Things You Only Notice In The Fifth Element The Second Time Around

Uncover hidden details, clever Easter eggs, and subtle references in The Fifth Element that even die-hard fans might have missed. Dive deeper into this sci-fi classic with fresh insights and fun facts.

Though it bombed at the box office back in 1997, "The Fifth Element" has become the ultimate sci-fi cult classic. There's a story behind that transformation, but it really comes down to the incredible amount of work that dozens of people put into making the movie a reality. Director Luc Besson set out to create one of the most imaginative and funny sci-fi films to date, and without a doubt, he succeeded.

"The Fifth Element" centers on taxi driver Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis) and resurrected perfect being Leeloo (Milla Jovovich). The unlikely couple have a chance meeting that leads them out into deep space and on a quest to save the world from a galactic-scale evil threat. In the background of their grand adventure is a deeply intriguing world filled with alien opera singers, incompetent government officials, and capitalist villains willing to sacrifice Earth for power.

Besson's film is the kind of movie that warrants multiple viewings. Plenty of its fans were kids in 1997 and are just now realizing how many details in "The Fifth Element" were just for adults. It's not all raunchy humor and political satire, though. If you haven't seen "The Fifth Element" in a while, there's plenty of good and bad to be discovered on a second viewing.

Was that Luke Perry?

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"The Fifth Element" has a truly star-studded cast. It's not every day you see people like Bruce Willis, Milla Jovovich, Ian Holm, and Gary Oldman all sharing the screen. Even the movie's smaller characters are played by excellent actors like Brion James and Tom Lister Jr. — and then of course there's Chris Tucker's character, Ruby Rhod.

The first time you watch the movie, it's easy to be so starstruck that you actually miss one or two big stars who get featured in the movie. On a second pass, though, you'll notice that even extremely minor characters are played by recognizable actors. 

There's a reason, for instance, why Billy looks so familiar in the beginning of the movie. Billy is a research assistant who witnesses aliens landing on Earth in 1914. He's got a very small part to play in the movie, which is a little strange considering he's played by Luke Perry. By 1997 Perry was an established star, with seven years of "Beverly Hills 90210" and plenty of other roles under his belt. Perry is the kind of actor who regularly showed up in unexpected places, but even when he doesn't have that much to do in a movie, he brings a certain level of charm to a character.

The score is even better than you remember

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People pay plenty of attention to the visual effects in "The Fifth Element," and they should: Everything from model work to murals to prosthetics got used to make the sci-fi world of Luc Besson's imagination come to life. The visual style of "The Fifth Element" sticks with you long after you watch the film, and revisiting it down the road, you'll realize that the movie looks just as good today as it did in 1997. The visuals are so good, in fact, that they just might distract you from how incredible the movie's score really is.

The first time, it's easy to lose track of the music and get lost in the action, but watching the movie a second time makes the score really stand out. At every step of the way the music supports what's happening on screen, but there are some moments that are even more striking  than the visual effects. The passage playing during Leeloo's initial escape into Korben's taxi is a particular highlight.

Of course, the biggest musical moment comes during Diva Plavalaguna's performance. Composer Eric Serra knew that creating an alien opera was a tall order, and he wrote the piece to purposely include notes beyond the reach of the human voice. Opera singer Inva Mula recorded the vocal performance, and she was actually able to sing a majority of what Serra had written. Some careful digital editing took care of the rest and perfected Plavalaguna's otherworldly song.

2263 desperately needs police reform

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At its heart, "The Fifth Element" is an adventure story. Korben's chance encounter with Leeloo sends his life spiraling in a new direction, and the two of them end up racing across deep space to save the universe from evil. The movie introduces some dazzling locations and sci-fi concepts, but it doesn't spend nearly as much time developing them as it does rushing through the plot. That's why every time you rewatch the movie, you'll notice new small details about the world — and sometimes they're a little concerning.

By the end of the movie, we don't know all that much about New York City circa 2263, but we've gotten enough details to learn that the city is a borderline dystopia. Korben's life as a taxi driver gives us a glimpse into the capitalist nightmare that seems to have taken over this version of the future, and his chase with the police lets us know that New York really needs to consider some drastic reform measures.

As Korben's taxi races past a police hover car early in the movie, we see that the NYPD of 2263 wears full metal body armor at all times, even if they're at a fast food drive-thru. When the police start to pursue Korben, it quickly becomes clear that collateral damage isn't a concern for them. They all but tear apart the city trying to get Korben, and they don't even succeed. Life as a pedestrian in this future NYC has to be a bit scary.

Leeloo speaks a real language

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When Leeloo lands in the back of Korben's taxi, she doesn't know where she is, and she definitely doesn't know how to speak English. Considering that she's just been essentially resurrected and brought into the future from thousands of years in the past, she learns how to communicate remarkably quickly. Though she picks up more and more English as the movie progresses, most of the time Leeloo speaks a language beyond anyone's comprehension.

At least, most of the people in the movie have a hard time understanding her. In reality, the language that Leeloo speaks is entirely real, and it was created by director Luc Besson just for this movie. Besson spent 15 years developing the world of "The Fifth Element," and in all that time he also spent some effort creating a dictionary for the Divine Language. Besson invented around 400 words so that Leeloo could, in theory, say everything she needs to say through the entire movie in a real language. Besson and Milla Jovovich both became so fluent in the Divine Language that they even used it to communicate with each other while filming.

Did Korben work for Zorg?

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"The Fifth Element" gets more mileage than most movies out of playing with tropes and character archetypes. The story has a traditional big evil and a chosen one destined to defeat it. Leeloo and Korben both get to play out different takes on the hero archetype, while Zorg (Gary Oldman) stands in for the movie's real villain. The movie sets up a story that's initially familiar, but it subverts the usual formula whenever it can.

One of the oddest parts about "The Fifth Element" is that the heroes and the villains never actually see each other face to face. Obviously the big space evil is a kind of amorphous entity that would probably have trouble standing on the surface of Earth, but Leeloo and Korben never even meet Zorg, the evil's human representative. They save the day without ever properly squaring off against Zorg, but that doesn't mean they have no connection to Zorg whatsoever.

After using his taxi to escape from the police, Korben loses his job, and that's actually Zorg's first strike against our heroes. The first time they watch the movie, most people probably miss a small detail on Korben's termination notice. Zorg owns the company that fires Korben, so even though the two never directly meet, their conflict is still personal.

The future's military needs better leadership

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According to "The Fifth Element," by 2263 humanity will have spread out to the stars and made contact with alien civilizations. Earth will be filled with sprawling cities, hover cars, and the kind of technology that lets you regrow life from tissue samples. The future sounds amazing, but when you really think about the people who are in charge of the planet, you might have second thoughts about that.

Earth's military has a big role to play in "The Fifth Element." They're the ones who make first contact with the great evil that employs Zorg, and they eventually help send Korben and Leeloo on their journey to save the world. It might be fair to say all's well that ends well, but the movie shows us over and over again how incompetent the future leadership of Earth really is.

