The before and after images showing glaciers vanishing before our eyes 6 hours ago Share Save Mark Poynting Climate and science reporter, BBC News Share Save BBC When Matthias Huss first visited Rhône Glacier in Switzerland 35 years ago, the ice was just a short walk from where his parents would park the car. "When I first stepped onto the ice. there [was] a special feeling of eternity," says Matthias. Today, the ice is half an hour from the same parking spot and the scene is very different. "Every time I go back, I remember how it used to be," recalls Matthias, now director of Glacier Monitoring in Switzerland (GLAMOS), "how the glacier looked when I was a child. " There are similar stories for many glaciers all over the planet, because these frozen rivers of ice are retreating - fast. In 2024, glaciers outside the giant ice sheets of Greenland and Antarctica lost 450 billion tonnes of ice, according to a recent World Meteorological Organization report. That's equivalent to a block of ice 7km (4. 3 miles) tall, 7km wide and 7km deep - enough water to fill 180 million Olympic swimming pools. "Glaciers are melting everywhere in the world," says Prof Ben Marzeion of the Institute of Geography at the University of Bremen. "They are sitting in a climate that is very hostile to them now because of global warming. " Switzerland's glaciers have been particularly badly hit, losing a quarter of their ice in the last 10 years, measurements from GLAMOS revealed this week. "It's really difficult to grasp the extent of this melt," explains Dr Huss. But photos - from space and the ground - tell their own story. Satellite images show how the Rhône Glacier has changed since 1990, when Dr Huss first visited. At the front of the glacier is a lake where there used to be ice. Until recently, glaciologists in the Alps used to consider 2% of ice lost in a single year to be "extreme". Then 2022 blew that idea out of the water, with nearly 6% of Switzerland's remaining ice lost in a single year. That has been followed by significant losses in 2023, 2024 and now 2025 too. Regine Hock, professor of glaciology at the University of Oslo, has been visiting the Alps since the 1970s. The changes over her lifetime are "really stunning", she says, but "what we see now is really massive changes within a few years". The Clariden Glacier, in north-eastern Switzerland, was roughly in balance until the late 20th Century - gaining about as much ice through snowfall as it lost to melting. But this century, it's melted rapidly. For many smaller glaciers, like the Pizol Glacier in the north-east Swiss Alps, it's been too much. "This is one of the glaciers that I observed, and now it's completely gone," says Dr Huss. "It definitely makes me sad. " Photographs allow us to look even further back in time. The Gries Glacier, in southern Switzerland near the Italian border, has retreated by about 2. 4 miles) in the past century. Where the end of the glacier once stood is now a large glacial lake. In south-east Switzerland, the Pers Glacier once fed the larger Morteratsch Glacier, which flows down towards the valley. Now the two no longer meet. And the largest glacier in the Alps, the Great Aletsch, has receded by about 2. 4 miles) over the past 75 years. Where there was ice, there are now trees. Glaciers have grown and shrunk naturally for millions of years, of course. In the cold snaps of the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries - part of the Little Ice Age - glaciers regularly advanced. During this time, many were considered cursed by the devil in Alpine folklore, their advances linked to spiritual forces as they threatened hamlets and farmland. There are even tales of villagers calling on priests to talk to the spirits of glaciers and get them to move up the mountain. Glaciers began their widespread retreat across the Alps in about 1850, though the timing varied from place to place. That coincided with rising industrialisation, when burning of fossil fuels, particularly coal, began to heat up our atmosphere, but it's hard to disentangle natural and human causes that far back in time. Where there is no real doubt is that the particularly rapid losses of the past 40 years or so are not natural. Without humans warming the planet - by burning fossil fuels and releasing huge amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) – glaciers would be expected to be roughly stable. "We can only explain it if we take into account CO2 emissions," confirms Prof Marzeion. What is even more sobering is that these large, flowing bodies of ice can take decades to fully adjust to the rapidly warming climate. That means that, even if global temperatures stabilised tomorrow, glaciers would continue to retreat. "A large part of the future melt of the glaciers is already locked in," explains Prof Marzeion. "They are lagging climate change. " But all is not lost. Half of the ice remaining across the world's mountain glaciers could be preserved if global warming is limited to 1. 5C above "pre-industrial" levels of the late 1800s, according to research published this year in the journal Science. Our current trajectory is leading us towards warming of about 2. 7C above pre-industrial levels by the end of this century – which would see three-quarters of ice lost eventually. That extra water going into rivers and eventually the oceans means higher sea levels for coastal populations around the world. But the loss of ice will be particularly acutely felt by mountain communities dependent on glaciers for fresh water. Glaciers are a bit like giant reservoirs. They collect water as snowfall - which turns into ice - during cold, wet periods, and release it as meltwater during warm periods. This meltwater helps to stabilise river flows during hot, dry summers - until the glacier disappears. The loss of that water resource has knock-on effects for all those who rely on glaciers - for irrigation, drinking, hydropower and even shipping traffic. Switzerland is not immune from those challenges, but the implications are much more profound for the high mountains of Asia, referred to by some as the Third Pole due to the volume of ice. About 800 million people rely at least partly on meltwater from glaciers there, particularly for agriculture. That includes the upper Indus river basin, which serves parts of China, India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. In regions with drier summers, meltwater from ice and snow can be the only significant source of water for months. "That's where we see the biggest vulnerability," says Prof Hock. So how do scientists feel when confronted by the future prospects of glaciers in a warming world? "It's sad," says Prof Hock. "But at the same time, it's also empowering. If you decarbonise and reduce the [carbon] footprint, you can preserve glaciers. "We have it in our hands. " Top image: Tschierva Glacier, Swiss Alps, in 1935 and 2022. Credit: swisstopo and VAW Glaciology, ETH Zurich. Additional reporting by Dominic Bailey and Erwan Rivault

