The last Friday of May, bathers and rod fishermen on Trabucador beach were astounded to see the body of a fin whale, almost 11 meters long, stranded on the sand a few meters from the Badia dels Alfacs beach. The animal, which was eventually returned to open sea, had multiple serious injuries consistent with a collision with a boat's propeller. A few days later, the lifeless body of a sperm whale in an advanced state of decomposition and with clear signs of having suffered trauma arrived on Les Botigues de Sitges beach.The stranding of large cetaceans on the Catalan coast is not a common sight, but in no case is it an isolated event, especially in recent years. One element that can explain this is the interaction of two high-density traffic routes between the peninsula's coast and the Islands. On the one hand, the Mediterranean cetacean migration corridor passes through this area, recognized and protected as a migration space for these animals; and, on the other hand, it is the entry route for vessels to three of the most important ports in the Mediterranean, those of the cities of Valencia, Tarragona, and Barcelona.Double danger: collisions and noise pollution  

"In recent years, the biggest threat to the common rorqual and the sperm whale is maritime traffic and underwater noise, which can come from traffic itself or from oil exploration or sonar tests," explains Miriam Romagosa, a researcher at the Institute of Marine Sciences specializing in cetacean acoustics, about one of the reasons for whale strandings on the Catalan coasts. The recurrent death of large cetacean specimens is especially relevant considering that some of the Mediterranean whale species are listed as endangered, such as the common rorqual and the sperm whale. These two are among the most common on the Catalan coast and, in the case of the common rorqual, it is the second largest animal in the world. The threat to this group of mammals is growing. From 1992 to 2012, maritime traffic has quadrupled, and technological development has made vessels much faster, a fact directly related to the mortality of large aquatic mammals. "In fact, regarding collisions, the biggest problem is speed. From 14-15 knots onwards, mortality rises drastically due to the severity of the traumas that occur. At these speeds, mortality is between 80 and 100%," asserts Romagosa. Vessels such as ferries and cargo ships often exceed them.This speed makes it almost impossible for large cetaceans, whose movements are much slower than other aquatic mammals like dolphins, to evade boats. Collisions with maritime traffic, resulting in trauma or injuries, represent 20% of the reasons for strandings recorded in the northeast Mediterranean, a very high percentage, according to the scientist. Nevertheless, the vast majority of whales that die at sea sink without a trace. This makes it difficult to quantify the magnitude of the problem and understand the current impact of interaction with maritime traffic. The whales are calling

But beyond the visible collisions on the bodies of stranded cetaceans, whales have an invisible enemy: underwater sound. It is not surprising that some of these animals that reach the Catalan beaches show no sign of having suffered an impact. The head of the clinical and rescue area of the CRAM Foundation, Lucia Garrido, recalls that "all animals that reach the coast do so because they have some pathology that makes them in a poor state of health. Simple disorientation does not cause them to strand on the beach". For whales, hearing is the fundamental sense that allows them to communicate, orient themselves, feed, and mate. This is why the acoustic pollution produced by maritime traffic, oil activities, or sonar tests has effects that condition their behavior. In this regard, it has been observed that these species tend to increase the speed and duration of their dives, and indefinitely suspend habits such as feeding. A study published in May, which analyzed 1,336 communications from 18 cetaceans in an area with high anthropogenic pressure, has found that these animals have to shout to be able to communicate with each other.It also has immediate effects. In 2002, during NATO naval exercises, 14 beaked whales beached in the Canary Islands, specifically on the islands closest to where the exercises were taking place. They used medium-frequency sonars for anti-submarine training. The animals' necropsies revealed decompression effects. "The widely accepted theory is that it was caused by the suspension of the animals' dives upon hearing the sonar and suddenly surfacing. After this incident, tests of this type were restricted in the Canary Islands, and there have been no more mass strandings of these species," points out Romagosa. Alerts for boats, a solution?

Despite everything, the technology and knowledge to prevent the death of these species already exist. Part of the solution is being developed by the team led by Arantza Ugalde and Miriam Romagosa from the Institute of Marine Sciences of Barcelona, with co-financing from the Pure Ocean Foundation. The path the researchers have found involves using the existing fiber optic cables installed on the seabed. "An equipment called an interrogator is connected to these cables, which sends light pulses through the fiber optic and analyzes the returning signal. Whale vocalizations or the noise of a boat generate acoustic waves and vibrations that can induce small deformations in the fiber, which are registered in the optical signal. In this way, the fiber can act as a network of distributed sensors on the seabed," explains researcher Ugalde, who is an expert in the use of submarine cables for seismic monitoring. All this information has the potential to generate an alert system for ships when the sounds produced by common fin whales or other whales to communicate are identified and located. But implementing this measure would not only have benefits for biodiversity and endangered species, but would also reduce the economic impact on vessels due to collisions with cetaceans. "Most medium-sized vessels are completely aware of the vast majority of collisions with whales, and it is common for them to have to return to port or stop to make repairs to propellers and ship hulls," says Romagosa. Even so, Garrido recalls that part of this threat to the ecosystem exists due to the current commercial and economic system: it is estimated that 80% of the volume of goods exchanged worldwide arrives by sea. "Consuming locally and from businesses that do not depend on a large volume of imports reduces the dependence on goods arriving by sea, generating less environmental impact and, in turn, reducing maritime traffic which is directly related to the disorientation of whales," concludes the head of the clinical and rescue area of the CRAM Foundation.

