http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news.html en-us INQUIRE Sun, 19 May 2013 22:57:48 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/opening-doors-on-inquire-641.html More than 10,000 people flocked to this year’s European ‘Open Doors’ Fair in Brussels on May 4th. Partners from Innsbruck University Botanic Garden, Bordeaux Botanic Garden and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew organised an INQUIRE stand showing visitors how learning about plants and photosynthesis can be inspiring and inquiry based. INQUIRE Mon, 13 May 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/pitcher-plants-as-ecosystems-ibse-626.html Large and complex topics, like how ecosystems work for example, can be challenging to explain. Using small, observable experiments can therefore be useful in simulating of landscape-scale processes. Scientists have used pitcher plants as tiny model ecosystems to study how “tipping points” are triggered in lakes and ponds. Perhaps this could generate some ideas for IBSE demonstrations? INQUIRE Thu, 25 Apr 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/ibse-plant-blindness-617.html Can IBSE be used to combat “plant blindness”? – a phenomena whereby plants are overlooked in our environment and considered “boring”. A recent study developed a Fighting Plant Learning Unit in order to test the use of IBSE to inform and inspire students on the topic of plant defence mechanisms. INQUIRE Fri, 19 Apr 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/decomposition-challenge-new-inquire-resource-615.html Learn how to use a mouldy and a fresh fruit to teach in an interesting way decomposition. This new lesson developed by Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew supports the ‘How Science Works’ aspect of KS3 and KS4 curriculum. INQUIRE Thu, 18 Apr 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/empty-classroom-day-609.html Join the Empty Classroom Day and take learning outdoors on Friday 5th July 2013. INQUIRE Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/reduce-re-use-remove-join-the-campaign-to-keep-sustainability-in-the-curriculum-607.html What will be the environmental and societal effects of removing sustainability from the National Curriculum? Join the public consultation before April 16th to have your say on the future of UK education! INQUIRE Tue, 09 Apr 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/climate-change-still-a-hot-topic-604.html Controversial plans to withdraw climate change from the UK Geography curriculum for under-14s have been met with fierce public opposition. But what does the new curriculum really teach? INQUIRE Wed, 03 Apr 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/coimbra-coleccao-orquideas-601.html Coimbra Botanic Gardens is about to receive one of Europe's best collections of orchids INQUIRE Thu, 28 Mar 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/bee-scene-survey-how-to-turn-young-people-into-bees-scientists-and-develop-their-inquiry-skills-598.html The Bee Scene Survey that runs between April and August 2013, encourages children to assess whether their local green space is good or not good for bees. INQUIRE Mon, 25 Mar 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/international-day-of-forest-day-of-trees-international-day-of-poetry-in-the-national-museum-of-natural-history-and-science-593.html INQUIRE Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/the-festival-of-plants-on-may-18th-at-cambridge-botanic-garden-590.html Join the Festival of Plants at Cambridge Botanic Garden to learn about cutting edge plant science, get advice on gardening, find out more about the inner workings of flowers or simply to have a fun day out with the family. INQUIRE Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/inquire-conference-registration-now-open-592.html Join us for the INQUIRE conference 'Raising standards through inquiry: Professional development in the Natural Environment' which will be held at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, 9-10 July 2013 INQUIRE Thu, 21 Mar 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/deer-culling-585.html Recommendations for a 50% cull in deer populations has caused heated debate over the morality of killing deer, versus the necessity of reducing numbers in order to lessen the detrimental impact of over-grazing on biodiversity and the survival of other native species. INQUIRE Thu, 14 Mar 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/passing-out-ceremony-of-the-german-inquire-for-teacher-students-course-584.html At the 1st of March 2013 the first INQUIRE student teacher course at University Bremen ended with the presentation of five INQUIRE school projects. 