The President, played by Tom "Tiny" Lister Jr., never seems to have any idea what's really going on. He's willing to take advice from Ian Holm's Cornelius, despite having very little evidence that the priest knows what he's talking about when it comes to epic space evils. The military, on the other hand, is represented by Brion James's character General Munro. You'd want a general to have a sound tactical mind, but Korben manages to outsmart Munro, leaving him trapped in a freezer in his apartment while he escapes with Leeloo. The movie is definitely saying something about people in power, but it's also depicting a future we'd all be better off avoiding.

Even the characters are surprised by Chris Tucker

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"The Fifth Element" is filled with great performances, but Chris Tucker's appearance as Ruby Rhod is one of the most memorable parts of the entire movie. From clothing to hair, Ruby's sense of style is something that you won't forget after seeing it. Tucker brings a tremendous amount of energy to the role, transforming Ruby into an unbelievably entertaining powerhouse entertainer. Ruby immediately steals the scene, and even the characters in the movie seem to be a bit stunned by Tucker's performance.

It turns out that everyone on set probably was just as surprised by Tucker as anyone who's ever watched "The Fifth Element." Tucker told EW that when he took the part, hardly anyone knew what the role was supposed to be. "They were really protective of the script," he recalled. "They didn't let anyone know what the part was." Even Tucker himself was kept mostly in the dark. All he knew was that Prince was supposed to play the role, but he passed it up because the costumes were too outlandish. Tucker didn't know what to think, until he saw the costume for himself.

"I was kind of like 'Whoof, this is a deep, deep character,'" Tucker said, adding, "But all that stuff really helped me get into character." Get into character Tucker did, and the movie's other actors couldn't help but let their genuine reactions to Tucker's performance bleed into their own work.

Zorg might be Gary Oldman's scariest villain

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Gary Oldman is one of the greatest character actors of his generation. He's played some heroic characters, like Detective Jim Gordon in the "Dark Knight" trilogy and Sirius Black in the "Harry Potter" films, but Oldman really shines as a villain. Whether he's playing a shapeshifting vampire in "Bram Stoker's Dracula" or the crazed mayor of a post-apocalyptic town in "The Book of Eli," Oldman brings a chilling energy to all his baddies.

Amidst all the aliens and shiny scenery, it can be easy to lose track of Oldman's character Zorg in "The Fifth Element," but the second time through you'll realize how terrifying he really is. What makes Zorg so scary isn't that he's working for a terrible evil, but that communicating with his evil boss seems to shake Zorg to his very core. On the phone with the evil entity, Zorg's head spontaneously starts bleeding, and his own terror is very apparent. Despite his fear, he keeps trying to help the evil grow in power.

Oldman's performance in the movie is even more impressive if you know the context surrounding it. In an interview with Role Recall, Oldman admitted that he only took the role as a favor to Luc Besson. He didn't even read the script before agreeing to be in the movie, and it doesn't sound like he's a huge fan of the finished product. When told that "The Fifth Element" has become a cult classic, Oldman just laughed and said, "That's the wacky world we live in."

Leeloo may have inspired another sci-fi hero

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As a character, Leeloo is obviously based on "chosen one" tropes that are as old as time itself. The movie repeatedly says that she's supposed to be a perfect being. It's not just that Leeloo is destined to save the world, but also that she has some borderline magical abilities. She's an incredibly fast learner, and all but a champion fighter with little to no training whatsoever. Korben plays a central role in the story, but it's really Leeloo who's the hero of "The Fifth Element."

As much as she's based on mythological heroes from stories that came before her, Leeloo has also gone on to inspire other sci-fi heroes. Her influence can easily be seen in characters like River from "Firefly" and "Serenity," but she has a very particular similarity with another major '90s sci-fi "chosen one." In the movie Leeloo learns how to fight — and a majority of human history — by watching video feeds on a small screen. She basically downloads the knowledge into her head. Two years after the debut of "The Fifth Element," Neo learns his own fighting techniques using a very similar method in "The Matrix."

There's no replacement for practical effects

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There are plenty of '90s sci-fi movies that don't hold up visually today. CGI has come a long way in the past three decades, and movies that went all in on the technology back then are really starting to show their age. "The Fifth Element" has no shortage of special effects, but the movie still looks fantastic today because so much of what happens on screen was created practically.

Luc Besson knew that his movie was going to demand an excessive amount of visual effects. It took more than 160 people to create the 220 visual effects shots that made it into the movie, and the team filmed plenty more that didn't survive the editing room. Besson employed model makers and artists to make his world as realistic as possible. The spaceships shown in the movie are real models. So is Korben's taxi, and even some of the New York City streets that he flies it down. A second viewing gives one plenty of time to really appreciate the level of effort that went into making "The Fifth Element" as visually engaging as it is.

The movie is plagued by stereotypes

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Unfortunately, not everything that you notice about "The Fifth Element" when watching it again is good. There are plenty of things to praise about the movie, from the performances to the music to the visual effects, but decades later it also stands out for being filled to the brim with misogynist stereotypes.

There's no way around it: "The Fifth Element" does a terrible job depicting women. Leeloo is basically the only human woman on screen the entire movie, and even though she's a hardcore action hero, she still ends up falling into the damsel in distress role more than once. As badass as Leeloo may be on her own, the movie doesn't let her be a hero without the help of Korben. She's also wearing little more than some strategically placed bandages for the first third of the film.

It's the other women in the movie that get a really problematic portrayal. Korben's mother and ex-wife — heard only as voices talking to Korben over the phone — are depicted as greedy nags who won't let Korben live his life in peace. They call Korben to ask him for money or berate him for supposedly going on vacation, and the movie plays these moments for laughs as Korben rolls his eyes and desperately tries to avoid interacting with them as much as possible. Those cringe-worthy moments don't ruin the film by any means, but they may tarnish your memories of it on that second viewing.

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The real cost of climate change: Heatwaves, wildfires, droughts and storms cost the world more than $120 BILLION in 2025, study reveals

• READ MORE: Britain's worst-case climate scenario laid bare

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

A study has laid bare the shocking true cost of climate change as heatwaves, wildfires, droughts and storms cause havoc around the world.

The 10 most costly climate disasters alone cost the world more than $120 billion (£88.78 billion) in 2025, according to a report from Christian Aid.

Each was made significantly more likely and more devastating by the effects of human-caused climate change.

And scientists warn that these calculations only reflect insured losses, with the true cost of climate-influenced disasters likely to have been even higher.

America took the brunt of the damage this year as the Palisades and Eaton wildfires swept through Los Angeles in January.

This devastating fire alone caused more than $60 billion (£44.4 billion) in damages and killed 40 people.

This was followed by the cyclones which struck Southeast Asia, causing $25 billion (£18.5) in damage and killing more than 1,750 people across Thailand, Indonesia, Sri Lanka, Viet Nam and Malaysia.

The researchers also highlighted 10 less costly but equally shocking climate disasters, including the destructive wildfires which struck the UK this summer.

