Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Have scientists finally found a way to save the banana from disaster?

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 13:00:05 +0000

With the climate crisis and diseases threatening one of the world’s most popular fruits, researchers are hoping a breakthrough in breeding techniques could give the Cavendish banana a certain future

Arizona storms topple trees and bring golf ball-sized hail in possible tornado

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:28:21 +0000

Violent storms overnight knocked over utility poles and carried thunder and heavy winds through central Arizona

Trees fell on to homes and utility poles were knocked down by a possible tornado in a central Arizona community during a series of violent storms that moved through the state overnight into Thursday.

Storms capable of causing hail and wind damage were traveling through central Arizona early on Thursday, with some flood watches and the possibility of tornadoes, the National Weather Service said.

Chiricahua monument in Arizona is now the 64th US national park

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:08:40 +0000

New designation of the Land of Standing-Up Rocks, known for its historic rock spires, passed with bipartisan support

An area of towering rock spires in south-eastern Arizona known among Native Americans as the Land of Standing-Up Rocks has become the nation’s newest national park.

Almost every shallow-water coral reef on the planet faces ecosystem collapse by 2075, UN advisors say

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:45 +0000

Assessment finds global heating is endangering 96% of coral reefs across 80 countries – a figure scientists say should serve as a ‘wake-up call’

Marine life in Gulf of Mexico has still not fully recovered from 2010 BP oil spill

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 12:00:44 +0000

New study reveals dramatic population drops in fish, cephalopods and more after the Deepwater Horizon spill

Marine life in the Gulf of Mexico plummeted by about 60% after BP’s 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill and has still not fully recovered, according to a new study.

Big pharma accused of ‘free-riding on nature’ as global fund attracts just $7,000

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 09:00:59 +0000

The Cali Fund, set up to raise $1bn a year for biodiversity from drug companies, remains near empty

Big pharmaceutical companies have been accused of “free-riding on nature”, after a landmark biodiversity fund that invites businesses to put some of their profits back into conservation was left virtually empty.

Whale carcass closes Maroubra and Coogee beaches in Sydney – video

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 05:38:31 +0000

Video released by Randwick city council shows a whale carcass floating in the water in a Sydney bay, causing the closure of two busy beaches. The whale's decomposed body was found on Thursday morning at Lurline Bay, a rocky cove surrounded by cliffs in Sydney’s eastern suburbs. It’s believed to be a juvenile humpback

‘Almost looks fake’: two Sydney beaches closed after whale carcass washes up

Strongmen like Trump would destroy the planet out of pure spite – and Brazil shows we’re all in peril | George Monbiot

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 05:00:07 +0000

If Flávio Bolsonaro is elected, Brazil’s ecosystems will face collapse. The ruling class would rather burn the world than share it with the poor

However grim the trajectory might seem, I’ve always believed that sense will ultimately prevail. As the great perils of dismantling the living world become increasingly obvious, even the most rapacious exploiters must come round. Nobody wants to live on a dead planet, do they?

‘Almost looks fake’: two Sydney beaches closed after whale carcass washes up

admin — Thu, 22 Oct 2026 01:31:15 +0000

Swimming banned at Maroubra and Coogee while council prioritises ‘culturally respectful’ approach to remains

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A whale carcass has forced the closure of two busy swimming and surfing spots after washing up between Coogee and Maroubra beaches in Sydney – but there are no plans to remove it.

Officials confirm flesh-eating New World screwworm parasite found in US wildlife

admin — Wed, 21 Oct 2026 23:36:31 +0000

USDA says screwworm found in elk in Texas, and warns hunters and ranchers to be vigilant to help stop spread

The US Department of Agriculture (USDA) said on Wednesday it had ⁠confirmed the ⁠first detection of flesh-eating parasite the New World screwworm in US wildlife in an ⁠elk in Pecos county, Texas.

The elk was located on a game ⁠ranch and was reported after being harvested by a hunter, the ‌USDA said ‌in a statement.