Watch: Stunning celestial events that lit up the skies in 2025
7 January 2026 - From meteor showers to supermoons, many stunning celestial events have been captured on camera over the past year. Here are some of the moments that wowed stargazers around the world in 2025. (more)

US: How fifteen Bronx Zoo bison sparked a prairie comeback
7 January 2026 - A transfer of fifteen bison from the Bronx Zoo seeded conservation that grew into a 2,000-plus herd at the Tallgrass Prairie Preserve in Osage County, Oklahoma. Ecologists often describe bison as a keystone species because their actions influence many other forms of life. Their grazing habits create a patchwork of short and tall vegetation, which supports a wider range of insects, birds, and small mammals. Without bison, grasses can grow dense and uniform, reducing habitat diversity. (more)

Meet five new species discovered in 2025
5 January 2026 - Even as some scientists search for signs of life beyond Earth, other researchers have been discovering new species on our own humble planet faster than ever before. From high up in the mountains to the deep sea, take a tour across the world to meet five new species discovered in 2025. (more)

What went right in 2025: the top 25 good news stories of the year
2 January 2026 - Scientists treated the ''untreatable'', species came back from the brink, solar surged, deforestation fell, rivers were revitalised, 70 declared 'the new 60', and the smartphone-free childhood caught on, plus more good news. (more)

Costa Rica's rainforest reborn by butterflies
31 December 2025 - In a remote corner of Costa Rica, a former cattle pasture has been restored as a lush rainforest, thanks to one family and thousands of butterflies. In a country full of luxury eco-lodges, this off-the-beaten-path destination feels different. Guests stay and eat with the family, and the experience is deeply personal. It's rewilding with a human touch -- an example of how tourism, when rooted in reciprocity, can help nature heal. (more)

Seven quiet wins for climate and nature in 2025
31 December 2025 - Here are the year's breakthroughs for the climate and nature you might have missed. Targeted action in clean energy, conservation, and indigenous rights has led to some tangible positive results for the climate and nature. Globally, the rate of growth in renewable power capacity is accelerating in more than 80% of countries. By 2030, overall renewable power capacity is on track to double compared to today's levels, according to the International Energy Agency. (more)

Canada: Toronto wetland restoration brings to life seeds dormant for a century
29 December 2025 - Toronto wetland restoration brings buried seeds and organisms back to life after more than 100 years, creating a thriving ecosystem on formerly industrialized land. The project required removing contaminated material accumulated during decades of industrial use. Lead, mercury, and petroleum products had saturated the soil. Workers transported this hazardous material to approved disposal sites before bringing in clean sediment. (more)

New species being discovered faster than ever
29 December 2025 - New species are being discovered at a faster rate than ever, suggests a new study -- more than 16,000 every year -- and the trend shows no sign of slowing. Scientists predict that biodiversity in some groups, such as plants, fungi, arachnids, fish, and amphibians, is richer than previously believed. ''Our good news is that this rate of new species discovery far outpaces the rate of species extinctions, which we calculated to about 10 per year,'' said study senior author Professor John Wiens. (more)

UK: Student creates app to help universities go green
26 December 2025 - Carolina Furtado, who is studying at the University of Worcester, in the UK, has created a new sustainability app with the aim of helping universities to go green. ''This data will help leaders understand where their students are in terms of their knowledge and understanding of sustainability, which will help them make informed decisions'' Ms Furtado said. (more)

''A potential treasure trove'': World Health Organization to explore benefits of traditional medicines
24 December 2025 - From herbalists in Africa gathering plants to use as poultices to acupuncturists in China using needles to cure migraines, or Indian yogis practising meditation, traditional remedies have increasingly been shown to work, and deserve more attention and research, according to a World Health Organization official. (more)

British visual artist, Nnena Kalu, wins Turner Prize 2025
24 December 2025 - One of the best-known visual arts prizes in the world, the Turner Prize aims to promote public debate around new developments in contemporary British art. Established in 1984, the prize is awarded each year to a British artist for an outstanding exhibition or other presentation of their work. The jury awarded the prize to Nnena Kalu, who creates hanging sculptures from wrappings of different materials making cocoon-like shapes, as well as large-scale drawings made with vigorous, rhythmic lines. (more)

UK scientists find a massive hidden CO2 sponge beneath the ocean floor
22 December 2025 - Researchers found that eroded lava rubble beneath the South Atlantic can trap enormous amounts of CO2 for tens of millions of years. These porous breccia deposits store far more carbon than previously sampled ocean crust. The discovery reshapes how scientists view the long-term balance of carbon between the ocean, rocks, and atmosphere. It also reveals a hidden mechanism that helps stabilize Earth's climate over geological timescales. (more)

US: Nonprofit ''farm-to-vase'' flower shop that employs at-risk youth, is CNN's Hero of the Year
22 December 2025 - Quilen Blackwell, whose nonprofit transforms vacant lots on Chicago's South Side into flower farms that employ at-risk young people to grow, arrange, and sell the flowers, is the 2025 CNN Hero of the Year. Online voters selected him from this year's Top 5 CNN Heroes, everyday people who are recognized for taking action to solve problems in their communities. (more)