17 on-going teachers and four in-career teachers were honoured as new INQUIRE teachers. INQUIRE Sat, 09 Mar 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/hoe-zit-dat-met-het-klimaat-581.html INQUIRE Thu, 07 Mar 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/science-writers-prize-575.html A competition to foster interest in science and scientific thinking, aimed at students aged 7 to 18 and their teachers. INQUIRE Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/inquire-conference-deadline-for-abstract-submission-monday-11th-march-576.html Join us for the INQUIRE conference: 'Raising standards through inquiry: Professional development in the Natural Environment' which will be held at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, 9-10 July 2013. Deadline for abstract submission is: Monday 11th March. INQUIRE Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/international-day-for-biological-diversity-577.html May 22 is International Day for Biological Diversity. At the Natural History Museum in Oslo we celebrate the day by inviting school classes to many exciting educational programs. INQUIRE Wed, 27 Feb 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/co2-in-the-world-production-and-absorption-new-lesson-developed-for-the-inquire-course-in-spain-567.html The INQUIRE course in Spain has developed this new lesson plan to teach by using an IBSE pedagogy how CO2 is distributed around the world and the role of plants in the absorption of CO2. INQUIRE Mon, 18 Feb 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/has-sea-level-rise-anything-to-do-with-climate-warming-new-lesson-developed-for-the-inquire-course-in-germany-568.html The INQUIRE course in Germany has developed this new lesson plan to teach by using an IBSE pedagogy the role of CO2 in climate warming and what may happen if the earth’s ice masses melt. INQUIRE Mon, 18 Feb 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/inquire-for-teacher-students-565.html At the University Bremen 21 teacher students and active teachers, botanists and science educator work together in a Community of Inquiry using the University-intern Biological Garden as a sparkling environment. Teacher students and teachers build five school teams working in developing special IBSE courses for pupils aged 10 to 13. Three guidelines frame the planning process: How do we promote the reflection on biodiversity loss and climate change? How do we promote IBSE learning? What do our pupils learn? The final meeting and certification of the course will be at March, 1st 2013 at the Institute of Biology Education. INQUIRE Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/climate-week-4-10-march-2013-561.html Join the Climate Week 2013 and show your commitment to combating Climate Change. Climate Week is Britain’s biggest climate change campaign and every year hosts activities and events run by schools, businesses, charities, councils with the goal of raising awareness on Climate Change. This year, the Climate week will take place from 4th to 10th March 2013 and registrations are now open. INQUIRE Tue, 12 Feb 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/how-science-works-challenging-the-stereotype-of-the-scientific-method-554.html How does science work? Kind of like a pinball machine, according to this video produced by the California Academy of Sciences. Check it out to find an overview of a great conceptual flow chart which explains scientific discovery as a process full of uncertainty, getting past established paradigms, creativity and communication between the scientific community. INQUIRE Mon, 04 Feb 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/experience-the-smell-of-rotten-meat-548.html Amorphophallus konjac is in bloom in the Victoria house. The flower only lasts for a couple of days, so you better hurry! INQUIRE Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/spring-program-for-nhm-549.html This is a news item about the spring program for NHM INQUIRE Fri, 25 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/inquire-conference-536.html Join us for the INQUIRE conference: 'Raising standards through inquiry: Professional development in the Natural Environment' which will be held at Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, 9-10 July 2013. The conference is open to any practitioner or researcher who is interested in science education. INQUIRE Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/social-networks-inquire-spain-543.html Find us on social networks. INQUIRE Thu, 24 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/first-atlas-about-renewable-sources-of-energy-544.html The International Renewable Energy Agency launches the first Global Atlas on the potential of renewable energy. INQUIRE Wed, 23 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/outdoors-and-online-inquiry-with-mobile-devices-in-pre-service-science-teacher-education-541.html How can technology be used to teach biodiversity through an IBSE approach in a botanic garden? German pre-service teachers learned how to teach their future students the topic of biodiversity by experiencing themselves an IBSE lesson in a botanic garden. INQUIRE Fri, 18 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/new-listserv-for-inquire-540.html We all have questions about IBSE. How do you organize an IBSE activity in just one hour? Does a lesson have to include an experiment for it to be an IBSE lesson? Now you can put your questions to partners, teachers and educators in 11 countries. Subscribe to the new INQUIREmailing list. INQUIRE Thu, 17 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/food-waste-535.html Up to 2bn tonnes of perfectly good food is wasted every year, resulting in the loss of land, water and energy. In Europe, better farming practices and transport, storage and processing facilities means that a larger proportion of food produced reaches our market. Why then do we waste it through retail and customer behaviour? INQUIRE Mon, 14 Jan 2013 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/snow-and-flowering-in-the-botanical-garden-513.html The witch-hazel Hamamelis vernalis defies snow and cold and is in bloom right now. With that, we wish you all a Merry Christmas and a blossoming new year! INQUIRE Thu, 20 Dec 