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It has not yet been a month since the conflict in the Middle East broke out, and in this time thousands of deaths, losses of cultural and historical heritage have been mourned, and the growing fear of a stalemate in the conflict, with potential – already demonstrated – to destabilize the world order. But while concern for the humanitarian crisis grows, the conflict has already established itself as one of the biggest environmental disasters in history, with implications that will last for decades.International organizations are observing the Tehran area with particular concern following the quadruple Israeli bombing on the night of March 7 –three in oil storage areas and one in a refinery–. Of the four facilities attacked, the one furthest from the Iranian capital is a mere 20 kilometers from the city center. At this time, it is still difficult to assess the consequences of these attacks because there is no data on the affected terrain and satellite information is hard to interpret. However, Tehran's demographic and physical characteristics make it particularly vulnerable: an urban area of over 10 million inhabitants and the natural barrier of the Elburz mountain range, which hinders the entry of clean air currents.Different experts agree in pointing out that the impacts on health and the environment are difficult to equate with previous catastrophes of this type. “It is especially worrying due to the contaminants that have been and continue to be emitted by the bombed storage centers. It is very different from attacks on refineries or export centers. In deposits of untreated oil there are very high concentrations of oils, heavy metals, energetic compounds and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH),” explains the scientific communicator and professor of environmental chemistry at the University of Barcelona Xavier Giménez. The government of Iran, aware of the threat posed by the bombing of these facilities, has also followed a similar strategy by attacking these types of extraction and storage bases in the Middle East.The World Health Organization (WHO) hurried to warn that attacks on oil facilities represented a serious problem for the inhabitants. But isolating oneself from the smoke is practically impossible. The city of Tehran was immersed in a dark, dense, and opaque cloud in the days following the bombings. However, as Giménez points out, the most harmful particles are those that are not seen: “Since particles of 2.5 microns or smaller are not seen, there is no perception of danger, but, on the other hand, they have direct entry into the alveoli, the bloodstream, and even the brain.” The inhalation of benzene particles and PAHs are directly related to the risk of serious diseases such as cancer and leukemia.This type of pollution is completely different from that which is usually recorded in cities like Delhi or Beijing, both in terms of particle composition and its effects on health and ecosystems, assures the doctor in chemistry. It is also different in its scale. According to the Observatory of Conflicts and Environment, the smoke cloud reached Afghanistan, and some regions of China and Russia, due to air currents that displaced the pollution eastward. Beyond the dispersion of pollution worldwide, the wind-borne smoke has been found to increase soot accumulation at high altitudes and accelerate the melting of glaciers. Giménez does not rule out that some of these particles may also have reached Europe, although they are almost imperceptible.Water, Iran's Achilles' heel

The large amount of suspended particles condensed and ended up precipitating in the form of black rain shortly after the bombing, a combination of acid rain and other elements from the oil combustion. The roofs blackened, the sewage system became saturated, and it is feared that the supply of drinking water may also have been contaminated, as unofficial Iranian sources assure through tests of acidity of the PH of the running water. This fact is especially serious considering that Iran has been suffering from a drought since 2020, aggravated by the climate crisis. 

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This Thursday will be a key day for Catalonia to take steps forward in mitigating the climate emergency. Five years late, the Catalan Parliament will vote on its first carbon budget, which establishes the amount of greenhouse gases that each economic sector can emit in the coming years. Government spokesperson Silvia Paneque explained in the special plenary session on this issue that in 2023 Catalonia emitted 38.36 million tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (Mt CO₂) and, for the first time in more than 30 years, fell below 1990 levels. The aim is to set "clear course" until 2030. However, despite the progress this milestone may represent, the document that will reach the plenary session is far from resembling the study drafted by the Committee of Experts on Climate Change (CECC), whose members claim it violates scientific criteria.

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The climate crisis is causing economic and human losses worldwide, and behind it lie slow, invisible, and often difficult-to-quantify changes. With the aim of providing a comprehensive overview of the consequences of the climate emergency and highlighting the importance of adaptation and mitigation policies, the Climate Risk Index, published annually by the independent organization Germanwatch, reports the economic losses caused by extreme weather events in the twenty countries most affected by this problem. To coincide with COP30 in Belém, the creators of this index have released their assessment of the damage documented in 2024, and it includes a new finding that directly affects us: Spain has entered the ranking of the twenty countries most affected by the climate crisis in the world for the first time. In fact, it is the only European country represented on this list, sharing positions with countries such as the island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, the Caribbean nation of Grenada, Chad, Papua New Guinea, and Nigeria. The list also includes Nepal, the Philippines, Vietnam, Brazil, Bangladesh, and Chile. The statistics implemented by Germanwatch analyze the consequences of five specific extreme events: droughts, floods, heat waves, storms, and fires. It also includes a sixth indicator representing other impacts such as cold waves, melting ice, and landslides. According to the calculation, all these events have caused a loss of €192.352 billion this year in the twenty countries most affected by the climate crisis.

