#Outdoors

Of A Prehensive On Topic This Series Articles

Biologists Examining Dirt and It's Acidity
Digging into why our soil is unhealthy and how we can fix it
As we are discovering the complexity and fragility of healthy soil, the importance of protecting our soils becomes ever clearer

Wed, 18 Dec, 2024

Trying to hear what prehistoric hunter-gatherers heard by examining rock art site acoustics
Trying to hear what prehistoric hunter-gatherers heard by examining rock art site acoustics
The sites consist of vertical cliffs rising directly from the lakes, with painted images of humans, boats, and animals, sometimes also drummers and typically gave clear and distinct echoes

Thu, 12 Dec, 2024

'Tis the season... for barn owl nest box maintenance
'Tis the season... for barn owl nest box maintenance
Barn owls can be killed if they eat poisoned rats or mice — these birds are themselves one of the best means of natural rodent control

Thu, 12 Dec, 2024

Rare micromoth species discovered in East Cork — a first for Ireland
Rare micromoth species discovered in East Cork — a first for Ireland
The find represents a remarkable extension of this species' previously known range in Europe, as it had only been recorded as far west as Liverpool in England before now

Wed, 11 Dec, 2024

Living history — and mysteries solved — with the Digital Atlas of Cork
Living history — and mysteries solved — with the Digital Atlas of Cork
This interactive historical atlas of Cork explores the city from its origins in c. 625 AD to the present

Mon, 09 Dec, 2024

Pine marten rare species in natural habitat (Martes martes)
Native allies: Pine martens helping Ireland’s red squirrels fight back
A study conducted by researchers at NUI Galway and the University of Aberdeen found that red squirrels increase their numbers significantly within five years of pine marten population recovery

Fri, 06 Dec, 2024

Ireland’s renewable revolution: from turbines to transition
Ireland’s renewable revolution: from turbines to transition
To achieve a sustainable energy future, Ireland must move beyond incremental changes and embrace bold, systemic transformation

Thu, 05 Dec, 2024

Richard Collins: Sounding out what it's like to be a bat
Richard Collins: Sounding out what it's like to be a bat
Scientists work to learn more about bats' sophisticated echolocation and communications systems

Thu, 05 Dec, 2024

Donal Hickey: How we roll — road freight increase
Donal Hickey: How we roll — road freight increase
Ireland's former, well-developed rail freight system went into decline as roads improved

Thu, 05 Dec, 2024

Hen harrier
Anja Murray: Will the law save Irish birds, which are so threatened?
Species such as the puffin, snipe, hen harrier, kestrel and curlew are plummeting toward extinction here, and even legally protected conservation sites are lacking urgent habitat restoration actions

Wed, 04 Dec, 2024

Christmas in Earth orbit, astronaut in outer space. Vector.
SkyMatters: Looks like acid rain, dear — if you're having Christmas on Venus
A science-based look at what Santa's working conditions might be on other planets besides Earth

Mon, 02 Dec, 2024

This mulch I know: it’s good for your garden any time of year, but particularly in winter
This mulch I know: it’s good for your garden any time of year, but particularly in winter
Whether compost, manure or wood chippings, a thick protective layer of mulch has a litany of benefits

Fri, 29 Nov, 2024

Urban fox research
Richard Collins: Not quite zebras crossing, but animals are taking to city life
Foxes, peregrines, and even mountain lions, are setting up shop inside the lion's den

Thu, 28 Nov, 2024

Pushy Salesman
Donal Hickey: National retrofitting grants plan gaining momentum
The grant for a deep retrofit has been raised from 35% to 50% and to 80% for attic and cavity wall insulation

Thu, 28 Nov, 2024

Pleased dreaming woman warms hands on thermos cup outside on cold late autumn, strolling in forest. Nature therapy.
9 winter walks in Cork where you can warm up with a coffee
There's nothing quite like the feeling of warming up with a hot cuppa after a walk in the cold air during winter

Wed, 27 Nov, 2024

US moves to list giraffes under Endangered Species Act for first time
US moves to list giraffes under Endangered Species Act for first time
Climate crisis, habitat loss and poaching have reduced its numbers — but will Trump put the kibosh on protections?

