#Michelle McKeown

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#Michelle McKeown

A COMPREHENSIVE SERIES OF ARTICLES ON THIS TOPIC

<p>Robin Lewando and Dr Michelle McKeown (University College Cork), Dr Aaron Potito (University of Galway), and Dr Andrew Tighe (University College Dublin) collecting the sediment core at Three Lakes, County Cork. Pictures: Sarah Jane Power (University College Dublin) and Cathal Gannon (University College Cork)</p>

outdoors

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)

<p>Catastrophic flooding in Midleton with drone footage showing the scale of the floods during Storm Babet in 2023. Picture: Guileen Coastguard</p>

outdoors

Why early-warning systems matter more than ever

<p>According to the latest EPA reports, levels of phosphorus are too high in 27% of rivers, and 32% of lakes. Legacy phosphorus stored in soils continues to leak into waterways. More P fertiliser is still applied to Irish soils each year, despite many fields already holding surplus phosphorus from decades of application</p>

outdoors

Phosphate: the world’s most under-appreciated resource

a willow casket - contemporary style

outdoors

Michelle McKeown: The greenest ways to go when you go

Flat Lay of Shattered Pumpkins After the Exciting Pumpkin Drop Event

outdoors

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

Empty chair at wedding ceremony

outdoors

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

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

Ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus) in a forest in England, UK

Can Ireland’s ash trees stage a comeback against deadly dieback?

Ash trees are the backbone of our ecosystems, supporting more than 40 species of insects, lichens, and fungi that keep our woodlands teeming with life. Their decline ripples through the food chain, threatening birds and other wildlife — but there might be hope of a recovery

Fri, 25 Jul, 2025

Ulster bonfires

The environmental cost of Northern Ireland’s bonfires

In the face of climate change and public health challenges, questions are being raised, not just about what these bonfires stand for, but what they’re doing to the environment we all share

Fri, 18 Jul, 2025

Bioluminescent Shore

Michelle McKeown: Shedding light on the wild world of bioluminescence

The glow in Lough Hyne comes courtesy of dinoflagellates (tiny, single-celled plankton) floating near the surface of the water. When disturbed, they emit a flash of light, usually bluish green, in a rapid chemical reaction involving the molecules luciferin and luciferase

Fri, 27 Jun, 2025

Michelle McKeown: Can we feed the world and save it too?

Michelle McKeown: Can we feed the world and save it too?

Rather than choosing organic everywhere or intensification somewhere, many scientists now advocate for a sustainable intensification approach: combining ecological practices with modern science and technology

Fri, 20 Jun, 2025

Michelle McKeown: Why are Ireland’s clouds so thick? And did they influence our skin?

Michelle McKeown: Why are Ireland’s clouds so thick? And did they influence our skin?

This isn’t just idle weather chat. There’s serious science behind Ireland’s famously gloomy skies, and compelling evidence that they’ve shaped not just our landscape, but our biology...

Fri, 13 Jun, 2025

Cleaning up after the crowds

The sound of sustainability: Why many concerts and festivals aren't as 'green' as they claim

As climate awareness grows, more festivals are touting their green credentials. But are these efforts real progress, or just a fresh coat of eco-paint?

Fri, 06 Jun, 2025

Showing some samples of the different phases of the life cycle of cadaveric fauna collected at crime scenes

A silent witness to crime: The natural world's role in solving murder cases

Whether through river currents, insect life cycles, the invisible grains of pollen or algae, or the lingering traces of DNA, nature is always quietly recording. And with the right tools, forensic scientists can translate that record into evidence

Fri, 30 May, 2025

How do some blockbuster disaster movies stack up against real science?

How do some blockbuster disaster movies stack up against real science?

The end of the world on the silver screen: science vs Hollywood

Fri, 23 May, 2025

CZECH-ENVIROMENT-DROUGHT

'If you see me, weep': What Ireland's dry spell can learn from history's dry past

When to enjoy a sunny spell and when to worry about prolonged drought...

Fri, 16 May, 2025

Fake grass installation team

How can we save pollinators in Ireland before it's too late?

Protecting pollinators isn’t just about saving bees; it’s about safeguarding the systems that grow our food and give life to our landscapes

Fri, 09 May, 2025

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERA

Understated glamour: Ireland’s flowers know how to work it

From cow parsley to blackthorn, hawthorn to wild cherry, it’s as if most plants in Ireland got the same memo: White is in

Fri, 02 May, 2025

Testing the water of a reservoir for the content of microbes .

What’s really in our water? We can't manage what we can't measure

A nice cool glass of forever chemicals, painkillers, antibiotics, antihistamines, and synthetic hormones... testing for pharmaceuticals, PFAS, DOC, or emerging contaminants should be part of routine water monitoring — not an occasional research project

Fri, 25 Apr, 2025

Teenage girl at home in the morning

Shapeshifters, cyst makers, brain-takers: The secret world of amoebae

Some cell-shocking facts about these microscopic organisms — they may lack bones, bravado, or branding, but they are among the most adaptable, fascinating, and weirdly wonderful creatures on the planet

Fri, 18 Apr, 2025

Teenage girl with allergy blowing nose

Peak sneezin’ season — are more of us than ever affected by hay fever?

