Breaking Waves: Ocean News

Richard Forrest has spent half a century combing beaches for ammonites and other fossils. Along the Dorset coast, the constant shift of earth, rocks and sand continually reveals fresh evidence of life millions of years ago All photographs by Max Miechowski Read more in this series When Richard Forrest walks along the Lyme Regis beach on the Jurassic coast in Dorset, he carries in his small backpack a pointed pick, a geological hammer and an old kitchen knife. But he very rarely uses them until he is back home with a rock or two to work on. “The most important thing to take with you is your eyes,” he says. “And learn what it is you’re looking for.” Forrest is a fossil finder and has spent more than 50 years on Britain’s beaches hunting for evidence of the country’s prehistoric past. The Jurassic coast, stretching 95 miles (150km) across Devon and Dorset, is world famous for its treasure trove of ammonites and other fossils that lie, in many places, conspicuous beneath visitors’ feet. Others are hidden within the cliffs, only exposed after heavy rains bring on one of the regular landslips. “The best feeling is when you find something you think is potentially interesting and then you get it home and discover that wow, this is really interesting,” he says. “That feeling is amazing.” The view from Lyme Regis, looking east Continue reading...

Proposal would create first federal standard for workplace exposure to extreme heat, which kills dozens each year The Biden administration has unveiled a long-awaited proposal to protect workers from extreme temperatures. If finalized, the rule will establish the nation’s first-ever federal safety standard for excessive heat exposure in the workplace and protect as many as 36 million indoor and outdoor workers from heat-related injury. Continue reading...

With solar module prices ‘well down’ in 2024 it could yet be a record year for installations, Sunwiz says Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast Household solar installations sank by 14% in June as the broader cost-of-living squeeze curbed demand even as panel prices dropped, according to energy consultancy Sunwiz. In June, small-scale solar installations totalled almost 250 megawatts in capacity, in line with the same month in 2023. New rooftop installations exceeded 1.5 gigawatts in the first half of 2024, up 6% on the same period last year, Sunwiz said. Continue reading...

Sweltering conditions and power shutoffs may overlap with errant fireworks or badly tended campfires A brutal and long-lasting heatwave is threatening to wreak havoc across California this week, as sweltering conditions, power shutoffs and a severe uptick in wildfire risks coincide with 4th of July celebrations. The dangerous weather event is expected to stretch for days with little reprieve. Starting Wednesday, parts of the state will be subject to “extreme” levels of heat risk – reaching the highest level on the National Weather Service’s index – that will last until Sunday or longer. In some areas, life-threatening triple-digit temperatures could linger for longer than a week. Continue reading...