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8 articles from Guardian Unlimited Science

Climate endgame: risk of human extinction ‘dangerously underexplored’

Scientists say there are ample reasons to suspect global heating could lead to catastropheThe risk of global societal collapse or human extinction has been “dangerously underexplored”, climate scientists have warned in an analysis.They call such a catastrophe the “climate endgame”. Though it had a small chance of occurring, given the uncertainties in future emissions and the climate...

US hails ‘Antipodean Adventure’ and Australia silent as second spy satellite set to launch from New Zealand

Some in space industry bewildered by Australia’s lack of fanfare about the launch of the satellites, which will be used to collect intelligence for allied nationsGet our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcastA second spy satellite built by Australia and the United States is scheduled for liftoff on Tuesday from a launch site in New Zealand.The first of the two satellites,...

‘Like an alien obelisk’: space debris found in Snowy Mountains paddock believed to be from SpaceX mission

Astrophysicist Brad Tucker says he often gets calls from people who think they’ve found space junk but the scorched metal found by two farmers is ‘very real’​​Get our free news app, morning email briefing and daily news podcastThe Australian Space Agency is investigating space debris found in farmland in the Snowy Mountains in southern NSW, after being notified by an astrophysicist who...

Oh my days! Midnight comes a fraction sooner as Earth spins faster

Analysis: Reflecting a recent trend, 29 June was the shortest day on our planet since the 1960s. What’s going on?If time feels tighter than ever of late, blame it on the revolution. On 29 June this year, Earth racked up an unusual record: its shortest day since the 1960s, when scientists began measuring the planet’s rotation with high-precision atomic clocks.Broadly speaking, Earth completes...

UK farmers count cost as heatwave kills fruit and vegetable crops

Fears of future threats to food security if more extreme heat caused by climate crisis hits productionThe UK heatwave has caused fruit and vegetables to die on the vine as growers fear the drought and further hot temperatures could ruin harvests this year.Fruit and vegetable suppliers have been counting their losses after record temperatures in July caused crops to fail. Continue...

‘Reality is scary’: climate culture war heats up for UK meteorologists

TV forecasters have been targeted by climate deniers during recent extreme temperaturesDiscussing the weather has long been a harmless British pastime, with forecasters relied on to ruin bank holidays with their predictions of drizzle or give good news of some gentle summer sunshine.But now TV meteorologists have found themselves on the frontline of the climate culture war after extreme...

Starwatch: Mars guides way to spotting Uranus

Seventh planet technically visible as pale blue dot with help of binocularsIt is a tale of two planets this week: Mars and Uranus. While Mars, the fourth planet of the solar system, will be relatively easy to see with the unaided eye, the seventh planet, Uranus, will be almost impossible unless you live somewhere with pristine skies and no light pollution.So, if you have a pair of binoculars, take...

'We thought it was a shooting star': uncontrolled Chinese rocket fragments seen in Malaysia – video

A Chinese booster rocket has made an uncontrolled return to Earth. US defence department officials have chided Beijing for not sharing information on the potentially hazardous object’s descent. The Long March 5B rocket re-entered Earth’s atmosphere over the Indian ocean on Saturday. People in several parts of Malaysia reported seeing the fragments. 'At first we thought it was a shooting star,'...