Belfast wildlife havens under threat
Wild Belfast and Buglife have come together to highlight what they describe as an alarming loss of wildlife-rich brownfield habitat across Belfast. Some brownfield...
Environmental case for vertical farming stacks up, claims study
Growing lettuce on stacked shelves in high-tech greenhouses could be as good for the environment as growing them in fields and could save 8,000...
Microbes conquer the next extreme environment: the home microwave
Radiation-resistant microbiome inside microwaves resembles that on solar panels
Since the industrial revolution, microbes have successfully colonized one novel type of habitat after another: for...
Drought now biggest risk to UK nature reserves, says conservation charity
A new report, Embracing Nature, published on 14 August by The Wildlife Trusts, identifies drought as the current leading threat to their nature reserves...
Antarctic-wide survey of plant life to aid conservation efforts
The first continent-wide mapping study of plant life across Antarctica reveals growth in previously uncharted areas and is set to inform conservation measures across...
Where have all the insects gone? Call to citizen scientists
As the summer holidays begin, the Bugs Matter 2024 survey, led by Buglife and Kent Wildlife Trust, is calling on citizen scientists across the...
Developing the tools to restore UK seagrass
A new Welsh nursery is at the forefront of a mission to restore the UK’s lost seagrass meadows, says the group behind it....
Oxygen-without-light discovery challenges deep ocean preconceptions
Scientists appear to have found that oxygen is being produced in the deep sea through a process associated with polymetallic nodules on the seafloor...
New Environment Secretary visits wetlands tackling river pollution
On 18 July The Rivers Trust and South East Rivers Trust welcomed the new Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Steve...
40 tonnes of bee-harming neonics a year flow through Asia’s longest river
More than 40 tonnes of bee-harming neonicotinoid insecticides, known as neonics, have been estimated to be flowing through Asia’s longest river every year, according...
BNG deal completed in Braintree District
Essex farm Spains Hall Estate has completed what is believed to be the first off-site Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) deal in Braintree District in...
Fibreglass found in oysters and mussels
A new study has revealed worrying levels of fibreglass in oysters and mussels. This marks the first-time fibreglass or glass reinforced plastic (GRP) particles...
European glow-worm and firefly species are in decline
Fireflies and glow-worms light up the night, creating awe and wonder across the globe. Producing their own light through bioluminescence to communicate with each...
High seas policy presents historic opportunity for climate change adaptation, scientists say
As early as next year, the ocean’s vast international waters could – for the first time – have rules for comprehensive biodiversity protection, once...
People are altering decomposition rates in waterways
Humans may be accelerating the rate at which organic matter decomposes in rivers and streams on a global scale, according to a new study.
That...
Work revives dew ponds in Sussex
Eight derelict dew ponds have been lovingly restored and are now thriving with new life, thanks to funding of over £90,000 from the South...
Tiny crop-health sensors could help cut the cost of groceries
A compact, lightweight sensor system with infrared imaging capabilities could be easily fitted to a drone for remote crop monitoring, according to the...
How will climate change affect microplastics already in the environment?
Understanding why climate change might contribute to increasing plastic pollution is the focus of a new research project starting this month at the University...
Report highlights risks to effectiveness of BNG legislation
There are risks to the long-term effectiveness of the government's new Biodiversity Net Gain (BNG) policy, launched in February, according to a 17 May...
Researchers decipher how insects smell more with less
Receptors on fly antennae work in pairs to process odour information
Whether it’s the wafting aroma of our favorite meal or the dangerous fumes seeping...
