Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Science journal retracts study on safety of Monsanto’s Roundup: ‘serious ethical concerns’

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 16:42:17 +0000

Paper published in 2000 found glyphosate was not harmful, while internal emails later revealed company’s influence

Just not that into ewes: ‘gay sheep’ escape slaughter and take over a New York catwalk

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 15:00:26 +0000

Designer Michael Schmidt’s 36-piece collection was made from the wool of rams who have shown same-sex attraction

When a ram tips its head back, curls its upper lip, and takes a deep breath – what is known in the world of animal husbandry as a “flehmen response” – it is often a sign of arousal. Sheep have a small sensory organ located above the roof of the mouth, and the flehmen response helps to flood it with any sex pheromones wafting about.

South Australian bus ads misled public by claiming gas is ‘clean and green’, regulator finds

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:00:27 +0000

Ads to be removed from Adelaide Metro buses after advertising regulator rules they breach its environmental claims code

South Australia’s transport department misled the public by running ads on buses claiming “natural gas” was “clean and green”, the advertising regulator has found.

Streets named after birds in Britain on rise as species’ populations plummet

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 14:00:26 +0000

RSPB says growing trend for honouring species that are in decline is not matched by action on conservation

Britain’s street names are being inspired by skylarks, lapwings and starlings, even as bird populations decline.

According to a report by the RSPB, names such as Skylark Lane and Swift Avenue are increasingly common. Using OS Open Names data from 2004 to 2024, the conservation charity found that road names featuring bird species had risen by 350% for skylarks, 156% for starlings and 104% for lapwings, despite populations of these having fallen in the wild.

California pesticide agency could loosen restrictions on most toxic rat poisons

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 13:00:23 +0000

The anti-coagulant rodenticides also unintentionally harm wildlife across the state, including endangered species

The administration of Gavin Newsom, the California governor, is moving to loosen restrictions around the most toxic rat poisons, even as a new state report shows the rodenticides are unintentionally poisoning wildlife across the state, including endangered species.

Nature recovery plan in England hit by clause allowing contracts to end with a year’s notice

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 11:51:52 +0000

Conservationists say changes, coupled with underfunding, will curb take-up and leave less land protected for nature

UK politics live – latest updates

An ambitious scheme to restore England’s nature over coming decades has been undermined after the government inserted a clause allowing it to terminate contracts with only a year’s notice, conservationists have said.

Week in wildlife: a studious deer and a partying raccoon

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 08:00:43 +0000

This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world

Over a pint in Oxford, we may have stumbled upon the holy grail of agriculture | George Monbiot

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 06:00:42 +0000

I knew that a revolution in our understanding of soil could change the world. Then came a eureka moment – and the birth of the Earth Rover Program

Report: Experts say seismic waves can check soil health and boost yields

‘We can tell farmers the problems’: experts say seismic waves can check soil health and boost yields

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 06:00:41 +0000

‘Soilsmology’ aims to map world’s soils and help avert famine, says not-for-profit co-founded by George Monbiot

George Monbiot: Over a pint in Oxford, we may well have stumbled upon the holy grail of agriculture

A groundbreaking soil-health measuring technique could help avert famine and drought, scientists have said.

60,000 African penguins starved to death after sardine numbers collapsed – study

admin — Fri, 05 Dec 2025 06:00:39 +0000

Climate crisis and overfishing contributed to loss of 95% of penguins in two breeding colonies in South Africa, research finds

More than 60,000 penguins in colonies off the coast of South Africa have starved to death as a result of disappearing sardines, a new paper has found.