Is treated sewage worse for the environment than raw?
Jun 6, 2024
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Wastewater experts Simon Evans and Ali Morse discuss the environmental impacts of treated sewage, highlighting its contribution to pollution. Biologist Cindy Engel explores animals' self-medicating behavior in the wild. Harry Witchel predicts Eurovision winners based on song criteria.
Treated sewage can harm water bodies due to nutrient pollution, affecting aquatic life.
Wild animals exhibit self-medication behaviors by using natural remedies in the wild.
Deep dives
Environmental Impact of Treated Sewage
Treated sewage, often considered safe, can have detrimental effects on water bodies due to high nutrient levels. Research at Lake Windermere revealed that treated sewage contributes to issues like algal blooms, depleting oxygen and endangering aquatic life. Unlike the common perception, treated sewage may contain elevated levels of nutrients, such as phosphorus and nitrogen, contributing to ecological problems.
Animal Self-Medication and Health Maintenance
Animals, like Sumatran orangutans and chimpanzees, exhibit self-medication behaviors in the wild by using natural substances to treat illnesses or injuries. Their health maintenance strategies are diverse and include ingesting plants, clays, and other bioactive compounds to combat various health threats. The ability to self-medicate is intrinsic to wildlife but can be compromised in captivity due to limited resources.
Factors Influencing Eurovision Song Contest Success
The success of a Eurovision song often hinges on factors like familiarity, novelty, and chorus impact. Songs like ABBA's 'Waterloo' demonstrate the importance of memorable lyrics, repetitive patterns, and unexpected musical elements. Genre diversity, sophistication in deviation from norms, and audience connection play crucial roles in a song's appeal and potential to win the competition.
There has been increasing public outrage at raw sewage discharges into our rivers and seas, but new research at Lake Windermere suggests that treated sewage is as much to blame. Wastewater experts Simon Evans and Ali Morse get into the nitty gritty of sewage treatment and why it might be causing so many problems.
Last week, the Sumatran orangutan Rakus made headlines when he was spotted by researchers treating a wound with a medicinal plant. A first for a wild animal. But he’s not the only animal to show self-medicating behaviour. Biologist and author of Wild Health, Cindy Engel, talks healing in the wild and what we can learn from the animals that do it.
And it’s that time of year again: the Eurovision Song Contest. In fact, this year marks the 50th Anniversary since ABBA won the 1974 contest with the iconic track Waterloo. Psychology and behavioural researcher Harry Witchel tells us what gives songs at Eurovision a winning edge and tries to predict a winner based on his criteria.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton
Producers: Hannah Robins, Ella Hubber, Sophie Ormiston
Researcher: Caitlin Kennedy
Editor: Martin Smith
Production Co-ordinator: Jana Bennett-Holesworth
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