Science & Earth

A study in German forests found that predator scents, especially from lynx, caused red and roe deer to visit sapling plots less and spend less time browsing, which led to reduced damage; researchers say similar but likely weaker effects could occur where predators have long been absent, such as the UK.

Google DeepMind's AlphaGenome can read long DNA sequences, including non-coding regions, and predict how subtle mutations affect biological processes; the article reports it could be used to design synthetic DNA to switch genes on or off in specific tissues.

Google DeepMind's AlphaGenome is a sequence-to-function AI that can analyse up to one million letters of DNA and predict how genetic variants affect gene regulation and expression. The model has been described in Nature and made available for non-commercial research, and roughly 3,000 researchers have used it.

A Hague court found the Dutch government discriminated against people on Bonaire by failing to prepare climate adaptation measures, and ordered a concrete adaptation plan plus a national carbon budget and interim emission targets to be set within six months.

The article reports that Bryan Kohberger is being held in Idaho’s maximum security prison and spends most of each day confined to his cell; it also notes that the families of the four students killed in November 2022 have filed a civil lawsuit against Washington State University.

Heavy rain triggered a landslide in Pasirlangu, West Java, that authorities say has killed 38 people and left 27 missing; rescuers are continuing cautious search operations amid unstable conditions.

Storm Chandra has been absorbed into a larger low-pressure system and fog and ice will clear for many, but further Atlantic lows will bring rain this week and Yellow Warnings are in place for parts of southwest England and Northern Ireland.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists moved the Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight, four seconds closer than a year earlier, citing nuclear tensions, AI and other disruptive technologies, climate change and biosecurity. The board said international cooperation is weakening.

The Environment Agency has announced £30 million for Coastal Adaptation Pilots, allocating £18 million to projects in the East Riding of Yorkshire, Norfolk and Suffolk and £12 million to Regional Flood and Coastal Committees; the pilots are due to start in April 2026.

The National Trust has sunk three decommissioned Thames lighters in the Blackwater Estuary and is using up to 8,000 cubic metres of sediment to build a 0.55-hectare island intended as habitat for wading and seabirds.

Excavations at the Xigou site in central China found advanced stone tools dated to about 160,000–72,000 years ago, including a reported hafted (composite) tool that the study describes as the earliest such evidence in East Asia.

A new taskforce will meet to coordinate support after ExxonMobil announced the Fife ethylene plant will close next month, putting more than 400 jobs at risk. The Scottish government has allocated £9m over three years to help staff and local communities.

Somerset Council declared a 'major incident' after extensive overnight flooding, and the Met Office has issued yellow ice warnings for much of the UK and a rain warning for the South West.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists announced the Doomsday Clock has been moved to 85 seconds to midnight, and experts cited rising geopolitical tensions, climate issues and developments in artificial intelligence as key factors.

A federal judge in Boston blocked the administration's stop-work order, allowing the nearly completed Vineyard Wind project to continue; the project is about 95% finished and is partially operational.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists advanced its Doomsday Clock to 85 seconds to midnight, citing rising risks from nuclear tensions, climate change, potential misuse of biotechnology and growing use of artificial intelligence without sufficient controls.

The Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists will reveal the 2026 Doomsday Clock at 10am EST (3pm UK) in a live YouTube briefing featuring Nobel Laureate Maria Ressa and other experts; the clock currently stands at 89 seconds to midnight.

New England regulations make it illegal from April 6 to keep primates privately without a licence, and Solihull Council has set local fees for the new licences.

A Lancet Planetary Health modelling study finds annual healthy years lost from the global plastics system could rise from 2.1 million in 2016 to 4.5 million in 2040 under a business-as-usual scenario; combined systemic measures could cut the 2040 health burden by about 43% compared with business-as-usual.

Two wooden artifacts recovered at a lake shore in Greece are reported to be about 430,000 years old and are described as the oldest wooden tools found so far.

A Nature Sustainability study finds that if global warming reaches 2C, an estimated 3.79 billion people (about 41% of the projected 2050 population) would experience extreme heat, and no region would be fully immune.

AFP reported from OceanXplorer, a retrofitted research vessel owned by the nonprofit OceanX, which pairs advanced onboard laboratories, submersibles and media production to support rotating teams of scientists studying seamounts off Indonesia.

A fire in the Otways has burned about 9,400 hectares and authorities urged residents in more than 1,000 homes to evacuate before sunset as a heatwave and forecast winds raise the risk of further spread.

Researchers report a copper–aluminium layered double hydroxide (LDH) that can absorb long-chain PFAS up to about 100 times faster than current systems, and the captured PFAS were reported to be broken by heating the material to roughly 400–500°C.

National Trust Cymru named 'OMG corner', a bend on the A496 near Llanfair that unveils wide views over Harlech beach, Cardigan Bay and the Eryri skyline, as one of several 'I love you' views chosen for St Dwynwen's Day.

Experts say seeds, nuts and other high-energy foods help backyard birds maintain fat reserves in winter, and that offering varied feeders and keeping them clean supports a wider range of species.

A landslide struck Pasirlangu village in West Bandung, West Java, early Saturday, killing at least seven people and leaving 82 reported missing.

In January 2006 a northern bottlenose whale entered the River Thames and a large-scale rescue effort tried to move the 19ft animal out to sea; it died on the barge and post‑mortem samples have since supported scientific research.

Condé Nast Traveller named the Bradford Pennine Gateway National Nature Reserve a '2026 wonder of the world', noting the reserve was established in May 2025 and links eight sites across the Bradford and South Pennines.

Condé Nast Traveller listed the Bradford Pennine Gateway National Nature Reserve as one of seven destinations to visit in 2026. The reserve was established in May 2025 as part of King Charles' plan to create 25 National Nature Reserves across the UK.