Latest news with #UniversityOfExeter
Yahoo
a day ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers make disturbing discovery inside stomachs of earthworms: 'We were surprised by just how widespread'
Tiny plastic particles known as microplastics are turning up in unexpected and disturbing places: inside the stomachs of earthworms, slugs, beetles, and other invertebrates that live in everyday green spaces, according to an article from the University of Sussex. While this pollution may seem far removed from daily life, scientists warn it could ripple up the food chain — potentially impacting the health of animals, ecosystems, and even people. A new study by the University of Sussex and the University of Exeter analyzed more than 580 invertebrates collected from 51 sites across Sussex, a county in Southern England. Nearly 12% of the samples contained microplastic fragments. Earthworms showed the highest contamination levels at 30%, followed by slugs and snails at 24%. Polyester, often shed from synthetic clothing, was the most common plastic found. Even carnivorous insects like ladybugs had ingested plastic, suggesting that contamination isn't limited to plant-eating species. "We were surprised by just how widespread this plastic contamination is," said lead author Emily Thrift, an ecology doctoral tutor at the University of Sussex. "This is the first study to find plastics consistently turning up across an entire community of land invertebrates." These small animals may seem insignificant, but they're essential to healthy soil and local food chains. They break down decaying plants, cycle nutrients, and serve as prey for birds, reptiles, and mammals. When they consume plastic, it can lead to stunted growth, reduced fertility, and organ damage — problems that can then travel up the food chain. This could affect species that interact with people, as well as animals involved in pollination and pest control. "To reduce the uptake of microplastics into the food web we first have to understand how it is getting there," said University of Exeter Professor Tamara Galloway. Researchers say the contamination likely comes from several sources, such as fibers from clothing, paint particles, and general plastic waste. Do you think America has a plastic waste problem? Definitely Only in some areas Not really I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. While major policy action is needed to address the root of the problem, individuals can help by choosing natural fabrics, washing synthetic clothes less often, and supporting better waste and recycling systems. "Microplastics are now ubiquitous at every level of the food web. Attention is currently focused on litter as the main source of contamination, but these findings suggest multiple sources ranging from clothing to paint," said Professor Fiona Mathews, an environmental biologist at the University of Sussex. "There is now an urgent need to understand how different plastics are damaging ecosystems and to cut the volume entering the environment." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
Government spends nearly £30m of taxpayers' cash on fringe research projects including gay porn studies and recording Syrian harvesting songs
Almost £30million of UK taxpayer money has been spent on fringe research projects including studies into gay porn after the Second World War and recording Syrian harvesting songs. UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) has been given the staggering amount of funding for a number of overseas projects, which appear to have no clear benefit to British taxpayers. The funding includes £850,000 for Birmingham City University to delve into the circulation of gay male porn and porn magazines at the end of the Second World War, a T elegraph investigation revealed. The University of Oxford received more than £350,000 in a bid to preserve the threatened language of Enggano, spoken by just 1,500 people on Enggano Island, in Sumatra, Indonesia. Meanwhile, £784,000 was given to the University of Exeter to build a historical account of the development of child soldiering in Africa. It also received £307,000 of funding to revive ancestral territories, including the language and cultures of the K'omox, Pentlatch, and E'iksan in Vancouver Island, Canada, and the Maori of New Zealand. Edinburgh University were given £123,000 to record 'harvesting songs of displaced Syrian refugees living in Middle Eastern countries', while the University of Warwick received almost £800,000 to study 'invisible women in Italian cinema'. Joanna Marchong, investigations campaign manager of the TaxPayers' Alliance, believes taxpayers will be 'livid' after learning how 'ridiculous some of these research projects have become'. However, UKRI said that funding will only be given to projects that show value for money for British taxpayers and have a societal benefit. Ms Marchong said: 'UKRI have a proven track record of wasting taxpayers' cash on research projects that are no more than virtue-signalling nonsense that don't stand to benefit the people paying for them. 'Ministers need to remember why UKRI was created and return to investing in research that will make a difference to hard-working Brits.' Another project includes a joint study between the University of Roehampton and Stellenbosch University in South Africa, which was given £2.8million in funding to research how music could help the mental health of expectant mothers in Africa. When asked whether the study would also be used to help British mothers, the Stellenbosch University project team did not respond. They did say that 'group music-making has been shown to boost mood and foster social connections' and early research shows that listening to specially composed music during pregnancy 'reduces anxiety symptoms.' Roehampton University also received £805,000 to recreate a performance of the 16th-century play Galatea by John Lyly centred around 'female, trans, queer, disabled and migrants'. While, the University of London received £323,000 to make a film-making union to assist the Mursi agro-pastoralists of the Lower Omo Valley of Ethiopia. Other projects that were given funding included a look into housing rights for marginalised citizens of Lagos and São Paulo. University of Manchester received nearly £250,000 for the study. Around £300,000 was given to Birmingham University to 'promote reproductive justice' for the Pankararu and Xukuru communities in north-east Brazil. The University of Cambridge was awarded a similar amount for the 'restoration of traditional justice in the Sa'th Tama Kiwe Territory in Caldono, Cauca, Colombia'. The majority of projects funded were awarded by the Arts and Humanities Research Council, part of UKRI. While, a handful fell under the National Institute for Health and Care Research. A UKRI spokesman said: 'International research collaboration is vital to help us tackle global challenges in a complex and interconnected world, improving security and prosperity in the UK and internationally. 'Several of the projects highlighted were funded through Official Development Assistance, where the main benefit is required to be in the developing country involved. 'Projects are prioritised for funding through independent expert peer review, as set out in the Higher Education and Research Act. 'UKRI supports a diverse portfolio of investments including curiosity-driven research and strategic initiatives, which drives the creation and exploitation of new knowledge, and develops skilled and talented people for a wide range of jobs improving lives and livelihoods across the UK. 'On average, every £1 of public R&D investment generates at least £7 of net benefit to the UK through the development of new and better goods, services and processes.'
