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One in 12 sheep shows same-sex preferences, according to a Channel 4 documentary. Unfortunately, there are commercial ramifications

A breeding ram has only one job. What if he can’t perform? “Unfortunately, he’ll have to go into the food chain,” said Dewi Jones, the chief executive of the sheep-breeding company Innovis, speaking on a Channel 4 documentary, My Gay Dog and Other Animals, which will be broadcast on Thursday. The show reports that one in 12 sheep is gay. “There is ram-on-ram behaviour going on over there,” Jones says, watching his rams. Putting three of the male-oriented rams into a pen with a ewe to see which are interested in her, one uninterested ram is classed as a “shy breeder”. “Commercially, it’s a big issue for us as a breeding company or as a ram breeder because we need our rams to cover lots of ewes.”

Many species – including sheep, penguins, monkeys and dolphins – have been shown to display same-sex preferences. Perhaps the most famous example came to light in 2014, when Benji, a Charolais bull in County Mayo, Ireland, was due to be slaughtered after showing no interest in the heifers he was bought to breed with. Campaigners raised money to send him to a sanctuary instead (although it emerged the following year that he may not be “gay” after all, “judging by what he was trying to do the other day with one of the cows,” said his new owner).

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Twin girls had their DNA altered to protect against HIV - but their mutation may increase the risk of an early death.

Pacific Gas & Electric’s (PG&E) decision to skip its second consecutive WCI auction is being viewed as a potential bullish signal for California Carbon Allowance (CCA) prices as participants believe the embattled utility may be a heavier buyer in the future.

The link between climate change and health has many dimensions. Health professionals are being urged to take a political stand and call for climate change action. 

There is scope for ASEAN nations to cooperate closer on MRV and carbon pricing instruments, paving the way for what could eventually evolve into a region-wide emissions trading market, a study has found.

We know very little about the deep sea and how its inhabitants, including anglerfish, will respond to change. In fact, more people have walked on the Moon than have been to the bottom of the ocean. Andy Davis, Director - Institute for Conservation Biology and Environmental Management, University of Wollongong Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

Greens demand answers and the Climate Council slams the Government for once again sitting on greenhouse emissions data, ignoring release deadline.

The post Morrison government fails first climate test – Greens demand answers on missing emissions data appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Residential battery storage systems cost five times those for electric vehicles. Why is that?

The post Residential batteries are five times more expensive than electric car batteries appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Chairman Ian Mutton said the board was delighted to welcome Dr Simon to the association and looked forward to working with her to continue to progress Australia’s emerging hydrogen sector.

The post Hydrogen Mobility Australia is pleased to announce the appointment of its new CEO, Dr Fiona Simon, effective 20 June 2019. appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Thermal coal projects, such as Adani's Carmichael mine will deliver a fraction of the claimed economic benefits, new analysis from IEEFA has shown

The post Why the coal lobby has misled Queensland on value of thermal coal appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Share of renewable energy in Germany jumps to record 47% for first five months of 2019, with the amount of coal generation down significantly.

The post Germany renewable energy share jumps to record 47% for first five months of year appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Unfortunately, much scientific knowledge produced for climate policymaking is conservative and reticent

The second Morrison ministry contains no one with nominal responsibility for “climate” in any sense, despite the fact that it is the greatest threat facing the country. Angus Taylor, who spent much of his pre-parliamentary career fighting windfarms, claiming repeatedly that there is “too much wind and solar” in the system, is now minister for energy and emissions reduction. No mention of climate here, despite the fact that climate is what it is all about, or should be.

Sussan Ley has been made the environment minister, but more intriguing, David Littleproud is minister for water resources, drought, rural finance, natural disaster and emergency management. Let’s take another look at this: water (or lack thereof) … drought … disaster … emergency management.

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Theresa May will raise the issue of climate change with Donald Trump during his upcoming visit to the UK.

The proposed motorway has been called an "attack on nature" by some and a "godsend" by others.

Gautam Adani might be willing to lose a large share of his wealth to show that he can’t be pushed around, or he might want more public money, John Quiggin, Professor, School of Economics, The University of Queensland Licensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.

The future for a fractured Europe, Steve Bannon's role in the European Union elections and modern anti-Semitism.

Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle tells US she would be more open to its interests in UN role

Europe’s candidate to run the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), which guides policymakers around the world, has promised the US she will “not defend the EU position” in resisting the global spread of genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

In a bid for US support, Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle told senior US officials at a meeting in Washington on 15 May that under her leadership the FAO would be more open to American interests and accepting of GMOs and gene editing, according to a US official record of the meeting seen by the Guardian.

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Battery equipment that can make 600 cones an hour being trialled as concerns over diesel pollution rise

The Mr Whippys of Britain have not had the best start to the year. Ice-cream vans have been facing mounting criticism after campaign groups and parents complained they were delivering their vanilla cones and 99s with a topping of diesel fumes.

This weekend, however, they are savouring a double helping of good news: not only have temperatures been soaring, helping to boost custom up and down the country, but an all-new, non-polluting electric ice-cream van may be about to hit the roads.

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Labor looks to hold steady on climate and energy policies as Albanese reappoints Mark Butler to portfolio. Meanwhile, LNP members re-boot their nuclear fantasies.

The post Albanese keeps Butler in climate and energy portfolio, as LNP renews call for nuclear appeared first on RenewEconomy.

Helping the critically endangered mammal is vital because it’s the last survivor on its branch of the evolutionary tree

Solenodons are some of Earth’s strangest creatures. Venomous, nocturnal and insectivorous, they secrete toxins through their front teeth – an unusual habit for a mammal. More to the point, the planet’s two remaining species – the Cuban and the Hispaniolan solenodon, both highly endangered – have endured, virtually unchanged, for the past 76 million years. Other related species have become extinct.

And that makes solenodons very important, according to Professor Sam Turvey, of the Zoological Society of London. “They are the last fruits on an entire branch of the tree of evolution,” said Turvey, who was last month awarded one of the most prestigious awards in zoology, the Linnean medal, for his work on evolution and human impacts on wildlife. “There are no close counterparts to solenodons left on Earth, yet they have been on the planet since the time of the dinosaurs.”

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