Logan Botanic Garden's rare sapphire tower flower begins to bloom
A rare plant which is native to South America has started to bloom in the south of Scotland.Visitors will have to hurry if they want to see the Puya alpestris - known as the sapphire tower flower - at Logan Botanic Garden as the blooms usually fade within a week.The plant bloomed for the first time at the site near Port Logan in 2024, making it the first outdoor flowering of the species in Scotland.Last year it reached about 4ft (1.2m) high but this year it has grown to about 12ft (3.6m).
The plant - native to Chile - is already partially in flower, with more buds forming on the "alien-like" spikes.Curator Richard Baines said: "I've been a horticulturist for over 40 years and the Puya alpestris is truly among the top three most spectacular plants I've ever seen in my career."Seeing the sapphire tower flower outside its native habitat is a real privilege for us here at Logan and we encourage visitors to come and witness its beauty for themselves over this coming week."However, while it's wonderful to behold, the incredible growth we're witnessing is likely down to the very warm temperatures we experienced this spring."Unfortunately, this is one of the anticipated consequences of climate change and a warming planet, with higher temperatures allowing plants like these to flourish in Scotland – outdoors – in ways that were never possible before."
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Glasgow Times
3 hours ago
- Glasgow Times
Scotland vs Iceland: TV channel, live stream & kick-off time
First up in the end-of-season double-header is Iceland, before a trip to face Liechtenstein on Monday. Here is everything you need to know as Steve Clarke's side aim to pick up their form ahead of the upcoming World Cup qualifiers... When is Scotland vs Iceland? Scotland will take on Iceland TONIGHT on Friday, June 6. The match will kick off at 7.45pm. The game will be played at Hampden Park, Glasgow. Is Scotland vs Iceland on TV and can I live stream it? Yes, thankfully, the match will be showcased live on television. Even better, it will be FREE to watch. The game will be broadcast live on BBC One Scotland. Coverage of the friendly begins at 7.30pm - allowing for just 15 minutes of build-up. The show will end at 10pm. Team news Goalkeepers: Angus Gunn (Norwich City), Cieran Slicker (Ipswich Town) & Robby McCrorie (Kilmarnock). Defenders: Josh Doig (US Sassuolo Calcio), Grant Hanley (Birmingham City), Jack Hendry (Al-Etiffaq), Max Johnston (SK Sturm Graz), Scott McKenna (UD Las Palmas), Nathan Patterson (Everton), Anthony Ralston (Celtic), Andy Robertson (Liverpool), John Souttar (Rangers) & Kieran Tierney (Arsenal). Midfielders: Connor Barron (Rangers), Lewis Ferguson (Bologna), Billy Gilmour (Napoli), Andy Irving (West Ham United), John McGinn (Aston Villa), Scott McTominay (Napoli) & Lennon Miller (Motherwell). Attackers: Che Adams (Torino), Kieron Bowie (Hibernian), Tommy Conway (Middlesbrough), James Wilson (Heart of Midlothian) & George Hirst (Ipswich Town).