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/special-issue-of-roots-bgci-s-education-review-on-ibse-507.html What are the challenges of spreading Inquiry-Based Science Education (IBSE) in Europe? How is it possible to engage teachers and educators in self reflection as part of developing their inquiry-based teaching? How can objects be used as catalysts for questions that lead down avenues of inquiry? Read the special issue of Roots, BGGI's education review to find out how you can address these questions and why IBSE is a pedagogy botanic gardens and other informal education sites should consider adopting. INQUIRE Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/biodiversity-for-inspiration-508.html Recreation and inspiration is often a forgotten aspect of conservation of biological diversity. The work following a visit to the Natural History Museum does not always have to end up with an in-depth study in classical science. This has been demonstrated by students from Elvebakken high school with their creative work inspired by seeds and fruit. INQUIRE Tue, 18 Dec 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/science-of-the-people-understanding-and-using-science-in-everyday-contexts-505.html How do people understand science? How do they feel about science, how do they relate to it, what do they hope from it and what do they fear about it? Joan Solomon's book ‘Science of the People: Understanding and using science in everyday contexts’ sheds light on how science is learnt and how people view it, contradicting some of the mainstream beliefs. INQUIRE Wed, 12 Dec 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/spain-train-the-trainers-course-2012-501.html The INQUIRE course for educators was held on 28th and 29th, November 2012 between The Royal Botanic Garden Juan Carlos I (University of Alcalá) and the Royal Botanical Garden of Madrid (CSIC). INQUIRE Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/london-vegetable-orchestra-502.html This original orchestra uses vegetables to make their instruments. INQUIRE Tue, 04 Dec 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/inquire-espa-a-on-facebook-500.html Our Facebook page is now available. INQUIRE Mon, 03 Dec 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/plants-in-space-495.html In December Norwegian plants will be sent into space. It's not a Christmas vacation, but part of a research project. The experiment aims to find answers to how different lighting conditions affect plant growth. This can be useful in the cultivation of food, both on earth and in space. INQUIRE Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/re-establishment-of-eryngium-maritimum-499.html Eryngium maritimum is on the list of prioritized species in Norway. The Natural History Museum in Oslo is contributing to its conservation through propagation and re-establishment, amongst other measures. Is this kind of re-establishment always the right approach? INQUIRE Tue, 27 Nov 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/carnivorous-plants-back-at-nhm-oslo-492.html Carnivorous plants are back in the greenhouse in the Botanical Garden in Oslo. The exhibit is currently highlighting news form Germany: air pollution makes carnivorous plants lose their appetite http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/air-pollution-makes-carnivorous-plants-lose-appetite-391.html INQUIRE Fri, 23 Nov 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/ecopolicy-seminar-486.html University Botanic Garden in Balchik hosted a seminar on "Ecopolicy on conservation of plant biodiversity." The event was organized in cooperation with the Balkan Ecology Center and the Institute of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Research of the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences. INQUIRE Fri, 09 Nov 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/pht-zertifikatsverleihung-484.html INQUIRE Wed, 07 Nov 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/science-it-s-your-thing-video-competition-promoting-women-to-a-career-in-science-483.html Does your work in science education promote gender equality? Do you have a story to share to inspire young girls into science careers? Submit your one minute video (in English) to the ‘Science it’s your thing!’ competition INQUIRE Tue, 06 Nov 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/what-is-mitierra-maps-482.html This is an initiative that aims to promote a deeper understanding of rural society through new technologies and to support change to improve and enrich the life of mankind and the land that sustains it, by encouraging people to upload content related to rural culture and biodiversity conservation. INQUIRE Tue, 30 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/10-magic-plants-469.html Halloween celebrations are just round the corner so the Eden Project has created a list of the most magical plants. INQUIRE Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/onezoom-tree-of-life-explorer-470.html OneZoom is committed to heightening awareness about the diversity of life on earth, its evolutionary history and the threats of extinction. This website allows you to explore the tree of life in a completely new way: it's like a map; everything is on one page, and all you have to do is zoom in and out. OneZoom also provides free, open source, data visualization tools for science and education, currently focusing on the tree of life. INQUIRE Thu, 25 