Science

Wastewater treatment plants release microplastics into the environment, where they accumulate and pose a threat to wildlife. But by studying the way a manta ray feeds on plankton, scientists in the US have designed a filtration system that captures the tiny fragments without getting clogged. Voice: Patrick Aryee Digital producers: Christopher Brooks and Jennifer Green

Glaciers are regarded as a key indicator of climate change. Scientists warn that under the current melting rate, even major glaciers are at risk of disappearing. This, in turn, will lead to catastrophic consequences, they say. The BBC’s Abdujalil Abdurasulov joined an expedition that monitors glaciers in Kyrgyzstan to see the effects a warmer world

Scientists at London’s Natural History Museum have described a new fossil ankylosaur. That’s one of the armoured dinosaurs whose body was covered in imposing spikes. Some even had a club on the end of the tail to strike opponents. The new specimen represents the oldest ankylosaur ever discovered and the first to come out of

Australia is one of the countries already seeing an increase in the number of extremely hot days because of climate change, with places like Sydney experiencing temperatures around 50C. The intense heat has led to unusually strong bushfires and some indigenous species dying en masse. As the BBC’s Life at 50 degrees season continues, this

People living near a disused quarry in Carmarthenshire are campaigning to stop the development of a recycling facility at the site. They say Cilyrychen quarry, near Llandybie, has become home to a number of protected species after 20 years of disuse. The company behind the plans, TRJ Ltd, said it is mindful of the objections.

With 2021 set to be one of the hottest years recorded on earth, some big cities are struggling with rising temperatures. This can cause respiratory problems, exhaustion and heat strokes. But in Pakistan, whilst some struggle with air conditioning, one man is trying to find a solution by planting urban forests. Farhat Javed reports from

Joy and her family are among two million Nigerians living within 4km of a gas flare in Nigeria’s oil-rich south. Climate change has had a devastating impact on Nigeria. Fertile lands are turning into deserts in the north, while flash floods have become more common in the south. The country’s oil industry is making things

A megapod of more than 100 humpback whales has been filmed feeding off the New South Wales coast of Australia. Speaking to the BBC, Dr Jen Jackson, from the British Antarctic Survey, welcomed increasing numbers of whales in the area saying “these signs of recovery are just so special”. It is part of their annual

Campaigner Greta Thunberg has spoken to BBC Scotland ahead of the COP26 climate change summit, which is due to be held in Glasgow in November. In a wide ranging interview, Ms Thunberg said she is “not 100% sure” that she will attend the talks and that her decision will be based on whether the event

A community in northern Kenya has found a sustainable way to feed orphaned baby elephants – using goats’ milk. The community run Reteti sanctuary says it introduced the milk because it’s less costly than the powdered baby formula it had been using and because it appears to be more nutritious. As a result, the Samburu

Experts say rapid innovative solutions are needed to end our dependency on fossil fuels. Could a new project in the Swiss Alps provide an answer? Switzerland is committed to being climate neutral by 2050 and there are already plans to recreate the floating solar farm across the country and abroad. Video produced by Daniel South,

Untreated sewage leads to poor sanitation and disease around the world. Its effects are felt strongly in India, and Bangalore resident Tharun Kumar turned to cows for a solution. With help from the Biomimicry Institute, he has designed and built 50 sustainable sewage plants that work in a similar way to a cow’s stomach. The

In 2005 Professor Mike Brown and his team discovered a new dwarf planet at the edge of our solar system. Eris, as it is now known, was more massive than Pluto and left astronomers with a dilemma: whether to add it and other larger bodies, to the list of planets or to strip Pluto of

The slate landscape of north-west Wales has become Unesco’s latest World Heritage Site. On Wednesday it was made the UK’s 32nd site on the prestigious list after the World Heritage Committee approved the bid. In making the cut, it joins the likes of Egypt’s Pyramids, India’s Taj Mahal and the Grand Canyon. Wales’ bid leader

Tiny harvest mice are being exported from East Kilbride to Ealing to help with a rewilding project. The mice, which are an endangered species, tend to favour warmer and drier conditions than they would encounter normally in the wild in Scotland. It is hoped the creatures from Calderglen Zoo in South Lanarkshire will thrive in

Lion populations have declined across much of Africa. Could a focus on community-led conservation help reverse this trend? One of the women leading this approach is biologist Dr Moreangels Mbizah. She explains the benefit of having local people at the forefront of the conservation effort. Video by Jennifer Green. Listen to the Tooth and Claw