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While holiday‑makers flocked to Lancashire’s coast for fresh sea air, residents of the former fishing port of Fleetwood were forced to endure a persistent, noxious odor emanating from the reopened Jameson Road landfill.The stench, identified as hydrogen sulphide – a toxic gas with a characteristic rotten‑egg smell – has been linked to the landfill’s re‑activation by recycling firm Transwaste in late 2023 after a five‑year closure.Local authorities report that the Environment Agency (EA) has received more than 20,000 complaints since the site reopened, including 6,000 complaints in the last six weeks alone. In the two‑year period ending January, the EA recorded 74 compliance breaches at the site, a third of which were classified as “significant”.Health impacts are mounting. Residents describe symptoms ranging from retching and vomiting to nosebleeds, headaches, itchy eyes and aggravated respiratory conditions such as asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). One resident, retired teacher Donna Davidson, reports that the smell has penetrated her home at night, describing it as “people are getting gassed in their beds”.Children are also affected; Dave McPartlin, headteacher of nearby Flakefleet Primary School, says pupils are refusing to play outside because the odor “lingers” even on sunny days. A family staying in an autism‑friendly caravan described their child’s severe nausea, calling the experience “hell”.Medical professionals are sounding the alarm. Dr. Barbara Kneale, a GP and occupational‑medicine consultant living a mile from the landfill, says the community feels “treated with contempt” by public agencies and is gathering detailed hydrogen sulphide readings to bolster a campaign for permanent closure.Local political pressure is intensifying. MP Lorraine Beavers used parliamentary privilege to label Transwaste “crooks” evading accountability, pledging to fight until the site is shut down. In response, Transwaste denied the allegations, insisting it complies with all regulations and attributing odour issues to the site’s re‑opening process.Wyre Borough Council, the landfill’s landlord, warned that legal action would only proceed if residents provide detailed diaries and allow council officers to witness the odour inside homes.Community activism has grown, with over 100 locals staging a slow march to the landfill, many using walking frames and face masks. Campaigners, including Davidson and Kneale, are also tracking the origins of waste trucks, which have been traced to locations as far as Dover, Dunfermline and Hull.The EA has pledged further enforcement, stating that “the community should not have to tolerate odours that affect their environment” and that it is pressing the operator to install permanent capping to prevent future emissions.As Fleetwood grapples with what residents call an “abomination”, the dispute highlights broader concerns about landfill management, air‑quality standards and the disproportionate impact on deprived communities with already high rates of respiratory illness.

In the 1970s and 80s, fewer than 250 mountain gorillas survived worldwide, prompting dire predictions of extinction. Decades of focused protection have lifted that number to over a thousand, and the trend continues upward.Recent patrols on the Democratic Republic of the Congo side of the Virunga range have documented an extraordinary event: two pairs of twin gorilla infants were born within a three‑month span. Twins are exceptionally uncommon in this species, representing less than 1% of all births, making the double occurrence a remarkable indicator of population health.Jacques Katutu, head of gorilla monitoring at Virunga, emphasized that the twin births “provide another vital indicator that dedicated conservation efforts… support the growth of the endangered mountain gorilla population within Virunga National Park.” Rangers suggest the thriving families are robust enough to meet the added demands of raising twins.Infant mountain gorillas face high mortality, often succumbing to infanticide, injury or disease. Yet the first twin pair, born in January, is reported to be alive and thriving, with troop members assisting the mother, Mafuko, in caring for her male infants.The achievements occur against a backdrop of extreme danger for park staff. More than 220 rangers have been killed protecting wildlife in the DRC over the past two decades, while rebel groups such as M23 continue to operate with impunity.Integral to this success are the Gorilla Doctors, a veterinary NGO whose interventions are credited with about half of the species’ population increase. Their teams trek daily through the dense forest, identifying each gorilla by name and providing medical care for injuries and disease in the isolated habitats of Virunga and Uganda’s Bwindi Impenetrable National Park.Dr. Benard Ssebide, a leading Gorilla Doctor, guided the author through the gorilla family on Mount Muhabura, narrating each animal’s story as they foraged for thistles, leaves and wild blackberries.These twin births serve as a powerful reminder that, even amid global environmental challenges, concerted human effort can foster tangible recovery for one of the planet’s most iconic endangered species.

