Science & Earth

The Met Office has issued an amber 'danger to life' warning as Storm Goretti brings gusts of around 80–90 mph to parts of South West England, with snowfall and likely disruption to travel and power supplies.

Researchers report a starless, gas-rich dark matter cloud called Cloud-9 about 14 million light-years away; Hubble observations show it contains no stars. The object matches a predicted class called Reionization-Limited H I Clouds (RELHICs) and may illustrate a halo that failed to form a galaxy.

Veterinary presenter Dr Katrina Warren says certain small or short‑coated breeds — including dachshunds, greyhounds, whippets, Italian greyhounds, chihuahuas and Chinese crested dogs — often benefit from jackets, while thick‑coated breeds such as huskies generally do not unless conditions are extremely cold.

The Met Office has issued 30-hour ice and snow warnings covering 144 areas as an Arctic air mass brings widespread icy patches and snow into Wednesday.

Some Indian farmers have begun selling dried butterfly pea flowers for tea and natural dye and report new income, while regulatory views differ: the US approved it in 2021 and the EU/UK treat it as a novel food after EFSA raised concerns in 2022.

More than 350,000 passengers have had flights cancelled at Amsterdam Schiphol during a sixth day of disruption, and KLM warned de-icing fluid stocks are under pressure. UK rail and roads are also affected, with some services suspended and the Met Office warning further snow and a deep area of low pressure from Thursday night.

Archaeologists in Norfolk found a bronze Iron Age carnyx, the third recorded in Britain; the hoard is under conservation and a coroner will decide its legal status under the Treasure Act.

A New South Wales surfer attacked by a great white in July 2024 survived but lost a leg, and a friend has organised Community SBK shark-bite kits to be installed at local beaches, funded by donations and attracting wider interest.

The Met Office warns Storm Goretti could drop up to 20cm of snow in the Midlands, and temperatures fell to around -12.5C in Marham, Norfolk.

Amber warnings are in force for parts of northern Scotland with a risk of heavy snow and blizzard conditions, while yellow warnings cover much of England, Wales and Northern Ireland; temperatures fell to around −9.3°C overnight.

An AccuWeather assessment found U.S. tornado hot spots shifted across the South and Midwest in 2025, with 1,558 reported tornadoes and 68 fatalities.

Cuba declared two days of national mourning after reporting 32 military personnel killed during the US operation that captured Venezuela's president. State media published names and headshots but officials did not detail the precise circumstances of the deaths.

The Met Office has active snow and ice warnings and temperatures are expected to fall to around −12°C in places, while weather models show a rare band of freezing rain could affect parts of northern England and southern Scotland this weekend.

Dogs Trust has issued a 'cold snap' warning as the Met Office forecast snow and ice, advising owners to keep dogs away from frozen lakes and ponds. The charity said ice can fail to support a dog's weight and warned people not to enter cold water after a pet.

The southern sky in 2026 will feature a total lunar eclipse on 3 March and a supermoon on 24 December.

Researchers analysed 2,724 long-term forest plots across Australia (1941–2023) and report a widespread increase in tree mortality; they note that carbon accounting models and a decline in long-term monitoring may misrepresent forest carbon dynamics.

Keepers at London Zoo have started the annual stocktake as the Zoological Society of London marks its 200th year, counting more than 8,000 animals and logging each creature for licensing and conservation records.

Stormont Finance Minister John O'Dowd published a draft multi-year Budget proposing allocations for 2026–2029/30, including about £26 billion for health and nearly £10 billion for education.

At COP30 in Belém, over 80 countries supported creating a formal road map to transition away from fossil fuels but oil- and gas-producing countries blocked that language from the final agreement; COP31 in late 2026 is set to revisit progress and report back.

Report states roughly 30–50% of coral reefs were lost in the last decade and warns that an El Niño expected in 2026 could push warm-water corals past a global tipping point.

The Met Office and Meteo France have issued snow and wind warnings, including a 'danger to life' wind alert, as Storm Goretti is forecast to bring up to 20 cm of snow in some locations.

A rewilding partnership is consulting the public on proposals to reintroduce lynx to northern Scotland; the Scottish government says it does not intend to reintroduce lynx or other large carnivores in the foreseeable future.

The Hubble Space Telescope team has identified Cloud‑9, a starless, hydrogen‑rich dark matter cloud near the spiral galaxy Messier 94. Researchers describe it as a Reionisation‑Limited H I Cloud (RELHIC) and report the finding in The Astrophysical Journal Letters.

The RSPCA warns that antifreeze (ethylene glycol) is a common winter poison for dogs that can cause kidney failure, and it reports that prompt veterinary treatment can increase a poisoned dog's chance of survival.

The RSPB says damp food on flat bird tables can increase disease spread and is urging people to avoid using them during current wintry conditions; it notes it stopped selling flat tables in early 2025 and highlights alternatives such as hanging feeders and regular cleaning.

NOAA reported 15 new North Atlantic right whale calves this season and estimates the population at about 384, a rise of more than 7% since 2020.

Bright Minds will host a conference call and webcast Tuesday at 8:00 AM ET to announce topline results from its Phase 2 trial of BMB-101 in drug-resistant absence seizures and developmental and epileptic encephalopathy.

A national analysis using the World Bank Ethiopia Socio‑Economic Survey (2021–22) finds divergent solar adoption patterns: rural uptake is linked to older, male household heads and limited grid access, while urban uptake is more common among younger, better‑resourced residents; spatial spillovers are minimal.

Royal Lifesaving Australia reports 31 drowning deaths from 1 December 2025 to 5 January 2026, with several recent incidents reported in New South Wales and other states.

Photographs show wintry scenes across the UK with up to 10cm of snow in places. The Met Office has warned of further snow and cold conditions and said weather warnings remain in force.