If you are allergic to pollen, you are likely to curse the existence of these microscopic particles. You’re not alone: up to 30% of the world’s population suffers from hay fever, which is often driven by pollen allergies. Shifting global climates are likely to push that figure even higher.
However, pollen represents one of the most powerful tools to uncover the nature of past environmental change.
I am the head of the Palaeoecology Laboratory at Nelson Mandela University in South Africa. My research focuses on unravelling the secrets of ancient environments and ecosystems by examining fossil pollen grains. These tiny time capsules hold a wealth of information about the earth’s past. They help scientists to reconstruct ecosystems, track climate change and understand the evolution of plant life.