The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has issued new guidelines urging bird enthusiasts to take down their bird feeders during the summer months to help prevent the spread of avian diseases. This move aims to protect bird species such as the greenfinch, whose numbers have drastically declined due to the outbreak of trichomonosis, a parasitic disease.According to the RSPB, garden birds should not be fed seeds and nuts between May and October, as this can lead to the clustering of birds around feeders, facilitating the transmission of diseases. Instead, bird lovers are advised to offer small amounts of protein-rich food sources like mealworms, fat balls, or suet, which tend to attract fewer birds and are beneficial for their health.The greenfinch population has plummeted by 67% since 1979, with an estimated 6 million birds dying from trichomonosis in recent years. The RSPB's guidance also includes recommendations for bird-friendly garden planting, such as sunflowers, teasels, and ivy, which provide natural sources of food and encourage insects that are crucial for many garden birds.The RSPB emphasizes that feeding birds can still be beneficial if done safely and seasonally. During the winter months, seeds and peanuts can be offered, but bird tables and flat-surfaced feeders should be avoided, as they can collect contaminated food. Regular cleaning and maintenance of feeders and water sources are also crucial in preventing the spread of diseases.The Big Garden Birdwatch 2026 results show that the house sparrow remains the most-seen bird, followed by the blue tit and starling. The greenfinch, however, has seen a significant decline in its population and now ranks 18th in the survey.

The fertility rate in the United States has dropped to an all-time low, continuing a two-decade decline that has seen births in the country drop by nearly 23 percent since 2007.According to data released by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the fertility rate for 2025 was 53.1 births per 1,000 women aged 15 to 44, a one percent drop compared to the year before.Experts attribute the change to a variety of factors, from changing priorities among younger women to socioeconomic factors such as anxiety over the cost of living and the affordability of housing and childcare. For example, the average cost of childcare in California is nearly $22,000 per year, while in Alabama it is nearly $8,000.Even though Alabama's costs are lower, the institute noted that $8,000 is the equivalent of 27 weeks of full-time work for a laborer making the minimum wage in the state. In California, it would take a minimum-wage worker 33 weeks to earn enough for childcare costs alone.Falling birth rates have also grabbed the attention of policymakers, with some seeking to roll out tools to incentivize young couples to have children. The administration of United States President Donald Trump promised to embrace pro-birth policies, sometimes referred to as pro-natalist policies.

The UK government’s latest proposal to ease planning restrictions for large‑scale chicken operations has drawn sharp criticism for being short‑sighted and potentially jeopardising the nation’s food resilience.Advocates of the change argue that lower stocking densities constitute a modest welfare improvement, yet critics contend this is a minor concession that does little to address the systemic cruelty of intensive poultry systems. Moreover, the fast‑growing, low‑welfare breeds used in these units depend almost entirely on imported soy for feed, creating a strategic vulnerability to trade disruptions – a risk highlighted by the ongoing conflict in Iran.Beyond ethical concerns, the model is increasingly economically unsustainable. Frequent disease outbreaks, soaring energy prices and extreme weather events such as heatwaves and flooding are already eroding profitability and further degrading animal welfare. These pressures underscore the fragility of a sector that remains heavily reliant on a single, high‑intensity production model.Local communities have also voiced strong opposition, with recent planning objections succeeding and legal actions launched against producers and retailers for alleged environmental damage. This grassroots resistance signals a growing public demand for a more nature‑friendly agricultural framework.Stakeholders, including World Animal Protection’s UK country director Ruth Tanner, call for an immediate halt to the proposed deregulation. They propose capping the number of industrial units and investing in alternatives such as agroforestry and regenerative farming, which promise a more resilient, high‑welfare, and equitable future for British agriculture.

For the first time, scientists have observed a 'civil war' in wild chimpanzees, where a once unified group turned on itself, leading to a years-long conflict. In a study published in the journal Science, researchers detail the dramatic shift in behavior among the Ngogo chimpanzee group in Uganda's Kibale national park.Primatologist Aaron Sandel, who led the research, noted that the conflict began in 2015 when the group's dynamics started to change. A change in social hierarchies, the death of key older individuals, and a disease outbreak in 2017 contributed to the group's fracture. By 2018, two distinct groups had emerged: the western chimps and the central chimps.The conflict escalated into 24 sustained and coordinated attacks by the western group on the central group over seven years, resulting in the deaths of at least seven adult males and 17 infants. This level of in-group violence is rare in the animal kingdom and has significant implications for understanding human conflict.Sandel suggests that human activities disrupting social cohesion, such as deforestation, climate change, or disease outbreaks, could make such inter-group conflicts more common among chimpanzees, who are already threatened with extinction. The study highlights the fragility of social ties and the potential for group cohesion to be disrupted under specific circumstances.Brian Wood, an evolutionary anthropologist, noted that the western chimps increased their Darwinian fitness by decreasing the survival and reproduction of their former community members. This conflict has resulted in the lowest survivorship ever documented in a wild chimpanzee community.

