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Plymouth scientist Imogen Napper: Why I joined battle to beat space junk

Increasing amounts of debris orbiting Earth have prompted a call by scientists for an international agreement to limit the growth of space junk.

Without it, they fear large parts of Earth's orbit will become unusable.

Dr Imogen Napper of the University of Plymouth explains why she has joined the battle to put the brakes on space junk.

Video Journalist: Jonathan Morris

Follow BBC News South West on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Send your story ideas to [email protected].

31 March 2023

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Aerial images of yellow wild fires flames near emergency vehicles on a road.

Watch: Wildfire rages in California's Malibu Canyon

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Moment earthquake hits California and damages store

Man clinging to a cliff being rescued

Moment person clinging to cliff is rescued by helicopter

Firefighters helping people stuck on ride.

Riders stuck midair for hours on California park ride

A huge cloud of dust sweeps over fields and trees.

Giant wall of dust sweeps across central California

Woman taking picture of a helicopter and wildfire smoke filling the sky

Smoke towers over homes as wildfire spreads near Los Angeles

A California firefighter battles deep red flames with a hose

Watch: Fast-moving California wildfire burns out of control

Woman runs to save her kid from an oncoming train

Children saved from car stuck in path of oncoming train

Donald Trump serves at a McDonalds and the BBC's Lily Jamali

Why was Trump serving fries in McDonald’s?

Rescuer holding on to helicopter

Video shows stranded California rafters airlifted to safety

A yacht is seen on fire.

Luxury yacht sinks after catching fire in California

Airplane flies through a wildfire and drops fire retardant.

Watch: Military plane repurposed as aerial firefighter

Two swimmers look at an oarfish on a paddle-board with one man atop the board

Rare ‘doomsday’ oarfish spotted off California coast

Rows of cars line a car park at night with red lights on and some in a queue

Driverless cars wake residents with nighttime honking

Dogs on CCTV

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A panda is seen on screen

San Diego debuts first giant pandas from China in decades

Small plane nearly colliding with passer-by as it crash lands on golf course

Man nearly hit when small plane crashes on golf course

"Fire devil" in California

'Fire devils' spotted as California fire doubles in size

Firenado caught on camera during wildfire in Chico, California

Firenado spotted after huge California park fire

A wallaby seen in a garden

Wayward wallaby spotted in Devon garden

The Australian marsupial is seen grazing in the Devon garden before hopping away.

Kitesurfer Tom Bridge leaps from cruise ship

Ship leap 'probably scariest thing I've done'

Kitesurfer Tom Bridge leaps 129ft (39m) from the top of a cruise ship and makes a smooth landing.

The Reverend Leigh Winsbury works out at his gym in Hatherleigh, Devon

Vicar opens gym in church building

The Reverend Leigh Winsbury says the cut-price gym is open to worshippers and weightlifters.

Young person talking into a microphone being held in front of them

Young voters share their election priorities

The cost of living, the environment and better mental health support were among the issues raised.

Pirate flags

Pirates Weekend returns for swashbuckling fun

Thousands of pirates are descending on Plymouth for a weekend of fun and entertainment.

Laura Crane at Nazare

UK surfer in a class of her own

Laura Crane gets towed into a monster wave at Nazare.

Charlotte Cheshire's video diary

Devon mum's video diary tells home-find struggle

Charlotte Cheshire speaks of the battle for an affordable home and council-funded emergency housing.

Newsround presenter Nina Blissett in front of a screen showing an unearthed unexploded WW2 bomb.

World War Two bomb safely exploded out at sea

A World War Two bomb has been safely exploded out at sea after being discovered in a back garden in Plymouth.

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Festive ponies have been visiting Derriford Hospital's ICU garden in Plymouth.

Keyframe #5

Police puppies put through their paces

Two litters of German shepherd puppies are on track to become Devon and Cornwall police dogs.

Erasure

Artist wants people to rub out her work

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Steve Wharton goes out with his children

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Steve Wharton took his children to soft play on his first trip out of the house in more than a year.

South Sands Hotel

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Car in the sea

Devon and Cornwall battered by wind and waves

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Keyframe #3

Car washed into sea gets smashed about by waves

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Car overtaking on A road

Poor driving in Devon and Cornwall caught on camera

A record number of submissions is made to the police road safety initiative Operation Snap.

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Early blackberries sign of 'climate breakdown'

Early fruiting from blackberries is a sign of "climate breakdown", an expert forager claims.

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Long-distance swimmer tackles the Hudson River

Lewis Pugh says the 315 mile (507km) swim is one of his most challenging yet.

Keyframe #1

Students finish coast path walk on breakwater

The Devon Royal Navy students were granted access to the breakwater to finish the walk.