'Communities' of strange, extreme life seen for first time in deep ocean 31 July 2025 Share Save Victoria Gill Science correspondent, BBC News Share Save Watch: some of the strange, extreme life filmed at the depths of the ocean Beds of clams, mats of bacteria that look like ice and fields of tube worms - these are just some examples of the strange, extreme life that an expedition to the deepest parts of the ocean has observed, filmed and photographed. Diving in a human-occupied submersible to ocean trenches in the northwest Pacific Ocean, a Chinese-led research team captured pictures of life at depths of more than 9km (5. The deepest marine vertebrate life filmed before this expedition was at 8,336m - a snailfish that was filmed swimming in a deep ocean trench off the coast of Japan in 2023. These new observations are published in the journal Nature. IDSSE/CAS The scientists photographed what looked like fields of long, thin tube worms IDSSE/CAS The white, spiky creatures are called Macellicephaloides grandicirra. Here they are photographed in dense colonies of tube worms that can be up to 30cm in length Although it was accepted among marine scientists that there would be life at these depths, scientists on this mission say the abundance of animals they saw from the windows of their submersible was "amazing". The scientific expedition covered more than 2,500km - exploring trenches at depths ranging from 5,800 to 9,533m. Oxygen discovery defies knowledge of the deep ocean Deepest-ever sub dive finds plastic bag Researchers travelled in a submersible vehicle called Fendouzhe, which can operate at depths of more than 10km for several hours at a time. The team, led by researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering, discovered what they describe as "thriving communities" of creatures. IDSSE/CAS The researchers created this composite image of their submersible in a deep ocean trench "It's exciting - especially for a deep sea scientist - to go to a place that human beings have not explored," one of the lead researchers, Dr Xiaotong Peng, told BBC News. "It's a great opportunity to discover new things. And what we saw was quite amazing. " Scientists photographed and filmed what looked like fields of marine life - dominated by various different types of tube worm and mollusc. These animals live in the pitch dark and under vast pressure. With no sunlight, life at these depths is fuelled by chemicals that seep out of the ocean floor. Hydrogen sulfide and methane seep out of faults - or cracks - in the Earth's crust. The scientists say they have recorded species never seen before. In future studies, they hope to work out how the bodies of these so called "chemosynthetic" or chemical-fuelled creatures convert these chemicals into energy. "They must [also] have a trick to adapt to life in super high pressure," added Dr Megran Du, also from China's Institute of Deep Sea Science and Engineering. "That's another question we need to answer. " IDSSE/CAS Beds of molluscs appear to rely on the chemical "fuel" that seeps out of the seabed

Russian volcano erupts for first time in more than 500 years 3 August 2025 Share Save Adam Durbin BBC News Share Save Watch: Huge plumes of smoke could be seen rising from the volcano A volcano in far eastern Russia has erupted for the first time in more than 500 years, which experts say may be linked to last week's massive earthquake. The Krasheninnikov Volcano in Kamchatka threw up an ash plume up to six kilometres (3. 7 miles) high overnight. There are no threats to populated areas, Russia's emergency ministry said. Hours later, another large earthquake in Russia led to tsunami warnings in three areas of the peninsula. Both events may be connected to a massive 8. 8 magnitude earthquake which hit a similar area last week, which caused tsunami warnings as far away as French Polynesia and Chile. Institute of Volcanology and Seismology Russian news agency RIA published pictures of the huge ash plume above the Krasheninnikov Volcano, following the eruption overnight

Mission begins to save snails threatened by own beauty 4 August 2025 Share Save Victoria Gill Science correspondent, BBC News Share Save Bernardo Reyes-Tur A Polymita snail in its native forest habitat in Eastern Cuba Researchers have embarked on a mission to save what some consider to be the world's most beautiful snails, and also unlock their biological secrets. Endangered Polymita tree snails, which are disappearing from their native forest habitats in Eastern Cuba, have vibrant, colourful and extravagantly patterned shells. Unfortunately, those shells are desirable for collectors, and conservation experts say the shell trade is pushing the snails towards extinction. Biologists in Cuba, and specialists at the University of Nottingham in the UK, have now teamed up with the goal of saving the six known species of Polymita. Angus Davison The shells are used to make colourful jewellery The most endangered of those is Polymita sulphurosa, which is lime green with blue flame patterns around its coils and bright orange and yellow bands across its shell. But all the Polymita species are strikingly bright