The 10 most costly climate disasters cost the world more than $120 billion (£88.78 billion) in 2025. The most damaging were January's Los Angeles Wildfires, which caused more than $60 billion (£44.4 billion) in damages and killed 40 people

Scientists have gathered a vast amount of evidence showing a clear, incontrovertible connection between a warming climate and more intense climate disasters.

It is not that human-caused climate change creates extreme weather events, but it does make them more likely to occur and more intense when they do.

Dr Davide Faranda, Research Director in Climate Physics in the Laboratoire de Science du Climat et de l'Environnement (LSCE), who was not involved in the report, says: 'The events documented in this report are not isolated disasters or acts of nature.

'They are the predictable outcome of a warmer atmosphere and hotter oceans, driven by decades of fossil fuel emissions.'

In this report, researchers have tallied the total costs of the biggest disasters that have been intensified by the changing climate.

Even though extreme weather events in rich countries where property prices are higher typically incur greater costs, the worst-affected countries have been poorer.

Of the six most costly climate disasters in 2025, four hit Asia for a combined cost of $48 billion (£35.5 billion).

That includes devastating floods which struck China in June and August, killing more than 30 people and creating $11.7 billion (£8.6 billion) of damage.

Four of the six most costly climate disasters were in Asia, including cyclones that struck Southeast Asia, causing $25 billion (£18.5) in damage and killing more than 1,750 people. Pictured: People flee flood waters in Hat Yai, Southern Thailand 

China experienced some of the most severe flooding in recent history, as rising waters killed more than 30 people and created $11.7 billion (£8.6 billion) of damage. Pictured: Flood-affected areas in Congjiang, southwestern China

Throughout 2025, China was hit by devastating floods in regions where such weather was previously unheard of, as unusually high rainfall followed months of drought.

This year also saw the Caribbean face the 'storm of the century' as Hurricane Melissa made landfall over Jamaica, Cuba, and the Bahamas, costing at least $8 billion (£5.9 billion).

Since hurricanes are driven by warm ocean waters, humans' continued creation of planet-warming greenhouse gases directly contributes towards making these storms more frequent and more powerful.

In a cooler world without climate change, a Melissa–type hurricane would have made landfall once every 8,000 years, according to research.

But in today's climate, with 1.3°C warming, it has become four times more likely – with such an event now expected once every 1,700 years.

Professor Joanna Haigh, an atmospheric physicist from Imperial College London, who was not involved in the report, says: 'These disasters are not "natural" - they are the inevitable result of continued fossil fuel expansion and political delay.

'The world is paying an ever-higher price for a crisis we already know how to solve. While the costs run into the billions, the heaviest burden falls on communities with the least resources to recover.'

However, no inhabited continent on Earth was unaffected by climate disasters this year.

Jamaica was hit by the 'storm of the century' as Hurricane Melissa made landfall, costing at least $8 billion (£5.9 billion).

Pictured: Destroyed houses in St. Elizabeth, Jamaica

Scientists say that climate change warmed the waters over which Hurricane Melissa (pictured) formed, making the deadly storm four times as likely 

Besides the 10 most destructive events, Christian Aid also analysed 10 other extreme weather incidents that have lower financial cost but are equally concerning.

Chief among these are the enormous wildfires that burned through large parts of the UK in late summer this year.

Across England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland, fire crews responded to the highest number of wildfire incidents on record, with over 1,000 separate outbreaks by early September.

Early estimates suggest that more than 47,000 hectares (184 square miles) of forest, moorland, and heath were burned - the largest annual area since records began.

In June, the Carrbridge and Dava Moor blaze consumed 11,000 hectares (42.5 square miles) of land to become the UK's first recorded 'mega fire'.

According to climate and wildfire researchers, the increased intensity and frequency of these blazes were a direct product of climate change.

An exceptionally wet winter followed by one of the hottest, driest springs on record led to an unusually large amount of dead, dry plant matter that fuelled the fires.

Likewise, the report points to the Iberian Wildfires, which were caused by record-breaking extreme temperatures.

Outside of the 10 most expensive events, the report also tracked a number of notable climate incidents. These included the record-breaking wildfires, which destroyed 47,000 hectares (184 square miles) of forest, moorland, and heath in the UK. Pictured: Wildfires rage in the Isle of Arran, Scotland 

Spain and Portugal were also hit by the Iberian Wildfires, which were caused by record-breaking extreme temperatures. Pictured: Fires burning in Vesu, Portugal 

Weeks of extreme heatwaves, with temperatures exceeding 40°C (104°F), combined with low humidity, created explosive fire conditions.

These fires consumed 383,000 hectares (1,480 square miles) in Spain and 260,000 hectares (1,000 square miles) in Portugal - about three per cent of the country's land.

Preliminary estimates suggest that these fires caused direct economic losses of $810 million (£600 million).

Read More

• 2025 is on track to become the UK's hottest year on RECORD, the Met Office reveals 

Scientists estimate that climate change made this event around 40 times more likely and increased the intensity of fire conditions by about 30 per cent.

The report also analysed Japan's year of extreme weather, after the country was battered by back-to-back snowstorms and heatwaves. 

Unusually heavy snowstorms and winds killed 12 people and destroyed several houses at the start of the year, followed by the hottest summer ever recorded, with average temperatures 2.36°C (4.25°F) above the average.

Scientists call this phenomenon 'climate whiplash', and research shows that it is likely to become more common as climate change alters global weather patterns.

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Five senses? Try 33! Scientist claims humans have dozens of 'hidden' senses – here's how to harness their powers

• READ MORE: Scientists say the human body has a 'hidden' SIXTH sense

By SHIVALI BEST, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

Growing up, most of us learned about the five senses: sight, hearing, smell, taste, and touch. 

But it's time to rewrite the science textbooks – at least if one scientist has anything to do with it. 

Professor Barry Smith, Director of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London, claims that humans don't just have five senses. 

Instead, he says there are anywhere between 22 and 33 senses. 

'Aristotle told us there were five senses,' he explained in an article for The Conversation. 

'But he also told us the world was made up of five elements and we no longer believe that. 

'And modern research is showing we may actually have dozens of senses.'

Scroll down for the full list of hidden senses – and how you can harness their powers. 

Professor Barry Smith, Director of the Institute of Philosophy at the University of London, claims that humans don't just have five senses. Instead, he says there are anywhere between 22 and 33 senses (artist's impression)

Professor Smith's reasoning is that all almost everything we do is multisensory. 

'What we feel affects what we see and what we see affects what we hear,' he explained.

'Different odours in shampoo can affect how you perceive the texture of hair. 

'The fragrance of rose makes hair seem silkier, for instance.

'Odours in low–fat yogurts can make them feel richer and thicker on the palate without adding more emulsifiers. 

'Perception of odours in the mouth, rising to the nasal passage, are modified by the viscosity of the liquids we consume.'

While the exact number of senses humans have remains unclear, Professor Smith says it could be as many as 33. 

This includes proprioception (by which we know where our limbs are without looking at them) and interoception.

 Interoception operates through a network of neural pathways (artist's impression), deep within the body. For this reason, the researchers have dubbed it the 'hidden sixth sense'

What is the sixth sense?

