science wire

GPS, camera traps and dung expose the secret life of endangered elephants
“We can only manage what we measure” — that is the key to a unique research project which is working towards scientifically proven, evidence-based, conservation of the Malaysian elephant.

Read around the world with Birmingham at Hay
From the world's oldest Bible, via the meaning of Hamlet's ‘To be or not to be' soliloquy, to the burgeoning popularity of mass reading events; the past, present and future of literature come together in the University of Birmingham's exciting line-up of lectures at this year's Hay Festival.

Big business could learn survival lessons from family businesses
Family businesses are less likely to fail than big business because they are usually made up of a well functioning and diverse board of directors who are able to advise effectively.

Obituary: Maurice Hutt

Air travel during pregnancy poses no significant risk, say experts
There is no significant risk directly associated with air travel during pregnancy, even at advanced gestation, says report by the University of Liverpool.

Campus footage of The Clash to feature in new box set
Campus footage of The Clash to feature in new box set Previously unreleased film footage from a 1977 gig by punk pioneers The Clash at the University of Sussex is to be released in September as part of a 12-disc box set.

Exploring the extraordinary science of bones
Super scientists of the future have been delving into the intriguing world of medical biology at an extraordinary workshop hosted by the University of Sheffield.

Imperial’s historic medical library reopens thanks to funding

National CQC first for Plymouth dentistry
Plymouth University Peninsula Schools of Medicine and Dentistry’s (PUPS MD) Dental Education Facility in Truro is the first of its kind in the UK to be inspected by the Care Quality Commission (CQC) – and the first to pass the inspection with flying colours.

3D images of butterfly development
22 May 2013 University of Manchester scientists have produced stunning new 3D images of a butterfly developing inside the chrysalis using high-tech imaging techniques. The unique pictures were taken using a computed tomography (CT) scanner and show in amazing detail nine Vanessa cardui pupas (the life stage after the caterpillar) as they underwent metamorphosis into painted lady butterflies inside a hard outer shell.

More success for Manchester social entrepreneur

High-tech centre opens its doors to South West companies
Businesses in the South West are being invited to tour a Plymouth University research facility and see for themselves how it could benefit their manufacturing processes and enhance profitability.

Captain Cook’s Maori paddles: an artefact of encounter
Maori paddles presented to Captain Cook's crew on their first voyage of discovery capture the spirit of a first encounter between two cultures. they enter'd into a traffick with our people... giving in exchange their padddles William Monkhouse, Ship's Surgeon, HMS Endeavour Living in a multicultural, globalised world, it's hard to imagine the moment when different cultures first met, or a time when people's knowledge of each other's worlds was nonexistent.

Bee and wild flower biodiversity loss slows
Declines in the biodiversity of pollinating insects and wild plants have slowed in recent years, according to a new study. Researchers led by the University of Leeds and the Naturalis Biodiversity Centre in the Netherlands found evidence of dramatic reductions in the diversity of species in Britain, Belgium and the Netherlands between the 1950s and 1980s. But the picture brightened markedly after 1990, with a slowdown in local and national biodiversity losses among bees, hoverflies and wild plants.

Small cancer risk following CT scans in childhood confirmed
New research has found a small increase in cancer risk following exposure to CT scans in children and young people. The study used anonymised medical records for 11 million young Australians, including 680,000 who were exposed to CT scans between 1985 and 2005. The Australian researchers, with colleagues at Oxford University and the International Agency for Research on Cancer in France, found that for every 1,400 CT scans before the age of 20 there was one extra case of cancer over the following 10 years.

Cardinal Newman archive to become digital library
22 May 2013 A three-year project to digitise the tens of thousands of documents produced by one of the most important and prolific Christian thinkers of the past 200 years has been launched.

New e-voting system to flag up coercion
SAN FRANCISCO – University of Birmingham (UK) computer scientists have devised an e-voting system that can identify and monitor any votes that could have taken place under coercion, they announced at the IEEE Symposium on Security & Privacy on 21 May 2013. The internet-based system, called Caveat Coercitor, is designed to flag up any votes made by voters that are coerced.

