Mersey SciBar is back after a summer break with a fantastic looking line up. If you have never been before, SciBar is a great event for people interested in Science and discussing it in a public environment, namely a fantastic pub with a great range of beers on tap – the Ship and Mitre on Dale Street.
n nTobia Tudino – University of Exeter
How much longer will our oceans mitigate the Greenhouse effect?
Since 1750 human activity has emitted growing amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere. This is currently resulting in an unprecedented concentration, which is affecting environmental temperatures more than all other greenhouse gases combined. The Ocean removes around one third of carbon’s signal, making calculating exact estimates difficult. How much longer will the land, ocean and atmosphere support our current development?
PhD student Tobia Tudino will discuss how reliable our knowledge of the anthropogenic carbon cycle is.
Laura Hobbs – University of Strathclyde
Dancing in the moonlight: zooplankton behaviour during the Arctic winter
In the Arctic winter, the sun does not rise above the horizon for days or months at a time, in a period known as the Polar Night. In the absence of sunlight, tiny marine creatures called zooplankton were once thought to enter a state of hibernation. However, using acoustic instruments to record their behaviour, zooplankton are seen to remain active in avoidance of visual predators and respond to other sources of illumination.
Dr. Laura Hobbs will discuss her PhD research on zooplankton responses to environmental cues.
Tim Jickells – University of East Anglia
What goes up must come down: urban air pollution and desert dust storms
We are all too familiar with the issue of urban air pollution and the harm it can do. We are also aware of the importance of desert dust storms for the local populations. However once this material is blown away from emission areas and diluted it can still have effects on ocean ecosystems thousands of miles away, providing essential iron for the functioning of the oceans.
Professor Tim Jickells will explore the ways pollution is transported and deposited into the oceans; it’s impact and how this may change in the future.
It’s science but in a bar. See our Facebook page or follow @merseysci for more information.
Venue: SciBar is held at the Ship and Mitre, 113 Dale Street, Liverpool L2 2JH. We meet in the upstairs room; turn right immediately as you enter the porch and climb the stairs.
nTimings: SciBar is held at 7.30pm on the first Tuesday of the month and is usually finished by 9.00 – 9.30pm, although informal discussion can go on later. There is usually a comfort break after about 45 minutes, but anyone is free to come and go as they wish
nNo need to book but you can follow Scibar on Twitter @Merseysci
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