El Niño Then and Now

Scotland is braced for a wet and windy weekend as two named storms hit in two days. Storm Austen is the first to sweep across the country, with the Met Office issuing a a yellow warning for rain , external in central and eastern areas from 06:00 on Friday until midnight. Forecasters say some places could experience 60-80mm of rain, with a risk of flooding and travel disruption.

A farmer hit by England's first outbreak of avian flu this season has said the loss of 32,000 egg-laying birds is likely to cost her business more than £100,000. Catherine Armstrong, who has a free-range farm near Belford, Northumberland, told the BBC of the "shock" of her worst fears coming true when she found "a carpet of dead birds" in her barns this week. The outbreak's source is not yet known but the virus is thought to have been brought onto the site, which has strict biosecurity measures, by wild birds. The farm's remaining poultry were culled.

Cambridge researchers have created a groundbreaking $10 optical sensor that delivers the precision of laboratory equipment in a device small enough for wearable technology. It identified foods, plastics, and medicines with 100% accuracy in tests and demonstrated the ability to monitor blood glucose, alcohol, and other health markers without invasive procedures.

The body in charge of Britain's electricity network has given assurances that the lights will stay on this winter after concerns were raised by some of its engineers. The National Energy System Operator (NESO) said the country's electricity system was prepared and "resilient to the challenges it may face" during the colder months. However, its winter outlook report comes after an independent investigation found engineers had "high levels of stress and concern" about their ability to ensure adequate supply due to differences between renewable and gas-fired power generation.