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/biodiversity-data-freely-available-online-466.html “Why is the museum closed?”, is often asked outside the Botanical Museum in Oslo. The museum contains a large amount of data on biological diversity in the form of herbaria. The house is generally closed to the public, but the information it contains is freely available online. Many organizations are working to make the information from museum collections and databases available. "Data obtained with public funds should be of benefit to the public" is an important principle for the Species Online project, a new web portal launched in 2013. INQUIRE Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/science-is-for-everyone-kids-included-468.html Who believes science is just for a few people? Possibly adults, academics or researchers? Neuroscientist Beau Lotto thinks, instead, that science is for everyone, kids included. View Beau Lott’s TED talk to find out by the man himself how human perception can change, what science and play have in common and how kids can be involved in science. INQUIRE Wed, 24 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/biodiversity-summit-460.html At the UN Biodiversity Summit in India a decision was taken to double the budget for plant and animal conservation by 2015. This is a start, but it is not sufficient to stem all biodiversity loss by 2020. India is setting an example by investing $50 million in its own biodiversity conservation and the biodiversity of other developing countries. A decision was also taken to ensure better protection of the oceans. In future, all activities that take place in marine areas of importance for biodiversity will be reported to the UN. INQUIRE Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/inquire-at-kew-moving-from-sage-and-stage-to-engage-and-discover-464.html 22 participants from botanic gardens, zoos and other LOtC institutions attended the INQUIRE one-day training at Wakehurst Place on October 23rd, 2012. This was an introduction to IBSE from both theoretical and practical perspectives offering educators the opportunity to reflect on the pedagogies they use in their own institutions and considering adopting a more inquiry-based approach in the future. INQUIRE Tue, 23 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/train-the-trainers-course-2012-in-spain-447.html New INQUIRE Train the Trainers Course: 28-29 November 2012. INQUIRE Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/new-greenhouse-in-the-botanical-garden-an-ongoing-thriller-in-many-acts-456.html The Botanical Garden in Oslo has two greenhouses (see photos on the left). They are beautiful, though not practical. For over eighty years there has been a struggle to get a new greenhouse. The current proposal is the "Oase 60 ° N" (see model in photo on the right). INQUIRE Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/which-fungi-are-most-harmful-to-plants-457.html About 500 international experts have compiled a ranking of the ten most harmful pathogenic fungi to plants. Top of the list is Magnaporthe oryzae. INQUIRE Fri, 19 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/funds-crunch-skews-aichi-targets-on-biodiversity-453.html “Decisions made here will lay the foundation for achieving the Aichi targets,” said India’s minister for environment and president of COP 11, Jayanthi Natarajan. INQUIRE Tue, 16 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/the-inquire-project-4th-partners-meeting-in-portugal-450.html University of Lisbon Botanic Garden (UL) and Coimbra Botanic Garden (FCTUC) last week hosted the 4th Partners meeting of the Inquire Project. The meeting took place between the 2nd and the 5th of October in Lisbon and Coimbra. Representatives from 17 Partners in 11 countries gathered to discuss the implementation, development and evaluation of their Pilot Inquire courses. INQUIRE Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/researchers-night-2012-437.html Once again, many European institutions are preparing to host Researchers' Night, an open day full of scientific events. INQUIRE Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/new-genus-of-umbrelliferae-434.html Staff at MSU Botanic Garden have recently described a new genus of plants belonging to the Umbrelliferae family. The plant, which was previously known from just 3 herbarium collections, has been newly collected and studied. It’s a rare plant, which grows only in the Tschulak Mountains (Kazakhstan). INQUIRE Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/new-exhibit-of-plants-in-msu-botanic-garden-435.html A new exhibit of plants from North America and East Asia was created this summer in the alpinarium of MSU’s Botanic Garden on Sparrow Hills. It was officially opened on September 14, 2012. Creation of the new exhibit involved planting of around 150 species, many of which are rare and little known in cultivation. INQUIRE Tue, 25 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/time-to-collect-seeds-and-fruits-427.html It's time to collect seeds and fruits to use in teaching, at least in Norway. Keep the seeds dark and well aired to avoid mildew. Feel free to use cardboard boxes. As you collect the samples it is wise to bear in mind the various dispersal mechanisms so that you get a representative collection from all groups. INQUIRE Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/truffle-hunting-in-norway-428.html The "Truffle Hunting in Norway" project has made some interesting discoveries in the Botanical Garden in