The Smiler showcases university Thrill Laboratory’s secret weapon
A new secret weapon in thrill-seeking designed by a University of Nottingham research team has been tested out on the world's loopiest rollercoaster which opens at Alton Towers later this week. The Smiler is a new and unique type of white knuckle ride which will be terrifying Alton Towers visitors with its record-breaking 14 loops and world-first optical and sensory illusions including water-spray, blinding lights and ‘virtual' jabbing needles.

Linking climate change and human evolution
Rapid climate change during the Middle Stone Age, between 80,000 and 40,000 years ago, during the Middle Stone Age, sparked surges in cultural innovation in early modern human populations, according to new research. The research, published in the journal Nature [21 May], was conducted by a team of scientists from Cardiff University's School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, the Natural History Museum in London and the University of Barcelona.

UCL Festival of Volunteering

Gold for Nottingham at Chelsea
Nottingham academics have won a Gold Medal at this year's RHS Chelsea Flower Show.

Leveson could sort out English football, says Andy Burnham MP
21 May 2013 Shadow Health Secretary, Andy Burnham MP, believes the proposed Leveson model for press regulation should be used to regulate English football.

‘State should expand policy on fuel poverty’

Neuroscience meets robotics in stroke rehab
Etienne Burdet (Bioengineering) integrates neuroscience and robotics to develop assistive devices, particularly for people who have suffered a stroke.

Archbishop Tutu returns to King’s
King's alumnus and this year's Templeton Prize winner Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu returned to King's last night for the Templeton Prize Forum.

Sussex oral historian becomes patron of local community publisher
Sussex oral historian becomes patron of local community publisher Dr Margaretta Jolly, University of Sussex academic and oral historian, has become a patron of Brighton c o mmunity publisher QueenSpark Books.

Inspiring others in Adult Learners' Week
Now, he has just submitted his PhD at Plymouth University and is planning a career in the world of research and teaching.

The un-Limited Edition
Emerging new digital editions at Cambridge are effecting a sea-change in the nature of the scholarly edition, radicalising access to vital source materials and opening up new possibilities for research.

BBC broadcaster gives media tips to Sussex psychologists
BBC broadcaster gives media tips to Sussex psychologists BBC broadcaster and Sussex alumna Claudia Hammond gave invaluable media tips to psychology students and researchers when she paid a return visit to campus on Friday (17 May) and met up with some of her former tutors.

Conference on performance for musicians with a hearing impairment
The University of Liverpool and the Royal Northern College of Music (RNCM) are organising a conference to disseminate their research exploring group performance for musicians with a hearing impairment that considers whether the use of vibration could be used to aid interaction.

University of Glasgow academic wins prestigious entrepreneurship award
A simple 30-minute test for infections could revolutionise the detection and treatment of common diseases, including chlamydia, gonorrhoea and malaria, thanks to a new device developed by a Research Fellow at the University of Glasgow's Division of Biomedical Engineering.

Katherine Granger CBE to umpire Glasgow V Edinburgh University Boat Race
Olympic gold medallist Katherine Grainger CBE has confirmed she will be back in Scotland this Saturday as starter and umpire for the 136 th Glasgow-Edinburgh University Boat Race.

Alcohol sales fall due to ban on multi-buy promotions
A report published today shows a 2.6% decrease in the amount of alcohol sold per adult in Scotland in the year following the introduction of the Alcohol etc.

Shedding light on forests
By using advanced imaging technology, scientists are able to map on an unprecedentedly large scale - and in remarkably accurate detail - what is happening to these precious resources worldwide. 

Parents should be allowed to make informed choices over infant bed-sharing, says child sleep expert
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time.

