Every now and again something that we do ends up in the popular press. Sometimes that is because of press releases, sometimes journalists ask for comments, and sometimes we write the pieces ourselves (such as for The Conversation). I try to keep track of as many as possible here:
Urban green spaces can’t beat climate change on their own Popular Science 19th Feb 2022
I was interviewed as part of this reporting piece on green space and climate solutions. I took the opportunity to advocate for a shift in the scale of thinking from small demonstrations and "pocket parks" to large-scale landscape management changes that are needed for major challenges.
I was interviewed as part of this reporting piece on green space and climate solutions. I took the opportunity to advocate for a shift in the scale of thinking from small demonstrations and "pocket parks" to large-scale landscape management changes that are needed for major challenges.
Animals will struggle to adapt fast enough to cope with climate change, study finds The Conversation 24th July 2019
Keeping up with climate change: animals are falling behind National Student 30th July 2019
Animals Are Not Adapting To Climate Change Fast Enough Medical Daily 24 July 2019
As part of a large team, led by Viktoriia Radchuk in Germany, I was a co-author on a big synthesis paper of responses to climate change. The conclusion was not positive, but (as ever) the results show just how poorly we understand the natural world.
Keeping up with climate change: animals are falling behind National Student 30th July 2019
Animals Are Not Adapting To Climate Change Fast Enough Medical Daily 24 July 2019
As part of a large team, led by Viktoriia Radchuk in Germany, I was a co-author on a big synthesis paper of responses to climate change. The conclusion was not positive, but (as ever) the results show just how poorly we understand the natural world.
Why grasshoppers are invading Las Vegas and how weather radar sees them Forbes 27th July 2019
Insects can be monitored using weather radar The First Newspaper 26th July 2019
Scientists seek to use weather radar to monitor health of insects Enviro News Nigeria 26th July 2019
Using weather radar to monitoring insects The News (Pakistan) 26th July 2019
Sky TV Interview Sky News 28th July 2019
The new buzz: Scientists are using weather radar to devise detailed bug maps Washington Port 23rd September 2019
Scientists seek to use weather radar to monitor insect diversity Xinhua 26th July 2019
These stories covered our launch of the BioDAR Project, designed to use weather radar to monitoring insect abundance and diversity. You can find out more at the project website: www.BioDARProject.org. You can see a very excitable interview with Sky News below:
Insects can be monitored using weather radar The First Newspaper 26th July 2019
Scientists seek to use weather radar to monitor health of insects Enviro News Nigeria 26th July 2019
Using weather radar to monitoring insects The News (Pakistan) 26th July 2019
Sky TV Interview Sky News 28th July 2019
The new buzz: Scientists are using weather radar to devise detailed bug maps Washington Port 23rd September 2019
Scientists seek to use weather radar to monitor insect diversity Xinhua 26th July 2019
These stories covered our launch of the BioDAR Project, designed to use weather radar to monitoring insect abundance and diversity. You can find out more at the project website: www.BioDARProject.org. You can see a very excitable interview with Sky News below:
Climate change and insects BBC Leeds 13th January 2019
Dr Chris Hassall (Biology) appeared on the Paul Hudson Weather Show and explained how non-stinging insects have evolved to mimic their stinging counterparts, to avoid being preyed upon themselves.
Dr Chris Hassall (Biology) appeared on the Paul Hudson Weather Show and explained how non-stinging insects have evolved to mimic their stinging counterparts, to avoid being preyed upon themselves.
To bee or not to bee – why some insects pretend to be dangerous (The Conversation, 20/09/16)
I wrote this piece as an overview of interesting areas of mimicry research when my paper with Doug Moore came out about acoustic mimicry in hoverflies.
I wrote this piece as an overview of interesting areas of mimicry research when my paper with Doug Moore came out about acoustic mimicry in hoverflies.
Introduction to Pint of Science in Leeds BBC Radio Leeds 15th May 2018
I was speaking at the Pint of Science event and gave a quick introduction to the topic with Dr George Holmes and (now Dr) Caroline Ward. We were both talking about conservation biology - me about urban biodiversity and them about the far more intriguing "Fantastical beasts and where to conserve them"!
I was speaking at the Pint of Science event and gave a quick introduction to the topic with Dr George Holmes and (now Dr) Caroline Ward. We were both talking about conservation biology - me about urban biodiversity and them about the far more intriguing "Fantastical beasts and where to conserve them"!
Can artificial grass and fake trees replace our need for ‘real’ nature? (The Conversation, 28/09/16)
We proposed this Conversation article when Martin Dallimer, Ian Kellar and I had a disagreement over whether there was value in astroturf “pop-up parks”. I think we agreed that there was some value, but nothing like nature green space!
We proposed this Conversation article when Martin Dallimer, Ian Kellar and I had a disagreement over whether there was value in astroturf “pop-up parks”. I think we agreed that there was some value, but nothing like nature green space!
