Michelle McKeown

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#Michelle McKeown

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Healthy soil is a living system of minerals, roots, fungi, bacteria, organic matter, air and water. It stores carbon, supports plants, filters water and helps decide whether rain soaks into the ground or runs towards the nearest drain. Drought does not simply make soil dry. It changes how soil is structured, how it functions and how well it recovers. <span class="contextmenu emphasis CaptionCredit">Pictures: iStock</span>
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outdoors

Under pressure: Dry conditions are changing the ground beneath us

Drought does not simply make soil dry. It changes how soil is structured, how it functions and how well it recovers, and Ireland is by no means immune to its effects

<p>A shaded pavement can remain dramatically cooler than one exposed to direct sunlight as urban trees commonly reduce local air temperatures by several degrees. <span class="contextmenu emphasis CaptionCredit">Picture: iStock</span>
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outdoors

Michelle McKeown: In a heatwave, trees are more than just a pleasant extra

<p>A firefighting helicopter flies over a forest wildfire, dumping water from a bucket to help tackle the blaze. Europe is warming faster than any other continent, and hotter summers are increasing what fire scientists call ‘fire weather’, periods of prolonged heat, dry vegetation and strong winds that favour rapid fire growth. <span class="contextmenu emphasis CaptionCredit">Picture: iStock</span>
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outdoors

Burning issue: What Europe’s wildfires can teach Ireland

Newlyweds cutting wedding cake

outdoors

Small wedding decisions that can cut waste, without cutting the joy

Woman is using eye mask in bed while electric fan is blowing on the foreground

outdoors

Awake to the consequences: How climate change is affecting our sleep

Making homemade deodorant stick with all natural ingredients concept. Antiperspirant on minimal background with lot of copy spac

outdoors

Pit stop: The science behind smelling better with less plastic

Skellig Island Puffin, County Kerry, Ireland

Nature Cams: Reconnecting us with the wild, or just another screen?

The strongest case for nature cams is access, as not everyone can visit a wetland, island, woodland or cliff edge. But there are limits. Watching nature is not the same as being in nature

Fri, 12 Jun, 2026

Beautiful Landscape depicting Strange Weather Phenomenon due to Climate Change, comprising dramatic dark grey Nimbus clouds alon

El Niño: World on watch as tropical Pacific warming

Scientists are watching events and weather forecast models closely as the final strength and the precise impacts of El Niño will only become clearer as the Pacific ocean and atmosphere continue to evolve

Sat, 06 Jun, 2026

A close up of a male Common House Mosquito on a Fennel flowers (Culex pipiens)

Hot topic: The ecological winners of the mini May heatwave

When Ireland gets unusually warm, nature pays attention. A burst of warmth in late May can change behaviour, accelerate life cycles and create ecological winners. Not every species dislikes heat. Some quietly thrive

Thu, 28 May, 2026

Builder On Site Putting Waste Into Rubbish Skip

Round the houses: Building more and wasting less should not be competing ambitions

Ireland urgently needs homes and increasing supply remains a national priority. The challenge, however, is not whether Ireland should build. It must. The challenge is whether future construction can become genuinely circular

Sat, 23 May, 2026

Summer: young adults watering plants on a rooftop community garden

Couple goals: Can economic growth finally go green?

Researchers have found that many urban economies are continuing to grow while fossil-fuel pollution declines, meaning some cities are beginning to 'consciously uncouple' economic growth from fossil-fuel dependence

Sat, 16 May, 2026

Opening hours: Why some plants open by day and close at night

Opening hours: Why some plants open by day and close at night

Plants are constantly sensing, responding, and adapting to the world around them. They track time, detect light, react to temperature, and coordinate with insects in ways that are surprisingly sophisticated

Sat, 09 May, 2026

Michelle McKeown: Peatlands and why scientists around the world agreed on 50 urgent questions

Michelle McKeown: Peatlands and why scientists around the world agreed on 50 urgent questions