Sun, 24 Nov, 2024

Christmas bauble with wedding and engagement rings in red satin
Lab-grown diamonds versus mined diamonds. Which is better for the planet?
Diamond mining is an environmentally disruptive process. However, where a lab-grown diamond is produced, and the energy sources used, plays a crucial role in determining its sustainability

Fri, 22 Nov, 2024

scarlet macaws
Back to the fuchsia: the evolution of colour sensitivity
There has been a dramatic explosion in the use of colour vision during the last 100 million years. Its greatest users are fish, birds, butterflies, and reptiles. Furry mammals are less enthusiastic about colour — they prefer scent

Thu, 21 Nov, 2024

One Funny Cat in Front of the Fireplace
Donal Hickey: Weather folklore to blow you away — or is it all just hot air?
What it might mean if your cat snuggles up close to the fireplace... from spotting swallows flying low to the science of cloud seeding we have a fascination with the weather

Thu, 21 Nov, 2024

Assorted Vegetables in a Clear Box. A clear box filled with a variety of fresh vegetables such as mustard greens, broccoli, toma
How to reduce your exposure to microplastics
Scientists recommend never microwaving food in plastic — tempered glass such as Pyrex is a good alternative for warming food

Sun, 17 Nov, 2024

Paving over progress — what Ardee Bog means for Ireland’s climate future
Paving over progress — what Ardee Bog means for Ireland’s climate future
The controversy over Ardee Bog is a wake-up call. If we are serious about achieving climate goals, we must address these policy gaps that extend legal safeguards beyond SACs and NHAs to include smaller, fragmented, and degraded peatlands that are still ecologically and climatically valuable

Fri, 15 Nov, 2024

Bohemian waxwing with rowan berries (Bombycilla garrulus)
Richard Collins: Berry berry drunk — it's only natural
Scientists say that alcohol has been in the natural world for millions of years: "moderate ethanol intake is associated with nutritional medicinal and cognitive benefits. Evidence is growing that humans are not drinking alone and that many animals ingest ethanol in their natural environment"

Thu, 14 Nov, 2024

Donal Hickey: Top eco award for Tralee wetlands group
Donal Hickey: Top eco award for Tralee wetlands group
Tralee Bay Wetlands Eco and Activity Park has won the overall All-Ireland Pollinator Award. The 22-acre park, alongside the road to the Dingle Peninsula, has a 20metre viewing tower, nature walks, pedal boats, a nature reserve and ecology section

Thu, 14 Nov, 2024

Walk the 22-mile Tóchar Phádraig in the footsteps of royal subjects, saints, and medieval pilgrims
S Walk the 22-mile Tóchar Phádraig in the footsteps of royal subjects, saints, and medieval pilgrims
This path was abandoned for 400 years but was revitalised and reopened thanks to a clever priest and 64 obliging landowners

Mon, 11 Nov, 2024

Would a visit to Páirc Quaternary be better than Jurassic Park?
Would a visit to Páirc Quaternary be better than Jurassic Park?
De-extinction scientists have turned their attention to species from more 'recent' times — notably the Quaternary Period, which includes creatures such as woolly mammoths and the Tasmanian tiger

Fri, 08 Nov, 2024

Snake charmer plays music for his cobra at the Jemaa el-Fnaa square in Marrakesh
Richard Collins: Human cruelty to wildlife still persists
Cobras, their mouths stitched closed, or their poison receptacles removed, still perform for tourists on the great square at Marrakesh

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

Smoking chimney
Donal Hickey: Open fires are literally breathtaking 
There are regular warnings from environmental and health promotion organisations about dangers of domestic emissions of solid fuel which cause 1,300 deaths per year, according to the EPA. Particulates can cause irritation to lungs, nose and throat and can be particularly harmful to older people

Thu, 07 Nov, 2024

Vote Green!
Anja Murray: Top nature questions to raise with election hopefuls
Decisions made now will have huge impact on people, land and nature, far into the future

Wed, 06 Nov, 2024

Take the pressures off Killarney National Park — and expand it
S Take the pressures off Killarney National Park — and expand it
Ecologist Pádraic Fogarty says it would not take much to tip the balance in favour of nature here... and we’ve already waited too long

Sun, 03 Nov, 2024

Seán Ronayne: Do we have enough safe hands to save Irish nature?
Seán Ronayne: Do we have enough safe hands to save Irish nature?
We just need to do the right thing by Irish nature, and understand that we, as a species cannot keep taking from the land as if we were the only inhabitants. It will give, eventually

Sat, 02 Nov, 2024

Flour in a bag on the table and spikelets
From pests to plates: Can insects play a role in diversifying our diets?
Insect protein is stepping into the spotlight as a nutrient-rich, environmentally friendly option to traditional meats

Fri, 01 Nov, 2024

9 things you didn't know about holly, our favourite Christmas plant
Donal Hickey: Early berries a sign of a harsh winter ahead?
This year, I saw red holly berries more than two months ago — trees working hard to feed hungry birds or is that a myth?

