12 August, 2025

Martha Henriques This week, we look into what makes a flood warning work. A good flood alert message saves lives, while badly timed or complex messages can fail to get people to take life-saving action. Isabelle Gerretsen, Jocelyn Timperley and Micheal Maiga report on the big mistakes made in flood warnings, and how they can be avoided. Plus: the vicious bear that scares tigers.

CLIMATE CONVERSATION The flood warnings that really work When waters rise, getting an effective warning out fast can save lives. Credit: Getty Images For some people, a message directly inviting them to protect themselves when a flood hits simply won't work. Flood warning researcher Keri Stephens, a professor at the University of Texas in Austin, finds that among young men, a typical warning of "Turn around, don't drown" doesn't resonate as well as it does with other population groups. ‌ Instead, the phrase "Keep your car high and dry" does seem to appeal to young men. "I tested [this] message in groups and it worked beautifully," she says.  ‌ Getting a flood warning right can be the difference between life and death. Click the button below to read about how researchers are decoding which messages work when a deluge hits. Read more

THE BIG PICTURE The ferocious bear that scares tigers The sloth bear might sound cuddly, but it is a deady opponent. Credit: Getty Images The sloth bear is the world's deadliest bear. As it attacks, it rises up onto its back legs and swipes with its long, powerful claws. Unfortunately for any human in its way, this means the onslaught comes in around head height. The bear's habitat in India is shrinking and becoming degraded, bringing it in closer contact with humans. Sophie Hardach asks how both bear and people can live alongside each other more safely - and you can watch a face-off between a sloth bear and tiger in the story below. Read more

CLIMATE QUIZ Which species has been in decline in UK waters as temperatures rise? A. Salps B. Bluefin tuna C. Wolf fish Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.

MORE CLIMATE FROM THE BBC Countries gather to thrash out deal on 'plastic crisis' The world's nations are meeting again at a UN conference in Geneva – could they finally agree how to curb plastic excess?   Keep reading >‌ Great Barrier Reef suffers worst coral decline yet Parts of the Great Barrier Reef have suffered the largest annual decline in coral cover since records began.   Keep reading >‌ Should we be eating more 'forgotten foods'? As climate change and disease threaten our most popular crops, scientists say we need to diversify what's on our plate.