Science & Earth

A global review of studies since 1990 found human-made noise disrupts bird communication, foraging and increases stress, and the analysis reported strong negative effects on reproduction across six continents.

Beavers were legally released at two sites on the National Trust's Holnicote Estate in Somerset, including a family group and a separate pair, marking the charity's second wild-release licence from Natural England.

Scientists from the IPCC and the Met Office met at the University of Reading and reported a consensus that climate change is already affecting weather; Met Office researchers noted wetter seasons and recent flooding as consistent with expectations.

Two Roman stone altars found at Inveresk will be shown publicly for the first time at the National Museums of Scotland as part of the Roman Scotland: Life on the Edge of Empire exhibition running 14 November 2026 to 28 April 2027.

Two groups of Eurasian beavers were released on the National Trust's Holnicote Estate on Exmoor, the first time they can roam freely on the site; Natural England said the release forms part of broader rewilding plans for Exmoor.

Floods Minister Emma Hardy visited Langport in Somerset on 10 February to see local flood impacts; the Environment Agency has deployed high-volume pumps and reports about 16,200 properties protected while over 300 properties have been flooded.

A prospective Leuven cohort recorded overnight multichannel EEG in preterm infants at term-equivalent age and reassessed the children at 2 years corrected age with standardized tests of early executive function; the team used automated sleep classification and general linear models to examine associations between specific neonatal sleep features and later executive functioning.

Two remote Highland restaurants, Killiecrankie House and 1887, were awarded one Michelin star in the 2026 guide, and three Scottish venues received Michelin green stars for sustainable gastronomy.

Cornwall Wildlife Trust has released two licensed pairs of wild beavers into a mid‑Cornwall reserve, the county's first fully licensed beaver release in roughly 400 years. Conservation groups say the animals can create wetlands, slow water flow, improve water quality and support greater wildlife diversity.

Two pairs of beavers were released at a Cornwall Wildlife Trust nature reserve in mid‑Cornwall in the county's first fully‑licensed release after three years of planning and consultation.

The Ariane 64, a four‑booster version of Europe’s Ariane 6, is scheduled to make its maiden launch from Kourou to deploy 32 satellites for Amazon Leo. Engines and stages were built and tested across Europe and assembled in French Guiana ahead of the flight.

Study finds an underwater acoustic system at Hinkley Point C could deter about 90% of fish from its cooling water intakes and save roughly 44 tonnes of fish a year.

Two beavers were legally released into a pond at Helman Tor in Cornwall, described as the first truly wild beaver release on the English mainland; Natural England and conservation groups say more catchment-scale projects are planned.

A Trace-P study found that pairing plastics researchers with an artist-in-residence produced gallery exhibitions that increased visitor awareness of plastic pollution and led many attendees to report intentions to reduce or reuse plastics.

King Charles III visited Clitheroe, Samlesbury and Longridge in Lancashire, meeting farmers, the Fell pony Pearl and representatives of the Field Nurses charity. At Clitheroe train station a member of the public asked about Andrew Mountbatten‑Windsor and parts of the crowd booed.

King Charles met a Fell pony related to the late Queen's pony Emma during a visit to Clitheroe Auction Mart, where he spoke with local farmers and representatives of the Field Nurses charity, and later toured Samlesbury Hall.

Elon Musk announced that SpaceX has shifted focus to building a "self-growing" city on the Moon within about a decade and said work on a Mars city could begin in five to seven years.

WXCharts maps and news reports indicate snow across much of the UK from around midnight on February 14, with heavier amounts reported for upland areas; the Met Office has issued a yellow warning for parts of eastern Scotland.

An IPBES assessment, approved by 150 governments, warns that biodiversity loss threatens businesses that rely on ecosystem services and sets out how companies can move toward restoring nature.

The Met Office has upgraded its main forecast model and moved it to Microsoft Azure's supercomputer, and reports the change can extend local fog forecasts to about 10–14 days while improving cloud and rain accuracy.

The Met Office has launched a major scientific upgrade using its new supercomputer to deliver clearer, more accurate forecasts, improving rain, snow, cloud, fog and temperature predictions and extending global forecasts to 10 days.

NASA astronaut Jessica Meir said she will carry a stuffed rabbit belonging to her three-year-old daughter on the upcoming SpaceX Crew-12 flight to the International Space Station, which is scheduled to lift off from Cape Canaveral early Wednesday.

Large-scale tree clearing in Islamabad for roads, monuments and other infrastructure has reduced urban tree cover and prompted complaints; a court challenge over the removals is still being heard.

A multi-million-pound Environment Agency project on the Fowlea Brook in Stoke-on-Trent has finished, protecting up to 333 properties and reopening 6.5km of the brook for fish migration.

Conservationists bred and released more than 100,000 greater Bermuda snails after a remnant population was discovered in Hamilton in 2014, and a population assessment reports the species is now confirmed safe from extinction.

Natural England has issued licences for wild Eurasian beaver releases at the National Trust's Holnicote Estate in Exmoor and at a Cornwall Wildlife Trust site, marking the second and third licensed wild releases since the Government allowed beavers to return to the wild.

Chester Zoo and international partners bred and returned thousands of greater Bermuda snails to Bermuda; officials report six established wild colonies and say the species is now safe.

Natural England has approved licensed releases of Eurasian beavers at two projects in South West England, following last year's first licensed wild release in Dorset.

In Alto Ila, Ecuador, Ramón Pucha and his family run El Picaflor, a 32-hectare seed nursery that rescues and grows endangered native plants for replanting and local use. Environmental groups have said a government decision to merge the Environment Ministry with Energy and Mines could pose a risk to protections for areas like this.

UK research funders have announced cuts to physics grants and shelved several large infrastructure projects, and hundreds of early-career researchers warn the changes could push many to take posts overseas.