The latest report from experts at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and commissioned by Defra warns that Britain is facing a new wave of invasive non-native species that could threaten its biodiversity. The list includes 145 species, including pink salmon, Purple Asian clams, marine invertebrates that form spaghetti-like colonies, and a nematode worm that causes extensive deaths of trees.

The top 20 threats include:

1. Pink salmon: A highly adaptable fish that can outcompete native species for food and habitat.
2. Purple Asian clams: A filter-feeding clam that can clog waterways and cause significant economic losses.
3. Emerald ash borer: A beetle species that poses a significant risk to trees through its feeding and tunnelling habits.
4. Asian longhorn: A beetle species that threatens tree species and can cause significant economic losses.
5. Citrus longhorn: A beetle species that threatens citrus crops and can cause significant economic losses.

Other notable entries include raccoons, which may threaten bird species and fruit crops, displace native carnivores, and carry rabies and a roundworm parasite that is potentially fatal to humans.

The report highlights the importance of prevention in mitigating the threat of invasive non-native species. Eradicating them once they have arrived in a country and become established is very difficult and costly. Horizon-scanning exercises like this one are essential to identify species of particular concern, which can then inform monitoring and surveillance activities, and action plans.

Professor Helen Roy, an ecologist at UKCEH, said: “Prevention is the most effective approach to mitigating the threat of invasive non-native species. We must act now to prevent these species from establishing themselves in Britain.”

The public also play a vital role by recording and reporting sightings of invasive non-native species, helping to inform action.

For example, the scientists predicted in their first watchlist in 2013 that the yellow-legged hornet (Vespa velutina), also known as the Asian hornet, would arrive in Britain and pose a threat to pollinating insects. It was added to the list of alert species for Britain, monitoring and surveillance systems were implemented, and communication campaigns raised awareness and encouraged people to submit potential sightings.

The yellow-legged hornet was first recorded in Britain in 2016 and there have been subsequent sightings every year but sustained early detection and then rapid response from the Animal and Plant Health Agency’s National Bee Unit has so far prevented it establishing here. It is critical that everyone remains alert to the threat of yellow-legged hornets and continues to report sightings of concern because the threat of this species to remains high.

Olaf Booy, Deputy Chief Non-Native Species Officer at the GB Non-native Species Secretariat, part of the Animal and Plant Health Agency, said: “There are over 2,000 non-native species already established in Britain and new species are introduced each year. While only 10-15% become invasive non-native species, those that do have serious impacts on the environment, cost the economy nearly £2 billion a year, and even harm our health.”

In conclusion, the report highlights the importance of taking action now to prevent these invasive non-native species from establishing themselves in Britain. The public, businesses, and local authorities must work together to identify, monitor, and control these species before they cause significant harm to the environment and human health.

Researchers at Caltech have made a breakthrough in developing a simple algorithm for underwater robots to harness the power of ocean currents. Led by John Dabiri, the Centennial Professor of Aeronautics and Mechanical Engineering, the team has successfully created a system that allows small autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) to ride on turbulent water currents rather than fighting against them.

The researchers began by studying how jellyfish navigate through the ocean using their unique ability to traverse and plumb the depths. They outfitted these creatures with electronics and prosthetic “hats” to carry small payloads and report findings back to the surface. However, they soon realized that jellyfish do not have a brain and therefore cannot make decisions about how to navigate.

To address this limitation, Dabiri’s team developed what would be considered the equivalent of a brain for an AUV using artificial intelligence (AI). This allowed the robots to make decisions underwater and potentially take advantage of environmental flows. However, they soon discovered that AI was not the most efficient solution for their problem.

Enter Peter Gunnarson, a former graduate student who returned to Dabiri’s lab with a simpler approach. He attached an accelerometer to CARL-Bot, an AUV developed years ago as part of his work on incorporating artificial intelligence into its navigation technique. By measuring how CARL-Bot was being pushed around by vortex rings (underwater equivalents of smoke rings), Gunnarson noticed that the robot would occasionally get caught up in a vortex ring and be propelled clear across the tank.

The team then developed simple commands to help CARL-Bot detect the relative location of a vortex ring and position itself to catch a ride. Alternatively, the bot can decide to get out of the way if it does not want to be pushed by a particular vortex ring. This process involves elements of biomimicry, mimicking nature’s ability to use environmental flows for energy conservation.

Dabiri hopes to marry this work with his hybrid jellyfish project, which aims to demonstrate a similar capability to take advantage of environmental flows and move more efficiently through the water. With this breakthrough, underwater robots can now ride the tides, reducing energy expenditure and increasing their efficiency in navigating the ocean depths.

The article has been rewritten for clarity and accessibility:

Harnessing Sunlight: A Breakthrough in Carbon Capture Technology

Scientists at Cornell University have developed a groundbreaking method to capture and release carbon dioxide using an energy source that’s abundant, clean, and free: sunlight. This innovative approach mimics the way plants store carbon, making it a game-changer in the fight against global warming.

The research team, led by Phillip Milner, associate professor of chemistry and chemical biology, has created a light-powered system that can separate carbon dioxide from industrial sources. They’ve used sunlight to make a stable enol molecule reactive enough to “grab” the carbon, and then driven an additional reaction to release the carbon dioxide for storage or reuse.

This is the first light-powered separation system for both carbon capture and release, and it has significant implications for reducing costs and net emissions in current methods of carbon capture. The team tested their system using flue samples from Cornell’s Combined Heat and Power Building, and it was successful in isolating carbon dioxide, even with trace contaminants present.

Milner is excited about the potential to remove carbon dioxide from air, which he believes is the most practical application. “Imagine going into the desert, you put up these panels that are sucking carbon dioxide out of the air and turning it into pure high-pressure carbon dioxide,” he said. This could then be put in a pipeline or converted into something on-site.

The research team is also exploring how this light-powered system could be applied to other gases, as separation drives 15% of global energy use. “There’s a lot of opportunity to reduce energy consumption by using light to drive these separations instead of electricity,” Milner said.

The study was supported by the National Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the Carbontech Development Initiative, and Cornell Atkinson. This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize carbon capture technology and make it more efficient, effective, and sustainable.