India granted 'observer' status in Arctic Council

India has been granted the status of an observer in the Arctic Council, an organisation of global nations that coordinates Arctic policy. With the melting of Arctic ice, new waterways are emerging, creating opportunities for countries to tap the region’s so far inaccessible resources. There is growing competition over the untapped oil, natural gas, minerals and fish resources of the region.

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ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES Shield melts off

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ECOLOGY Saviour pest European green crab is one of most hated invasive species. But it has helped save critically damaged Cape Cod marshes in the US by driving down the population of purple marsh crab, a native species that has multiplied out of control.

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ECOLOGY Heat is on

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CHEMISTRY Nano guard

Global temperature highest in 11,000 years

The global temperature today is warmer than at any time in the past 11,000 years, say scientists at the Oregon State University and Harvard University in the US. Using data from 73 sites around the world, the group of scientists reconstructed earth’s temperature history dating back to the end of the last Ice Age. The findings show that planet today is warmer than it has been during 70 to 80 per cent of the time over the last 11,300 years, also called the Halocene period.

BBC feels the heat

In a climbdown, BBC has admitted getting its facts wrong in its flagship TV series Africa. In the episode broadcast on February 6, iconic presenter David Attenbourg told viewers: “Some parts of the continent have become 3.5°C hotter in the past 20 years.” BBC has since admitted “that is disputable” and has re-edited the episode.

Energy transition is now a must

What do the people of France think of global warming? France has temperate weather, so we are not as badly hit. But there have been big storms, and floods and droughts and sometimes both. There are a few scientists who are climate skeptics but do not have much support. Interviewee:  Marie-Helene Aubert

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ATMOSPHERIC SCIENCES Making waves

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CLIMATE SCIENCES On thin ice