Phil Stevenson

‘A win for nature and people’: Elizabeth line soil used to create Essex bird haven A record 39,000 birds are overwintering on Wallasea island wetlands thanks to soil transported from London tunnels

A win for nature and people’: Elizabeth line soil used to create Essex bird haven
A record 39,000 birds are overwintering on Wallasea island wetlands thanks to soil transported from London tunnels www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Best wishes for the new chapter. 🍀

A male Anna’s hummingbird at the door. So nosy! 🤣

Earlier today, I was notified that someone was at my door.

This is who it was:

Belém Declaration on Fertilisers

UK government recognises contribution of synth fertiliser to global warming - & commits to enhance nutrient use efficiency & reduce intensity of greenhouse gas emissions from fertiliser production, restoring and improving soil health, building soil carbon, and reducing environmental harms.

Trump’s anti-climate agenda could result in 1.3m more deaths globally, analysis finds Fallout from increased emissions linked to president’s ‘America First’ policies expected to most affect those in poor, hot countries

Trump’s anti-climate agenda could result in 1.3m more deaths globally, analysis finds
Fallout from increased emissions linked to president’s ‘America First’ policies expected to most affect those in poor, hot countries www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Union Roast here @rbgkew.bsky.social today serving Kew climate blend coffee comprising Yayu (arabica) & Excelsa (C excelsa) currently a major focus of our work diversifying crops for climate ready agriculture in Uganda led by Aaron Davis. Coffeee farmers replace robusta in response to low rainfall.

Gosh, you mean it's not these bloody bats, nuisance newts, and maddening, 'microscopic' molluscs, after all?

Rail worker who saved passengers from stabbings leaves hospital Samir Zitouni's family say they are

Why are the @bbcnews-uk-rss.bsky.social not even mentioning that this train hero is an immigrant - born in Algeria. Last week it was the first word in their report about a sex offender who was released in error. This hero is a Muslim immigrant. Not balanced reporting. www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

I’d be happy if he was the true pioneer and flew off to Mars as soon as possible on the first available rocket. Total fantasist.

Firstly I loathe Trump & increasingly the USA, BUT…. in the UK we have routine MRIs eg for lung cancer for everyone 55-75 who has been a smoker with no symptoms or illness - just to check & see. It’s because the NHS is there to look after the nations health not make money for greedy schysters.

Who was that reporter - she deserves a medal. Wonderful.

‘Make no mistake – this was a coup’: the extraordinary downfall of the BBC’s top bosses The whirlwind that started when Deborah Turness came under attack at a board meeting is part of a wider political story, some say

Make no mistake – this was a coup’: the extraordinary downfall of the BBC’s top bosses - a democratic state can not exist with opinion masquerading as fact -it needs balanced evidence based reporting but unlike all other news sources also needs to be bullet proof. www.theguardian.com/media/ng-int...

Non-native tree devastates Ethiopia’s ecosystems and threatens livelihoods Prosopis, introduced to Ethiopia in the 1970s, now depletes water, harms livestock and disrupts ecosystems across Afar.

Non-native tree devastates Ethiopia’s ecosystems and threatens livelihoods
Prosopis, introduced to Ethiopia in the 1970s, now depletes water, harms livestock and disrupts ecosystems across Afar.

www.aljazeera.com/amp/gallery/...

Al Gore wonders if ‘bullying’ Trump prompted Bill Gates to backtrack on climate Exclusive interview with ex-US vice-president at Cop30 also reveals his hope around much-maligned climate summit

Al Gore wonders if ‘bullying’ Trump prompted Bill Gates to backtrack on climate www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025...

FAO report: 1.7 billion people experience lower crop yields due to land degradation The State of Food and Agriculture 2025 report focuses on land degradation caused by human activities

We have never observed planetary boundaries. It's either time to start taking these issues seriously or get ready for massive 'unplanned degrowth'...

www.fao.org/newsroom/det...

Elon Musk makes himself far-right fixture after White House departure The Tesla CEO once hinted he was done with politics – but he’s been leaning further into the international far right

"Elon Musk is deliberately using his platform to poison our politics and divide our country

It’s time for the government to wake up to the threat he poses to our country"

I wish we could ignore Bill Gates on the climate crisis. But he’s a billionaire, so we can’t | George Monbiot Money talks – and his essay denouncing ‘near-term emissions goals’ at Cop30 mostly argues the case for letting the ultra-rich off the hook

The net worth of 10 richest US billionaires grew by $698bn in the past year. Thats ~10 times the annual amount required to end extreme global poverty. Why does Bill Gates advise directing money away from “near-term emissions goals” towards climate “adaptation” ? www.theguardian.com/commentisfre...

