Environment
Rural homes in England set to be heated by…vegetable oil
Rural homes could be heated by recycled cooking oil within the next five years, according to a new report. More than 1.1 millions properties on the national gas grid could have their supply replaced with cheaper and more efficient alternative, according to Oftec. The trade association for the oil and heating industry says the green ‘biofuel’ could play an big role in reducing carbon emissions and provide a long term, sustainable solution for rural heating. Workman works on changing a...
Arm yourself – there is a new war, and we’re losing it
Arm yourself. There is a war raging across our information systems. Whilst no bombs are being dropped, the impacts of this war will have far reaching consequences. At the same time Donald Trump was elected president of the United States of America, 2016 witnessed the rise of populist and extremist movements all over the globe. The success of many of these causes, groups and individuals came as an unexpected surprise, even a shock. Many asked ‘how could this happen?’ In...
Nearly half of Londoners are worried about living in city due to air pollution
Londoners welcome T-Charge, as BHF warns of dangers of air pollution for capital’s heart health Nearly half (45%) of Londoners are worried about living in the city due to dangerous levels of air pollution, according to a new poll from the British Heart Foundation (BHF). The statistics reveal that 81% of Londoners believe the current air pollution levels are putting their health at risk and over a third are put off running (37%) or cycling (38%) in the city because...
Pollution kills more than 50,000 people in Britain every year
Pollution is killing over 50,000 Britons and nine million across the globe each year. Pollution has been blamed on killing 50,235 or 8.30 per cent of all UK deaths in 2015. Overall the rate of death attributable to pollution in the UK was 78.68 per 100,000 deaths. Most of these deaths are due to non-communicable diseases caused by pollution such as heart disease, stroke, lung cancer and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Yet the toll is greatest in poor and...
Petals produce a ‘blue halo’ that helps bees find flowers
Petals produce a 'blue halo' that helps bees find flowers, reveals a new study. Researchers found that several common flower species have nanoscale ridges on the surface of their petals that meddle with light when viewed from certain angles. The nanostructures scatter light particles in the blue to ultraviolet colour spectrum, generating a subtle effect that scientists have labelled the 'blue halo'. Ursinia speciosa is a member of the Daisy family. The region at the base of the petals contains...
Activist scales iconic 150yo tree in bid to save it from felling as long-standing tree row continues
An activist scaled a 150-year-old oak tree today (mon) in a bid to prevent it from being felled by a local council. Residents gathered in the street where the tree is sited today (October 16) in the hope of stopping the council from tearing it down. TV presenter Vernon Kaye is among campaigners who have appealed to Sheffield City Council to re-think pavement resurfacing plans and save the much-loved oak. In a video appeal, he said: "Sheffield Council, come on....
Satellite images show how the UK has been dwarfed by the remnants of hurricane Ophelia
These striking satellite images show how the UK has been dwarfed by the remnants of hurricane Ophelia as Britain and Ireland are battered with gusts of up to 80mph. Images captured by the University of Dundee Satellite Receiving Station this morning (Mon) show the true size of the most recent 'weather bomb'. Storm Ophelia seen from the Meteosat satellite captured by the University of Dundee Satellite Receiving Station at 9:00 GMT November 16 2017, showing the size of the storm...
Image of tiny insect living under massive mushroom has won amateur photographer a major award
This fascinating image of a tiny insect living under a massive mushroom has won an amateur photographer a major photography award. Duncan McNaught, 54, picked up the Royal Society of Biology photography award after snapping the unusual picture. The image -- titled Welcome to My Humble Abode -- shows a tiny toadstool, no bigger than the size of a small teacup, with a small bug inside. Duncan, who lives in Glenlee, Dumfries and Galloway, ventures to the forests near his...
Cornish beach covered in foam in freak effect of Hurricane Ophelia
This image shows how Hurricane Ophelia transformed a popular tourist beach into a white wonderland - by turning the sea into FOAM. Coastal areas in Cornwall are already feeling the effects of the strong winds with high tide yet to come. Penzance was the first to feel the storm's power as Ophelia made landfall in Britain this morning as high winds whipped up the sea by the habour. And these images and footage from photographer Sally Adams show the scene...