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"We looked at each other and understood everything: the only solution left was for the entire family to leave their home permanently." This is how the mayor of Alcanar, Joan Roig, describes the moment he found Dídac Pla, his wife, and their two daughters up to their waists in mud the very night of the floods. Alice The storm had just descended with great violence on this town in Montsià and other nearby towns such as Godall, Santa Bárbara, la Ràpita, Ulldecona, and Tortosa. In some of these municipalities, rainfall exceeded 250 liters per square meter, and this was the final straw: after Pla and his family have been affected by four floods in the last seven years, they are one step away from becoming the first climate refugees in Catalonia.

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Southwest of Pylos, Greece, lies the deepest point in the Mediterranean Sea, in the so-called Calypso Trench. Specifically, 5,267 meters separate the surface from the deepest point. The landscape of an inhospitable desert sunk in the darkness of the sea would be the most predictable scenario, but researcher Miquel Canals' team has confirmed that there is human presence even at the deepest point in the Mediterranean. Remains of garbage bags, cans, and plastic bottles are some of the traces identified by a manned submarine that descended into the trench with the help of pioneering technology.

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Some suggest that thanks to small fires caused by lightning, humans were able to begin to use and master fire. This was crucial for the species to achieve higher survival rates, induce a change in diet, and favor technical development. But despite the importance of this phenomenon and the million years of progress of the species, scientists still have not been able to explain what causes high-intensity electrical discharges to fall from the sky.

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Some prefer to swim in the pool, others in the sea, but whether you're a freshwater or saltwater swimmer, keep in mind that you run an invisible risk: infections from pathogens that live in the water. In the case of seawater, beach flags are a good ally to also check the health of the water. "Sometimes there's a red flag, and people see that the water is flat, clear, and jellyfish-free, and they ignore the warning. In these cases, it's probably due to the state of the water," says the doctor at the Sant Joan de Déu Montserrat Sanmartí Hospital health park.

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It was supposed to be a summer trip for two friends after finishing their course. But the weeks in Nepal, filled with aromas, colors, and its people—and, in particular, Susmita—ended up changing the professional path of Marina Gaspar and Laia Triquell. Upon returning to Barcelona, the two young women decided that the essence of Nepal and Susmita, a girl who had captivated them with her genuineness and smile, also had a place in the fashion industry, which was then in the midst of the boom of the so-called trend. quiet luxury.

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What is your first memory of wine?

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You come from a family of farmers. Did they understand why you broke away from that world and began your career as a musician with Los Sencillos?

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As a Mediterranean country, it's clear that socializing tends to take place outdoors, and in the summer, probably enjoying the sun. But despite our geographic predisposition to greater exposure to the sun's rays, it's up to each individual to decide what relationship we want to have with the sun. We spoke about all this with the doctor of dermatology. Ramon Grimalt Santacana.

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The hours before a fire is declared under control are long and agonizing, but it is when the flames are extinguished that a long-distance race begins to revive life from the ashes. In the case of the Paüls forest fire (Baix Ebre)A third of the burned land is part of the Els Ports Natural Park, an area of high ecological value. The flames scorched more than 2,360 hectares of forest, of which more than a thousand are part of this protected area; a system with great biodiversity, home to hundreds of animal and plant species. What has been done in the wake of this fire?

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Is being a leading figure in Catalonia's most famous beer compatible with being a wine connoisseur?

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The windows are closed, the panes are covered in black dust, and the heat, which, despite the fans, enters the scattered houses of Els Ports. Suddenly, a loud explosion is heard, and a neighbor can't help but open the window. After this, more explosions follow, and among the WhatsApp groups of residents in the area of the town of Jesús (Tortosa, Baix Ebre), they are clear: the fire burning in the Els Ports Natural Park detonates the bombs buried since the Civil War.

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HeBaix Ebre fire, which has already burned some 3,200 hectares of mostly forested land, remains active and maintains the lockdown of 18,000 people. Strong winds during Monday night, with sustained gusts of 90 kilometers per hour, complicated attempts to contain the fire, but throughout Tuesday, the flames were prevented from spreading further into the Els Ports Natural Park. With some optimism given an improved weather forecast, firefighters worked intensely last night to try to stabilize the fire, something that has not yet been achieved.

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What is the first image you remember where there was wine?

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The heat was beginning to reach the houses on the slopes of Collserola, and a neighbor, looking for some fresh air, opened her windows. Suddenly, she heard a loud bang echoing through the ravine in front of her house. It was just a few minutes after eleven at night and she saw an unmarked van close its trunk doors and accelerate down Calle Manuel Arnús. Once again, an organized group had dumped a handful of used tires in the Collserola Natural Park.

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Have six years of being a correspondent in Moscow made you prefer kvass to wine?

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What is your first memory linked to wine?

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