science wire

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.

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.

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.

Study allays out-of-hours admissions fears
Children admitted to UK intensive care units in out-of-hours emergencies are at no greater risk of dying than children arriving during normal working hours, according to new research.

Improved care needed for mothers from ethnic minority groups
Women in some disadvantaged communities are missing out on support that could potentially reduce high rates of infant mortality, according to an exploratory study at the University of Leeds.

Frog-like robot will help surgeons
Researchers at the University of Leeds are using the feet of tree frogs as a model for a tiny robot designed to crawl inside patients' bodies during keyhole surgery. The tiny device is one of a growing stable of bio-inspired robots being built in the University’s School of Mechanical Engineering and featured on the BBC’s The One Show last night.

Environmental change triggers rapid evolution
A University of Leeds-led study, published in the journal Ecology Letters, overturns the common assumption that evolution only occurs gradually over hundreds or thousands of years. Instead, researchers found significant genetically transmitted changes in laboratory populations of soil mites in just 15 generations, leading to a doubling of the age at which the mites reached adulthood and large changes in population size.

Literary sleuths find genuine author
A little-known Thai woman is the real author of an important Buddhist treatise - not the high-profile monk previously credited, according to new findings. Thammanuthamma-patipatti [Practice in perfect conformity with the Dhamma] contains a series of dialogues that supposedly took place between two of the most prominent monks in 20th century Thailand, and is widely considered a valuable and profound Buddhist text.

Global failure to close the maths gender gap
Boys continue to outperform girls in maths, despite attempts to close the gap, according to a study from the University of Leeds and the University of Missouri. Significantly, the gap is largest at the higher end of the academic scale; twice as many boys than girls are in the top 1% of maths students across the globe.

Behind the wheel of company profits
Small-car manufacturer Fiat beat its efficiency record in the 2008 recession while former high-achievers Toyota and BMW showed their worst results in 10 years, according to a new study. Sustainable Value in Automobile Manufacturing ranks 17 of the world’s leading car makers according to how efficiently they used environmental, social and economic resources from 1999 to 2010.

Clothworkers’ gift will create the fabrics of the future
A £1.75m grant to the University of Leeds is helping to create new healthcare products which will benefit millions of people.

Does increased exposure to a piece of art make us like it more?
When it comes to judging art, beauty may not just be in the eye of the beholder, according to a study from the University of Leeds. The research challenges the idea that what people value in art is largely what they are used to, or that people will come to like any image if they see it enough times.

New centre to revolutionise medical technology
The University of Leeds is leading a £5.7 million, government-backed initiative to transform the way replacement joints and other medical implants are made.

’Wet’ computer server could cut internet waste
A revolutionary liquid-cooled computer server that could slash the carbon footprint of the internet is being tested at the University of Leeds.

Human heart development slower than other mammals
The walls of the human heart are a disorganised jumble of tissue until relatively late in pregnancy despite having the shape of a fully functioning heart, according to a pioneering study. A University of Leeds-led team developing the first comprehensive model of human heart development using observations of living foetal hearts found surprising differences from existing animal models.

Leeds joins partners in £170m European drug development project
Chemists at the University of Leeds will join a £170 million pan-European project, bringing together university researchers and pharmaceutical companies to develop the next generation of drugs.

Young footballers show signs of burnout
Elite youth footballers are at risk of burnout before they leave school because of the perfectionist standards some feel coaches, parents and team members demand of them, according to a new study. Andrew Hill, lecturer in sports and exercise science in the University of Leeds’ School of Biomedical Sciences, said some youngsters in professional football academies are showing signs of chronic stress, exhaustion, and disillusion with their sport at a young age.

Universities Minister tours chemical labs
State-of-the-art facilities for chemistry and chemical engineering at the University of Leeds were showcased this week during a visit by the Minister for Universities and Science. The Rt Hon David Willetts MP was given a tour of the Institute of Process Research and Development (iPRD), which aims to bridge the gap between academic research and its application in the chemical and pharmaceutical industries.

New guidelines to curb waste on infrastructure
A new approach to procuring and managing large infrastructure projects based on work by University of Leeds academics promises to cut wasteful spending.

Bats split on family living
For the tiny Daubenton's bat, the attractions of family life seem to vary more with altitude than with the allure of the opposite sex.

Soot’s impact on climate change underestimated
Soot is the second largest man made contributor to global warming and its influence on climate has been greatly underestimated, according to the first comprehensive analysis of the problem. The landmark study, co-led by the University of Leeds and published in the Journal of Geophysical Research Atmospheres , says the direct warming effect of black carbon, the term used by scientists to describe soot, could be about twice previous estimates.

More ethnically diverse populations for UK local areas
In 40 years' time the UK will be a more diverse but more integrated society, according to research at the University of Leeds.

Study for patients with dementia
The University of Leeds is to take the lead on improving the care that patients with dementia receive when they are admitted to hospital. The new study, which will examine how best to detect and manage pain in people with dementia on acute hospital wards, follows an announcement that the Department of Health has made £22 million available to pioneering research projects to boost ground-breaking treatments.

Specialist distributor backs crucial business research
New research led by the University of Leeds and funded by specialist distributor Smiths News PLC will give businesses fresh insights into global trade.

Kolkata project to drive green growth in India
University of Leeds researchers will take part in a major programme to spur investment in environmentally-friendly development in Kolkata, one of the world's largest metropolises.

Leeds joins Spitfire dig
University of Leeds geophysics expertise will be called in to help with the final stage of Lincolnshire aviation enthusiast David Cundall's bid to locate buried Spitfires in Myanmar.