The luminous screams of millions of Vibrio harveyi seem to be behind the phenomenon of the “milky sea”. The bacteria light up when they’re densely packed together thanks to a signal that grows stronger when there’s more of the bacteria around; the light signals to fish that there’s a colony of them waiting to be eaten. While they often glow deep beneath the waves, they are packed together on the surface during algal blooms, causing the seas to turn white like milk, much to the terror of ancient seafarers. 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
