Stonehenge, Microscopic Plants, and Baboons

This podcast from the Natural Environment Research Council's (NERC) Planet Earth collection looks at why scientists are working with the National Trust to restore the chalk grasslands around Stonehenge; how scientists are using satellites to study microscopic plants; and the etiquette of dining and bullying in baboons.

The National Trust's Landscape Restoration Project began in 2000 with the aim of restoring the region's once vibrant biodiversity. Since the Second World War, much of the chalk grassland has been ploughed up and turned into farmland. The result has been a huge loss in the diversity of plant and animal life. The hope is that the project will help encourage insects back to the area – especially butterflies. Sue Nelson speaks to two people involved in the project to find out more.

The podcast then moves on to a report in which a scientist explains why measuring plankton blooms from space tells scientists much more about how healthy the oceans are than they could find out from close up in a boat.

Finally, the podcast looks at why baboons put friends before family when it comes to dining, and how they are more likely to get bullied if they are a good catch.

A transcript of the recording is provided to assist those who find text-based content more accessible than audio.

This podcast is dated 23 August 2011.

NERC is a part of the Research Councils UK (RCUK) partnership of research councils.

• URL: http://stem.org.uk/rx6j8