Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Scientists reveal surprising mechanism behind Venus flytrap’s rapid snap

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:00:22 +0000

Intricate tests show hair-trigger detection causes cells on outer surface of leaf to soften, prompting closure

The Venus flytrap is one of nature’s most impressive predators, luring insects with the intoxicating scent of nectar before capturing them with a snap of its jaw-like leaves.

Now, scientists have revealed the mechanism that allows the carnivorous plant to react with lightning speed, resolving a problem that stumped Charles Darwin and many researchers after him.

Subterranean fungi networks more than 100 quadrillion km in length, study finds

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 18:00:22 +0000

First ever global mapping of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi shows scale of hyphal systems that sustain plant life

Our planet’s soils contain enough of the subterranean fungi that sustain plant life and help regulate the climate to stretch from the Earth to the sun almost three-quarters of a billion times, a groundbreaking new study has found.

Bananas could vanish from US school meals. Here’s why

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 17:00:21 +0000

New Farm Bill places caps on non-US foods; nutritionists say it restricts availability of healthy meals for kids

School nutrition workers and advocates have “lots of concerns about bananas”, said Erin Ogden, policy associate for federal child nutrition programs at the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI).

Bananas are nutrient-dense foods that many children like. That makes them popular offerings in school cafeterias, since any healthy food that a kid will eat prevents waste and ensures that child isn’t eating either nothing or something less wholesome instead.

El Niño forms in Pacific as experts say it will likely turbocharge extreme weather

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:50:55 +0000

Meteorologists predict it will be the strongest of century, while UN secretary-general calls it ‘urgent climate warning’

El Niño, the climate phenomenon that supercharges weather around the world, has officially arrived and could intensify to historic levels in the fall, US officials said on Thursday.

US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) forecasters confirmed the formation of El Niño in the warmer than usual Pacific Ocean near the equator, which affects global weather patterns.

Solar generates more energy in US than coal for first time

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 10:00:20 +0000

Solar supplied 12.8% of US electricity in May even as Trump boosts coal over clean energy

Even as Donald Trump boosts coal over clean energy, solar power is hitting new milestones in the US and remains the leading source of new power.

Millions of homes in London, Essex and Kent at risk of sinking as climate crisis worsens

admin — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 05:00:07 +0000

Analysis pinpoints areas most vulnerable to hotter, drier weather causing ground to shrink and drag foundations down

Millions of homes are at risk from climate-related subsidence, according to an analysis by the British Geological Survey (BGS).

Trump administration land gift to SpaceX would hurt Texas habitat, lawsuit says

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 22:12:15 +0000

Environmental groups say exchange between US government and SpaceX would worsen ecological risks

Record winter temperatures in Antarctic raise fears over speed of climate breakdown

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 18:32:16 +0000

Temperatures above 15C ‘very strange’ say scientists, as snow melts and rain falls on glaciers in usually frozen region

Temperatures in the Antarctic climbed above 15C this month, shattering the previous winter heat record for the usually frozen region and raising concerns about the speed of climate breakdown.

The new winter peak temperature was logged by the Argentinian Esperanza base on the Trinity peninsula on 6 June amid a protracted heatwave, when the maximum daily temperature exceeded zero degrees for three consecutive weeks.

Four days of extreme rain in Indonesia killed 7% of world’s rarest great apes, study finds

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 16:18:05 +0000

Critically endangered Tapanuli orangutan population falls after heavy rain and landslides, fuelled by climate crisis, in North Sumatra

Extreme rainfall and landslides fuelled by the climate crisis killed 7% of the remaining population of the world’s rarest great ape, a study has found, prompting fears for the species’ survival.

Toby Carvery to fund orchard replanting as settlement for felling ancient oak

admin — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 15:30:27 +0000

Enfield council in north London took legal action against restaurant chain after outrage over damage to tree

The UK restaurant chain Toby Carvery has settled a legal dispute over taking a chainsaw to an ancient oak tree without permission, by agreeing to pay to restore a lost orchard.