Latest Stories
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Seals, dolphins, porpoises thriving in Thames
Does nature always bounce back? The Thames was declared dead, without oxygen, in the 1950s. This summer, 138 seal pups were spotted basking on the banks, and swimming among new marine life.
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Amazon loses football pitch of trees each minute
Can we stop Brazil cutting down trees in the Amazon rainforest? Satellite images show that an area the size of a football pitch is lost every minute. It is replaced with farmland for cows.
- Climate
- Reading Band 8
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Europe’s brutal heatwave could be the new normal
Can Europe adapt to rising temperatures? Last week, France sizzled in 45.9C heat — the hottest the country has ever seen — while soldiers fought wildfires in Spain. Is global warming winning?
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+
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World population to reach 10 billion by 2100
Can Earth sustain so many people? The United Nations predicts that our global population will peak at about 10.9 billion by the end of the century. It could put a big strain on resources.
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+
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The Norwegian town that has abolished time
Should we get rid of clocks? The 350 residents of Sommarøy have declared their town the world’s first, time-free zone. They say that living by the clock is making us stressed and unhappy.
- Science
- Reading Band 11
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UK drenched in rainiest June on record
Should we be grateful for all this rain? It is a very wet week across the UK, with floods in some parts of the country. Many of us do not like rain, but it has an important job.
- Climate
- Reading Band 5
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Thousands of letters demand action on plastic
Should plastic be banned? Six billion tons of plastic are dumped into the ocean every year. This week, students are sending letters to the Government demanding an end to the pollution.
- Climate
- Reading Band 5
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Pressure mounts to speed up action on climate
Could we go carbon-free in just six years? The protest group Extinction Rebellion says that this must happen in order to save the planet. Politicians say it is impossible. Who is right?
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The 16-year-old who politicians queue to meet
Will they listen? Sixteen-year-old climate activist Greta Thunberg visited the UK this week. She gave a powerful speech in Parliament, saying that children wanted to “wake the adults up”.
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Hundreds arrested in climate protests
Did the protesters go too far? This week, the Extinction Rebellion climate action group brought the city of London to a standstill. They wanted to get as many people arrested as possible.
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Britons buy 80m chocolate eggs this Easter
Has the meaning of Easter been lost? Hot cross buns, the Easter bunny and all those chocolate eggs give us a lot to love about the festival. But have we forgotten the most important part?
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Warning that water could run out in 25 years
The head of England’s Environment Agency has warned that we are set to run out of water in 25 years. To avoid a crisis, he says that we must urgently reduce the amount of water we use.
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+
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Schoolchildren go on strike for climate change
Is it wrong to skip school? Around 15,000 children went “on strike” last Friday in order to protest against climate change. Some teachers supported them, but others said it was wrong.
- Climate
- Reading Band 11
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Steep rise in animals hurt by plastic litter
Should plastic be banned? The RSPCA says the number of animals hurt by plastic has risen sharply in Britain since 2015. Birds and marine animals are particularly at risk.
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+
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Arctic blast sends Britain into deep freeze
Is winter weather fun or frightful? Snow, ice and whistling winds have swept much of Britain in a spate of freezing weather. Meanwhile, some areas of America are colder than the South Pole.
- Climate
- Reading Band 14+