Victoria plans H5 bird flu vaccination for more than 5,000 little penguins

Researchers at Aberystwyth University have reviewed genetic studies comparing traditional and modern cattle populations and found evidence that decades of selective breeding for productivity may have narrowed the genetic base of some modern breeds.

The review, published in Applied Animal Science, examines differences between traditional and modern populations within cattle breeds and highlights gaps in current knowledge about the genetic diversity that may still survive in ancestral or less intensively selected herds.

Traditional cattle populations can retain genetic variants that are absent or less common in their modern counterparts. According to the researchers, some of this diversity could prove useful for resilience, adaptation to changing environmental conditions and future breeding programs.

The review highlights traditional populations of breeds including Ayrshire, Jersey and Hereford. Genetic studies suggest that some of these populations remain distinct from modern, intensively selected populations of the same breeds.

Traditional herds are often relatively small and have generally been subjected to less intensive selection. Some have also developed in close association with particular local environments, potentially preserving genetic characteristics that have been reduced elsewhere.

“Traditional cattle populations are more than just historical relics—they are living genetic libraries that hold answers to some of the most pressing challenges facing agriculture today,” researcher Kardelen Oya Temiz said.

She noted that modern breeding has understandably focused on improving productivity but that this process has often come at the cost of genetic diversity.

Dr. Matthew Hegarty, senior lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences at Aberystwyth University, said modern agriculture had achieved major gains in efficiency and production while also narrowing the genetic base of many breeds. According to Hegarty, reduced diversity could make cattle populations more vulnerable to disease, environmental stress and changing conditions.

However, the researchers stress that relatively little is known about genetic differences between traditional and modern populations within many cattle breeds.

They therefore call for further genomic studies of breeds in which traditional or ancestral populations still survive. Such research could help identify genetic variants preserved in these populations and determine whether they could be valuable for future breeding programs.

The authors argue that conserving traditional cattle populations has practical as well as cultural importance. As farming conditions change, genetic diversity preserved in these animals could provide breeders with additional options for developing cattle better suited to future environmental and agricultural challenges.

Sources: Aberystwyth University, Temiz, K. O., Aubrey, W., & Hegarty, M. Differences between traditional and modern populations within cattle breeds: What do we not know? Applied Animal Science, 41(6), 597–608, Aberystwyth University Research Portal, Phys.org

The Met Office forecast a shift to cooler, more unsettled weather after a heatwave. Some places could receive intense showers, while others may get little rain. Water running quickly from hard, very dry ground can add to local flood risk when rainfall is particularly heavy.

That does not mean the drought is ending. At the start of August, Environment Agency figures showed that seven areas of England were in drought. Reservoir storage across England had fallen to 69%, which was 11.6 percentage points below the long-term average for that time of year. Five monitored reservoirs were classed as exceptionally low.

The dry conditions were also affecting rivers, wildlife and farming. The agency reported low flows, algal blooms, fish deaths and restrictions on water abstraction. More than 25 million people were covered by temporary limits on water use in early August.

Water supply problems continued in south-east England. South East Water said thousands of customers in parts of Kent lost supplies before most connections were restored. The company asked customers to limit use while storage tanks recovered.

Wessex Water also announced a temporary-use ban covering about 1.4 million customers in parts of south-west England. It was the company's first such restriction since 1976. Thames Water, which had already imposed restrictions, asked customers to keep reducing demand.

Brief downpours can reduce immediate pressure on vegetation and lower wildfire risk, but drought recovery normally requires sustained rainfall. Rivers, reservoirs and groundwater respond over different timescales, so several wet days in one area cannot restore depleted water resources across England.

Flooding and drought can therefore occur at the same time in different places, or even in the same region. A short, intense storm can overwhelm drains and produce rapid runoff while longer-term river flows, groundwater and reservoirs remain unusually low.

Source: theguardian.com

he National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine said investigators had identified a group suspected of laundering 150 million hryvnias, about $3.4 million, to provide bail for a defendant in a major corruption case from 2025.

The agency said the suspects included a former lawmaker, the chair of a state bank's board, the head of its supervisory board and a deputy head of the presidential office. Investigators released few other details.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy dismissed Iryna Mudra as a deputy head of the presidential office on the same day. Her office was searched, according to lawmaker Oleksii Honcharenko, but investigators had not publicly named Mudra as a suspect in the information reported by the Associated Press. Zelenskyy was not implicated in the case.

The investigation added to political pressure on the government a day after former defence minister Mykhailo Fedorov called for a way to hold national elections during the war.

Fedorov said Ukraine should find a legal, safe and realistic mechanism to restore a full democratic process if the war continues. Ukraine is under martial law, which currently prevents national elections. His statement was therefore a political proposal, not an announcement that a vote had been scheduled.

