The Know Daily - Wednesday 1 October 2025

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In Maine, scientists have spent 50 years reviving the only puffin colony in the US 🐧 What began in 1973 with a young ornithologist’s dream has transformed into a thriving community on Eastern Egg Rock… and we can’t handle the cuteness. 

🌊 High Seas Treaty

A milestone moment for conserving our oceans has just been reached as the 60th country committed to the High Seas Treaty, meaning it will now enter into force under international law.

What’s it all about?
This is the first legally-binding global pact to protect life in the high seas. That’s the swath of ocean beyond any country’s exclusive economic zone, where no one owns the water, but everyone depends on it for activities like fishing and drilling for resources. Until now, these waters had little regulation. After 20 years of talks, the pact has finally cleared the 60 ratifications needed, so it will officially take effect in January 2026.

What’s it trying to do?
Here’s how the pact actually works to safeguard the high seas:

• Set up Marine Protected Areas: countries can propose and enforce limits on fishing, mining, or other activities in the high seas. Think of it as putting “do not disturb” signs on parts of the ocean.

• Environmental Impact Assessments: any industrial or resource project now has to assess its potential harm to marine life before moving forward.

• Share wealth: developing nations in particular get access to resources, tech and training, plus a fair share of benefits from marine genetic discoveries (like new medicines or cosmetics derived from the ocean).

• Boost science: encourages global teamwork on research, data sharing and monitoring ecosystems in some of the planet’s most remote waters.

Why is this a big deal?
The high seas make up almost half of Earth’s surface, with incredibly diverse and understudied biodiversity. For the first time, vast areas of international waters will have legally-binding rules, giving fragile ecosystems a fighting chance against overfishing, deep-sea mining and pollution. It also pushes toward global conservation targets, like protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030.

What are the challenges?
Of course, nothing’s perfect. Implementing protections across the high seas will be complex, costly and tricky to enforce in areas that span millions of square kilometers. Some countries have resisted ratification due to concerns over livelihoods, national sovereignty, resource access and the costs of compliance. There’s also the risk of “paper parks” – areas protected on paper but not actively monitored or enforced. Despite these hurdles, the treaty gives the world a framework to actually tackle these challenges rather than leaving them unmanaged.

What’s next?
Within a year, countries will hold a big planning meeting to set the rules, organise teams and decide where new marine protected areas should be. It won’t happen overnight, but the momentum is finally there. For the first time, the high seas are moving towards hope – and that’s worth a cheer. 

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🎤 Starmer’s speech: UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer took to the podium at the Labour conference yesterday to lay out his vision ahead of the next general election in 2029.

• The bigger story: At the annual conference, new policies are voted on and delegates give keynotes speeches. During his, Starmer highlighted the party’s focus on national renewal and patriotism. He announced plans to shift the target for young people from university-only access to include “gold standard apprenticeships”, and signalled that tough decisions on the upcoming budget would continue. 

🏏 Bowl them over, ladies!: The Women’s Cricket World Cup kicked off yesterday with India facing Sri Lanka. Good luck to the England team for their match this Friday!

👩‍🔬 Biology breakthrough: Researchers have successfully created human eggs from skin cells, potentially transforming IVF treatments.  

👩‍⚖️ AI act: A first-in-the-nation bill that sets new transparency requirements on large AI companies has been signed into law in California.

🩷 Pink power: Tonight at 9pm, The Shard is turning pink. It’s all in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, shining a light on the power of early detection and education. Keep your eyes on the skyline!

🦚 Feathered friends: The winners of this year’s Bird Photographer of the Year competition have been announced. We can’t stop looking at these pics!

🧖‍♀️ The plane mane: You know that feeling when you get off the plane and you just need a shower? Well, beauty experts have explained exactly what happens to your hair during a flight.

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Trivia answer: B) Victoria Beckham has hinted that she might be tempted to rejoin the Spice Girls.

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