Rising sand temperatures threaten hatchlings by skewing sex ratios and increasing deformities. But could this heat also impair their brains? In a first of its kind study, hatchlings were trained in a maze using visual cues to test their learning and ability. Surprisingly, even those from hotter nests showed no cognitive deficits. In some cases, they adapted to changes faster than they learned the original task. This unexpected behavioral flexibility offers a rare glimmer of hope for their survival in a rapidly changing world.

What processes have regulated climate over the course of Earth’s history? Researchers are addressing this question in the face of anthropogenic climate change. Dr. Dominik Hülse of MARUM – Center for Marine Environmental Sciences at the University of Bremen, and Dr. Andy Ridgwell of the University of California (USA) have uncovered a previously missing part of the puzzle in describing the global carbon cycle and climate regulation. In a new issue of the professional journal Science, they introduce an expanded Earth System model that shows how global warming can be overcorrect into an ice age.

Hydropower is a key source of low-carbon electricity, but dams also trap sediment that sustains deltas, farms and fisheries. In the Mekong River Basin, decades of hydropower development have already reduced sediment supply to the delta by up to 75 per cent, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods. Researchers at the College of Design and Engineering, National University of Singapore have created an integrated water–sediment–energy planning framework to identify alternatives that can help avoid further sediment trapping by the remaining planned hydropower projects, thereby protecting the still-available sediment supply. Their study shows that replacing a set of 19 high-impact hydropower plants with solar, wind and battery storage can preserve up to 98 per cent of remaining sediment flows at only four to six per cent higher energy system costs — most of which are offset when ecosystem benefits are included. The approach provides a transferable framework for designing renewable energy systems that protect both climate and ecosystems worldwide.

In a lush revelation from the forest floor, a new study published in Carbon Research (as an Open Access Rapid Communication) shows that mosses, those quiet, green carpet-weavers beneath our feet—are climate champions in their own right. Led by Dr. Zhe Wang from the China-Croatia “Belt and Road” Joint Laboratory on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services, CAS Key Laboratory of Mountain Ecological Restoration and Bioresource Utilization, Chengdu Institute of Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Shanghai Normal University, alongside Dr. Weikai Bao, also of the Chengdu Institute of Biology, this research flips the script on how we view forest carbon storage. Spoiler: mosses matter—big time.

Climate change is drying landscapes and raising temperatures faster than many species can adapt. A new research paper offers a rare empirical look at how these pressures are already reshaping wildlife through the lens of the yellow warbler –– a common migratory bird.

Cambridge scientist uncovers cunning way to double the sales of the famous Greggs Vegan Sausage Roll – and in an open letter, shares the technique with key people at Greggs. Cambridge research finds unique nudge approach that significantly outperforms carbon labelling for increasing sustainable food consumption.

Rice paddies feed billions of people worldwide but face two major challenges: heavy metal contamination and greenhouse gas emissions. Now, researchers have developed a new type of biochar that can address both problems at once—immobilizing toxic cadmium in soil while helping trap carbon, a critical step in slowing climate change.