A great blue wave has spread across the country in one of our greatest natural spectacles, as carpets of bluebells have come into flower. But the bluebells were some four or five weeks later this spring than last year, and the cold spring made their appearance more patchy than usual. Britain has around half the…
Scientists who worked with the Nobel prize-winning pioneer discuss his legacy alongside footage and previously unseen interviews
From a snail-eating snake to a harp-shaped sponge… Quentin Wheeler on whittling down 18,000 new species to 10 favouritesOn 23 May,the International Institute for Species Exploration announced the annual top 10 new species for the sixth time. A committee of taxon experts led by Dr Antonio Valdecasas of the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales in…
This week, I tell you about these books: The World's Rarest Birds by Erik Hirschfeld, Andy Swash and Robert Still; The Spirit Level: Why Equality is Better for Everyone by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett; The Uses of Pessimism & the Danger of False Hope by Roger Scruton; A Cupboard Full of Coats by Yvvette…
Despite recent fears of sceptics winning public debates, they are not all powerful, but have cast a spell upon their opponentsEarlier this week, Martin Wolf of the Financial Times announced that the "climate sceptics have won". His comments echo those of former Nasa scientist James Hansen who told an audience in Edinburgh last year that…
When people emphasise how complicated something is, they often compare it to either one or the other, but which one wins?If someone wants to emphasise the simplicity of a task or process, a common tactic is to compare it to either brain surgery or rocket science. So, it appears that being a brain surgeon or…
Experts call on governments to start conserving water in face of climate change, pollution and over-useThe majority of the 9 billion people on Earth will live with severe pressure on fresh water within the space of two generations as climate change, pollution and over-use of resources take their toll, 500 scientists have warned.The world's water…
Watch what happened when Climate Desk introduced the troll slayer Rosi Reed to the climate denier Hoyt Connell
A Daily Mail headline claimed trying alcohol during puberty ups the chance of addiction. But results are far less persuasive"People who have their first taste of alcohol during puberty are more likely to become addicted," says a recent headline in the Daily Mail. But is that actually what the research shows? (clue: would I write…
Which element is even more dangerous than the most toxic substance known to man?This week's element is actinium, which has the chemical symbol Ac and the atomic number 89. Actinium gets its name from the Greek word for "beam" or "ray".This element is vanishingly rare in the wild -- "vanishingly rare" is a deliberately-chosen descriptor…
