Latest news with #UniversityOfGlasgow
The Guardian
a day ago
- Sport
- The Guardian
Archaeologists to excavate Glasgow skatepark – with help from skaters
Scotland's first outdoor skatepark – currently buried beneath rubble in Glasgow's Kelvingrove Park – will be excavated next week in an attempt to preserve its legacy. Archaeologists at the University of Glasgow are inviting volunteers to join them as they begin their excavation and survey work at the former Kelvin Wheelies park, which has been underground for more than three decades. Incorporating a dual slalom run, half-pipe and runoff bowls, Kelvin Wheelies was considered a radical design when it opened in May 1978, hosting the first Scottish Skateboard Championships later that year and attracting pro-skaters from across the UK. But a dip in popularity, coinciding with concerns about maintenance and safety, led to its closure in 1984, and now only a few top sections of concrete remain visible at the site, which is overgrown with trees and shrubs. Dr Kenny Brophy, senior lecturer in archaeology at the University of Glasgow and project leader, said the excavation, which is in partnership with the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, was a unique opportunity to explore part of the city's modern sporting heritage. 'Glasgow city council spent £100,000 building it, which was a large investment at the time and it was designed with skaters in mind, and for teenagers who were involved in an activity that many people deemed to be antisocial and marginal,' he said. While skateboarding will become a mandatory Olympic sport for the first time at the 2028 summer games, having been discretionary in 2020 and 2024, back then it was 'a really important grassroots sport that engaged hundreds of young people'. Next week's field work, using hand tools rather than heavy machinery, will dig trenches to expose area of the concrete and hopefully some original 80s graffiti. 'In the same way as if you were excavating a round barrel from the bronze age, you want to extract as much information as possible from an achievable area,' Brophy said. Brophy, along with students and volunteers from Archaeology Scotland's New Audiences programme, will also be digging with former park users. 'It's such a rare opportunity for an archeologist that we'll be digging the site with people that used it,' he said. 'We'll have skateboarders on site who used the park as teenagers and will be re-living that experience at the end of a trowel.' Jamie Blair, owner of Glasgow-based skateboarding shop Clan Skates and a former Scottish skateboard champion, will be one of them. 'When Kelvin Wheelies opened in 1978, skaters from all over the UK flocked to this radical new facility. A park team was formed and for the next few years Glasgow was the dominant force in Scottish skateboarding,' said Blair. 'I'm thrilled that through this project we have a chance to rediscover it.'
Daily Mail
a day ago
- Science
- Daily Mail
Scientists are baffled by an ‘exponential' increase in whale and dolphin strandings in Britain – as they reveal the surprising potential causes
Scientists have been baffled by an 'exponential' increase in whale and dolphin strandings in Britain. Over the last 30 years, the number of whales, dolphins, and porpoises becoming stuck on Scottish beaches has risen from 100 per year to over 300. In some species, such as common dolphins, rates of strandings are now up more than 800 per cent. Researchers from the University of Glasgow 's Scottish marine animal stranding scheme (SMASS) are investigating what might be behind the rise, but say the cause is uncertain. SMASS's report comes after a wave of unprecedented mass beaching incidents, during which 150 animals have mass stranded in Scotland so far this year. In a new paper, published in Scientific Reports, the researchers say that chemical, plastic, and noise pollution might be part of the problem. Likewise, a rise in animals becoming accidentally entangled in fishing gear could be driving more whales and dolphins into trouble. Some species, such as the deep–diving beaked whales and pilot whales, may also be driven close to shore as climate change alters their prey's distribution. Stranding occurs when marine mammals swim close to shore and find themselves trapped in shallow water, often leading to death or injury. Between 1992 and 2022, 5,140 marine mammals were recorded becoming stranded on Scottish beaches. More than half of those strandings included harbour porpoises, with 2,676 becoming trapped on beaches. Pelagic dolphins, a group of ocean–dwelling dolphins, were the second most common, with 1,217 strandings. Common dolphins made up a further 492 strandings, while baleen whales – a group of filter–feeders including minke and humpback whales – were stranded 489 times. The steepest rises were found among common dolphins and baleen whales, with strandings rising exponentially from 2010 onwards. Deep–diving animals like sperm whales and pelagic dolphins showed steady, but slower, rates of increase. Lead author Dr Rachel Lennon told Daily Mail: 'The sharp rise in strandings is certainly concerning, particularly for baleen whales and common dolphins. In 2023, a pod of 55 pilot whales were found beached on the shore of Traigh Mhor beach on the Isle of Lewis in Northwest Scotland (pictured). Scientists say that the number of mass beaching incidents could be a serious concern for whale populations 'The key question now is why this is happening. If the rise simply reflects increasing populations, then it may be less alarming. 