Peatlands may not be glamorous landscapes. They are muddy, waterlogged and often difficult to access. But they are among the most important ecosystems on Earth for tackling climate change

Fri, 01 May, 2026

rain is falling in a puddle in the garden

Michelle McKeown: The smell of rain and the science behind it

This smell of rain is a real physical thing that can be explained by science. In Ireland, where rain is a regular feature of daily life, this phenomenon is easy to overlook. But it is worth pausing to notice next time it rains

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026

Paradisical tropical beaches, islands and islets on Vanua Levu island near Savusavu, the hidden paradise of Fiji, Fiji, South Pa

Michelle McKeown: An island in the Pacific built from ancient waste

At first glance, this small island in Fiji looks like many others in the South Pacific. But beneath the surface, it tells a very different story

Fri, 17 Apr, 2026

Underwater coral bleaching of critically endangered species Staghorn (Acropora cervicornis)

Hot topic: The impacts of El Niño in a warmer world

El Niño years tend to push global temperatures higher, not because they cause climate change, but because they amplify it

Fri, 03 Apr, 2026

Young tabby domestic cat hunting in the green grass at summer

Paws for thought: Cats might just be the purr-fect predator

Cats are not just companions; they are, ecologically speaking, small but highly effective predators and we need to take their impact seriously

Fri, 27 Mar, 2026

Uluru Road Sign

What’s in a place name? Lots of human fingerprints as it happens

Place names on maps are not fixed truths. They are human decisions, shaped by language, power and, quite often, misunderstanding

Fri, 20 Mar, 2026

Close-up image of Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus) perched on seaside black, hard plastic dumpster refuse bin, scavenging fish a

Same species, different city: Is nature losing its local accent?

Human activity is reshuffling biodiversity globally, allowing a relatively small group of adaptable species to spread widely, while more specialised species decline

Sat, 14 Mar, 2026

Winter weather Feb 16th 2026

Ireland’s seasonal identity crisis — what is it and how can we adjust?

It’s March. The daffodils are out, the evenings are getting longer, and winter is officially over. Or is it ...?

Fri, 06 Mar, 2026

Nesting woodpecker

The percussion of the great spotted woodpecker — a forgotten sound after such a long absence

The woodpecker’s place in Ireland isn’t a closed chapter with a neat conclusion. It’s an unfinished story

Fri, 27 Feb, 2026

Crabs on the road traffic sign - Christmas Island

A monopoly win isn't always good — what happens when one species takes over

Snake Island, Christmas Island, and Ireland's Saltee Islands, all show what happens when ecological balance tips and a single organism becomes just a little too successful

Fri, 13 Feb, 2026

Why are Irish communities seeing more flooding and several 'one-in-100-year' floods?

Why are Irish communities seeing more flooding and several 'one-in-100-year' floods?

A one-in-100-year flood does not mean a flood that happens once a century. It means a flood with a 1% chance of occurring in any given year. Two such floods can occur in back-to-back years, or several can occur in a single decade

Fri, 06 Feb, 2026

Sinkhole Swallows a Car in Florida

An unsettling natural hazard: Here's everything you need to know about sinkholes

Sinkholes are surprisingly selective. They require the right rock, the right water chemistry, the right underground space and just enough time...

Fri, 30 Jan, 2026

Written on the walls: what lichens tell us about our environment

Written on the walls: what lichens tell us about our environment

Lichens have no roots, no waxy leaves and no way to filter what they absorb. Everything they take in comes directly from the atmosphere so they are extraordinarily sensitive to air quality. For more than a century, scientists have used lichens to track pollution

Fri, 23 Jan, 2026

Mountain stream flows through granite boulders in Glenmacnass valley, County Wicklow, Ireland

The invisible carbon in Ireland’s waters

Dissolved organic carbon may be one of the most underestimated pressures on Irish waters. About 20% of our land area is covered by peat and peaty soils, which are among the most carbon-rich ecosystems on Earth. That makes Ireland uniquely vulnerable to large losses of carbon from land to water

