Latest news with #Poulton
Daily Record
13 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Record
British man living in Benidorm lists parts of life he 'massively hates'
A Brit who has lived in Benidorm has shared the things he hates about the popular holiday destination - and tourists will benefit from knowing about them too Last year, Benidorm saw a whopping 600,000 Brits descend on its white isles – and it's not hard to see why. Reliably good weather, a short flight and vibrant nightlife is such a strong draw that recent figures show that close to a third of visitors to Benidorm are from the United Kingdom. Benidorm is so dominated by Brits, in fact, that it's now packed with home comforts, from British pubs to full English breakfasts and broadcasting of British sports on outdoor screens. Yet, one British expat has highlighted some significant drawbacks to life in the sunny Spanish resort, sharing his gripes in a recent video. Harry Poulton, who offers travel insights and advice to his 40,000 TikTok followers under the handle @harrytokky, didn't hold back in expressing his frustrations. In his latest post, he vents about the aspects of Benidorm that he can't stand - and all of them are handy for tourists to be aware of. The influencer kicks off his rant with: "The fake alcohol drinks on Benidorm beach. Massive hate. You're going to get these people come up to you and try to sell you dodgy alcoholic drinks, and you have no idea where they're being made." He warns: "You don't even know what they're actually putting in these supposed alcoholic cocktails. Absolutely avoid them." Poulton then moves on to take down the infamous "pea-men's scam games" found along the beaches. Explaining the con, he remarks: "These [people] do dodgy games on Benidorm beach, trying to scam you out of your own hard-earned money. Horrible." He also cautions that these scammers often work with pickpockets who take advantage of distracted tourists to steal their belongings. Lastly, he touches on the notorious 'Muggers Alley', particularly criticising the women who are said to linger there hoping to rob tourists. Harry launched into a scathing rant, saying: "They are absolutely dreadful. They are ladies of the night, thieves, and are just crooks. They're going to try and rob you, take your phone. You name it, they're going to steal it." His comments sparked a wave of agreement, with one person sharing a similar experience, saying: "I was in Benidorm last week and they started following me and my family, so we stopped at a shop and they passed." Another claimed to have seen the cocktail vendors "stir them with their fingers" before hiding the "bottle in the bushes". One critic questioned: "Unbelievable! Why do people keep going?". However, the allure of Benidorm remains strong, with pints available for under £1, affordable food, and a party lifestyle - it's little wonder that revellers continue to flock to this Spanish hotspot.
BBC News
03-06-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Poulton-le-Fylde post office saved after campaign by residents
Residents are celebrating after their town's post office has been saved from Post Office in Poulton-le-Fylde, was one of 115 branches under threat of closure despite being described as an "essential lifeline".However, following a campaign backed by Fylde MP Andrew Snowden and Poulton county councillor Alf Clempson, the post office will now be taken over by a new franchise partner from said it was a "clear victory" for Poulton and "testament to what we can achieve when the community stands together", following a petition and several protests. He told BBC Radio Lancashire: "It is always busy; you never walked past it and don't see people going in and out so it was obvious it was an important local service that we needed the campaign to save it."I'm really grateful to over 2,000 residents in Poulton who have engaged with the campaign."It was really good to see the community absolutely rally round this service."Clempson added: "The town has really come together for this campaign because this building and the services it provides are so important." The campaign is not quite over though, added said he has demanded guarantees with Post Office Ltd that no jobs will be lost in the new said: "I will continue to press the post office to deliver on their promises and ensure that Poulton has a reliable, high-quality service at the heart of the town." Listen to the best of BBC Radio Lancashire on Sounds and follow BBC Lancashire on Facebook, X and Instagram. You can also send story ideas via Whatsapp to 0808 100 2230.
Arab Times
08-05-2025
- Science
- Arab Times
Only 0.001% of the ocean floor visually explored, study warns
NEW YORK, May 8: A recent study has revealed that we have a far clearer view of Mars than we do of our own ocean floor, and the disparity is even greater than many might think. The study, published in Science Advances, analyzed data from 43,681 deep-sea dives conducted since 1958, reaching a stunning conclusion: only 0.001% of the deep seafloor has been visually observed. This small percentage covers an area roughly the size of Rhode Island or about one-tenth the size of Belgium, across about 70% of the Earth's surface. With the average depth of the ocean at 12,080 feet (3,682 meters), visual observation is incredibly challenging unless you have access to advanced deep-sea submersibles. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as of June 2024, 26.1% of the global seafloor has been mapped, but visual observations are much rarer. 'This small and biased sample is problematic when attempting to understand and manage the global ocean,' said Susan Poulton, a researcher at the Ocean Discovery League and co-author of the study, in an email to Gizmodo. Scientists estimate that two-thirds of the ocean's species, excluding microorganisms, are still undiscovered. The vast uncharted seafloor offers immense opportunities for new research. However, the study highlights a significant bias in deep-sea exploration. Nearly two-thirds of all visual seafloor observations have occurred within 200 nautical miles of just three countries: the U.S., Japan, and New Zealand. Most of the research has been carried out by institutions from five countries: the U.S., Japan, New Zealand, France, and Germany. "Imagine trying to tell the story of critical environments like the African savanna or the Amazon rainforest using only satellite imagery and DNA samples without ever seeing what lived there," Poulton said. "It wouldn't paint a very complete picture." The study also found a bias towards shallow waters (less than 6,562 feet deep), even though nearly three-quarters of the seafloor lies deeper. Specific features like canyons and escarpments receive most of the attention, while vast undersea ridges and plains remain largely unexplored. The research team stresses the need for a more thorough understanding of the deep sea. It plays an essential role in climate regulation, oxygen production, and medicine, but our limited visual assessment leaves us with a slim picture of this crucial biome. We are missing out on vast amounts of information about the creatures that inhabit these zones and how they contribute to global processes on Earth. Some deep-sea research has been driven by commercial interests, particularly related to deep-sea mining in regions like the Clarion-Clipperton Zone. This has led to the discovery of hundreds of new species and new insights into oxygen production mechanisms. Without commercial interest, much of this research might have been overlooked. The team's findings come in the wake of the Trump administration's push to fast-track deep-sea mining, which could put unstudied species at risk. Recent discoveries of thriving creatures beneath the seafloor have expanded our understanding of where life can exist, and deep-sea mining could disrupt these delicate ecosystems before science has the chance to fully understand them. The study concludes that a global effort is needed to improve the exploration of the deep ocean. At the current pace, it could take more than 100,000 years to visually explore the entire seafloor. The team calls for a 'fundamental change in how we explore and study the global deep ocean.' Currently, ocean policy, climate decisions, and biodiversity assessments are being made with an alarmingly small sample size of knowledge. The study urges innovation and collaboration to improve how we explore the most inaccessible parts of our planet, both for scientific discovery and the preservation of life on Earth.
