Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Kate Spencer @profkatespencer.bsky.social · 24d

This is pretty unbelievable - I really thought landfill leachate was better managed.

Leana Hosea @leanahosea.bsky.social · 27d

Liquid oozing from landfill + industrial waste + sewage - treated for pathogens then split, the solid part spread on farmland, the liquid part released into rivers - what could go wrong?

Our latest article out now:

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Thousands of tonnes of toxic landfill liquid added to sewage and spread on English farms

Exclusive: Leachate is tankered to treatment works where it mixes with sewage and industrial effluent

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Kate Spencer

George McGavin @georgemcgavin.bsky.social · Aug 26

Does anyone in the South of England have a wasp nest in their garden they would wish removed anytime in the next five weeks? This research led by Dr Bob Brown @dr-bob-brown.bsky.social, is helping with control of invasive wasps in New Zealand.

Entomologist, wearing protective clothing, excavates the nest of a social wasp.

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Kate Spencer @profkatespencer.bsky.social · Aug 26

Under the right conditions - such as landfills - plastics could take millennia to degrade. Potentially forming future ‘techno fossils’. Fascinating read from Sarah Gabbot.

www.nature.com/articles/s41...

Understanding environmental impacts of plastic requires a palaeontological lens - Nature Ecology & Evolution

Growing evidence suggests that timescales for plastic degradation have been vastly underestimated. The fossil record of plastic-like biopolymers might provide a perspective on plastic fossilization in...

www.nature.com

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Reposted by Kate Spencer

Dr Ry Holland @rythemicroguy.bsky.social · Aug 25

How can we assess whether microbial degradation of plastic pollution has occurred? Our new systematic review, led by Jennifer Scott, assesses a multitude of methods & makes recommendations to improve study design @heriotwattuni.bsky.social
authors.elsevier.com/sd/article/S0048-9697(25)01917-5

A figure from the review paper listing methods for assessing plastic biodegradation. They are grouped into three clusters: physical changes, chemical changes, and products produced/consumed.

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Reposted by Kate Spencer

Natalie Bennett @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social · Aug 16

What a mess we have made of this #PoisonedPlanet, and #PublicHealth.

"Research found connections among Pfas-related gene changes and biological pathways involved in leukemia, bladder, liver, thyroid and breast cancers, Alzheimer’s, lupus, asthma & tuberculosis"

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Exposure to some common Pfas changes gene activity, new study finds

Findings help decipher mechanisms through which ‘forever chemicals’ cause disease, aiding in treating health problems

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Kate Spencer

Natalie Bennett @nataliegreenpeer.bsky.social · Aug 16

We're just starting to understand the #biodiversity we are fast trashing.

"Cryoconite granules - frozen rainforests”. Each is a self-sustaining ecosystem, containing diverse bacteria, fungi, viruses, protists & even tiny animals like tardigrades & worms"
www.theguardian.com/world/2025/a...

Arctic glaciers face ‘terminal’ decline as microbes accelerate ice melt

Scientists in Svalbard in race to study polar microbes as global heating threatens fragile glacial ecosystems

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Kate Spencer

ICES - International Council for the Exploration of the Sea @icesmarine.bsky.social · Aug 14

Are you ready for a leadership role where science meets impact?
If you see yourself as the next Head of Advice at ICES Secretariat, make sure you get your application in soon!
The deadline to apply for this position is Sunday 17 August 2025!
🔗 Apply here www.ices.dk/about-ICES/J...

