Archaeologists in Poland have unearthed a 500-year-old compass in the underground tunnels beneath the gardens where Nicolaus Copernicus, the renowned astronomer, died. This discovery could provide valuable insights into Copernicus’s scientific practices and his influence on the development of science in Europe.
A new report by Copernicus and WMO highlights the devastating impacts of flooding in Europe in 2023, with one-third of rivers exceeding the ‘high’ flood threshold and 16% surpassing the ‘severe’ mark. Extreme rainfall events fueled by climate change were behind many of the worst floods, particularly in Italy, Slovenia, Greece, and the UK. The report also emphasizes the potential for run-of-river hydropower as a form of renewable energy, with above-average precipitation in Europe increasing its viability. However, droughts also affected parts of Europe, underscoring the diverse hydrological impacts of climate change.