Ireland’s high overlap between asthma and hay fever hints at a sizeable population affected, even if precise numbers are elusive

Fri, 11 Apr, 2025

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

Why seagulls steal your chips — and some tips on how to try save your al-fresco snacks

Well, gulls just wanna have fun (and some carbs)

Mon, 07 Apr, 2025

Beaver at sea observing nature

Meet the planet’s most effective engineers (no planning permission required)

From the tiniest worms to charismatic beavers, the ability of nature’s engineers to modify landscapes, regulate water flows, and enhance biodiversity provides invaluable lessons for humans as we grapple with climate change and habitat destruction

Fri, 28 Mar, 2025

Soak it up! How Ireland’s cities can embrace the sponge revolution

Soak it up! How Ireland’s cities can embrace the sponge revolution

'Sponge cities' promote urban resilience to climate change and we badly need initiatives like these in areas vulnerable to flooding

Fri, 28 Mar, 2025

Blue Headed Wrasse ore Bluehead Wrasse, thalassoma bifasciatum

Some like it fluid: The animal kingdom's wildest sex changes

So, what’s the deal with animals swapping sexes? Why do they do it and what can we learn from it? Let’s take a closer look at some of nature’s most interesting identity changes...

Fri, 21 Mar, 2025

Rob Roy Glacier in New Zealand

Nature strives for balance: A rare glimmer of hope in an otherwise bleak environmental outlook

How climate change is creating new peatlands in a New Zealand mountain

Fri, 14 Mar, 2025

Group of crows on the roof of a building

Why are crows so noisy in early spring?

Some scientists even believe crows have regional dialects, meaning the ones in Dublin might sound slightly different from their Cork cousins

Fri, 07 Mar, 2025

Pipistrelle Bat

Do bats hold the secrets to fighting future pandemics?

Bats’ status as the only truly flying mammals might mean they also have another ‘superpower’ — invincibility to most viruses

Fri, 21 Feb, 2025

African bush elephant mating in Tarangire National Park

Pheromones or love in the air? Attraction in the animal kingdom

While body odour and even tears may influence behaviour, love is far more complex than a whiff of sweat or a drops of tears

Fri, 14 Feb, 2025

Red paper cutout car on stacks of gold coins on green background. Illustration of the concept of increasing car prices, surging

Why sustainability in Ireland demands more than goodwill

In the race against climate change, an approach that leaves behind those who can’t afford the starting fee is bound to fail, not only ethically but practically

Fri, 07 Feb, 2025

Machu Picchu illuminated by the warm sunset light. Wide angle view from the terraces above with scenic sky and sun burst. Dreaml

A new chapter in Inca archaeology as underground tunnels discovered beneath Cusco’s historic district

Underground tunnels, which have been long rumoured in local legends, have been discovered

Fri, 31 Jan, 2025

waiting

Carbon pawprint of pets: Are our dogs and cats secret climate culprits?

From the food they eat to dog waste on the ground, our pets can end up adding to global pollution — but there are ways to give our dogs and cats a happy, healthy life while also treading more lightly on the planet. Here's how...

Fri, 24 Jan, 2025

Record hot 2024 was first year to break 1.5C warming threshold

Our planet's fever has broken 1.5°C — it's a global climate wakeup call

The temporary breach of the 1.5°C threshold serves as a warning rather than a point of no return. It highlights the need for immediate and decisive action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and accelerate the transition to sustainable energy systems

Fri, 17 Jan, 2025

Michelle McKeown: Why Ireland’s surf is just swell in the cold

Michelle McKeown: Why Ireland’s surf is just swell in the cold

Winter is prime time for surfing off Ireland's coasts — and here's why...

Fri, 10 Jan, 2025

Drone or quadcopter with camera 3d scanning land. Drone fly over landscape and make geological mapping of the field. Landforms d

The role of artificial intelligence in research

Science, at its core, is about illuminating the ever-expanding boundaries of understanding, and AI is becoming an indispensable part of that journey

Fri, 03 Jan, 2025

If you're dreaming of a white Christmas, keep dreaming

If you're dreaming of a white Christmas, keep dreaming

There's always next year...

Tue, 24 Dec, 2024

Plastic or pine: Which Christmas tree is the greenest choice?

Plastic or pine: Which Christmas tree is the greenest choice?

Real trees sequester carbon while they're growing, and they can be chipped and composted afterwards. You need to reuse artificial trees for at least 10 to 20 years to offset their production emissions

Fri, 20 Dec, 2024

Cost about CO2 reduction - concept with CO2 text against woodland and european euro banknote

The Carbon Credit Conundrum: A green solution or a licence to pollute?

On paper, the idea is simple and elegant. Polluters pay, green projects receive funding, and emissions are reduced overall...

Fri, 13 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