and colourful, which is an evolutionary mystery in itself. "One of the reasons I'm interested in these snails is because they're so beautiful," explained evolutionary geneticist and mollusc expert Prof Angus Davison from the University of Nottingham. The irony, he said, is that this is the reason the snails are so threatened. "Their beauty attracts people who collect and trade shells. So the very thing that makes them different and interesting to me as a scientist is, unfortunately, what's endangering them as well. " Bernardo Reyes-Tur Searching online with Prof Davison, we found several platforms where sellers, based in the UK, were offering Polymita shells for sale. On one site a collection of seven shells was being advertised for £160. "For some of these species, we know they're really quite endangered. So it wouldn't take much [if] someone collects them in Cuba and trades them, to cause some species to go extinct. " Shells are bought and sold as decorative objects, but every empty shell was once a living animal. Bernardo Reyes-Tur The team gathered some of the snails to bring into captivity for breeding and research While there are international rules to protect Polymita snails, they are difficult to enforce. It is illegal - under the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species - to take the snails or their shells out of Cuba without a permit. But it is legal to sell the shells elsewhere. Prof Davison says that, with pressures like climate change and forest loss affecting their natural habitat in Cuba, "you can easily imagine where people collecting shells would tip a population over into local extinction". Angus Davison Prof Angus Davison with a Polymita snail on his finger To try to prevent this, Prof Davison is working closely with Prof Bernardo Reyes-Tur at the Universidad de Oriente, Santiago de Cuba, who is a conservation biologist. The aim of this international project is to better understand how the snails evolved and to provide information that will help conservation. Prof Reyes-Tur's part of the endeavour is perhaps the most challenging: Working with unreliable power supplies and in a hot climate, he has brought Polymita snails into his own home for captive breeding. "They have not bred yet, but they're doing well," he told us on a video call. "It's challenging though - we have blackouts all the time. " Bernardo Reyes-Tur Conservation scientist Prof Bernardo Reyes-Tur at his home in Eastern Cuba with some of the snails he is rearing in captivity Meanwhile, at the well-equipped labs at the University of Nottingham, genetic research is being carried out. Here, Prof Davison and his team can keep tiny samples of snail tissue in cryogenic freezers to preserve them. They are able to use that material to read the animals' genome - the biological set of coded instructions that makes each snail what it is. The team aims to use this information to confirm how many species there are, how they are related to each other and what part of their genetic code gives them their extraordinary, unique colour patterns. Angus Davison Polymita sulphurosa is critically endangered

New checks to stop waste tyres being sent to furnaces 7 August 2025 Share Save Anna Meisel BBC File on 4 Investigates Share Save Getty Images The UK generates about 50 million waste tyres every year The Environment Agency said it is introducing enhanced checks on the export of tyres from the UK after the BBC revealed millions were being sent to furnaces instead of being recycled in India. A report by the EA acknowledged it is "highly likely" that a proportion of exported tyres were diverted to illegal furnaces. These makeshift industrial plants, intended to extract steel, small amounts of oil and other materials, can cause serious health problems and environmental damage. Campaigners and the tyre recycling industry body welcomed the announcement but said the proposal will not close all loopholes exploited by criminals. The UK generates about 50 million waste tyres (nearly 700,000 tonnes) every year. According to official figures, about half of these are exported to India, supposedly to be recycled. But in March of this year BBC File on 4 Investigates and Source Material, a non-profit journalism group, revealed that some 70% of tyres exported to India from the UK and the rest of the world are being sent to makeshift industrial plants, where they are "cooked" in order to extract carbon black – a powder or pellet that can be used in various industries – as well as the steel and oil. This process is known as pyrolysis and takes place in facilities akin to homemade pressure cookers, often in rural backwaters. They can produce gases and chemicals which can be toxic, harmful to public health and potentially dangerous. In January, two women and two children were killed in an explosion at a plant in western state of Maharashtra, where European-sourced tyres were being processed. Pyrolysis plants can be dangerous, like this one which was the site of an explosion in January A BBC team visited the site and saw soot, dying vegetation and polluted waterways in the surrounding area. Villagers complained of persistent coughs