The tiny fish has a powerful sound, but it is more like someone talking loudly than a gunshot (One of world’s smallest fish found to make sound as loud as a gunshot, 27 February). Comparing decibels measured in air and water needs to be done with caution. It is like listening to the weather forecast in celsius and interpreting the numbers as if they’re in fahrenheit.
Trevor Cox
Professor of acoustic engineering, University of Salford
• The fact that forage-plant cultivation takes a lot more water than nuts doesn’t give us almond-lovers a free pass. I’ve long railed against almond milk, while still adding a few toasted almonds to my porridge. Thank you, George Monbiot, for making me see sense (We need to talk about water – and the fact that the world is running out of it, 4 March).
Sue Leckie
Edinburgh
• Prof Paul Salveson says: “Bolton has never been comfortable being part of anything calling itself Greater Manchester” (Letters, 6 March). It would be interesting to hear his view on his university’s proposal to rename itself the University of Greater Manchester.
David Singer
Manchester
• It amuses me that the excellent Country Diary is, apparently, still “on Twitter”, according to the endnotes published online. Long live the beautiful sound of birds.
Dr Mark Wilcox
New Mill, West Yorkshire
• Brief enough (Letters, 8 March)?
Stuart Harrington
Burnham-on-Sea, Somerset
• No.
Matthew Clements
Bicester, Oxfordshire
• Do you have a photograph you’d like to share with Guardian readers? If so, please click here to upload it. A selection will be published in our Readers’ best photographs galleries and in the print edition on Saturdays.
