Science & Earth

NASA released interior details of the Orion crew module ahead of Artemis II, showing a 9.34 cubic metre habitable space where four astronauts will spend about 10 days; the agency will study how the crew adapts to confinement using wearable monitors and surveys.

Mark Carney told the World Economic Forum that the global rules-based order is rupturing, a disruption linked largely to the Trump administration; this change could alter how international cooperation on climate change works, and outcomes remain uncertain.

A qualitative study of 28 Canadian post-secondary educators finds generative AI such as ChatGPT is reshaping teaching and assessment, and participants outline five design principles — including explicit expectations and process-focused evaluation — to guide assessment in a post-plagiarism era.

A Nature Neuroscience study reports that fMRI scans of 130 two-month-old infants revealed distinct brain responses to different object categories, and scans from 66 returning infants at nine months showed a stronger separation between living and inanimate objects.

Sian Cleaver, an engineer from Chelmsford working for Airbus in Germany, helped build the solar arrays and propulsion components for the European Service Module that will power NASA's Artemis II mission. Artemis II is due to launch later this week and will carry four astronauts on a 10-day flight around the Moon.

A two-year-old boy fell from Packhorse Bridge into the flooded River Soar while with two aunts; his body was recovered nearly four months later and a jury inquest is under way.

Taoiseach Micheal Martin visited homes and businesses hit by recent flooding in Enniscorthy and said the government will provide humanitarian support and interim protection while preparing a comprehensive flood relief scheme for planning.

Knowsley Council has published photos of new food-waste collection vehicles and will begin household food waste collections from April 13, supported in part by a £1.28m DEFRA allocation.

Clitheroe in Lancashire was named one of Britain’s best places to live for 2026 and is highlighted for its strong food and drink scene and proximity to notable natural areas.

Kabul and much of Afghanistan are facing worsening water shortages after an unusually weak snowfall and reduced reservoir inflows, while the return of more than five million people since 2023 has increased pressure on water systems and services amid cuts to international aid.

Scottish Royal Marine Reserves and Dutch Korps Mariniers found a walker curled up in snow on Ben Nevis during a blizzard; after on-scene care he was escorted to the snowline and handed to emergency services.

The Wildlife Trust of South and West Wales is recruiting long-term volunteers to live on Skomer Island and help count its puffin colony, with free accommodation and travel expenses offered and roles running across spring to autumn.

The National Trust has sunk three decommissioned barges in the Blackwater Estuary and will cover them with about 8,000 cubic metres of sediment to create a 0.55-hectare island intended as bird habitat.

A Science paper, reported in The Guardian, used a model that adjusts for deaths from external causes and, based on historical twin data from Denmark and Sweden, suggests genetics may account for about 50% of variation in human lifespan.

Bruce Friedrich argues in his book Meat that cultivated and plant‑based proteins, if they reach taste and price parity and receive government and private support, could replace much industrial meat by mid‑century.

Volunteer citizen scientists are collecting and measuring plastic litter in Australian waterways, from synthetic turf in Melbourne to remote beach clean-ups in Arnhem Land, and national projects such as Ausmap have engaged over 10,000 people.

Scottish Royal Marine Reserves and Dutch Korps Mariniers found a climber near the summit of Ben Nevis on 24 January during a blizzard and brought him down, handing him to emergency services as a precaution.

The article reports the EPA under President Trump has launched 66 actions to roll back or weaken environmental rules, and experts say those moves could threaten air and water quality and contribute to global heating.

Three decommissioned Thames lighters were sunk and filled with sediment in the Blackwater Estuary off Essex to form a new island intended as habitat for shorebirds, the National Trust says.

The UK and the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration signed a Letter of Intent to deepen cooperation on sustainable transport and green finance under the Thailand–UK PACT programme, which includes up to £6m of support. The LOI supports expansion of Low-Emission Zones and collaboration on road safety and climate finance.

A study of 770 adult polar bears (1,188 captures) in Svalbard from 1995–2019 found body condition index declined until about 2000 and increased afterwards, and statistical models including sea‑ice metrics and the Arctic Oscillation did not show the expected negative effect of warming or habitat loss.

Greensand Future will reuse the almost‑depleted Nini oilfield and the Siri platform to inject captured CO2 beneath the seabed, aiming to store about 400,000 tonnes this year and potentially up to eight million tonnes annually by 2030.

Researchers measured 770 adult polar bears in Svalbard between 1992 and 2019 and found body condition increased even as regional sea ice declined; the study was published in Scientific Reports.

A new study reports that ditches and canals are widespread hotspots of methane and nitrous oxide and describes management options — such as reduced nutrient inputs, vegetation buffers, dredging and floating plants — that can lower emissions.

Floods in Mozambique have flooded more than 150,000 homes and killed at least 22 people, while aid agencies say donor funding is far short of the $187 million the UN says is required for the response.

Researchers from the British Antarctic Survey and the Korea Polar Research Institute are drilling about 1,000 metres into the Thwaites Glacier to observe how warm ocean water and large under-ice waves affect the ice; scientists say the glacier's collapse could raise global sea levels by about 65 centimetres.

The UK Government named North Lanarkshire its latest AI Growth Zone, and proposals involving Chapelhall-based DataVita with AI firm CoreWeave are reported to include up to £8.2 billion of investment and up to 7,000 jobs, subject to the full statutory planning process.

Water bills in England and Wales will increase by an average of £33 a year from April, about 5.4%, while industry groups say the funds will support a £104 billion investment programme and expanded social tariff support for around 2.5 million households.

Researchers say human-caused climate change increased the intensity of recent torrential rains across parts of South Africa, Mozambique and Zimbabwe, which led to more than 100 deaths and displaced over 300,000 people.

A severe flood warning described as 'danger to life' was issued at Iford Bridge Home Park near Christchurch after River Stour levels rose during Storm Chandra, and residents were told to evacuate while emergency teams assisted.