Stinging nettles have become the most common plants in the British countryside, while more delicate flowers like harebells and orchids are struggling to survive, according to a survey. By Louise Gray, Environment CorrespondentPublished: 8:00AM BST 17 Apr 2010 The annual survey of wild flowers by the charity Plantlife found plants that can tolerate high levels […]
The diagram shows the development of U.K. natural gas gross imports and the composition of the imports. Belgium does not export natural gas, but this is gas imported through the Interconnector between Zeebrugge in Belgium and Bacton in U.K. from other sources and ultimately most likely Russia. How Close will the U.K. Come to Running […]
Published: 10:15AM BST 07 Apr 2010 The lethal mauve stingers – Pelagia noctiluca in Latin – are tiny but can cover hundreds of thousands of square miles in one “bloom”. They are normally found in the Mediterranean and Caribbean. But billions of them are swarming far more frequently into waters in the north east Atlantic […]
Back in February, Desdemona asked the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) about its findings in the so-called “Climategate” incident: I’m curious to know more about the alleged breaches committed by the University of East Anglia after the vexatious FoI requests submitted by ClimateAudit[1]. UEA has publicly defended itself by saying, “The ICO’s opinion that we had […]
25 December 2016 (Desdemona Despair) – Don’t tell Desdemona that you haven’t seen Children of Men. This film is pure doomer porn, executed with the deft and utterly convincing cinematic touch of the great Alfonso Cuarón. Hie thee to the nearest video store / Red Box / Netflix queue and consume immediately. It’s 2027, and […]
By John Platt For the first time in U.K. history, an alien species (meaning one that is not native to the area) will be let loose in the kingdom to combat the growth of another species–also introduced. Millions of sap-sucking psyllids (Aphalara itadori) will be imported into the U.K. to fight the Japanese knotweed (Fallopia […]
By David Adam, environment correspondentThe Guardian, Tuesday 9 February 2010 As snow flurries continued to cause disruption across the country today, spring may feel further away than ever. But recent winters have been ending earlier than ever before, according to a new assessment of Britain’s wildlife that reveals global warming could be disrupting the delicate […]
By John Platt Poor water quality and habitat loss are driving Ireland’s terrestrial and freshwater snails, along with related species into extinction, according to new research by the National Biodiversity Data Center (NBDC), a three-year-old organization established to study that country’s biodiversity. The study (pdf) of nonmarine Irish mollusks found that of 150 species, one […]
Eight out of 10 ponds in Britain are in a ‘terrible state’, according to the first national pond survey in the world. By Louise Gray, Environment CorrespondentPublished: 1:39PM GMT 04 Feb 2010 The Centre for Ecology and Hydrology measured animal life and water quality in half a million ponds across the country, from tarns in […]
Nature Notebook: Unlike similar introductions, the little owl has been an attractive addition to Britain’s avifauna By Michael McCarthyTuesday, 26 January 2010 Here’s some sad news for birdwatchers and classicists alike: the wise old owl is in decline. Across Europe, the bird which began the association between owls and intelligence is dropping in numbers – […]
