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Dive into the depths: 90 Years of Loch Ness monster lore

Devayani Khare November 10, 2023

An oil painting of the Loch Ness monster by Austrian artist Hugo Heikenwaelder. Image credits: Hugo Heikenwaelder, CC BY-SA 2.5 via Wikimedia Commons

Folk tales and myths, they’ve lasted for a reason. We tell them over and over because we keep finding truths in them, and we keep finding life in them. ~ Patrick Ness, American-British author (*nae, this Ness isn’t related to Nessie) Is it an eel? Is it a snake? Is it a diplodocus with fins? No, it’s Nessie! If there’s one myth that has weathered the passage of time and stands in defi ...[Read More]

Biosphere Reserves: What are they and why must we care for them?

Gillian D'Souza November 3, 2023

Credit: Thomas Plenefisch (via imaggeo.egu.eu)

Today, 3 November, is globally recognized as the International Day for Biosphere Reserves. The first edition of this observance day was marked last year, with UNESCO urging our relationship with nature needed “a radical rethink.” As Audrey Azoulay, Director-General of UNESCO explains, “The logic is simple: to improve our relationship with nature, we must first improve our understanding of how we a ...[Read More]

Swamps may be considered spooky, but is there more than meets the eye?

Simon Clark October 30, 2023

Credit: Original image by Vitalie Petra

Swamps are spooky. This is the prevailing notion from the depiction of wetlands – the saturated lands of swamps, bogs, and fens – in the media. From the folktales of Will-o’-the-Wisps guiding travellers astray to the many, many swamp monsters of Scooby Doo, the sign is clear: a scrawled “stay away from here” thrust deep in the mud, writ by centuries of storytellers. As a reputation it’ ...[Read More]

GeoPolicy: From research to regulation – unpacking the EU Soil Directive

Chloe Hill October 27, 2023

Agriculture - Stellenbosch. Image credit: Joyce Schmatz. Distributed via Imaggeo.

This month’s GeoPolicy Blog post unpacks the Directive on Soil Monitoring and Resilience, it’s impacts from research to regulation and how scientists can get involved with it. It can be challenging for scientists to understand and engage with the European policymaking process. The intricacies and nuances of the legislative process, with its numerous institutions, committees, and political pr ...[Read More]