Unesco has threatened to list the Great Barrier Reef as a World Heritage in Danger site, amid controversy over a plan to dump dredged sediment. Reef authorities granted permission for the dumping in January as part of a project to create one of the world’s biggest coal ports. But scientists … Continue reading
By Jonathan Amos Science correspondent, BBC News, Vienna Europe’s Swarm mission to measure the Earth’s magnetic field in unprecedented detail is achieving impressive levels of performance, scientists say. Even though the trio of satellites were only launched in November, they are already sensing the global field to a precision that … Continue reading
By Paul Rincon Science editor, BBC News website A prehistoric “Atlantis” in the North Sea may have been abandoned after being hit by a 5m tsunami 8,200 years ago. The wave was generated by a catastrophic subsea landslide off the coast of Norway. Analysis suggests the tsunami over-ran Doggerland, a … Continue reading
Helping save the orang-utan. Palm oil is the greatest threat to the future of the orang-utan. Find out more about the orang-utan here. Also check out the Before It’s Too Late orangutan iPhone & iPad App here. 20% of revenue goes to save the orangutan. Continue reading
From the BBC A Swansea University team has found out how sloths are able to spend up to 90% of their lives hanging upside down yet continue breathing normally. The research found the mammals, which live in the rainforests of south and central America, have a way of fixing their … Continue reading
By Rebecca Morelle Global science correspondent, BBC News The mystery of a bizarre quacking sound heard in the ocean has finally been solved, scientists report. The noise – nicknamed “the bio-duck” – appears in the winter and spring in the Southern Ocean. However, its source has baffled researchers for decades. … Continue reading
Post by Greenpeace UK. Continue reading
Today is International Frog Day. The world’s frogs are under attack and are dying off at an incredible rate. Here’s our award winning documentary about what is happening to the frogs and those who are trying to save them from extinction – before it’s too late. Continue reading
By Mark Kinver Environment reporter, BBC News The combination of fire and extreme weather could accelerate tree mortality in the Amazon, a study has suggested. Researchers said field experiments showed that severe droughts could trigger dieback of forests in the near-term. Efforts to curb deforestation needed to be accompanied by … Continue reading
By James Morgan Science reporter, BBC News Female insects with “penises” have been discovered in Brazil – the first example of an animal with sex-reversed genitalia, scientists say. Neotrogla females insert the erectile organs into males’ vagina-like openings. The elaborate structure, dubbed a “gynosome”, is used to suck out sperm … Continue reading
