Watch – Warming ocean floor threat to creatures living in the seas around Antarctica

Four out of five marine species living in the oceans around Antarctica are expected to decline in number as the seafloor warms over the next century. A British Antarctic Survey (BAS) team examined the potential distribution of more than 900 species of Southern Ocean shelf-dwelling marine invertebrates under a warming scenario produced by computer models. The researchers concluded that, while some species in some areas will benefit, four out of five of the species native to the region (79 per...

Coastal communities among the most deprived in UK, report finds

The picturesque seaside resorts many of us visit are not what they seem to be. Behind the sunshine (and showers) is a worrying level of deprivation. The Social Market Foundation has found that the coastal communities of the UK are among the worst off for employment, health, education and earnings. Behind the sandcastles and picture postcard vistas average wages are £3,600 a year behind the national average. The Think Tank found that five of the 10 local authorities in the...

Grazing reindeer ‘could protect plant diversity despite global warming’ 

Grazing reindeer help increase plant diversity in Arctic regions despite climate change, according to new research. Swedish scientists have found global warming actually reduces the number of plant species in the tundra. But plant-eating animals, such as reindeer and voles, can help plant diversity in the long run. The researchers believe animals could help protect diversity by preventing losses of small and slowly-growing species. Doctor Elina Kaarlejärvi, of Umeå University in Sweden, said: “By eating tall and wide-leaved plants, reindeer...

Petition to ban ‘cruel’ donkey rides gains more than 110,000 signatures

A petition to ban 'cruel' donkey rides from a traditional English seaside resort has gained more than 110,000 signatures in just six days. Supporters say the animals endure unnecessary suffering as they are forced to walk up and down seafronts carrying children in hot weather with no rest. The petition was set up by a woman known on as 'Kirsty D' who visited Clevedon, Somerset, on a hot day. It calls on the local council to ban the rides on...

Warming global temperatures could see an explosion of life in the Antarctic Ocean

Warming global temperatures could see an explosion of life in the Antarctic Ocean. Increases of just 1°C or 2°C, which are predicted over the next century, could lead to rapid increases in the populations of some species at the expense of others. Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey and the US's Smithsonian Environmental Centre made the discovery after warming an area of the seabed around their research facility. The findings reported in the Current Biology journal showed the effects of...

Media focus on Texas as floods kill 1,200 people in Bangladesh, India and Nepal

This week media across the world has focused its cameras on devastating floods in Texas while natural disasters in Bangladesh, India and Nepal have gone unreported. At least 1,200 people have been killed and millions have been left homeless following devastating floods that have hit South Asia in one of the worst flooding disasters to have affected the region in years. International aid agencies said thousands of villages have been cut off by flooding with people being deprived of food and...

Watch – Hero litter picker collects 42 tonnes of rubbish to keep Britain tidy

A litter picker who is walking across the UK on a five-year mission to Keep Britain Tidy has collected around 42 TONNES of rubbish - in 6,000 BAGS. Wayne Dixon's remarkable quest has taken him through outlying parts of Scotland and along the coast of Wales with his dog. The 45-year-old has clocked over 2,000 miles - walking between counties carrying a 60lb kit bag and living off £50 a week, He carries a tent, sleeping bag, waterproofs, a stove...

Renewable energy could entirely power 139 industrialised countries by 2050

Renewable energy could entirely power 139 of the world's industrialised countries by 2050 - including Britain, according to new research. By using 100 per cent wind, water and solar energy, 24 million jobs could be created and many deaths from air pollution prevented, the scientists claim. The plans for a 100 per cent renewable energy future, by scientists at Stanford University in the United States, outline the infrastructure changes needed. They said the transition could mean less global energy consumption...

Northern de-lights – Rare pic of Aurora & Milky way in one image

These rare photographs show the Northern Lights and the Milky Way in one awe-inspiring frame. In one star-filled image, you can see the billions of stars that make up the galaxy, along side the purple and green hues known around the world as the Aurora. Photographer Maciej Winiarczyk, 44, watched the fascinating display from his window. He said: "On that particular night, I went out and I thought, 'I hope to catch Aurora.' "The spot is five minutes drive from...

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