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Australia has confirmed its first case of H5N1 bird flu in a mammal, a long-nosed fur seal in South Australia, with a second seal suspected. As the virus spreads, authorities are vaccinating little penguins in Victoria and experts warn of potential losses among black swans and endangered sea lions.
A new study published in Nature reveals that Antarctica's apparent growth between 2021 and 2023 was driven by heavy snowfall linked to unusually warm tropical ocean temperatures, not a long-term trend. Researchers traced the precipitation to a natural warm pool in the western Pacific and eastern Indian oceans, noting that similar multiyear warmings occur every few decades. The findings clarify that while East Antarctica gained mass during this period, the overall ice loss continues, particularly in West Antarctica.
A new study suggests a colossal escarpment formed 800 million years ago as the supercontinent Rodinia broke apart, potentially explaining the Grand Canyon's missing billion years of rock record. The research, led by the University of Southampton, estimates erosion from the cliffs may have stripped up to 8 kilometers of rock in places.
A deep partial lunar eclipse will occur on Aug. 27-28, 2026, with about 96% of the moon entering Earth's umbra. Visible across the Americas, Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia, it will not be a true blood moon but will give the lunar surface a reddish or coppery hue. Observers in the Americas are best positioned, while those in India will miss the event.
A US Air Force C-17 Globemaster III turned back to Christchurch about 2.5 hours into a flight to Antarctica after authorities warned of potentially hazardous space activity linked to a planned Russian missile launch. New Zealand's Civil Aviation Authority said it had been notified of the launch and had issued a warning to pilots.
Deutsche Welle's explanatory report looks beyond the headlines about extreme heat, outlining how scientists measure temperature records, why cities warm faster than rural areas, and the role of humidity in dangerous heat. The piece draws on climatologists to break down what phrases like 'hottest day ever' really mean.
An Australian aviation company, Skytraders, has evacuated a US expeditioner from Antarctica in a rare and risky midwinter mission, landing an Airbus A319 at McMurdo Station in complete darkness and temperatures as low as -43°C. The patient was flown to Christchurch, New Zealand for medical treatment and is recovering well.
The White House has defended Argentina's footballers who displayed a banner supporting their country's claim to the Falkland Islands after their World Cup semi-final win against England. The UK government and the Falkland Islands government have called for Fifa to investigate the incident, which has reignited a long-standing sovereignty dispute.
The UK government has called on FIFA to investigate Argentina players who displayed a banner claiming the Falkland Islands after their World Cup semifinal win over England. FIFA says it is assessing match reports, while Argentina’s vice president defended the gesture. The incident revives a long-standing sovereignty dispute.
New Zealand has reported its first case of H5N1 bird flu after a brown skua seabird tested positive near Wellington. Authorities have begun vaccinating endangered birds as conservationists warn of the potential impact on the country's vulnerable native species.
Buenos Aires city officials have erected barricades around the Obelisk monument ahead of the Argentina-England World Cup semi-final, following violent celebrations after the team's Round of 16 victory over Egypt. Vice-President Victoria Villarruel added to the charged atmosphere with a social media post calling the English 'usurping pirates', while a security plan for the Atlanta match includes bans on Malvinas-related items.
An expedition led by the Royal Canadian Geographical Society and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution has surveyed the wrecks of the Quest and Terra Nova, ships of polar explorers Ernest Shackleton and Robert Falcon Scott, using the Alvin submersible and advanced imaging technology to create 3D digital twins.
A fossil discovered in Antarctica in 1985 and stored away in a drawer for 40 years has been identified as the first dinosaur bone ever found on the continent. The specimen, a tail vertebra from a titanosaur, provides new insight into the dinosaurs that inhabited a forested, temperate Antarctica 82 million years ago.
Six passengers from the MV Hondius, which experienced a deadly hantavirus outbreak in April, have been released from a 42-day quarantine in Perth. All tested negative and remain well; one passenger said he would 'definitely' do it again.
Two seabirds found sick on Western Australia's southern coast have tested positive for the H5N1 strain of avian influenza, marking the virus's first confirmed arrival in Australia. Experts warn of potential impacts on vulnerable species like black swans and Tasmanian devils if the virus spreads to freshwater environments.
New research reveals that more than 13,000 southern elephant seal pups have died from H5N1 bird flu on Australia's Heard and McDonald Islands. The mortality rate reached up to 97% in some areas, with six species testing positive. Scientists warn the true impact may be higher as the virus continues to spread.
Satellite images reveal that a portion of Antarctica's Bellingshausen Sea, roughly the size of France, has failed to form winter sea ice for the third time in four years. Scientists express deep concern about the potential impacts on marine life and global sea levels, with some suggesting the ice may never fully recover in this region.
Six Australian filmmakers have embarked on ABC's Race Around The World, traveling to 10 countries over 100 days to produce short films. Each week, contestants have 10 days to find a story and create a film, judged by experts and the audience.
Australia's Antarctic icebreaker, RSV Nuyina, remains barred from transiting under Hobart's Tasman Bridge due to safety concerns, forcing a costly 674-kilometre detour to refuel. TasPorts is reviewing new modelling, while the federal government rejected a proposed interim road tanker solution, leaving the state government unable to meet its deadline.
A rare Andes hantavirus outbreak has sparked renewed promotion of ivermectin as a treatment by some political figures, despite a lack of clinical evidence. Conspiracy theories falsely claim the virus is a planned pandemic or a bioweapon, while health authorities investigate a cluster linked to an expedition cruise ship.