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The site contains articles and information on topics related to health, the environment and animal welfare.
While the focus is on Hvar Island in Dalmatia, much of the information is relevant to the rest of Croatia, and some to Europe, the United States and the rest of the world.
The main language of the site is English, but articles in Croatian are being added as quickly as possible. Some of the Croatian articles are translations, some original. Book reviews are in the language of the publication being reviewed.
To see all the articles archived in each category, click on the category name which is given below the title of each article (Environment, Highlights, Notices etc).
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Paris to ban drinking alcohol in public as city’s Pride march postponed; First time red warnings issued in UK for three consecutive days
European heatwave is worst ever and impossible without climate crisis, scientists say
Paris to ban drinking alcohol in public as hospitals hit heatwave breaking point
Over in the UK, firefighters are still trying to bring a large wildfire in Derbyshire under control.
The blaze, which has burned over 500 square metres of moorland and woodland on Tintwistle Moor, near Glossop, broke out on Wednesday evening, with fire crews from Manchester and Derbyshire deploying a water-dropping helicopter and six fire engines on Thursday.
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Emerging research suggests datacentres create a heat island effect, pushing up temperatures in the immediate vicinity by as much as 9C
The community living next to the largest datacentre park in Europe say the scorching summer heat has grown unbearable.
On days like Wednesday, said Nabeel Nawaz, the store manager of a Chaiiwala franchise in the centre of Slough, the heat is like something “pinching your body and burning your skin”.
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Conservationists emphasise importance of protecting nesting sites used by ‘strongly faithful’ red-listed species
Migratory swifts loyally return every year to their nests in buildings, according to a study, underlining the importance of providing the endangered birds with hollow nesting bricks if traditional nest sites are lost to renovations.
The swift, which is on the red list of conservation concern, is one of Britain’s most threatened species, having declined in number by 70% since 1995 because of the loss of nesting sites, often when old buildings are re-roofed or given better insulation. While Scotland this year made the installation of swift bricks – a simple hollow brick – a legal requirement in new buildings, the government in England has repeatedly refused to oblige builders to include a £35 swift brick in every new home.
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Inkpen, Berkshire: Mow, tedder, rake and bale – it all has to be done before the next rainfall, which is increasingly hard to predict
With the weather set fair and a heatwave under way, all around are literally making hay while the sun shines. Last year’s drought produced very little grass to make hay with, resulting in high prices and scarcity over winter. This year, the grass has received good amounts of both sun and rain – the ideal conditions.
Foxglove Farm and Manor Farm are busy at it, but it seems Rolf’s may have sold its crop standing, for someone else to make and take. Other farms on lower-lying, lusher fields made their first crop during the late May heatwave, but the fields here on the higher chalk needed more time to grow.
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Julie Elie worked out how zebra finches announce who they are, what they are doing and use individual signatures
A scientist who decoded the dictionary that a bird uses to communicate has won a $100,000 prize for making progress towards a world in which humans can talk to the animals – without being met with a blank response.
Dr Julie Elie at the University of California, Berkeley, was awarded the 2026 Coller-Dolittle prize for two-way interspecies communication after working out the 11 core calls in the zebra finch vocabulary and their meanings.
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This week’s best wildlife photographs from around the world
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Researchers find increases in toxic chemical in the air in some areas as people switch to cheaper wood burning
New research shows that the unreliability of fossil fuel supply chains and consequential price surges can lead to deterioration in air quality as people change their consumption behaviour.
The conflict in Ukraine has had well-documented impacts on the immediate environment. Fires from destroyed buildings and industry, movement of military vehicles and extensive wildfires have added to air pollution. The war also disrupted energy supplies and increased fossil gas prices in Europe, spreading the impacts far beyond the conflict zone.
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In this week’s newsletter: Opinions are divided on how to mitigate risk, and whether it’s sharks or humans themselves who are the problem. Plus, Europe breaks heat records
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Shark bites are traumatic and can spark fear and anger alongside tragedy. Around the world, the trend is flat. But in Australia, shark bites are going up.
A recent number of bites, especially around Sydney’s famous beaches, has surfers, swimmers and politicians asking why. But the answers are not straightforward.
Why humidity is making UK’s record-breaking June day feel hotter
Can the UK kick its cod habit? Fish and chip shop favourite slips down the menu as prices soar
‘No one believed it’: how a YouTube video accidentally proved Libya’s sand cat really does exist
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High temperatures make some workplaces dangerous, with economists warning disruption will dent growth
Monique Mosley is used to sweltering conditions at the food factory in Yorkshire where she works, but June’s record-breaking heatwave has made conditions unbearable. “We make hot filled food products and it’s common that we see temperatures in the high 30s,” she said. “Thanks to our union, our employer is offering extra breaks, but not every workplace is the same.”
The latest heatwave to grip the UK and much of western Europe has presented significant challenges to employers and their employees, from sweltering offices, disrupted commutes and school closures to dangerous construction sites where workers are at risk of dehydration, heatstroke and other injury.
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Frontline medics describe extreme heat conditions they feel are unsafe and lacking in dignity for patients
Hospitals in England are declaring critical incidents with radiotherapy machines, MRI scanners, cooling units and IT systems failing owing to the extreme heat.
Here four doctors describe their experiences on the frontline that they say feels unsafe and dangerous for patients amid the worst NHS heatwave crisis in years.
Continue reading...Experts say the cost of living, pandemic and boom in unhealthy food are behind the rise in cases.
Sitting for prolonged periods is associated with health complications – but you can counteract the risks of a sedentary life.
The immunotherpay can give children and adults three extra years before they need to use insulin.
Dr Hilary Cass says she is "absolutely convinced that more children will be harmed if we don't do the trial than if we do."
The presenter shared his "aggressive" cancer diagnosis on an episode of Clarkson's Farm earlier this week.
Gender-questioning children will have to be at least 11 years old to take part in a clinical trial of puberty-blocking drugs.
Temperatures are set to rise over the next few days, and children can be especially vulnerable - so read on for tips to protect them.
A new study finds that hundreds of lives have been saved since school-age girls were offered the HPV jab in 2008.
How a very special hairdressing salon in Lowestoft is cutting it when it comes to neurodivergence.
Many women are buying less effective pain medication for period cramps, supermarket data suggests.
Deep in the mountains of Palawan, Conservation International scientists are capturing what few people ever see: the secret lives of the Philippines’ rarest species.
At Maido — the Lima restaurant recently crowned the best in the world — one of the star dishes is paiche, a giant prehistoric river fish.Its journey to the table begins on a small family farm deep in Peru’s Amazon.
“Jane Goodall forever changed how people think about, interact with and care for the natural world,” said Daniela Raik, interim CEO of Conservation International.
Conservation International’s Neil Vora was selected for TIME’s Next 100 list — alongside other rising leaders reshaping culture, science and society.
Climate change is happening. And it’s placing the world’s reefs in peril. What can be done?
After decades of negotiation, the high seas treaty is finally reality. The historic agreement will pave the way to protect international waters which face numerous threats.
The Amazon rainforest, known for lush green canopies and an abundance of freshwater, is drying out — and deforestation is largely to blame.
The ocean is engine of all life on Earth, but human-driven climate change is pushing it past its limits. Here are five ways the ocean keeps our climate in check — and what can be done to help.
In a grueling and delicate dance, a team led by Conservation International removes a massive undersea killer.
They say a picture is worth a thousand words. These pictures might be worth even more. An initiative featuring the work of some of the world’s best nature photographers raises money for environmental conservation.
