© Pint of Science, 2025. All rights reserved.
Hidden right beneath your feet lies a secret world, one which can help us shape the society we live in today. During this Pint of Science session, we will hear from scientists at Teesside University about the breakdown of everyday plastics, the materials that came (well) before plastic and microbial biodiversity. Although it may sound unlikely, you will learn how researching Roman artefacts can help us predict environmental change, how our environment can produce new therapeutic medicines and just how many times you can recycle plastic.
The Life Beneath our Feet: Exploring the Huge Potential of Microbial Biodiversity and the Threats from Climate Change
Dr Caroline Orr
(Associate Professor of Microbiology)
The importance of conservation of animals and plants within our environments is well discussed. But what about the life we can’t see? This talk will discuss the huge range of hidden biodiversity within our environments, the essential roles they play in maintaining our ecosystems and how climate change can threaten the fine balance protecting our health. We’ll also discuss the huge potential locked within our environments, from novel therapeutic drugs to greener sources of energy.
A PET project
Dr Zoë Bell
( )
Have you ever wondered what happens to rubbish once you have thrown it in the bin? Specifically your plastic (PET) waste from the convenient meal deal you grab at lunch or the cheap fast fashion clothing you've worn once and is already broken? Now you may think, hold on, I recycle my plastic waste, and that is great, but did you know there is a limit to how many times plastic can be recycled? To combat the plastic problem, we need to start thinking outside the box but maybe the answer is already beneath your feet....
Leather – The plastic of the Roman era
Dr Gillian Taylor
(Associate Professor of Analytical Chemistry)
Leather artefacts are ubiquitous at Roman sites but only found when preservation conditions are right, such as in waterlogged conditions. This talk introduces you to leather artefacts from the Roman era, and how science has enabled us to explore leather artefacts to, for example, determined which animal species were used for specific artefacts. How can recently excavated leather artefacts be compared to those from 50 years ago, what does it tell us about changing environmental conditions and how long they will last!
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