Could ash dieback kill the wood wide web?
S ince the 1990s, UK scientists had been waiting for an invasion. Then in 2012, ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) started its slow and steady march across the UK, threatening devastation to our landscape and wildlife. There have even been dire predictions that 50 per cent of these beloved trees could die in the next 30 years.
In the firing line are 150 million mature ash trees in the UK, along with 1.8 billion seedlings and saplings, which account for 12 per cent of all of Britain's broadleaved woodland. These trees support 955 species of lichens, mosses, insects, fungi, birds and mammals, some of which are dependent on them, and are part of our national ecosystem. So what is ash dieback, how serious could it be — and could areas of devastation caused by the disease prevent other nearby trees from flourishing by destroying their ecosystem?
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Telegraph
36 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Assisted dying ‘could be Trojan Horse that breaks NHS'
Assisted dying 'could become the Trojan horse that breaks the NHS,' the Commons has heard. MPs are due to vote on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill on Friday, which could see it either progress to the House of Lords or fall. It will be the first time the Bill has been voted on in its entirety since the historic vote in November when MPs supported the principle of assisted dying for England and Wales by a majority of 55. On Tuesday, Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, was questioned about the availability of money to fund such moves. Last year, Mr Streeting voted against the Bill and has since indicated he remains opposed, reiterating that the Government is taking a neutral stance on it. Dame Siobhain McDonagh, a Labour MP opposed to the Bill, said an assisted dying service could 'rob our stretched NHS of much-needed resources'. She said: 'When asked in the House of Commons, the Secretary of State for Health made clear to MPs that there is no money allocated to the NHS to fund the assisted dying Bill. 'It's now clear that the assisted dying Bill will rob our stretched NHS of much-needed resources and could become the Trojan horse that breaks the NHS, the proudest institution and the proudest measure in our Labour Party's history. 'We already know from the impact assessment that this new system could cost tens, if not hundreds of millions of pounds, making our mission to cut waiting times and rebuild our NHS harder. I urge Labour MPs not to vote for the assisted dying Bill to protect the vulnerable and our NHS.' Mr Streeting was asked by the Labour MP Katrina Murray, who opposed the Bill, whether the NHS had the money to fund assisted dying on top of its other priorities. She said: 'If passed, the assisted dying Bill would make thousands of terminally ill people every year eligible to end their lives on the NHS. Does our health service have the money to fund this service as well as its priority of bringing down waiting lists?' Mr Streeting responded: 'Of course, the Government is neutral [on assisted dying]. It's for the House to decide. 'There isn't money allocated to set up the service in the Bill at present, but it's for members of this House and the Lords, should the Bill proceed, to decide whether or not to proceed and that's a decision that this Government will respect either way.' Mr Streeting said last year that there were 'choices and trade-offs', adding that 'any new service comes at the expense of other competing pressures and priorities'. Last week, Mr Streeting said the NHS was 'in a fight for its life' as he described his mission to turn the health service around. 'Not about pounds or pence, but the human cost' An impact assessment published by the Government last month estimated that the operational costs of setting up an assisted dying service could be up to £13.6 million a year. The assessment suggested there could be up to 4,500 assisted deaths in a decade, saving the taxpayer up to £90 million in healthcare and benefits and pensions payments. Kim Leadbeater, the Bill sponsor, has said the proposed legislation is about giving dying people choice at the end of their lives, saying it is 'about the human cost' and 'not about pounds and pence'. She has described her Bill as the 'most robust piece of legislation in this area in the world'. Dozens of Labour MPs called for Friday's overall vote to be delayed, asking Lucy Powell, the Commons Leader, for more time to scrutinise a Bill they say is 'perhaps the most consequential piece of legislation that has appeared before the House in generations'. But a Government spokesman pointed out that it is a private members' Bill and 'the amount of time for debate is therefore a matter for the House'. Supporters of the Bill say it is coming back to the Commons with better safeguards after more than 90 hours of parliamentary time spent on it to date. But opponents claim the process has been rushed and that the Bill is weaker than it was when first introduced last year. A key change was the replacement of a High Court judge requirement for sign-off of applications from terminally ill people, with a panel featuring a social worker, senior legal figure and psychiatrist. As it stands, the proposed legislation would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales, with fewer than six months to live, to apply for an assisted death, subject to approval by two doctors and the three-member panel. While the Bill has the backing of some MPs from medical backgrounds, concerns have been raised by the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Psychiatrists.
