Professor P.Brain's blog: July 2024

Wednesday 3 July 2024

What's In a Critter's Name? 215. Ruddy duck

This North American duck was purely named because of its reddish plumage. It's, however, also a nuisance as, in Europe, its males are very attractive to endangered female White-headed ducks. Hybridization!

What's In a Critter's Name? 214. Garganey

This name appears to be from the 17th Century Lombard word 'gargenei'. Perhaps, ultimately, the Late Latin 'gargala' (tracheal artery) from the mark on the neck.

What's In a Critter's Name? 213. Gadwall

One suggestion is that this bird's name has links to the Anglo Saxon 'gad' (a point). It could be a reference to the tooth-like projections on the edge of this duck's mandible.

Tuesday 2 July 2024

Is Climate Change Political 'Marmite'?

'Marmite' (Vegemite in Australia) is a yeast spread that people either love or hate. Climate change seems to have become a 'Marmite' for many of the parties in the impending UK general election. At least 30 Reform candidates have actually cast doubt on whether human-mediated global heating exists (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jul/01/at-least-30-reform-candidates-have-cast-doubt-on-human-induced-global-heating). The currently-ruling Conservative party, was buoyed earlier by a byelection win, based around opposition to an extension of London's Ultra Low Emissions Zone (ULEZ). It suddenly announced it wanted to save the poor, endangered car driver. It's now not only anti-ULEZ but opposed to 20 mph speed limits in Wales, low traffic neighbourhoods legally set up by councils and the concept of 15-minute city etc. (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/article/2024/jun/16/the-anti-ulez-vote-helped-tories-win-in-uxbridge-but-has-pro-car-agenda-run-out-of-road). The current opposition Labour Party seemed to get cold feet over its £28bn 'green investment plan'. This would save money and bring new jobs but was it 'affordable'? (https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2024/feb/08/labour-green-investment-keir-starmer-rishi-sunak-nhs-uk-politics-live). Many shades of opinion are expressed here. Some politicians (or intending politicians) may actually be scientifically illiterate. Others, more informed) may simply calculate that votes can be extracted from an ill-informed electorate. Perhaps they are more concerned about the 'cost of living crisis' than something that can be 'put off until later'. The trouble is that the climate crisis is already here and now. Mitigation (preventing climate change getting very much worse) and Adaptation (dealing with the consequences of climate change), are both going to cost mega bucks. For example, the UK's transition to net zero (carbon emissions) is currently heavily dependent on offshore wind projects. Port infrastructure delays now appear to be threatening that investment (https://www.theguardian.com/environment/article/2024/jul/02/port-infrastructure-delays-threaten-uks-transition-to-net-zero-industry-says). The pylons versus the burying power cables spat (for distributing electricity) will get very much worse. As far as humans are concerned, not doing anything about global heating could 'cost the Earth'. There will have to be trade-offs.

Revenge of the Virus

After 6 vaccinations and 4 years, a Covid 19 variant (I have no idea which) finally got me. It just confirms my suspicion that this virus is likely to become like seasonal 'flu. It's never really going to 'go away'. Hoping to be feeling a bit more perky in a week or so!