Planet Earth - Winter 2007
NERC's award-winning free magazine, Planet Earth, is aimed at non-specialists with an interest in environmental science.
This issue is no longer in print.
* Unless specified, all articles are less than 1MB in size.
LeaderEnvironmental challenges versus scientific disciplines.
NewsDeclining coral health, storm surges, Earth's climate, the carbon cycle buckling, social networking for scientists, and other stories in brief.
(Cover story) Give or take 10 million yearsAstounding new techniques are allowing geologists to pinpoint events to within 100,000 years.
The climate pulseResults from deep-sea drilling link variations of the Earth's orbit to climate change 35 to 23 million years ago.
In deepBeneath the Drake Passage three bottom pressure gauges provide vital information about global ocean circulations.
Breaking up is hard to doLocating fault lines beneath the sea is hard to do, but seismologists ignore them at their peril.
Montana - home of the world's staple foodsWhen and where did our staple foods first evolve?
Out of Asia - the spread of agricultureAgriculture probably spread from western Asia into Europe in a 'stop-go' process.
Grasses bite backHow do grasses protect themselves from attack by herbivores?
Creature comfortsDo bees choose flowers that trap heat over their cooler neighbours?
Silent birdsSpecimens collected from Hawaii 230 years ago are helping our understanding of the process of extinction.
Causing a stirWe shouldn't ignore the influence of life in ocean mixing, alongside physical factors such as wind and tides.
Beauty is in the fisheye of the beholderDoes eating colourful plants make you a better parent?
Madagascan monsoonDuring geological fieldwork in northern Madagascar, Roger Key witnessed the devastating effect of a major change in rainfall patterns. He asks, how can geologists help?.
Life on iceAgainst all expectations, glaciers harbour a highly active community of bacteria, viruses and microscopic plants.
The big dishThe 40 year-old Chilbolton Observatory is home to the world's largest fully-steerable meteorological radar, and is still at the cutting-edge of research.
The nature of policyEver wondered what happens to NERC's research once the papers have been written up and published?
End of the Cold WarChanging climate is having detrimental effects on the environment in the Russian Arctic.