Latest news with #ExeterUniversity
The Independent
29-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Scientists fear Britain's entire food chain is contaminated as study finds microplastics in bugs
Plastic pollution is harming slugs, beetles, snails and earthworms, new research has found, raising fears Britain's entire food chain has been contaminated. Researchers found more than one in ten bugs had fragments of plastic in their stomachs, causing harmful chemicals to be passed on to larger animals that feed on them, like birds and hedgehogs. The study, by scientists at Sussex and Exeter universities, analysed more than 580 bug samples from 51 sites across Sussex. Microplastics were found in almost 12 per cent of bugs with the highest levels recorded in earthworms (30 per cent) and slugs and snails (24 per cent). Polyester, most likely from clothes, was the most common type of plastic found in the invertebrates tested. Researchers suspected these plastic fibres came from dried human sewage sludge which is used as fertiliser by some farmers and can contain fibres from washing machines. One common garden black beetle was found with a 4.5mm long piece of nylon inside it- that's a quarter of its body length. Although animals that feed on decaying plant matter had the highest rates of plastic, carnivorous insects, such as ladybirds, were also affected. Researchers say the findings raise fresh concerns about the long-term effects of plastic pollution and its impact on biodiversity and that it should no longer be seen as solely a marine issue. 'We were surprised by just how widespread this plastic contamination is,' said lead author Emily Thrift, 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. 'Similar plastic types were found in hedgehog faeces in our earlier research, and they seem to be entering the diet of birds, mammals, and reptiles via their invertebrate prey.' One previous study on insects from 2024 revealed ingesting plastic can lead to stunted growth, reduced fertility and changes in liver, kidney, and stomach function in various species, raising alarm among conservationists. In another 2020 study published in the journal Global Change Biology, dippers, a type of small bird, were found to be ingesting about 200 plastic particles a day from the insects they eat. Three in four of the fragments found in the birds were less than 0.5mm in size but were up several millimetres in length. Professor Fiona Mathews, Environmental Biologist at the University of Sussex, stressed that microplastics are now found in every level of the food chain, from bugs to mammals. She said: 'Attention is currently focused on litter as the main source of contamination, but these findings suggest multiple sources ranging from clothing to paint.' The researchers say their work, which spans six invertebrate groups and four levels of the food chain, highlights the need to research how these different plastics are damaging the environment and implement stronger measures to limit plastic pollution.
The Independent
28-05-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Scientists fear Britain's entire food chain contaminated as study finds microplastics in bugs
Plastic pollution is harming slugs, beetles, snails and earthworms, new research has found, raising fears Britain's entire food chain has been contaminated. Researchers found more than one in ten bugs had fragments of plastic in their stomachs, causing harmful chemicals to be passed on to larger animals that feed on them, like birds and hedgehogs. The study, by scientists at Sussex and Exeter universities, analysed more than 580 bug samples from 51 sites across Sussex. Microplastics were found in almost 12 per cent of bugs with the highest levels recorded in earthworms (30 per cent) and slugs and snails (24 per cent). Polyester, most likely from clothes, was the most common type of plastic found in the invertebrates tested. Researchers suspected these plastic fibres came from dried human sewage sludge which is used as fertiliser by some farmers and can contain fibres from washing machines. One common garden black beetle was found with a 4.5mm long piece of nylon inside it- that's a quarter of its body length. Although animals that feed on decaying plant matter had the highest rates of plastic, carnivorous insects, such as ladybirds, were also affected. Researchers say the findings raise fresh concerns about the long-term effects of plastic pollution and its impact on biodiversity and that it should no longer be seen as solely a marine issue. 'We were surprised by just how widespread this plastic contamination is,' said lead author Emily Thrift, 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. 'Similar plastic types were found in hedgehog faeces in our earlier research, and they seem to be entering the diet of birds, mammals, and reptiles via their invertebrate prey.' One previous study on insects from 2024 revealed ingesting plastic can lead to stunted growth, reduced fertility and changes in liver, kidney, and stomach function in various species, raising alarm among conservationists. In another 2020 study published in the journal Global Change Biology, dippers, a type of small bird, were found to be ingesting about 200 plastic particles a day from the insects they eat. Three in four of the fragments found in the birds were less than 0.5mm in size but were up several millimetres in length. Professor Fiona Mathews, Environmental Biologist at the University of Sussex, stressed that microplastics are now found in every level of the food chain, from bugs to mammals. She said: 'Attention is currently focused on litter as the main source of contamination, but these findings suggest multiple sources ranging from clothing to paint.' The researchers say their work, which spans six invertebrate groups and four levels of the food chain, highlights the need to research how these different plastics are damaging the environment and implement stronger measures to limit plastic pollution.