The sixth sense is known as 'interoception'.

It helps us to feel and interpret internal signals that regulate vital functions in our bodies. 

This includes things like hunger, thirst, body temperature and heart rate. 

Problems with interoception are linked with a range of conditions, including autoimmune disorders, chronic pain, and high blood pressure – as well as mental health issues.

Interoception is an 'understudied process', by which your nervous system continuously receives and interprets your body's physiological signals to keep vital functions running smoothly. 

It helps to explain how your brain knows when to breathe, when your blood pressure drops, or when you're fighting an infection.

Professor Smith also highlights 'gustation' – the sense when we taste something. 

'When we taste something we are actually experiencing a combination of three senses: touch, smell and taste – or gustation – which combine to produce the flavours we perceive in food and drinks,' he said.

'Gustation covers sensations produced by receptors on the tongue that enable us to detect salt, sweet, sour, bitter and umami (savoury). What about mint, mango, melon, strawberry, raspberry?

'We don’t have raspberry receptors on the tongue, nor is raspberry flavour some combination of sweet, sour and bitter. 

'There is no taste arithmetic for fruit flavours.

'We perceive them through the combined workings of the tongue and the nose. It is smell that contributes the lion’s share to what we call tasting.'

Read More

•  Scientists say the human body has a 'hidden' SIXTH sense - and it's vital for our health 

While this might all sound a bit overwhelming, Professor Smith hopes his idea will actually bring comfort to you.

He concluded: 'There are always plenty of things around you to show how intricate your senses are, if you only pause for a moment to take it all in. 

'So next time you walk outside or savour a meal, take a moment to appreciate how your senses are working together to help you feel all the sensations involved.'

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Credit: Wikimedia Commons/NASA Earth Observatory

Ocean data is also essential for tracking global warming, as 90% of the heat increase over the last 50 years has been stored in the ocean. The difficult-to-measure regions beneath ice shelves provide some of the most critical data for calculating sea-level rise. These temperature and salinity readings, collected at five-day intervals, are the first of their kind ever collected beneath the East Antarctic ice shelf.

Ice shelves are floating glaciers that mark where Antarctica’s ice mass meets the sea, departing from the frozen continent’s solid bedrock. They prevent continental ice from entering the sea, yet remain vulnerable to warm water flowing beneath them, which melts the ice shelves.

The collapse of these ice shelves hastens sea level rise, and as such, scientists are very interested in monitoring them. Yet, one of the most critical factors, the warm water entering the ice shelves from below, is notoriously difficult to observe directly. In the past, scientists have at times relied on drilling holes and lowering sensors into them to obtain data, though this is costly and is therefore rarely done.

A Journey Through Antarctica

The Totten Glacier, which the researchers originally studied, contains enough ice to raise the global sea level by 3.5 meters if it were to melt completely. Their previous investigation of Totten suggested that sufficient warm water lay beneath the ice shelf, placing it at significant risk of rapid melting. Given the global ecosystem’s obvious concern, the team was displeased when their Argo float drifted away from its target.

Fortunately, they did not have long to wait before the Argo ran into another suitable target: the Denman glacier, capable of producing a 1.5-meter sea-level rise if completely melted. Previous analyses of radar data suggest that Denman may be unstable, but collecting corroborating oceanic data has proven challenging. The wayward Argo, however, discovered that warm water can indeed penetrate beneath the shelf.

After nine months lost beneath the ice, the team began to suspect that their Argo float may have ended beneath a glacial mass, never to transmit again. But then, most unexpectedly, there Argo emerged from beneath Denman and Shackleton, sending the researchers data from never-before-visited regions beneath the Antarctic ice.

Analyzing the Antarctic Data

One major snag for the researchers was that without the Argo float regularly surfacing, the data could not be tagged with GPS locations. Still, the team managed to overcome this hurdle in their analysis. Each time the robot approached the surface and encountered ice, it recorded an essential measurement of ice thickness at the point of contact. By collating those readings with known ice thickness measurements obtained from satellites, the team could then chart the Argo floats ‘path beneath the ice shelf.

Fortunately, the data indicates that warm water is not currently penetrating the Shackleton Ice Shelf, meaning that at least the ice in this area is relatively stable, for now. However, the discovery of warm water beneath Denman remains a serious concern, as even a slight increase in the amount of warm water there could accelerate melt, and thereby drive further instability.

• Ryan Whalen covers science and technology for The Debrief. He holds an MA in History and a Master of Library and Information Science with a certificate in Data Science. He can be contacted at ryan@thedebrief.org, and follow him on Twitter @mdntwvlf.

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Pink fog descends over the UK: Brits are baffled as the skies turn rose-coloured due to rare weather phenomenon

• READ MORE: Confused Brits question the strangely balmy December weather

By JONATHAN CHADWICK, ASSISTANT SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR 

Brits have been left baffled by a rare weather phenomenon that has turned the December skies a brilliant rose colour. 

'Pink fog' occurs when sunlight passes through fine material such as dust or moisture in the air, according to meteorologists at the Met Office. 

'When the sunlight comes through lots of layers, it filters out the blue and scatters it, leaving the red to come through,' said Met Office spokesman Graham Madge.

'It’s effectively a sunrise filtered through the atmosphere and through the fog, giving it that pinkish hue.' 

On social media, Brits posted their snaps of the spectacular sight, which has blanketed the sky in regions across the southeast of England. 

TikTok user @crazytailsuk insisted that their video clip had 'no filter' as the sky appeared as a brilliant Barbie-style shade. 

One person replied to say 'it was soooo pink this morning in Hertfordshire', while another wrote: 'Sunrise pink fog…….. I would have been thrilled.' 

Another TikToker joked that she was 'up in the mountains' and needed to be rescued as she walked down a residential street. 

No filter: On social media, Brits posted their snaps of the spectacular sight, which depends on local conditions

'Pink fog' occurs when sunlight passes through fine material such as dust or moisture in the air, according to meteorologists at the Met Office

This shot from west London on Wednesday morning (December 17) showed the bizarre pink fog over traffic on Wednesday morning 

According to Mr Madge, pink fog – effectively a sunrise filtered through the atmosphere – depends on local conditions and can be easily missed.  

One January morning last year, a 'surreal' pink fog hit parts of British Columbia in Canada, according to a CBC report. 

Darius Mahdavi, climate specialist and science communicator at the network, called pink fog 'an incredibly rare phenomenon'. 

'Sunlight has to pass through more layers of atmosphere – or in this case, the suspended water droplets that make up the fog,' he said.

'Some of the colours, especially the blues, [then] get scattered out, leaving the reds and oranges and pinks to reach your eyes.

'But the conditions have to be just right and are near impossible to predict, so it's really a matter of being in the right place at the right time.' 

At the time, one Kelowna resident said it lasted somewhere between 10 and 15 minutes, rising up into the sky then coming down before dissipating into a normal grey. 

A pink fog previously covered parts of England's southwest in February 2019, including Somerset and Shropshire. 

