Desert ecosystems

Martin Lewis has been fighting our corner for two decades. The world could have been a very different place if the money saving expert had carried on with his stand-up comedy career. But thankfully for us, perhaps in more ways than one, Martin switched to a very different role as a financial advisor. Martin has been behind some incredibly successful campaigns over the years, taking on unfair bank charges, uncapped energy bills and student finance. He decided to take a step back from his Good Morning Britain duties in July last year, but has stayed on our screens on Martin's Money Saving Tips. The finance hero will be marking his 100th show with a quick trip down memory lane, so here's a look at his life away from the cameras. Comedy career Before becoming the nation's money saving expert, Martin actually tried his hand at stand-up comedy. While he was General Secretary of the Students' Union at the London School of Economics, Martin became friends with comedian Gary … [Read more...] about Martin Lewis’ celebrity wife, adorable ‘mini me’ daughter and surprise comedy career

T he Grand Tour , the new motoring show starring the former Top Gear presenting team, was of course spectacular. Amazon has lavished a reported £160 million on its highest profile television venture yet and, in the long-awaited first episode, every penny could be seen on screen. A blockbuster opening sequence featured fighter jets, flame-belching cars straight out of Mad Max and an air-conditioned tented studio in the California desert. Later, movie star Jeremy Renner was persuaded to jump out of a plane for a blink-and-it’s-over comedy skit and Carol Vorderman turned up daubed in fake blood. … [Read more...] about The Grand Tour, episode one review: gloriously free of the BBC, Clarkson shows he’s worth every penny

The Gulf Stream that helps warm the UK and northwest Europe is at its weakest in over 1,000 years and could lead to more "extreme and intense" winters, according to researchers. They say the slowdown observed in the 20th century is "unprecedented" and likely connected to climate change. The Gulf Stream is part of a larger "conveyer belt" of ocean currents known as Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and carries warm water from the tip of Florida towards Europe. Its effect ensures Britain has relatively mild winters and without it experts believe temperatures would be around 5C cooler. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player Snow covers southeast England AMOC helps ensure the oceans are continually mixed, with the heat and energy distributed around the globe and affecting the climate. Advertisement Scientists say it was relatively stable until a decline around 1850, followed by a more drastic dip in … [Read more...] about Weakest Gulf Stream in 1,000 years could bring more ‘extreme’ winters to UK and Europe, says study

Rat sightings across London have soared during the pandemic, new data from the British Pest Control Association (BPCA) suggests. In the first lockdown last spring, 51% of BPCA members reported a rise in rodent activity. By October, 78% of pest controllers were reporting more sightings. Recent figures from pest.co.uk also show there were 30 million more rats in the country in 2020 than in 2019. While in part experts say this is due to increased resistance to rat poisons, they say the numbers are mainly down to greater visibility. David Lodge, who runs Beaver Pest Control in London, explains "by nature rats typically avoid humans and so before the pandemic, they would be hidden from view in drains and sewer systems". Advertisement With businesses shut and streets deserted, these nocturnal creatures are now becoming more "brazen" and beginning to infest areas they would not usually occupy, such as empty restaurants, pubs and office buildings. … [Read more...] about Rat sightings on the rise in London as businesses remain closed during lockdown

Smoked monkeys, turtle heads, whole bats — at the bushmeat market in Mbandaka in the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo, you can find quite a few exotic types of meat. Bushmeat is one of the most important sources of protein for many Congolese. But it has a dangerous aftertaste. Whether bird flu, HIV/AIDS, Ebola , or COVID-19,  many diseases are zoonotic, meaning they can be transmitted from animals to humans. Zoonotic diseases account for about 75% of emerging diseases currently affecting humans. They also include yellow fever, various forms of influenza, rabies, and Lyme disease. Many of these diseases can be traced back to the consumption of bushmeat. The illegal wildlife trade is worth $27 billion annually, by some estimates The illegal bushmeat fallacy In West and Central Africa, hunting and trading in various species of wild animals is either legal or semi-legal. Bushmeat is also popular in southern Africa. "For some people, it's about going back to more … [Read more...] about Could Africa’s taste for bushmeat trigger the next pandemic?