Oslo. INQUIRE Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/hayfield-for-oslo-s-botanical-garden-429.html Due to changes in agricultural practices, hayfields have become a rare type of habitat, which in 2011 was granted the status of "Selected Habitat" (in Norway). INQUIRE Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/inquire-for-teacher-students-431.html In autumn ongoing biology teachers are invited to particiapte in the INQUIRE course at Bremen University. In close coperation with the botanic garden the students will adapt and develop lesson plans and materials for IBSE in the context of biodiversity and climate change. INQUIRE Fri, 21 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/insect-hotel-426.html We are currently creating homes for naturally occurring species of bees, bumblebees and wasps in the Botanical Gardens. Many species have trouble finding somewhere to settle, especially in urban areas. The solution is an insect hotel. Insects can now lay their eggs in reed and bamboo stalks and in the cavities of sticks and bricks. They lay one egg per cell and fill the cells with pollen so that the larvae will have something to eat. The cells are separated by clay, and one stalk of straw can house many larvae. More wild insects will help the plants pollinate more efficiently, so the hotel is strategically located in the herb garden. INQUIRE Thu, 20 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/inquire-course-at-kew-2012-13-395.html Are you a science or geography teacher of Key Stage 3 or 4? Are you interested in climate change, biodiversity, sustainability, inquiry based science education and learning out of the classroom? Are you interested in self development? Then join this free course and become part of a European project taking place across 11 different countries. INQUIRE Wed, 19 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/ozone-layer-425.html The United Nations' (UN) International Day for the Preservation of the Ozone Layer is celebrated on September 16 every year. This event commemorates the date of the signing of the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer in 1987. INQUIRE Sun, 16 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/the-shiniest-fruit-423.html The bright colour of the Pollia condensata fruit is not due to a pigment, but to its structure. INQUIRE Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/new-resource-for-biodiversity-identification-420.html The Botanic Garden of Gijón and the Photography and Biodiversity association have teamed up to make available a free platform that will help identify any plant species. To do this, simply take a photo and upload it to the website. INQUIRE Thu, 06 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/ubg-inquire-course-2012-13-418.html The INQUIRE course in Bulgaria starts in October 2012. The 60 hours of training are designed for teachers working with children aged 9-14 years. The program provides a combination of theory and practice, individual work and discussions with colleagues and partners, teaching and creativity. This year we are forming two groups, with the courses taking place in the University Botanic Gardens in Sofia and Varna. INQUIRE Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/final-inquire-2011-12-meeting-in-bulgaria-416.html The final meeting of the 2011-12 pilot INQUIRE Course in Bulgaria will be held on September 11 at 10 am in the University Botanic Garden - Sofia. We will offer you a friendly atmosphere to exchange experiences, expertise and ideas. INQUIRE Mon, 03 Sep 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/interesting-book-release-415.html An updated tree of life described in a new book is full of figures, tables and boxes used to understand the evolution of living creatures. A reconstruction based on DNA sequences gives us insights into true kinship going back to the origins of life. INQUIRE Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/new-gbif-course-414.html Workshop held at the Real Jardín Botánico de Madrid by GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility). This workshop is aimed at professionals and scientists working with specimens of natural history collections and research projects on biodiversity, who are interested in the management and publication of digital images on the Internet, preferably in the field of GBIF. The workshop will cover the capture, management and publication of digital images online, and the collection of specimens and other images related to biodiversity research projects: sheets, microscope slides, etc.. The topics will range from the choice of equipment and configuration (optical, lighting, etc..), capture techniques, image processing and (meta) data to be collected for publication. INQUIRE Fri, 31 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/is-it-ok-to-use-pesticides-399.html We spray fruit trees and cornfields to prevent attacks by fungi and insects, and we use pesticides to remove weeds and unwanted vegetation. But is it OK to use pesticides? INQUIRE Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/time-for-mushrooms-405.html The forests are full of mushrooms, so now it's time to get out a basket and go mushroom hunting! Every Sunday from now until the end of September, there will be fungus control stations at several places around the country. You can visit them to learn from the knowledgeable inspectors, whether or not you have any mushrooms. Sunday 2nd September is Fungi Day, when everyone has the