and eye problems. After the BBC revealed that millions of tyres were being "cooked" in these plants, the Environment Agency launched a review, which concluded last week. It acknowledged for the first time that it's "highly likely" that a proportion of tyres from the UK are diverted to illegal pyrolysis as opposed to being recycled. "We have not been able to verify that exported waste pneumatic tyres are arriving at their intended destination sites in India," the EA said, adding that there was a "lack of sufficiently credible information" that they were being processed properly. The EA said it has an obligation to prohibit exports of waste if there is a risk that the waste will not be managed in an environmentally responsible way, and it would introduce enhanced checks on tyre exports from 1 October. Under the proposals those exporting tyres will have to satisfy the EA that waste is being recovered in environmentally sound manner. The BBC tracked tyres shipped from the UK to this industrial plant in India But the pressure group Fighting Dirty, which threatened the EA with legal proceedings over what it called a "lack of action" over tyre exports, said there is "too little detail" to satisfy them that the EA's proposals will "effectively close the loopholes exploited by criminals. The group's founder Georgia Elliott-Smith said the plan "sounds promising" but just seems to be self-certification paperwork with the threat of inspections - "not much different from today's flawed protocol". "Only time will tell if this results in meaningful change, or just more red tape and delay," she said. The Tyre Recycling Association (TRA), which has long campaigned for a ban on exports of whole tyres, an approach adopted by the Australian government, said it was "very disappointed" the EA dismissed that idea. It believes tyres should only be exported after shredding, which it said would make it more expensive and difficult to sell them illicitly in India. "Yet again, the EA is failing us as well as themselves," the TRA said. The EA said the new regulations are a "pragmatic solution" that will continue allow waste tyres to be exported to India, where exporters can show they are being sent somewhere with broadly equivalent standards to the UK

Southern European butterfly spotted in UK for first time 8 August 2025 Share Save Tim Dodd Climate and science reporter Share Save Adam Gor/Butterfly Conservation The Southern Small White has been gradually making its way across Europe A species of butterfly previously only found in Southern Europe has been seen in the UK for the first time, according to charity Butterfly Conservation. Experts have tracked the Southern Small White butterfly's rapid expansion northwards through Europe over recent decades. The first UK sighting was confirmed at Landguard Bird Observatory in Suffolk, after a volunteer managed to snap a photo. It is not yet clear what has driven the species' expansion, though a warming climate is thought to be part of the answer. Until recently, the range of the Southern Small White was limited to Southern Europe, in particular south-east Europe. Butterfly Conservation says the species was first spotted north of the Alps in France and Germany in 2008, and since then it has gradually extended its range, reaching the Netherlands in 2015 and Calais in 2019. The first UK visitor was a female butterfly and was spotted at Landguard Nature Reserve on 2 August by volunteer Will Brame, according to BirdGuides. Will Brame Will Brame told the BBC he had "nabbed a couple of photos" of the butterfly before it had flown off Its identification as a Southern Small White was confirmed by butterfly expert Chris van Swaay of Dutch Butterfly Conservation. James Corton, a County Recorder for Butterflies in Suffolk, contacted us about the story through Your Voice, Your BBC News. Whilst it is thought a warming climate has played a role in its spread, modelling from a 2008 Climatic Risk Atlas of European Butterflies showed that even under the most extreme warming scenarios the species was not expected in the Low Countries until after 2050. Chris van Swaay/Butterfly Conservation How to spot the Southern Small White vs the native Small White: The Southern Small White has a large spot at the edge of its wing that extends further down, in line with the circular spot, compared to the Small White Dr Dan Hoare, Director of Nature Recovery at Butterfly Conservation, said the species had made an "ecological leap". "There are species that are rare in the UK and periodically over the years they have turned up in ones and twos. but it's not really indicating any significant shift in our fauna," he said. "Southern Small White is very different. It's basically colonised northern Europe from the Swiss Alps to the North Sea in the last decade, moving north at a rate of about 100 kilometres [62 miles] a year. " But whether the species stays long term is yet to be seen, he says, as its food source is a garden species called Candytuft that is not as widely planted here. The species has never been a migrant to the UK, and is yet to have been recorded breeding here, which is what a resident species would do

