Watch: How one orangutan braved new bridge to unite his split community

A road construction project in Indonesia’s Sumatra disrupted the natural habitat of the region’s orangutans, splitting their population into two isolated groups. Conservationists, including the Sumatran Orangutan Society (SOS) and Tangguh Hutan Khatulistiwa, partnered with the government to install a canopy bridge, hoping to reestablish connectivity between the forest fragments. Yet, the bridge remained unused for two years until a single orangutan took the plunge, crossing to the other side and potentially altering the fate of the species.

“This long-awaited and thrilling crossing could significantly impact the primates’ survival,” said Helen Buckland, chief executive of SOS, during an interview with the BBC.

Meanwhile, a newly released video highlights the Artemis II mission, showing the Orion capsule’s hatch being unlocked for a reunion with four astronauts. The 98-meter Space Launch System (SLS) and Orion spacecraft traveled four miles from their assembly building to Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

Steve Backshall documented a rare sighting of two of the UK’s last surviving orcas, calling it one of his “greatest British wildlife moments.” Elsewhere, the Met Office issued yellow severe weather warnings for wind and rain, while Storm Therese brought heavy snowfall to Tenerife, battering the Canary Islands. Storm Floris was also expected to deliver unseasonably strong gusty winds to the UK.

Baroness Kathy Willis emphasized the role of green and blue spaces in urban environments during a recent discussion. Researchers analyzing ice sheet samples uncovered an environmental record spanning over a million years. Additionally, a study of planet K2-18b’s atmosphere revealed molecules typically associated with Earth’s simple organisms, sparking scientific interest.

President Trump suggested that wind power might be a factor in rising UK energy costs, a claim scrutinized by BBC Verify’s Ben Chu. London Zoo conducted its annual animal weigh-in, measuring more than 10,000 creatures to track health and wellbeing. An astronomical event was captured on camera at North York Moors National Park on 13 August, adding to the year’s list of celestial wonders that captivated stargazers.

From meteor showers to supermoons, 2023 delivered stunning sky events. Astronaut health in space was also a focus, with BBC science correspondent Pallab Ghosh explaining the challenges of medical emergencies aboard spacecraft. The all-female crew of Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin rocket successfully returned to Earth after their space journey, marking another milestone in space exploration.