Sciency Thoughts: Berkshire

Showing posts with label Berkshire. Show all posts

Sunday, 11 June 2023

Log uncovered during construction work in Berkshire confirmed to be the UK's oldest decorative carving.

A carved log uncovered during construction work at Boxford in Berkshire for years ago has been confirmed to be the oldest known piece of decoratively carved wood discovered in the UK, following radiocarbon dating caried out at Historic England's Fort Cumberland research establishment in Portsmouth. The log has been dated to between 4640 and 4605 BC, placing it within the Mesolithic period. The log is only the second piece of carved wood known from the Mesolithic of the UK, the other being another carved log uncovered at a Maerdy Wind Farm in Rhondda Cynon Taf in 2012, which is about 500 years younger than the Berkshire.

The Boxford Log shortly after its excavation. Historic England.

The log is a piece of carved Oak, measuring about a metre in length, 42 cm in width, and 20 cm thick. It was preserved within a layer of peat about 1.5 m beneath the ground surface. The log will go on display at the West Berkshire Museum, following the completion of conservation work at Fort Cumberland.

The log undergoing conservation work at Fort Cumberland in Portsmouth. Historic England.

Saturday, 28 April 2018

Thaumetopoea processionea: Warnings issued as Oak Processionary Moth invades London.

The public has been warned to be wary after colonies of Oak Processionary Moth caterpillars, Thaumetopoea processionea, have been sighted in several parts of London this month. The UK's Forestry Commission issued the warning about the caterpillars, which are native to southern Europe, after large colonies were spotted in several London boroughs as well as in the neighbouring counties of Berkshire and Surry. The caterpillars are covered in a dense coat of tiny hairs, which are covered in toxins that can cause skin complaints and respiratory problems, particulalrly in children, and which can achieve very high population densities in countries, such as the UK, where they have no natural predators.

Oak Processionary Moth caterpillars, Thaumetopoea processionea. Wikipedia.

Oak Processionary Moths are native to parts of Southern and Central Europe, where they have a number of natural predators. However a combination of a warming climate and accidental transplantation by Humans has led to the species becoming established in a number of countries in Northern Europe, where, in the absence of predators, they can form very large colonies, presenting problems for public health.

As well as the obvious problems caused by detect contact with the caterpillars, the detached hairs, which can remain toxic for up to a decade, can present problems in themselves. Each individual hair has very little toxin, and does not present any danger to Humans, but they hairs can become concentrated in places such as the surfaces of still ponds, or in the hoppers of lawnmowers, resulting in unexpected contact with sufficient hairs to cause problems in places where the caterpillars are not present, which is particularly hasardous as the cause of the health problems triggered will not be clear, delaying appropriate treatment.

Thursday, 18 December 2014

Sinkhole appears in garden of home in Berkshire, England.

A large sinkhole has appeared in the garden of a house in the village of Upper Basildon near Reading in Berkshire, England. The hole measures about 10 m across and 5 m deep, and first appeared on 5 December 2014, since when it has been growing steadily. This is the second such hole to affect the homeowners this year, a smaller hole having appeared on their drive in February, temporarily trapping their car.

The December 2014 Upper Basildon Sinkhole. BBC.

Sinkholes are generally caused by water eroding soft limestone or unconsolidated deposits from beneath, causing a hole that works its way upwards and eventually opening spectacularly at the surface. Where there are unconsolidated deposits at the surface they can infill from the sides, apparently swallowing objects at the surface, including people, without trace. Potash, a potassium salt, is readily soluble and can be dissolved quickly if water gains access to deposits, leading to the rapid formation of sinkholes.

On this occasion Clive Edmonds of engineers Peter Brett Associates who are investigating the incident suspects that the incidents may be linked to Victorian brick factory that used to occupy the site, tunnels associated with which run about 16 m bellow the ground in the area. Both holes opened up after periods of extended high rainfall, which may have led to the weakening of supports in the tunnels and sediments above the tunnels losing cohesion and slumping into the void spaces.