Stan Milewski, senior road safety officer for Warwickshire County Council, said gritting teams had been out "24-7" since the snow fell.

BBC: Snow in Coventry

Mr Milewski said gritting lorries would be working throughout the weekend.

BBC: Snow in Coventry

This is usually interpreted as anti-parasite behaviour, but Dr Milewski suggests it might, at least in part, be a trick to absorb iodine from the soil.

ECONOMIST: Elementary elephant control

New-born elephants rely entirely on their mothers' milk for the substance and Dr Milewski reasons that mothers delay reproducing if they are deficient in the mineral.

ECONOMIST: Elementary elephant control