Fri, 16 Jan, 2026

Cold enough to remember

Cold enough to remember

Ireland has lived through colder climates than this, and what stands out in hindsight is not collapse, but continuity. During the Little Ice Age (from roughly the 14th century to the mid-19th century) people adapted to altered seasons and unreliable weather without knowing they were living through a climatic shift

Fri, 09 Jan, 2026

Lense

Ireland’s 2025 environmental review — and a look ahead to 2026

Ireland did not experience a single defining climate disaster in 2025... climate change in Ireland now operates less as a headline-grabbing event and more as a persistent context

Fri, 02 Jan, 2026

Mayo Cheeseburger Feast

Saving the planet, one label at a time

We've had a series of earnest discussions and proposals, including within the European Parliament, about whether plant-based foods should be allowed to use words like 'burger' or 'sausage'

Fri, 26 Dec, 2025

robin bird

Christmas pre-tinsel: when plants — and robins — ran the show

Strip Christmas of its baubles, batteries and Amazon deliveries, and what you’re left with is, at heart, a festival of plants. Trees dragged indoors. Mistletoe hung from the ceiling. Berries admired but (wisely) not eaten.

Fri, 19 Dec, 2025

Curious hedgehog in the grass

A pest or a prince — is it all down to postcodes?

The conservation–invasion paradox is when a species is endangered where it evolved but causes havoc where humans introduced it. So why can't we just bring unwanted animals to where they're wanted?

Fri, 12 Dec, 2025

Michelle McKeown: The weather tug-of-war that shapes our winters

Michelle McKeown: The weather tug-of-war that shapes our winters

Understanding the North Atlantic Oscillation won’t stop Irish winters being chaotic, but it helps explain why they sometimes fall into familiar rhythms. And it reminds us that, while climate change is gradually reshaping global systems, natural variability still has plenty to say

Fri, 05 Dec, 2025

16,000 years’ worth of stories to uncover from sediment in a West Cork lake

16,000 years’ worth of stories to uncover from sediment in a West Cork lake

In search of Ireland's ancient past by recovering and examining sedimentary ancient DNA (sedaDNA)

Fri, 28 Nov, 2025

Why early-warning systems matter more than ever

Why early-warning systems matter more than ever

Long before sensors and satellites, people used whatever tools they had to read the world around them. In fact, the earliest warning systems were rooted in observation, culture and instinct — but sensors, algorithms and automated texts are now being employed in places such as Midleton in Cork

Fri, 21 Nov, 2025

Tractor spreading artificial fertilizers in field

Phosphate: the world’s most under-appreciated resource

Ireland, like most of Europe, has no significant phosphate rock reserves. Every kilogram of phosphorus used on Irish farms is imported, primarily as processed fertiliser derived from mined rock abroad. That dependence makes Ireland (and the EU) strategically vulnerable

Fri, 14 Nov, 2025

a willow casket - contemporary style

Michelle McKeown: The greenest ways to go when you go

When it comes to carbon footprints, the old-fashioned burial isn’t exactly green. Traditional burials involve embalming chemicals (usually formaldehyde) and hardwood coffins — but there are more eco-friendly options now available

Sat, 08 Nov, 2025

Flat Lay of Shattered Pumpkins After the Exciting Pumpkin Drop Event

Ireland’s frightening Halloween habit is a curse that can be broken by sustainable choices

Nature’s décor is unbeatable: fallen leaves, pinecones, bare branches, and candlelight (ideally in a glass jar rather than a plastic skull). They’re biodegradable, beautiful, and cost nothing

Wed, 29 Oct, 2025

Empty chair at wedding ceremony

Something borrowed, something green: How I found a sustainable wedding dress

Weddings can generate significant waste. Studies estimate an average Irish wedding produces 10–20 kilograms of plastic from decorations, catering, and more, though this varies by event size and style

Sat, 25 Oct, 2025

I am almost done!

