Plastic litter proves lethal for hermit crabs
Strawberry hermit crabs are the latest species to fall prey to plastic waste. An international study has estimated that 570,000 of the animals have died after being caught in debris found on the beaches of the remote Cocos and Henderson islands.
The crabs crawl into open bottles and containers but struggle to make their way out and are killed. Their smell then attracts other crabs who also end up trapped.
‘These results are shocking but perhaps not surprising,’ says Dr Jennifer Lavers of the University of Tasmania, who is the research’s lead author. ‘High concentrations of debris are now being encountered on beaches around the world, many of which are also home to hermit crabs that can be expected to interact with plastic pollution in the same way as those we studied. It is likely that the mortality of hermit crabs across the world’s beaches is substantial, and further investigation is required.'
Save Earth from a climate catastrophe, urges the Pope
The Pope has waded into the politics of the climate crisis, calling for governments to rise to the ‘challenge of civilization’ posed by global warming.
Expressing dismay for the inadequate initiatives undertaken thus far to meet the targets of the 2015 Paris Agreement—which he says ‘demonstrate how far words are from concrete actions’—he says ‘we must seriously ask ourselves if there is the political will to allocate with honesty, responsibility and courage, more human, financial and technological resources to mitigate the negative effects of climate change, as well as to help the poorest and most vulnerable populations who suffer from them the most.’
Mentioning the ‘numerous studies’ that tell us it’s still possible to limit global warming, he adds that ‘there remains a window of opportunity, but we must not allow it to close….May we offer the next generation concrete reasons to hope and work for a good and dignified future.’
NASA probe captures 'the best-ever glimpse of the birthplace of the solar wind'
We distinctly remember once asking at school why dangerous nuclear waste couldn't just be popped on a spaceship and sent to blow up in the sun. The teacher poo-pooed the suggestion on the basis that doing so would be spectacularly dangerous, but now, some decades later, it turns out that NASA have been 'bombing' the sun in order to find out about solar wind.
There is a serious reason why: the results 'could help researchers to better prepare for periods when the solar wind is particularly turbulent and knocks out radio and other communications as it washes over Earth,' according to Nature's report.
On This Day... in 1973
...Gerald Ford becomes Vice-President of the United States, following the resignation of Spiro Agnew two months previously amid allegations of corruption.
Little did anyone know at the time that it would put Ford on course to become president, an event which took place the following summer when Richard Nixon, too, resigned his office in the wake of the Watergate scandal.
That tumultuous sequence of events would earn a (so-far) unique spot in history for Ford: he is the only man in history to become President of the United States without first being voted in either as president or vice-president. But given the events in the States right now, who would bet against Ford having company at some point in the future?
Read more (Gerald R. Ford Foundation)
The Trafalgar Square Christmas tree looks like the last one left at the garage at 4pm on Christmas Eve
Is it a deliberate statement about austerity? An unfortunate by-product of our changing climate? Or a post-Brexit snub by Norway?
Whatever the reason, this year's Trafalgar Square Christmas tree is a spindly, bedraggled specimen that has sparked much hilarity. Perhaps that was the reason — to give us all something to laugh about.
And finally... squirrel sandwich, anyone...?
Yikes!
Curious Questions: Why can't red and grey squirrels live together?
Championed by HRH The Prince of Wales himself, the red squirrel revival is gathering pace all over the UK. But
-
The brilliant tractor tribute to the NHS from a group of Warwickshire farmersPeople around Britain have been paying tribute to the efforts of our NHS workers at the time of the coronavirus pandemic — but few have been as creative and clever as this one.
-
London's iconic red bus at risk and 6,000 year old chewing gum gives clues into our DNA historyCuts to industry subsidies and an increase in fares has left bus use at its lowest point ever, while DNA extracted from ancient 'chewing gum' allows scientists to decipher the genetic code of a Stone Age woman.
-
90-million-year-old 'swimming dinosaur' skeleton found by dogs out walking in Somerset, and the nonchalant moths who don't bother fleeing enemiesA superbly intact dinosaur skeleton — described as being 'museum quality' — has been discovered on a beach in Somerset.
-
Battle to ban 4x4s from the idyllic Lake District spot bequeathed by Beatrix Potter, eagle fights octopus and the 'snail's pace' climate talksThis morning we look at Little Langdale's fight for peace, reflect on the climate change talks in Madrid and discover the soundtrack for Brexit.
-
Country Life Today: How Greta Thunberg shifted the dial on climate change — and the backlash shows just how muchThis morning we ponder whether Greta Thunberg is the Joan of Arc for the environmental movement, look at a key election — one from 19 years ago — and ponder the marvel of 'dad tidying'.
-
Country Life Today: Great news for those who love our great country pubs — the years of decline are overThere is a great sign of health in the pub industry, we look back at Edward VIII's abdication message and fret about Greenland's melting ice.
-
Country Life Today: Spain accused of being 'a deplorable choice' for UN climate conferenceA no-holds-barred assault on the Spanish fishing industry, Banksy raising awareness of the homeless and the woes of the Christmas jumper are in today's news round-up.
-
Country Life Today: 'This is perhaps the ultimate wake-up call from the uncontrolled experiment humanity is unleashing on the world’s oceans'In today's round up, we examine why oxygen loss is putting oceans at risk, discover that action to cut air pollution brings almost immediate benefits to human health and find out which bird's arrival marks the start of winter in Gloucestershire.
