Some of My Favourite Pictures of Loughor Estuary

Loughor estuary, in its various moods, at different times of the year!

A Moss That Gathers Rolling Water

The Moors for the Future Partnership carried out a 6 year study, evaluating Sphagnum moss's impact on rainwater flow (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2022/sep/30/superhero-sphagnum-moss-save-communities-flooding). 50,000 Sphagnum mosses were planted on Kinder Scout. Kinder Scout (site of a famous 'trespass', to give walkers from Industrial Lancashire countryside access) is the highest point of Derbyshire's (England) Peak District National Park. Peak streamflow is the maximum amount of rainwater entering a river. Presence of Sphagnum, reduced this measure by 65%. Lag time is the period elapsing between rainfall and the rainwater entering a river system. The moss produced an almost 700% increase in lag time. Clearly, encouraging the growing of Sphagnum moss in British upland areas, could greatly reduce flooding risk in lower laying areas. This moss has the added bonus of forming peat, when it dies. Peat is a very effective carbon store, reducing the impact of climate change. Let's hear it for Sphagnum!

Why Don't You Unwind by Taking Me for a Walk?

A study from Queen's University Belfast looked at the ability of dogs to 'sniff out' human stress (https://www.theguardian.com/science/2022/sep/28/dogs-can-detect-people-stressed-research-odour-profile). Four dogs were trained. A stand was employed with 3 containers, each with a perforated lid. The dogs were able to distinguish a container holding a gauze sample impregnated with human sweat and breath from e.g., one holding unused gauze. 36 human subjects were then stressed by being asked to count backwards from 9000 in units of 17. All subjects reported they found this task stressful. 27 confirmed this, by showing increases in blood pressure and heart rate. Just after the task, gauze samples exposed to breath and sweat, were taken from each subject. The dogs were easily able to pick out this sample, when the other 2 containers held unused gauze. These canine Sherlocks could also, however, indicate the stressed sample, when the alternatives included a sample from the same participant, taken just before the task. Subjects, at this time, were more relaxed and presumably smelt different. These dogs actually made a correct choice in almost 94% of trials. Clearly, stress changes human odours and trained dogs can 'sniff out' this alteration. This stress-detecting ability could prove useful, when dogs are employed to deal with emergency situations or used to calm humans.

Run It by Me One More Time: I Still Don't Get It!

I have absolutely no credentials as a 'financial whizz'. Perhaps, the logic behind UK government's plan for economic 'growth', just escapes my tiny intellect. How is growth to be achieved in the UK, by boosting the finances of a tiny percentage of very rich folk, whilst making everyone else very much poorer? The country was already experiencing galloping inflation. Most people were 'feeling the pinch', from the rising energy and food costs. All the mini-budget (or, shades of Putin, 'fiscal event', as it was called) seems to have done, is to make Sterling much weaker against other currencies. This further increases what the country is charged for imports, importantly including oil and gas (costed in dollars). The Bank of England (tasked with controlling inflation) has been forced to quickly increase the interest base rate. This has led to Mortgage companies (who don't know what the final rate will be) to remove many of their schemes for house purchase. The monthly payments of people, who already have a variable rate mortgage, will greatly increase. Experts are predicting a) repossessions; b) declining values of houses and c) increasing charges for rentals. The government's cost of borrowing, reflected in the value of gilts (government IOUs), has also increased. The Bank of England has also been forced to buy up gilts to enable Pension Funds to fulfill their financial obligations. For the vast majority of folk, any tiny 'benefit' from the 'great tax give-away', have been completely swamped by their increasing monthly costs. Are impoverished folk really going to increase their spending? Are entrepreneurs going to borrow to set up new businesses, when costs are so high? The UK PM 'believes' she has the right plan (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2022/sep/29/truss-says-she-has-right-plan-on-economy-mini-budget). This seems to me, to be faith (rather than evidence)- based economics. One of her supporting MPs said it was their duty to lead the population. Surely, not over a financial cliff!

Some of My Favourite Pictures of Tree Leaves

Leaves of trees from a variety of European locations.