Subsidising the rich
On Monday night this week, the BBC aired a television programme in the UK on the EU’s Common Agricultural Policy’s subsidy system. Focusing on two main concerns, Samantha Poling (BBC Scotland’s investigations correspondent) looked at: (1) a loophole in the system that allows subsidy trading leading to millions of pounds of public money being paid…
Pre-historic forest discovered buried under coal mine in China – Pompeii of the Permian period!
A reconstruction of the 300-million-year-old forest near Wuda, China. Image courtesy of Penn News The swamp forest was preserved by volcanic ash around 300 million years ago, near Wuda, Mongolia, and was discovered by scientists from China and the USA, who called it the “Pompeii of the Permian period” because like Pompeii the forest was…
Is three minutes exercise a week enough?
On Tuesday evening this week, television viewers in the UK got to see a BBC programme investigating claims that just three minutes intensive exercise a week could give significant health and fitness benefits. Presented by medically-trained Michael Mosley, the research presented seems to be counter to current recommendations for "at least 150 minutes (2½ hours)…
Theft! A new threat to glaciers
Argentina passed a law back in September 2010 aiming at preserving their glaciers on the grounds that they are important as: "strategic hydrological resource for human consumption; for agricultural use; to recharge hydrographic basins; to protect biodiversity; a scientific information source; and a touristic attraction.” The law imposed a requirement for a prior evaluation of…
Tuberculosis treatment- end of an era?
The 1940s saw the beginning of the era of effective drug therapy for TB with the discovery of streptomycin. At the beginning of the 21st century we are seeing its end. Last month doctors in India reported an outbreak of a strain of TB that was termed totally drug resistant. It could be a false…
Come on in, the water’s lovely……
Among the full text records recently loaded to Environmental Impact is one which examined the water quality of spa waters at Polish health resorts. Specifically the paper [1] examined the composition of the healing waters. Iron seems to be an important component present in 37 of 160 waters tested from 39 health resorts. Fluoride is…
Phosphorus – essential nutrient, pollutant and limited resource
The world's phosphorus (P) reserves are almost peaking! Yet excess P is polluting our water resources! What is going on with the phosphorus cycle and what can be done about it?
And now for the world’s most important plant viruses
Other than possibly the newly discovered leaping beetles of New Caledonia with a mysterious plant diet, few if any plant pests or diseases make it onto any one of the Time Top of Everything of 2011 lists. But pests and diseases are busy making their way into their own ‘Top 10’. CABI scientists put together…
High-speed rail: when should governments invest?
Recent years have seen a surge in investment in high-speed rail (HSR) infrastructure in many parts of the world, led by China where over $100 billion a year is being spent (although there was a slowdown in construction after a fatal crash in July 2011). The UK has so far lagged behind, but today the…
Apps For Climate competition with World Bank cash prizes
Climate change is undeniably happening and it is expected to hit poorer and developing countries the hardest. It is well known now that its effects, such as higher temperatures, changes in precipitation patterns, rising sea levels and more frequent weather-related disasters pose risks for agriculture, food and water supplies. All…