thunberg started international strikes and protests over climate change Greta Thunberg has turned down an environmental award and prize money because “the climate movement does not need any more awards”. She said the offer was a “great honour” and thanked the Nordic Council, which said it respected her …
DeepMind AI achieves Grandmaster status at Starcraft 2
Image copyright Blizzard Image caption DeepMind says that Starcraft 2 is a game that “stretches the limits of human intelligence” DeepMind says it has created the first artificial intelligence to reach the top league of one of the most popular esport video games. It says Starcraft 2 had posed a tougher AI challenge than chess …
‘Alarming’ loss of insects and spiders recorded
Image copyright Getty Images Image caption Beetles are among many insects in retreat Insects and spiders are declining in forests and grasslands across Germany, according to new research. Scientists have described the findings as “alarming”, saying the losses are driven by intensive agriculture. They are calling for a “paradigm shift” in land-use policy to preserve …