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Reposted by Kate Spencer

Anson Mackay 🏳️‍⚧️🏳️‍🌈 @ans.bsky.social · Aug 9

Wow - really interesting trial for treating people with advanced head and neck cancer casued by #HPVcancer (like my own) - 'A cancer vaccine using mRNA technology will help the immune system recognise and kill cancer cells containing HPV proteins' #cansky 🧪

bit.ly/4m2LghH

NHS England » NHS to fast-track patients with head and neck cancer into cancer vaccine trial

bit.ly

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Reposted by Kate Spencer

Josh Ahmed @geomorphicjosh.bsky.social · Jul 24

A great few days in #LymeRegis collecting sediment samples to assess the impact and risk posed by an eroding coastal landfill - 80+ samples retrieved and excited to see what they tell us once we get them in the lab! #RACC

@profkatespencer.bsky.social @sgrieve.bsky.social
@qmul.bsky.social

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Kate Spencer @profkatespencer.bsky.social · Jul 24

What a great few days. Smiles all round, ALL the weather, lots of sampling and all on film! @geomorphicjosh.bsky.social @sgrieve.bsky.social

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Kate Spencer @profkatespencer.bsky.social · Jul 24

Wow. What a busy few days and we experienced ALL the weather 🌦️ ☀️ ☔️

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Reposted by Kate Spencer

Alistair Boxall @alistairboxall.bsky.social · May 29

An excellent piece out today by @phoebeweston.bsky.social at the Guardian on our NERC ECOMIX project which is exploring chemical pollution in Yorkshire's rivers.
www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Pesticides, antibiotics, animal medicines: the chemical cocktail seeping into our rivers

The list of everyday pollutants is a long one, and they could be as damaging to our water ecosystems as sewage spills

www.theguardian.com

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Reposted by Kate Spencer

Steve Brace @stevebracegeog.bsky.social · Jun 1

It's #NationalFestivalOfFieldwork in June & have a read of Fiona Sheriff's blog for @geographicalassoc.bsky.social

"Fieldwork is such an important part of the geography curriculum for all age groups and we need to ensure it stays firmly on the map."

ga-blog.org/2025/05/30/g...

Get outside! Take part in the National Festival of Fieldwork - The GA Blog

Fiona Sheriff introduces the National Festival of Fieldwork and encourages everyone to take part with their students this June!

ga-blog.org

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Kate Spencer @profkatespencer.bsky.social · May 20

The inter-linked risks of climate change and our waste legacy will be felt along our eroding coastlines. Nice interview of @andyrussell.bsky.social at @egu.eu.
www.newscientist.com/article/2480...
@newscientist.com. Details of our @qmul.ac.uk @ukri.org project at www.ukcoastalandfillresilience.org

Toxic waste is spilling onto beaches as rising seas erode landfills

Waste from old landfill sites is spilling onto beaches as rising seas erode coastlines - and some of it is toxic

www.newscientist.com

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Kate Spencer @profkatespencer.bsky.social · May 17

Yet more reasons to watch #eurovision 😃 #geographyteacher

Steve Brace @stevebracegeog.bsky.social · May 17

If you need some #geography with your #Eurovision2023. My piece for TES on last year's competition

4 ways to explore Eurovision in geography www.tes.com/magazine/tea...

Eurovision can bring glitz to geography lessons

The quasi-European festival of glitter and glam returns this month, bringing interesting perspectives for young geographers to consider

www.tes.com

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Kate Spencer @profkatespencer.bsky.social · May 15

Looks like a great few days fieldwork

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Kate Spencer @profkatespencer.bsky.social · May 2

Great day out filming with Pete Middleton from Feefiefoe. Cryptic clue - we saw a LOT of old tights. Watch this space….

For more details of his great work see www.feefiefoe.co.uk/about. @qmul.ac.uk

Reposted by Kate Spencer

DrRayMarine @drraymarine.bsky.social · May 1

If you're interested in marine ecosystems, the Seascape Symposium at ZSL is the place to be on the 4-5th June. I'll be in London talking about the Sussex Kelp Restoration Project www.zsl.org/seascape-sym...

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Reposted by Kate Spencer

DrRayMarine @drraymarine.bsky.social · May 1

Here's the 50 day free link of our recent paper on Land use impacts on mangrove bird diversity and abundance kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me/L0/https:%2F...

kwnsfk27.r.eu-west-1.awstrack.me