Planet Earth stories
The art of science
DATA AS ART is a groundbreaking science/art project being developed at NERC's British Antarctic Survey (BAS). It uses visualisations of real scientific data from the poles to create stunning, thought-provoking articles that also relate to important and exciting science stories.
30 Jun 2016
Tags: Antarctic, Climate, Data visualisation
Inevitable surprises in the Atlantic Ocean
What have we learned from a decade of monitoring how water and heat circulate through the North Atlantic? As Meric Srokosz explains, a great deal - much of it unexpected.
29 Jun 2016
Spotlight on soils
2015 was the International Year of Soils. It's not the most glamorous area of science, but it's vital to just about every aspect of our lives - as Janet Moxley and Nicole Archer explain.
29 Jun 2016
Living highways
A new project aims to make Sheffield a better place to live by attracting more plants and animals to its roadside verges. Tom Marshall spoke to those involved.
12 May 2016
Tags: Biodiversity, Ecology, Health, Pollinators, UK
A century of UK coastal flooding
Ivan Haigh and Elizabeth Bradshaw describe SurgeWatch, a new database of coastal floods that's set to revolutionise our understanding of how and why these destructive events happen - and of how to limit the damage.
22 Apr 2016
Tags: Environmental change, Flooding, Hazards, UK
The rise of mammals
An asteroid strike put an end to the dinosaurs 66 million years ago, making way for mammals to thrive - that much we know. But how exactly did our ancestors go about their march to dominance? Stephen Brusatte and Sarah Shelley introduce an unassuming fossil that holds some of the answers.
8 Apr 2016
Tags: Animals, Dinosaurs, Evolution, Palaeontology
Changing channels
Scientists agree: flood damages will increase dramatically across Europe over the coming decades. And as extreme rainfall events happen again and again, some places will be hit harder than others. So why is it that some areas are becoming more prone to flooding, and others not? Louise Slater explains.
4 Mar 2016
Tags: Environmental change, Flooding, Hazards, Rivers and lakes, UK
The human epoch
Humans have only been part of Earth's history for the blink of a geological eye, but in that time we have made a profound mark on the planet. Fifty years ago we were starting to realise the extent of our influence; today we are debating whether it has moved Earth into a new geological epoch. Alex Peel explains what's behind the concept.
22 Feb 2016
Tags: Earth system, Geology
Amphibians under threat
Frogs, toads, newts and salamanders look like hardy creatures and anyone observing a pond full of frogspawn could be forgiven for thinking their future was secure. But several emerging diseases are attacking the world's amphibians, sometimes with devastating results. Trent Garner explains how we're starting to understand the extent of the threat.
12 Feb 2016
Tags: Animals, Biodiversity, Biology, Conservation