Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Woman laid to rest in coffin made from mushrooms in Australian first

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 19:00:12 +0000

The casket, grown from mycelium and hemp fibres, takes just 45 days to break down, enriching the soil in the process

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A woman has been buried in a coffin made from mushrooms in New South Wales in an eco-friendly first for Australia.

Volcanic eruption halts flights at Jakarta and seven other Indonesian airports

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 14:51:12 +0000

Ash cloud from Anak Krakatau affects hundreds of flights and some school and fishing activities

Indonesia halted operations at eight airports on Sunday, including from its main international hub, affecting hundreds of flights as a result of an ash cloud from the Anak Krakatau volcano.

Saturday’s eruption, which produced lava and booming sounds that were heard up to 435 miles (700km) away, according to Indonesia’s geology agency, also interrupted some school activities and fishing. Two more eruptions were recorded on Sunday.

Air conditioners are our best bet in the fight against extreme heat – whether we like it or not

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 11:00:03 +0000

Global AC demand will inevitably accelerate as the world continues to warm amid the climate crisis

Indonesia’s most dangerous fires are burning underground

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 07:57:45 +0000

Indonesia’s dangerous peat fires are surging early in the 2026 fire season as a strengthening El Niño and severe drought dry out wetlands that can burn underground for months. These slow smoldering fires are especially destructive because they release far more fine particles and several pollutants than typical tropical forest fires, while thick smoke can make them difficult for satellites to detect.

El Niño-fuelled wildfires destroy precious Indonesian forests – in pictures

admin — Sun, 06 Sep 2026 03:34:53 +0000

Indonesian authorities intensify operations as fires continue to burn across Sumatra and Kalimantan, with haze spreading to Malaysia, Singapore and Philippines

Possums in the roof, koalas in bed: study shows how animals resort to Australian homes after habitat loss

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 20:00:47 +0000

Microbats and wombats among the most common species found in buildings, with some discovered in letter boxes or air conditioning systems

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‘I could watch her for hours’: the woman who rescued a bee and created a buzz

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 12:00:35 +0000

After bringing injured queen Phoebee home in July, Gilly McArthur expected her soon to die, but she’s bumbling on

Fifty-two days ago, Phoebee was lying by the side of a road in the blistering sun with a broken wing. Today, she’s clambering up the arm of Gilly McArthur, around the nape of her neck and disappearing into her hair.

“I couldn’t leave her by the roadside,” McArthur says. “So I bought her home and made her a bed of flowers. I thought she’d be dead in a day or so.”

Reform continues to cast doubt on climate science. Do its supporters agree?

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 11:00:34 +0000

Climate scepticism is common at the Reform party conference, but many also criticise Labour for failing to protect Britons from hot weather

UK subsidence claims surge after hottest summer on record

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 06:00:30 +0000

Insurers in England and Wales tell of busy August with one reporting near-140% jump in claims

UK insurers are experiencing a surge in the number of homeowners making claims for subsidence after the hottest summer on record, with Hastings Direct reporting a near 140% jump to an all-time high for August.

Beekeepers warn of Asian hornet threat and call for UK awareness campaign

admin — Sat, 05 Sep 2026 05:00:29 +0000

Experts say invasive species are creating ‘pollinator deserts’ and could have serious impact on food security

British beekeepers have called for a national awareness campaign about the impact of Asian hornets as they warned the invasive species was creating “pollinator deserts” and threatening food security.

Native to south-east Asia, the yellow-legged hornet is thought to have arrived in Europe in 2004 and has continued to spread ever since, its numbers probably boosted by increasingly warm springs and summers.