The Mattering Effect

Scientists are expressing concern about a potential El Niño event in 2026, warning the climate pattern could bring extreme weather worldwide, including heatwaves, droughts, floods and disrupted monsoons. The BBC's Global Story examines what researchers know so far, why the timing matters, and how a warming planet may intensify El Niño's effects on food supplies, economies and vulnerable communities across the globe.

A new study concludes that the health effects of ultra-processed foods cannot be explained by nutrients alone, suggesting that processing itself may contribute to harm. The findings go beyond what nutrition labels capture, renewing debate over how packaged foods should be regulated and labelled, and adding to growing scientific scrutiny of heavily processed diets worldwide.

A science explainer is drawing attention to the question of whether dark points in light, such as shadows or dark regions, can travel faster than light. The piece is tagged with physics and cosmos topics and is circulating among science readers. Such apparent faster-than-light motion typically involves shadow edges or phase effects rather than actual matter breaking the speed limit, and interest centres on how this counterintuitive physics works.

The Copernicus Atmosphere Monitoring Service has released its Atmosphere Watch analysis, tracking global air quality and cross-border pollution through 2026. The report monitors pollutants moving between countries, underlining how emissions in one region affect downwind populations. It matters to anyone following environmental policy, as transboundary pollution is a recurring sticking point in international climate and health negotiations.

Kansas City Fed President Jeffrey Schmid cautioned against assuming that the recent oil price shock will prove transitory, suggesting policymakers should not dismiss its potential lasting effects on inflation. His remarks matter because Federal Reserve officials are weighing how energy price moves could affect the path of interest rates, and markets are watching closely for any shift in the central bank's stance on inflation risks.

Industry newsletter Cynopsis reports that the combined Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery entity, once its merger closes, will operate under the Skydance name. The move signals that David Ellison's Skydance Media will effectively define the brand identity of the newly consolidated media giant. Details beyond the reported name choice remain limited, and industry watchers are awaiting confirmation on branding, leadership and structure.

Health experts are cautioning that regular physical activity does not fully cancel out the effects of an unhealthy diet. They stress that exercise and good nutrition work together, and that people who stay active but eat badly remain at heightened risk of obesity, heart disease and other conditions. The message reinforces long-standing guidance that diet quality matters as much as movement for overall health.