150-year-old zombie plants revived after excavating ghost ponds New Scientist 14th July 2017
Scientists Are Digging Up 'Ghost Ponds' And Bringing Zombie Plants Back to Life ScienceAlert, 18th July 2017
I reviewed this paper, as well as examining the PhD student who was the lead author. It’s a fantastic piece of work showing that plants discovered in “ghost ponds” are being revived after lurking underground as dormant seeds for up to 150 years.
Scientists Are Digging Up 'Ghost Ponds' And Bringing Zombie Plants Back to Life ScienceAlert, 18th July 2017
I reviewed this paper, as well as examining the PhD student who was the lead author. It’s a fantastic piece of work showing that plants discovered in “ghost ponds” are being revived after lurking underground as dormant seeds for up to 150 years.
UK water firms admit using divining rods to find leaks and pipes Guardian 21st November 2017
Water firms backtrack on admissions that they use divining rods Guardian 22nd November 2017
UK prospecting companies admit to using the medieval technique of dowsing ZME Science 22nd November 2017
Sally Le Page did a great job hunting down UK water companies that were using dowsing to find leaks. I was asked for a comment and I think the journalist was very pleased when I said that using divining rods to find water underground "isn't a technique, it's witchcraft"... As you can tell from the two Guardian pieces, that seems to have had a fairly immediate impact (see that, REF panel!). Genuinely, though, people should be concerned that 10 out of 12 water companies in the UK are passing on the costs of these unproven practices to their customers.
Water firms backtrack on admissions that they use divining rods Guardian 22nd November 2017
UK prospecting companies admit to using the medieval technique of dowsing ZME Science 22nd November 2017
Sally Le Page did a great job hunting down UK water companies that were using dowsing to find leaks. I was asked for a comment and I think the journalist was very pleased when I said that using divining rods to find water underground "isn't a technique, it's witchcraft"... As you can tell from the two Guardian pieces, that seems to have had a fairly immediate impact (see that, REF panel!). Genuinely, though, people should be concerned that 10 out of 12 water companies in the UK are passing on the costs of these unproven practices to their customers.
Why the summer sound of noisy crickets is growing fainter The Conversation, 9th August 2018
We're losing the sound of crickets chirping in the summer Treehugger.com
The silence of the crickets i Paper 15th August
Dr Chris Hassall (Biology - FBS) writes this article about why some scientists are turning to “soundscape ecology” or “ecoacoustics” as tools to understanding the changing natural world. The iPaper printed the article.
We're losing the sound of crickets chirping in the summer Treehugger.com
The silence of the crickets i Paper 15th August
Dr Chris Hassall (Biology - FBS) writes this article about why some scientists are turning to “soundscape ecology” or “ecoacoustics” as tools to understanding the changing natural world. The iPaper printed the article.
Carleton researcher probes the (indefatigable) sex lives of damselflies Ottawa Citizen, 17th July 2015
Secret sex life of damselflies revealed: Age is no barrier to love-making Daily Express, 16th July 2015
Age doesn’t dull damselfly sex Red Orbit, 16th July 2015
The Daily Express picked up on our recent piece on damselfly reproductive senescence (or the lack thereof). The author had some fun with it: “GOOD news: the older you get, the better the sex. Bad news: it only applies if you’re an azure damselfly.”
Secret sex life of damselflies revealed: Age is no barrier to love-making Daily Express, 16th July 2015
Age doesn’t dull damselfly sex Red Orbit, 16th July 2015
The Daily Express picked up on our recent piece on damselfly reproductive senescence (or the lack thereof). The author had some fun with it: “GOOD news: the older you get, the better the sex. Bad news: it only applies if you’re an azure damselfly.”
Who would win in a fight between a rhino and a tiger? BBC Radio Leeds, 22nd August 2014
A fluffy little piece in the lead-up to the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley between the Leeds Rhinos and the Castleford Tigers. Apparently I’m getting a reputation for taking these things on, and it was a good opportunity to talk about nature and science on local radio.
A fluffy little piece in the lead-up to the Challenge Cup Final at Wembley between the Leeds Rhinos and the Castleford Tigers. Apparently I’m getting a reputation for taking these things on, and it was a good opportunity to talk about nature and science on local radio.
How Edge Camouflage Fools the Eye Live Science, 25th October 2013
Invisible: The high-vis trick that blinds the eye New Scientist, 24th March 2014
Ed Yong at New Scientist covered Richard Webster’s Biology Letters paper, calling it “the first real insights into just how [disruptive colouration] works…” Live Science covered the work, with some quotes from me.
Invisible: The high-vis trick that blinds the eye New Scientist, 24th March 2014
Ed Yong at New Scientist covered Richard Webster’s Biology Letters paper, calling it “the first real insights into just how [disruptive colouration] works…” Live Science covered the work, with some quotes from me.
Digital revolution could lead to creation of thousands of jobs Yorkshire Evening Post, 26th April 2013
I was tangential to the main piece – talking about how Big Data can help wildlife conservation – but I still got my ugly mug and a bit about my work in the YEP.