Zelenskyy dismissed Fedorov in July during a disputed military leadership reshuffle. The decision prompted street protests from supporters of the former minister. Khmara then served as acting defence minister before lawmakers confirmed him in the post on August 19.

Source: apnews.com

In South Korea, a landslide struck the ground floor of an apartment building in Geoje, South Gyeongsang province. One resident was taken to hospital in cardiac arrest and later pronounced dead. Two people were injured in Geoje and two others in nearby cities, according to the Interior and Safety Ministry.

Geoje recorded 805.7 millimetres of rain from Saturday through 8 a.m. on Monday, while nearby Tongyeong received 671.9 millimetres over the same period. Rain continued after those measurements, pushing later totals higher.

About 390 people were evacuated in southern South Korea, and roughly 3,580 homes lost power. Prime Minister Han Seong-sook instructed emergency services and local authorities to focus on rescuing stranded residents and protecting people in high-risk areas.

The flooding in the Philippines was a separate emergency. Seasonal monsoon rain, intensified earlier by a tropical storm, flooded roads in metropolitan Manila and provinces on the main island of Luzon. The government suspended work in public offices and cancelled in-person classes in affected areas, with schools asked to move lessons online where possible.

The Philippine Office of Civil Defense said about three weeks of intermittent monsoon rain and the earlier storm had affected around 5 million people. At least 23 deaths were reported, mostly from floods and landslides, and nearly 25,000 people remained in government shelters on August 17.

Ten of the deaths occurred in Baguio, where a landslide buried three houses on August 9. Rescuers pulled three injured people alive from the mud, rocks and debris.

The casualty and displacement figures were preliminary and may change as authorities assess damage and continue recovery work.

Source: theguardian.com

Researchers David Wolf and Kenji Takeuchi used post-storm aerial photographs to identify homes covered with blue tarps after Hurricane Irma struck Florida in September 2017. The tarps, commonly used to cover damaged roofs, served as a visible indicator of wind damage.

The researchers then compared properties built shortly before and after the 2001 Florida Building Code took effect. This approach was designed to isolate the effect of the stricter code from other differences between homes.

The analysis covered more than 500,000 homeowners. Properties subject to the newer code were 22% less likely to show wind damage. Among damaged properties, the measured severity of damage was 27% lower.

The study also examined property sales after the hurricane. Damaged homes sold before repairs were completed were less likely to sell and fetched 13.3% less on average than undamaged homes. That difference was about $29,400.

The findings provide evidence that stronger construction standards can reduce hurricane wind risk. However, the study used blue tarps as a proxy for damage and focused on homes affected by one hurricane in Florida, so the estimates should not automatically be applied to every storm or location.

The paper was published in the August 2026 issue of the American Economic Journal: Economic Policy.

Source: phys.org

The X1 took off from Plattsburgh International Airport and climbed to about 1,100 feet. Heart Aerospace said its four electric motors delivered more than one megawatt of power during the flight. The aircraft has a wingspan of 106 feet and weighed more than 25,000 pounds at takeoff.

According to the company, the batteries supplied about $5 worth of electricity during the flight. That figure covers energy alone. It does not include the much larger costs of developing, buying and operating an aircraft, such as maintenance, crew, airport fees, battery replacement and financing.

Heart describes the X1 as the largest fully electric aircraft yet flown. The claim refers to the aircraft’s overall scale, but there is no single universally used measure of aircraft size. The X1 is comparable in dimensions to a small regional airliner, although it was built as a technology demonstrator and did not carry passengers.

The aircraft flew under an experimental airworthiness certificate issued by the US Federal Aviation Administration. Its first flight was conducted within a restricted test envelope and included takeoff, a low-altitude climb, basic maneuvers and landing. A successful first flight does not demonstrate the range, reliability or regulatory compliance needed for commercial passenger service.

The X1 is helping Heart develop the ES-30, a proposed 30-seat hybrid-electric regional aircraft. Heart currently lists a planned all-electric range of 125 miles and a hybrid range of up to 500 miles. The company is targeting type certification in 2031. Those figures and the schedule are development goals, not demonstrated performance or regulatory approvals.

Battery weight remains one of the main barriers to fully electric airliners. Batteries store much less energy per unit of weight than jet fuel and do not become lighter as their charge is used. Heart therefore plans to combine electric propulsion with fuel-powered turboprop engines on the ES-30 for flights beyond its intended battery-only range.

The company says the ES-30 could reduce aircraft operating costs by more than 40% when it enters service. That estimate has not yet been demonstrated in commercial operations and depends on the final aircraft, energy prices, maintenance needs and certification requirements.

The X1 flight is an important engineering milestone for Heart, but it does not show that a battery-electric regional airliner is ready for airline service. Further flight testing and development will be needed before the company’s commercial plans can be assessed.

Source: www.zmescience.com