Pink fog refers to a natural atmospheric phenomenon where sunlight filtering through particles (dust, moisture) scatters blue light, leaving reds and pinks. Pictured, Dunsden, Oxfordshire this morning (December 17) 

According to an expert at the Met Office, pink fog is 'effectively a sunrise filtered through the atmosphere'. Pictured, Dunsden, December 17

The beautiful natural occurrence provides a stunning - and rare - photo opportunity for early morning photographers and dog walkers. Pictured, Dunsden, December 17

Mr Madge added that the spectacular sight would have likely been seen by a lucky few who were in the right place at the right time. 

'It will depend on the local conditions, and those conditions were optimal for a few lucky people to have witnessed it,' he told the Sun at the time. 

According to today's outlook from the Met Office, London and the southeast endured a 'foggy and frosty start', colder than previous mornings recently.  

But freshening winds and increasing cloud cover through the morning are allowing the fog and frost to slowly clear.

There is, however, a chance of rain in the afternoon and this evening is set to be cloudy with the odd outbreak.

Rain and fog could cause flooding and travel disruption on Wednesday in parts of south Wales and south-western, central and eastern England. 

The Met Office said: 'A period of rain, heavy at times, especially over high ground, will move slowly east across this region during Wednesday. 

'Coming off the back of recent very wet weather, some travel disruption and flooding is likely across much of the warning area.' 

The rarely-seen weather phenomenon depends on local conditions and can be easily missed. Pictured, Dunsden, December 17

According to today's outlook from the Met Office, London and the southeast endured a foggy start on Wednesday which triggered the effect 

Also this week, meteorologists have confirmed that it has been unseasonably warm in Britain in the lead-up to Christmas. 

In some parts of the country, temperatures have risen as high as 15°C (59°F), while conditions have rarely fallen below freezing. 

Jim Dale, senior meteorologist at British Weather Services and co–author of 'Surviving Extreme Weather', told Daily Mail that the UK is currently facing an unusually energetic jet stream.

This is the system of fast–moving air flowing about five to seven miles above the ground that steers weather fronts and low–pressure systems towards the UK.

Since November, Mr Dale says that the jet stream has been 'more or less over us', causing a wave of warm, wet, and windy weather.

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Explore every building in the WORLD: Incredible map charts 2.75 billion structures in 3D - including your home

• READ MORE: Interactive map lets you explore the vast network of Roman roads

By WILIAM HUNTER, SENIOR SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY REPORTER

From historic homes in Edinburgh to towering skyscrapers in Shanghai, you can now explore every building in the world from the comfort of your home.

An incredible new map charts the location and size of 2.75 billion buildings in incredible 3D detail.

Dubbed the GlobalBuildingAtlas, it contains over a billion more houses than the previous biggest dataset.

And you can use it for yourself by using the interactive map below.

The GlobalBuildingAtlas was created by researchers from the Technical University of Munich (TUM) in Germany using a vast trove of satellite data.

The scientists combined nearly 800,000 satellite images captured in 2019 with an AI algorithm to predict the size of missing buildings based on the heights of the neighbours.

Lead author Professor Xiaoxiang Zhu says: '3D building information provides a much more accurate picture of urbanization and poverty than traditional 2D maps.

'With 3D models, we see not only the footprint but also the volume of each building, enabling far more precise insights into living conditions.'

An incredible new map charts the location and size of 2.75 billion buildings in incredible 3D detail. Pictured: the Forbidden City in Beijing 

In London, the satellite data that was used to create the map even picks up details like the shape of bridges and boats on the Thames 

To find your home on the map, or explore anywhere else in the world, all you need to do is search in the 'input address' bar at the top of the map.

The database will then reveal a 3D model of any area in the world, using data recorded by orbiting satellites.

These 3D models are exceptionally accurate in urban areas, where the researchers say the resolution is 30 times finer than comparable databases.

The researchers say that their site has received over 280,000 visits since it launched a few days ago.

This unexpected popularity far exceeds what the site was built for, so the map may be slow to load at times.

Besides being fascinating to explore, this detailed map has an important scientific function.

Creating detailed maps of the world's buildings has been extremely difficult in the past because it requires specialised satellites to scan the ground with lasers.

This makes it challenging to cover the entire globe with scans that have a high enough fidelity.

Creating detailed maps of the world's buildings has been extremely difficult in the past because it requires specialised satellites to scan the ground with lasers. Pictured: New York's towering skyscrapers 

Besides being fascinating to explore, this detailed map has an important scientific function. Pictured: the exact layout of the animal enclosures inside Edinburgh Zoo

Here you can see the tall buildings of London's Canary Wharf financial district and the iconic shape of the O2 stadium 

The map doesn't just record modern structures. Here you can see the layout of the different walls of the Tower of London 

The European countries with the most buildings

Finland: 3,967 cubic metres

Estonia:2,689 cubic metres

Sweden,2,159 cubic metres

Denmark: 1,996 cubic metres

Latvia: 1,666 cubic metres

Lithuania: 1,602 cubic metres

Belgium: 1,263 cubic metres

Netherlands: 1,250 cubic metres

Ireland: 1,228 cubic metres

Austria: 1,215 cubic metres

Building volume per capita

The researchers' solution was to combine laser-scanning data with artificial intelligence to fill out the gaps in the map.

The result is a detailed map of the world that can be used to study development, prepare for disasters, and plan new city developments.

According to their analysis of the dataset, Asia is home to 1.22 billion buildings, almost half of the world's total supply of buildings.

Africa follows with around 540 million buildings, coming in ahead of Europe with 403 million buildings.

North and South America have significantly fewer buildings, with 295 million and 264 million buildings respectively, while Oceania has only 14 million.

Using that data, the researchers have even created a new way of measuring social and economic development: building volume per capita.

The general idea is that the more space there is per person, the more well off that country is likely to be.

Finland, for example, tops the leaderboard in Europe with over 3,900 cubic metres of building volume per person and regularly ranks as the happiest country in Europe.

By zooming out, you can see the distribution of building volume over the whole world. Red areas show towns and cities where the concentration of buildings is highest

Asia is home to 1.22 billion buildings, almost half the world's total. This image shows the towering skyline of Shanghai's Bund district 

The map doesn't only show cities, and the satellite data is sensitive enough to pick up tiny settlements like the town of Lajamanu, deep in Australia's Northern Territories 

The researchers found that Finland, which is often rated as the happiest country in the world, has over six times more building volume per person than Greece and hundreds of times more than many African nations 

Read More

• Scientists baffled by giant structure hidden beneath Bermuda that is 'unlike anything else on Earth' 

Greece, on the other hand, which has faced decades of economic stagnation, has six times less building volume per person.

In the future, the researchers hope that this data could be used to help plan additional housing or public facilities in areas that need it most.

At the same time, the model could also be extremely useful for disaster prevention by showing which areas are the most at risk.

The German Aerospace Center, for example, is already examining how it can use the GlobalBuildingAtlas as part of its disaster support work around the world.

