Daily Archives: October 23, 2024

Reviving Earth science: A call for early education reform

Dear Editors,
I read with interest the concerns regarding the decline in undergraduate Earth Science enrolments (e.g. Geoscientist, Winter 2023). I believe the problem starts much earlier than A-level.
As Head of Chemistry in an all-through (Primary and Secondary) school, I can say that Earth science is most definitely in the curriculum, however it’s so segmented that children can’t piece it all together.
Classic geology is virtually absent; rocks are covered once in Year 3 (students aged 7-8 years) and only once again in Year 7 (students aged 11-12 years). In Key Stage 4 (students aged 14-16 years) chemistry, mineral extraction is linked to redox reactions and the reactivity series whilst the chapter on inorganic chemistry kicks off with crude oil. Topics such as evolution and ecology, and seismology are covered in biology and physics, respectively. The GCSE science content is so vast that it is often divided between two or three teachers, therefore it is not easy to provide a consistent narrative. Let’s not forget about the elements of Earth science that are navigated in geography!
The topic with greatest coverage is of course climate change. It is present throughout all the Key Stages with the focus on human-made climate change. This comes with the inference that the extractive industries are polluting and therefore, bad. Children tend to have a very strong moral compass and are very conscious of environmental and societal issues – something the mining/oil industries have a rather poor historical record for. So why would they consider reading for a degree in a subject whose career paths, they are told, destroy the planet?
How can educators address this? I argue that the answer to increasing enrolment at university level has to start much sooner, so that children receive an unambiguous and balanced Earth science education.  For this to work, non-specialist Earth science teachers need the tools to deliver a balanced curriculum. This could take the form of Continuing Professional Development for non-specialists, more industry-linked teaching and careers resources, greater earth science representation within STEM organisations, and so on. There is plenty of room here for the Society, universities and industry to get involved!
Dr Natasha Henwood MGeol, PhD, PGCE, FGS

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Reviving Earth science: A call for early education reform

Dear Editors,
I read with interest the concerns regarding the decline in undergraduate Earth Science enrolments (e.g. Geoscientist, Winter 2023). I believe the problem starts much earlier than A-level.
As Head of Chemistry in an all-through (Primary and Secondary) school, I can say that Earth science is most definitely in the curriculum, however it’s so segmented that children can’t piece it all together.
Classic geology is virtually absent; rocks are covered once in Year 3 (students aged 7-8 years) and only once again in Year 7 (students aged 11-12 years). In Key Stage 4 (students aged 14-16 years) chemistry, mineral extraction is linked to redox reactions and the reactivity series whilst the chapter on inorganic chemistry kicks off with crude oil. Topics such as evolution and ecology, and seismology are covered in biology and physics, respectively. The GCSE science content is so vast that it is often divided between two or three teachers, therefore it is not easy to provide a consistent narrative. Let’s not forget about the elements of Earth science that are navigated in geography!
The topic with greatest coverage is of course climate change. It is present throughout all the Key Stages with the focus on human-made climate change. This comes with the inference that the extractive industries are polluting and therefore, bad. Children tend to have a very strong moral compass and are very conscious of environmental and societal issues – something the mining/oil industries have a rather poor historical record for. So why would they consider reading for a degree in a subject whose career paths, they are told, destroy the planet?
How can educators address this? I argue that the answer to increasing enrolment at university level has to start much sooner, so that children receive an unambiguous and balanced Earth science education.  For this to work, non-specialist Earth science teachers need the tools to deliver a balanced curriculum. This could take the form of Continuing Professional Development for non-specialists, more industry-linked teaching and careers resources, greater earth science representation within STEM organisations, and so on. There is plenty of room here for the Society, universities and industry to get involved!
Dr Natasha Henwood MGeol, PhD, PGCE, FGS

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Scientists Warn Worsening Global Warming Intensifies Deadly Floods in Africa