The annual Perseid meteor shower has been passing through the night sky across the UK and around the world over the past few nights. The bright meteors are formed when dust particles fall from the Swift-Tuttle comet and burn up on entering the Earth's atmosphere. Astronomers at Astro Dog, a small Scarborough-based astronomy company, captured the event from North York Moors National Park at its peak on 13 August. To maximise their chances of filming the glittering show, they used a camera with a "very sensitive sensor and a large aperture" which was pointed 45 degrees away from the "radiant point" - "where meteors appear to radiate from". There's still a chance to catch a glimpse or a video of the Perseids as they will be active until 24 August, according to Astro Dog

Hot, dry summers bring new 'firewave' risk to UK cities, scientists warn 7 days ago Share Save Justin Rowlatt • @BBCJustinR Climate Editor Share Save PA Fires at Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh on Sunday Cities across the UK are facing a growing threat from an emerging phenomenon called "firewaves" as temperatures rise due to climate change, scientists have warned. The term, coined by researchers at Imperial College London, describes multiple urban wildfires triggered by extended periods of hot, dry weather. The warning comes as firefighters battled three separate heath fires in London and a dramatic gorse blaze on Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh in recent days, as this summer's latest heatwave left vegetation across both capitals dangerously dry. These fires, though now contained, highlight the increasing vulnerability of urban areas to wildfires - a risk that was once considered largely rural. Guillermo Rein, professor of fire science at Imperial College London, has been working alongside the London Fire Brigade to help predict when conditions are ripe for a "firewave". Based on current forecasts, he believes London could be at risk again by this weekend. London Fire Brigade Assistant Commissioner Tom Goodall said he welcomes any research that helps predict the likelihood of wildfires occurring. The service is "ready to tackle the threat of wildfires head-on to help protect London's communities and green spaces", he added. Prof Rein's research finds that, after ten consecutive days of very dry weather, vegetation becomes so desiccated across wide areas that the likelihood of multiple fires igniting simultaneously rises sharply. Using detailed incident data from the London Fire Brigade dating back to 2009, combined with weather records, the team identified key factors that drive wildfire outbreaks in London. One of the most important is a measure of how much moisture the atmosphere can extract from the land, known as the "vapour pressure deficit". The higher the deficit, the drier the vegetation becomes, and the more easily it ignites. "Vegetation doesn't just become a bit more flammable," explained Professor Rein, "it becomes much more flammable. " "Once the moisture content of the vegetation drops below a certain threshold, even a small spark can lead to a fast-spreading fire," he added. BBC / Kevin Church Professor Rein shows how easily a fire can ignite Most fires are started by humans, whether accidentally or deliberately. But a warming world is creating conditions more conducive to these blazes. "Climate change is bringing more heatwaves and longer dry spells," Prof Rein said. "These conditions dry out fuels and increase the risk of wildfires. That risk is much greater now than it was even a decade ago. " While the researchers focused on London, concerns are widespread. "I worry about all other UK cities and other northern European cities in particular because climate change seems to be making green vegetation that was not flammable very flammable indeed," said Prof Rein. "And these places don't have a history of dealing with wildfires so don't have as much institutional experience as cities in the south of the continent. " Managing fire risk Urban environments like London, with their abundance of parks and green spaces bordering residential zones, are particularly susceptible. The concept of a "firewave" is meant to capture the unique danger posed when several fires erupt at once in densely populated areas, which has the potential to overwhelm emergency services and threaten homes and infrastructure. That happened in the summer of 2022 when UK temperatures exceeded 40C for the first time on record. On 19 July 2022, London Fire Brigade (LFB) experienced its busiest day since World War II. Fires broke out simultaneously across the city, including a devastating blaze in Wennington, East London, which destroyed 37 buildings, five cars, and forced the evacuation of 88 homes. Blake Betts, a borough commander with the LFB, has extensive experience dealing with wildfires in urban settings. He emphasises the serious threat they pose, especially when open spaces are adjacent to residential properties. "The potential for fires to spread into homes is very real," said Cdr Betts. "We're seeing more extreme weather events, and that's why the London Fire Brigade has adopted a much more