opportunity to join the Fungi Association on one of their trips to the forest! INQUIRE Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/inquire-interim-report-summary-407.html The INQUIRE project is half way through and we recently reported to the EU the progress of our activities that aim to help reinvigorate Inquiry-Based Science Education in Europe. Find out our major achievements so far as they were summarised in the Interim report. INQUIRE Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/new-course-starts-on-12th-september-in-norway-404.html After a successful INQUIRE course pilot year, we are now ready to run an improved version in Round 2. There are still two places available on the course. Perhaps this is something for you or someone you know? INQUIRE Fri, 24 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/educators-course-23-october-2012-397.html Outdoor learning sites such as botanic gardens, zoos and wetlands offer unique locations for children to gain first hand experiences of inquiry based science education (IBSE.) This course at WAKEHURST PLACE introduces the concept of IBSE and places its delivery in a botanical garden, to visiting school groups,delivered to support the UK national curriculum. A 'must attend' course for any educator wanting to inspire the next generation of plant scientists and environmentalists. INQUIRE Wed, 22 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/plant-diversity-results-in-higher-energy-yield-390.html Plant monocultures are considered to be highly efficient, but imply a radical intervention in the ecological balance. A German research team has now shown that use of grassland as an energy source becomes more efficient with increasing species diversity. The study is part of the "Jena Experiment", one of the greatest biodiversity experiments in Europe. INQUIRE Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/permanent-exhibition-of-cacti-and-succulents-393.html To mark the 57th anniversary of its founding, the University Botanic Garden - Balchik has opened a new conservatory with a permanent exhibition of cacti and succulents. INQUIRE Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/air-pollution-makes-carnivorous-plants-lose-appetite-391.html Air pollution causes insect-capturing round-leaf sundew to satisfy more of its nutritional needs via its roots, instead of by eating flies and other insects. This is shown in a new Swedish-British study recently published in the scientific journal New Phytologist. INQUIRE Wed, 08 Aug 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/espores-a-new-online-magazine-379.html The Botanic Garden of the University of Valencia has launched Espores, an online science magazine designed to promote the world of botany and nature. The magazine contains news and information about botanic gardens, gardening, conservation, agriculture, research, etc. INQUIRE Mon, 23 Jul 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/climate-change-may-revert-african-savannahs-to-forests-by-2100-375.html A study by German researchers shows that the continuously rising atmospheric carbon dioxide level may lead to the growth of many trees in African savannahs by 2010. These would then no longer be savannahs, but forests. According to the study, dense woods could develop in Africa if a certain carbon dioxide level is exceeded. INQUIRE Fri, 20 Jul 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/dumping-iron-at-sea-does-sink-carbon-376.html In the search for methods to limit global warming, it seems that stimulating the growth of algae in the oceans might be an efficient way of removing excess carbon dioxide from the atmosphere after all. INQUIRE Fri, 20 Jul 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/inquire-during-summer-camp-373.html This year during the Summer Camp 2012 at the Royal Botanic Garden Juan Carlos I, students are carrying out numerous inquiry-based activities. The aim is to encourage their interest in science while having fun at the same time. INQUIRE Wed, 18 Jul 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/tropical-butterfly-discovered-in-quebec-a-sign-of-warming-372.html Caterpillars belonging to a species of butterfly previously unknown as far north as Canada have been discovered in Montreal, in a sign that this country's cool climate is warming, researchers said Monday, July 16. INQUIRE Tue, 17 Jul 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/van-gogh-s-sunflower-paintings-371.html On the traces of art with Mendel's crossing experiments. Researchers discovered a gene responsible for the variety of sunflower blossoms. Vincent van Gogh had already captured these varieties in his paintings. INQUIRE Sat, 14 Jul 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/leaf-morphology-shift-linked-to-climate-change-367.html According to a study published in the "Biology Letters" journal of the Royal Society of London, the size of the leaves of some plant species has declined over the last century due to climate change. The research focused on the bush "Dodonaea viscose," which grows in tropical, subtropical and temperate regions of Africa, America, South Asia and Australasia. INQUIRE Wed, 11 Jul 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/water-treatment-365.html Scientists at the University of La Coruña have designed a water purification system based on vegetation that generates no smells and does not attract insects. In recent years, climate change has resulted in much effort to promote energy