Science & Earth

The High Seas Treaty, the first legally binding agreement to protect marine life in international waters, entered into force after reaching the required ratifications. It creates a framework for Marine Protected Areas and requires environmental assessments and sharing of certain research.

The High Seas Treaty, the first legally binding agreement to protect marine life in international waters, entered into force after it reached the required ratifications; 83 countries have ratified and a first Conference of Parties is expected within a year.

WXCharts maps for 26 January indicate snow across 45 UK counties, with heaviest falls in northern England and southern Scotland. The Met Office said Atlantic systems and eastern high pressure are both influencing conditions.

The study reports that 55–58% of biodiversity hotspots in the western United States overlap predicted low-severity burn areas described as refugia, while 24–30% overlap predicted high-severity burn areas described as areas of concern.

High-definition footage claimed by American conservationist Paul Rosalie shows spear-armed hunters from an uncontacted Amazon group approaching Western explorers; Rosalie withheld the location and said the group lacks immunity to common diseases. A Survival International report warns rising incursions by influencers and extractive industries threaten many of the roughly 196 uncontacted Indigenous groups worldwide.

Heavy rain and flooding have killed more than 100 people across Mozambique, Zimbabwe and South Africa, with Mozambique reporting over 200,000 people affected and authorities warning of further severe weather and alerts.

Scientists published the most detailed map yet of Antarctica’s subglacial landscape using high-resolution satellite data and an ice‑flow perturbation method, and identified more than 30,000 previously uncharted hills.

Organisers unveiled the 2027 Tour de France Grand Départ routes, including stages from Edinburgh to Carlisle, Keswick to Liverpool and Welshpool to Cardiff, while the women's race will run across the Pennines. Director Christian Prudhomme said the event will focus on creating a lasting legacy, with particular emphasis on children and encouraging more walking, running and cycling.

Two new grey food waste bins are being delivered across Bedford ahead of weekly collections starting on 30 March; the council says collected food waste will be processed into renewable energy and fertiliser.

The article reports cold, damp weather in the UK is causing window condensation that can lead to mould, and it says a 65p item can help prevent fog and mould on windows.

Four Crew-11 members undocked from the International Space Station and are returning to Earth after a medical issue prompted an early end to their mission; NASA says the affected crewmember is in stable condition and the SpaceX Dragon capsule is scheduled to splash down off California at about 0840 GMT on Thursday.

A secret report identifies an accumulation of fats, oils and grease in an inaccessible chamber of the Malabar deepwater outfall as the likely origin of debris balls that washed up on Sydney beaches in late 2024 and early 2025.

Water supplies have been restored to the majority of homes in Kent and Sussex after outages linked to Storm Goretti, though around 320 properties remain affected and bottled water sites are open; Ofwat has launched an investigation into South East Water's response.

Some studies have reported microplastics in human tissues and possible links to health, while analytical chemists have raised methodological concerns about contamination and misidentification; researchers are calling for interlaboratory studies and international, multidisciplinary collaboration to improve methods and reduce uncertainty.

A Cold War–era nuclear bunker on Tunstall beach in East Yorkshire is now sitting at the cliff edge and is reported to be only days away from falling into the sea; East Riding Council has warned people to keep away and says the structure is on private land with no active intervention.

The article lists nine cruise options that connect travellers with natural and cultural highlights, from transatlantic crossings and Galapagos expeditions to world voyages, Amazon and Mekong river trips, northern lights sailings, Alaskan glacier routes, Antarctic voyages and Nile cruises.

A new study of 17 tyrannosaur specimens used imaging and an algorithm to count hidden growth rings and found Tyrannosaurus rex reached full size over roughly 40 years, extending previous estimates of about 25 years.

GRU Space has released plans for a lunar hotel covered in bricks made from processed lunar soil, and the company aims to place an initial inflatable module on the Moon (V1) by 2032.

Authorities say thousands of small debris balls likely linked to the Malabar outfall prompted New South Wales to announce a $3 billion, 10-year upgrade of Sydney's sewage network, with initial works planned at Glenfield and Liverpool.

Researchers at the University of Tours found that horses exposed to sweat from fearful humans showed higher heart rates and more hesitant, startled behaviour than when exposed to neutral or happy scents.

Researchers combined Ice Flow Perturbation Analysis with satellite data to produce the most detailed continental map yet of Antarctica's bed, revealing thousands of subglacial hills, valleys, mountain ranges and deep canyons.

Researchers excavated seven mummified cheetahs and the bones of 54 others in caves near Arar, Saudi Arabia; the remains date from about 130 to over 1,800 years old.

Over 400,000 hectares have burned across multiple regions of Victoria, and the state's heavily cleared landscape limits available habitat for displaced native species.

England, Scotland and Wales will host the opening stages (Grand Départs) of both the men's Tour de France and the Tour de France Femmes in 2027, with the men's Grand Départ starting in Edinburgh on July 2 and the women's in Leeds on July 30.

Four astronauts splashed down near San Diego after an early departure from the ISS that NASA said was ordered because of a 'serious' medical condition, and all were taken to hospital for observation.

Researchers from Tokyo City University and the University of Tokyo, with engineers from RIKEN and Canon Medical Systems, have created a living skin implant that tracks proteins linked to inflammation, stress or disease and lights up when abnormalities are detected; the device was trialled on mice and remained functional for over 200 days.

NASA and the Department of Energy signed a memorandum to develop a small nuclear fission reactor for the lunar surface with a target deployment by 2030, and officials say the reactor would provide continuous power for Artemis and future Mars missions.

Clinicians have reported psychotic symptoms that are shaped or reinforced by interactions with generative AI, while researchers say there is no evidence AI causes psychosis outright. Experts note genAI’s conversational and personalized responses can feel validating and may intensify distorted beliefs in vulnerable people.

Archaeologists found the well-preserved remains of a 600-year-old cog, named Svælget 2, in the Sound off Denmark; it measures about 28m by 9m and is reported to be the largest cog yet found, with surviving rigging, a stern castle and a brick galley.

Trail cameras in West Bengal recorded a group of 10 Indian wolves, and researchers say the animals are persisting in human‑modified grasslands while facing habitat loss, conflict with people and competition from other carnivores.