One of the most spectacular wildlife events in the UK takes place on the Norfolk coast, as tens of thousands of knot arrive from Arctic Canada and Iceland for their winter roost. To see them is “just an extraordinary experience,” said photographer and RSPB Snettisham reserve volunteer Les Bunyan. “It’s not just what you’re looking
Science
Teenagers living in remote Arctic communities say they’re worried about the effects of climate change. Scientists warn that melting ice and warming temperatures show rapid climate change is taking place. Rarely heard young people from multiple countries within the Arctic Circle say their way of life is at risk and governments must act.
Some of the UK’s most prominent young environmental campaigners are making an urgent plea for global leaders to take action against climate change – amidst the coronavirus pandemic. More than half of 18 to 24-years-old surveyed in the UK are worried that the challenges of climate change have been neglected because of the outbreak. In
How history was made in the 2020 science Nobels. Video, 00:01:59How history was made in the 2020 science Nobels
‘I like to swim with my pet python’ Video, 00:00:49‘I like to swim with my pet python’
Oskars Mezhniyeks has spent eight years trying to stop the spread of giant hogweed, an invasive toxic weed, advancing on land surrounding his home in Latvia. The sap can cause severe blistering if it touches skin that’s exposed to the sun. But Oskars knows how to stop the perennial plant growing back.
For the first time, British and American jets are flying together, as they launch from the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carrier. It’s the final exercise for HMS Queen Elizabeth, before the carrier sets sail in early 2021 for its first operational deployment. The BBC’s defence correspondent, Jonathan Beale, was invited on board.
Video footage has captured the moment a river-side house crumbled into raging flood waters in the French commune of Saint-Martin-Vésubie. Fierce winds and torrential rain from Storm Alex have hit southern France and north-western Italy. Hundreds of aid workers have been sent to help villages cut off because of damaged roads and bridges.
At Whipsnade Zoo in Bedfordshire, Sizzle the male rhino has been introduced to his new “girlfriends” in the hope they will breed. But while they’re getting to know each other, 300 zoos in England have requested funding help from the government as the coronavirus pandemic threatens their conservation work, and potentially their future.
A hydrogen-powered train has travelled on Britain’s rail network for the first time. The prototype, called the Hydroflex, made a 25-mile round trip in Warwickshire, reaching speeds of up to 50 mph. Its next phase is to move the hydrogen tanks, fuel cell and battery out of a carriage and stash them underneath the train.
Two beluga whales have had their first swim in their open water sanctuary after being held captive in a park in China. The whales were moved to a sanctuary off the Westman Islands in Iceland back in August and have been acclimatising since then. They are thought to be the first two captive balugas to
The UK government says it is “absolutely committed” to tackling the global problem of biodiversity loss. Speaking after he signed a UN pledge, Boris Johnson said action “must be immediate” as if left the consequences would be “catastrophic” for all. Biodiversity refers to the variety of species found in an ecosystem – its loss means
BBC Breakfast’s Louise Minchin spoke to Sir David Attenborough ahead of his new documentary A Life on Our Planet which looks back at his 94 years exploring Planet Earth’s wildest places. Attenborough spoke on climate change, hit out at the Trump administration and weighed in on Extinction Rebellion. He also revealed what prompted him to
A UK veterinary charity, PDSA, has awarded an African giant pouched rat a gold medal for “life-saving devotion to duty.” Magawa has sniffed out 39 landmines and 28 unexploded munitions in Cambodia during his career. Trained by the Belgium-registered charity Apopo, so-called ‘HeroRATs have been taught to detect landmines and tuberculosis since the 1990s. Magawa
A man who has thought a lot about the maths behind stirring cups of tea has won one of the world’s most lucrative academic prizes. Professor Sir Martin Hairer from Imperial College in London won the 2021 Breakthrough Prize for Mathematics by applying complex maths to simple situations – like stirring a cup of tea.
Scientists are warning that, across Siberia, vast swathes of ground – normally frozen all year round – are thawing – with potentially devastating consequences for the climate. As it thaws, the earth is believed to be releasing huge amounts of greenhouse gases, accentuating the problem of global warming. BBC Moscow correspondent Steve Rosenberg has been