United Nations designates 21 December as World Meditation Day, citing evidence for meditation in addressing stress, trauma, social strain: TM organizations host 33-hour synchronized worldwide meditation
21 December 2025 - As global levels of stress, trauma, and fatigue continue to rise amid conflict, economic uncertainty, and climate-related pressures, the United Nations designated 21 December as World Meditation Day, establishing an annual international event to promote peace, mental well-being, and social cohesion. In recognition, the global Transcendental Meditation (TM) organization is hosting a 33-hour synchronized worldwide meditation, spanning more than 100 countries - starting 8:00 a.m. in New Zealand, concluding at 5:00 p.m. in Hawai'i, following the sun across time zones. A total of 33 coordinated meditation sessions, each 20 minutes long, will take place at 8:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. local time in participating regions worldwide. (more)

India: Ramanujan's 100-year-old pi formula is still revealing the Universe
19 December 2025 - Physicists at the Centre for High Energy Physics (CHEP), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), report that mathematical formulas developed a century ago to compute pi are closely linked to some of today's most important ideas in fundamental physics. These connections appear in theoretical descriptions of percolation, fluid turbulence, and even certain features of black holes. (more)

More than sixty Indigenous artifacts have now been returned to Canada from the Vatican
19 December 2025 - After many years of advocacy and under the guidance of Knowledge Keepers and Elders, sacred First Nations items have now returned to Canada. They will be repatriated to their rightful communities of origin. The items included embroidered gloves, a kayak, and a sling for carrying a baby. Some Indigenous leaders say it's not about bringing home objects or artifacts, but about bringing home memories, bringing home the dignity and power that was taken from their ancestors. (more)

These simple habits could make your brain 8 years younger, study finds
17 December 2025 - New research shows that your brain's ''true age'' can shift dramatically depending on how you live, with optimism, restorative sleep, stress management, and strong social support acting like powerful anti-aging tools. Using advanced MRI-based brain-age estimates, scientists found that people with multiple healthy lifestyle factors had brains up to eight years younger than expected -- even among those living with chronic pain. (more)

China achieves incredible feat by transforming barren desert into entirely new landscape
15 December 2025 - It takes a lot of time and effort, but ecosystems can be transformed significantly. You have to think outside the box and be patient. This has been the case in Awati County in northwest China's Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region over the last five years. It was formerly a largely arid region that suffered from desertification. However, local officials and scientists have turned it into a thriving wetland teeming with life and color. (more)

US: Agrivoltaic systems boost crop yields by combining solar panels with farming
15 December 2025 - At Jack's Solar Garden in Longmont, Colorado, more than 3,000 solar panels glint in the sun, powering some 300 homes in the community and providing shade to the fruits, vegetables, and herbs growing below. The practice is known as ''agrivoltaics,'' combining agriculture and solar power generation on the same land. (more)

India: Deepavali inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity
12 December 2025 - Deepavali has been officially inscribed on UNESCO's Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, at the twentieth session of the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage. It has been inscribed under the ''Social practices, rituals and festive events'' domain and marks the sixteenth element on UNESCO's Lists of Intangible Cultural Heritage from the Republic of India. (more)

The World Health Organization and India's Health Ministry roll out campaign on women and girl's health and well-being
12 December 2025 - On Wednesday, the World Health Organization rolled out a month-long campaign on women's and girl's health and well-being in partnership with the Ministry of Health and Family welfare, Government of India. ''Healthy women are the pillars of a healthy family, community, and a healthy nation. Health of women and girls, including their mental health, is hence important not just for their well-being, but most importantly for our well-being,'' said Dr. Catharina Boehme, Officer-in-Charge, WHO South-East Asia. (more)

US: Local climate actions pay off immediately, delivering cleaner air, new jobs, and better public health
12 December 2025 - Local action to address the global threat of climate change can lead to many improvements for the local population, according to a new report by researchers at the George Washington University. To address barriers to implementing climate strategies at the local level, researchers identified actions that provide a net positive return on investment and offer other benefits such as job creation and cleaner air. (more)

UNESCO's Heritage Talanoa Celebrates Samoa's Living Heritage and Cultural Rights
11 December 2025 - On Human Rights Day, the ''Upu Ma Tala -- Fa'asao lou Fa'asinomaga Fa'aleaganu'u'' (Safeguarding Your Cultural Heritage) initiative concluded in Samoa, successfully focusing on revitalizing six elements of intangible cultural heritage at risk, such as fagufagu (nose-flute playing) and siapo-making (tapa cloth). This effort highlights the resilience and commitment to passing on cultural knowledge across generations. (more)

Singapore: Scientists invent new sunscreen made from pollen
10 December 2025 - Traditional chemical sunscreens can damage coral reefs. Scientists say there's a fix using one derived from tea plant pollen. Researchers found that a gel made from the pollen of camellia flowers (Camellia sinensis) blocked ultraviolet (UV) light about as well as existing commercial sunscreens, such as those made with oxybenzone or octinoxate. But unlike these conventional options, the pollen-based gel didn't cause coral bleaching in a laboratory experiment. (more)