62 m. ago Drinks cans and chicken bones: will ‘technofossils’ be humanity’s lasting legacy? – podcast

When the palaeontologists of the future search for clues to understand how we lived, what might they find? Two scientists exploring this question have suggested that ‘technofossils’ will be our lasting imprint on the Earth. To find out exactly what these are and what they could reveal about our lives, Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian’s environment editor, Damian Carrington, and from Sarah Gabbott, a professor of palaeontology at the University of Leicester and one of the scientists behind the new book Discarded: How Technofossils Will Be Our Ultimate LegacySupport the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod‘Technofossils’: how humanity’s eternal testament will be plastic bags, cheap clothes and chicken bones Continue reading...

Science

5 h. ago Tin cans and chicken bones: will ‘technofossils’ be humanity’s lasting legacy? – podcast

When the palaeontologists of the future search for clues to understand how we lived, what might they find? Two scientists exploring this question have suggested that ‘technofossils’ will be our lasting imprint on the Earth. To find out exactly what these are and what they could reveal about our lives, Madeleine Finlay hears from the Guardian’s environment editor, Damian Carrington, and from Sarah Gabbott, a professor of palaeontology at the University of Leicester and one of the scientists behind the new book Discarded: How Technofossils Will Be Our Ultimate LegacySupport the Guardian: theguardian.com/sciencepod‘Technofossils’: how humanity’s eternal testament will be plastic bags, cheap clothes and chicken bones Continue reading...

Science

44 h. ago Make a meal of it: how to jazz up a tin of baked beans | Kitchen aide

Sausages, cheese, chilli all probably spring immediately to mind, but have you considered wine or sage instead?How can I make a tin of baked beans tastier? “You’ve come to the right place,” says food writer Melek Erdal. “One of my most popular recipes ever was jazzed-up beans on toast, which came out of lockdown, when we were all utilising everything.” Essentially, when it comes to injecting flavour into baked beans, it’s all about the base, and for Erdal that means toasting spices (cumin seeds, ground coriander, aleppo chilli) in an ovenproof pan, then adding “the magic triangle”, namely ginger, garlic and chilli, and some oil. “Add the beans, crumble feta on top, then pop it in the oven until the top caramelises.” Erdal might also add a drizzle of tahini, “for a take on shakshuka, and a lovely brunch or lunch.”In a similar riffable vein, Eleanor Maidment, author of Pulse, makes a base of chorizo and red peppers, then adds beans and poaches some eggs in them. Cured meat is, of cour...

Politics

46 h. ago Nigel Slater’s recipe for greens and barley with ginger and anise broth

A hearty meaty broth jazzed up with some exotic flavoursRemove any juicy pieces of meat from the bones of your Sunday roast (pork, lamb, chicken, whatever) and reserve. You’ll need about 150g per person.Put the bones into a large pot, pour in enough water to come two-thirds of the way up the pan then bring to the boil. Add an onion, halved, 8 black peppercorns, 1 tsp of coriander seeds, a carrot or two, a stick of celery, a couple of bay leaves and 3 star anise flowers. Thinly slice a 60g piece of ginger and add to the pan. Turn the heat down so the liquid bubbles calmly then partially cover with a lid. Leave for 45-60 minutes. Continue reading...

Politics

65 h. ago Tinned food damage warning to anyone buying it in the supermarket

Canned food can become compromised if the tin is damaged in these three ways, says a doctor

Events

5 d. ago Plastic bags and chicken bones: the fossils scientists believe will become our eternal legacy

Fast fashion and drinks cans among technological-age matter most likely to endure as fossils, say scientistsAs an eternal testament of humanity, plastic bags, cheap clothes and chicken bones are not a glorious legacy. But two scientists exploring which items from our technological civilisation are most likely to survive for many millions of years as fossils have reached an ironic but instructive conclusion: fast food and fast fashion will be our everlasting geological signature.“Plastic will definitely be a signature ‘technofossil’, because it is incredibly durable, we are making massive amounts of it, and it gets around the entire globe,” says the palaeontologist Prof Sarah Gabbott, a University of Leicester expert on the way that fossils form. “So wherever those future civilisations dig, they are going to find plastic. There will be a plastic signal that will wrap around the globe.” Continue reading...

Science

5 d. ago ‘Technofossils’: how humanity’s eternal testament will be plastic bags, cheap clothes and chicken bones

Fast fashion and drinks cans among technological-age matter most likely to endure as fossils, say scientistsAs an eternal testament of humanity, plastic bags, cheap clothes and chicken bones are not a glorious legacy. But two scientists exploring which items from our technological civilisation are most likely to survive for many millions of years as fossils have reached an ironic but instructive conclusion: fast food and fast fashion will be our everlasting geological signature.“Plastic will definitely be a signature ‘technofossil’, because it is incredibly durable, we are making massive amounts of it, and it gets around the entire globe,” says the palaeontologist Prof Sarah Gabbott, a University of Leicester expert on the way that fossils form. “So wherever those future civilisations dig, they are going to find plastic. There will be a plastic signal that will wrap around the globe.” Continue reading...

Science

6 d. ago 'My murdered sister and niece's legacy will last forever with law change after police failings'

Raneem's law will be launched in memory of mum and daughter Raneem Oudeh and her mother Khaola Saleem, who were murdered after police failed to act on domestic abuse warnings

Events

8 d. ago How to use up the remains of a can of coconut milk | Kitchen aide

Dont be shy: use the last drops of that aromatic liquor in coconut rice, soup, curries and even your morning porridgeI rarely use a whole tin of coconut milk in one go. What can I do with the leftovers?Happily, the warming sweetness of coconut milk is welcome in all the things you want to eat right now, sitting at home in your thermals (Curry! Soup!), meaning leftovers are no bad thing. When Mandy Yin, chef-owner of Sambal Shiok in north London, is faced with this same predicament, it usually means coconut rice: “It’s so straightforward, too: just replace half the water you’d need to cook the rice with coconut milk.” Otherwise, the excess milk could make an appearance in stews, even bolognese, or creamed spinach, she adds: “Replace the cream with coconut milk and a dash of fish sauce, and that’s really delicious.”Coconut milk is, of course, a fundamental ingredient in Sri Lankan cooking. “You’ll find kiri hodi, a coconut milk-based sauce infused with garlic, turmeric and pandan leaf...

Politics