BBC News
28-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Lifestyle motivation for Cornwall move
Most people who moved to Cornwall did so for lifestyle reasons rather than work, a study has Institute of Cornish Studies at the University of Exeter said its New Household Survey 2024-25 looked at the differences between people who lived in homes built in the last 10 years and those in older properties across the said the research, which received support from Cornwall Council, showed 55% of people who moved to the county rated job opportunities as the least important reason for added 64% of the nearly 1,000 respondents said environmental quality was the most important reason behind their move while 41% rated re-joining family as the top reason. The study said retirement had been marked as the most important reason behind their move to Cornwall."Many respondents moved to Cornwall in search of a slower, more peaceful lifestyle away from the busyness of cities," researchers said."The desire for a quieter, more relaxed pace of life was a key driver for relocation. "Cornwall was perceived as a place that offers tranquillity, community, and a better work-life balance, making it an attractive destination for those seeking a lifestyle change."
BBC News
10-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Wasps mothers have super memories scientists say
Wasps often get a bit of a bad reputation due to their buzzing and painful new research suggests there might be much more to these insects than was previously to scientists, wasp mothers have a surprisingly good memory when it comes to feeding their young.A new study has found that they can remember the locations of up to nine separate nests of theirs at once - despite them usually being located among hundreds of others. What did experts discover? Researchers from the University of Exeter decided to take a closer look at the behaviour of digger wasp mothers who live on heathland in Surrey in southern wasps usually make a short burrow for each of their eggs, stocking it with food and returning a few days later to provide were surprised to find that even though the insects are so small, they could still remember the locations of up to nine separate nests at once, rarely making any is despite the fact nests are dug in bare sand containing hundreds belonging to other Jeremy Field, from the University of Exeter explained: "Our findings suggest that the miniature brain of an insect is capable of remarkably sophisticated scheduling decisions."We tend to think that something so small couldn't do something so complex," he research has showed digger wasps use visual objects such as stones to find their nests, but experts are unsure exactly how they have such impressive brainpower."We don't yet know how wasps achieve these remarkable mental feats," Professor Field said.
BBC News
09-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Devon scientists reveal 'remarkable' wasp memory
Wasp mothers have stunning brainpower when it comes to feeding their young, according to new wasps make a short burrow for each egg, stocking it with food and returning a few days later to provide study by scientists at the University of Exeter revealed mother wasps can remember the locations of up to nine separate nests among hundreds belonging to other said they did not yet know how the wasps achieved such "remarkable mental feats." 'Rarely make errors' Researchers discovered the insects feed their young in age order, adjusting the order if one dies, and they can even delay feeding offspring that had more food at the first visit."Our findings suggest that the miniature brain of an insect is capable of remarkably sophisticated scheduling decisions," said Professor Jeremy Field, from the University of Exeter."We tend to think that something so small couldn't do something so complex."In fact, they can remember where and when they have fed their young and what they fed them in a way that would be taxing even to human brains." The digger wasps in the study live on heathland in Surrey where they hunt caterpillars on heather plants."Despite nesting in relatively featureless bare sand, often among hundreds of intermingled nests of other females, mothers rarely make errors in revisiting their nests," Mr Field said."Only 1.5% of the 1,293 food deliveries in the study went to other females' nests."
