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Wignall, Paul B. Extinction: A Very Short Introduction, Oxford University Press: Oxford, 2019; 124 pp.: ISBN 9780198807285, £8.99 (pbk) The expansion of Oxford University Press's "Very Short Introduction" series continues apace, now covering over 600 topics, with quite a few of them relevant to the multifaceted discipline of physical geography. We also have very useful discussion on disaster taxa, zombie taxa, Lazarus taxa, the Lilliput effect and changes in dominant species and evolutionary history as a result of extinction events. I very much enjoyed this chapter though, despite it being a reminder that we I Homo sapiens i are a ruthless species given to murdering whichever species we please, even our closest relations (most poignantly I Homo neanderthalensis i ). [Extracted from the article]

This book represents an important step in bringing geomythology to a broader audience, and would be useful reading for many students and researchers of natural hazards in particular. Burbery, Timothy J Geomythology: How Common Stories Reflect Earth Events, Routledge: New York and London, 2021; 118 pp.: ISBN 9780367711061, £44.99 (hbk) Timothy J. Burbery's fascinating book I Geomythology: How Common Stories Reflect Earth Events i is a recent addition to Routledge's "Focus on Literature" series. I have always been intrigued by geomythology, which is essentially the study of linkages between geological events and myths (or legends). [Extracted from the article]

An introduction is presented in which the editor discusses various reports within the issue on topics including environmental elements of warfare, military activities and geography.

Walls are extensive, ubiquitous urban ecosystems that can act as habitat for a range of different species and support non-standard cosmopolitan assemblages. Most investigations into wall ecology have focused on botanical surveys rather than testing hypotheses, but it is apparent that walls can be surprisingly diverse. They also have the potential to be ecologically engineered to encourage a greater diversity and range of species. This review considers the development of wall ecology, highlighting the key characteristics of walls that have been found to influence their ability to support species, with a focus on higher plants. It then examines the kinds of plant assemblages that are found on walls and the broader role of walls within urban biodiversity, before discussing the potential for ecological engineering of walls. Some progress has recently been made in the latter area with the installation of living walls and the physical engineering of wall materials, but much more needs to be done to effectively increase their physical complexity and habitat quality. Walls therefore represent a substantial potential (as well as existing) habitat within urban areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article reports on a court case wherein the plaintiffs sued Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Health Authority in England for negligence for failure to administer betamethasone corticosteroid to the mother of Jamie Cowley, who was born with significant brain damage. The court ruled that the hospital's policy was within reasonable policies in 1991 and that in 1991, there was no authoritative guidance as to when corticosteroids should be administered.