Planet Earth stories
Lifting the lid on London's air
When scientists flew a research plane over London in 2013, they didn't just establish that a new sensing technique could let us monitor emissions in real time. They also stumbled on the traces of one of the biggest corporate scandals ever.
28 Sep 2016
Tags: Atmosphere, Pollution, Health, UK
Solving the mysteries of the monsoon
Scientists have just returned from a groundbreaking research campaign to understand the Indian monsoon.
27 Sep 2016
Tags: Atmosphere, Weather
The worst air quality in the world?
Last year El Niño brought drought to south-east Asia, creating the conditions for enormous wildfires that send vast amounts of carbon into the atmosphere and endangered people's health across the region with terrible air pollution. Martin Wooster of King's College London and NERC NCEO reports.
27 Sep 2016
Tags: Atmosphere, Health, Pollution
Ship emissions: Monitoring, enforcement and human health
Air pollution from ships is a serious problem that doesn't get enough attention. Kelvin Boot explains how environmental science can help ensure industry plays by the rules.
26 Sep 2016
Tags: Atmosphere, Health, Oceans, Pollution, Water
What can satellite data do for aquaculture?
The BBSRC and NERC-funded ShellEye project seeks to help shellfish farmers manage threats from harmful algal blooms and E. coli bacteria.
22 Sep 2016
Tags: Marine life, Farming, Oceans
Earthquakes and eruptions in Iceland
Geoscientists at the University of Cambridge are uncovering how volcanic activity in Iceland causes earthquakes.
30 Aug 2016
Tags: Volcanoes, Earthquakes, Geology, Hazards
Successful disease elimination offers hope for amphibians
Scientists have reported one of the first big wins in the fight against an invasive fungal disease.
23 Aug 2016
Tags: Animals, Disease, Fungi, Invasive species
Drones on ice
The Antarctic isn't kind to drones - but it's not easy or cheap for people to work in either, so robots represent a huge scientific opportunity.
16 Aug 2016
Tags: Technology, Antarctic, Oceans, Robotics
Gliders on the storm
Marine scientists are a hardy bunch, but even they aren't keen on working amid 60ft waves in the depths of the Atlantic winter. Luckily next-generation ocean robots increasingly mean they don't have to.
11 Aug 2016
Tags: Technology, Robotics, Oceans, Marine life
Modelling our landscape in 3D
Drones are helping NERC's British Geological Survey understand and monitor areas that are susceptible to landslides around the UK.
9 Aug 2016
Tags: Earth observation, Geology, Hazards, Technology