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LETTER OF THE MONTH
Britain’s rainforests
Britain’s temperate rainforests along the western (Atlantic) coast (September, p38) bear considerable similarity to the eastern coastal Atlantic forest reserves of Brazil, in the states of Bahia and Espírito Santo. These are World Heritage listed because of their biodiversity. Although in the southern hemisphere, it is likely that both coasts of the Atlantic had extensive forests, and may have originated from a similar ancient forest. There seems to be a good case for nominating Britain’s temperate rainforests for similar recognition to increase their protection.
Roger Webber, Argyll, Scotland
WRITE IN AND WIN!
The writer of next issue’s Letter Of The Month wins a pair of Edifier W240TN earbuds. The earbuds come with a stylish industrial-chic design, featuring a gunmetal finish inspired by a robust piston head – think RoboCop meets Blade Runner. But they don’t just look cool, they come with active noise-cancelling tech, over eight hours of playtime, three different sound modes (classic, dynamic or customised), plus they’re water-resistant, so they can power you through your workout. amazon.co.uk
Star stuff
My dad used to say, “you can’t get something outta nothing”. Does this mean that every single one of the tiniest particles that make up our surroundings has previously existed in one form or another, and in a different part of the Universe, before being re-assembled into all the forms of life, nature and structures that we see around us? Whatever the answer, how mind-bogglingly beautiful and incredible is life and the planet we live on?
Paul Roberts, Övertorneå, Swedish Lapland
The Big Bang and the expansion of the Universe make the question of the conservation of energy in cosmology a bit tricky, so whether or not something can come from nothing is still a topic physicists argue about. But if we don’t worry too much about the very beginning, and we just look at the particles that make up our bodies and our surroundings, then it is true that all the particles we’re made of have existed in one form or another since particles began to exist in the cosmos! Every atom that isn’t hydrogen or helium or a sprinkling of other light elements was formed through some violent process occurring during the life or death of a star – but the protons and neutrons and electrons have all been around since the start, with the possible caveat that some conversion between matter particles and photons (light particles) may have occurred. Every calcium atom in your bones was assembled from lighter elements by a dying star, and every hydrogen atom was forged in the Big Bang!
Dr Katie Mack, cosmologist
Don’t forget Grandma
I just read your article about men being lonely (October, p68), and I was wondering about intergeneration interaction. I found that when going through my teenage years, I was closer to my maternal grandmother than my own parents. Not only would I spend a lot of time with my grandmother, but I could talk to her more freely. Also, if my mother wanted to know where I was, or what I was doing, she would invariably ring my grandma. I believe that bonds that skip a generation are far stronger, because they give a sympathetic ear and are not judgmental. Wisdom is also freely given and listened to more receptively.
Bernard Brignall, via email
A neat solution?
As a car lover, I’m often torn between the excitement a high-performance engine provides and the guilt of adding more carbon dioxide to the atmosphere. With this in mind, synthetic fuel is something I’m hoping will provide less guilt in the future. After reading your article about how trains could suck CO2 out of the air as they cross the country (August, p18), I wondered if this collected CO2 could be used to produce synthetic fuel, rather than storing it in rock formations?
Greg Watson, Cambridgeshire
We spoke to Prof Geoffrey Ozin, who led the research, and the answer is a resounding yes!
Alice Lipscombe-Southwell, managing editor
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