I was tangential to the main piece – talking about how Big Data can help wildlife conservation – but I still got my ugly mug and a bit about my work in the YEP.
Researchers solve Darwin’s evolution of mimicry puzzle BBC News, 21st March 2012
Mimikry im Tierreich: Kleine nehmen’s ungenau Die Zeit, 25th March 2012
As hoverflies grow, so do their acting skills New York Times, 21st March 2012
A fly’s imperfect disguise Science NOW, 21st March 2012
Coverage of my paper with Heather Penney, Tom Sherratt, Kevin Abbott and Jeff Skevington in Nature. See my blog post where I explain the paper and the findings. You’ll have to try Google Translate for the English version of the Die Zeit piece!
Mimikry im Tierreich: Kleine nehmen’s ungenau Die Zeit, 25th March 2012
As hoverflies grow, so do their acting skills New York Times, 21st March 2012
A fly’s imperfect disguise Science NOW, 21st March 2012
Coverage of my paper with Heather Penney, Tom Sherratt, Kevin Abbott and Jeff Skevington in Nature. See my blog post where I explain the paper and the findings. You’ll have to try Google Translate for the English version of the Die Zeit piece!
“Citizens’ groups trying to purrrge feral-cat problem” Ottawa Citizen and Time Colonist, 15th January 2012
Some time ago, I was featured on a Skeptic North blog post about the control of feral cats using a technique called “trap-neuter-release”. It was an off-the-cuff review of some claims made about TNR by a group of conservation biologists, published in a highly respected journal, in response to an inquiry from a member of the public concerning TNR. A reporter from PostMedia then got in touch, who told me that he was writing a story about the use of TNR to control Canadian feral cat populations nationwide. Chris went back and took another look at the literature and gave his opinion. The journalist did a reasonable good job in balancing what is a fairly undecided issue.
Some time ago, I was featured on a Skeptic North blog post about the control of feral cats using a technique called “trap-neuter-release”. It was an off-the-cuff review of some claims made about TNR by a group of conservation biologists, published in a highly respected journal, in response to an inquiry from a member of the public concerning TNR. A reporter from PostMedia then got in touch, who told me that he was writing a story about the use of TNR to control Canadian feral cat populations nationwide. Chris went back and took another look at the literature and gave his opinion. The journalist did a reasonable good job in balancing what is a fairly undecided issue.
“Healthy, parasite-free people are smarter, researchers say” Toronto 24h, 26th September 2011
“Healthy people are smarter: study” Ottawa Sun, 22nd September 2011
“Why is average IQ higher in Massachusetts than Louisiana?” Washington Post, 16th September 2011
“Why is average IQ higher in some places?” Scientific American, 6th September 2011
The original SciAm piece was written by Christopher Eppig – the lead author of the original study that showed a link between IQ and parasites. Eppig cited our study in his piece as being supportive of his previous findings (which it certainly is). Eppig and colleagues (who published the original paper on the link between IQ and parasites) published a second paper using a similar dataset of IQ scores and health data, this time limiting their analysis to the US states. They found approximately the same patterns, which is surprising given the smaller variation in IQ scores and parasites. The Ottawa Sun and Toronto 24h picked up on my paper with Tom Sherratt on the relationship between IQ and parasites. The title isn’t quite accurate, but it conveys at least part of the message of the paper. Also, this title is better than the title that appeared in print: “Nasty bugs eat away at IQ”… Toronto 24h also published a piece on the IQ paper. Again, the journalist picked up on the correlation for the title, but the content of the piece was pretty well balanced. The author detailed the range of hypotheses, the reasons for an association between IQ and race, and finally a closing remark about the importance of health care in cognitive development.
“Healthy people are smarter: study” Ottawa Sun, 22nd September 2011
“Why is average IQ higher in Massachusetts than Louisiana?” Washington Post, 16th September 2011
“Why is average IQ higher in some places?” Scientific American, 6th September 2011
The original SciAm piece was written by Christopher Eppig – the lead author of the original study that showed a link between IQ and parasites. Eppig cited our study in his piece as being supportive of his previous findings (which it certainly is). Eppig and colleagues (who published the original paper on the link between IQ and parasites) published a second paper using a similar dataset of IQ scores and health data, this time limiting their analysis to the US states. They found approximately the same patterns, which is surprising given the smaller variation in IQ scores and parasites. The Ottawa Sun and Toronto 24h picked up on my paper with Tom Sherratt on the relationship between IQ and parasites. The title isn’t quite accurate, but it conveys at least part of the message of the paper. Also, this title is better than the title that appeared in print: “Nasty bugs eat away at IQ”… Toronto 24h also published a piece on the IQ paper. Again, the journalist picked up on the correlation for the title, but the content of the piece was pretty well balanced. The author detailed the range of hypotheses, the reasons for an association between IQ and race, and finally a closing remark about the importance of health care in cognitive development.
