For five years, a scientific expedition tried reaching Pine Island Glacier ice shelf in a remote, wind-ridden corner of Antarctica. The obstacles to get to the ice shelf were extreme, but the science goal was simple: to measure how fast the sea was melting the 37-mile long ice tongue from underneath by drilling through the ice shelf.
Climate change, urban renewal, typhoons, land redistribution: enjoy this selection of material brought to you courtesy of the Rondebosch Boys' High School Library (If you would like to receive a weekly newsletter of the latest items in this Scoop just mail me at library@rondebosch.com)
The natural weather pattern, which develops in the Pacific Ocean, is bringing extreme weather to many parts of the world. There's no clear evidence that climate change has affected El Niño events.
We heard from our BBC reporters across the globe about how it's already unfolding in their area.
Islamabad and Rawalpindi are seeing heavy monsoon rains and flooding, yet many residents still struggle to get water at home. With public supply falling short, households are turning to costly private tankers. So why can’t the cities store enough rainwater to meet growing demand?
Nearly five million people have been affected by severe flooding in India's Bihar state, with submerged roads forcing residents to travel by boat and authorities launching relief operations.
The UK is set for wetter and warmer-than-normal weather this autumn, driven by a strengthening El Niño, according to the latest forecasts from the Met Office. The climate phenomenon - forecast to be the strongest in living memory - will influence a change to stormier conditions later this season. BBC lead weather presenter Simon King answers all the biggest questions you might have.
European leaders are gathering in Finland's Arctic north amid growing concerns over security, resources and great-power competition. With Donald Trump again eyeing Greenland and Russia flexing its muscle in the region, is Europe finally waking up to the strategic importance of the Arctic? We ask Marisol Maddox of Dartmouth College's Institute of Arctic Studies.
Kyrgyzstan's 10,000 glaciers, known as central Asia's "water tower," are retreating rapidly, with some losing up to 16 metres annually. The country has recorded nearly 1,000 flood and mudflow emergencies since 2015, while 368 glacial lakes are now considered at risk of dangerous outburst floods. Scientists warn that mining, infrastructure expansion and global warming are accelerating the crisis, threatening water supplies for farming, hydropower and downstream nations including Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan.t
Just 10% more gravity doesn’t sound too bad. Until satellites fall from the sky, bridges collapse, planes struggle to fly and earthquakes shake the planet. On the bright side: more diamonds!
What do iron deposits, fossils, and radioactive meteorites have in common? They’re all keeping records of our geologic history, the unimaginably long period of time that our Earth has been swinging around the sun. In this episode, we’ll look back into geologic time, discovering what we know, how we know it, and what it all means.
It's been two weeks since floods swept through communities in the Himalayas. When a section of Langtang Lirung mountain and the glacier above it collapsed, millions of cubic metres of rock and ice fell more than a kilometre to the valley below. The impact registered as a magnitude 5.2 earthquake. The mass of debris travelled more than 14 kilometres in seven minutes towards the China-Nepal border crossing, which was obliterated. The surge of melting ice, rock and sediment then plunged down the Trishuli valley, gathering more water and gouging chunks out of the riverbank. Workers on site filmed its approach before fleeing, but hundreds of others were buried. The avalanche swept away bridges, buildings and entire villages, carrying boulders bigger than cars. Within an hour, it had left a trail of devastation stretching more than 50 kilometres, while flooding continued south for more than 100 kilometres.
Seville, one of Spain’s hottest cities, is battling extreme temperatures with smart measures for workers and seniors. The city must transform its urban planning to cope with a warming climate.
Explore the hidden history of the ancient people who shaped the Amazon.
For centuries, many historians believed the ancient Amazon rainforest was an untouched wilderness, incapable of supporting large human populations. Now, groundbreaking archaeological discoveries are revealing a secret history, stretching back millennia. Explore the stunning story of the ancient Amazonians who reshaped the rainforest.
Lewes has become the first town in the UK to formally recognise the rights of trees. Campaigners say trees across the whole town should be allowed to follow their natural life cycles. The move, which was passed by the East Sussex town's council, isn’t legally binding. But residents hope it will change attitudes and help with preservation.
Sugar cane farmers in KwaZulu-Natal province say a severe labour shortage is threatening the harvest, as thousands of mainly undocumented migrant workers have left South Africa amid rising anti-migrant sentiment and violence. Farmers warn that without enough workers, sugar output could fall, potentially forcing imports and harming an industry that is a major export earner. Labour unions dispute this, arguing that South Africans are willing to do the work but are being overlooked because they would demand fair, legally mandated wages.
A glacier collapse that destroyed much of the Swiss village of Blatten in 2025 has intensified a difficult debate in the Alps: rebuild or retreat? While scientists warn that thawing block glaciers and unstable mountain slopes are increasing the risk of rockfalls and landslides, communities such as St. Niklaus continue to expand and invest in protective infrastructure. For many Swiss residents, however, leaving their homes remains unthinkable, making relocation one of the country’s most sensitive climate change and natural hazard challenges.
The conflict in the Middle East has raised security concerns about the shipping route through the Bab Al Mandab Strait and the Suez Canal, which links Asia to Europe.
And climate change has contributed to major melting in the Arctic, making it navigable for greater stretches of the year. Some countries are already taking notice. The first South Korean container ship to transit the Arctic route arrived in the UK on Saturday. But can it become a viable alternative to existing shipping corridors? Or will it become another geopolitical and environmental flashpoint?
We’re using freshwater faster than nature can replace it, draining some sources beyond recovery. But avoiding water bankruptcy may be surprisingly affordable.
Record-breaking rainfall swamped the Japanese city of Nagoya dumping an all-time high of 105 millimetres of rain in a single hour, prompting flood warnings and severely disrupting daily life.
The floods in the Himalayas, that have left over 1,000 dead and more than 4,000 missing, began as an unpredictable glacial avalanche. Glacial avalanches have always been a hazard wherever glaciers sit on steep mountain slopes. But as Earth’s climate warms, they will become more common.
Global food prices are climbing as climate and conflict collide. Supply disruptions caused by wars in Ukraine and Iran are combining with the threat of a severe El Nino. We speak to Erin Sikorsky, Director of the Center for Climate and Security, about the geopolitical risks and possible ways to avert a severe food crisis.
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