Author: Grace Johnson

Tsunamis are notoriously hard to detect in the open ocean. Yet, in the summer of 2025, scientists witnessed one as it happened — live. It began with the most powerful earthquake in nearly 15 years. In July 2025, an 8.8 magnitude quake struck off Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. The shockwaves unleashed a tsunami that sped across the Pacific at over 400 mph (644 km/h). Within minutes, alarms blared in communities across the ocean basin. Millions of people were told to evacuate, including more than two million in Japan. But as the waves raced across the sea, they triggered something unexpected —…

A rare encounter beneath the surfaceAs the sun sank behind the trees in 2023, photographer Thomas Peschak slipped into the black waters of Brazil’s Rio Negro. He waited quietly with his camera ready, hoping to catch a thief in the act. Fishermen nearby threw their nets into the river, unaware that a pink shadow was approaching. From the depths, a sleek Amazonian river dolphin appeared. Peschak held his breath and started shooting. The dolphin moved swiftly, poking holes in the net and stealing a catfish before vanishing into the dark. “They are very agile and move underwater with incredible skill,”…

A nature reserve in Gloucestershire has taken a big step to protect birds from deadly window collisions. The Wildfowl & Wetlands Trust (WWT) in Slimbridge has installed a special window film that birds can detect. The transparent protection helps prevent crashes without changing the building’s appearance. A solution to a widespread problem Every year, an estimated 100 million birds in the UK die after colliding with windows, according to the British Trust for Ornithology. The new technology uses a UV-active film that reflects light in a way visible to birds but remains almost invisible to people. This makes the glass…

A rare wildflower in East Devon is showing strong signs of recovery thanks to dedicated volunteers and landowners. Conservationists from the East Devon National Landscape team confirmed the positive development after years of decline. Community effort restores heath lobelia The heath lobelia, a delicate plant with striking purple-blue flowers, had suffered from disappearing open heathland and reduced grazing. Volunteers and local landowners joined forces to bring it back. They planted young specimens, collected seeds, and managed several sites near Shute and Kilmington. Year-round commitment pays off Nature engagement co-ordinator Ruth Worsley praised the volunteers’ commitment. She said they had worked…

Since late August, tens of thousands of Australians tune in to “Nestflix,” a 24-hour live stream capturing the high-stakes lives of peregrine falcons. First popular during the Covid pandemic, the livestream has become a cultural sensation. The falcons deliver airborne fights, breakups, births, and territorial battles atop a Melbourne skyscraper, keeping viewers on edge. Fans now watch eagerly as this year’s chicks, hatched since late September, prepare for their first flight. They sprint along the ledge, flapping their wings 34 stories above the street, while their mother glides past with pigeons in her talons. “She’s teasing them: ‘You want to…

As the COP30 summit begins in Belém, world leaders have sharply criticised US President Donald Trump for rejecting climate science. Trump, who skipped the gathering in the Amazonian city, was called a liar by the presidents of Colombia and Chile for denying global warming. Global unity on climate falters UK Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer admitted that international consensus on climate action has weakened. He said it had once united countries across political lines but added, “today sadly that consensus is gone.” Over the next two weeks, nations will negotiate a new deal focused on funding forest protection. However, leaders…

The Prince of Wales has announced the five winners of this year’s Earthshot Prize, describing them as “an inspiration that gives us courage”. During the awards ceremony at Rio de Janeiro’s Museum of Tomorrow, Prince William said their work showed that “progress is possible”. Winners include a project that makes South America’s Atlantic Forest financially sustainable and a global ocean treaty aiming to protect marine life. Brazilian football icon Cafu, Olympic gymnast Rebeca Andrade, and former Formula 1 driver Sebastian Vettel helped present the awards. Pop star Kylie Minogue thrilled the crowd with a medley of hits, including Padam Padam…

U.S. startup Teleskope, based in New York, has raised $25 million in Series A funding to advance its platform for detecting, classifying, and protecting sensitive enterprise data. The company focuses on securing information across cloud environments, SaaS applications, and endpoint devices. Teleskope’s platform uses advanced analytics and machine learning to identify sensitive data, monitor access, and enforce security policies in real time. This approach helps organizations prevent data breaches, comply with regulations, and safeguard critical information. The new funding will accelerate product development, expand the team, and drive innovation in data security. Teleskope plans to enhance its platform with automated threat…

Researchers at the University of Kansas have uncovered how soil microbes remember drought and help plants adapt. Their study in Nature Microbiology reveals how “legacy effects” in soil influence plant growth and survival across changing climates. Microbes shape the soil’s memory The research team analyzed soil collected across Kansas to study how microbes adapt to local climates over time. Associate Professor Maggie Wagner, who co-authored the study, explained that bacteria, fungi and other soil organisms play key roles in carbon storage, nutrient cycling and plant health. She said her team became interested in how these microbes might retain a kind…

When the Hektoria Glacier in Antarctica suddenly began a rapid retreat three years ago, scientists were baffled. The glacier pulled back more than eight kilometres in just two months at the end of 2022. A new study now claims to have solved the mystery. Researchers suggest that Hektoria may be the first modern case where the front of a glacier resting on the seabed became suddenly unstable. This process could cause sea levels to rise faster if it occurred elsewhere in Antarctica. Yet some scientists argue that the glacier’s edge was already floating, making the event less unusual than it…