Shining light on the environment

Lead Research Organisation: University of York
Department Name: Environment

Abstract

How can earthworms survive in metal-contaminated soil? How has ocean chemistry changed over the lifetime of the planet? Can we boost the nutritional value of food? How can we reduce the risks of arsenic in drinking water? How do radioactive pollutants behave in the environment?

Scientists are using the biggest and most expensive scientific machine in the UK to help answer these and many other vitally important environmentally relevant questions.

The machine is called Diamond and is the UKs national synchrotron facility. It is funded by the Wellcome trust and the UK government through the Science and Technology Facilities Council. Synchrotrons consist of particle accelerators (like a mini version of the Hadron collider in Switzerland) which fire electrons around a circle close to the speed of light. Every now and then the electrons are "tweaked" on their path and intense light is given off which is used by scientists to look at samples of soils, rocks, water and biological material at incredibly high levels of detail. Using this intense light we can look at how molecules and atoms are arranged and using this information we can help answer some of the questions posed above.

Professor Mark Hodson from the University of Reading first used synchrotrons during his PhD research in 1992 when he was working out how magma chambers solidify under volcanoes. Since then he has moved down temperature to work on problems relating to contaminated land and earthworm biology but still uses synchrotrons. There aren't many synchrotrons around in the world and because they are so expensive to build and run it is important to use them 24 hours a day. Also, despite the high level of technology involved in synchrotrons there are many "low-fi" fixes that become necessary such as holding samples in front of a beam of intense X-rays with sticky tape or blue tac. For this reason Mark, like most synchrotron users, has as many memories and experiences of trying to find a vending machine that still has chocolate in it at 3 a.m. in the morning after being up for 48 hours as he has about the scientific breakthroughs that have occurred!

Over the course of this fellowship Mark will be involved in a variety of activities. You might come across him talking at a science festival or science discussion meeting near you. Alternatively you might come across him talking to your class at school or, if you are lucky, your school might visit him at Diamond to actually see the machine he is talking about. As well as explaining how synchrotrons work he will be discussing how scientists are using synchrotrons to answer a wealth of questions relevant to climate change and the health of people and the planet. Both in his talks and also on his blog you'll also be able to hear about what it is like to be a user of synchrotrons, from the starting point of any scientific enquiry - making an observation or asking a question - to carrying out experiments, applying for beamtime at a synchrotron and then staying up for 3 days 24 7 to run samples and get some crucial answers to boost your understanding of the system that you're investigating. On the web site you'll also find a host of resources linking in to the use of synchrotrons in environmental science.

You may already have read about Mark's research in the newspapers (try googling "Metal munching earthworms!), have heard him on Radio 4 or seen him in documentaries about earthworm evolution and crop circles (and no, there's nothing in the soil that suggests crop circles are made by extra-terrestrials!) but over the course of the fellowship you should be able to hear more about his, and others, research, as he spends more time with the media, letting them know about the amazing environmental science being done at Diamond.

Publications

10 25 50
 
Description This is an outreach grant - I have been into over 30 schools talking to over 2000 students, written magazine articles, participated in science fesitvals etc.
Exploitation Route not really applicable
Sectors Other

 
Description This project didn't generate findings, it was an outreach fellowship involving school tlaks, science festivals, magazine articles and blogging
Impact Types Cultural

 
Description Blog 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I have been writing a blog since Sept 2012 about my research. I continue to do so

Some comment from colleagues. have yet to penetrate the public / schools audience.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012,2013,2014
URL http://darwinsplough.blogspot.co.uk/
 
Description Diamond open days 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? Yes
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I had a "stall" at 3 open days at the Diamond light source.

none of which I am aware
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012
 
Description I'm a scientist get me out of here 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? Yes
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Answer questions from school children on line

none that I am aware of. The I'm a scientist team will have statistics about the impact of the scheme as a whole.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2013
URL http://imascientist.org.uk/
 
Description Local interest group talks 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? Yes
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I have given talks to York Café Scientifique (30 attendees), Wharfedale naturalists (c. 100 attendees), Otley Cafe Scientifique (c. 50 attendees) and as part of the STFC Talking Science series (c. 300 attendees at Diamond c. 100 at Daresbury)

I am not aware of the impact that these events have other than my sister in law (who lives in Ilkley where the Wharfdale naturalists meet) being told by various people she knows that I was the best speaker that the Wharfedale naturalists have had for ages.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2013,2014
 
Description Magazine articles 
Form Of Engagement Activity A magazine, newsletter or online publication
Part Of Official Scheme? Yes
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact I have written articles on synchrotrons (published) and diffraction (under review) for Physics review and on Hungarian red sludge disaster (in press) and Climate change (in press as far as I am aware) for Chemistry review

None that I am aware of
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012,2013,2014
 
Description School visitss 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach Local
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact Over the last 3 years I have visited over 30 schools and talked to over 2000 pupils

Hard to assess impact on one off school visits
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2007,2012,2013,2014
 
Description Science festival 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? Yes
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact I had a "stall" at the Newcastle annual British Association for Science festival.

As per previous entry it is hard to judge the impact of this. No one got in touch with me at a later date about my stall.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2013
 
Description Science festival activities 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? Yes
Geographic Reach Regional
Primary Audience Public/other audiences
Results and Impact At the 2012 Oxford science festival I helped man a Diamond stall on the opening day of the festival and later gave a talk in the Natural History museum there. In 2013 I organised a talk that I gave during the festival in the Earth Science department.

It is impossible to gauge the impact of a single event at a science festival as far as I am concerned. I had no direct contact with people who attended the events at a later date.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012,2013
 
Description talk to Science teachers - Prince's Teaching Institute 
Form Of Engagement Activity A talk or presentation
Part Of Official Scheme? Yes
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Schools
Results and Impact NB audience was 50 school teachers - talked about synchrotrons and availability of universities and STFC facilities as a resource for teachers.

None of which I am aware
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2012