International Day for Biological Diversity: projects at Imperial
The 2013 UN International Day of Biological Diversity explores the theme of water and biodiversity. This year, the International Day of Biological Diversity coincides with the UN's International Year of Water Cooperation , so let's take a look through some of the research being undertaken across the College around these important themes.

Podcast: heights and sounds from the Imperial Festival

Sarah Thomas to lead Harvard Library
Dr Sarah Thomas, Bodley's Librarian, has been appointed Vice President for the Harvard Library, taking up the post this summer.

New £23m research unit will use advances in genetics to help reduce risk of disease
A new £23million research unit is announced today, that will exploit the latest advances in genetics to improve understanding of how changes to lifestyle or environment, as well as pharmacological interventions, can reduce the risk of disease.

South African crime-fiction wave hits Cambridge
Amid high-profile, real-life murder investigations and growing concerns about public safety, a new breed of crime fiction is sweeping South Africa, as one of its leading writers will tell the University of Cambridge this week.

Brazil ’still not a priority’ in the eyes of the media
Brazil ‘still not a priority' in the eyes of the media With nearly a year to go until the start of the 2014 World Cup, King's Brazil Institute hosted a panel discussion last night on the changing global perceptions of Brazil and the country's image in the eyes of the media.

Postcard: Dr Iain Jackson in India
Gathering stones from riverbeds surrounding the Indian city of Chandigarh in 1958, Nek Chand, a local road inspector, began to build what is now the country's second most popular tourist destination after the Taj Mahal.

Global warming continues; most extreme projections 'less likely'
A new study led by Oxford University concludes that the latest observations of the climate system's response to rising greenhouse gas levels are consistent with conventional estimates of the long-term ‘climate sensitivity', despite a “warming pause” over the past decade.

Experts advocate for stronger measures to protect trees and other plants from pests and pathogens
Ash dieback, caused by the Chalara fungus, prompts re-evaluation of current protocols to protect UK trees and other plants; taskforce recommends threats to plant health be taken as seriously as animal disease The UK needs to be better prepared for threats to plant health.

Global warming continues but most extreme projections ’less likely’
Observations of the climate's response to rising greenhouse gas levels are consistent with conventional estimates of long-term 'climate sensitivity', despite a "warming pause" over the past decade.

BBC Radio 3 announces new broadcasting star
Fern Riddell, a PhD student in the Department of History, has been selected to take part in BBC Radio 3's New Generation Thinkers scheme for 2013.

Imperial physicists share in prize for masterminding Higgs boson detector
Two Imperial physicists have been praised as particle detector masterminds, following last year's discovery of a Higgs boson at CERN.

Professor Steve Williams elected Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences
Professor Williams is the founding Director of the Centre for Neuroimaging Sciences, a collaboration between King's and the South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust (SLaM).

Good progress for integrated care pilot
A report evaluating a new scheme designed to deliver more integrated care to patients in North West London has been published today. The Inner North West London Integrated Care Pilot is a large-scale programme focused on developing new models of care planning and coordination for people with diabetes and those who are over 75 years of age.

Grassroots women’s groups could halve maternal death rate
Women's groups can dramatically reduce the number of maternal and newborn deaths in some of the world's poorest communities, according to a new meta-analysis published in The Lancet .

History meets innovation for new live gaming experience
Resurgam: The Lost Pearl of Plymouth will see gamers using mobile technology to navigate their way around the City’s maritime heritage.

Female conversion to Islam in Britain examined in unique research project
A ground-breaking report examining the experiences of nearly 50 British women of all ages, ethnicities, backgrounds and faiths (or no faith) - who have all converted to Islam - was launched in London yesterday by the University of Cambridge.

Major motion pictures from our prehistoric past
Cambridge archaeologists are illuminating some of the oldest graphic art of the past, by applying some of the most advanced graphic technology of the present.

