Science

Science Bites: Why does cut grass smell?

It may smell great, but did you know it’s actually a plant’s distress call? You’re chopping it to smithereens, what did you expect it to do?

Causing tissue damage to grass by cutting it causes it to release volatile organic compounds, collectively known as green leaf volatiles (GLVs). One effect of GLV release is to attract predatory insects to defend the plant, though how effective they’d be against a lawnmower is another question. Unfortunately for grass the resulting released GLVs also create the pleasant odour associated with a freshly-mown lawn. And so the carnage continues...

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An interview with the Imperial student hunger striking for Palestine

News

An interview with the Imperial student hunger striking for Palestine

This interview has been edited for length and clarity.  On Tuesday 10th June, Imperial Action for Palestine, and Imperial Friends of Palestine, two of the groups protesting the actions of Israel in Gaza, posted an announcement that a student had begun a hunger strike following a meeting with Imperial’s

By Mohammad Majlisi
New data on Imperial professors’ salaries reveals gender and faculty differences

News

New data on Imperial professors’ salaries reveals gender and faculty differences

A recent Freedom of Information request has revealed the highest professorial salaries endowed by Imperial are mostly attributed to males and Business School professors. Beyond the outsized numbers of male professors, gender discrepancies in earnings stood out. While the salary distribution for professors of both genders is comparable for pay

By Guillaume Felix