For deaf children, teachers and scientists, talking about things like "greenhouse gases" or "carbon footprint" used to mean spelling out long, complex scientific terms, letter by letter.
"We're trying to create the perfect signs that visualise scientific concepts," explains Dr Audrey Cameron., which has just added the new terms to the BSL dictionary. Glasgow-based biology teacher Liam McMulkin has also been involved in the sign-creation workshops, hosted by the The newest signs are themed around biodiversity, ecosystems, the physical environment and pollution. There is anThe glossary is designed to support deaf children in schools. And as 13-year-old Melissa, a deaf student at a mainstream school in Glasgow explained: "they really help you understand what's happening."
Dr Cameron recalled observing a class in which five-year-olds were learning about how things float or sink. "They were learning about how things that are less dense will float, which is quite complex," she explained. "And the teacher was using the sign for 'density'."