Hidden Worlds: Microbes, Eggs & Big Answers!

Beside plants and animals, all around us is a hidden world of microbes, even on surfaces or in substances that appear lifeless at first glance. Rarely are any of these microbes operating alone and in fact they’re often co-operating together, as well as with larger organisms, like plants. What can we learn from studying these relationships? And how might we use these combinations of microbes to clean brownfield sites, monitor air quality, treat industrial waste, or grow more crops?

Turtles and tortoises are facing an extinction crisis. Reproductive failure is a major problem for many species, with fertility rates feared to be in decline. Postgraduate researcher Alessia Lavigne, discusses her ground-breaking research on the causes of early reproductive failure in threatened sea turtles and giant tortoises in the Seychelles. Find out what she has discovered about fertility and embryo survival rates in these species, and the importance of this work for their conservation.

Alessia is a Women in Ocean Science ambassador - www.womeninoceanscience.com