River and ocean news, features and articles
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Shapeshifting 'braided river' in Tibet is the highest in the world, and is becoming increasingly unstableEarth from space A 2025 satellite photo shows a particularly complex section of the Yarlung Zangbo River as it twists its way through the Tibetan Plateau. This part of the "braided" waterway has experienced drastic visual changes over recent decades, which could soon be accentuated by climate change.
By Harry Baker Published
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An 'ice tsunami' in 2024 ripped through the Yukon with such force it tore up trees and the riverbedChunks of river ice tore down trees after a landslide caused a tsunami in the Yukon in December.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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Coral Triangle: The giant hidden 'Amazon' beneath the sea that appears somewhat resilient to climate changeThe Coral Triangle is an extremely biodiverse patch of ocean around the Philippines and Papua New Guinea. Its relatively murky waters appear to shield it against climate change — for now.
By Sascha Pare Published
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The Red Sea experienced 'one of the most extreme environmental events on Earth' 6 million years agoThe Red Sea became a desert about 6.2 million years ago, before a massive flood from the Indian Ocean turned it into a waterway again.
By Stephanie Pappas Published
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The whale-shaped island in Belize with a 'great blue blowhole'Earth from space This 2020 astronaut photo shows the unusual cetacean-like shape of Belize's Lighthouse Reef. It's home to the famous Great Blue Hole, which doubles as the island's "blowhole" when viewed from space.
By Harry Baker Published
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Massive system of rotating ocean currents in the North Atlantic is behaving strangely — and it may be reaching a tipping pointAn analysis of clam shells suggests the North Atlantic subpolar gyre has had two periods of destabilization over the past 150 years: one around 1920 and the other from 1950 through present.
By Sascha Pare Published
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Chinese submersible explores previously unknown giant craters at the bottom of the Pacific — and they're teeming with lifeScientists have discovered and explored a giant hydrothermal system at the bottom of the Pacific, which could provide a window into the origins of life on Earth.
By Patrick Pester Published
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Rare milky plumes paint stunning swirls in world's largest 'soda lake'Earth from space A 2016 astronaut photo shows surprising plumes of milky material swirling in the waters of Turkey's Lake Van, the largest alkaline lake on Earth.
By Harry Baker Published
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Rocket-like jellyfish, regal Komodo dragon and harrowing whale rescue — see the stunning Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 finalistsFinalists in the Ocean Photographer of the Year 2025 competition capture beautiful images of animals and people oceans.
By Perri Thaler Published