The Sun
an hour ago
- The Sun
The ‘correct' portion size of chips has been revealed & people have been left utterly baffled by it
THE 'correct' portion size of chips has been revealed – and it's safe to say people are utterly baffled by it. Chips are a staple of British comfort food, whether they're paired with fish on a Friday night, piled high next to a juicy burger, or enjoyed straight out of a takeaway box. 2 But now, the suggested 'right' portion size has been revealed, leaving people questioning everything they thought they knew about their favourite treat. According to nutritionists, the recommended serving size is shockingly small – just 10 chips. Social media users were quick to react to the revelation after TikTok user @ chellep78 posted a video explaining that she eats that amount while deciding whether she even wants chips. 'I eat 10 chips while I'm plating up,' one person commented, while another joked, 'Mate, I shove 10 chips in my gob all at once.' As @ chellep78 points out, this equates to around 10 chips per serving. However, a single serving of oven chips already exceeds the quantity suggested by a Harvard scientist, who believes a portion should be even smaller - just six chips. Speaking to the New York Times, , explained: 'There aren't a lot of people who are sending back three-quarters of an order of French fries. "I think it would be nice if your meal came with a side salad and six French fries.' For most Brits, chips are a food of indulgence, not restraint. I lost half a stone eating cold chips Whether they're thick-cut, skinny fries, or drenched in salt and vinegar, it's hard to imagine stopping at six - or even ten - chips. More people joined in on the debate on TikTok, sharing their thoughts on the surprisingly small portion size. One wrote: 'I eat at least ten while I'm debating what I'm going to have with what I now know is 4x more chips than I should have had." Another added: 'I'm already snacking on potato wedges, French fries, seasoned fries, curly fries, and skin-on fries while I'm waiting for my regular chips to cook.' 2 And a third said: 'I don't think I'd bother at all if I had to restrict my portion to 10 chips. I'm an all-or-nothing sorta girl.' So, while the 'correct' portion size might technically be six - or ten - it seems most people are sticking to their own rules when it comes to enjoying this beloved snack. Let's face it – who can really stop at just six chips?
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Glen Powell in action in Glasgow as city is transformed for shooting of new J.J. Abrams film
You could be forgiven for thinking you were seeing double. But the uncanny resemblance was a much-needed feature as Hollywood hunk Glen Powell was joined by his stunt double as they filmed a new sci-fi fantasy on the streets of Glasgow. The 36-year-old American was seen warming up for the scenes for Ghostwriter, a fantasy adventure currently being filmed in Scotland that also stars Samuel L Jackson. He was seen doing intense exercises in front of bemused cast and crew before his stunt double was spotted hanging off a bus as he pursued a girl. Powell was on set with director J.J. Abrams, who is behind films like Cloverfield and the more recent Star Wars films, with the city thought to be doubling up as a futuristic New York. Filming started in Glasgow on Saturday after other scenes were shot in London on April 26. Streets have been transformed to create the fictitious setting, including unusual signage, faux brick walls and a makeshift subway entrance all being spotted. As well as Powell and Jackson, the movie is due star Jenna Ortega - best known for playing Wednesday Adams in the Netflix TV show named after the character. Produced by Warner Bros, the film marks Abrams' first project since Star Wars: Rise of Skywalker in 2019. Powell will be familiar with the city, having filmed scenes in Glashgow for Edgar Wright's reboot of 1987 action flick The Running Man. Like the current filming, a number of sites in the city were used to emulate the streets of New York, with scenes shot across the city centre, the West End and the SEC Armadillo.
