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May162023 by adminNo Comments

Surf champ Lucy Campbell says her sport must be greener

Science

Getty ImagesBy Claire Marshall and Malcolm PriorBBC News Climate and Science A top UK surfer has slammed her sport for relying on boards and wetsuits mass-produced from petrochemicals that create tonnes of waste every year.Seven times British women's champion Lucy Campbell told the BBC the top brands "need to change".Despite surfing's eco-friendly image, it uses plastic boards covered in toxic resins and non-biodegradable wetsuits.The industry says it is developing new sustainable boards and the world's first fully recycled wetsuit.Ms Campbell said she would now only work with or accept sponsorship from brands with a clear sustainability ethos. "It's often hard to turn down a big pay check, if they're a brand that isn't sustainable, but it's definitely more worthwhile in the long run," she...

Nov32022 by adminNo Comments

Climate change: Kilimanjaro’s and Africa’s last glaciers to go by 2050, says UN

Science

Getty ImagesBy Patrick HughesBBC News Climate and Science Glaciers across the globe - including the last ones in Africa - will be unavoidably lost by 2050 due to climate change, the UN says in a report.Glaciers in a third of UN World Heritage sites will melt within three decades, a UNESCO report found.Mount Kilimanjaro's last glaciers will vanish as will glaciers in the Alps and Yosemite National Park in the US.They will melt regardless of the world's actions to combat climate change, the authors say.Vanishing glaciers threaten Europe's water supplyIce and sled-dogs disappear as Greenland warms upWorld's glaciers melting at a faster paceThe report, which makes projections based on satellite data, comes as world leaders prepare to meet in Egypt for next week's COP27 climate change conferenc...

Oct232022 by adminNo Comments

King Charles should attend climate summit says US envoy

Science

PA MediaBy Justin RowlattClimate editorKing Charles should reconsider his decision not to go to the UN climate conference in Egypt, President Biden's climate envoy has told the BBC. John Kerry said in an interview it would be "terrific" if the King were able to be there, adding that he has been "a terrific leader on this issue".As Prince of Wales he had planned to go to November's COP27 conference.But after ascending the throne he decided not to attend on the advice of Prime Minister Liz Truss.King will not attend climate summit on Truss adviceCharles will not cool on climate action, say friendsDon’t backtrack on climate, Egypt tells Truss Liz Truss has announced she will resign, which means there will now be another leadership election to decide who becomes the next Conservative leader a...

Sep22022 by adminNo Comments

Heatwave: England has had joint hottest summer on record, Met Office says

Science

Getty ImagesEngland has had its joint hottest summer on record, the Met Office says. Provisional figures show the summer of 2022 - covering June, July and August - had an average temperature of 17.1C.This year's summer tied with 2018 for the warmest, according to records stretching back to 1884. It means four of the five warmest summers on record have happened since 2003, as the effects of climate change are felt on the nation's summer temperatures, the Met Office said. This year's summer included the record-breaking heat in July when temperatures in the UK exceeded 40C for the first time as part of a widespread heatwave. Hot and dry conditions have dried up rivers, damaged crops and fuelled wildfires, as well as leaving much of England in drought. For both England and the UK as a whole, i...

Jul22022 by adminNo Comments

Long-duration space flight equal to decade of bone loss in astronauts, study says

Science

July 1 (UPI) -- Scientists have long known that astronauts lose bone density while in space, but a study published this week found they only partially recover this loss one year after returning to Earth. The researchers said the findings suggest long-duration spaceflight is equal to decades of bone loss in weight-bearing bones on Earth. The extent of the impact, though, varies depending upon the subject. Bone loss happens because bones don't have to carry your weight in microgravity, meaning astronauts use them less, leading to weakening. "Bone loss happens in humans -- as we age, get injured, or any scenario where we can't move the body, we lose bone," said Leigh Gabel, assistant professor in kinesiology at the University of Calgary and lead author of the study. The researchers scanned ...