Is Norwich vertical farming unit the future of food production?
Shaun Whitmore The crops are grown in layers under artificial light in conditions designed to mimic those found outside, but without any weather variables A new method of growing food could “feed the world without trashing the planet at the same time”, according to an alternative farming entrepreneur. Vertical farming is the practice of growing […]
Did Vikings drag ships over land to avoid choppy Scottish waters?
Getty Images Vikings may have moved ships – similar to this replica of a vessel found in a Viking burial ground in Norway – across land in the west of Scotland Archaeologists are investigating the possibility Vikings used shortcuts over land to help them move warships and smaller boats around Scotland’s west coast. Tarbert in […]
River pollution rules could be relaxed to allow for thousands of new homes
Getty Images The new Labour government has said it will build “in a way that will protect and restore nature” Twenty-thousand new homes may be built in the West amid government plans to relax river pollution rules. Restrictions were brought in to stop water quality in areas like the Somerset Levels from getting worse, but […]
Luxury jewellery made of gold waste
Gold waste from the Royal Mint has been turned into luxury jewellery which will be on show at Paris Fashion Week. The gold was recovered from printed circuit boards and crafted into bespoke pieces for fashion designed Stella McCartney, in partnership with The Royal Mint’s jewellery brand 886. Part of the collection was also made […]
Pub giant Marston’s reports Euro 2024 sales jump
A pub operator has credited Euro 2024 with boosting its sales. Marston’s reported a 5.2% growth in sales between July 2023 and July 2024, but in a trading update it said it had “seen considerable uplift from Euro 2024, with like-for-like sales for the week of the semi-final and final matches rising by 8%.” The […]
Lab-raised meat “not the enemy” say farmers
Reuters A lab technician in California inspects a vial of frozen chicken cells in a plant where lab-grown meat is produced Synthetic meat created in a laboratory “need not spell disaster to farms”, according to a new report. Researchers from the Royal Agricultural University (RAU) spoke to over 80 farmers for a major new study. […]
US to ban Chinese tech in cars
The US is planning to ban certain hardware and software made in China and Russia from cars, trucks and buses in the US due to security risks. Officials said they were worried that the technology in question, used for autonomous driving and to connect cars to other networks, could allow enemies to “remotely manipulate cars […]
Beyoncé to join Kamala Harris at Texas rally
Beyoncé will appear alongside Vice-President Kamala Harris at a rally in Texas on Friday, CBS News, the BBC’s US news partner reported, citing a source familiar with the matter. The singer’s appearance in her hometown of Houston will take place just 11 days before election day on 5 November. Harris often plays Beyoncé’s song Freedom […]
How to beat the queues
Getty Images The kids have finished school and it’s time for the great summer getaway, with millions of Brits setting off on their holidays. It’s likely to be a busy time on the roads, with the RAC predicting a “weekend of woe”. The motoring organisation says some 13.8 million trips could be made between Friday […]
Surrey eDNA firm NatureMetrics named as finalist
NatureMetrics Samples from all over the world are analysed at the labs in Guildford A Surrey-based company is in the running to win £1m as a finalist in Prince William’s Earthshot Prize. NatureMetrics, based in a science park in Guildford, has been included in this year’s “protect and restore” category. The company uses environmental DNA […]