Britain’s only desalination plant remains idle during drought
Water flow in the river Thames has dropped low enough to warrant the use of England’s only large-scale desalination plant, but it hasn’t been switched on at all this year
Science
newscientist.com
17.08.2026
UK children begin unsupervised outdoor play nearly a year later than their parents did, survey shows
Researchers have found that children are now nearly 11 when they first start playing outdoors without supervision. That's more than a year older than their parents' generation, with parents reporting
Science
phys.org
17.08.2026
Starwatch: Vega the bright star will light the way to the constellation of Lyra
Lyra, the lyre, represents the harp played by the Greek poet OrpheusWe turn our attention this week to one of the sky’s smallest constellations. High overhead from the UK after darkness falls, Lyra, t
Science
theguardian.com
17.08.2026
Common food preservative linked to rising suicide deaths among young people
A widely available food-preservation chemical is emerging as a disturbing factor in rising UK suicide deaths, particularly among younger people and men. Researchers say the scale may be underestimated
Science
sciencedaily.com
15.08.2026
Extreme weather is making work difficult for many people. This is what needs to change
The UK has experienced several heat waves this summer—heat stress among workers is one of the biggest causes of weather-related sick leave. Very high temperatures can cause symptoms like heat rash and
Science
phys.org
15.08.2026
Tiny satellite will use the dark side of the moon to eavesdrop on whispers from the early universe
A tiny UK-developed satellite, roughly the size of a small carry-on suitcase, could help answer one of the biggest questions in cosmology: What happened during the roughly 150 million years of the cos
Science
phys.org
14.08.2026
Test moderators use AI-generated writing to judge literacy standards
To cut the cost of key stage 2 assessments, a UK government project proposes to use scripts generated by ChatGPT instead of real children's writing as examples supplied to moderators who check that gr
Science
newscientist.com
14.08.2026
How bad is the UK drought and how long will it continue?
Almost three-quarters of England is now in drought conditions, resulting in restrictions on water use in many areas and severe wildfires – here's how it's affecting farming, wildlife and trees
Science
newscientist.com
14.08.2026
Why has Britain's grass turned yellow? A plant scientist explains what happens next
Fields, parks and lawns across Europe have turned to straw this summer. Landscapes thousands of years old have been revealed as green outlines against yellow backgrounds, where ancient underground wal
Science
phys.org
14.08.2026
‘Colander sales jumped nearly 40%’: how Britons viewed the solar eclipse
Safety advice was followed by most people but huge piles of litter and countless abandoned Lime bikes were left behind It started with the solar glasses, as people desperate to see the most complete e
Science
theguardian.com
13.08.2026
DNA reveals a society organised around women in pre-Roman Britain
Descent passed from mother to daughter rather than from father to son, a study of more than 500 Iron Age individuals from north-east England suggests
Science
newscientist.com
13.08.2026
Once-in-a-generation solar eclipse wows millions in UK and Europe
More than 95% of the Sun was covered by the Moon in Cornwall, while parts of Spain experienced the magic of a total eclipse.
Science
bbc.co.uk
12.08.2026
Solar eclipse visible over Houses of Parliament and Big Ben in London – video
People gathered to watch a partial solar eclipse in central London. The eclipse, which reached more than 90% coverage in the UK, was western Europe's first total solar eclipse in 27 years Continue rea
Science
theguardian.com
12.08.2026
When and where in the West Country to see the solar eclipse
The UK's biggest solar eclipse since 1999 arrives today. Here's where to see it safely in the West Country.
Science
bbc.co.uk
12.08.2026
‘A mouse can’t tell us what works’: UK scientists to grow miniature human organs for drug testing
Organoids and tissues grown from human cells promise more accurate results, with £20m Cambridge project to create standardised modelsMiniature human organs and other tissues are to be grown from NHS p
Science
theguardian.com
12.08.2026
Four types of thinker, the cyclosporiasis outbreak, and the UK’s biggest telescope threatened – podcast
Madeleine Finlay is joined by Ian Sample, Guardian science editor, to discuss three eye-catching science stories including an investigation that has identified four distinct types of thinker. Also on
Science
theguardian.com
06.08.2026
How the UK's extreme heat is shifting the conversation about air-con
Should we embrace air conditioning despite its costs and consequences?
Science
bbc.co.uk
30.07.2026
After record heat, could the Atlantic make Britain's weather even more extreme?
As temperatures rise, scientists are investigating whether a changing Atlantic could bring more volatile weather to the UK
Science
bbc.co.uk
15.07.2026
Alderney set to welcome Britain in Bloom judges
Alderney is set to represent the Bailiwick of Guernsey in the national Royal Horticultural Society awards.
Science
bbc.co.uk
12.07.2026
Helping one of Britain's rarest butterflies
For more than 30 years, Paul Dunn has been working to revive the fortunes of the high brown fritillary.
Science
bbc.co.uk
11.07.2026