Yahoo
28-05-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Politics driving interest in witches -historian
Increased interest in the history of witchcraft and witch-hunts is connected to rising political intolerance and polarisation, according to a historian. The story of women persecuted by Matthew Hopkins, who proclaimed himself "Witchfinder General" in the 17th Century, is being told on ghost trails and heritage plaques in towns across the East of England. Prof Marion Gibson of Exeter University, an expert in the history of witchcraft, said there had been a spike in interest in the subject, which she connected to contemporary events. "People have an interest in histories of persecution because we do live in times where accusations are being thrown about," she said. "Things are very polarised. Some politicians have even started using the word 'witch-hunt' - we hear that quite a lot in the media - and I think that's all pushed up interest in real-life witch-hunts of the past." Prof Gibson said Hopkins, who was born at Great Wenham, Suffolk, and later died at his home in Manningtree, Essex, was "a fascinating creature". "From 1645 to 1647, when he died, this quite young man, in his mid-20s, rampaged across Essex, East Anglia and into the Midlands, accusing people of witchcraft," she said. "By the time he is finished, about 200 people across that region have been executed. "Hundreds more have been accused and had their lives ruined, and [were] thrown into prison." Ghost tours featuring stories of witches run in towns and cities including Norwich, Colchester, Cambridge and Bury St Edmunds, Suffolk. Nicky Proctor is host of The Original King's Lynn Ghost Tour, which covers the Norfolk port's ghost stories, myths and legends in 26 stops. One the weekly tours, devised during the Covid-19 pandemic lock-down, she typically welcomes between 10-20 people keen to know more about the darker side of the town. "People say, 'I wasn't going to come because ghosts aren't really my thing' but they they are really glad they did because there is just so much history on the tour as well," she said. One stop on her tour is the "heart house" on Tuesday Market Place, where the story of Mary Smith is told. According to Ms Proctor, Mrs Smith was the wife of a glovemaker who was always in awe of the other women who seemed to do so much better than her selling their goods at market. "One day the devil appeared in front of her, promising that if she renounced God she would be given power by the devil," she said. "She would be able to curse people. This she did by cursing a sailor who had hit her son. His fingers began to rot and had to be amputated." Another alleged victim was a widow who Mary accused of stealing a hen, she said. "The woman had to be taken to taken to her bed through illness and neighbours claimed to have seen her levitate from the bed. "Mary was condemned as a witch. She was burned at the stake and at the point of death her heart leapt from her chest and to lie under the spot where mysterious forces carved a heart within a diamond upon the wall." Prof Gibson said: "You have to think about why people are telling these stories, and it may be that this woman and others did think actually think she has the power to curse her neighbours. "So I think in some cases we're dealing with people who have strong magical beliefs and might have thought had the capacity to curse. "In other cases, we're probably just dealing with very innocent, ordinary people who have been accused because they are said to have looked at somebody funny, or the community just didn't like them." Follow Norfolk news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Heard the one about Shakespeare's joke writer? Town's 1646 witchcraft trial ordeal re-enacted Play 'heals' wounds of Witchfinder General Marion Gibson
The Irish Sun
17-05-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Johnny Fisher scouts out local Chinese takeaway during Spanish training camp… but saves it for after Dave Allen rematch
JOHNNY FISHER scouted out his local Chinese house while training away in Fuerteventura - but will save it for after his Dave Allen rematch. Fisher flew out to Spain's Canary Islands for a warm weather camp to get away from the distractions of 7 Johnny Fisher moved his training camp out to Fuerteventura Credit: @johnnyfisher1 7 He had to leave behind his favourite Romford Chinese restaurant Credit: @johnnyfisher1 7 But Fisher and his dad Big John are plotting a post-fight feast Credit: @johnnyfisher1 It also meant sacrificing his favourite Chinese cheat meal at the Blue Orchard - Fisher did hunt down a Chinese restaurant while training out in Fuerteventura - but he restrained from indulging until his mission is complete. He told SunSport: "Yeah we'll save it till after the fight. "After the fight we'll have plenty of chicken balls once we've done the job Saturday night." John said: "There's only one place to go, Blue