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21.08.2023 - 11:55 / theunconventionalgardener.com / guest
Patrick Major, University of Reading and Chris Scott, University of Reading
The bombing campaigns of World War Two left an indelible mark on the world’s towns and cities and in the memories of the people who survived them. In a new study, we found that the most destructive war in history also made its mark in our atmosphere.
In an age when long-term monitoring of the environment is increasingly important, scientists are turning to historical datasets for clues in solving present-day science puzzles.
One such dataset is the unique record of the Earth’s ionosphere – the electrified region of the Earth’s upper atmosphere, which was painstakingly recorded from 1933 onwards at the Radio Research Station near Slough.
Scientists at the RRS were monitoring the ionosphere as it was then vital for long-distance radio communications. Shortwave radio is reflected by the ionosphere and allows the signal to be transmitted long distances over the horizon.
They had noted that the density of the ionosphere was extremely variable and had set up the monitoring station in order to look for patterns in this variability. Much of this is due to changes in solar activity.
The ionosphere is created when x-rays and extreme ultraviolet light from the sun are absorbed by our atmosphere, electrifying it. We now know, thanks to a fleet of spacecraft monitoring the sun, that not all of this variability can be explained by solar activity. Attention is increasingly turning to sources from the lower atmosphere and the ground.
But where to find ground events capable of leaving a signature at the edge of space? The answer lies in the past. World War Two witnessed an explosive arms race, which culminated, in its most extreme form, in the atomic bomb.
But most
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There are areas in our homes that tend to be common storage areas, such as attics or basements. But just because a space can hold a stack of boxes doesn't mean it should. Before you stash a box of clothes or holiday decorations away, consider the ways in which factors like temperature, moisture, and household pests might affect the items you're storing.
Using wallpaper to update your space brings in patterns and textures that plain old paint just can’t match. Especially with numerous peel-and-stick wallpaper options, you have various designs you can choose from without having to fully commit for years.
Header image: Lupinus albus (altramuces o chochitos), by Calapito via Wikimedia Commons.
Hailing from South Africa, agapanthus can be evergreen or deciduous; the deciduous varieties are the most hardy in this country. The evergreen varieties grow in the southern Cape in milder areas, so will need frost protection in the UK – or they can be grown in pots and brought inside.
How does a kitchen gardener choose what to grow? It’s about balancing quite a complex set of variables, which include the space and time available, the local climate and soil, the gardener’s skill level and what they like to eat. That last one is, itself, quite a complicated topic as culture plays a significant role. There are many thousands of edible plants on the planet; most people only eat a small number and grow fewer still.
The kitchen is often referred to as “the heart of the home,” but what happens when the weather gets nice and nobody wants to be inside anymore? Enter the outdoor kitchen. It’s the perfect place to relax with friends and enjoy the backyard. Today we’re sharing tons of outdoor kitchen inspiration, ranging in scale from giant outdoor kitchen kits to simple grilling areas made with reclaimed materials.
Header image: Tokyo Bekana Chinese cabbage leaves prior to harvest aboard the International Space Station. Photo credit: NASA
Header image: Chimpanzee Ham with Trainers. Image credit: NASA
Header image: NASA astronaut Rick Mastracchio uses a video camera to photograph the Ant Forage Habitat. Image credit: NASA
Out with the ham and in with the spam [Image credit:63056612@N00, CC BY-SA]