Friendly soil fungus could replace chemical sprays in battle against crop diseases
A common soil fungus could help farmers reduce their reliance on synthetic fungicides, new research suggests, by producing natural airborne chemicals that suppress devastating...
Research details PFAS risk to farmlands and behaviour in soil-plant systems
A new review study has revealed that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), widely known as “forever chemicals,” are increasingly entering farmland soils through waste...
Conservation group warns Labour against painting nature as villain
Ahead of the Labour Party Conference, Matt Browne, head of public affairs at The Wildlife Trusts, warns politicians against deregulation and urges them to...
Numbers of ticks in urban greenspaces influenced by surrounding rural woodland
Cities and towns surrounded by large areas of woodland are more likely to have ticks in their urban greenspaces, according to a new study.
The...
Insects in Britain not in freefall, but facing local upheavals, study finds
Fears of population collapse may be overstated, but many communities are being reshaped (words: Rothamsted Research)
Fears of a nationwide collapse in Britain’s insect populations...
Honey bees can be used to monitor PFAS levels in the environment, says study
Honey bees can be used to monitor levels of PFAS in the environment, a new study from The James Hutton Institute and the University...
Results are in for the Big Butterfly Count 2025
The results of Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count are in, and while the numbers are a vast improvement on 2024’s record lows, the charity...
Immune response suggests genetic strategies for increasing plants’ drought resilience
Researchers in the US report that plants rapidly boost their immune systems during drought recovery, knowledge of which phenomenon they say indicates potential genetic...
Alarming levels of microplastic pollution revealed by Hampshire chalk stream study
Chalk streams – globally rare rivers once known for their gin-clear waters – are being impacted by microparticle pollution to a disturbing extent, according...
Scottish wild boar numbers to rise signifcantly over the next 50 years, new model...
New modelling has predicted a significant rise in Scotland’s boar population over the next 50 years – with hotspots persisting in the West Highlands,...
Plastics pollution talks conclude in deadlock again, but progress is still possible
The latest round of UN negotiations on a global treaty to end plastic pollution came to a gruelling close on 15 August, without reaching...
Road pollution ‘stressing’ ocean life with complex chemical cocktails
Chemicals released from car tyres as they wear down are washing into rivers, estuaries and the sea and they could be disrupting life at...
Global Plastics Treaty negotiations get underway in Geneva
More than 170 countries were gathering in Geneva on 5 August to begin the final fortnight of negotiations on the terms of a Global...
Global phosphorus summit to address threats to food and water security
A vital nutrient underpinning the world’s food systems — and increasingly vital to "green" technologies — is the focus of an international summit in...
What are the UN negotiations on a global plastics treaty about?
Negotiations on the UN Plastics Convention start on 5 August. One of the scientific contributors, Dana Kühnel answers questions about the underlying motivations, desirable...
World-first maps inform call for better protection of underground fungal networks
Scientists have released the world's first high-resolution, predictive biodiversity maps of Earth's underground mycorrhizal fungal communities, which they explain shows that over 90% of...
Scientists issue urgent call ahead of final plastics treaty talks
With the final round of UN negotiations on a global plastics treaty fast approaching, a group of over 60 leading scientists from around the...
Environmental impact of common pesticides seriously underestimated, finds research
The environmental impact of nine pesticides, commonly used in grape cultivation, may have been significantly underestimated, suggesting current pesticide risk assessment criteria need updating.
The...
AI-enabled digital twin will support coral reef restoration in Saudi Arabia
A recent project leverages AI expertise to enhance coral monitoring and restoration strategies across a 100-hectare reefscape in the Red Sea. The groups behind...
Groups celebrate decade of wildlife gains on UK farmland
A decade-long nature-friendly farming project has helped to increase the diversity and abundance of wildlife across farmland and prompted the return of rare species...
