Anthea Lacchia

'It was sprayed in the playground': Widespread use of chemical weedkillers by councils

As part of the IN THE WEEDS series on pesticide use by public authorities, I conducted interviews with campaigners, scientists, policy experts and community groups, as well as over 60 Access to Information on the Environment (AIE) requests and dozens of press requests. Among the findings: - At least 28 out of Ireland’s 31 local authorities are still using chemical herbicide, of which at least 19 are using glyphosate-based weedkillers as of this year - The amount spent by local authorities...

The Explainer x Noteworthy: How much weedkiller are councils using?

Reporter Anthea Lacchia and campaigner James Walsh tell Susan Daly about how almost all councils are still using pesticides. By Laura Byrne Assistant News Editor "AFTER THE BIRTH of my own son, I could not stand looking at the sprayed kerbs and grass areas... I was having nightmares about it."

Thousands of litres of pesticides used on Irish roads and forests each year

Part 1 of investigation series #INTHEWEEDS on pesticide use in forestry and roads. Findings include: - AROUND €1.5 MILLION is spent on pesticides annually by State-owned forestry company Coillte, Noteworthy can reveal. Over 10,200 litres and 5,800 kg of pesticides were used across 2020 and 2021 by the public body, excluding any used in Coillte nurseries.

Inspections found issues in how nine out of 10 vendors handled deadly pesticides

Part 2 of investigation series IN THE WEEDS, showing how retailers in Ireland are handling pesticides. This was based on AIE and press requests, as well as interviews. Findings include: - Unapproved or revoked products for sale as well as no trained staff on site were among issues identified. - Vast majority of pesticide retailer and wholesaler inspections in recent years identified issues or actions to be taken, according to records seen by Noteworthy.

Over the Hill: Persistent overgrazing causing 'devastation' in vulnerable habitats

Many upland areas are experiencing ongoing grazing pressure and degradation, with rare plants disappearing. - ON A CLEAR day, a hike from Benlettery to Ben Gower - two of Connemara's Twelve Bens - reveals a lunar, barren landscape. These mountains used to house rare and delicate species of liverworts, spore-producing plants that lack a vascular system, botanist Dr Rory Hodd told Noteworthy.

Breaking the Banks: 'Vicious circle' of public works 'degrading' Ireland's rivers

While the Office of Public Works says it is reducing the impact of arterial drainage work, waterways and their habitats "are still suffering". IN THE MIDDLE reaches of the River Clare in Galway, where now lies agricultural grassland, there once was one of the biggest turloughs in Ireland, where tens of thousands of geese and whooper swans would flock every year.

The Explainer - podcast on investigation about Irish rivers and their habitats

“A RIVER ECOSYSTEM is incredibly complex and there are oodles of species that rely on it from microorganisms… all the way up to mammals.” Elaine McGoff, Natural Environment Officer with An Taisce, speaking on this week’s episode about the vast amount of wildlife that are impacted by vegetation clearance processes along the banks and in the channels of rivers in Ireland. That was the subject of Noteworthy’s recent BREAKING THE BANKS investigation which found these habitats are being...

In Search of Nature

An essay on nature published in Tamarind literary magazine

BBC Digital Planet - Listening to the sounds of the forest using AI (22min in)

Listen back to some relaxing bird song in this radio package, which looks at how different types of machine learning, applied to the sounds of ecosystems in Okinawa and Borneo, can help scientists assess and predict ecosystem health, change and identify illegal hunting and logging. Featuring researchers from Trinity College Dublin and Imperial College London.

COP26-The key is coordination (paywall)

Climate features prominently in Irish funding calls, but the country keeps failing to meet targets

BBC Digital Planet - AI that can help identify individual birds

AI that Can Identify Individual Birds - 22mins into the programme Could machines be better ornithologists than humans? Deep learning systems are now able to distinguish between species of birds, but also individual animals. At the moment, the only way that conservationists can identify individual birds is by tagging them. That’s time consuming, costly and a bit of an inconvenience for the creatures themselves. Anthea Lacchia has been finding out more about how the algorithms are helping...

Ireland's first dinosaur bones

A study of fossilised bones reveals that dinosaurs roamed our shores about 200 million years ago. The bones, which were found along Co Antrim's eastern coast in the 1980s, are the only dinosaur remains to have ever been recorded on the island of Ireland.

► VIDEO: Ireland's fossils: an ancient part of our heritage

In this Irish Times video which I helped research, I speak about Irish ancient organisms and their link to the current biodiversity crisis. We also hear from other palaeontologists and visit Fanore Beach, Co. Clare, Ireland.

The strange creatures that lived in Ireland millions of years ago

By Anthea Lacchia, UCD Imagine a tropical, shallow sea, its waters glistening in the warm sunshine. Underwater, corals dance in the waves and fish swim gracefully by, as a tiny, tentacle-bearing creature retreats into its spiral shell. Is this your dream holiday destination? Dream no further.

