Author: Grace Johnson

Areas across the UK from Cornwall to County Down recorded their wettest January on record, and heavy rain continued in February. The country experienced intense rainfall in the last week because a blocked weather pattern trapped wet air over the region. A high pressure system over Scandinavia stopped the weather system from moving away and prolonged the downpour. The Met Office estimates that at current warming levels, wet winters like 2023/24 shifted from once every 80 years to once every 20 years. Further warming could make such winters even more common. This shift could seriously affect housing, transport, and food…

While the eastern states battle bone-chilling cold, the western US experiences the opposite extreme. A record snow drought combined with unprecedented heat is sweeping across the region. Scientists warn that this threatens future water supplies, increases wildfire risks, and damages winter tourism and recreation. Snow cover and depth have dropped to levels not seen in decades, while at least 67 Western weather stations recorded their warmest December through early February on record. Normal snow cover this time of year should reach about 460,000 square miles—roughly the size of California, Utah, Idaho, and Montana—but this year it covers only 155,000 square…

As countries compete for rare earth deposits, researchers reveal these valuable elements hide in plain sight. Scientists say we can extract them without conventional mining. Fungi Could Unlock Hidden Resources In a Vienna lab, two scientists watch a fungus grow. Its mycelium spreads through tiny networks, searching, feeding, and absorbing nutrients. Some fungi also soak up materials humans need. The team grows the fungus on special clay infused with rare earth elements. These metals power batteries, magnets, and renewable energy devices. Researchers hope the fungus can extract rare earths efficiently. “You might actually recover resources,” says Alexander Bismarck, head of…

France has thousands of kilometres of disused railway tracks that modern trains cannot use. Renovating them for heavy trains proves too costly, leaving rural areas isolated and car-dependent. One engineering startup has found a way to bring these lines back to life. SICEF, part of AKKA Technologies’ Flexmove consortium, has adapted hybrid vans to run on railway tracks. These vehicles, called Ferromobiles, combine road and rail travel, offering a flexible, low-carbon transport option for communities lacking public connections. A new lease of life for France’s forgotten railways SICEF says France has 5,700 kilometres of small railway lines currently out of…

Scientists warn that current economic models dramatically underestimate the impact of climate change on global economies. Governments, central banks, and investors rely on frameworks that fail to reflect the growing risks of a warming world. A new report from the University of Exeter’s Green Futures Solutions team, in partnership with financial think-tank Carbon Tracker, states that today’s flawed damage models create a false sense of security. Researchers urge stronger collaboration between climate scientists, economists, regulators, and investors before global temperatures rise two degrees above pre-industrial levels. Crossing this threshold could trigger catastrophic tipping points, including mass biodiversity loss and accelerated…

The world pledged to triple climate financing for poorer countries, yet the UK faces criticism for potential cuts. The government says it is “modernising” its international climate finance approach but declines to comment on alleged reductions. Experts warn that reducing support would damage the UK’s influence and threaten global food security. Ministers plan cuts despite global commitments According to The Guardian, UK ministers plan to reduce climate finance for developing countries from £11.6 billion (€13.37 billion) over the past five years to £9 billion (€10.37 billion) in the next five. Factoring in inflation, this represents a roughly 40 per cent…

Nations worldwide rush to tackle forever chemicals, but critics question whether the UK and EU crackdowns truly make a difference. The UK recently unveiled a plan, calling these substances one of the “most pressing environmental challenges of our time.” On 3 February, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) published its first framework to protect public health and the environment from pervasive chemicals. The plan promises a consultation later this year to set statutory PFAS limits in England’s public water supply. The government insists water currently remains below “safe levels” and argues the framework will make it easier…

China expanded wind and solar energy at an unprecedented pace in 2025. Yet, the country also commissioned more coal plants than in any recent year. This raises concerns about whether the world’s largest emitter can reduce carbon emissions enough to slow climate change. More than 50 large coal units started operating in 2025, each with a capacity of at least 1 gigawatt. That number is more than double the annual average over the past decade, according to a research report released on 3 February. One gigawatt of capacity can power anywhere from several hundred thousand to more than two million…

Researchers discovered microplastics in one out of three fish caught near Pacific islands, with Fiji showing the highest levels.The study reveals that reef-dwelling fish silently absorb plastic pollution reaching even the most isolated waters. Microplastics Reach Remote Pacific Waters A new scientific analysis shows that plastic pollution now affects even the most distant Pacific coastal regions. Published on January 28, 2026, in the open-access journal PLOS One, the research finds that roughly one-third of fish near Pacific Island Countries and Territories contain microplastics. Jasha Dehm from the University of the South Pacific led the study and reported particularly high contamination…

Researchers have discovered a bat-borne virus, Pteropine orthoreovirus (PRV), in stored throat swabs and virus cultures from five patients in Bangladesh. The individuals were initially suspected of Nipah virus infection but tested negative. This finding adds PRV to the growing list of animal-to-human viruses in the country and suggests doctors should consider it when evaluating illnesses resembling Nipah. The study appears in the journal Emerging Infectious Diseases. All five patients had recently consumed raw date palm sap, a sweet liquid harvested in winter and often visited by bats. This sap already serves as a major pathway for Nipah virus transmission.…