Nature
Tackling environmental waste by engineering microbes to clean up after us
Nikolaus Muldal, microbiology graduate from the University of Sheffield, sheds light on the exciting field of synthetic biology and how it might help us clean up our environment. Imagine the scene: 640 Olympic sized swimming pools overflowing with plastic rubbish. One group of researchers found this to be an unfortunate reality with over four million … Continue reading
Hooke, my hero. Micrographia, my Bible.
By Cath Hodsman, entomological artist. The Royal Society of Biology is running an insect life-cycles microscopy art course in partnership with Cath Hodsman on 23rd October 2015. This year celebrates a landmark anniversary that has helped define me as both a person and a professional. It is 350 years since the scientist Robert Hooke published … Continue reading
Mythbuster: Do carrots really help you see in the dark?
By Grace Paget, science writer. It’s long been said that carrots help you to see in the dark, but it has become synonymous with encouraging children to eat their vegetables in the hope that they will gain the power that is night vision! Like all ‘old wives’ tales’ and myths, there’s often some truth in … Continue reading
Fungal foes forge ahead
Dr Helen Fones, Associate Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, discusses fungi; the not-so ‘mundane monsters’. As part of Biology Week, the British Mycological Society‘s UK Fungus Day is hosting events across the UK and Ireland around 10th & 11th October. People are strange. A striking example of that strangeness can be seen in the … Continue reading
Fungi fight club!
Professor Lynne Boddy FRSB, Cardiff University, discusses one of her favourite subjects: fungus wars. As part of Biology Week, the British Mycological Society‘s UK Fungus Day is hosting events across the UK and Ireland around 10th & 11th October. Fungi rarely live alone, so they frequently encounter other fungi, bacteria and invertebrates, and sometimes vertebrates too. … Continue reading
Is organic food better for you and for the environment?
By Professor Nigel Brown FRSB, President of the Microbiology Society. There is a considerable amount of concern about the use of pesticides and herbicides in the environment, and specifically their use on the food we eat. There is no doubt that we need to prevent insects and microbes from damaging our food crops and different … Continue reading
Composting: recycling for the future
Dr Geoff Robson FRSB, senior lecturer at the University of Manchester discusses the role or fungi in composting. As part of Biology Week, the British Mycological Society‘s UK Fungus Day is hosting events across the UK and Ireland around 10th & 11th October. As I watched a JCB disassemble a 10m high compost heap so … Continue reading
Fungal Sat Nav
Dr Alexandra Brand FRSB, Research Fellow at the University of Aberdeen discusses her research into fungal cells with a built-in navigation system. As part of Biology Week, the British Mycological Society‘s UK Fungus Day is hosting events across the UK and Ireland around 10th & 11th October. Fungi are microbes that permeate the world around … Continue reading
Genetically Modified Organisms (Part 1) – What are they?
By Professor Nigel Brown FRSB, President of the Society for General Microbiology. The abbreviation GMO means Genetically-Modified Organism and these can be plants, animals or microorganisms. They are made by adding new genetic material to an organism. The genetic material is DNA, often obtained from a very different organism or chemically synthesised. In either case … Continue reading
What do you mean ‘it’s unnatural’?
By Anna Wilkinson, Programme Officer, Nuffield Council on Bioethics Nature is important to us. Most people agree we need to take care of the natural environment and it is only the hardest of hearts that finds themselves unmoved by the beauty and complexity of the natural the world. Caring about naturalness might be different though. … Continue reading