Salt consumption in India: the need for data to initiate population-based prevention efforts
International researchers are studying the salt intake of Indian adults to provide vital new data to aid the development of a national salt reduction strategy. Scientists from the Public Health Foundation of India (PHFI), the University of Birmingham, Imperial College London and the University of Sydney are carrying out an assessment of dietary salt intake among 1,400 adults over 24 years in urban Delhi and rural Haryana.

Global health policy fails to address burden of disease on men
Men experience a higher burden of disease and lower life expectancy than women, but policies focusing on the health needs of men are notably absent from the strategies of global health organisations, according to a Viewpoint article in this week's Lancet .

Manchester professor becomes MPs’ adviser

Views of the landscape
In a talk on Monday (20 May 2013) Dr Simon Nightingale will explore how painterly interpretations of the countryside were embedded into the literature of agricultural improvement in a way that might s

Single-pixel power: scientists make 3D images without a camera
Physicists have found a way to make sophisticated 3D images without using conventional digital cameras. http://itunes.gla.ac.uk/web/news/video/3DCI_MattEdit.mp4 Their system uses simple, cheap detectors which have just a single pixel to sense light instead of the millions of pixels used in the imaging sensors of digital cameras.

Researchers to compete in finals of national microbiology competition
Sussex researchers to compete in finals of national microbiology competition Two researchers from the University of Sussex have made it through to the finals of a national microbiology competition.

All the world’s a stage... the drama entertainment of the future?
A new kind of feature-length drama which combines live theatre with film and elements of game-play will be moving audiences, literally, when it hits the streets of Bristol next week.

Viking jewellery sheds light on dark period of British history
The presence of Scandinavian-style female jewellery in Britain has overturned the idea that the Viking conquest of England was an all-male affair, suggesting that in fact large numbers of women travelled over from the Scandinavian homelands.

Open science and ethics debate

Birmingham joins ’The Conversation’ as founding partner
The University of Birmingham has committed support to a new independent news and commentary website produced by academics and journalists, which launches in the UK today.

King’s Russia Institute expands with new staff
King's Russia Institute expands with three new research staff The King's Russia Institute is delighted to announce the appointment of three new senior lecturer Dr Marc Berenson, Dr Gulnaz Sharaf

E.quinox secures funding to light up more homes in Rwanda this summer

Trust in the use of statistics remains low
In light of the UK Statistics Authority's criticism of the Department of Work and Pensions use of figures on welfare benefits, the misrepresentation of statistics is back in the spotlight.

Grant Museum wins Cultural Pros Award at Museums + Heritage Awards

Actor Johnny Depp immortalised in ancient fossil find
A scientist has discovered an ancient extinct creature with scissor hand-like claws in fossil records and named it in honour of movie star. The 505 million year old fossil called Kooteninchela deppi (pronounced Koo-ten-ee-che-la depp-eye), which is a distant ancestor of lobsters and scorpions, was named after the actor Johnny Depp for his starring role as Edward Scissorhands - a movie about an artificial man named Edward, an unfinished creation, who has scissors for hands.

What is English?
English speakers who are 18 or under use the word 'like' in conversation over five times as often as speakers who are over 70; 'because' is the most misspelled English word globally; the word 'love' is said and written over six times more frequently than the word 'hate'.

Heritage Lottery award for local history project
Heritage Lottery award for local history project The past will come to life for communities on the doorstep of a new state-of-the-art historical resource centre - after it won Lottery funding for a local history project.

Viewpoint: Proposals to change the Dangerous Dog Act
Dr Carri Westgarth, from the University of Liverpool's School of Veterinary Sciences, responds to news about changes to the Dangerous Dogs Act: "Parliament has proposing changes to the Dangerous D

£7 million gift establishes Yeoh Tiong Lay Centre for Politics, Philosophy & Law
King's College London has received a donation of £7 million to set up a new research-based Centre for Politics, Philosophy & Law.

Tiger, tiger, not burning so bright
India's tigers are facing extinction owing to a collapse in the variety of their mating partners, according to new research carried out by scientists at Cardiff University. India is a refuge for approximately 60% of the world's wild tigers, yet even here their numbers remain low and genetic diversity is declining rapidly making them increasingly vulnerable to extinction.

