Environment

Oil giant BP will use a coral-killing chemical in the event of an oil spill near a unique coral reef in the mouth of the Amazon river. The company is planning to drill in the region in from this time next year, but according to an environmental impact assessment (EIA) unearthed by Greenpeace it will use Corexit 9500 to clean up potential spills. Corexit is a chemical dispersant which was used extensively during the Deepwater Horizon disaster in 2010, when 11 workers died...

Stunning photos of the Perseid meteor shower have been released as the solar phenomenon graced our skies over the weekend. Pictures taken from Tintern Abbey in Monmouthshire show the moon perfectly captured in the top window of the remains. The Abbey was founded by Walter de Clare, Lord of Chepstow, on 9 May 1131, but provided a perfect vantage point for this spectacular display. Check out some of the best photos below: Perseid meteor shower seen over the Gargunnock Hills, Stirlingshire....

We are delighted that DEFRA have announced that CCTV will be mandatory in all slaughterhouses in England under new plans announced today by Michael Gove. The demand for CCTV in slaughterhouses has been steadily building for years. The need for it has sadly been evidenced by many undercover investigations showing appalling acts of cruelty and the extreme suffering that can go on behind closed doors. Emma Slawinski our Director of Campaigns said: “We are absolutely thrilled that DEFRA has recognised...

Snakes lose their stripes the nearer they live to man - because of pollution, suggests a new study. Researchers monitoring turtle-headed seasnakes living on coral reefs in the Pacific noticed something unusual about the snakes' colour patterns. Seasnakes living in more pristine parts of the reef were decorated with black-and-white bands or blotches. But those in places with more human activity - near the city or military activity - were black. This is a photograph of a turtle-headed seasnake.  The...

A prototype house which will be used in Scotland's first village for the homeless was unveiled today. The village will include 10 homes for people who are currently living in mostly unsupported temporary accommodation, shelters, and B&Bs. Social Bite co-founder Josh Littlejohn with Prototype house for Scotland’s first Social Bite village for the homeless IS unveiled in St Andrew’s Square, Edinburgh. And work has already begun on the 1.5-acre site in the Granton area of Edinburgh, with the first residents...

Sheep look towards Ben Lomond and the Trossachs, from the Campsie fells, near Fintry, Stirling, in the early morning Sheep look towards Ben Lomond and the Trossachs, from the Campsie fells, near Fintry, Stirling, in the early morning. August 09 2017. Mist at sunrise in the early morning near Fintry, Stirlingshire. August 09 2017.

5,000 m altitudes, -35 °C temperatures and geopolitical instability braved to reveal Tibet’s natural wonder Nikon European Ambassador and wildlife photographer Vincent Munier has completed an ambitious project to document Tibet’s most endangered wildlife. In a bid to photograph this relatively unknown and unexplored region, Vincent travelled across high altitudes, freezing temperatures and rough terrains, equipped with a tent, warm clothing and camera. Capturing a variety of animals, including the wild yak, Tibetan gazelle and antelope, the Tibetan sand fox...

Canals surrounding the Olympic Park have been invaded by a green carpet of duck weed - near the World Championship which has been marred with outbreaks of gastroenteritis. Teams are collecting up to 120 tonnes of green sludge every week on two canals in the capital as it multiplies in the heat. Athletes staying in the capital for the World Championships have contracted gastroenteritis, leading to many withdrawing from Monday's heats. Hot weather causes green carpet of duck weed on...

A plant dating back more than 100 million years to the age of the dinosaurs has been discovered growing in the American Mid West. The moss was found in 16 lakes around Wisconsin and Minnesota - and scientists likened their surprise to a "cheetah poking its head through your office window." They immediately realised it was quite different from other species, and DNA analysis of samples of the large, green algae identifed it as Lychnothamnus barbatus. The collectors knew they...