The secrets of summer

AS we move from month to month, we anticipate and appreciate (sometimes!) the changes that come with the different seasons.

But, we may not stop to think about how and why certain things are as they are, and the same as they were, perhaps millions of years ago, this time last year and probably this time next year.

With only days to go to midsummer, it is a perfect opportunity to consider some of what it is that marks out this time of the year as being different and special.

Scientists from higher education colleges all over Ireland have contributed to this supplement, helping to explain some naturally occurring phenomena, such as salmon finding their way back to the river where they were born.

Many provide insights into research in which they are, or have been involved, helping to unlock nature’s secrets or addressing emerging challenges for the betterment of society and the environment.

Some contributors have even invited readers to become citizen scientists: see Eileen Power on Page 5 and Emma Teeling/ Nicole Foley on Pages 14 and 15.

The array of contributors – just about everyone from botanists and food scientists to mechanical engineers and physicists – underlines how science is all around us, and how different disciplines have answers to questions we may pose. And if they don’t, they are still seeking them.

In Ireland, much of this work is funded by the Irish Research Council, to which we are grateful for the support for this supplement, We also appreciate the time and effort of individual authors in translating what can be very difficult concepts into understandable language.