Vaccine breakthrough for deadly elephant virus 21 hours ago Share Save Victoria Gill Science correspondent, BBC News Share Save Victoria Gill/BBC Chester Zoo alone has lost seven baby elephants to disease caused by the virus Researchers have made a breakthrough in the development of new vaccine to prevent a deadly virus that affects young elephants. The vaccine, produced by an international research team, aims to prevent the severe disease caused by elephant endotheliotropic herpesvirus (EEHV), which is currently a leading cause of death in young Asian elephants. In trials that involved adult elephants at Chester Zoo, the vaccine was found to be safe and, crucially, to activate part of the immune system that helps fight viruses. Prof Falko Steinbach from the UK Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) and the University of Surrey, said this was "a landmark moment in our work to protect Asian elephants". Victoria Gill/BBC The research involved the elephants at Chester Zoo Kevin Church/BBC The next step is to test the new vaccine in younger elephants It is hoped that the result of this first-of-its-kind trial will pave the way to preventing the deaths of young elephants from the dangerous disease caused by this virus. EEHV has had a particularly devastating impact in zoos. At Chester Zoo alone, seven baby elephants have died of it over the last decade. It has also been found in wild elephant herds and in some sanctuaries and elephant orphanages. It causes a haemorrhagic disease - uncontrolled bleeding that can be fatal within 24 hours. It results in death in more than 80% of cases in juvenile elephants. Why EEHV can be so dangerous is still unknown. Many adult elephants carry the virus - apparently with no negative impact on their health. But it is thought that young calves are particularly vulnerable when they are being weaned, and when the immune-boosting antibodies from the mother's milk decline. At this stage, a calf's immune system is in a delicate balance and it can become overwhelmed. "It can cause really severe disease," Dr Katie Edwards, lead conservation scientist at Chester Zoo told BBC News. "It does affect wild elephants, but we don't have an exact number of how many deaths in total it has caused. For elephants in human care [in zoos and sanctuaries] though, there have been more than 100 deaths. " Falko Steinbach/APHA The researchers hope the vaccine will ultimately be used to protect elephants in their native habitat The research team, led by veterinary scientists at the University of Surrey and the APHA, developed the new vaccine using a tried and tested "scaffold". Essentially, the basic structure of this vaccine is identical to one routinely used to immunise elephants against a virus called cowpox. The scientists seeded this vaccine structure with proteins from EEHV - non-infectious bits of the virus that the elephant's immune system might recognise and respond to. In a world-first trial, the team tested the new vaccine in three healthy, adult elephants at Chester Zoo, then analysed blood samples from the innoculated animals. Prof Steinbach told BBC News that the results, published in the journal Nature Communications were "better than we had hoped for". "They showed, unequivocally that the vaccine was able to stimulate the production of [immune cells called] T cells, that are crucial to fighting viral infections. " The next step for the scientists is to test the vaccine in younger elephants, which are the animals most vulnerable to severe disease. The current vaccination requires four injections to be given, so another aim is to work out if the same protective dose can be given in a simpler way - perhaps with fewer jabs. Dr Edwards explained: "Ultimately we want to use this vaccine in the elephants that are at risk, so we want to make sure that we can get it to where it's needed. " Prof Steinbach added: "We think this is a significant step forward, and not necessarily only for the elephants, but because it also shows that you can design and apply vaccines to help endangered species

