Nurturing nature

Many of us give little thought to the soil beneath our feet but it's vital for all life on earth. Amy's talk will unearth some fascinating examples of the microscropic life that's living all around us. Come along to find out about the microbes which helped to create the first plants to colonise the Earth's surface millions of years ago, and to hear about recent advances in scientific methods which show exciting potential for the discovery of new chemicals such as pharmaceuticals.

Climate Change is a constant feature in political and environmental agendas, and it is well known that pollution and its associated Green House Gases (GHGs) trap heat and warm the planet. But did you know that Aerosols (small solid and liquid particles) cool the planet by reflecting sunlight and making clouds brighter?  In this talk Daniel will explore historical and recent research that focuses on this uncertain brightening effect and how it can help to predict climate sensitivity and what warming we should expect in the 21st century.

It seems that there are new advances in technology all the time, and as consumers we feel like we need to keep up with the latest tech. But what cost is this having on our natural resources? The EU has identified 14 natural materials as being in critically short supply. In this talk Mark will show why these elements are important, their current availability, alternative supplies and opportunities for recycling. Come along to see how we can sustain an increasingly technological world, and why we must look at alternative materials and technologies which may help address their short supply.