proactive approach. " BBC / Kevin Church This area of Dagenham was hit by a fire earlier this year To meet this growing challenge, the LFB says it has invested in new technologies and equipment. Drones now play a critical role in wildfire response, providing real-time aerial views that help commanders map fire spread and direct resources where they are needed most. "The bird's-eye view from drones gives us a huge boost in situational awareness," explained a spokesperson from the LFB. "It allows us to target our efforts where the risk to life and property is greatest. " In addition to drones, the brigade has introduced off-road vehicles capable of reaching fires in difficult terrain, such as heathland and grassland. These vehicles can be used to create firebreaks – using water to soak the ground to help stop fires from spreading further. The Imperial College London researchers argue that the Met Office's current definition of a heatwave does not adequately reflect the wildfire risk in urban areas. They propose it adopts the term "firewave" to signal periods of extreme fire danger in cities - a concept they hope will inform future public safety strategies and climate resilience planning. The Met Office has been asked for comment

Global plastic talks collapse as countries remain deeply divided 5 days ago Share Save Esme Stallard and Mark Poynting BBC News Climate and Science Share Save James Wakibia/Getty Images Global talks to develop a landmark treaty to end plastic pollution have once again failed. The UN negotiations, the sixth round of talks in just under three years, were due to end on Thursday but countries continued to negotiate into the night in the hopes of breaking a deadlock. There remained a split between a group of about 100 nations calling for curbs on production of plastic, and oil states pushing for a focus on recycling. Speaking in the early hours, Cuban delegates said that countries had "missed a historic opportunity but we have to keep going". "I'm hugely disappointed that an agreement wasn't reached," said the UK's Marine Minister Emma Hardy. "Plastic pollution is a global crisis that no country can solve alone, and the UK is committed to working with others at home and abroad to protect the environment and pave the way to a circular economy," she added. The talks were convened in 2022 in response to the mounting scientific evidence of the risks of plastic pollution to human health and the environment. Despite the benefits of plastic to almost every sector, scientists are particularly concerned about potentially toxic chemicals they contain, which can leach out as plastics break down into smaller pieces. Microplastics have been detected in soils, rivers, the air and even organs throughout the human body. Countries had an original deadline to get a deal over the line at the end of December last year, but failed to meet this. The collapse of the latest talks means they fall further behind. Speaking on behalf of the island states, the northern Pacific nation of Palau said on Friday: "We are repeatedly returning home with insufficient progress to show our people. " "It is unjust for us to face the brunt of yet another global environmental crisis we contribute minimally to," it added. The core dividing line between countries has remained the same throughout: whether the treaty should tackle plastics at source – by reducing production – or focus on managing the pollution that comes from it. The largest oil-producing nations view plastics, which are made using fossil fuels, as a vital part of their future economies, particularly as the world begins to move away from petrol and diesel towards electric cars. The group, which includes Saudi Arabia and Russia, argue that better waste collection and recycling infrastructure is the best way of solving the problem, a view shared by many of the producers themselves. "Plastics are fundamental for modern life - they go in everything," said Ross Eisenberg, president of America's Plastic Makers, a trade association for the plastic production industry in the United States. "Focusing on ending plastic pollution should be the priority here, not ending plastic production," he added, warning that attempts to substitute plastics with other materials could lead to "unintended consequences". But many researchers warn that this approach is fundamentally flawed. Global recycling rates are estimated at only about 10%, with limits on how far that can rise. "Even if we manage to boost that over the next few decades to 15, 20, 30%, it would remain a substantial amount that is polluting the environment and damaging human health," said Dr Costas Velis, associate professor in Waste and Resource Engineering at Imperial College London. "Therefore, we do need to improve recycling… but we cannot really hope that this is going to solve all the aspects of plastic," he added. Plastic production has already risen from two million tonnes in 1950 to about 475 million in 2022 – and it is expected to keep rising without extra measures. About 100 countries, which include the UK and EU bloc, had been pushing for curbs to production in the treaty and more consistent design