Author: The Guardian

Blossoming among spoil heaps: how 1,000 years of lead mining gave birth to banks of pansies and pennycress

Calaminarian grassland is a rare habitat where plants thrive in soils contaminated by heavy metals. But should these toxic meadows be protected or allowed to fade away?At first, the small purple flowers are hard to spot in the...

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Children seeing extreme violence while held needlessly in jail, says England and Wales watchdog

Prisons inspectorate finds almost 100 children each year are remanded to custody only to be bailed or moved Children are witnessing extreme violence including stabbings while being unnecessarily held in custody awaiting trial or...

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