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    Hyderabad: In a significant breakthrough for aquatic ecology and environmental monitoring, researchers from the CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology (CSIR-CCMB) have discovered that cyanobacterial communities in Chilika Lagoon undergo seasonal genetic changes. The findings could play a crucial role in predicting harmful algal blooms and improving conservation strategies in fragile water ecosystems. The study, published in the scientific journal Environmental Advances was led by Manisha Ray and Govindhaswamy Umapathy. It provides new insights into how environmental factors, particularly salinity, influence the structure and function of cyanobacterial populations. Researchers reconstructed 83 cyanobacterial metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs) using environ...

    The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has issued a detailed seven-day weather forecast warning of thunderstorms, rainfall and rising humidity across Odisha, with several districts placed under a yellow alert due to potentially adverse weather conditions. According to the forecast starting April 26, light to moderate rainfall accompanied by thundershowers is expected at isolated locations across southern, northern and coastal districts. Areas likely to be affected include Rayagada, Koraput, Malkangiri, Ganjam, Gajapati, Mayurbhanj and Keonjhar. While many parts of the state may initially experience dry conditions, weather activity is expected to intensify gradually over the coming days. The IMD has cautioned that thunderstorms during this period may be accompan...

    In a startling development that has alarmed climate scientists worldwide, parts of Antarctica experienced an extraordinary temperature surge of up to 28 degrees Celsius during the peak of winter darkness in 2024. This dramatic warming, recorded in July and August, is now being seen as a powerful warning signal of how rapidly the planet’s climate system is changing. Antarctica is known as the coldest place on Earth, where winter temperatures typically plunge below minus 30 degrees Celsius. However, during this unusual event, temperatures in parts of East Antarctica rose far above normal levels and remained elevated for more than two weeks. Scientists say such a massive deviation is almost unprecedented and cannot be dismissed as routine weather variation. This was ...

    In New Zealand, landslides are becoming more frequent and destructive as climate change intensifies extreme rainfall events, raising serious concerns for communities and infrastructure across the country. Recent incidents, including widespread slips in Tairāwhiti and fatal landslides in the Bay of Plenty, have highlighted the growing scale of the threat. Experts note that while New Zealand has always been prone to landslides due to its steep terrain and fragile geological conditions, climate change is now worsening the situation. Increased rainfall intensity is saturating soils more frequently, weakening slopes and triggering sudden and often catastrophic failures. Landslides are already among the country’s most damaging natural hazards, causing an estimated annua...

    A controversial plan to “restore” Delhi’s Central Ridge forest has triggered widespread concern among environmentalists, scientists and citizens, after it revealed proposals that many say could harm, rather than protect, one of the capital’s last remaining natural ecosystems. The Delhi Government’s Department of Forests and Wildlife had issued a tender on March 11, 2026, outlining a project to develop four “themed forests” within the Central Ridge. These proposed zones named Tirthankar Van, Ritu Van, Rashi Van and Panchvati Van were designed around religious symbolism, seasonal themes, zodiac signs and culturally significant trees. The project, estimated to cost more than five crore rupees, was presented as a restoration effort. However, experts argue that it resembl...

    A growing global push to plant over a trillion trees to combat climate change and biodiversity loss may fall short unless strategies shift from quantity to quality, new research suggests. Scientists from the Smithsonian Environmental Research Center warn that simply planting trees especially single-species plantations could create fragile ecosystems that fail to deliver long-term environmental benefits. The findings highlight results from a decade-long experiment known as BiodiversiTREE, which compared monoculture plantations with mixed-species forests. The study reveals that forests with diverse tree species grow faster, support richer biodiversity, and are more resilient to climate stress. Globally, large-scale tree-planting campaigns have been promoted under in...

    As climate change accelerates and global demand for food continues to rise, scientists are warning that the future of wheat the world’s most widely consumed cereal faces growing uncertainty. A new analysis published by The Conversation highlights the urgent need for innovative farming strategies to sustain wheat production in increasingly unpredictable conditions. Wheat remains a cornerstone of global food security, feeding nearly three billion people and contributing more calories and protein to the human diet than any other crop. In 2026, global wheat production is expected to reach approximately 820 million tonnes, reflecting rising demand driven largely by population growth. However, the crop’s resilience is being tested like never before. Wheat, which thrives...

    A quiet transformation is underway across the countryside of United Kingdom, where solar energy infrastructure is not only reshaping landscapes but also creating surprising opportunities for wildlife. New research suggests that solar farms often criticised for altering rural scenery are emerging as important refuges for bird species, including some rarely seen in these areas. Across parts of England, large stretches of farmland once dominated by intensive agriculture are now occupied by solar panel arrays. While concerns about land use and rural identity persist, scientists have identified an unexpected ecological benefit: these sites are becoming “micro-ecosystems” that support biodiversity. According to findings from researchers at University of Cambridge, suppo...

    A major shift is underway in how droughts form across the planet, with rising temperatures now playing a more dominant role than declining rainfall. The study, published in Nature Reviews Earth & Environment, reveals that by the end of 2025, nearly 30 per cent of the world’s land surface was affected by drought almost three times higher than the roughly 10 per cent recorded in the 1990s. Researchers say this marks not just an increase in scale, but a fundamental transformation in the nature of drought itself. Traditionally, droughts have been linked to a lack of rainfall. However, the latest findings show that drought is increasingly being driven by “evaporative demand” a process in which higher temperatures cause the atmosphere to draw more moisture from soil an...

    A growing body of scientific research is raising serious concerns about the future of hurricanes, as climate change continues to increase their potential strength. Experts now warn that warming ocean temperatures are allowing storms to reach higher intensities than ever before, creating the risk of more destructive and costly disasters across the globe. Recent analysis highlights how hurricanes are becoming more powerful due to rising sea surface temperatures. These storms function as natural heat engines, drawing energy from warm ocean waters and converting it into strong winds. As global warming pushes ocean temperatures higher, the amount of energy available to hurricanes increases, allowing them to intensify more rapidly and reach greater peak strength. One of...