Daily Mail
3 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Earth's CO2 hits highest recorded level in human history - exceeding 430 parts per million for the first time ever
There's now more carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere than ever before in human history, scientists have revealed. For the first time on record, monthly average CO2 levels exceeded 430 parts per million (ppm), according to experts at Scripps Institution of Oceanography in San Diego. The monthly average for May 2025 reached 430.2ppm – the highest level since accurate measurements began 67 years ago. The more CO2 in the atmosphere, the higher the rate of global warming, which could one day could make Earth's surface too hot for humans. At much higher concentrations, CO2 can also cause a variety of health issues. Worryingly, this includes cognitive impairment, drowsiness, nausea and even death in the most extreme cases. 'Another year, another record,' said Ralph Keeling, director of the Scripps CO2 Program. He added: 'It's sad.' This graph shows concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2) measured at Mauna Loa Observatory in the month of May 2025. Scientists calculated an average for the month of 430.2 ppm - an increase of 3.5 ppm over May 2024 Like other greenhouse gases, CO2 acts like a blanket, trapping heat and warming the lower atmosphere. This changes weather patterns and fuels extreme events, such as heat waves, droughts, wildfires, heavy rain and flooding. Rising CO2 levels also contribute to ocean acidification, which makes it more difficult for marine organisms like crustaceans and coral to grow hard skeletons or shells. The experts' new measurements come from Mauna Loa Observatory, a research station situated high on the slopes of the Mauna Loa volcano, Hawaii. At 11,141 feet above sea level, Mauna Loa Observatory measures different gases in the air by shining different kinds of light and radiation through air samples. According to the experts, the observatory's monthly average for May 2025 of 430.2 ppm is an increase of 3.5 ppm over May 2024's measurement of 426.7 ppm. Meanwhile, NOAA's Global Monitoring Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado has separately reported an average of 430.5 ppm – an increase of 3.6 ppm over last year. In a post on X, Jeff Berardelli, meteorologist and climate specialist for WFLA Tampa Bay, called the new record 'concerning'. In the Northern Hemisphere, CO2 concentrations in the air are at their lowest around September before plant matter starts to gradually decompose - releasing CO2 back to the atmosphere as it hits a high in spring How is atmospheric CO2 measured? CO2 is routinely measured in parts-per-million (ppm), which is simply the ratio of one gas or other molecule to another. For example, 430 ppm of CO2 means that there are 430 molecules of CO2 and 999,570 molecules of other gases or water vapour. At much higher concentrations - such as 1,000 ppm - CO2 can have a adverse health effect on human functioning, including cognitive impairment, drowsiness and nausea. A concentration of 40,000 ppm is considered 'immediately dangerous to life or health', according to the Minnesota Department of Health. CO2 is by far the most abundant human-caused greenhouse gas and it can persist in the atmosphere and oceans for thousands of years. According to scientists, the amount of carbon present now in the Earth's atmosphere is equal to that which would have been seen some 4.1 to 4.5 million years ago, during a time which scientists refer to as the 'Pliocene Climatic Optimum'. At this time, the sea level was a whopping 78 feet (24 meters) higher than in the present day, while the average global temperature stood at 7°F (3.9°C) higher than it was before the Industrial Revolution. In fact, the temperature was so warm during this period of time that large forests occupied areas of the Arctic which today are barren, chilly tundra. Although humanity is constantly pumping out CO2 all-year-round, atmospheric CO2 is at its highest in the Northern Hemisphere in the spring – specifically May. Between autumn and spring, much of the hemisphere's plant matter decomposes, releasing CO2 into the atmosphere as it does so. May tends to represent the highest extend of atmospheric CO2 before plants come to life and draw in CO2 to fuel their growth. This begins the process of lowering the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere until the autumn when the plants start to die – and the cycle continues. The Keeling Curve is a daily record of global atmospheric CO2 concentrations from 1958 to the present day, based on continuous measurements taken at the Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii Researchers say Mauna Loa Observatory's new measurements represent the average state of CO2 in the atmosphere of the Northern Hemisphere. However, CO2 concentrations have not yet passed the 430 ppm mark in the Southern Hemisphere, which has a reversed cycle. It was Scripps scientist Charles David Keeling, father of Ralph Keeling, who was the first to recognise that CO2 levels in the Northern Hemisphere peaked in May. In 1958, he began monitoring CO2 concentrations at Mauna Loa Observatory and documented a long-term increase, known as the Keeling Curve. NOAA's Global Monitoring Laboratory, meanwhile, begun daily CO2 measurements in 1974 and has maintained a complementary, independent measurement record ever since. THE KEELING CURVE EXPLAINED Pictured: Charles David Keeling receiving the US Medal of Science in 2001 Regular atmospheric CO₂ recordings were begun on Mauna Loa back in 1958 by the Scripps Institution of Oceanography scientist Charles David Keeling. It was these measurements that confirmed the prediction of the Swedish physical chemist Svante Arrhenius that humanity was contributing to increasing global temperatures by means of the greenhouse effect. Specifically, Dr Keeling's data showed that, overall, atmospheric CO₂ levels were rising each year — a dynamic shown in the so-called keeling curve (pictured bottom left). The Keeling Curve was also the first data set to reveal the existence of seasonal fluctuations in carbon dioxide levels. The highest monthly average carbon dioxide value in the northern hemisphere occurs in the May of each year, before plants act to remove large amounts of CO₂ from the atmosphere in the growing season. The peak in May is caused by plants and soils giving off carbon dioxide between the northern hemisphere's autumn and early spring.