Tesla shareholders approve $1tn pay package for Elon Musk Chants of ‘Elon’ erupt after compensation plan approved despite opposition from several high-profile investors

Absolutely obscene. www.theguardian.com/technology/2...

Britain one of least ‘nature-connected’ nations in world – with Nepal the most Others languishing near bottom of 61-country study include Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan and Spain

Britain is one of the least ‘nature-connected’ nations in world – with Nepal the most. Lets get reconnected - it’s good for us.
Others languishing near bottom of 61-country study include Canada, Germany, Israel, Japan and Spain. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Saving Rothbury Estate | Northumberland Wildlife Trust Northumberland Wildlife Trust - The Wildlife Trusts have purchased a large upland area of the Rothbury Estate in partnership with Northumberland Wildlife Trust.

Northumberland Wildlife Trust in partnership with The Wildlife Trusts have a one-time-only opportunity to secure the future of the historic Rothbury Estate in Northumberland. We can help.

www.nwt.org.uk/what-we-do/p...

A framework for plant science education drawing together the five key themes. To cultivate the next generation, plant science education for the future must: Position plants at the centre of an education that addresses global challenges and societal values; Be enriched by local and strategic partnerships; Prepare students for their futures using bold and effective pedagogies; Give educators resources and opportunities to connect and develop; and embrace equity, diversity and Inclusion.

A manifesto for plant science education
Alvey et al.

📖 nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Societal Impact Statement also available in French.

#PlantScience @apaterlini.bsky.social @lizalvey.bsky.social @PlantTeaching.bsky.social @katharinehubbard.bsky.social

Wind power has cut £104bn from UK energy costs since 2010, study finds Reduction comes from energy generated from windfarms and lower cost of gas owing to lower demand

Wind power has cut £104bn from UK energy costs since 2010, study finds www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Why has this barely made any main news platforms. It’s amazing.

Interesting study from #ubc in PNAS. Elevated virus infection of honeybee queens reduces methyl oleate production and destabilizes colony-level social structure. When methyloleate levels drop, workers "smell" the queen's weakness & begin preparing her successor.
doi.org/10.1073/pnas...

I have a PhD opportunity with @juliakoricheva.bsky.social at @rhulbiology.bsky.social and @rbgkew.bsky.social to research the effect of forest diversification on understory forage provision for pollinators in an experimental mixed forest in Finland. www.trees-dla.ac.uk/projects/eff... please share

Green pathways to mental health: Relationships between treescapes and well‐being and distress Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Green pathways to mental health: relationships between treescapes and well-being and distress @peopleandnature.bsky.social besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Bumblebees learn to use antennal and tarsal taste to predict the presence of nectar rewards in flowers Summary: Behavioural experiments and electrophysiological recordings show bumblebees can detect taste cues on surfaces of artificial flowers, including bitter toxins, and learn to use these to predict...

Bumblebees learn to use antennal and tarsal taste to predict the presence of nectar rewards in flowers. This means that bees can learn to associate no food floral trait – e.g., chemicals on the surfaces of petals – with the quality of floral rewards. @ox.ac.uk

doi.org/10.1242/jeb....

This luxury ‘cat poo’ coffee has a unique flavour: what’s behind it? Civets enrich coffee beans they eat and excrete with two fatty acids often used in dairy products, study finds.

Scientists have wondered what gives luxury ‘cat-poo’ coffee that has been through a Civet’s digestive tract its unique flavour. Well it’s pretty obvious - it’s been through the digestive tract of a Civet. Anyway - here’s a piece on the chemistry of cat-poo coffee.

www.nature.com/articles/d41...

Creating woodland through natural processes: Current understanding and knowledge gaps in Great Britain Natural colonisation can successfully create structurally diverse, locally adapted woodlands in Britain, but the outcomes of this process can vary considerably. Combining natural colonisation and tre...

New OA publication from TreE_PlaNat project @uktreescapes.bsky.social in Ecological Solutions and Evidence: Creating woodland through natural processes: Current understanding and knowledge gaps in Great Britain besjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

Great PhD opportunity to work with @juliakoricheva.bsky.social & me looking at floral rewards in forests. @rbgkew.bsky.social @rhulbiology.bsky.social