Latest News
Uncoupling the link between snake venom and prey
What was fast-becoming received wisdom among herpetologists, namely that snake venom composition normally reflects the variety of their prey, has been disproved in one common species of North American rattlesnake.
Many recent studies had identified links between the type of prey and the type of venom that had evolved in venomous snake species world-wide. This was thought to reflect natural selection to optimise venom for different prey, and sometimes evolutionary ‘arms- races’ between snake and prey species.
Publication date: 13 March 2019
What’s in the soil beneath our feet?
A Canadian student with Welsh roots, is breaking new ground in his research to assess exactly what lives in the Welsh soil beneath our feet.
PhD student Paul George who is studying at Bangor University’s School of Natural Sciences and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEH), has his research published today (7 March 2019) in Nature Communications.
Publication date: 7 March 2019
Microplastic pollution widespread in British lakes and rivers - new study
New research by Bangor University and Friends of the Earth has found microplastic pollution in some of Britain’s most iconic and remote rivers and lakes.
The study, believed to be the first of its kind, looked at ten sites - including lakes in the Lake District, waterways in the Loch Lomond and Trossachs National Park, a wetland and Welsh reservoir - and found microplastics in all of them.
Publication date: 7 March 2019
Disappearing rice fields threaten more global warming
All over China, a huge change has been taking place without any of us noticing. Rice paddies have been (and are being) converted at an astonishing rate into aquaculture ponds to produce more protein for the worlds growing populations. This change risks creating an unexpected impact on global warming.
International researchers, including Prof Chris Freeman from Bangor University, have found conversion of paddy fields to aquaculture is releasing massive amounts of the greenhouse gas methane into the atmosphere.
Publication date: 4 March 2019
Daffodils for St David’s Day
The national flower of Wales has found a new role this St David’s Day (Friday 1 March) – helping scientists to better understand the value of plant extracts as an alternative to antibiotics in animal feed.
Researchers from Bangor University and Scotland’s Rural College (SRUC) have teamed up to investigate the effects of daffodil extracts as natural antimicrobials on the digestive systems of cattle and sheep.
Publication date: 1 March 2019