Environment reporter for New Scientist mag, covering all things climate change
Truly startling - across swathes of England and Wales, dozens weather stations recorded ZERO rainfall in July, for the first time in their history www.newscientist.com/article/2583...
Parts of the UK endure first ever month without any rain | New ScientistFor the first time since records began, there was no rain at all for parts of southern England and Wales in July, in a “truly exceptional” month of heat and sunshinewww.newscientist.comClimate scientists believe humans will launch risky schemes to block radiation from the sun in a desperate bid to cool global temperatures before the end of the century - read more in our @newscientist.com excl from myself & @jamesdinneen.bsky.social www.newscientist.com/article/2498...
Exclusive: Climate scientists expect attempts to dim the sun by 2100An exclusive New Scientist survey of leading scientists reveals widespread concern that schemes to tweak Earth’s atmosphere could launch within decades in a risky bid to cool the planetwww.newscientist.comFor those interested in this topic, @jamesdinneen.bsky.social wrote a great feature on the faltering land carbon sink this month for @newscientist.com www.newscientist.com/article/2497...
One of Earth’s most vital carbon sinks is faltering. Can we save it?For decades, forest, grasslands and other land ecosystems have collectively absorbed up to a third of the carbon dioxide we emit each year - but this climate buffer may be collapsing far sooner than a...www.newscientist.comMadeleine CuffThis is.... not good www.newscientist.com/article/2500... Particularly because scientists increasingly suspect that the planet is locked in a vicious feedback loop, where climate impacts like drought & marine heatwaves are dampening the planet's natural ability to take up carbon
This is.... not good www.newscientist.com/article/2500... Particularly because scientists increasingly suspect that the planet is locked in a vicious feedback loop, where climate impacts like drought & marine heatwaves are dampening the planet's natural ability to take up carbon
CO2 levels in Earth's atmosphere jumped by a record amount in 2024The global average concentration of CO2 surged by 3.5 parts per million to reach 423.9 ppm last year, fuelling worries that the planet’s ability to soak up excess carbon is weakeningwww.newscientist.comAstounding figs just out from UK gov: Audit reveals >90% (!!!) of solid wall insulation installed under gov-backed insulation schemes suffer from at least one "major technical non-compliance" - ie it won't work as promised & could leave residents w/ health & safety issues www.gov.uk/government/p...
Solid wall insulation installed under ECO4 and GBIS: Statistical audit resultswww.gov.ukThe demise of reefs: World has entered first global climate tipping point with coral reefs in crisis due to warming oceans www.newscientist.com/article/2499...
Coral reefs are at a tipping point after surging global temperaturesRecord-breaking ocean temperatures have caused widespread bleaching and death among warm-water corals, which could have far-reaching consequenceswww.newscientist.comCarbon capture technology has promised much, but delivered relatively little. But now it's finally being rolled out to cement plants, offering a decarbonisation route for one of the economy's dirtiest sectors www.newscientist.com/article/2497...
Could we have cracked one of the world's toughest climate problems?It is almost impossible to make cement without emissions, but carbon-capture-and-storage technology is finally being deployed to decarbonise the sectorwww.newscientist.comCutting air pollution has been good for public health, but it has unleashed a surge in climate warming... My latest feature for @newscientist.com explores how dirty air has been cooling the planet, and what happens when that cooling effect is ripped away www.newscientist.com/article/2494...
Is Earth’s climate in a state of 'termination shock'?Cleaning up air pollution has saved millions of lives, but it has also given us an inadvertent taste of a nightmare climate scenario. The race is on to understand how bad it could be – and how to swer...www.newscientist.comMuch less CO2 can be safely stored underground than we thought, scientists warn If we simply dump ongoing fossil fuel emissions underground, we may run out of space… www.newscientist.com/article/2494...
We may have 10 times less carbon storage capacity than we thoughtStoring carbon dioxide underground is seen as a way to mitigate climate change, but the world could run out of safe storage space within 200 years if we keep on burning fossil fuelswww.newscientist.comNothing to see here, just the planet edging ever closer to deadly hot & humid conditions www.newscientist.com/article/2492...
2024 saw a record-breaking number of dangerously humid daysAs the planet heats up, the atmosphere is holding more moisture – and this is resulting in more days with weather conditions close to the limits of survivabilitywww.newscientist.comWe already know that drought & rising temps are making wildfires more severe. Now researchers @exeter.ac.uk are investigating whether climate change is making trees themselves more flammable www.newscientist.com/article/2491...
Trees may be getting more flammable because of climate changeResearchers are testing whether increasing UV radiation is altering chemistry of tree leaves, increasing the likelihood and severity of wildfireswww.newscientist.com"We’ve all been there: the urge to defecate is strong, but the ability to do so isn’t. Despite much huffing and puffing, nothing is forthcoming. You rise defeated, if not deflated." just perfect @grahamlawton.bsky.social www.newscientist.com/article/2489...
Why constipation isn’t just painful, but can lead to serious diseaseIncreasing evidence suggests chronic constipation can be a causal factor in illnesses including cardiovascular disease and cognitive impairment. So what can you do to get moving again?www.newscientist.comAs Europe is engulfed in yet another fierce heatwave, this summer is starting to look an awful lot like this worst-case scenario... www.newscientist.com/article/2491...
Europe could face weeks of 40°C heat in current worst-case scenarioA perfect storm of conditions priming the atmosphere for extreme heat could result in devastating droughts and deadly temperatures lasting for weeks across Europewww.newscientist.comEurope's current climate could produce a 'mega heatwave', feat. more than a month of +40C temps & intense drought Extra scary fact: The worst-case heatwaves occur predominantly after another extreme heatwave. In other words, rolling waves of deadly heat www.newscientist.com/article/2491...
Europe could face weeks of 40°C heat in current worst-case scenarioA perfect storm of conditions priming the atmosphere for extreme heat could result in devastating droughts and deadly temperatures lasting for weeks across Europewww.newscientist.comGreat news www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...
Journalist missing in Norwegian wilderness found in good healthAlec Luhn set out on trek in Folgefonna national park last week and was reported missing on Mondaywww.theguardian.comNew ScientistClimate journalist and New Scientist contributor Alec Luhn has gone missing on a Norwegian glacier. His family is asking that anyone hiking in the region share any information with local authorities. www.cbsnews.com/chicago/news...
Really hoping Alec is found safe - please share
David HoI’m sharing this hoping that someone hiking the same route in Norway might see this. Let’s find @alecluhn.bsky.social!