Several African countries have been affected by flooding this year unleashing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. According to a report by scientists on the World Weather Attribution (WWA), global warming is the reason for the intensified rainy season in many African countries in 2024.The WWA network said that human-driven climate change, caused by the use of fossil fuels had made seasonal downpours across the Niger and Lake Chad basins 5-20 percent worse this year.“These results are incredibly concerning,” said Izidine Pinto, a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute and one of the study’s authors.He pointed out that “spells of heavy summer rainfall” had become the “new normal” in Sudan, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad.“With every fraction of a degree of warming, the risk of extreme floods will keep increasing,” Pinto added, calling for the United Nations COP29 climate summit to “accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels” when it meets in Azerbaijan next month.Floods killed about 1,500 people and displaced more than one million in West and Central Africa this year, according to UN aid agency OCHA. The rains also overwhelmed dams in Nigeria and Sudan. Kenya suffered the loss of more than 210 lives as a result of the heavy rainfall triggering the policy to demolish houses built close to the riverbanks, further worsening the humanitarian crisis.A dam burst in Maiduguri, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, in mid-September 2024 after heavy rains, causing severe flooding. The disaster resulted in the deaths of at least 37 people and displaced over 200,000 residents. The floodwaters affected more than 1.7 million people across 31 states in Nigeria, leading to widespread destruction of homes and farmland.The WWA report warns that intense downpours, like those in Sudan, could occur yearly by the 2050s if global temperatures rise by 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Scientists found that monthlong rains in Sudan, worsened by climate change, have intensified, especially affecting displaced populations.Though Africa contributes little to global carbon emissions, it’s disproportionately impacted by extreme weather. Researchers emphasize the need for improved dam maintenance and early warning systems. “This will keep worsening if fossil fuel use continues,” warned Clair Barnes from the Centre for Environmental Policy.

Scientists Warn Worsening Global Warming Intensifies Deadly Floods in Africa

Several African countries have been affected by flooding this year unleashing an unprecedented humanitarian crisis. According to a report by scientists on the World Weather Attribution (WWA), global warming is the reason for the intensified rainy season in many African countries in 2024.The WWA network said that human-driven climate change, caused by the use of fossil fuels had made seasonal downpours across the Niger and Lake Chad basins 5-20 percent worse this year.“These results are incredibly concerning,” said Izidine Pinto, a researcher at the Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute and one of the study’s authors.He pointed out that “spells of heavy summer rainfall” had become the “new normal” in Sudan, Nigeria, Niger, Cameroon and Chad.“With every fraction of a degree of warming, the risk of extreme floods will keep increasing,” Pinto added, calling for the United Nations COP29 climate summit to “accelerate the transition away from fossil fuels” when it meets in Azerbaijan next month.Floods killed about 1,500 people and displaced more than one million in West and Central Africa this year, according to UN aid agency OCHA. The rains also overwhelmed dams in Nigeria and Sudan. Kenya suffered the loss of more than 210 lives as a result of the heavy rainfall triggering the policy to demolish houses built close to the riverbanks, further worsening the humanitarian crisis.A dam burst in Maiduguri, Borno State, northeastern Nigeria, in mid-September 2024 after heavy rains, causing severe flooding. The disaster resulted in the deaths of at least 37 people and displaced over 200,000 residents. The floodwaters affected more than 1.7 million people across 31 states in Nigeria, leading to widespread destruction of homes and farmland.The WWA report warns that intense downpours, like those in Sudan, could occur yearly by the 2050s if global temperatures rise by 2°C above pre-industrial levels. Scientists found that monthlong rains in Sudan, worsened by climate change, have intensified, especially affecting displaced populations.Though Africa contributes little to global carbon emissions, it’s disproportionately impacted by extreme weather. Researchers emphasize the need for improved dam maintenance and early warning systems. “This will keep worsening if fossil fuel use continues,” warned Clair Barnes from the Centre for Environmental Policy.

Chinese scientists created amino acids from water and air

Scientists from the University of Science and Technology of China have made a breakthrough in synthetic chemistry, successfully synthesizing amino acids using only air and water as starting materials. The achievement could revolutionize the chemical industry, opening the way to environmentally friendly production, TASS reports with reference to the South China Morning Post.

Led by Dr. Zeng Jie, the research team developed an innovative method for the targeted synthesis of glycine, an essential amino acid. Using electrochemical catalysis, the researchers recreated natural atmospheric processes in the laboratory, simulating the formation of a thundercloud.

During the experiment, the scientists successively converted carbon dioxide first into oxalic acid, then into glyoxylic acid. At the same time, atmospheric nitrogen was transformed into ammonia and hydroxylamine. The final electrochemical reaction permitted to obtain more than 5 grams of pure glycine.

The research team does not plan to stop there and intends to expand the range of synthesized organic molecules. The developed technology opens up prospects for creating new generation productions that will not depend on petroleum products, will significantly reduce energy consumption and minimize the formation of hazardous waste.