The Latest Breaking News from Mediterranean

How engineers dreamed of turning Egypt's Qattara Depression into an endless power source

More than a century ago, engineers proposed an audacious idea for Egypt's Western Desert, cutting a canal from the Mediterranean Sea into the Qattara Depression, a vast basin sitting well below sea level, and using the resulting flow of water to generate electricity indefinitely. The concept first surfaced around 1912…

The Times of India · Jul 22

Tigray’s old grapevines have survived against the odds: new research uncovers their genetic and historic value

The northern highlands of Ethiopia are among Africa’s oldest agricultural landscapes. Some of the world’s most important crops originated here, particularly pulses and grains, including teff. Yet another crop has a less well-known history in Ethiopia’s Tigray region: the grapevine.

The Conversation · Jul 21

In 1928, a German architect planned to block the Strait of Gibraltar, drain the Mediterranean and create a new continent called Atlantropa

In 1928, German architect Hermann Sörgel unveiled one of the most ambitious engineering visions ever imagined: Atlantropa, a plan to block the Strait of Gibraltar, lower the Mediterranean Sea level and create a new Europe-Africa supercontinent. The extraordinary proposal aimed to generate massive hydroelectric power, reveal vast areas of new…

The Times of India · Jul 20

8 low-maintenance Mediterranean plants that can cope with hot, sunny weather – they'll thrive and flower despite dry spells

They'll thrive and flower despite dry spells

Ideal Home · Jul 17

Welcomed by Robinson, beckoned by Rinehart: Pauline’s Euro trip proves she is her own worst enemy

No one else decided she should tour an English community to spout shallow insults then prance around a Mediterranean resort

The Guardian - AU · Jul 17

The Odyssey is set in a fantasy world – but the ancient Greeks mapped it onto what they knew

The ancient Greeks would have enjoyed current controversies about the “historical accuracy” of Christopher Nolan’s new adaptation of The Odyssey.

The Conversation · Jul 15

Ancient Egyptian tombs with two dozen ‘gold tongues’ found along Mediterranean

‘Tongues’ thought to help deceased communicate in afterlife

The Independent UK · Jul 13

Veteran CalMac ferries could be spared from scrap as bosses eye Mediterranean buyer

Ageing Scottish ferries could soon be sailing in the Mediterranean rather than being sent to be decommissioned

The National (Scotland) · Jul 12

In 1980, California released more than 1.5 billion sterile Mediterranean fruit flies after an invasive outbreak threatened over 250 crops, eradicating the infestation before it could permanently invade California's orchards

California battled the invasive Mediterranean fruit fly using a large-scale sterile insect campaign. This method involved releasing billions of sterile males to prevent wild fly reproduction. While effective, this technique was combined with surveillance and quarantine measures for success. The program replaced widespread pesticide use with a more targeted approach.…

The Times of India · Jul 9

10 ways to weave Mediterranean style into your decor

A blue and white colour palette, natural textures and sun-kissed hues evoke a sense of the riviera, says Sam Wylie-Harris.

The Independent UK · Jul 9