'But if it is being driven by threats such as entanglement or other human pressures, then it represents a serious conservation concern.' The researchers say that the exponential increase in stranding events is likely due to a combination of different factors. 'These animals are facing increasing threats in our waters, including chemical, plastic and noise pollution, bycatch, and entanglement,' says Dr Lennon. Noise pollution is a particular cause for concern since it can disorient animals and disrupt their communications. Dr Lennon points to one incident in 2018 when a single sound source caused the mass beaching of 118 beaked whales across Scotland and Ireland. Some studies have also linked mass strandings to military sonar use, but Dr Lennon says this was not the case for the strandings in the current study. Strandings may also be on the up because there are simply more animals in Scottish waters. Following the end of whaling, populations of baleen whales like minke whales and humpback whales have been increasing. Dr Lennon adds: 'Common dolphins, which are traditionally found further south, have shifted north into Scottish waters, likely in response to warming seas as a result of climate change.' Likewise, the study found that juveniles make up an increasing number of sperm whales found beached. The researchers argue that this suggests 'a potential shift in habitat use, with younger individuals being driven northwards, potentially in response to climate–induced shifts in target prey.' Similarly, increasing participation in citizen science projects like SMASS's BeachTrack app is increasing the frequency at which beachings are recorded. However, Dr Lennon stresses that the public plays a vital role in helping to understand, and eventually, prevent beachings. She says: 'Reports from the public are the primary way we collect data on cetacean strandings, making them integral to marine mammal monitoring. 'Knowing where and when people are looking gives us valuable context for understanding what we might be missing and how complete our coverage is so that we can better protect these animals.' HUMPBACK WHALE POPULATIONS AND THEIR THREATS Humpback whales live in oceans around the world. They travel incredible distances every year and have one of the longest migrations of any mammal on the planet. Some populations swim 5,000 miles from tropical breeding grounds to colder, plentiful feeding grounds - this is why it is difficult to estimate population size, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Of the 14 distinct populations, 12 are estimated to number more than 2,000 humpback whales each and two are estimated to number fewer than 2,000. Some populations (such as those off eastern and western Australia) are believed to number in excess of 20,000 animals—a remarkable recovery given that the same populations were almost eradicated by whaling almost sixty years ago. By contrast, the smallest known population is one which inhabits the Arabian Sea year-round, and may number as few as 80 individuals. Threats to humpback whales include decline in food like Krill due to a combination of climate change and industrial-scale fishing. Humpback whales can become entangled by many different gear types including moorings, traps, pots, or gillnets. Once entangled, if they are able to move the gear, the whale may drag and swim with attached gear for long distances, ultimately resulting in fatigue, compromised feeding ability, or severe injury. There is evidence to suggest that most humpback whales experience entanglement over the course of their lives, but are often able to shed the gear on their own. Inadvertent vessel strikes can injure or kill humpback whales. Humpback whales are vulnerable to vessel strikes throughout their range, but the risk is much higher in some coastal areas with heavy ship traffic. Underwater noise threatens whale populations, interrupting their normal behaviour and driving them away from areas important to their survival. Sound has been shown to increase stress hormones in their system and mask the natural sounds humpback whales require to communicate and locate prey.