Rake expectations: should we be picking up leaves at all?

Leaves aren't litter — they’re the forest’s own recycling system, a slow-release nutrient pack designed to feed soil life and shelter small creatures through the colder months. When they decompose, they release essential nutrients, improve soil structure, and even help lock away a little carbon

Fri, 17 Oct, 2025

A large number of different human footprints in the sand, background

Rethinking carbon footprints

By focusing public attention on individual choices, your commute, your cup of coffee, your weekend city break, the 'carbon footprint' campaign diverted scrutiny from the systemic scale of fossil fuel extraction and combustion

Fri, 10 Oct, 2025

Woman taking photo of fern in forest

Tap, snap, explore: Seven science-backed apps to bring nature closer

So, charge your phone, lace your boots and let curiosity lead. These apps are a welcome upgrade from late-night doomscrolling

Fri, 03 Oct, 2025

Could paludiculture be Ireland’s next big idea?

Could paludiculture be Ireland’s next big idea?

Farming on wet land instead of drained soils involves a shift in mindset, from battling nature to working with it. And in a country where bogs have shaped our past, paludiculture could play a role in shaping a more sustainable future

Fri, 26 Sep, 2025

Man must decide his way forward to success or failure

Ireland’s climate targets: the clock is ticking and the bill is mounting

Despite the daunting gap, Ireland has shown it can bend the emissions curve. A 6.8% drop in one year proves that action, combined with factors like a mild winter and a shift away from coal, has an impact

Fri, 19 Sep, 2025

Foraging in Ireland: A feast or fatal mistake?

Foraging in Ireland: A feast or fatal mistake?

Let’s be clear: foraging is not a game of chance. Mistakes can be costly, and in the worst cases, fatal. And remember, in the great supermarket of nature, there are no refunds

Fri, 12 Sep, 2025

Mating Ned Devine? The New Zealand snail turned global celebrity

Mating Ned Devine? The New Zealand snail turned global celebrity

"Most snail shells spiral clockwise, but Ned’s curves the other way — an unusual genetic quirk found in roughly one in around 40,000 snails."

Mon, 01 Sep, 2025

Aerial

Drowning nations: Kiribati and the South Pacific’s fight for survival

If we fail to meet our own 2030 climate targets, if we continue to expand high-emission sectors, then our solidarity with Kiribati is nothing more than rhetoric. Every delayed decision in Dublin, every postponed policy on transport, every row over methane cuts, translates into sea-level rise in Tarawa

Fri, 29 Aug, 2025

Rotorua, New Zealand

What’s the story, twiggy glory... stick insects in Ireland

There are more than 3,000 species of stick and leaf insects globally — and at least one has taken up residence in the south of Ireland

Fri, 22 Aug, 2025

Depletion of ozone layer, Ozone hole, illustration

Back in the ozone: How we plugged the hole in the sky

If we could do it once, we can do it again, whether it’s climate change, biodiversity loss, or the plastic in our oceans. We once had a hole in the sky — now we have a blueprint for how to mend the planet. And that, in anyone’s book, is a good news story

Fri, 15 Aug, 2025

Losing ground: Coastal erosion in Ireland and what we can do about it

Losing ground: Coastal erosion in Ireland and what we can do about it

Entire sections of coast are disappearing into the sea. And while erosion is a natural process, it’s now accelerating due to human activity and climate change. The question we face is no longer if we should act, but how

Fri, 08 Aug, 2025

Woman hands applying sunscreen, with the beach in the background

Sun, sea and a slippery slope: What your sunscreen isn’t telling you

Oxybenzone, in particular, is toxic to juvenile corals even at concentrations as low as 62 parts per trillion. This is the equivalent to a single drop in six and a half Olympic-sized swimming pools

Fri, 01 Aug, 2025