Category Archives: Blog

Hedges are better than garden fences as wildlife refuges and flood barriers – that’s why I’m taking them to Chelsea Flower Show

Hedges are better than garden fences as wildlife refuges and flood barriers – that’s why I’m taking them to Chelsea Flower Show

Most people are familiar with the Royal Horticultural Society Chelsea Flower Show with inventive and inspiring garden design exhibitions featuring a wide range of plants. But the annual London show, which opens on Tuesday 21 May, also offers researchers like me the chance to present horticultural science to a wider audience. This week I’m taking […]

As May comes to an end without mowing, here’s why we should keep our lawn wild forever

As May comes to an end without mowing, here’s why we should keep our lawn wild forever

Over the last century, almost all of the wildflower meadows in Britain have been destroyed through the expansion of farms, cities and towns. This loss of habitat has led fall of natureaccording to research conducted by a charity dedicated to the protection of birds and nature RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Nature). As […]

EPA Lowers Soil Lead Screening Levels – Here’s What It Could Mean for Households Across the U.S.

EPA Lowers Soil Lead Screening Levels – Here’s What It Could Mean for Households Across the U.S.

As spring turns to summer in the U.S., kids are spending more time outside. Playing outside is vigorous in many ways, but it also comes with its own set of risks. One that many families may not be aware of is exposure to lead in the soil, which continues to be a sedate problem, especially […]

What Is Hormesis? Experts Unpack Hormetic Stressors and Benefits

What Is Hormesis? Experts Unpack Hormetic Stressors and Benefits

High or prolonged doses of any of these behaviors or substances are not sustainable or robust (spend too much time in cool water and you’ll get hypothermia). But in miniature bursts, the little bit of irritation these stressors cause is sufficiently to jolt you out of comfortable homeostasis and activate a variety of cellular mechanisms […]

Introducing Vitamin Sea – a fresh series that explores how our connection to the ocean shapes marine conservation

Introducing Vitamin Sea – a fresh series that explores how our connection to the ocean shapes marine conservation

Our health is inextricably linked to the health of the ocean. Half of the oxygen The gas we breathe comes from petite plankton living in the sea, and our activities on land, no matter how far from the coast we live, affect our waters in many ways – from plastic waste and sewage pollution to […]

Is an Electric Bike Right for You? Here’s What to Consider Before Buying

Is an Electric Bike Right for You? Here’s What to Consider Before Buying

More Australians than ever they ride electric bikes – this fact can be seen on the streets of our cities and towns. Electric bikes, or e-bikes, typically feature an electric motor and battery that provide power to support you pedal. Some allow you to boost and decrease the amount of pedal assist you receive. Globally, […]

Cardio or Weights First? Kinesiologist Explains How to Optimize Exercise Order

Cardio or Weights First? Kinesiologist Explains How to Optimize Exercise Order

When you enter the gym, which way should you head first? To the treadmill and spinning studio to sweat out a cardio session? Or to the free weights and strength machines for resistance training? American College of Sports Medicine suggests doing both types of exercises to take advantage of their unique benefits to improve health […]