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Business Standard
08-05-2025
- Science
- Business Standard
Deep sea mystery: 99.999% of Earth's ocean floor still remains unexplored
We have explored towering mountain ranges, mapped deserts, and even sent robots to map volcanoes — but when it comes to the deep ocean, we're still in the dark. A new study has revealed just how little of the ocean floor we have actually seen with our own eyes. A study published in Science Advances analysed data from 43,681 deep-sea dives conducted since 1958 and found that humans have visually examined a mere 0.001 per cent of the ocean beds. That's roughly the size of Rhode Island or one-tenth of Belgium. The ocean's average depth, about 12,080 ft (3,682 m), makes it virtually inaccessible without advanced submersible technology. While around 26.1 per cent of the seafloor has been mapped as of June 2024, visual documentation remains exceptionally limited. 'This small and biased sample is problematic when attempting to characterise, understand, and manage a global ocean,' said Susan Poulton, a researcher at the Ocean Discovery League and co-author of the study, in an email to Gizmodo. An unknown world await below The unexplored seafloor holds immense potential for scientific discovery. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), an estimated two-thirds of the ocean's 700,000 to 1 million species (excluding microbes) have yet to be identified or described. The limited visual data leaves significant gaps in understanding marine biodiversity and how these ecosystems interact with the planet. Nearly two-thirds of all visual observations have occurred within 200 nautical miles of just three countries: the United States, Japan, and New Zealand. Most of the dives have been carried out by institutions from these nations, along with France and Germany. This geographic skew limits the global picture of deep-sea ecosystems. 'Imagine trying to tell the story of critical environments like the African savanna or the Amazon rainforest using only satellite imagery and DNA samples without ever seeing what lived there,' Poulton said. 'It wouldn't paint a very complete picture.' The research also highlights a focus on shallow waters — less than 6,562 ft (2,000 m) deep — despite the fact that most of the ocean floor lies beyond that depth. Regions such as canyons and escarpments are disproportionately studied, while vast expanses like abyssal plains and ridges receive little attention. Deep ocean's crucial role in Earth's systems According to the researchers, better understanding the deep ocean is vital. These regions influence climate patterns, oxygen generation, and even medical discoveries. Yet, humanity has barely begun to investigate them visually. Some breakthroughs have come through commercial exploration. For instance, studies of the Clarion-Clipperton Zone — a site of potential deep-sea mining — has led to the identification of hundreds of new species and even novel oxygen-producing mechanisms. Mining threatens unstudied ecosystems The timing of the study coincides with US policy moves that could escalate threats to these fragile habitats. The US President Donald Trump administration's efforts to accelerate deep-sea mining have raised alarms among scientists. Recently, researchers discovered organisms living beneath the seafloor, expanding our understanding of where life can exist. Such lifeforms may be at risk before they are even formally identified. Call for a global deep-sea exploration strategy The authors emphasise that understanding Earth's largest biome will require broader participation. More countries, institutions, and technological innovations must be brought into the fold. Without a shift in approach, the researchers estimate it could take more than 100,000 years to visually explore the deep seafloor at the current pace. They call for a 'fundamental change in how we explore and study the global deep ocean', according to a statement from the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Until then, critical decisions about climate, biodiversity, and marine policy are being made based on a surprisingly narrow understanding of the ocean's depths. Expanding our reach into this mysterious realm could reshape our knowledge of the planet — and unlock scientific discoveries still waiting in the dark. What is deep sea mining? Deep sea mining is the process of extracting valuable minerals such as copper, nickel, cobalt, and manganese from the ocean floor at depths greater than 200 m. These minerals are found in polymetallic nodules, sulfide deposits near hydrothermal vents, and cobalt-rich crusts on underwater mountains. Mining involves robotic vehicles that collect these resources, which are then transported to the surface for processing. Driven by rising demand for metals used in batteries and renewable energy, deep sea mining is seen as a potential solution to depleting land resources, but it raises significant environmental concerns.