BBC News
4 hours ago
- BBC News
Scotland's epic 210-mile bikepacking adventure
The Badger Divide lets bikepackers wind, climb, dip and slalom through some of Scotland's most stunning scenery by day, and wild camp along its moors, glens and lochs at night. "Are you doing the Badger?" asked a fellow passenger at Perth station as I waited for my train to Inverness. "What gave me away?" I replied, standing with a mountain bike fully loaded with gear. "The size of your wheels," he said. "Good luck; you'll need it." The "Badger" in question, officially known as The Badger Divide, is a 210-mile off-road route that winds, climbs, dips and slaloms through the Scottish Highlands from Inverness to Glasgow. Along the way, it passes through some of Scotland's greatest lochs (including Ness and Laggan), most expansive glens, least touched moorland, richest forests and the 25-mile Corrieyairack mountain pass. The route attracts a growing number of long-distance, off-road cyclists who carry their gear with them on two wheels. Known as "bikepackers", these self-propelled adventurers are eager to test their physical and mental resolve on the Badger while also getting to sleep under the stars, wild camp at lochs and experience remote landscapes. But for all its splendour, the trail isn't found on any official map or signpost. Conceived by Scottish cyclist Stuart Allan roughly eight years ago, the route weaves together public rights of way, old drovers' roads, farm tracks, forest paths and remnants of 18th-Century military roads to connect the Lowlands and Highlands. Allan designed the Badger for friends, but as word of its varied terrain, sights and accessibility have spread, it's become a destination for bikepackers. "I've had people come from Australia, a couple from Canada and many weekends I get messages to say a group is coming to do it, asking questions," said Allan. "The route came along when people were figuring out what bikepacking was all about, and it's just stuck." And the odd name? "At the time, the Baja Divide (a bikepacking route in Mexico) was the big new thing. And one of my friends mispronounced 'Baja' as 'Badger', so another friend suggested we call it the Badger Divide," Allan explained. The Badger is typically ridden southbound, with cyclists starting at Inverness Castle and finishing at Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Library in Glasgow. I was tackling it over five days in May, hoping for good weather and avoiding Scotland's infamous midges that come out to bite each summer. There are easier ways to enjoy Scotland, but bikepacking's allure is the mix of adventure, camping and off-road trails that take you to places no car can reach. While cycle touring (which is on paved roads) has been popular for decades, bikepacking has grown in popularity in recent years thanks to more affordable off-road bikes and gear. After a night at the Inverness Youth Hostel, I started pedalling towards the hills above Loch Ness' northerly shore. Ahead of me were two nights of wild camping, a stay in a Forestry Scotland campsite, a glamping pod and more than 17,000ft of elevation. My first day was largely spent pedalling along a dirt track through a thick forest of pine, hazel, oak and birch. As I burst over gorse moorland along Loch Ness' shore, I caught glimpses of a lake so big it holds more water than all of the lakes in England and Wales combined, before later enjoying its full blue glory as I approached Fort Augustus. "Beautiful weather," a French hiker remarked to me, as she and her family stopped at one of the viewpoints overlooking the loch. "It's too hot; prefer it colder," a local Scot had jokingly complained minutes earlier. According to Rosie Baxendine, a guide who leads bikepacking and cycling trips across Scotland, biking through these remote landscapes is an unforgettable experience no matter the weather. "I love Scotland when she's moody," Baxendine told me. "I remember riding over the Corrieyairack Pass in June, coming up through the clouds and it was snowing at the top. The power of Scotland's wild nature leaves me more speechless than a beautiful day." Much of my what made my journey through Scotland's great glens, its big estates (including Ardverikie and Corrour) and under its star-filled skies so memorable was thanks to the nation's Outdoor Access Code. This gives everyone access to explore and wild camp in the nation's hills, beaches, rivers, moorland, forests and