You've probably heard that climate change is melting the polar ice caps - but what does this actually mean? It refers to the Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheets, which are large systems of interconnected glaciers, kilometres thick. They are formed by snow falling on land,... click to read more

Microplastics (pieces less than 5 mm in size) have now been discovered in a wide range of aquatic habitats, from deep-sea sediments to seemingly pristine tropical beaches. Their small size and omnipresence mean that microplastics can be eaten by animals at the base of the... click to read more

Because of its role in the formation of particulate matter, atmospheric ammonia is a key driver of air quality, with major impacts on human health and life expectancy. Excess ammonia also affects the entire biosphere through acidification and eutrophication of ecosystems and impacts indirectly climate.... click to read more

The Polar Regions are a central control and indicator of the Earth's climate. Ice and snow at the poles reflect solar radiation back into space, which helps to keep the Earth cool. However, in recent decades, air temperatures in the Arctic have been rising at... click to read more

Carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere is absorbed by our oceans, and has an important impact on our oceanic ecosystems. When an ocean absorbs CO2 in large quantities its chemistry changes, and it becomes more acidic. However, the oceans have their very own antacid: a... click to read more