Could your neighbour’s garden be set on fire by your windows? It sounds impossible, but it has already happened — and experts are warning that it could happen to you.

Modern low-e glass, which is designed to reflect heat and reduce energy bills, has become increasingly popular in homes across the world. When it is installed correctly, it performs exactly as promised, keeping buildings warmer in winter and cooler in summer.

However, there is a hidden danger. If the glass becomes slightly curved — even by just a few millimetres — it can concentrate sunlight into a powerful beam, working in exactly the same way as a magnifying glass. The results can be devastating.

One homeowner in the United States suffered three separate fires in a single week. An investigation carried out by fire safety experts confirmed that reflected sunlight from her neighbour’s low-e windows was the cause. Her garden furniture, plants, and fencing were all destroyed.

Experts advise homeowners to check their windows regularly for any signs of bowing or distortion. As energy-saving technology becomes more widespread, this little-known risk is expected to grow. The message is clear: greener homes are not always risk-free.

Universities are supposed to be places of learning and open debate. Yet on some campuses in California, campus police are holding weapons more commonly associated with the battlefield.

A law passed in 2021 permits university security forces to acquire militarised equipment, including stun grenades and long-range acoustic devices — powerful sound weapons that have been used primarily at student protests. Critics say the law has gone far too far.

One student activist told reporters that she felt intimidated simply walking to her lectures. “If the police didn’t have these weapons, the atmosphere on campus would feel completely different,” she said. Many of her fellow students agreed, arguing that such equipment sends entirely the wrong message to young people.

Supporters of the policy, however, claim that campus police need access to powerful tools in order to manage genuine emergencies effectively. They argue that removing the equipment would leave officers unprepared for serious threats.

Nevertheless, several universities are now under pressure from students, staff, and civil liberties organisations to get rid of the most dangerous items in their inventories. Some institutions have already responded positively. Campaigners hope that, if this trend continues, fully demilitarised campuses could become the norm across the United States.

A plate of pasta with sea urchin is one of the most celebrated dishes in southern Italian cuisine. But that beautiful bowl of food may be contributing to an underwater disaster near Naples.

Sea urchins play a vital role in the marine ecosystem. They feed on algae, which would otherwise grow uncontrolled and suffocate coral and other sea life. Without enough urchins, the entire underwater environment can collapse.

The problem is illegal fishing. Poachers, who operate at night to avoid detection, are stripping sea urchins from protected areas at an alarming rate. If this harvesting continued unchecked, marine biologists warn that the seabed around Naples could become a lifeless wasteland within a generation.

The situation is made worse by several overlapping factors. Sea urchin dishes are deeply embedded in local culture and heavily promoted by the tourism industry. Instagram-friendly images of the food attract visitors from around the world. Meanwhile, regional laws — which vary considerably across Italy — are applied inconsistently, making enforcement extremely difficult.

A concerted political response is clearly needed. But campaigners also ask whether individual diners can make a difference. If restaurants ran out of customers willing to order the dish, would the poachers eventually stop? The answer, unfortunately, is far from simple.