GeoLog

Pollen

Geosciences Column: Thunderstorm asthma, the unexpected impact of lightning storms on pollen allergies.

Geosciences Column: Thunderstorm asthma, the unexpected impact of lightning storms on pollen allergies.

In October 2015 a series of massive thunderstorms rolled across the Eastern Mediterranean. In the hours and days that followed many people living along the Israeli coast had to go to their nearest medical centre because they were experiencing respiratory problems, which appeared very similar to asthma. But what could have caused these breathing problems? Well in research recently published in Natu ...[Read More]

Geosciences Column: Pollen tells a 7300 year old story of Malta’s climate and vegetation

Geosciences Column: Pollen tells a 7300 year old story of Malta’s climate and vegetation

Figuring out what the climate was like, and how it changed, throughout Earth’s history is like trying to complete a 1000 piece puzzle. Except that scientists usually don’t have all the nuggets and building a comprehensive picture relies on a multidisciplinary approach in order to fill in the blanks. This is particularly true during the Holocene, which spans the last 11,700 years of the Earth’ ...[Read More]