Every year the world’s leaders gather for the UN climate change conference, and after a year of record temperatures, this year’s summit has been called the most vital yet. As Cop28 begins in Dubai, Ian Sample hears from Guardian environment editor and resident Cop expert Fiona Harvey. She explains why this summit proved controversial before it even began, what the main talking points will be, and how countries can still collaborate to meet the goals set out in 2015’s Paris agreement

In part one of this three-part series, three climate scientists reveal the moment they realised the planet was heading for catastrophe. What did they do when they found out? How did they think the world would respond? And how do they feel today, looking back on that moment of cognisance?

SpaceX’s spacecraft Starship reached space for the first time before footage showed it experiencing a 'rapid unscheduled disassembly'

The Starship rocket system is expected to launch from Texas after the spacecraft exploded in air during a first test flight in April