Conservation
Video: Can we rely on honeybees for pollination?
By Rebecca Nesbit, press officer at the Society of Biology Insect pollination improves production in around 75% of global crops, and both wild pollinators and managed honeybees are important. Recently, EU agricultural and biofuel policies have led to an increased area of insect pollinated crops. But do we have enough honeybees to pollinate them? In … Continue reading
Vulture culture – the bald facts
Mark Leach, the Society of Biology’s membership marketing manager learns all about vultures. As is often the way of these things, (particularly when you work for the Society of Biology) a random office conversation got us talking about vultures. Always with an eye on my next project, Rebecca Nesbit pointed me towards the internet, with … Continue reading
2013 science policy highlights – haymeadows in Transylvania
Laura Bellingan, the Society of Biology’s head of policy, looks back on her trip to Transylvania to visit senior policy advisor Barbara Knowles. Barbara has worked to protect Romanian haymeadows and communicate about science, with her Motor Neurone Disease as no barrier. Looking back over the year a large number of policy relevant stories and … Continue reading
Species of the Week: The Malayan Tiger
In 2004, the Malayan Tiger, was welcomed as its own subspecies after careful consideration of genetics and measurements from the closely related subspecies Panthera tigris corbetti, the tigers of Singapore. The Malayan Tiger is exclusively found in the Malay Peninsula, and there are estimated to be approximately 500 in existence. Unfortunately, tiger numbers continue … Continue reading
Climate change – it is not just cutting emissions, there is biological preservation too
Jonathan Cowie was the Institute of Biology’s publication manager from the late 1980s through to the early 2000s, and also, for a while, its head of science policy. On Thursday 14th November he will be delivering a talk, hosted by the London branch of the Society of Biology at Charles Darwin House, in which he … Continue reading
Conservation in action: the road to recovery
Kathryn Pintus, content officer at ARKive (the website-based initiative of the wildlife charity Wildscreen), takes a look to see which endangered species are on the road to recovery From saving the world’s most threatened species of sea turtle to bringing unusual amphibians back from the brink of extinction, no conservation challenge is a lost cause … Continue reading
“Genetic Art”- using science to save species
Guest post from Darrin Grandmason, founder of genetic art company DNA on a SHIRT. Grandmason is currently using his genetic art to help save the endangered cheetah. A common conversation ice-breaker is “What do you do?” After answering this question too many times, I figured out the best answer. That is what I tell people: “I’m … Continue reading
Sometimes you need your own space – DIY for solitary bees
In advance of Professor Adam Hart’s 24 hour lecturethon, David Urry from the Society of Biology shares his experiences of building a bee hotel. I am not the most practically minded person in the world, but I do enjoy a bit of D.I.Y. After coming across an old picture frame and backing board in the … Continue reading
Would you like termites with that?
Lauren Hoskin is a recent graduate in microbiology. She is interested in a career in science communication and writes for her own blog, Science Says as well as for the Student Hubs blog. Many problems faced by humans do not have simple answers, especially in the area of food security. How will we feed nine … Continue reading
The meadows of Transylvania – a biodiversity hotspot
Dr Barbara Knowles FSB, Senior Science Policy Adviser at the Society of Biology, devotes much of her time to preserving Transylvania’s hay meadows. Dr Laura Bellingan FSB, Head of Policy at the Society of Biology, visited her recently and has written about her experience: If I’m asked to think of biodiversity hot-spots worthy of conservation, wilderness … Continue reading