Stoke-on-Trent is the home of the Potteries; with its residents famously gaining the nickname of the Potters. Though, there is much more to do and see here than just the pot banks and museums. Before we get onto everything else Stoke has to offer, I have to talk about the history of the Potteries. The…
Science
Paws for thought
Blue whales return to South Georgia The resurgence of the blue whale populations around South Georgia has been suggested by a sighting of 58 individuals at the former epicentre of commercial whaling and was described by scientists as ‘astonishing’. At its peak, the industry in South Georgia was hunting 3’000 blue whales a year, with…
Science
GROW-Colombia
GROW-Colombia is a project I only learnt about in the last few weeks. It is a collaboration between the Centre for Social and Economic Research on the Global Environment (CSERGE) and the Earlham Institute, on the Norwich Research Park, along with other partners. GROW-Colombia was set up in the aim of preserving and managing the…
Science
Snapshots
In the last six weeks, five Ugandan gorillas have been born at Bwindi Park. This species of mountain gorilla is endangered with just above 1,000 currently alive. Only three gorillas were born here last year, making this increase unprecedented. The reason for this sudden boom is still unknown, with all babies being born to different…
Main Stories, News
Kamala Harris to be Joe Biden’s running mate in US presidential elections
US Senator Kamala Harris of California has been selected by Joe Biden, Democratic presidential candidate, as his vice-presidential running mate for the 2020 US elections. This nomination makes Ms. Harris the first Black woman and the first person with Indian heritage to be nominated for national office by a major party. Ms. Harris is also…
#BLM, Science
The dangerous lack of diversity in science and medicine textbooks
When asked to think of a biologist, chances are that many of us would name one of the many white men we’ve been taught about from a young age. Charles Darwin. Alexander Fleming. Louis Pasteur. Despite the ever-growing recognition in the media of the contributions of women and people of colour to science, it’s clear…
Science
Covid-19: how are African countries coping?
The living conditions in Africa vary greatly; from cramped slums to the large houses where the wealthy live to the villages elsewhere. This means that the spread of Covid-19 in Africa varies greatly as well. Early data has shown that currently there are fewer cases of Covid-19 than were expected, but the number of cases…
Science
Are freshwater species doomed?
A group of scientists from across the globe have unveiled a new plan to halt the decline of biodiversity of our freshwater ecosystems. Referred to as the ‘Emergency Recovery Plan’, it details the actions needed to bend the current downward curve of freshwater biodiversity loss. Published in Bioscience on February 19, the paper outlines a…
Science
Flight of the Bumblebee
The Earth is currently undergoing the sixth mass extinction event – the most widespread and rapid global biodiversity crisis since the extinction of the dinosaurs. A massive decline in bumblebees is now underway resulting from pesticides, parasites, disease, poor weather due to climate change, and other human involvement. A new study has revealed that the…
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