Breaking Waves: Ocean News https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-waves/index.php en Wildfires close Mount Vesuvius trails while fierce blazes continue in France https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/wildfires-close-mount-vesuvius-trails-while-fierce-blazes-continue-france <p>French officials says heatwave in southern Europe complicates efforts to contain biggest wildfire since 1949</p> <p>Tourist trails have been closed on Mount Vesuvius in southern Italy as firefighters tackle a huge blaze on the volcano’s slopes, while officials warned of another “challenging day” for those working to contain <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/aug/06/france-largest-wildfire-this-year-corbieres-hills">France’s biggest wildfire</a> since 1949.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/wildfires-close-mount-vesuvius-trails-while-fierce-blazes-continue-france" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sun, 10 Aug 2025 12:56:56 +0000 admin 100899 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Climate change is killing fireflies – threatening a US summer ritual https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/climate-change-killing-fireflies-threatening-us-summer-ritual <p>Scientists say lightning bugs are having a revival this year – but they’re concerned about the insects’ long-term viability</p> <p>Max Vogel, a 29-year-old public defense attorney, was picnicking with friends in early August at Prospect Park in Brooklyn, New York, when he noticed flashes of light appear in the air around him.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/climate-change-killing-fireflies-threatening-us-summer-ritual" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sun, 10 Aug 2025 12:00:24 +0000 admin 100898 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org A huge stick insect has been discovered in Australia. Here’s why that’s important | Gwen Pearson https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/huge-stick-insect-has-been-discovered-australia-here-s-why-s-important-gwen-pearson <p>Yes, they can be hard to spot – but this find highlights how little we know about creatures crucial to our ecosystem</p> <ul> <li> <p>Gwen Pearson is adjunct professor at Michigan State University Department of Entomology</p> </li> </ul> <p>Scientists recently announced they had found an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/jul/31/big-stick-insect-acrophylla-alta-found-north-queensland-trees">enormous new stick insect</a> in Australia. At 41cm in length and weighing 44g, the main question I heard was: “Why didn’t scientists notice something that big before now?”</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/huge-stick-insect-has-been-discovered-australia-here-s-why-s-important-gwen-pearson" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sun, 10 Aug 2025 09:00:19 +0000 admin 100897 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org ‘Erasure of years of work’: outcry as White House moves to open Arctic reserve to oil and gas drilling https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/erasure-years-work-outcry-white-house-moves-open-arctic-reserve-oil-and-gas-drilling <p>US Bureau of Land management is working to rapidly strip protections to largest tract of land in the US</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/erasure-years-work-outcry-white-house-moves-open-arctic-reserve-oil-and-gas-drilling" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 09 Aug 2025 12:00:07 +0000 admin 100895 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Radioactive water from UK nuclear bomb base leaked into sea, files show https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/radioactive-water-uk-nuclear-bomb-base-leaked-sea-files-show <p>Exclusive: Polluted water was released into loch near Glasgow because Royal Navy failed to maintain 1,500 water pipes, says watchdog</p> <p>Radioactive water from the base that holds the UK’s nuclear bombs was allowed to leak into the sea after old pipes repeatedly burst, official files have revealed.</p> <p>The radioactive material was released into Loch Long, a sea loch near Glasgow in western Scotland, because the Royal Navy failed to properly maintain a network of 1,500 water pipes on the base, a regulator found.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/radioactive-water-uk-nuclear-bomb-base-leaked-sea-files-show" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 09 Aug 2025 11:00:52 +0000 admin 100896 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org OpenAI will not disclose GPT-5’s energy use. It could be higher than past models https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/openai-will-not-disclose-gpt-5-s-energy-use-it-could-be-higher-past-models <p>Experts working to benchmark resource use of AI models say new version’s enhanced capabilities come at a steep cost</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/openai-will-not-disclose-gpt-5-s-energy-use-it-could-be-higher-past-models" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 09 Aug 2025 10:00:05 +0000 admin 100894 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Human connection to nature has declined 60% in 200 years, study finds https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/human-connection-nature-has-declined-60-200-years-study-finds <p>Prof Miles Richardson says people risk ‘extinction of experience’ in the natural world without new policies</p> <p>People’s <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/jun/23/britain-ranks-bottom-in-europe-for-nature-connectiveness">connection to nature</a> has declined by more than 60% since 1800, almost exactly mirroring the disappearance of nature words such as river, moss and blossom from books, according to a study.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/human-connection-nature-has-declined-60-200-years-study-finds" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Sat, 09 Aug 2025 08:00:01 +0000 admin 100893 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Brazil’s president signs environmental ‘devastation bill’ but vetoes key articles https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/brazil-s-president-signs-environmental-devastation-bill-vetoes-key-articles <p>Campaigners had urged Lula to veto the bill entirely, but many have welcomed his alterations</p> <p>Brazil’s president, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, has signed into law a controversial bill that scientists and environmentalists had dubbed the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2025/jul/17/brazil-passes-devastation-bill-that-drastically-weakens-environmental-law">“devastation bill”</a>, but vetoed key articles that would have in effect dismantled the country’s environmental licensing system.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/brazil-s-president-signs-environmental-devastation-bill-vetoes-key-articles" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 08 Aug 2025 19:54:38 +0000 admin 100892 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Eight bat researchers mostly from Asia and Africa refused entry into Australia to attend global scientific event https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/eight-bat-researchers-mostly-asia-and-africa-refused-entry-australia-attend-global-sci <p>Organisers say move will damage nation’s scientific standing as government refuses to comment on why group of scientists were refused entry</p> <ul> <li> <p>Get our <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/email-newsletters?CMP=cvau_sfl">breaking news email</a>, <a href="https://app.adjust.com/w4u7jx3">free app</a> or <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/series/full-story?CMP=cvau_sfl">daily news podcast</a></p> </li></ul><p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/eight-bat-researchers-mostly-asia-and-africa-refused-entry-australia-attend-global-sci" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 08 Aug 2025 15:00:29 +0000 admin 100891 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org Asian hornet’s unique buzz may hold secret to containing invasive species https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/asian-hornet-s-unique-buzz-may-hold-secret-containing-invasive-species <p>Researchers say distinct frequency is ‘great news’ as it will allow their nests to be located with greater ease</p> <p>Asian hornets buzz at a unique frequency that could be the key to controlling their spread, scientists have found, as the invasive species experiences a record year in the UK.</p> <p><a href="https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org/breaking-wave/asian-hornet-s-unique-buzz-may-hold-secret-containing-invasive-species" target="_blank">read more</a></p> Fri, 08 Aug 2025 12:19:34 +0000 admin 100889 at https://www.worldoceanobservatory.org