To the Marsh

My short story 'To the Marsh' about my relationship with a local marsh was among the winners of the short story competition 'Stories from the Waterside' - p.21

Birdwatcher's morning

This short feature on birdwatching with Birdwatch Ireland in Pollardstown Fen, Co. Kildare, was broadcast on IC Radio. I researcher, produced and presented the feature, which is about one of my big passions, birds!

5 ways towards sustainable resource production

Opinion: can we meet the insatiable global demand for metals for electric vehicles and clean energy in a sustainable way? By Anthea Lacchia, UCD There is a growing awareness in Ireland and worldwide of humanity's strain on our planet's resources, coupled with a recognition that radical change is needed if we are to prevent further climate breakdown.

Telling Birds Apart Using Facial Recognition

Feature for BirdWatch Ireland Magazine on a new technology that allows computers to identify individual birds

We must protect our bird populations from the damaging effects of roads

Over the past few months, as an avid birdwatcher and citizen scientist, I have recorded a plethora of bird species on my daily walks, partly thanks to the absence of noise pollution from cars. Indeed, birdsong has been one of the few pleasures afforded to many of us during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Seeing further: Poetry and Geology

What can we learn about the Earth from landscape poetry? Join Dr Anthea Lacchia and geologists from iCRAG, along with Prof. Mike Stephenson of the British Geological Survey as we explore the geology of Dingle peninsula through the medium of poetry. Produced and presented by Dr Anthea Lacchia

How to be strategic in applying for grants

Researchers must be increasingly tactical in choosing the types of grants they apply for. Researchers must be increasingly tactical in choosing the types of grants they apply for. SIA KAMBOU/AFP via Getty Images When a postdoctoral researcher in Adrian Barnett's group at the Queensland University of Technology in Brisbane, Australia, told him she was thinking of applying for the Johnson & Johnson WiSTEM2D Scholars Award for female researchers, he checked it out.

Librarians seek more support as research partners

Librarians should be given more support and credit for their research contributions, which should be costed into grant proposals, according to Research Libraries UK (RLUK), a consortium of research libraries in the UK and Ireland.

A new form of CV for researchers

Another step away from narrow, biased measures of success in science. Mykyta Dolmatov/Getty Images A new narrative-based CV that reflects skills and experiences better than a grant and publication record is being piloted across six funding schemes overseen by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI), the UK's central research funder.

BBC Digital Planet - AI to detect tinnitus - 14 minutes in

New research shows how AI can detect tinnitus and assess its severity. We hear from Dr Mehrnaz Shoushtarian from Bionics Institute, Prof Daniel Polley from Harvard Medical School and Massachusetts Eye And Ear, and Sarah and Jim, who are living with tinnitus, with thanks to the British Tinnitus Association.

Breathing Room: why it's time to get serious about classroom ventilation

(p.58) Proper ventilation has been recognised as an important quality for school buildings at least since the Victorian era. But, in the current pandemic, have we lost sight of the role of ventilation?

King's Comfort

Feature on beautifully designed, new passive-certified student accommodation in Cambridge, built with cross-laminated timber.

Network to tackle Ireland's climate emergencies

An interdisciplinary network of researchers from Ireland has been launched to address the climate and biodiversity emergencies facing the island.

‘Early response’ determined Ireland’s Covid research success

Reports highlight how fast-track funding and pivoting focus made meaningful impact on pandemic response.

Analysis reveals Irish graduate earning disparities (paywall)

Graduate earnings differ significantly between Irish higher education institutions, according to a report published by the country’s Higher Education Authority (HEA).

Academics’ mixed reactions to Irish budget (paywall)

Government proposes spending boosts for students and ICT, but universities lament lack of fundamental increase

Academy calls for independent chief scientific adviser (paywall)

Role should be split from its alignment with director of Science Foundation Ireland, it says.

Spectacular ice age wolf pup and caribou dug up in Canada

Rare, mummified animals discovered by gold miners in Yukon

558m-year-old fossils identified as oldest known animal

Oval-shaped Dickinsonia lifeform existed at least 20m years before the 'Cambrian explosion' of animal life

Staring at the sun: Solar Orbiter telescopes will get closest view yet

European Space Agency's seven-year, €1bn mission will investigate the effects of the sun on satellite technology

Probiotics 'not as beneficial for gut health as previously thought'

Research finds probiotics caused 'very severe disturbance' in gut when taken in conjunction with antibiotics

Freeze eggs before 35 for a better chance of IVF success, says report

Age at time of freezing is key to whether fertility treatment will succeed, says UK regulator

Scientists find way of treating skin wounds without surgery

Researchers trick wound cells in mice into becoming healing surface skin cells

Ten minutes of exercise a day improves memory

Researchers have shown that the brain's ability to store memories improves after a short burst of exercise

A Good Eye For a Fossil

What did a Jurassic sea predator look like? For the first time, scientists have described the three-dimensional eye-structure of Dollocaris ingens, a 160-million-year-old arthropod from the Jurassic of southeast France. Fossils typically do not preserve delicate, soft organs such as the eyes, leaving palaeontologists none the wiser about how visual systems evolved through geological time....