Professor Shaheen Ali in 100 most influential Pakistani women
Professor Shaheen Sardar Ali , Professor of Law at the University of Warwick and Vice-Chair of the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, has been included in a list of the 100 most influential Pakistani women in 2012 .

The artificial pancreas that keeps tabs on sugar
Development of a sophisticated artificial pancreas holds potential to transform the lives of patients with Type 1 diabetes.

University of Sheffield chosen as Centre of Excellence for Engineering and Architecture

University of Nottingham joins UK Electronics Skills Foundation
The University of Nottingham is working to help more talented young people get into the electronics industry.

Measure your 'nitrogen footprint'
Researchers have calculated that beef generates about twice as much nitrogen as pork, and almost three times as much as chicken or fish.

Young children appear to reject story characters who are obese
Research by the University of Leeds has shown that very young children appear to reject story book characters who are overweight, but not those who are disabled. Led by Professor Andrew Hill from the Leeds Institute of Health Sciences, the research investigated young children’s ratings of, and choices between, story characters drawn as overweight, normal weight, or disabled.

UCL shares in £50m of new funding to help stimulate UK’s economy

Project to explore the social history of Nottingham’s green ’lungs’
PA 162/13 The social history of the green open spaces that ring Nottingham's city centre is to be explored as part of a new research project being led by The University of Nottingham.

100 years of Sons and Lovers
PA 163/13 In May 1913, a 27-year-old DH Lawrence received an advance copy of his third novel and wrote to his literary advisor and editor Edward Garnett expressing his pride in it: “ Sons and Lovers has just come – I am fearfully proud of it.

Universities rise to the efficiency challenge
Efficiency programmes at the University of Leeds are highlighted in a new report that shows how UK universities are saving billions by sharing high-value resources and using innovative technologies.

Tributes paid to leading engineer, Professor Nabil Gindy
Tributes have been paid to Professor Nabil Gindy, a leading academic at The University of Nottingham, who has died at the age of 62.

A better way to prevent child abuse
New research at The University of Nottingham is calling for changes to a government scheme which engages community nurses in the prevention of child abuse and neglect in the home as part of a maternal and child health care programme.

Multimillion pound project to develop next generation computing systems
14 May 2013 A national collaboration of electronic engineers and computer scientists is aiming to develop the next generation of energy-efficient computing systems.

Bravo Beyer! Celebrating historic benefactor’s 200th birthday

Cambo Chained: Coalition’s backbench MPs set for rebellion record
The latest study by The University of Nottingham into dissent by backbench MPs has found David Cameron remains on course to head the most rebellious Parliament of any Prime Minister since 1945.

Cooling ocean temperature could buy more time for coral reefs
Limiting the amount of warming experienced by the world's oceans in the future could buy some time for tropical coral reefs, say researchers from the University of Bristol.

Creativity that counts
In a digital world, literature, art and music are often the result of collaborative efforts. But who owns what, and can copyright law cope? New research aims to find out. Authorship remains an important concept in the digital age, though there is real diversity in its meaning.

Acclaimed work of law professor recognised

Political pranksters win a BAFTA

Volunteers needed to put best foot forward
13 May 2013 Researchers at The University of Manchester are looking for volunteers from across the North West to take part in a new study to help people act on their good intentions to walk more. Studies show that despite many people wanting to increase their physical activity levels, they often fail to do so by not thinking through exactly how they are going to fit it into their busy lives.

Transforming the culture of dying
It was famously said that the only two things certain in life are death and taxes. The impact of taxes is well commented upon, but discussions on the end of life are much less prominent.

UK economy downgrades
New research by Cardiff Business School's Dr Vito Polito and Professor Michael Wickens has cast doubt on the timing of the recent downgrades of the UK.