The Guardian
2 days ago
- Science
- The Guardian
Dramatic rise in whale and marine mammal strandings in Scotland
The number of marine mammals stranded in Scotland has risen dramatically in the past 30 years, a study has found. From 1992 to 2022, 5,147 cetaceans died on Scottish shores, and a new paper shows steep increases in the rate of strandings of up to 800% in some species, continuing exponentially every year. The paper, by the University of Glasgow's Scottish marine animal stranding scheme (Smass), follows this summer's extraordinary sequence of rarely seen, deep-diving whale species stranding on northern European shores. Over a period of just over two weeks, 36 beaked whales and pilot whales were found in locations from western and southern Ireland to Orkney, Norfolk, the Netherlands and southern Sweden. The animals appeared to have entered shallow seas where they could not forage for their usual foods such as deep-sea squid. The widespread locations of these events is provoking serious concern, especially among volunteer groups who work to save the stranded whales – without success, in all of the above cases. 'Clusters of beaked whales should raise suspicions,' said Dr Andrew Brownlow, the director of Smass. It is believed that sonic disturbance can cause deep-diving whales to strand. Rachel Lennon, the lead author of the paper published in the journal Scientific Reports, said that in Scotland 'sources of anthropogenic noise are abundant, including seismic survey air guns and drilling from industrial construction'. The new paper does not cite concerns that military sonar exercises in the open ocean are a known factor in such events. Brownlow noted that a 'globally unprecendented number' of 118 stranded beaked whales off Ireland and western Scotland in 2018 was traced to a single sound source off the continental shelf. The paper appears only weeks after Smass scientists attended the strandings of four northern bottlenose whales – another beaked whale species – and a pod of 23 pilot whales on the Orkney islands. The pilot whale stranding came almost exactly a year after a record 77 of the same species stranded on the same Orkney beach. A total of 150 animals have mass stranded off Scotland this year. Smass scientists are also concerned that the number of stranded baleen whales such as fin, minke and humpback whales has risen sharply over the survey period. This may be due to more animals moving north as waters warm due to climate breakdown. It may also be a delayed result of the cessation of whale hunting – Lennon noted that 'as populations begin to recover from the impacts of historic whaling, reports of entanglement have increased'. As surface feeders, baleen whales are prone to being caught in fishing gear, leading to protracted deaths from starvation or infection. The paper also shows an increase in the number of stranded common dolphins and harbour porpoises, which can be vulnerable to collisions with leisure craft. Sign up to Down to Earth The planet's most important stories. Get all the week's environment news - the good, the bad and the essential after newsletter promotion The 30-year report shows that stranded whales and dolphins act as 'sentinels' – visible warning signs of how human activity is affecting the marine environment. 'Clearly the oceans are changing,' Brownlow said, 'and Scotland is on the edge of this flux. We now get sperm whales calving off our shores whereas we never saw females in these northern waters before. Beaked whales only used to be recorded in small numbers in the autumn. Temperature, salinity, distribution of prey, oceanic heatwaves – the pattern is moving, and we need to be better at working out where these animals are, and when. 'This is the new normal, and we must tread as softly as we can.'
BBC News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Scotland's first skatepark to be dug up by archaeologists
For five years it hosted the country's finest and keenest skateboarders, witnessing flips and tricks as a new subculture boomed in Scotland's first ever skatepark is to be resurrected by a team of archaeologists hoping to preserve the site's University of Glasgow team will work with volunteers and students to undertake excavation and survey work at the former Kelvin Wheelies park in Kelvingrove Kenny Brophy of the university said the project represented a chance to make sure the skatepark did not become forgotten or lost to history. Members of the public are being asked to share memories, video and photographs of the Kelvin Wheelies, helping to create an online skatepark - which at the time was considered state of the art - opened in May 1978 and featured bowls, a slalom run and a half-pipe, all with names like Jaws, Torpedo and cost £1.80 for three hours and the venue was initially a huge hit, hosting the 1978 Scottish Skateboard Championships - the country's first ever national skateboarding competition. However, concern about maintenance costs and safety led to the park's closure and then burial in 1983, just five years after opening. Jamie Blair, the owner of Glasgow-based skateboarding shop Clan Skates and a former member of the Kelvingrove skateboard team, said he was thrilled that skaters have a chance to rediscover it recalled: "When Kelvin Wheelies opened in 1978, skaters from all over the UK flocked to this radical new facility. "A park team was formed and for the next few years Glasgow was the dominant force in Scottish skateboarding. "Sadly, a dip in skateboarding's popularity in the early 1980s and the construction of a rival skatepark in Livingston saw a decline."Elements of the original site remain visible near the modern skatepark in Kelvingrove Park. However, there is currently no information available to explain the significance of the site to Kelvingrove visitors or users of the modern skatepark. 'A place that was so special to people' Dr Kenny Brophy, senior lecturer in archaeology at the University of Glasgow and project leader, called the revival a unique opportunity. He said: "There is a very real danger that this skatepark, a place that was so special for hundreds of young people just decades ago, will become forgotten and lost. "Contemporary archaeology allows us the opportunity to explore even fairly recent events and places to jog memories. "In the case of Kelvin Wheelies, this is a unique opportunity for a generation of skateboarders to relive the excitement of their youth and excavate their own memories of a place that was so special to them."The fieldwork will last from 25-29 August and is being supported by the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, which provided a £1,102 grant. Skateboarding has risen again in popularity during the past 30 years, fuelled by popular computer sport made its Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020, and featured again at the Paris Olympics last year.