Russia targets UK military satellites on weekly basis 3 hours ago Share Save Jonathan Beale Defence correspondent, London Share Save Space X The UK launched the Tyche military imaging satellite into orbit on a Space X rocket last year Russian satellites have been stalking British military satellites, according to the head of the UK Space Command. In an interview with the BBC, Maj Gen Paul Tedman has for the first time set out the level of interference from Moscow against the UK's space-based assets. He said Russia had also been trying to jam the UK's military satellites with ground-based systems every week. Last month Germany's Defence Minister, Boris Pistorius, said Russia had been shadowing satellites used by their military. General Tedman said Russian satellites had been stalking British military satellites Gen Tedman gave details of how Russia was doing the same to the UK. "They're interested in what we're doing and flying relatively close," he said. "They've got payloads on board that can see our satellites and are trying to collect information from them. " Gen Tedman said UK military satellites had been fitted with counter-jamming technologies but added: "We're seeing our satellites being jammed by the Russians on a reasonably persistent basis. " When asked how often, he replied "weekly". It was, he said, deliberate and the activity had increased since Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine. Britain has half a dozen dedicated military satellites in orbit providing communications and surveillance. In contrast, the US, China and Russia each have more than a hundred. The combined Russian and Chinese fleet of satellites has increased by 70% over the past decade. Gen Tedman said Russia and China had both tested anti-satellite weapons. Both the UK and the US have warned that Russia has been developing the capability to put nuclear weapons in space. While the US sees China as the pacing threat, Gen Tedman sees Russia as the more immediate danger: "I would say the Chinese have by far the more sophisticated capability but the Russians have more will to use their counter-space systems. " Gen Tedman said he was "really worried" about what was happening in space – not just the threats but the increasing congestion. There are currently about 45,000 objects in orbit including around 9,000 satellites. This year will see another 300 rocket launches into space. UK MoD Tyche is the MoD's first wholly owned Earth observation satellite. The general was speaking on a visit to RAF Fylingdales in North Yorkshire. It is home to Britain and America's Ballistic Missile Early Warning System. It is a job they has been doing since 1963. The three famous large radomes or "golf balls" from the Cold War era have been replaced by a 30-metre (98-ft) pyramid which houses thousands of antennae. It looks like a spaceship has landed on the North Yorkshire moors, surrounded by sheep, an electrified perimeter fence and razor wire. The unblinking eye provides 360 degree coverage from the Arctic to North Africa, and from the Mediterranean to the Atlantic. Its radar can track objects the size of a tin can, 3,000 miles (4,800km) into space. Inside, the heavy blast doors and air locks tell you that his too could be a target for any adversary. In the operations room, UK military personnel watch round the clock, every day of the year. The RAF's 2 Space Warning Squadron take us through the drill of how they detect a missile launch. They are plugged into other US satellites and sensors that enable them to detect a launch anywhere in the world. Gen Tedman calls space "a team sport" but, in reality, the UK is heavily reliant on America. US contractors maintain the radar at Fylingdales. The UK officer in charge of the watch says along with other sources "we'd know the UK was under threat probably within a minute". What is mentioned less is the UK's ability to intercept ballistic missiles. Currently the UK has very little in the way of ballistic missile defence. The RAF Fylingdales air force base in North Yorkshire is home to Britain and America's Ballistic Missile Early Warning System

