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The wood wide web: How trees talk to each other

The wood wide web, coined and discovered by Dr. Suzanne Simard in 1990, is the intricate process of how trees talk and help each other. More specifically, it is a complex underground web of roots and mycorrhizal fungi that connect trees and other plants to one another.   “At the time, lots of people in […]

10 Future Jobs of 2040

The world as it is now is changing and our society will change with it. But what sort of jobs will our children have in this future? In an age of innovation, the only limit is our imagination but here is a short list of  STEAM related jobs that are likely to be vital in […]

Let’s bee kind: 10 ways to help bees

Bees are in serious decline in the UK and globally. We have already lost around 13 species and another 35 are currently at risk, but we have 10 ways that you can help save our buzzy buddies. 1. Buy Local Honey Local honey will be prepared by local beekeepers. This keeps food miles down and […]

What makes a flower? The four key parts of flower anatomy.

What is a flower? A flower is the reproductive structure of flowering plants. Many flowers that rely on pollinators, such as birds, butterflies and bees, have evolved to have brightly coloured petals and appealing scents as a way to attract their attention. Although all flowers are different, they have four main parts that make up […]

How do bees communicate? It’s un-BEE-lievable!

Bees are intelligent, and like other intelligent creatures they communicate with one another. Different creatures communicate differently, for instance we use words and dolphins use clicks, but bees use three different ways to talk to each other. The honey bee (genus Apis) has only eight surviving species that are recognized today, with a total of 43 […]

EGG-straordinary penguins and their eggs

The life of a penguin is not an easy one. Living outside in freezing -60 degrees weather and keeping an eye out for predators is as difficult as it sounds, and when you add needing to keep an egg at a sweltering 36 degrees through all of this… it sounds tough. But penguins are incredible […]

Can penguin poo tell the effects of climate change?

Can penguin poo tell the effects of climate change? Scientists from the Milner Centre for Evolution have just returned from a month-long expedition studying penguin colonies in the Antarctic. Dr Jane Younger, Prize Fellow and Lecturer in the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath co-led the expedition with Dr Gemma Clucas, a […]

Why do some mammals lay eggs?

The question of why some mammals lay eggs, among other questions, has been answered in a study in 2021 that looked at monotreme (egg-laying mammal) DNA. Researchers sequenced the genomes of platypuses (and echidnas) and compared them to that of chickens, humans, rats, Tasmanian devils, and lizards to “[improve] our understanding of how other mammals […]