NERC in the news

Pollution from America causes Europe to lose a million tonnes of wheat a year

Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:22:39 GMT

Man-made air pollution from north America causes Europe to lose 1.2 million tonnes of wheat a year, a new study has found. Ozone pollution - produced by coal fired power stations and cars - travels between continents much more easily than thought, traveling thousands of miles on the wind. Crops on every continent are damaged by pollution from others. The wheat loss in Europe is the biggest worldwide.

Associated links
Daily Mail

Study Of Pet Dogs Shows Lyme Disease Risk In UK Bigger Than Previously Thought

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:25:04 GMT

The risk of a person living in the UK becoming infected with Lyme disease is much greater than previously thought, according to a study from Bristol University that surveyed pet dogs to find out how many of them harboured the ticks that transmit the disease.

Associated links
Medical News Today
Planet Earth

Chances of seeing Northern Lights dim

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:21:08 GMT

The effects of the strongest solar storm since 2005 are lessening, according to space weather experts. One effect - the Aurora Borealis also known as the Northern Lights - could be seen earlier this week further south than usual due to the storm's strength. British Geological Survey Space Weather reported it would be "quiet" over the next 24 hours as the effects of the geomagnetic event were "on the wane".

Associated links
BBC Highlands & Islands
Guardian

Blue Peter star Helen Skelton tells of meeting with Cumbrian GP - at South Pole

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:18:32 GMT

She tells the incredible tale of how the first person she met after making it to the pole was her local GP! "You don't expect to see your local doctor at the South Pole!" Dr Sean Hudson lives in Caldbeck but is currently stationed at the pole with the British Antarctic Survey team.

Associated links
Carlisle News & Star

Planet absorbs heat equivalent to 250 billion kilowatt electric heaters in a decade

Thu, 26 Jan 2012 11:15:21 GMT

Researchers from the US and British scientist Richard Allan, of the University of Reading, combined satellite measurements and sub-surface ocean temperatures to estimate the heat entering the planet since 2000. The research suggests the planet is steadily accumulating energy, at the rate of 0.5 Watts for each metre squared of the globe. Dr Allan, whose work is funded by the Natural Environment Research Council, was working with US-based colleagues.

Associated links
Daily Mirror

Explorer the first woman to cross Antarctica solo

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:24:41 GMT

After a gruelling 59-day ski in the coldest place on Earth, British adventurer Felicity Aston has become the first woman to cross Antarctica in a solo expedition. Aston, who spent three years living and working in the Antarctic as a meteorologist with the British Antarctic Survey, was part of the first all-female team to complete the Polar challenge, a 579-km endurance race across the Canadian Arctic.

Associated links
Toronto Sun

Large dome of fresh water detected in Arctic Ocean

Tue, 24 Jan 2012 11:21:37 GMT

With the help of ESA satellites, scientists have discovered that a large dome of fresh water has been building up in the Arctic Ocean over the last 15 years. A change in wind direction could cause the water to spill into the north Atlantic, cooling Europe. The results are remarkable: since 2002, the sea surface in the studied area has risen by about 15 cm, and the volume of fresh water has increased by some 8000 cubic km - around 10percent of all the fresh water in the Arctic Ocean.

Associated links
ZeeNews (India)
United Press International (USA)
Planet Earth

Lost Charles Darwin fossils rediscovered in cabinet

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:57:39 GMT

A "treasure trove" of fossils - including some collected by Charles Darwin - has been re-discovered in an old cabinet. The fossils, lost for some 165 years, were found by chance in the vaults of the British Geological Survey HQ near Keyworth, UK. They have now been photographed and are available to the public through a new online museum exhibit released today.

Associated links
BBC
The Washington Post
Planet Earth Online

Antarctic Expedition video diaries

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:55:42 GMT

Follow the progress of The British Services Antarctic Expedition team through the video diaries of Flight Lieutenant Stu Quinn.

Associated links
The Telegraph

The Hoff Crab, North Sea fisheries and flood prediction

Tue, 17 Jan 2012 11:53:42 GMT

It's not often that science news goes viral, but when researchers dubbed a new species the 'Hoff Crab' more people than usual seemed to take notice! This week in the Planet Earth Podcast Sue Nelson braves a freezing research aquarium at the British Antarctic Survey's Cambridge offices, to find out about the 'Hoff Crab' and a host of other new species discovered around hydrothermal vents on the Southern Ocean's East Scotia Ridge.

Associated links
Planet Earth Podcast