Conservation research manager, Nida al-Fulaij, discusses the decline in species due to climate change and habitat loss in the UK. Discover how innovative agricultural practices can boost wildlife in the fields. Also, learn about the Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize entries and the recent observation of antimatter behavior in gravity at CERN. Find out the details of NASA's successful mission to retrieve samples from the asteroid Bennu.
The UK's State of Nature report highlights the urgent need for nature-friendly farming practices to counter the decline in wildlife caused by farming and climate change.
An experiment at CERN provides insights into the behavior of antimatter in gravity, contributing to our understanding of the universe's composition and the mystery of antimatter's scarcity.
Deep dives
Loss of Nature Outpacing Conservation Efforts
A major conservation science report called the State of Nature reveals that the loss of nature in the UK is surpassing the investment and efforts to tackle it. The report indicates that 16% of assessed mammals, plants, insects, birds, and amphibians are now threatened with extinction. Farming and climate change are identified as the main drivers behind the decline, with targeted conservation efforts showing mixed results. More nature-friendly farming practices and scaling up conservation efforts are necessary to address the ongoing pressures on wildlife.
Antimatter and the Mystery of the Universe
Scientists at CERN have conducted an experiment that sheds light on the behavior of antimatter in Earth's gravity. The study aims to understand why the universe is primarily composed of matter and why antimatter, which should have been produced in equal amounts during the Big Bang, is scarce. By observing how antimatter responds to gravity, researchers found that it behaves similarly to regular matter. While the mystery of antimatter's scarcity remains, this experiment contributes to uncovering fundamental properties of the universe.
NASA's Mission to Bennu and the Return of Asteroid Samples
NASA's OSIRIS-REx spacecraft successfully completed its mission to asteroid Bennu, collecting a sample from its surface and returning it to Earth. Bennu, considered the most dangerous object in space due to its potential collision risk with Earth, offers valuable insights into the early solar system. The sample, estimated to be around 250 grams, will be distributed to research groups for analysis. Scientists hope to uncover the composition and history of Bennu, including its role in the origins of water, air, and minerals on Earth.
In this week’s episode Victoria Gill speaks to Nida al-Fulaij, conservation research manager at the People’s Trust for Endangered Species, about the UK’s new State of Nature report. Climate change, habitat loss and intensive agricultural practices have been blamed for the decline in species. But all is not lost. Victoria pays a visit to an eco-friendly farm and finds out how innovative agricultural practices can boost wildlife in the UK’s fields.
We’re kicking off our series of programmes covering The Royal Society Trivedi Science Book Prize. Chair of the judges is Alain Goriely, Professor of Mathematical Modelling at the University of Oxford. He gives us a rundown of this year’s shortlisted entries.
This week, scientists at CERN in Switzerland announced they have observed how antimatter behaves in the presence of gravity. Particle physicist Jeffrey Hangst, who led the Alpha experiment, tells us why this is a big deal.
We also have the latest on OSIRIS-REx mission, the first NASA mission to return a sample of an asteroid to Earth. The capsule parachuted down into the Utah desert this week. It contained a precious cargo of rock and dust samples taken from an asteroid named Bennu. Jon Amos, the BBC’s science correspondent is in Utah and witnessed the return. He tells Victoria all about it.
BBC Inside Science is produced in collaboration with the Open University.
Presenter: Victoria Gill
Producers: Hannah Robins, Harrison Lewis, Alice Lipscombe-Southwell
Editor: Richard Collings
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
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