Crooked Bough News Round-up

— Thousands of Handwritten Records Reveal Scale of Warming in the Congo

 

at 10/12/26 7:04am

The Congo Basin is one of the few places on Earth where the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has failed to track the long-term shift in extreme heat and rainfall. The reason is a lack of readily available data. To fill this gap, scientists have digitized thousands of handwritten weather records, which reveal the impact of warming in the region. Read more on E360 →

— Instagram Photo Reveals New Species of Giant Waterlily

 

at 10/9/26 8:09am

Researchers have recorded a new species of giant waterlily after first spotting the plant in an Instagram photo. Read more on E360 →

— The U.S. Public Is Losing Its Say on Environmental Policy

 

at 10/8/26 2:30am

Federal agencies have long been required to seek public comment when writing new regulations or approving large projects, from highways to data centers. The Trump administration is systematically undercutting that process, stifling public input while skirting federal laws.Read more on E360 →

— How the U.S. Public Lost Its Say on Environmental Policy

 

at 10/8/26 2:30am

Federal agencies have long been required to seek public comment when writing new regulations or approving large projects, from highways to data centers. The Trump administration is systematically undercutting that process, stifling public input while skirting federal laws.Read more on E360 →

— Jonathan, a 192-Year-Old Giant Tortoise, Holds Insights for Aging Well

 

at 10/7/26 12:00pm

At 192 years old, Jonathan the giant tortoise is the oldest known living land animal. A new study offers clues as to his incredible longevity.Read more on E360 →

— As Deforestation Surges, Indonesia Hinders Access to Forest Data

 

at 10/6/26 6:56am

Indonesia is obstructing access to government data on the state of its forests. The new restrictions come as the country witnesses a surge in deforestation. Read more on E360 →

— Caribbean Nations Have Installed Twice as Much Solar as Official Figures Suggest

 

at 10/5/26 6:55am

Across the Caribbean, people have installed roughly twice as many solar panels as official statistics would suggest. That is the finding of a new report, which calls on countries to make it easier for new solar installations to connect to the grid.Read more on E360 →

— Fifty Billion Seedlings: Can Ethiopia Replant Its Ravaged Forests?

 

at 10/1/26 2:57am

A legacy of deforestation has left Ethiopia struggling with more intense flooding and drought. The country is trying to restore its native forests through one of the world’s most ambitious and well-funded tree-planting campaigns, but such projects in other nations have often fallen short.Read more on E360 →

— For the First Time in a Century, the Atlantic May See No Hurricanes

 

at 9/30/26 6:56am

August and September passed without a single Atlantic hurricane, thanks in part to a powerful El Niño. Forecasters are now raising the prospect that the season could conclude with zero Atlantic hurricanes.Read more on E360 →

— When Bolsonaro Tweeted, Amazon Deforestation Surged

 

at 9/29/26 6:46am

As president of Brazil, Jair Bolsonaro not only weakened environmental regulations and gutted agencies charged with protecting the Amazon, he also railed against conservation. An analysis of his tweets and those of his ministers finds a link between their rhetoric and the acres of forest lost. Read more on E360 →

— Short on Land, Japan Is Building Solar Farms on Old Golf Courses

 

at 9/28/26 6:16am

Mountainous, densely populated Japan has little land available for large solar farms, so developers are erecting arrays on many of the now disused golf courses that proliferated during the country's 1980s economic boom.Read more on E360 →

— Alaska's ‘Rusting’ Waters More Acidic Than Mining Wastewater

 

at 9/25/26 6:20am

As the Arctic warms and tundra thaws, minerals long trapped in frozen soil are leaching into rivers, turning them orange and acidic. A study from northern Alaska found “rusting” waters to be more metallic and acidic than drainage from metal mines.Read more on E360 →

— This Map Shows Where Warming Has Accelerated

 

at 9/23/26 7:00am

Some parts of the globe are not just heating up, but heating up faster than they were just a few decades ago. A new analysis reveals where warming has gained pace.Read more on E360 →

— The Solar Boom in Developing Nations: Fast, Chaotic, and Unequal

 

at 9/22/26 3:57pm

Soaring energy costs are driving a solar rush in developing countries, but as households unplug from the grid, those who remain face higher electricity bills. If governments fail to manage the buildout, the growth of solar could destabilize power systems and deepen economic inequality.Read more on E360 →

— To Deter Seals, Tasmanian Salmon Farmers Have Set Off 1,800 Bombs This Year

 

at 9/22/26 7:18am

In the first half of this year, salmon farmers on the Australian island of Tasmania detonated nearly 1,800 underwater explosives to scare away fur seals intent on nabbing fish, government figures show. Read more on E360 →

— In India, a Surge of Solar Is Keeping Coal Power in Check

 

at 9/21/26 6:52am

India, a country of nearly 1.5 billion people, has long relied on coal to power its growing economy. But over the last two years, it has seen a remarkable shift: The rapid buildout of renewable energy has halted the growth of coal. Read more on E360 →

— Microplastics in Soil a ‘Trojan Horse’ for Toxins

 

at 9/18/26 3:32am

Microplastics act like a “Trojan horse,” delivering pollutants, pesticides, and bacteria through the soil, a five-year multinational research project has found.Read more on E360 →

— Why Germany Is Building an Ark for U.S. Climate Data

 

at 9/17/26 1:59am

As researchers around the world begin work on the next U.N. climate assessment, fears are growing that the Trump administration could meddle with critical U.S. climate data. In response, scientists are preparing to transfer vast troves of that data to repositories in Germany.Read more on E360 →

— At Least 124 Environmental Defenders Killed Worldwide Last Year

 

at 9/16/26 6:25am

At least 124 people were murdered last year for defending their forests, farms, or waterways from destruction or degradation, according to a stark new report. Its authors say that deep cuts to foreign aid by wealthy nations have weakened human rights groups that support environmental defenders. Read more on E360 →

— From Indigenous Loss, a Potent Legal Argument on Climate

 

at 9/15/26 6:47am

In an interview, human rights lawyer Julian Aguon explores how climate change is undermining the cultural traditions of Indigenous peoples. He is citing these injuries in legal actions, including in a major victory at the International Court of Justice last year.Read more on E360 →

— Iceland, One of Three Countries That Still Hunts Whales, Considers Ban

 

at 9/14/26 6:35am

Iceland is one of just three countries, along with Norway and Japan, that still allows commercial whaling in its waters, but that may be about to change. The Icelandic government will put forward a bill in February that could ban the practice.Read more on E360 →

As of 10/13/26 6:45am. Last new 10/12/26 8:21am.