globally to make recycling easier. This could be as simple as requiring plastic bottles to be one colour - when dyes are used the products only fetch half the value of clear bottles. This approach was supported by major plastic packagers, including Nestle and Unilever, who are part of the Business Coalition headed up by the Ellen McArthur Foundation. The Coalition also said countries should better align their schemes to add a small levy on plastic products to help pay for recycling efforts, known as extended producer responsibility. The group estimates that could double revenues for countries to $576bn (£425bn) between now and 2040. Reuters Talks were due to end on Thursday but countries continued to negotiate into the night in the hopes of breaking a deadlock. The chair, Luis Vayas from Ecuador, did produce a new text which seemed to align more closely with the request of the UK group. The text did not call for curbs to plastic production. But it did include reference to nations taking their own steps to tackle other issues like dangerous plastic chemicals and the design of plastics to make them easier to recycle. Speaking at the final meeting, the EU delegation said: "We see the outcome of this session as a good basis of future negotiations. " However, the oil states remained deeply unhappy. Saudi Arabia said it found the process of negotiating "problematic" whilst Kuwait said its views were "not reflected". But many environmental groups, reacting to the collapse, railed against what they see as prioritisation of profit by oil states over the health of the planet. Graham Forbes, Greenpeace head of delegation to the Global Plastics Treaty negotiations, said: "The inability to reach an agreement in Geneva must be a wakeup call for the world: ending plastic pollution means confronting fossil fuel interests head on. "The vast majority of governments want a strong agreement, yet a handful of bad actors were allowed to use process to drive such ambition into the ground. " The chair announced that the talks will resume at a later date

Expect smaller broccoli if heatwave continues, farmers warn 3 days ago Share Save Malcolm Prior and Jenny Kumah BBC News rural affairs team Share Save BBC/Malcolm Prior Some farmers in the driest parts of the UK are finding their broccoli yields are down more than half Farmers in the driest parts of the UK are facing some of their worst ever harvests as the heatwave continues to hit crop and vegetable yields. Broccoli growers are particularly struggling with a lack of water and bone-dry soils, with yields cut by more than 50%, quality affected and shoppers warned to expect smaller vegetables on the shelves. One Herefordshire grower told the BBC there could be supply shortages if sustained rainfall does not come soon. The British Growers Association said supplies of brassicas – including broccoli, cauliflower and cabbage - were "tight" but better harvests in wetter parts of the UK should ensure vegetables still make it to the supermarkets. Getty Images Broccoli farmers in the cooler, wetter parts of the UK are seeing better harvests The Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), an independent think tank, is now warning that the UK is on course to see its sixth or seventh worst harvest since records began 40 years ago. Although the overall harvest picture is mixed across the UK, farmers in parts of the country that have seen little rain and have low river levels - and who are growing produce in lighter, drier soil that does not hold moisture well - are seeing substantial shortfalls. Ben Andrews, who has a mixed organic farm growing broccoli near Leominster, Herefordshire, told the BBC that shoppers will have to "shift their expectations" about the size and shape of the vegetables in supermarkets. He added, as it was also too hot for brassicas to be grown abroad and imported to the UK, there could also be issues with shortages. "You'll be looking at maybe not quite as much availability and maybe needing to accept smaller heads of broccoli or lettuce or cabbage. "I'm not sure quite about shelves being empty, but if this continues it's not completely impossible," he said. BBC/Malcolm Prior Martin Williams says he is now reconsidering what he grows thanks to a "devastatingly dry" season The British Growers Association (BGA) said this summer was "proving to be yet another climatic challenge for growers", but shortfalls from some suppliers were being mitigated by producers growing more crops in areas that have seen lower temperatures and higher rainfall. Jack Ward, the BGA's chief executive, said: "In some areas, supplies of summer brassicas, cauliflowers and cabbages are tight. "Other root crops, carrots and onions have been kept going by the use of irrigation, but there are serious concerns about water supplies if the lack of rain continues. "At this stage, we are confident that the crops will be there, but the weather events of the last three months highlight the increasing uncertainty around our food supplies. " Meanwhile, arable farmer Martin Williams, who is also the chairman of the National Farmers' Union (NFU) Herefordshire branch, said he had seen a 50% drop in his cereal yield, a third of the normal potato crop was likely, and there had been a 70% drop in the grass grown for feed. He said conditions had been "absolutely, devastatingly dry" and he is now considering how and what he should farm in the future "Going forward, it makes me wonder about the viability of growing cereal commodity crops. "It is a risk-based job but if I can manage my risk down by not growing those risky crops then maybe that's something I should look at," he said. 'Hugely varied' harvest

