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La Voie Bleue: European Cycle Route of the Year is in France
700km bike path linking Luxembourg and Lyon has been crowned winner of the 2026 title
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Before and after: Garonne river floods in south-west France
Satellite images show extent of flooding from back-to-back storms in February
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Home insurance increases expected in France after floods
Compensation costs for the recent storms and flooding across the west and south-west is estimated to be in the billions of euros
GM tadpoles 'glow in polluted water'
French company has bred genetically modified tadpoles that glow when they are put in polluted water
GENETICALLY modified tadpoles could help detect pollution levels in water, researchers in France believe.
African clawed frog tadpoles that have been modified with jellyfish genes start to “glow” fluorescent green within 24 to 48 hours of coming into contact with polluted water and could be used to indicate whether it is safe for humans to swim in lakes or rivers.
The method is a faster and less expensive way to detect pollution than traditional laboratory-based methods, Ile-de-France-based start-up company WatchFrog believes, having tested the tadpoles at a water treatment plant in Brussels.
Now, WatchFrog is planning to launch what it is calling a “Frog Box” - a mini lab filled with GM tadpoles that can be used to monitor water quality.
