Noah's Ark: Research on animals big and small

There are over 40 million km of roads in the world (100 times the distance from the moon to Earth). In Europe roads are everywhere, but some “natural” environments also have plenty of roads. African National Parks, for example, often have extended road networks for tourists. Where lions roam, nature hikes give way to motorized safaris. Roads are valuable for humans, but How do they affect wildlife? Using my experience in South America and Africa I will talk about road impacts, from the obvious roadkill, to the less apparent changes in behaviour; and how we are working on solutions.

We have all heard about the end of the world and that this will probably be brought about by the disappearance of bees. Is this true? How important are bees really? And if they are in trouble what are we going to do about it? This talk will cover the latest research looking to answer these important questions... and there will be a bit of good old myth busting too!

Would you drink a pint of water straight from the River Thames? Why not? Yes, correct - the Thames is full of life. This river isn’t just inspiration for inventors, artist and writers. It’s home to millions of other creatures - the majority you will not be able to see without a microscope. Some of them (phytoplankton) are like plants, producing oxygen and food for small animals (zooplankton) and fish. But when people pollute rivers, they build in number, take over and turn nasty. With my research, we’ll soon be able to ask our phones: “Can I swim in the Thames today?” and get a reliable answer