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BBC Inside Science: Antarctic ice sheet instability, Groundwater, Accents, Fluorescent coral

19/11/2015

Antarctic ice sheet instability, Groundwater, Accents, Fluorescent coral

BBC Radio 4 - BBC Inside Science, Antarctic ice sheet instability, Groundwater, Accents, Fluorescent coral

Melting Antarctic ice sheet will not lead to as big a sea level rise as previously thought

New calculations reveal that despite its instability, predicted melting of the west Antarctic ice sheet will not lead to as catastrophic a sea level rise as previously thought.

Antarctic ice-sheet instability
A new study models how the ice sheets in Antarctica will react if greenhouse gases rise at a medium to high rate. They predict the most likely outcome is a rise in global sea level of about 10cm by 2100. Previous research had put this figure at 30cm: this has not been ruled out by the new research, but it's been ruled much less likely.

Groundwater
The Earth's groundwater has been quantified - it's estimated to be 23 million cubic km. (which is equivalent to the Earth's entire land surface covered in a layer some 180m deep.) However, just 6% of the water is available for our use and to take part in the hydrogeological cycle. That small fraction is referred to as "modern" groundwater: it is extractable because it is near the surface, and can be used to supplement above-ground resources in rivers and lakes. But it's also the most sensitive to over use, climate change and to human contamination.

Fluorescent coral
Adam visits the National Oceanographic Centre in Southampton to see some fluorescent corals and asks how they can be utilised for medical imaging.

Accents
How are our accents changing? A three year study at University of Glasgow has found that Scottish accents haven't changed as much as English accents (which have become much more homogenised over the past 100 years). By listening to recordings from first World War Scottish prisoners of war, the Sounds of the City project has noticed that changes to Glaswegian accents have occurred over a much longer time frame than previously thought. But these changes have occurred locally - not in the same way or to the extent that it is thought English accents have evolved.

Producer: Fiona Roberts.

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