London’s Natural History Museum says it’s all a flutter about scientists studying the way dragonflies fly in the hope of making small planes more stable and robust. It adds:
“Dragonflies are some of the most mobile insects on the planet. They can control the angle and speed of each of their four wings independently to fly in any direction, hover and perform acrobatic manoeuvres. Unlike most other flying insects, dragonflies beat their wings up and down instead of the more usual back-and-forth motion. …”
The 2018 Ashen Award winners have been announced. These are ten organisations that exemplify the best practice in sustainable energy. Four are UK-based and six are International. Ashen says:
“This year’s winners are pioneering sustainable energy solutions that transform livelihoods across three continents and address climate change from every angle. From a company specialising in portable solar cold rooms for farmers in western India, to a game-changing solution from Bethesda, Wales that enables affordable access to locally-generated renewable energy, these organisations are tackling challenges in the sector like never before.”
The 2018 annual RCE Severn Forum is exploring how the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) can be advanced locally, linking with the Glos2050 consultation. It’s on Tuesday 17th July 1.00-4.00. This event aims to bring people together to discuss collaborations for change across communities, with speakers offering soundings linked to the ‘big ideas’ proposed in the Glos2050 project. Further info and to book see the event flier.
The National Whale & Dolphin Watch is a 9-day event which aims to take a general “snapshot” of what is in UK coastal waters. There will be observers along the UK coastlines to watch the waters, but anyone can get involved. For more information, visit the website. You can see last year’s results here.
Kim Somerville writes on the LOtC website about a new study examining The state of school residentials in England: 2017. This assesses the quantity and quality of residentials currently delivered in schools and is based on analysis of data from schools and other educational establishments over the last five years. It’s conclusions were that too many children were missing out on the powerful learning and life experiences residentials offer, with only 20% of children experiencing a residential every year. Young people in the most disadvantaged communities were the least likely to participate. More detail here.
The Big Bang UK Young Scientists & Engineers Competition aims to recognise and reward young people’s achievements in all areas of science, technology, engineering and maths (STEM) and provide them with the opportunity to build their skills and confidence in project-based work. The Big Bang Competition offers opportunities for more young people than ever to showcase their STEM projects and recognise and reward their achievements. It’s open to all UK residents in full-time education or training (year groups 7-13). The Finals will take place at the Big Bang Fair in Birmingham in March 2019. Further details here.
There’s a forthcoming Routledge book on storytelling and sustainability that is looking for a good green chemistry story. If you know of a story (fictional or non fictional) about chemistry, or you know of any storytellers who might like to have a go at writing one, contact Heather Luna at: heather.luna@ntu.ac.uk