poetry

Rows of industrial computer units mounted on blue metal shelving inside a cryptocurrency mining facility operated by Genesis Mining in Iceland. Each unit has visible cooling fans, and the space is brightly lit with exposed wiring and ventilation ducts along the ceiling.

The Cost of Crypto

Bitcoin mining in the US causes widespread air pollution, affecting millions due to fossil fuel use.

A world map showing global terrestrial water storage anomalies for December 2019. The map uses shades of brown and blue to illustrate areas with below-average (brown) and above-average (blue) water storage compared to the long-term average from 2003 to 2019. Large parts of North and South America, southern Africa, Australia, and parts of Asia display significant water deficits (brown), while areas such as Canada, northern Eurasia, and parts of Southeast Asia show above-average storage (blue). The background is a dark navy grid indicating global latitude and longitude lines

Drying the Spine

The climate crisis is not just altering weather – it is rewiring Earth’s hydrological systems.

A sharp silhouette of a praying mantis is shown in profile, perched on a slender twig, with the setting sun forming a glowing, circular backdrop. The mantis’s spiked forelegs are raised in a characteristic pose, while its antennae extend forward. The golden-orange light creates a soft gradient, fading into dark at the edges, casting a dramatic, almost ethereal effect around the insect.

Truing the Sun

Many insects navigate using the sun, adjusting for time, season, and place. They may do so through brain waves and simple maths, revealing nature’s elegant solutions.

A dense bloom of translucent moon jellyfish drifts in greenish-blue water. Their round, bell-shaped bodies and delicate, trailing tentacles create a shimmering, ghostly pattern on the surface. Light reflects off the water, accentuating the jellyfish's almost ethereal appearance as they float in unison.

Where Resistance Grows

Jellyfish blooms fuel bacterial growth, increasing antimicrobial resistance gene spread – a risk to ocean and human health.

A war-damaged street in the Christian quarter of Aleppo, Syria, showing collapsed buildings with shattered facades and debris filling the roadway. Rubble, broken furniture, and twisted metal are strewn across the scene. Survivors navigate the destruction, some standing on the wreckage, while others move cautiously through the ruins. Sunlight filters through the open space where buildings once stood, casting long shadows over the devastation.

Held in the Blood

Violence alters DNA across generations, with trauma-linked genetic changes in Syrian refugees showing inherited effects and prenatal exposure accelerating ageing.

A golf course at Newbiggin Golf Club with manicured green fairways and sandy dunes in the foreground. A tractor is maintaining the course while a golfer pulls a trolley nearby. In the background, wind turbines and power lines stretch across the horizon, contrasting the natural landscape with industrial elements.

Greening the Fairway

Golf courses occupy more land than renewable energy – repurposing them could boost solar and wind capacity.

A large airtanker plane drops a vivid red cloud of fire retardant over a smoky, burning hillside in Chelan, Washington. The wildfire, part of the Chelan Complex fire, creeps dangerously close to residential homes nestled at the base of the hills. Thick smoke drifts across the landscape, partially obscuring the scorched terrain. The scene captures the intense effort to protect the community from the advancing flames.

Burned to Earth

Wildfire retardants have been found to contain toxic metals, impacting soil and water.

A chain-link fence in the foreground encloses a dimly lit site with a concrete floor. Several rats are visible scurrying across the ground, one near a discarded popcorn container. Orange and white safety barriers line the edges of the site, and faint tire tracks mark the dusty pavement. The scene is illuminated by artificial lighting, casting a muted glow over the area.

Ruin’s Vermin

Rats are thriving in warming, expanding cities, with rising populations linked to climate change, posing risks to health and infrastructure.

A polluted section of the Huron River shoreline in Michigan, where foamy, discoloured water swirls around fallen tree trunks and debris. A slick, pale layer of contamination floats on the water's surface, contrasting with the dark, reflective river. Green leaves sprout from the foreground, juxtaposing natural growth with visible pollution.

Leavings

PFAS are persistent chemical pollutants, but bacteria can help degrade them over time.