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EXCLUSIVE - Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's new UFO sauna: Inside $175m Beverly Hills compound after jaw-dropping transformation

By SARA MCGIFF

It might be Jeff Bezos's magnum opus.

And now his $175 million Beverly Hills mega-mansion is brought vividly to life - complete with UFO-inspired structures, sea-themed pools and lush landscaping  touching every part of the terrain - in these exclusive Daily Mail photos.

The completion of the mansion comes just six months after Bezos and his bride Lauren Sanchez tied the knot in Venice in what was hailed as the most jaw-dropping wedding of 2025.

The ten-acre California estate, once owned by media mogul David Geffen, has been transformed into a sprawling luxury compound, combining two neighboring properties, linked by a striking raised bridge.

Bezos bought the main mansion in 2020 in what became one of the priciest real estate transactions in Los Angeles history at a staggering $165 million price tag. He snagged the neighboring building for just $10 million.

And now, five years later, the full extent of his transformation can be revealed, marking yet another milestone in Bezos's ever-expanding real estate empire. 

The historic Benedict Canyon property was originally designed in the 1930s by world-renowned architect Roland Coate for Jack L Warner, the co-founder of Warner Bros.

Regarded as one of the last true symbols of Hollywood's Golden Age, the Georgian-style three-story mansion has retained its old-world charm, including its signature Greek portico - a grand architectural nod to the temple entrances of ancient Greece.

But Bezos has stamped his own absurdist vision onto the estate, installing an aquatic-core pool adorned with painted stingrays, an octopus, a sea turtle and a whole cast of other marine creatures. 

Jeff Bezos and Lauren Sanchez's $175 million historic Beverly Hills mansion is finally complete six months after their fairytale wedding and after five years of renovations - transforming into a Hollywood Golden Age oasis with an absurdist twist 

Bezos's five-year transformation starkly contrasts the property's former state after he purchased it in 2020 for $165 million, one of Los Angeles' priciest real estate deals

The ten-acre estate was originally designed in the 1930s by world-renowned architect Roland Coate for Jack L Warner, the co-founder of Warner Bros, before it was bought by media mogul David Geffen and then sold to the Amazon billionaire

In a separate nod - presumably to both the 1947 Roswell incident in New Mexico and his own space venture, Blue Origin - he's added a humorous flourish: a classic UFO-style sauna with a clear plastic observation dome, planted in the middle of a cactus garden and encircled by a firepit and teak furniture.

Overlooking the aquatic-themed pool is a ginormous wraparound balcony with four separate seating areas offering sweeping views of the estate - including two spots positioned directly in front of sliding doors, presumably leading into bedrooms.

The front of the estate boasts a broad, brick-paved motor court centered around a perfectly manicured circular fountain, ringed with bright red blooms and dense greenery that creates a dramatic, garden-island effect.

It's one of the few areas that still shows signs of ongoing work, with a ring of green cones marking off a section of the herringbone brick pavement that appears to be undergoing a small patch repair.

To the left of the front of the house is the second property that appears to act as a guest house.

Connected by a paved bridge, the other side also has a large rectangular pool, a hot tub, a lush green lawn and a full-sized beach volleyball court with a firepit and seating tucked to the side.

Fitness fanatic Bezos also made sure to install three pickle ball courts on the main property with a large viewing deck so players can compete in a professional environment.

Other features include a covered banquet table that seats more than 20 people beneath a long pergola beside the pickleball courts, along with a small vegetable garden in raised beds.

While retaining its Georgian style, Bezos has added his own absurdist touch, including an aquatic pool decorated with stingrays, an octopus, a sea turtle and other marine creatures 

Overlooking the aquatic pool, a massive wraparound balcony features four seating areas with sweeping estate views, including two positioned outside bedroom sliding doors

In a playful nod to the 1947 Roswell incident and his company Blue Origin, Bezos added a UFO-style sauna with a clear dome in the cactus garden, surrounded by a firepit and teak furniture

The estate's front boasts a brick motor court with a circular fountain and lush red blooms, while a small section of herringbone brickwork remains cordoned off for repairs 

To the left of the front of the house is the second property that appears to act as a guest house, set with a full-sized beach volleyball court, a pool and a firepit with seating tucked to the side

On the main property, Bezos also added three pickleball courts with a large viewing deck, creating a professional style playing area on the main property

To the side of the pickleball courts is a long banquet table that appears to have a capacity of 20 seats under a long pergola

A fleet of golf carts, tucked along the long driveway behind the pickleball courts, allows the couple to easily traverse the sprawling property

To isolate the property from the outside world, Bezos made sure to keep the marital home surrounded by high-security tall hedgerows.

A fleet of golf carts will make it easy for the couple to traverse around the property and are tucked away in the long driveway the ends behind the pickle ball court. 

The road to completion wasn't without setbacks. In April 2023, it emerged that work on the mega-mansion had been halted indefinitely after Bezos failed to complete a planning application for a new 'game court fence.' 

He had also planned to extend the estate with a pool house, powder room and new retaining walls.

The initial permits were granted in 2021, but when Bezos submitted a revised request in January 2023 to add a 'game court fence with lighting', it was denied due to incomplete paperwork.

The original plans sought to add roughly 1,000 square feet to the 28,000-square-foot mansion. Still, within a month, construction was back underway.

The mega mansion is just one piece of Bezos's sprawling real estate empire, estimated at around $600 million, as he and Sanchez split their time between luxury properties across the country - and around the world if you consider that mega yacht.

He recently transformed his ultra-exclusive Indian Creek Island retreat in Florida's famed 'Billionaire Bunker' into a real-life Amazon, complete with a dazzling canopy of tropical trees and a multimillion-dollar landscaping overhaul. 

The couple $600 million property portfolio also includes a reported $78 million mega mansion in Maui, Hawaii 

Bezos's $60 million Lake Washington estate in Seattle, Washington, which was his main stronghold before he decided to relocate to the East Coast to be closer to family in 2023

Beyond his land holdings, he also boasts a $500 million superyacht, Koru, recently seen in Florida, the Caribbean and off the coast of Ibiza in August

Exclusive Daily Mail photos revealed how the tech mogul, 61, packed the grounds of his $90 million estate with towering oaks, royal palms and dense greenery, turning the property into an exotic botanical garden worthy of a rainforest.

He also owns four separate apartments inside an art-deco block on Manhattan's Upper West Side.

Three of the apartments inside the complex at 25 Central Park West were bought back in 2019 for a reported sum of $80 million.

He then shelled out $16 million this spring for a fourth unit at the height of the pandemic in 2020.

The Amazon boss also owns a Texas ranch and homes in Washington, DC and Maui. 

Beyond his land holdings, he also boasts a $500 million superyacht, Koru, recently seen in Florida, the Caribbean and off Ibiza in August.

The one-of-a-kind vessel is a 417-foot, three-masted sailing yacht that was built in the Netherlands by Oceanco in 2021.

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Astonishing interactive map lays bare where MILLIONS of homes will be submerged by water within a few years... are YOU at risk?

By CHRIS MELORE, US ASSISTANT SCIENCE EDITOR

Millions of buildings and even more Americans could be at risk of sinking underwater by the end of the century.