A 47‑year‑old woman who had endured three life‑threatening autoimmune diseases for more than a decade is now living a near‑normal life after an experimental CAR‑T cell therapy reset her immune system at University Hospital Erlangen in Germany.Before the procedure she had exhausted nine different treatments with no lasting benefit, relying on daily blood transfusions and continuous anticoagulation to manage her illnesses.Within weeks of the infusion, doctors observed rapid improvement in all three conditions—a world‑first outcome. She has remained in treatment‑free remission for 14 months and has largely returned to everyday activities.Prof Fabian Müller, who led the team, called the speed and depth of the response “remarkable” and said the therapy “significantly improved her quality of life.” He emphasized that clinical trials are required to determine how durable the effect is and whether it can help other autoimmune patients.The patient suffered from three distinct disorders: autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA), where rogue immune cells destroy red blood cells; immune thrombocytopenia (ITP), which depletes platelets and raises bleeding risk; and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), which promotes dangerous blood clots. All three stem from malfunctioning B‑cells.With no conventional options left, doctors turned to CAR‑T therapy, a technique that has revolutionised treatment for certain cancers. They harvested her white‑blood cells, isolated the T‑cells, engineered them to recognise the CD19 protein on B‑cells, and reinfused the modified cells.The engineered T‑cells swiftly eliminated the pathogenic B‑cells. She received her last blood transfusion a week after treatment and was able to perform routine tasks within two weeks. Follow‑up tests showed a reconstituted, healthy B‑cell population, suggesting an immune reset. The findings were published in the journal Med.She still exhibits a mildly low white‑cell count and slightly elevated liver enzymes, which researchers attribute to the cumulative impact of prior therapies rather than the CAR‑T product.Rheumatology expert Prof Ben Parker of Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust described the case as encouraging, noting that “the prolonged response off normal therapy suggests there has been an immune reset.” However, he warned that case reports alone cannot confirm efficacy and highlighted ongoing trials for lupus, myositis, multiple sclerosis, systemic sclerosis, vasculitis, and other autoimmune conditions.

The UK's reliance on glyphosate, a widely used herbicide, has come under fire from campaigners who argue that its use has spiralled out of control. Glyphosate, known for its effectiveness in killing weeds, has been linked to various health risks, including cancer, and environmental damage.Originally pioneered by Scottish farmers in the 1980s to dry crops before harvest, the use of glyphosate has expanded globally. In the UK, over 2,200 tonnes of glyphosate were applied in 2024, with more than half used on wheat and other cereals. This represents a 10-fold increase in usage over the past three decades.Despite the World Health Organization classifying glyphosate as 'probably carcinogenic to humans' in 2015, its use has remained high. Bayer, the manufacturer, maintains that its herbicides do not cause cancer, but this stance is contested by many health and environmental organizations.Campaigners, including Nick Mole of Pesticide Action Network UK, are urging the government to phase out and ultimately ban glyphosate, citing its links to a range of cancers and other life-threatening diseases, as well as its impact on the environment. They argue that safer, more sustainable alternatives are available and should be adopted by farmers and local councils.However, some agricultural experts, like Helen Metcalfe of Rothamsted Research, suggest that glyphosate is used differently in the UK compared to the US, where genetically modified crops are involved. The shift towards 'regenerative' farming practices has contributed to the increased use of glyphosate, as it helps protect soil health and prevent erosion.The debate over glyphosate's safety and environmental impact continues, with the EU banning its use in pre-harvest desiccation in 2023 due to concerns about food accumulation. In the US, Bayer has offered $7.25bn to settle lawsuits alleging that Roundup, which contains glyphosate, can cause cancer. The UK government maintains that pesticide use is strictly regulated and only approved if it does not harm human or animal health or the environment.

The little corella infestation on Kangaroo Island has reached critical levels, with the birds causing widespread destruction and disruption to daily life. Despite a recent culling effort that resulted in the death of 2,640 little corellas, authorities acknowledge that it won't be enough to mitigate the problem.The birds, which are not native to the island, have been covering a local school in faeces, tearing up infrastructure, damaging crops, and causing mental distress to residents with their screeching. They have also been spotted using the nesting hollows of the endangered glossy-black cockatoo, smashing their eggs and killing their nestlings.Past attempts to control populations by shooting, scaring, trapping, or gassing them have failed, with the highly intelligent birds learning how to survive or just moving to cause havoc somewhere else. The Kangaroo Island Landscape Board's general manager, Will Durack, says that night-time shooting was more efficient, with the roosting birds easier to kill in large numbers, but it is not clear how much of a dent they made in the population.The little corellas have created a perfect environment for themselves on the island, with a predictable water supply from stock troughs and dams, and food from grain crops. Residents have expressed concerns about the physical and mental health impacts of the infestation, including the spread of diseases such as ornithosis and the disruption to daily life caused by the birds' loud shrieks.Coordination with other agencies and more resources are needed if the trial is to be expanded, according to the landscape board. A resident, Rodney Bell, has four grandchildren at the school and says: “They poo all over the yard, then the kids are playing in it.” He also mentions that “near the school, they would drive anyone insane from the sheer noise.”