Albion united: university technology links fans by phone for promotion battle at the Amex
Albion united: university technology links fans by phone for promotion battle at the Amex It will be a testing time in more ways than one for football fans at Brighton's Amex Community Stadium

Stress and unhealthy lifestyle increase risk of heart disease
People with job stress and an unhealthy lifestyle are at higher risk of coronary artery disease than people who have job stress but lead healthy lifestyles, according to work published in CMAJ (Canadian Medical Association Journal) by researchers from UCL's Department of Epidemiology and Public Health.

Robotic dog visits Brighton primary school
Robotic dog visits Brighton primary school A member of the Centre for Research in Cognitive Science (COGS) recently gave Brighton pupils a taste of research in cognitive systems - but he wasn't alone.

Behind the curtain: a history of Russian intelligence
Ahead of his talk at the Hay Festival, Jonathan Haslam discusses his forthcoming history of Soviet intelligence organisations, revealing, among other things, just how unprepared for Operation Barbarossa Stalin was in 1941.

Global carbon dioxide level reaches historic high of 400 parts per million
As the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere passes a landmark value, Imperial scientists take stock of implications for our climate.

Rhino ’dung’ research leads to baby boom at Chester Zoo
Researcher at the Universities of Liverpool and Manchester have monitored the hormone levels of female rhinos at Chester Zoo to discover the best time to introduce them to a potential partner.

Prestigious election for Durham University Physics professor

President & Rector expresses his thanks after roaring success of Festival

Scientists develop device for portable, ultra-precise clocks and quantum sensors
Researchers have developed a portable way to produce 'ultracold' atoms for quantum technology and quantum information processing. The project was carried out jointly between University of Strathclyde, Imperial College London, University of Glasgow and the National Physical Laboratory. Many of the most accurate measurement devices, including atomic clocks, work by observing how atoms transfer between individual quantum states.

Lewes Road works ahead of schedule

Emeritus chemistry professors awarded honorary degrees

Plymouth University welcomes 'One Week Job' man Matt Frost
30-year-old Matt, from Liskeard in Cornwall, is currently trying his hand at 52 jobs in a year and is on week 19 of his challenge.

Likely congestion around campus on Monday evening

Tree health: Spot pests and diseases for new national OPAL survey
Researchers need help checking the health of Britain's trees using the Open Air Laboratories (OPAL) national survey on Tree Health, which opens today.

Italy’s new left-right government: not the ’normalisation’ of the country’s politics as yet
On 30 April, more than two months after the general election, a new government was finally able to start work in Italy following a pact between Silvio Berlusconi's centre-right Popolo della Libertà a

Wikipedia’s early stock market warning signs
Our Location Where is WBS? » The University of Warwick » How to get here » Download a campus map » Our People The Dean, Professor Mark Taylor » The Board of WBS » The Senior Management Gro

Effects of climate change on UK wildlife
Flooding is a risk for most UK mammals and climate change is also affecting several British reptile and amphibian species, according to research by leading Oxford University scientists. Their research is contained in a series of Report Cards launched today that sets out to explain the key trends in how the British countryside is responding to climate change.

Clickable history
Geographic information systems - once limited to the domain of physical geographers - are emerging as a promising tool to study the past, as researchers are discovering for medieval history. What's exciting about GIS is it allows us to move into a different dimension that frees maps from being static snapshots Nicholas de Lange Almost nothing persists to reveal the existence of Jews in the Byzantine Empire - no buildings or synagogues, coins or seals, pots or pans, charms or amulets.

’Polluted’ stellar graveyard gives glimpse of our Solar System after Sun’s implosion
Research indicates the existence of Earth-like planets in dead solar system through latest chemical analysis techniques Is there another recipe for life? The chemistry can tell us Jay Farihi By chemically sampling the atmospheres of two dead stars in the Hyades cluster 150 light years away, researchers at Cambridge and NASA/ESA's Hubble Space Telescope have discovered the building blocks for Earth-sized planets formed around the stars while they lived.