Researchers from McGill University in Canada warned rising sea levels, resulting from continued greenhouse gas emissions, threaten to wipe out coastal cities worldwide.

Sea level rise measures the ocean's surface height over time. Level increases can cause flooding in areas that sit near or below the waterline.

Greenhouse gas emissions, such as carbon dioxide from cars and factories, trap heat in the Earth's atmosphere, making the planet warmer. Those increased temperatures melt ice caps and glaciers, and also cause ocean water to expand as it heats up.

The McGill team revealed that even in the best-case scenarios, where sea levels rise just 1.6 feet by 2100, three million buildings in the Southern Hemisphere alone would be underwater by then.

The study is the first large-scale, building-by-building assessment of how long-term sea level rise could affect coastal infrastructure across the Global South, including Africa, Southeast Asia and Central and South America. 

Researchers used satellite imagery and elevation data to map how many buildings could be inundated under different scenarios, providing critical insights for urban planners and policymakers. 

While the estimate didn't account for potential damage in the US, Europe and much of northern Asia, where over two billion people live, maps have provided people with the worst-case scenarios for their hometowns.

The Sea Level Submergence Explorer map revealed how 65 feet of sea level rise could impact New York in a doomsday climate scenario

Major cities, including Washington, DC, (pictured) could see historic landmarks submerged by rising sea levels over the next 75 years

The data suggested that if emissions are unchecked, sea levels could rise by as much as 65 feet in the examined timeframe. 

In this doomsday climate scenario, major cities like New York, Washington, Baltimore, Miami, New Orleans, Houston, Oakland and Sacramento could be submerged within the next 75 years.

Millions would be impacted in New York City and Washington, DC

While the McGill team did not focus on Earth's Northern Hemisphere, its Sea Level Submergence Explorer map painted a grim picture for America's most famous metropolis.

New York City would see much of Manhattan, Brooklyn, Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx end up below the higher sea level.

More than 8.5 million people live and work in over a million buildings in New York, all of which could be severely impacted by a dramatic increase in flood risks.

The nation's capital, Washington, DC, would also be dramatically affected by out of control sea level rise.

The map estimated that the White House and other government buildings would be submerged if sea levels rose by 65 feet over the next century.

Professor Natalya Gomez, a study co-author from McGill University, said in a press release: 'Sea level rise is a slow, but unstoppable consequence of warming that is already impacting coastal populations and will continue for centuries.

'People often talk about sea level rising by tens of centimeters, or maybe a meter. But, in fact, it could continue to rise for many meters if we don't quickly stop burning fossil fuels.'

Even if the global emissions reduction goals of the Paris Agreement are met, researchers found sea levels would still rise by three feet and flood five million buildings in Africa, Southeast Asia and South America by 2100.

The worst case scenario from the Sea Level Submergence Explorer map warned that more than half of the state of Florida could end up underwater by 2100

The entire state of Delaware was submerged in a map showing sea level rise reaching its estimated peak of 65 feet over the next century 

Florida and Delaware would be devastated

This worst-case scenario also projected that several East Coast states, including the Carolinas, Virginia, Maryland and New Jersey, would have their beachfront communities wiped off the map.

In Delaware, a small state along the Atlantic with roughly one million residents and 200,000 buildings, the damage was projected to be even worse, with almost the entire state falling below sea level.

Farther south, Florida's landmass would shrink to just a tiny fraction of what it is today. Cities like Miami, Tampa, Fort Myers, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, West Palm Beach and Jacksonville would be submerged by the rising Atlantic.

Eric Galbraith, another McGill professor involved in the study, said in a statement: 'Everyone of us will be affected by climate change and sea level rise, whether we live by the ocean or not.'

In the Gulf, both New Orleans, Louisiana, and Houston, Texas, would be submerged by catastrophic sea level rise

Although the West Coast did not see as much flooding in models of sea level rise, California's capital of Sacramento along with the Bay Area were still pictured as casualties in flooding maps

The Gulf states and California would be crippled by floods

New Orleans and Houston, two major cities along the Gulf Coast, would also become submerged in this projected nightmare climate situation.

New Orleans, home to more than 360,000 people, has already been devastated by regular flooding during hurricane season.

A 2024 study published in the Hydrogeology Journal discovered that a large portion of the city sits on soft, squishy soils (peat and clay) that sink when drained or built on.

Much of this soil has already rotted after being exposed to the air or has been compacted under the weight of local buildings and roads.

Houston has also been significantly affected by flooding during hurricane season on multiple occasions - most notably during Hurricane Harvey in August 2017.

The record-breaking rainfall caused catastrophic flooding that inundated over 160,000 homes, killed 68 people and caused $125 billion in damage across southeast Texas.

On the West Coast, the Sea Level Submergence Explorer found much less damage even if sea levels rose by the map's maximum estimates.

However, California's capital, Sacramento, would be in an area devastated by climate-related floods.

The doomsday scenario showed the city of more than 500,000 people would be completely submerged.

Nearby coastal cities in the Bay Area, such and San Francisco and San Jose, would also be severely affected.

Scientists have used satellite maps to work out how many buildings would be destroyed if sea levels rise between 0.5 metres (red) and 20 metres (yellow). In the worst-case scenario, over 100 million buildings would be flooded in the global south alone 

The US has been heavily impacted by both flash floods and coast flooding in recently years, particularly in areas near or below sea level. Pictured: A drone view of vehicles partially submerged in flood water following flash floods along the Concho River in San Angelo, Texas, on July 4, 2025

A separate team launched a detailed map revealing US counties most at risk of flooding, pollution, chronic illness and other factors linked to climate change

Study authors noted that this would be an extreme situation that could also take much longer to fully play out than anticipated - possibly taking until the year 2300.

However, they warned that meeting emissions goals may be the only way of slowing this potential global flooding event.

Lead study author Maya Willard-Stepan said in a press release: 'There is no escaping at least a moderate amount of sea level rise.

'The sooner coastal communities can start planning for it, the better chance they have of continuing to flourish.'

Climate change advocates think sea level rise can be prevented by using cleaner energy sources like wind or solar power, planting more trees to absorb carbon dioxide, and building sea walls to protect flood-prone areas.

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Gigantic sinkholes hundreds of feet deep have been opening up throughout Turkey, mirroring a biblical prophecy.

The Book of Numbers, Chapter 6, describes the earth opening up and swallowing people as divine punishment for rebellion, a connection that some are drawing after the massive collapses in the Konya Plain, a key wheat-growing region. 

Many have interpreted the growing phenomenon as a sign that 'God is on the move.'

However, scientists point to far more earthly causes. Turkey's Disaster and Emergency Management Authority has reported 648 massive sinkholes in the Konya Plain, primarily the result of severe drought and excessive groundwater pumping.

 Researchers at Konya Technical University have discovered more than 20 new sinkholes in the past year alone, adding to the nearly 1,900 sites already mapped by 2021 where the ground was slowly sinking or starting to cave in.

