A fifth of female climate scientists who responded to Guardian survey said they had opted to have no or fewer children “I had the hormonal urges,” said Prof Camille Parmesan, a leading climate scientist based in France. “Oh my gosh, it was very strong. But it was: ‘Do I really want to bring a child into this world that we’re creating?’ Even 30 years...

Coconut biodiesel offers a cheaper alternative to fuel imports and scientists in the Pacific country are looking at how to use it more widelyOn Karkar island in Papua New Guinea, hundreds of coconut trees stand tall, stretching far into the distance.Decades ago, the fruit was a lucrative export but over the years it has become less prized on international...

Sugar’s texture and taste can be as individualistic as coffee beans or wine grapes grown in specific regions, but most of us don’t know thatOne night, I was preparing steak for dinner and mistakenly reached for the wrong white granulated substance. Instead of salting my steak to create a brown crust by searing, I created a brown crust with notes of...

Fresh warnings about polluted rivers from the environment watchdog are shocking but not surprisingA steady stream of stories about the shockingly poor state of Britain’s waterways has turned into a flood. In March, news that competitors in the Boat Race had been warned to stay out of the Thames due to sewage pollution travelled round the world. That...

Thanks to soil bioengineering in a village in north India, a submerged road was accessible in less than one week, according to officialsOn 14 August 2023, heavy rainfall in north India triggered flash floods and landslides, devastating the region. Kishori Lal, the sarpanch (head) of the Kothi Gehri village in the Himalayan state of Himachal Pradesh,...

Experts issue warning after finding global average concentration in March was 4.7ppm higher than same period last yearThe largest ever recorded leap in the amount of carbon dioxide laden in the world’s atmosphere has just occurred, according to researchers who monitor the relentless accumulation of the primary gas that is heating the planet.The global...