Science and Engineering South Consortium (SES-5)
The most powerful cluster of research intensive universities in the UK are joining forces to form a new consortium to become one of the world's leading hubs for science and engineering research.

‘Dung science’ leads to rhino baby boom at Chester Zoo
09 May 2013 Ground breaking science by Chester Zoo, in partnership with The University of Manchester, has helped to achieve a rhino baby boom.

Building protocells from inorganic nanoparticles
Researchers at the University of Bristol have led a new enquiry into how extremely small particles of silica (sand) can be used to design and construct artificial protocells in the laboratory. The work is described in an article published.

Oxford announces Shell support for energy research
Oxford University has announced that Shell International Exploration and Production B.V. (Shell) has contributed a £5.9m boost to research into natural energy resources at the University's Dep

Pressure ulcer research uncertainties
09 May 2013 A new study involving researchers at the universities of York and Manchester has revealed substantial areas of doubt and uncertainty about the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers. The findings by the James Lind Alliance Pressure Ulcer Priority Setting Partnership (JLAPUP), which includes The University of Manchester's School of Nursing, Midwifery and Social Work, suggest that more research is needed to guide practice on how to prevent and treat pressure ulcers - pressure sores or bed sores.

Prestigious appointments for two Manchester Professors
09 May 2013 The contribution of two University of Manchester professors to the advancement of medical science has been recognised with their election to the prestigious Fellowship of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Professor Garth Cooper is a professor in Discovery and Experimental Medicine as well as the Director for the Centre for Advanced Discovery and Experimental Therapeutics.

Mobile health technologies to rapidly test and track infectious diseases
Early-warning sensor systems that can test and track serious infectious diseases - such as major flu epidemics, MRSA and HIV - using mobile phones and the internet are being developed by a major new Interdisciplinary Research Collaboration (IRC) led by UCL.

Has the nation reached its sell-by date?
Dr Malachi McIntosh, Lecturer in Postcolonial and Related Literatures, wonders what Britishness is, as Granta magazine publishes its influential, once-per-decade 'Best of Young British Novelists' list.

Fulbright Lecture 2013
Fulbright Lecture: International Relations in Science & Medicine Dr Harold E Varmus, Director of the US National Cancer Institute, spoke at King's last night about the US government's global programme to tackle the HIV/AIDS pandemic.

WW2 soldiers radicalised by their diaries, finds study
09 May 2013 A historian studying World War Two soldiers responsible for violent atrocities in the Far East, says they were partly radicalised by their own dairies.

The high-tech future of healthcare: a digital health assistant in your home
The UK's healthcare system faces unprecedented challenges. Britain is the most obese nation in Europe and the country's ageing population is especially at risk from isolation, depression, strokes and fractures caused by falls in the home.

Dredging up a new history of transport and trade on the Trent
PA 150/12 Historians from The University of Nottingham are teaming up with local history societies, libraries and museums in Nottinghamshire to draw up a new history of the river Trent.

Innovation rains supreme as entrepreneur reinvents the umbrella
An entrepreneur whose Eureka moment came at last year's wet and windy Grand National has reinvented the umbrella with the help of WMG at the University of Warwick.

University production house launches Plymouth City of Culture film
A company made up of talented students, graduates and lecturers from Plymouth University has produced an energetic and visually stunning film, showcasing and celebrating Plymouth’s culture in all its glory.

Proposed exam reforms 'unlikely to drive up standards'
A report by Oxford University's Centre for Educational Assessment says there is little evidence to support government claims that standards of examinations have fallen in England, and argues that the government's proposed reforms in today's Queen's Speech are unlikely to drive up standards.

May Fest returns to University Park
They say the best things in life are free and May Fest — The University of Nottingham's jam-packed community open day — should definitely be on this list.

