Silt from Lake Powell in the US tells a story of pond spills and mining pollution from decades past. Because it piles up at a rate of 45 million cubic metres annually, the silt forms even layers that provide a relatively accurate timeline of upstream water chemistry. Sometimes, radical changes like large-scale spills can be seen with the naked eye. Researchers can determine when mining pollution wrecked the lake by analysing the silt layers (which are collected in cylindrical sections called cores); a spike in metals indicates pollution events. Read full article here
Research
Improving media literacy could boost trust towards the news, IMPRESS report suggests
The UK media is regulated by the likes of IPSO and Ofcom. The report by press regulator IMPRESS highlights the link between low levels of media literacy and trust in the news. The study found that three quarters of those who did not know if journalists were regulated did not trust the news. It suggests that improving media literacy is one way to stem the erosion of trust, and shows that audiences have an appetite for information on news processes. Stakeholders need to collaborate in order to rebuild trust in the news, and independent media is well placed to do this. Read full article here
Merv
February 1, 2023