Cutting corners a bigger problem than research fraud

Scientists are more concerned about the impact of sloppy science than outright scientific fraud.

One in three freshers 'show symptoms of mental health disorder'

Global study investigates prevalence of psychological disorders among first-year university-level students

Better measures needed for research cooperation

Researchers wrestle with a measure of collaboration increasingly used to assess the impact of their work. ANALYSIS PhotoDisc/ Getty Images Tracking the names and affiliations of co-authors on a research paper is the most widely used method of measuring scientists working together, including by the Nature Index.

UK deliberations leave young researchers in limbo

Lack of clarity on changes to the country's research assessment system provokes anxiety among early-career researchers. Stockbyte Royalty Free Photos In 2013, Richard Butler, a young and well-published palaeontologist, was a scientist in demand.

EU funding formula revealed

Three factors can help institutions secure one of these sought-after grants. Andrew Paterson / Alamy Stock Photo Three factors have a significant influence on whether a research institution will apply for and win a prestigious Horizon 2020 grant, researchers have found.

Historic co-authorships speed up editor handling times

Journal editors tend to accept manuscripts written by prior collaborators more quickly. Lane Erikson / Alamy Stock Photo Academic editors at one of the largest multidisciplinary journals tend to accept manuscripts from previous collaborators an average of 19 days faster than other papers, a new study has found.

Watching out for retractions

Ivan Oransky, Distinguished Writer In Residence at New York University, co-founded the popular blog Retraction Watch, which reports on and investigates the retractions of scientific papers. We caught up with him to talk science journalism, scientific misconduct and more. Can you give me a sense of any major developments or news in the area of research misconduct?

When a name is out of place

Locating a country in the title of a scientific paper may lower its visibility.

Prominent female scientists struggle to retain their edge

Tracking the careers of leading scientists reveals maintaining greatness is harder for women in Italy. Matej Kastellic / Alamy Stock Photo For female scientists, shattering the glass ceiling is often difficult. But for those who do reach a high-status, clinging to the upper echelons can be even harder, a new study by Italian researchers has found.

UK-India research collaborations threatened by decline in student enrolments

Years of groundwork underpins the increase in research partnerships between India and the UK, but a decline in the number of Indian students enrolling in British universities may weaken the relationship.

High-impact papers score well in REF, study finds

Researchers in the UK find that the impact factor of journal articles matches judgements by a panel of experts on research quality. retrorocket/Getty A study has found that, in science-based subjects, universities with a large proportion of articles published in high-impact-factor journals are likely to score highly in the Research Excellence Framework (REF), the United Kingdom's system for assessing the quality of university science.

UK researchers want quotas to redress lack of diversity

Efforts to increase diversity in research assessment panels don't cut it. GlobalStock/Getty Measures to increase diversity in the panels of experts that assess university science don't go far enough, say researchers. Bolder steps such as quotas are needed to ensure the academic population is represented adequately, says sociologist Kalwant Bhopal, who studies race and social justice at the University of Birmingham.

Cite unseen? Then step aside

A large number of professors in Italian universities produce no cited work. Agata Gladykowska / Alamy Stock Photo Most academics are familiar with the adage 'publish or perish'. But a study examining the output of Italian scientists has revealed a large number of academics either publish very few papers or produce work that remains uncited.

Data transparency: Making the most of your data

Contributor Anthea Lacchia Amongst the scientific community, there is increasing awareness of the value of data transparency and reproducibility. But how can we achieve transparency in practical terms? Catherine Goodman, Senior Editor at Nature Chemical Biology , delivered a workshop on handling scientific data during the Boston NatureJobs Career Expo 2015.

'On Thin Ice' exhibition opens in UCD

For the next three weeks, the Discovery Institute in University College Dublin will house a new Climate Change exhibition, On Thin Ice. The exhibition tells the story of an expedition by a team of Norwegian researchers from the Norwegian Polar Institute. The researchers embedded their research ship in the ice near Svalbard, close to the...

Making it in academia: Before and after you apply

Contributor Anthea Lacchia The pursuit of science makes for an attractive career, but academic positions are hard to come by. What will really set your application apart? During the Boston NatureJobs Career Expo 2015, Esther Bullitt (Boston University School of Medicine), Rich Gurney (Simmons College), Vanja Klepac-Ceraj (Wellesley College), and Kim McCall (Boston University), shared their insights into how to get an academic job and how to keep it.