Pope Leo condemns climate change critics 13 hours ago Share Save Matt McGrath Environment correspondent Share Save Getty Images Pope Leo XIV speaking at the Raising Hope climate conference near Rome Pope Leo XIV has hit out at those who minimise the "increasingly evident" impact of rising temperatures in his first major statement on climate change. Reiterating the words of his predecessor Pope Francis, the new pontiff lambasted critics who "ridicule those who speak of global warming". The Pope's remarks, at a speech in Castel Gondolfo near Rome, will be seen as an implied criticism of US President Donald Trump, who last month called climate change a "con". Pope Leo also called for greater action from citizens the world over on climate change, saying there was no room for indifference or resignation. The Pope was speaking at a conference to mark 10 years since the publication of Laudato Si'. That landmark document, written by his predecessor Pope Francis, made the issue of climate a central part of the church's concerns. Many credit it for helping set the tone that led to the Paris climate agreement in 2015. But the new Pope, who was elected in May, was worried that the question of climate change was now becoming more divisive. Referring to his predecessor's writings, he said: "Some have chosen to deride the increasingly evident signs of climate change, to ridicule those who speak of global warming, and even to blame the poor for the very thing that affects them the most. " Just two weeks ago at the UN General Assembly in New York, US President Donald Trump criticised the climate movement as the "greatest con job ever perpetrated on the world", and rebuffed the use of renewable energy. "The carbon footprint is a hoax made up by people with evil intentions, and they're heading down a path of total destruction," he said. Pope Leo, the first pontiff born in the US, has previously clashed with Trump's White House on issues including migration and national security. Getty Images Pope Leo told the meeting that citizens needed to put more pressure on politicians over climate change

