Fossil

A new analysis finds that four-hour battery storage systems are cheaper to install than new gas turbines in every region of the world. The finding suggests batteries have reached a cost tipping point against fossil-fuel peaker plants, strengthening the case for renewables-backed grids and prompting debate about how quickly gas generation will be displaced.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has issued a list of demands directed at the World Bank. According to the claims, these include ending the bank's prohibition on financing upstream oil and gas projects, putting resources into deep-sea critical minerals mining, and reforming its procurement policies. The demands signal a push to steer the institution toward fossil fuel and mining finance.

Scientists have found a new way to measure oxygen levels in the deep ocean using microscopic magnetic fossils preserved in seafloor sediments. The technique, described by Eos, could help researchers reconstruct how ocean oxygenation has changed over time, a key question as warming waters are linked to expanding low-oxygen zones that threaten marine life.

Climate-focused commentary is arguing that major oil companies have found ways to keep operating despite growing climate policies and pressure to cut emissions. According to the discussion, the industry is adapting its business model rather than shrinking, allowing fossil fuel producers to survive climate action longer than expected. Commenters are debating whether this shows climate policy is failing or that oil firms are simply exploiting loopholes and delays.

The Guardian reports on a political dispute in Brazil involving Marina Silva and Flávio Bolsonaro over the Amazon and the country's direction under its president amid far-right pressure. The piece ties the conflict to deforestation, fossil fuels and climate policy, and readers on Mastodon are sharing it widely with environment-focused hashtags.

The Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis has published analysis arguing that Odisha, a coal-dependent Indian state, needs sustainable finance mechanisms to fund a just transition away from fossil fuels. The report highlights how financing must support workers and communities affected by the energy shift, linking climate goals with social and economic fairness.

Jean-Marc Jancovici's think tank, the Shift Project, has presented a detailed plan for France's energy transition. The proposal outlines how the country can reduce its dependence on fossil fuels, and it is drawing attention in France as debates over energy policy and climate strategy intensify.

A new climate analysis reported by Phys.org finds that the countries most exposed to economic disruption from a global fossil fuel phaseout together generate only about 6% of world economic output. The findings highlight a stark imbalance: nations facing the greatest upheaval from the energy transition contribute very little to the production whose phaseout threatens them, raising fresh questions about fairness and compensation in international climate negotiations.

A New York Times opinion piece argues that new scientific methods, likely climate attribution science that ties specific damages directly to individual oil and gas producers, have put major fossil fuel companies on the defensive. The piece is tied to litigation reaching the US Supreme Court, where companies are fighting to avoid state climate liability suits. Commenters are debating whether this science could finally make polluters financially liable for climate harm.

More than 50 health leaders from Australia and the Pacific have warned that Australia cannot protect people's health from climate change without tackling fossil fuels. They argue that preparing hospitals and healthcare services for climate impacts will not be enough unless the country addresses the root cause by curbing fossil fuel use, linking health policy directly to emissions policy.

A large-scale battery storage facility with a capacity of more than 100 megawatts in Schuby, in the German state of Schleswig-Holstein, has entered the final phase before going into operation, according to a report by Süddeutsche Zeitung. The project is part of Germany's expanding grid infrastructure to store surplus renewable energy and stabilise electricity supply as the country shifts away from fossil fuels.

Russia's oil and gas revenues are projected to increase by roughly 10% in October, reaching an estimated $12 billion for the month. The expected rise points to firmer hydrocarbon earnings despite continued Western sanctions on Russian energy exports. The figures underline how much Moscow's budget still depends on fossil fuel income as the war in Ukraine continues.

A South China Morning Post opinion piece argues that governments should address climate change and air pollution as a single policy challenge rather than separately. The author contends that combined action is smarter economics, since the same measures, such as cutting fossil fuel use, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and the airborne pollutants that harm public health. The article adds to ongoing debate over how countries should balance climate goals with immediate health and cost concerns.

A fossil collected decades ago and left in museum storage for close to 100 years has been re-examined by palaeontologists and identified as a previously unknown dinosaur species dating back roughly 120 million years. The tiger-sized predator is being described as a fearsome hunter, with some coverage suggesting it would have posed a greater threat to a human than a Tyrannosaurus rex. The find highlights how museum archives can still yield major discoveries.

A new report suggests wastewater treatment plants hold significant untapped potential to produce biogas. By upgrading facilities to capture and process organic waste more efficiently, plants could generate renewable energy for power grids, heating, or vehicle fuel. Energy and environment analysts say this could make wastewater infrastructure a bigger player in the transition away from fossil fuels.

Corporate climate liability remains a contested legal and policy battleground, with ongoing battles over whether fossil fuel companies should pay damages for climate harm. Advocacy groups and policymakers continue pressing for accountability through courts and legislation, while industry resists. The Center for Economic and Policy Research highlights the stakes involved as these cases and campaigns move forward.

A fossil that had sat unstudied in a museum collection has turned out to belong to a previously unknown dinosaur species, described by researchers as fearsome and equipped with giant claws. The discovery highlights how overlooked specimens in existing archives can yield major paleontological finds without new fieldwork. Science watchers are sharing the news widely, with interest focused on the creature's imposing claws and what it reveals about predator diversity in its era.

Researchers at the University of Rochester are studying microscopic fossils to reconstruct how Earth's oceans have changed over millions of years. By analysing chemical and physical signals preserved in these tiny remains, scientists can track shifts in ocean temperature, chemistry and circulation, offering clues about how marine environments responded to past climate change and what that may mean for the future.

A question circulating among developers asks which major open source projects do not use Git as their primary source code management system. Named examples include OpenBSD, which uses CVS, and SQLite, which uses its own Fossil system, with Mercurial presumably using its own namesake tool. The consensus is that despite these exceptions, Git remains the overwhelming default across open source development.

Europe is unlikely to meet its own 2026 deadline for ending imports of Russian liquefied natural gas, according to reporting by Forbes. The warning highlights the difficulty of cutting off Russian energy supplies while securing affordable alternatives for EU industries and households. The phase-out, part of the bloc's broader plan to break dependence on Russian fossil fuels, is seen as increasingly hard to achieve on schedule.

Scientists have announced a new dinosaur species, Invictibellatrix, discovered in the United Kingdom. The find adds to the UK's fossil record and has drawn attention for its striking name. Coverage so far focuses on the announcement itself, with details about the species and what it reveals about prehistoric life in Britain being shared through news reports.

Climate campaign group 350.org is calling on the European Union to convert its fossil fuel phase-out and windfall tax proposals into concrete action ahead of the COP31 climate summit. The group argues that existing EU commitments remain largely on paper and that implementing them now would strengthen the bloc's position in international climate negotiations.