Weather & Science

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Record Rainfall in Japan's Chiba Kills Several, Strands Thousands Overnight at Narita

Record rainfall in Japan's Chiba prefecture has killed several people and stranded thousands at Narita Airport, with officials calling it an unprecedented weather event tied to a weakening typhoon.

5 min read

Cars were left abandoned in the streets of Oamishirasato, in Chiba

Water Voles Bounce Back on Surrey's Hogsmill River a Year After Reintroduction

A year after 42 water voles were released into Surrey's Hogsmill River, droppings, burrows and camera-trap footage show the colony has survived winter and is spreading, as conservationists tackle invasive mink.

5 min read

A brown water vole sits in water by the bank of a stream. It is surrounded by green vegetation.

Romania Shuts Down Cernavodă Nuclear Plant as Danube Hits Record Lows

Romania has taken both reactors at its Cernavodă nuclear plant offline as record-low Danube water levels prevent cooling, deepening an energy crunch amid a Europe-wide heatwave.

5 min read

A view of the Cernavodă plant on the Danube River. Photo: 13 August 2026

UK Records Hottest Day of 2026 at 38.1C as Greece Battles Wind-Fuelled Wildfires

The Met Office confirmed a provisional 38.1C at Kew Gardens on 13 August 2026, the UK's hottest day of the year, as gale-force winds fuelled a wildfire forcing evacuations on Greece's Chalkidiki peninsula.

10 min read

People walk across a sun-scorched brown lawn on Primrose Hill during a heatwave

UK Hits Hottest Day of 2026 as 38.1C in Kew Strains NHS, Water Supplies

The UK recorded its hottest day of 2026 as Kew Gardens hit 38.1C on 13 August 2026, triggering an England-wide amber heat alert, record A&E attendances, water restrictions for millions and new wildfires.

10 min read

A shirtless man sitting on a wooden bench looking out across fields that are golden with dead grass.

Northern Ireland Faces Thunderstorm Alert as Possible Fourth Heatwave Looms

Northern Ireland is under a thunderstorm warning while forecasters wait to confirm a potential fourth heatwave of the summer, with contrasting temperature thresholds used by UK and Irish forecasters.

4 min read

Lightning lights up a purple and blue sky which is over the top of green fields and trees.

The Secret Language of Insects: How Bugs Talk Through Sound, Scent and Sight

Vicki Hird explores the hidden world of invertebrate communication, from spiders tuning their webs to beetles' seductive scents, alongside new research on how insects generate and interpret signals.

6 min read

An ant on a stone, holding up a piece of wood against a setting sun.

Nigeria's 'Vulture King' Battles to Save a Species on the Brink of Extinction

In south-eastern Nigeria, Chukwuemeka Igwe, known as the 'Vulture King', is helping vulture numbers recover in Awka-Etiti even as the species collapses to just two surviving types nationwide.

9 min read

Wales Basks in Record Heat as Nation Watches Deepest Solar Eclipse Since 1999

People across Wales watched the deepest partial solar eclipse since 1999 on 12 August 2026, as the country recorded its hottest August day with 35.3°C in Aberystwyth.

6 min read

Three people sitting on camping chairs hold what looks like pieces of black glass in frames of cardboard to the sky to watch the partial eclipse

Colombian Woman Pulled Alive From Rubble 36 Hours After Deadly Quake

Daniela Largo, 32, was pulled alive from rubble in Pereira, Colombia, after 36 hours, following the magnitude-7.4 earthquake that has killed over 230 people and left hundreds missing or trapped.

4 min read

A woman is pulled alive from rubble in Columbia by rescue workers wearing neon yellow helmets and vests

Cyclist Rides 3.5 Hours to Catch UK's Deepest Solar Eclipse Since 1999

A cyclist rode three and a half hours to Brough Observatory to watch a rare partial solar eclipse, as crowds across the UK and Europe turned out for the deepest such event since 1999.

4 min read

Kian Lodge smiling at the camera, holding a toy Moon. He is wearing black eclipse glasses, black headphones around his neck and a grey hoodie. He is standing in a field. The sky is blue.

East Midlands Skywatchers Witness Region's Deepest Solar Eclipse Since 1999

People across the East Midlands watched the deepest partial solar eclipse since 1999 on 12 August 2026, with up to 90% of the Sun covered depending on location.

4 min read