You may not know this, but the fourth most popular sport in Scotland, behind head-butting people and kicking them when they are on the ground, golf and caber-tossing, is skiing.
Skiing is so popular in Scotland a University of the Highlands and Islands (UHI) climatologist believes they need to cover snow there in bubble wrap to make the skiing last longer - because there is so little sunshine. And all the rain makes snow melt faster.
Aside: Seriously, why does anyone live there again? There is a reason my ancestors left 150 years ago.
Naturally, it is all related to global warming - you didn't expect a climatologist to care about skiers, did you? - and he says the Cairngorms are losing snow due to climate change.
He told BBC Radio Scotland, "What's clear is there has been a steady decline, though very variable year to year, but the decline over time is about two days a year for the Cairngorms ski area. Over the five days I looked at half a metre of snow was lost from the snow pack."
Hey, if 5 days of study is good enough for him, it's good enough for me. But the Cairngorm Mountain resort was open late last year. Really late, as in June of 2010 - the first time ever. So bubble wrap for snow may be good for resort operators, and for those who like to fall down mountains, but it may not be essential to combat climate change.
