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Zoo staff rescue near-extinct snails from remote rock
Chester Zoo conservationists have successfully reintroduced 300 captive-bred Madeiran land snails to a remote rock on Bugio Island, part of Portugal’s Madeira archipelago, after the species was nearly wiped out in the wild. The rescue matters because just 21 of the tiny snails were originally found clinging to the rock, believed to be the last…
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‘Kill Jackie,’ Starring a Glamorous, Lethal Catherine Zeta-Jones, Acquired by Warner Bros. Discovery for HBO Max (EXCLUSIVE)
Warner Bros. Discovery has acquired the revenge thriller “Kill Jackie,” starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, for HBO Max in Spain, Portugal, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Iceland, France and Belgium. The deal extends to two of HBO’s most established international streaming markets, with HBO Max reportedly on track to overtake Prime Video as Spain’s second-largest streamer by the…
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Underdogs by Louise Powell review – a powerful debut with plenty of northern soul
Louise Powell’s debut novel, Underdogs, is reviewed as a powerful and authentic portrait of Easington and Easington Colliery, former mining villages in east Durham left to decline after the pit closures of the 1980s and 90s. Set in 1998, the story follows a bereaved 10-year-old, George Wheatley, and his grieving father Reg, who are drawn…
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British chickens could be fuelling surge in bug linked to bowel cancer, study suggests
A study reported by the Daily Mail suggests that chickens reared in Britain could be contributing to a rise in a bacterial infection that has been linked to bowel cancer. The findings add to growing concern among researchers about the role poultry may play in spreading pathogens capable of colonising the human gut, with potential…
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Hugging Face Has a Deepfake Nudes Problem
An investigation by the nonprofit AI Forensics has found that Hugging Face, a major open-source AI platform valued in the billions, is widely used to generate nonconsensual nude “deepfake” images. The finding is significant because it shows that even as US, EU and UK authorities move to crack down on “nudify” tools, a large mainstream…
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On the frontline fighting the UK’s ‘most dangerous plant’
A conservation project in County Tyrone says it is making progress in tackling giant hogweed, an invasive plant described as the UK’s most dangerous due to a sap that causes painful blistering and scarring on contact with skin. The Ballinderry Rivers Trust has been treating a source of the plant near Cookstown, focusing on areas…
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Where is best to see the Buck Moon?
The Buck Moon, the second of three consecutive summer full moons, is set to rise over the West of England on Wednesday night, offering stargazers across Bristol, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire and Somerset a chance to spot the orange, amber or golden orb. Peak illumination technically occurs at 15:36 BST, but as this happens below the horizon,…
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Criticism over planned solar panels on greenfield site
A planning application for 72 ground-mounted solar panels on a greenfield site in St Sampson, Guernsey, has drawn criticism from locals, who argue the agricultural land should be protected and that the panels would be better placed on the applicant’s own roof. Opponents cite wildlife concerns, saying the field provides habitat for insects and other…
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The prehistoric species fighting for survival in Lough Neagh
The Lough Neagh eel, a species with roots stretching back before the dinosaurs, faces a fishing shutdown as its numbers collapse. No yellow eels will be caught this year or for the next two, following the closure of the fishery, with only a small quota of mature silver eels permitted at the Lough Neagh Fishermen’s…
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Is it time to stop using glue and labels on paper?
German researchers and packaging firms are developing ways to seal paper and cardboard packaging without adhesives or labels, aiming to remove “stickies” that can damage recycling machinery and degrade recycled paper. The push matters because Europe’s incoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation, taking effect in August, will require packaging to be at least 70% recyclable…