Hello! This is what you need to know this week
1. Nurseries are banning glitter to help the environment
parkly, pretty and fun - but a disaster for the environment. The children's craft time favourite has been banned by a chain of nurseries in the UK in a bid to save the environment. Most glitter is made from tiny pieces of plastic that don't biodegrade and are hard to filter, so if they enter the water system, or are blown across the playground in the wind, they are "almost impossible to remove from the environment".
The effect of plastic on our environment
2. Clear night skies are being lost to light pollution
If you stand in the centre of any of UK city you'd be hard pressed to spot the night sky through the grey and orange glow of the reflected urban sprawl, and it's a sight that's becoming all too familiar across the world, according to scientists. They say that between 2012 and 2016 the artificially lit area of the world increased by 2%, with the biggest increases were in South America, Asia and Africa. The only countries that became darker were Syria and Yemen - the result of conflict.
Brighter artificial night skies can have a detrimental effect on humans, plants and animals. Earlier this year the British Bee Coalition revealed that in lit stretches of habitat the abundance of moths was 50% lower and the species richness down 25% compared to unlit sections.
The UK at night from space showing light pollution from major ciites.
3. Autumnal awesomeness revealed
Earlier this week we ask you to share your best pictures from autumn 2017. We've gather some stunning images, so say goodbye those end of the weekend blues!
4. Scientists think they know how birds first developed feathers
The genes that caused scales to become feathers in the early ancestors of birds have been found by US scientists. By expressing these genes in embryo alligator skin, the researchers caused the reptiles' scales to change in a way that may be similar to how the earliest feathers evolved. They now believe they know how the first birds grew feathers millions of years ago.
5. Winter is coming...
Some places in the British Isles saw their first snowfall of the year this week. In the Highlands of Scotland there were wintry scenes aplenty as overnight flurries left forests, roads and gardens glistening.
6. A reminder to help your hedgehogs
Most hedgehogs should be snuggly tucked up for the winter by now, but if you do find one then Michaela has been sharing some helpful tips on what to do to make sure it survives through the cooler months.