Before 2000, only a handful of sinkholes appeared each decade, but climate change and prolonged drought are blamed for the dramatic increase over the past 25 years. 

Today, dozens of enormous collapses occur annually, some more than 100 feet wide.

Falling groundwater tables are driving the problem, causing drier wells, stressed ecosystems, dwindling crops, and land subsidence. Farmers pumping more water to save sugar beet and corn crops are further exacerbating the situation.

Scientists warn that similar risks could emerge in parts of the US, Asia, the Middle East, the Mediterranean, and Australia, where declining groundwater levels threaten communities and ecosystems.

A massive sinkhole in Turkey. Researchers have discovered nearly 700 similar-sized openings in the country's Konya Plain caused by drought and groundwater pumping

Turkey Today reported that some farmers have already lost crops or had to abandon fields deemed too dangerous 

According to NASA's Earth Observatory, Turkey's water reservoirs reached their lowest levels in 15 years in 2021. 

The groundwater table in parts of Konya has dramatically dropped over the past few decades, according to Turkish geological studies. 

The same issues are plaguing the US, with major declines seen in the Great Plains, Central Valley and Southeast. 

Parts of Texas, Florida, New Mexico, and Arizona could be affected by major sinkholes if drought conditions worsen and groundwater pumping is not carefully regulated.

The US Drought Monitor noted that pockets of Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming have also reached this severe level of drought. 

Massive sinkholes form in drought-ridden areas when farmers and cities pump massive amounts of groundwater from limestone rock layers to survive the dry years, emptying the underground caves that were once filled with water.

When that water support vanishes, the cave roofs collapse, creating huge holes that swallow farmland and roads overnight, just like in Turkey and parts of Texas, Arizona, and New Mexico.

The sinkholes in Turkey (Pictured) have opened up near many farms, which have been battling drought conditions believed to be intensified by climate change

In the US, scientists have warned of an 'unprecedented 21st century drought risk' in the Southwest and Central Plains.

Over the last decade, multiple studies have forecasted 'severe and persistent drought' conditions through the year 2100.

Currently, the nation's Drought Monitor system found that the worst conditions in 2025 were found along the US-Mexico border in western Texas, measuring at 'D4' - the most severe drought rating.

Several other regions in northern Florida and southern Georgia, New Mexico, Arizona, Colorado, and Utah were all graded in December 2025 as being in severe drought (D2) or extreme drought (D3).

US officials have revealed that several areas of the Southwest are at risk of similar sinkholes as severe drought conditions worsen in the coming century

In Upton County, Texas, a massive sinkhole formed around an abandoned 1950s oil well near McCamey, measuring about 200 feet wide and 40 feet deep in March.

In southeastern Arizona's Cochise County, land subsidence (ground sinking) from groundwater pumping has led to multiple fissures and sinkholes this year.

These sinkholes have varied from 10 to 30 feet across, with local areas reportedly sinking by more than six inches per year across hundreds of acres, creating pockets of unstable ground in farming areas.

In southern New Mexico, a 30-foot-deep sinkhole opened in May 2024 near homes in Las Cruces, swallowing two cars and forcing nearby homes to evacuate.

Officials cited unstable soil from recent droughts as the key factor, though no statewide pumping cutbacks were enacted in response.

In Texas, over 100 public water systems have imposed restrictions on groundwater pumping this year, as new drought rules have limited groundwater pumping for agriculture and in cities across central Texas.

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Mystery US military jet makes three-minute flight in Japan as tensions escalate with China and Russia

By STACY LIBERATORE, US SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EDITOR

A US military transport aircraft was spotted in Japan on Thursday as tensions with China and Russia continue to escalate.

Flight tracking data shows a US Boeing C-40 Clipper stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, the largest US Navy base in the Pacific, briefly departed the base at 5.21am ET before returning after just over three minutes. 

Aviation observers noted the unusually short flight, sparking questions about its purpose.

The Clipper is a VIP-configured aircraft, specially designed for the secure, reliable, and comfortable transport of high-ranking military and government officials. 

While it is unclear who was aboard, such flights are typically associated with urgent missions or strategic coordination.

The flight comes just a day after US strategic bombers joined a fleet of Japanese fighter jets in a joint exercise meant to showcase military cooperation around Japan's airspace. 

This show of force followed Chinese and Russian bombers flying together near western Japan on Tuesday, prompting Tokyo to scramble fighter jets, though no airspace violations were reported.

Tensions between Japan, China and Russia stem from historical disputes and overlapping military interests, including Taiwan, Japan's growing defense ties with the US and territorial disputes.

A US Boeing C-40 Clipper made a short flight, just over three minutes, while in Japan

The Clipper is a VIP-configured aircraft, specially designed for the secure, reliable, and comfortable transport of high-ranking military and government officials

These issues create a complex security dynamic in which China and Russia view Japan's military resurgence as a threat.

The Tuesday incident also followed a separate threat in which Chinese military aircraft locked radar onto Japanese jets over international waters last Saturday, further straining Tokyo-Beijing relations.

According to the Japanese Joint Staff, the exercise on Wednesday was conducted 'as the security environment surrounding our country is becoming even more severe,' underscoring growing concerns about regional stability.

The Clipper is a military variant of the commercial Boeing 737-700, serving as a medium-lift transport aircraft for the US Navy. 

It supports can be configured to carry up to 121 passengers, eight cargo pallets up to 40,000 pounds or a combination of both. The aircraft has a range of approximately 3,682 miles unrefueled, a top speed of about 530 mph, and is typically crewed by three flight crew members plus five to ten mission crew. 

As of 2025, the US Navy operates 17 active C-40As, with squadrons like VR-57 'Conquistadors' handling Pacific operations. 

Production ran from 2001 to 2019, delivering 17 units at an average cost of around $70 million each. 

Flight tracking data shows a US Boeing C-40 Clipper stationed at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, the largest US Navy base in the Pacific, briefly departed the base at 5:21 a.m. ET before returning after just over three minutes

The Clipper was previously used to escort Volodymyr Zelensky to Washington in 2022.

The Ukrainian president was stashed in a US Air Force Boeing C-40 Clipper as part of the delicately planned cloak-and-dagger operation to avoid any Russian sabotage on his first foreign visit since Vladimir Putin sent troops over the border.

But now the US has deployed the jet to assist another ally.

The Japanese Joint Staff said the allies 'reaffirmed the strong resolve to prevent unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force and the readiness between the SDF and the U.S. forces.'

Two U.S. B-52 strategic bombers and three Japanese F-35 stealth fighter jets and three F-15 jets conducted their joint flight drills near Japan´s western airspace, above the waters between the country and South Korea, officials said.

The Joint Staff denied that the exercise was conducted in response to a specific incident, but acknowledged Chinese military aircraft´s recent radar-locking on Japanese jets and the China-Russia joint bomber exercises on Tuesday as examples of a worsening security environment around Japan.

Relations between Japan and China have deteriorated after Japan´s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in early November that Japan's military could get involved if China were to take action against Taiwan, the self-governing island that Beijing claims as its own.

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