The Sun
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
I'm a mathematician – the winning formula to scooping the entire £119m Euromillions jackpot TONIGHT
FROM a country mansion to a shopping spree in Selfridges, what have you fantasised about splashing your Euromillions cash on? Winning the £119 million prize tonight would make your fantasy a reality - and Sun readers can boost their chances of scooping the ENTIRE jackpot thanks to maths lottery expert David Hodge's tips. 3 Dr David Hodge is a lecturer in statistics and data analytics at the University of Glasgow. He's also been a Royal Statistical Stats Ambassador since 2018, and is a well-known probability expert. He has revealed how to increase the chances of walking away with all the money in the Euromillions game tonight. With millions of us buying a ticket each week, you'll need all the help you can get battling it out against other hopeful players for the huge £119 million prize that's up for grabs. There have been huge jackpots available recently - a record-breaking £208million prize that was won by a lucky Irish ticket holder last month. You pick five numbers from 1-50 and two lucky stars from 1-12, or you can choose a lucky dip - which is when the numbers are randomly selected for you. If someone scoops the jackpot tonight, they would become instantly richer than the likes of Daniel Radcliffe, Dua Lipa or Harry Kane. Here, David exclusively shares his golden tips for picking the winning numbers. Of course, the only real way of increasing your chances of winning is to buy more tickets. Make sure you gamble responsibly and only gamble with money you can afford to lose. Set a money limit before playing. If you need advice, visit or Pick 'boring' numbers Statistically, each number has an equal chance of being drawn, so there is no such thing as a "lucky" number. David said the trick is to pick numbers that players are least likely to pick to increase your chances of keeping the entire prize - and not sharing it among other winners. He tells Sun money: "Any prize could be theoretically shared, so you will want to be the only one who wins if you do win. "So that means you need your numbers not to be other people's numbers. That means avoiding number patterns." David advises players to pick "boring" numbers. Those are numbers that do not stand out in any way. It's more likely that people will pick the top five most frequently drawn numbers, for example, which are: 21, 23, 42, 29 and 17. That's because people are likely to think they are "lucky" and have a higher chance of being drawn. Boring numbers are those which have been drawn an average number of times. Picking 37, which has been drawn a mediocre 91 times, could be a good option. So could 24 and 13, which have also been drawn 91 times, as well as 32, which has been drawn 90 times. "Pick the ones that look boring and that people won't be interested in," David adds. Never choose "overdue" numbers The same principle applies to "overdue" numbers. These are the numbers which have been drawn the least in EuroMillions games. David said players may be more tempted to pick these numbers on their ticket, hoping they will come up in tonight's game. "People might look for numbers that haven't come up very often, because they think they're due to come up soon," said David. "This is nonsense, because past numbers have no effect on what's going to happen in the future." The top five numbers drawn the least are: 40, 18, 43, 4 and 1. Picking "weird" combinations is a mistake Thinking of picking 1,2,3,4,5 because you reckon no one else will? You might think weird number combinations like these will increase your likelihood of not having to share the pot of prize winnings among other players. But you're wrong, according to David. "That sequence - 1,2,3,4,5 - is actually more popular than you might think," he said. "If you think something is a weird combination, it's likely that other people will think it's weird too, and will likely pick that combination too. "That's because your brain holds onto anything that fits some kind of pattern." So if you're picking combinations of numbers like 2,4,6,8,10, or 5,10,15,20,25, the chances are that other people are picking the exact same numbers too. 'I won £1 million on Euromillions - I've spent it on holidays to Dubai and Mauritius' RUTH Breen was on her lunch break when she found out she won £1 million on the Euromillions. Ruth won in 2014, and spent the cash on luxury trips to destinations like Dubai, St Lucia and Mauritius. Speaking last year about her win, Ruth said: " "An awful lot has changed in the past 10 years but then again, not so much. "The win came at the most perfect time ever. It allowed me to reduce my working hours, giving me a much better work-life balance." Ruth now works part-time as a nurse, and spends more time with her daughter doing "fun mum things". Her first purchase following her mega win was a pair of Jimmy Choos. Ruth said: "I nearly cried when I was paying for them in Selfridges because I couldn't believe I was actually able to purchase this and I had the money to do it. 'It was a little bit overwhelming." Ruth still lives in the house she bought just before her win and says most of the new mothers she works with are unaware they are being looked after by a millionaire. Why a lucky dip really could be lucky The key is to avoid number patterns on your Euromillions ticket. That's because it's more likely that players will be picking the same combination as you. Again, if you are lucky enough to win, that means a larger number of players to share the pot with. The best way of avoiding patterns, according to David, is to pick a lucky dip. He says: "Humans are notoriously bad at picking random numbers. "So it's likely that your attempt at picking five truly random numbers will probably fail. "The best thing to do is get a computer to pick random numbers - which is what a Lucky Dip does." A lucky dip also removes the likelihood of becoming "wedded" to your numbers. "The key is not to be biased towards any number," David said.