lochs, so long as they do so responsibly. I didn't see a soul for nearly four hours as I ground my way up the Corrieyairack Pass on day two. Loch Ness dwindled to a dot while a parade of giant electricity pylons in the valley below felt like sentinels judging my slow progress. "Remember to look up," Baxendine had told me. "So many people get caught up in speed or in how much it's hurting." As I inched up the pass, I took her advice, stopping to enjoy the views. Just yards from the trail was a wild deer grazing near the vibrant yellow gorse. My bikepacking adventure was full of special moments like these: flying down a forest track with mad abandon near Aberfoyle; falling asleep in my tent to the sound of water lapping on the shores of Loch Ness; marvelling at the white sands of Loch Laggan and Lochan na h-Earba; and pedalling along the gravel tracks skirting the mighty crags of Creagan nan Nead and Creagan nan Ghabar. As I cruised along the glorious Road to the Isles towards Corrour Station under clear blue skies on day three, the only sounds I heard were the crunch of my tyres on the gravel and the distinctive thrum of the common snipe's vibrating tail feathers. I felt as though I had Scotland all to myself. The UK's highest railway station, Corrour, sits nestled below the foot of Leum Uilleim mountain, just beyond the shores of Loch Ossian. As I neared and looked west, the snowcapped summit of Ben Nevis, the UK's tallest mountain, appeared. The station is now a request stop for the Caledonian Sleeper train that travels between Aberdeen and London, and its cafe has become a hub for hikers and cyclists. More like this:• Scotland's most remote railway adventure• Japan's spectacular bike ride through six remote islands• 'Ghillies': Scotland's little-known Highlanders There, I met two southbound solo Badger riders: Stuart Cooper from Preston, and Scotsman Ian King, from Coldstream. Over two hours and a hearty Scottish breakfast, we swapped tales from the trail and explained what led each of us here. "It's the freedom. That's why I love bikepacking. You pick your route, you stop when you want to stop," said Cooper, who has cycled across much of Asia and South America and made a last-minute decision to embark on the Badger because of the good weather. "I wanted to experience the spectacular scenery of the Scottish Highlands, which has been stunning, getting better and better as the ride has gone on." For King, who was nearing his 73rd birthday, the inspiration had come from his son, who had done the route some years before. "He had shown me photos; gave me lots of advice," he said. "My highlight has been the Corrieyairack Pass. Not the summit, but the first section looking back at the incredible scenery." Both men would complete the route far faster than I did. But even after parting ways, I was able to follow their tyre tracks above the vast and brooding Great Moor of Rannoch for miles before eventually falling asleep in my tent at the basic but pleasant Kilvrecht Campsite near Loch Rannoch. Day four started with a challenging pedal up a narrow, forested valley as the trickling sounds of the river below slowly faded away. A rolling and rough track across moorland eventually led to Glen Lyon, Scotland's largest enclosed glen. Here a sinewy road alongside the River Lyon took me to a sharp ascent up the Kenknock Pass with a lovely freewheel into the picturesque town of Killin. My respite was short, however. The Badger dragged me along rough timber logging roads before I was able to enjoy another tree-lined and shady track that would take me to the town of Callander and my glamping pod. The pods are part of the youth hostel in the town, and though small, they boast a double bed, kitchenette, shower room and terrace with glorious views of Ben Ledi, the highest mountain in the Loch Lomond and The Trossachs National Park. Buoyed by my glamping experience and knowing the last miles of the Badger into Glasgow were the easiest of the trip, I rode along the sun-filled shores of Loch Venachar in great spirits on my final day. Amidst the trees, I spied a group of cyclists emerging from their tents after a night wild camping. "Are you doing the Badger?" one of them asked me. They were on day two of their north-bound Badger journey. I grinned from ear to ear. "Pretty much done it," I replied. "You're going to have the greatest trip." -- For more Travel stories from the BBC, follow us on Facebook, X and Instagram.
