Climate change: Lecturer's day lying in ditch 'gives soil a voice'
A university lecturer plans to live stream from a mountain ditch for 24 hours to highlight soil issues and raise climate change awareness. Miranda Whall will be in a self-dug ditch about 600m (1,960ft) up in the Cambrian Mountains in Ceredigion from Saturday afternoon. The Aberystwyth University academic dressed as a sheep for a previous project, and likes to "bring some humour" to grab attention. She aims to "give a voice to the soil". Ms Whall will attempt to vocalise a live numerical data stream from sensors in the ground around her, which measure soil moisture and temperature. Beginning at 15:00 BST on Saturday, she intends to lie in the ditch for 24 hours, reciting the numbers on the hour, every hour. "I try to bring some humour to bring in new audiences, but this is about the health of the soil, the ecosystem of the soil, so the relationship between the micro-organisms and the plant life," she told BBC Radio Wales Breakfast . "I'm lying about 2ft (0.6m) down. It's a beautiful place, it's warm, cosy and out of the wind, but unfortunately it's not quite out of the rain. "So I've got a dry suit on and various balaclavas. "It's intentionally very boring, but the boringness of these numbers are profound because our lives, other species' lives, are based on them." The live stream will be on Facebook, running until 15:00 BST on Sunday. "I woke up this morning thinking I wish it was an ordinary day, but I guess my commitment is to the earth, this is a kind of silent protest if you like," she said. "I feel so strongly about what we're facing that this is my commitment to the earth and our need to change. "This project is about facilitating wider audiences and non-scientists to become part of the conversation about land management and climate change." 'Miracle' weed could feed cows and clean up rivers Uni by the sea Aberystwyth charms students at 150 'Industrialised countryside' claim on wind, solar Morocco rescuers dig with bare hands as foreign aid sent US denies Cold War with China in historic Vietnam visit How Russia and West agreed on Ukraine G20 language How Russia and West agreed on Ukraine G20 language US denies Cold War with China in historic Vietnam visit 'Everyone in this village is either dead or missing' A Serbian scientist's long quest to name Srebrenica's dead How chronic pain feels for me. Video How chronic pain feels for me Guyana scrambles to make the most of oil wealth The spongy creatures cleaning Zanzibar's oceans. Video The spongy creatures cleaning Zanzibar's oceans Inside a 'hijacked' South African building. Video Inside a 'hijacked' South African building The rise and fall of a parenting influencer Florida's first hurricane-proof town The greatest spy novel ever written? Why is everyone crazy about Aperol? 2023 BBC.