5 August, 2025   Isabelle Gerretsen In Delhi, temperatures can reach 48C (118F) during the summer. This is detrimental to pregnant women and their foetuses. Read Jyoti Thakur's story to learn about the specialist team helping them survive Delhi's scorching heat. Plus: the people learning to love a "man-eating monster".   CLIMATE CONVERSATION Heat 'first aid' for Delhi's pregnant women Extreme heat poses a serious health risk to pregnant women and their foetuses. Credit: Jyoti Thakur Baby Kumari fainted while rushing to her antenatal check-up in Delhi's scorching heat. For a moment, she thought she was having a miscarriage. ‌ Fortunately, Kalyani Karan, a community health worker, was by Kumari's side to give her rehydration solution and take her to hospital. Karan is one of India's million-strong network of Accredited Social Health Activists (ASHAs), who provide doorstep health services to reduce maternal and infant mortality. Increased heat exposure during pregnancy increases the risk of preeclampsia, cardiac events, miscarriage and stillbirth. ‌ Find out how ASHAs are providing "first aid" for pregnant women to help them cope with extreme heat by clicking the button below. Read more   THE BIG PICTURE The life thriving in the deepest ecosystem Scientists photographed fields of long, thin tube worms in the deep ocean. Credit: IDSSE/CAS Bacteria mats that look like ice and fields of tube worms have been photographed by Chinese scientists at depths of more than 9km (5.6 miles) below the ocean surface. These animals live in profound darkness and under deep pressure – the scientists say their findings challenge long-standing assumptions about life's potential at such extreme depths. Victoria Gill has the story. Read more   CLIMATE QUIZ In which country does the world's rarest crocodile live? A. India B. The Philippines C. Mexico Scroll to the bottom of this newsletter for the answer.   MORE CLIMATE FROM THE BBC How hot weather changes our brains Heatwaves affect our mood and worsen neurological and psychiatric conditions. Will climate change make it worse?    Keep reading >‌ Radioactive wasp nest found in South Carolina A wasp nest with radiation levels 10 times over limits has been found at a facility that used to produce nuclear weapon parts.   Keep reading >‌ The snails threatened by their own beauty A mission is under way to save Polymita tree snails, which are disappearing due to demand for their extravagant shells.   Keep reading >‌ And finally... Cheetahs rarely reach their record top speed, research shows. So how do they catch their prey if they don't rely on sheer pace? They use their blunt claws as running spikes and their long tail to quickly change direction. Watch a cheetah up close chasing its prey.   Tech Decoded newsletter Decode the biggest developments in global technology. Get timely, trusted updates to your inbox, every Monday and Friday. Sign up here MORE BBC NEWSLETTERS The Essential List: The best of the BBC, handpicked by our editors, in your inbox every Tuesday and Friday. Sign up. In History: See the past come to life through the BBC's unique audio and video archive, direct to your inbox each Thursday. Sign up. News Briefing: News for every schedule. Get morning and evening editions of our flagship newsletter. Sign up.   QUIZ ANSWER B. In the lush tropical forests of the Philippines, the world's rarest crocodile resides. This small reptilian predator has been seen as a "man-eating monster" by local communities. Its bad reputation, along with habitat destruction and overfishing, has driven the crocodile to the brink of extinction. But now an effort is under way to save the species. Sofia Quaglia has the story.   Thank you for reading this edition of Future Earth. Got feedback? You can reach us by emailing here. We'll be back in your inbox next Tuesday. In the meantime, you can follow the best of BBC climate and sustainability coverage here. If you enjoyed this, please consider sharing it with your friends and family. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, sign up now. To ensure it reaches your inbox, just add futureearth@email.bbc.com as a contact and, if you use Gmail, move the email into your Primary tab.