Leaves falling, berries ripe, but it's hot. Is autumn coming early? 4 days ago Share Save Georgina Rannard Climate and science correspondent Share Save Tim Dodd/BBC Puppies have enjoyed the leaf fall in Cardiff in August Share Save Tony Jolliffe Climate and science team Share Save It's still hot in many parts of the UK, but some tree leaves are turning yellow and blackberries are so ripe in hedges that they're tasting alcoholic. Councils in London have issued "do not sit under trees" warnings because of the dangers of dying branches suddenly falling. What's going on? Is it still summer, or has autumn started already? And does it matter anyway? There is no formal definition of "early autumn" but experts say signs of the season, like leaves falling or apples being ready to pick, are actually nature becoming stressed by the long hot and dry summer. And a potentially historic one at that - the Met Office says this summer is on track to be one of the warmest since records began in 1884. Berries, some of which are usually ready in the autumn, have ripened in late July and August - and many have seen a bumper crop In Cardiff, Wanda O'Connor has grown melons outside for the first time since she started growing food six years ago. She shows me ripening limes and lemons inside her allotment greenhouse. "It's 38-39C in here," she says, pointing to a thermometer. Aubergines, red peppers, courgettes and lots of tomatoes have all thrived in the above-average temperatures and extra sunshine hours. At the same time, classic autumn fruits like blackberries and apples - normally ready in September - are hanging off the branches. Conservationists are still gathering data about whether this is record-breaking. Blackberries were seen in London on 22 June, according to the Woodland Trust. By contrast the earliest in 2024 was 4 July in Southampton - but scientists need more information to be certain about the long-term trend. For Wanda in Cardiff, this has meant more food to take home for dinner, but it's harder work than usual for her to water her plants. Wanda O'Connor has grown food at Pontcanna allotments in Cardiff for six years "In a normal year I'd come every three days, but this year it's every day. If I don't, the plants will die," she explains. Farmers across the UK have, too, seen early harvests with some crops struggling in the heat, prompting concerns about food prices. Last month, the Environment Agency said North West England, Yorkshire, the East Midlands and West Midlands were in drought. Parts of Wales, including the Cardiff area, have had the driest six months since 1976 and are in drought as well. The ground is dry in large parts of the UK, including at this allotment in Cardiff The UK has had 71% of the average rainfall for the season so far when it should be 79% by this date, according to the Met Office. And we've had 89% of the average sunshine hours for summer. The Met Office says we would expect 79% by this point. Climate change is affecting the timings of biological events including spring and autumn, according to the Met Office, although the level of change varies year-to-year. At the Botanical Garden of Wales in Carmarthenshire, Luke Cheesman is having to work harder than usual to keep the garden healthy and attractive for visitors. He's seen signs of stress like tree leaves turning yellow and falling, and branches drooping - so alongside extra water, he's mulching trees and adding organic material on top of the soil to keep it moist. He says this is good advice for those with plants or trees suffering at home. Luke Cheesman looks after almost 600 acres in the National Botanic Garden of Wales "We've had three almost back-to-back heatwaves. It's not giving the trees much chance to recover," he says. It's a similar story at Kew Gardens in London, where head of tree collections Kevin Walker says the last drought in 2022 killed nearly 460 of his trees - and he's seeing the same stress again. English oaks are losing leaves on the canopy and producing deadwood, he says, and Norway Maple and magnolias are showing signs of stress. Getty Images The leaves of a Norway Maple tree in a file photo "They're throwing their leaves, and will try and sit it out till next year," he says, while "summer branch drop" - where trees try to save energy by losing branches - is also happening which can be dangerous to people nearby. "It's a live fast, die young strategy. That may work for a one in 10 year event. But instead of a drought or stress period being a one-in-10 year event, it's becoming a one in every two or three years," he says. Tim Dodd/BBC News Leaves are lining the paths in Cardiff's Bute Park