Thu, 31 Oct, 2024

Richard Collins: A mother mad for revenge — or just boisterous orca play?
Richard Collins: A mother mad for revenge — or just boisterous orca play?
White Gladis is the female leader of an orca pod and some scientists suggest she may have started ramming boats after being injured by a vessel — and she may even be training young whales to do the same now

Thu, 31 Oct, 2024

Ancient DNA brings to life history of iconic aurochs, which were seen on cave wall paintings
Ancient DNA brings to life history of iconic aurochs, which were seen on cave wall paintings
Aurochs went extinct around 400 years ago which left much of their evolutionary history a mystery — until scientists sequenced ancient DNA

Wed, 30 Oct, 2024

Telling the bees: Why this ancient mourning tradition has endured
Telling the bees: Why this ancient mourning tradition has endured
Beekeeper’s daughter and student of folklore Eimear Chaomhánach shares memories of growing up in a beekeeping household, collecting swarms with her father and learning how to harvest honey, while looking at the beliefs, traditions and folklore around bees and beekeeping

Tue, 29 Oct, 2024

Where to go to pick pumpkins in Ireland in 2024
Where to go to pick pumpkins in Ireland in 2024
Pumpkin festivals, autumn events, pick-your-own-pumpkin parties — they're all right here 

Mon, 28 Oct, 2024

You don't have to wait for summer or a sunny day to install solar panels
You don't have to wait for summer or a sunny day to install solar panels
The clocks go back this weekend and solar panels might be the last thing on your mind when we face into dark evenings but it can be a great time to start thinking about installing them

Sat, 26 Oct, 2024

Irish climber who scaled Everest dies after accident in New Zealand
Irish climber who scaled Everest dies after accident in New Zealand
Richard O’Neill-Dean was part of the first successful Everest expedition in 1993

Fri, 25 Oct, 2024

Carving a greener path in addressing pumpkin waste in Ireland
Carving a greener path in addressing pumpkin waste in Ireland
The jack-o-lantern practice originated with the story of Stingy Jack, a character in Irish mythology who tricked the Devil and was condemned to roam the earth with only a carved-out turnip to light his way

Fri, 25 Oct, 2024

apple eating race. Food On A String game. Activity for halloween party
Donal Hickey: Does winter start on November 1 or in December? 
The Halloween/Samhain tradition marked the end of the farming year, with all the harvest in and animals housed for the harsh season ahead. Crops to feed animals and people were stored away safely — and it was a time to celebrate

Thu, 24 Oct, 2024

Blackbird
Richard Collins: Bird migration is dangerous and demanding — why do it? 
It was originally thought birds migrated to save energy in a warmer climate but new research is challenging this idea

Thu, 24 Oct, 2024

Businesses to fund wildlife ponds, hedgerows and woodlands on Irish farms as part of ReFarm project
Businesses to fund wildlife ponds, hedgerows and woodlands on Irish farms as part of ReFarm project
ReFarm has already started to fund nature-positive actions and will continue to do so over the five-year period of the project

Wed, 23 Oct, 2024

How a ‘putrid’ find in a museum cupboard could be the key to bringing the Tasmanian tiger back to life
How a ‘putrid’ find in a museum cupboard could be the key to bringing the Tasmanian tiger back to life
A well-preserved thylacine head was a gruesome sight — but it also contained RNA molecules crucial to reconstructing the extinct animal’s genome

Sun, 20 Oct, 2024

Malaria drug research
Tiny threats: could mosquitoes bring big problems to Ireland?
The Culex pipiens mosquito, which transmits West Nile Virus, is already present here.  So far, Ireland has remained free of local West Nile Virus transmission, but with climate change creating warmer, wetter conditions, there’s a potential future public health risk for Ireland

Fri, 18 Oct, 2024

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