Dame Jane Goodall remembered as a 'true hero for the planet' 2 hours ago Share Save Maia Davies BBC News and Harry Sekulich BBC News Share Save Watch: Jane Goodall tells BBC how she became interested in animals Conservationist Dame Jane Goodall, a world-leading expert on chimpanzees, has died aged 91. Former US president Barack Obama was among those who paid tribute to Dr Goodall, who he said, "opened doors for generations of women in science". Actor and environmental campaigner Leonardo DiCaprio said that she "inspired millions to care, to act, and to hope", and called her a "a true hero for the planet". Dr Goodall died of natural causes while in California on a speaking tour of the US, according to a statement from the Jane Goodall Institute. It said her discoveries "revolutionised science" and that she was "a tireless advocate for the protection and restoration of our natural world". The United Nations said it mourned the loss of Dr Goodall, saying that she "worked tirelessly for our planet and all its inhabitants, leaving an extraordinary legacy for humanity and nature". Greenpeace said it was "heartbroken" by her death, calling her "one of the true conservation giants of our time". Its co-executive director in the UK, Will McCallum, said: "Dr Goodall's legacy is not only in science but in the global movement she helped spark to protect nature and give hope for a better world. " Dame Jane Goodall revolutionised our understanding of our closest primate cousins Naturalist Chris Packham told the BBC that he counted her among his heroes, calling her "revolutionary" and "remarkable". "To have lost a hero at a time when we need all of them on the frontline fighting for life on earth is a tragedy. " Getty Images Dr Jane Goodall observing a chimpanzee in Tanzania in 1987 Born in 1934 and raised in London, Dr Goodall said she became fascinated by animals after reading books like The Story of Dr Doolittle and Tarzan. She met leading primatologist Prof Louis Leakey while staying on a friend's farm in Kenya in her mid-twenties. Although she had no qualifications, Mr Leakey saw her potential and helped arrange her first research trip to the jungles of Tanzania in 1960. That year, she became the first person to record witnessing an animal using a tool - a large male chimpanzee, who she had named David Greybeard, digging termites out of a mound with a stick. Until then, it was thought only humans were intelligent enough to do so. Her observations challenged years of conventional scientific thinking and shaped the future of evolutionary science. Her work was published in leading journals, and in 1965 she made the front cover of National Geographic, introducing the world to the emotional and social lives of the primates. Getty Images She featured in 'Miss Goodall and the World of Chimpanzees', narrated by Orson Welles and first broadcast in 1965 She revealed that the animals form strong family bonds and even engage in warfare over territory. She featured in a television documentary narrated by Orson Welles, which saw her playing and wrestling with baby chimps. Her approach - associating so closely with the animals she studied, naming them and even referring to them as "my friends" - was scoffed at by some, mostly male, scientists at the time. She undertook a PhD based on her findings, despite not having an undergraduate degree or any prior scientific training. After her experiences in the field she became an activist, working to free chimpanzees kept in zoos or in captivity for medical research, and later urged action on climate change in the face of widespread habitat devastation. She told the BBC in 2024: "We're in the midst of the sixth great extinction. the more we can do to restore nature and protect existing forests, the better. " Asked what kept her motivated late in life, she said: "Surely people want a future for their children. " Getty Images Dr Goodall advocated for the protection of chimpanzees, including a campaign by the World Wildlife Fund in 1985 Her Jane Goodall Institute, founded in 1977, works to protect chimpanzees and supports projects aimed at benefiting animals and the environment. Dr Goodall was appointed a Dame in 2003 and received the US Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2025. She was known for travelling constantly for her work, telling the Times newspaper in 2022 that she had not slept in the same bed for more than three weeks since 1986. Dr Goodall worked right up until her death, being interviewed on stage in New York a week ago. She was due to speak again at a sold-out event on 3 October in California. PA Media Tributes have poured in for Dame Jane from across the globe, praising her advocacy and "compassion"

Dame Jane Goodall revolutionised our understanding of our closest primate cousins 9 hours ago Share Save Victoria Gill Science correspondent Share Save Watch: Jane Goodall tells BBC how she became interested in animals She was a serene force of nature. And she never wavered in her mission to help the animals to which she dedicated her life. When I interviewed Dame Jane Goodall last year, she exuded calm, even as she pressed home to me that a great extinction crisis was facing our planet. Over a slightly blurry video call, I could see her toy monkey, Mr H, behind her. That toy was given to her nearly 30 years ago by a friend. Dr Goodall, who was 90 years old when we spoke, was still travelling the world with Mr H at her side. Researchers I've spoken to this evening, whose work Dr Goodall inspired, or who were simply inspired by her energy, are in shock at her death aged 91. Conservationist Dame Jane Goodall dies aged 91 Professor Cat Hobaiter, from the University of St Andrews, who has worked with Chimpanzees - studying their communication - for more than 15 years, told me that one reason Dr Goodall had such an impact was that "she gave up doing what she loved - spending time with her beloved chimpanzees - to tirelessly travel the world and share her passion with everyone she met. " In the many years that Jane Goodall observed and studied chimpanzees, she revolutionised our understanding of our closest primate cousins. Key to her groundbreaking discoveries were her curiosity and ability - quietly - to observe. Getty Images Dr Goodall "gave up doing what she loved. to tirelessly travel the world and share her passion" It was during her time in the rainforest reserve at Gombe, in Tanzania, when she stopped to spend time watching a male chimpanzee who was foraging. The chimp took a twig, bent and stripped it of its leaves, then he poked it into a termite's nest. He then used that stripped, bent twig to spoon the termites into his mouth. That observation - in 1960 - challenged the belief that only humans made and used tools. Even as she changed our understanding of the natural world, Dr Goodall faced cynicism and sexism. She was not formally trained as a scientist. And, in the 1960s, that was unusual. Her work in Gombe went on to show that chimps also form strong family bonds - and even that they engage in warfare over territory. But her approach – associating so closely with the animals she studied, naming them and even referring to them as "my friends" - made her unpopular with the male-dominated scientific establishment. She had no formal scientific training. But she told me that her supervisor and mentor, Professor Louis Leakey, saw the value in her informality. "He wanted somebody whose mind wasn't messed up by the reductionist attitude of science to animals," she said. Getty Images Dr Goodall was still travelling the world into her 90s with her toy monkey, Mr H, at her side

