http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/index.aspx This feed contains the 10 newest additions to Planet Earth online en-gb Thu, 09 Feb 2012 04:43:06 GMT http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1149 http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1149 The love song of a long-extinct cricket that lived during the reign of the dinosaurs has been brought back to life by scientists. The discovery lets us listen to a striking sound that echoed through Jurassic forests during the night, and which would've been heard by dinosaurs and other pre-historic creatures. Tue, 07 Feb 2012 07:00:00 GMT http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/blogs/story.aspx?id=1037 http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/blogs/story.aspx?id=1037 Highlights and links to more environmental science stories, events and achievements. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 13:32:14 GMT http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1150 http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1150 Researchers have used information about seabird colonies and food availability to create a mathematical model which predicts where they forage for food during the breeding season. The results will help conservationists and governments work out where to place new marine protected areas to safeguard important feeding grounds and other seabird hotspots. Mon, 06 Feb 2012 09:00:00 GMT http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/features/story.aspx?id=1095 http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/features/story.aspx?id=1095 How techniques developed to study ancient footprints are finding unexpectedly direct uses in modern life. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 14:53:52 GMT http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1146 http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1146 A new study suggests that climate change will cause patterns of malaria infection to change over the next 50 years. A combined weather-disease model reveals likely changes to patterns of malaria infection in Africa, including areas that will become more, or less, at risk as temperatures increase. Fri, 03 Feb 2012 09:22:59 GMT http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1148 http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1148 The need to conserve water played a vital role in driving many plant species to independently evolve a specialised form of photosynthesis. This happened as the environment changed, eating into the damp forest habitats the plants had evolved in and forcing them into drier open environments. Thu, 02 Feb 2012 09:41:26 GMT http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/multimedia/story.aspx?id=1145 http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/multimedia/story.aspx?id=1145 How science is helping to bring polluted urban rivers back to life. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1147 http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1147 Most animals don't spend nearly as much time and energy defending nesting or mating sites against intruders outside the breeding season. That's a given. But this might be less about having no need to, and more because food is at a premium and they have no choice but to save their energy. Tue, 31 Jan 2012 08:00:00 GMT http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/features/story.aspx?id=1099 http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/features/story.aspx?id=1099 Dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) is a clear liquid, widely used in everything from LCD displays to paint strippers and anti-inflammatory drugs. It could be important for climate regulation too, but its natural life cycle remains something of a mystery. What have scientists discovered about this enigmatic chemical? Fri, 27 Jan 2012 13:09:32 GMT http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1144 http://planetearth.nerc.ac.uk/news/story.aspx?id=1144 Scientists have discovered that all sorts of females -- from birds to reptiles to insects -- have a nifty trick to prolong the lifespan of sperm, letting them store it for weeks, months or even years on end. They found that females do this by lowering the metabolic rate of sperm, so it can survive in their bodies almost indefinitely. Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:00 GMT