Coastal communities in Phra Samut Chedi, near Bangkok, are testing artificial mangrove roots against severe erosion. Strong surges there can claim 20 to 60 metres of land each year, and conventional defences such as bamboo fences have often failed. The engineered roots copy the shape of natural mangrove roots and are made from composite wood-plastic and rubber that lets water pass through. Over a 15-month trial at 11 sites, the structures trapped between 16 and 88 centimetres of sediment behind them at 10 locations. The turbulence they create helps mud settle on the seabed. The study suggests the method offers a temporary shield rather than a permanent solution.

Hampi is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Karnataka, India, with more than 1,600 surviving remains spread over 4,100 hectares. It was the capital of the Vijayanagara Empire from 1336 to 1565. Travellers from Persia and Portugal described it as a prosperous, wealthy and grand city with temples, markets and farms along the Tungabhadra River. By 1500 it was estimated to be the world's second-largest city after Beijing, and probably India's richest at the time. In 1565 a coalition of Muslim sultanates defeated the Vijayanagara Empire, its capital was conquered and destroyed, and the city was left in ruins. Hampi remains a religious centre, with the active Virupaksha Temple at its heart.