Beware the perils of postgrad research

You may love the time and freedom to explore your subject in depth - but dangers abound when you leave the safety of the timetable

Water Cycles

Worked as Earth Consultant on this children's book. Dive into the life-cycle of water and discover how it supports all life forms, how humans harness its power, and why we need to conserve it.From snowflakes falling from the clouds and deep ocean currents to hot springs and water in space, this children's nature book showcases the beauty and power of...

Life Cycles

Writer and consultant of the Earth section of this stunning illustrated children's book. Life Cycles takes an innovative look at the circle of life, including the life cycles of rocks, carbon, dinosaurs, fossils, volcanoes, and mountains.

New Thinking, New Ireland

Wrote Chapter entitled 'Science' on the connections between art and science and the role of science communication in society. Book summary: 'Have you had enough of politicians' rhetoric, or of the failure of tired institutions to keep up with our rapidly changing world? Then meet the young, new thinkers of Ireland as they share their vision for the future. Here, twenty-one of our leading creative thinkers and problem-solvers rip up the rule book and start again, presenting a new vision for...

The joy of discovery is what drives us - interview with Prof. Luke O'Neill

Interview with Prof Luke O'Neill

DNA of lager yeast tells stories of eastern voyage - Trinity News

Seasoned brewers know that behind every successful beer, there is a very precious yeast at work. When it comes to beer - from ale, to stout, to lager - yeast is a crucial ingredient used to ferment sugars into alcohol.

Haunted by pyrite

Tellus Border, Tell Us More

Article about the Geological Survey of Ireland's Tellus Border mapping project

Brazen Brachiopods

Part of a series on Irish fossils for Science Spin

Interview with Rolf Dieter Heuer, Director General of CERN

Q&A with Prof Heuer

Myth and science

Science is your answer, says the Delphic Oracle

iCRAGorama Podcast

The introductory episode of the iCRAGorama podcast, which is all about Irish geoscientists, their passions and interests, from rocks and climate, to books and witchcraft! Produced and presented by Anthea Lacchia and Ben Couvin

Scientists, engage or die

The ReSToRE summer school on the sustainable development of Earth resources: reflecting back

How can we source and use Earth resources in an ethical and responsible way? And how can we bring different actors and communities together to achieve sustainable resource development? These are just some of the questions that early career researchers from around the world came together to discuss during the inaugural Researching Social Theories, Resources, and the Environment International Summer School, held at the University College Dublin last month.

La Commedia Scientifica: Dante and the Scientific Virtues

Ethical issues in science include research misconduct and the rightful treatment of people, animals, the environment and our planet. Based on interviews with thirteen scientists, we identify a framework of virtues, and corresponding vices, in modern science. We employ the narrative structure of the late medieval poem Divine Comedy, by Dante Alighieri, and draw on its moral universe to explore the scientific virtues and the role of virtue ethics in science.

The human side of geoscientists: comparing geoscientists' and non-geoscientists' cognitive and...

Geoscientists can struggle to communicate with non-geoscientists, especially around contentious geoscience issues. We compare the thoughts and feelings of geoscientists and non-geoscientists around the subsurface, mining/quarrying, drilling and flooding. We find that geoscientists focus more on human interactions when thinking about these processes, while non-geoscientists focus more on economic and environmental impacts. Understanding these differences and similarities can help enable dialogue.

Goniatites Explained

Fossils Explained Series

The Geological Society of London - Resourcing a sustainable future

We must resource present and future generations sustainably. But how? Jen Roberts and Anthea Lacchia report on an international summer school that is building a global community to bridge disciplines and sectors, and tackle sustainable resource extraction Roberts, J. & Lacchia, A., Resourcing a sustainable future.

10 top tips for getting into science communication

By Anthea Lacchia (@AntheaLacchia), Press Officer at Nature As Richard Dawkins reminds us in 'Unweaving the Rainbow', understanding the origin of the colours of the rainbow does not take away from its beauty or the awe it inspires. Communicating science as a career is all about inspiring those moments of wonder, from the eye-widening and jaw-dropping [...]

Geologist Wins Prestigious Naturejobs Competition for Budding Science Writers

PhD Researcher in Geology in the School of Natural Sciences at Trinity, Anthea Lacchia, has just been selected as one of the five international winners of the Naturejobs Career Expo Journalism Competition for budding science journalists. Her winning competition entry, a 600 word answer to the question: 'Career paths: Should you follow in the footsteps of your idol?'

Geology, fossils & science communication

I was delighted to be a guest on the Wonderlabs podcast. In this episode we get into the importance of molluscs as an index and keystone species, the giant insects and trees of the Carboniferous period, and revisit the story of revered fossilist and glass ceiling smasher Mary Anning.

Kids Questions Podcast Episode 3 - Anyone4Science

Real questions from our students answered by Dr Anthea Lacchia