We are the only democracy - the only advanced democracy on Earth - the only wealthy nation that allows
such hardship for millions of its people.

Everyone in this room knows what will happen if we do nothing. Our deficit will grow. More families will
go bankrupt. More businesses will close. More Americans will lose their coverage.

Now, there are those on the left who believe that the only way to fix the system is through a single-payer
system. Though I understand the appeal, given the problems with our current system, I don't believe that's
the answer.

And then there are those on the right who believe that the answer is to give Americans even fewer
protections. I don't believe that's the answer either.

My guiding principle is that consumers should have choice and competition. That's why I believe we should
create a new insurance exchange - a marketplace where individuals and small businesses will be able to
shop for health insurance at competitive prices.

Insurance companies will be required to cover, at a minimum, essential medical services. And by the way,
they'll no longer be allowed to deny coverage because of a preexisting condition.

Tonight is a particular honor for me because, let's face it, my presence on this stage is pretty unlikely.
My father was a foreign student, born and raised in a small village in Kenya.

My parents shared not only an improbable love; they shared an abiding faith in the possibilities of this
nation. They would give me an African name, Barack, or "blessed," believing that in a tolerant America
your name is no barrier to success.

I stand here today, grateful for the diversity of my heritage, aware that my parents' dreams live on in
my precious daughters. I stand here knowing that my story is part of the larger American story.

There is not a liberal America and a conservative America - there is the United States of America.
There is not a Black America and a White America and Latino America and Asian America - there's the
United States of America.

We worship an awesome God in the Blue States, and we don't like federal agents poking around in our
libraries in the Red States. We coach Little League in the Blue States and yes, we've got some gay
friends in the Red States.

The pundits like to slice and dice our country into Red States and Blue States; Red States for Republicans,
Blue States for Democrats. But I've got news for them, too. We are one people, all of us pledging
allegiance to the stars and stripes, all of us defending the United States of America.

Climate change is an existential threat. The scientific community is virtually unanimous. We have very
little time to act.

The fossil fuel industry has known about climate change for decades, and they lied about it to protect
their profits. They are literally destroying the planet for their short-term profits.

My Green New Deal will transform our energy system. We will invest $16 trillion to create 20 million
good-paying jobs in renewable energy, energy efficiency, and sustainable infrastructure.

We will achieve 100% renewable energy for electricity and transportation by 2030. We will completely
decarbonize the economy by 2050.

This is a massive opportunity. We can create millions of jobs, save the planet, and build a sustainable
economy. But we have to act now. We cannot wait.

We have a rigged economy. The top 1% owns more wealth than the bottom 90%. Three people own more wealth
than the bottom half of American society. This is morally obscene and economically unsustainable.

Corporate greed is destroying the middle class. CEOs make 300 times more than their average workers.
That's not capitalism, that's greed.

We need a political revolution. We need to take on the billionaire class. We need to make the wealthy
pay their fair share in taxes. We need to raise the minimum wage to a living wage.

Wall Street caused the financial crisis, and they got bailed out. Meanwhile, millions of Americans lost
their homes and jobs. We need to break up the big banks.

Amazon, one of the most profitable corporations in the world, paid zero in federal taxes. That's wrong.
We need to close corporate loopholes and make corporations pay their fair share.