Climate change: can nature help us?
Hard-engineered sea walls have a limited life span. Could saltmarshes and mangroves offer a different approach to buffering against storm surges and coastal erosion? Do we really want to lose these buffers and face increasing costs of sea wall maintenance? Iris Moller Flooding, landslides, crop failure, water shortages.

Did being a shareholder transform Shakespeare’s writing?
Shakespeare's experience as a shareholder in a theatre company transformed the way he wrote characters, an English literature expert has claimed.

Cricket book hits Beyond a Boundary
One of the most celebrated and influential sports books of modern times is to be the focus of a major conference that will take place at the University of Glasgow.

Durham secures world-leading status in latest QS Subject Rankings

King’s appoints first Head to new Mathematics School
King's College London is delighted to announce that Dan Abramson has been appointed as the first Head of the new King's College London Mathematics School, due to open in 2014.

Mood-tracking app paves way for pocket therapy
An Android app which keeps tabs on users' mood swings and works out what might be causing them has been developed by researchers, with implications for psychological therapy and improving well-being. Behind the scenes, smartphones are constantly collecting data that can turn them into a key medical and psychological tool.

Sussex academic elected chair of British Association for American Studies
Sussex academic elected chair of British Association for American Studies A Sussex academic has been elected as the new chair of the British Association for American Studies.

New dawn in disease research and treatment with launch of in silico medicine in Sheffield
High performance computer power is being harnessed to revolutionise treatments for a wide range of diseases through ground-breaking virtual models in a joint project by the University of Sheffield and Sheffield Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust.

Academy of Medical Sciences honours seven Oxford researchers
Seven medical researchers at Oxford University have been elected as Fellows of the Academy of Medical Sciences. Professors Barbara Casadei, Michael English, Russell Foster, Keith Hawton, Paul Klenerman, Xin Lu and Lionel Tarassenko are among the 44 new Fellows announced today by the Academy. The honour recognises outstanding contributions to the advancement of medical science, innovative application of scientific knowledge, or conspicuous service to healthcare.

UCL considers alternative sites in Stratford for university quarter
University College London (UCL) and the London Borough of Newham (LBN) have today announced that whilst UCL remains committed to Stratford as the location for its new university quarter, it has not been possible for the two parties to reach an agreement regarding the Carpenters Estate.

Putting the humanity back into healthcare
An innovative study led by The University of Nottingham is to investigate whether arts and humanities can help improve the mental health and well-being of patients and carers alike.

Cinematic geographies of Battersea
Research is combining film 'archaeology' with digital technology to create a new approach to 'sites of memory' for the London borough of Battersea.

Sussex co-organises unique workshop in China on genetics and ethnicity
Sussex co-organises unique workshop in China on genetics and ethnicity An international workshop at the weekend on genetics and race was the first of its kind to be held in China.

Mission to measure world’s forest will launch in 2019
An earth observation mission to measure the world's forests from space which was the brain child of a University of Sheffield professor will be launched in 2019.

Staying on the meds: involving young patients in the treatment for their chronic illnesses
Researchers at The University of Nottingham have examined why large numbers of children and young people sometimes don't take their medication, despite suffering from a range of chronic and potentially life-threatening illnesses. Many children and young people regularly miss doses of medication for a longstanding illness, with adherence rates as low as just 25% among some groups.

University partners with Sony to find cure for ’lazy eye’
The University of Nottingham and Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, have been working with Sony Computer Entertainment Europe (SCEE) to develop special 3-D glasses and games to help treat children suffering from Lazy Eye.

University joins forces with Premier League giants

New headquarters for world’s largest radio telescope
07 May 2013 Less than a year after the decision to site the revolutionary Square Kilometre Array (SKA) in Southern Africa and Australia, the SKA Organisation has opened its new international headquarters.

Biologist elected to Academy of Medical Sciences
Sussex biologist elected to Academy of Medical Sciences Professor Guy Richardson, an expert in many aspects of hearing research, has been recognised for excellence in medical science by being elected to the Academy of Medical Sciences.