#StevesLibrary: The Orchid Hunter
After reading The Butterfly Isles earlier on in the year, I went looking for other books that had a similar story to them. Just to recap, in Barkham’s fantastic book, he spends the summer trying to see every species of…
#StevesLibrary: The Dinosaurs Rediscovered
As a six-year-old, there was nothing that captivated me more than dinosaurs. This obsession always seems to take hold at the moment in time, I’m also sure that most people have had a similar experience (who doesn’t love a good…
#StevesLibrary: Liquid
After recently finishing Stuff Matters by Mark Miodownik, I knew I had to read his other book, Liquid. Mark Miodownik has a very engaging writing style which makes it effortless to learn about new things (such as material science). Just…
#StevesLibrary: Stolen World
Whenever you next walk into a pet shop that stocks exotic animals, take a look at the reptiles that stare back at you from their vivariums. It is very likely that you’ll find species such as the royal python (Python…
#StevesLibrary: Parasite Rex
One the most fascinating modules I took as an undergraduate was one on parasitology, which up until that point I knew very little about. It’s one of those worlds that usually causes disgust with the general public (as with snakes,…
#StevesLibrary: Outbreaks and Epidemics
For obvious reasons, I’ve spent some time this year reading books regarding the outbreak of disease and it’s consequences. It would surprise me if more people hadn’t, especially given the circumstance we’ve found ourselves in. Back in January, I read…
#SciFri: The potential for damage from the JNCC 7th Quinquennial Review
Something happened this week but it’s taken a few days to sink in. There was news from the Amphibian and Reptile Groups UK (ARG UK), that the Joint Nature Conservation Committee (JNCC) was recommending the removal of protections to species…
#StevesLibrary: The Humans Who Went Extinct
Something that I’m sure I’ve mentioned on this blog is that I’ve always been fascinated by the origins of our species. To me, the scientific origins of our species are far more interesting than the biblical one, and I always…
#StevesLibrary: The Overloaded Ark
Recently I finished a book, by that great source of conservation optimism and enthusiasm Gerald Durrell. As I’ve said before, whenever I feel a little disillusioned by the world and the current state of affairs, I always grab one of…
#SciFri: What haven’t I seen as many frogs this year?
A number of people this year have asked me why they haven’t seen as many amphibians as they usually would. I’m sure many of you are used to seeing your pond overcrowded with frogs, jostling for a chance to mate….