saving and to develop efficient and environmentally friendly systems. Savings and efficiencies can also be achieved in teh treatment of waste water. INQUIRE Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/new-resource-on-erosion-and-vegetation-366.html A new educational resource by Professor Mercedes Olavarria on the role of vegetation in soil erosion. INQUIRE Tue, 10 Jul 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/new-teaching-material-on-norwegian-insects-363.html What are "Artsdatabanken" and what do they have that may be useful in your teaching? The latest developments are a beautiful poster and a handbook with Norway's 34 species of bumblebee! A bumblebee is not just a bumblebee: there are a total of 250 different species of bumblebee on Earth, which says a lot about diversity! INQUIRE Thu, 05 Jul 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/pic-bremen-completed-362.html On 30th May 2012 the Pilot INQUIRE Course Bremen was successfully completed. INQUIRE Thu, 28 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/inquire-workshop-for-smec-2012-361.html Teaching at the Heart of Learning is a joint conference of the Science and Mathematics Education Conference (SMEC) series and the FP7-funded project ESTABLISH, which was held in Dublin City University from 7th to 9th June 2012. At the invitation of the coordinator of SMEC, representatives from the INQUIRE project ran a workshop on INQUIRE. Partners from Bremen University and Moscow State University gave an overview of the project and presented some examples of activities, handing out brochures and pre-prepared CDs with information and materials in English, German and Russian. INQUIRE Wed, 27 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/alien-species-in-norway-norwegian-black-list-2012-358.html The report on alien species in Norway and their risk assessments are done! The report is based on a new quantitative method of evaluating the ability of various introduced species to invade the natural environment in Norway. It is based on the species' ability to spread and their ecological impact. Risk assessments have been carried out on 1,180 non-indigenous species that are reproducing within Norway. INQUIRE Mon, 25 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/discussions/sea-level-rise-threatens-biodiversity-by-secondary-consequences-348.html Whereas the direct or primary effects of the sea-level rise on coastal areas are being assessed, there are currently barely studies about secondary effects. These secondary effects are caused by the displacement and relocation of human populations and agricultural areas from low-lying coastal regions into the hinterland. INQUIRE Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/learn-more-about-our-wild-flowers-355.html If you would like to learn more about our wild flowers, you can join a hike arranged by the Norwegian Botanical Society! The hikes are open to everyone and no previous knowledge of botany is required. http://www.botaniskforening.no/forum/events.asp?cat=6&mode=upcoming INQUIRE Fri, 22 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/science-it-s-a-girl-thing-356.html INQUIRE representatives from Austria and Belgium met the EU commissioner of research, innovation and science, Máire Geoghegan-Quinn at the launch of the campaign 'Science, it's a girls thing'. The commissioner was interested in the way the INQUIRE project could attract young people and especially girls from all over Europe to science. Together with the other FP7-projects, INQUIRE offered several workshops to EU officers and pupils of Brussels European Schools at the meeting in the European Parliament on 21st June. The goal of the campaign 'Science, it's a girls thing!' is to attract young women to research careers in order to increase the total number of researchers in Europe. INQUIRE Thu, 21 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/forest-soils-accelerate-global-warming-347.html Twice as much carbon is stored in soils as in the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide (CO2). Carbon gets into the top soil layer via dead plants and animals. Here, degradation by microorganisms takes place and the organic carbon is released as gaseous CO2. So far, little has been known about how much this release of CO2 is influenced by environmental conditions and other factors. An international study has now discovered that warming leads to an increased release of a major part of soil-bound carbon as the greenhouse gas CO2. Due to warming, carbon which has been bound for a long time and therefore has not been available for the climate system is now being released in greater amounts. INQUIRE Wed, 20 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/sustainability-initiative-in-the-botanic-garden-340.html The 'fotolinera' in the Botanic Garden of the University of Alcalá has been shortlisted for the Innovation Awards Muy Interesante 2012 in the Environment category. INQUIRE Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/o-el-bot-nico-magazine-341.html Issue 6 of "O/El Botânico" magazine is now available online. INQUIRE Tue, 12 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London http://www.inquirebotany.org/en/news/world-environment-day-338.html World Environment Day (WED) is celebrated every year on 5th June to raise global awareness of the need to take positive environmental action. It is run by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). INQUIRE Tue, 05 Jun 2012 00:00:00 Europe/London