Cyclone Batsirai plowed into Madagascar on Saturday, with strong winds and heavy rains. The cyclone left a trail of destruction, and brought serious new problems to Madagascar, which is still struggling after being pounded by Tropical Storm Ana two weeks ago.
Published in “Science”
On Tuesday, the United Nations' weather agency reported on the longest lightning flash ever recorded. The lightning bolt shot through the sky over the US in 2020, crossing three states. It covered a total distance of 477 miles (768 kilometers).
The recent cold weather in the United States has had some unusual effects. In South Florida, temperatures dropped so low that iguanas began falling out of trees.
In today's news roundup, Greece and Turkey struggle to deal with an unusual snow storm, Ayesha Malik becomes the first woman to join Pakistan's Supreme Court, and a Japanese company is selling a very expensive flying motorcycle.
When a volcano in Tonga erupted on January 15, the effects were felt around the world. Peru - all the way across the Pacific Ocean - is now trying to clean up an oil spill caused by the eruption. The spill is killing animals and polluting the area.
Worldwide, many groups are pushing governments to protect 30% of the world's oceans by 2030. Today, NFK looks at new marine reserves created by Ecuador and Bangladesh in an effort to protect large areas of the oceans near them.
Scientists have come up with a new way of identifying animals in an area - by testing DNA sucked out of the air. The researchers believe their new method could help scientists keep track of animals that are hard to spot, including endangered animals.
Antarctica is one of the hardest to reach places on Earth. But a recent report reveals that ships going to Antarctica have connections to ports around the world. That greatly raises the chance that plants or animals from outside could invade this protected area.
Scientists exploring the ocean floor in Antartica have found the largest group of fish nests ever discovered. The huge area of nests came as a surprise, and will help scientists develop a more complete idea of the ocean food web in the area.
On Saturday, an underwater volcano erupted in the South Pacific Ocean near Tonga. The damage in Tonga isn't fully known yet. But the massive explosion raised concerns of tsunamis all through the Pacific and as far away as the west coast of the United States.
Last Friday, doctors at the University of Maryland Medical Center successfully replaced the heart of a very sick man with a specially-grown pig's heart. It's the first time this surgery has ever been done. After three days, the patient appears to be doing very well.