Orchid. We'll go there next week sometime. So we can't wait. Bosh!" While Fisher is the fighter in the family his dad - He tours all around the world from America to the Pacific meeting fans, leaving his son to crack on with training in his absence. Most read in Boxing 7 CASINO SPECIAL - BEST CASINO BONUSES FROM £10 DEPOSITS 7 John said: "I knew he was out there working and I was in Australia myself so it's hard to miss someone when you're on the other side of the world. "But we knew he was out there working, doing a good job, so fair enough." Dave Allen won't let Johnny Fisher flush his boxing career away with plans to buy a house with en-suites Fisher Jr said: "My mum and dad are my mum and dad, it doesn't matter if I spend a year away from them or one day, it's never gonna change, we're always in each other's thoughts. "It's not a big deal. My dad's travelling all over the world now so it's just part and parcel of where we are." Fisher, 26, was floored by Allen, 33, last December in Saudi Arabia but returned home with a The former Exeter University student - who played rugby while studying - But it has not deterred the fearless Romford Bull from having another all-out war - despite his dad having to accompany him in the Riyadh hospital. Fisher said: "I think that's naturally how I lend myself to instinctively go in and cause a fight like that. "That's just the way I am, so I'm not gonna shy away from it one bit. That's who I am. "And obviously my dad's gonna be my dad, if I had a son going into a fight, I'd be nervous. I'd get nervous watching my mates fight. Read more on the Irish Sun "I remember watching Joe Joyce fight loads and loads of times, and he's my friend, you get nervous. "But, when you're the one doing it, there are no nerves you just go in there and do your job." 7 Fisher and Allen face off ahead of their rematch Credit: Getty 7 Allen lost the fight controversially on points Credit: Getty
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
King Charles Opens Up About Cancer at Palace Garden Party
King Charles connected with one of his guests over the shared experience of undergoing cancer treatment during a recent garden party at Buckingham Palace. According to The Telegraph, Stamford Collis, 22, an international relations student at Exeter University who is also undergoing cancer treatment, said, 'He was asking me about the treatment I have starting in June and spoke to me about food and diet. He also asked me if I had undergone radiation treatment, which I had earlier this year.' 'It's sometimes about the diet and what you eat. It can help,' the King said, per the news report. Collis was among more than 7,000 guests at Buckingham Palace on May 14 for a garden party honoring education professionals. The royals' garden party season kicked off on May 7. The sovereign usually hosts a few at Buckingham Palace and at least one at Holyroodhouse in Scotland, honoring members of the public for community service. King Charles first disclosed his cancer diagnosis in February 2024, but Buckingham Palace said they would not be sharing what type of cancer Charles has, only specifying it was not prostate cancer. At the end of last year, a Palace source confirmed to T&C: 'His treatment has been moving in a positive direction and as a managed condition the treatment cycle will continue into next year.' There have been no updates on King Charles's this year, though on a recent outing in Northern Ireland, he shared some advice with cancer patients. During his visit to Ulster University, the King asked those who were undergoing treatment if they were managing to 'survive the side effects alright,' saying, 'You just have to push on, don't you.' The King was later briefly hospitalized in March due to 'temporary side effects" from his ongoing cancer treatment. The Palace did not specify the nature of the side effects. The King has continued to press on with his schedule. Following a short visit to Italy in April, which included a meeting with Pope Francis shortly before his passing, the King and Queen announced they will take undertake a two-day royal visit to Canada between May 26 and 27. The trip will mark King Charles's 20th visit to Canada and Queen Camilla's fifth, with their most recent trip taking place in 2022. It will also be Charles's first time in the country as its head of state. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney invited the King to open Canada's 45th parliament with a Throne Speech. After an election, the new parliamentary session typically opens with the governor general reading the Speech from the Throne on behalf of the prime minister. Delivered in Canada's Senate, the speech outlines the government's agenda. It is rare for the head of state to read the Throne Speech; the last time was in October 1977, when Queen Elizabeth II did so for the second time. Her first was in 1957. You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game
