Greenland ice sheet releasing “Mississippi River” worth of phosphorus2 February 2016Not only is Greenland's melting ice sheet adding huge amounts of water to the oceans, it could also be unleashing 400,000 metric tons of phosphorus every year – as much as the mighty Mississippi River releases into the Gulf of Mexico, according to a new study.
University research underpins pursuit of resilience in banking sector2 February 2016Dr Evarist Stoja, Reader in Finance in the University of Bristol’s Department of Accounting and Finance, has collaborated with colleagues in the Bank of England to publish an article on how banks fare in stressful macroeconomic conditions.
Severe droughts no longer caused just by nature2 February 2016A group of key water researchers from 13 organisations in eight countries, including the University of Bristol and Cabot Institute, is calling for a revision of how the world should study and tackle drought. The researchers propose broadening the definition of drought to include water shortage caused and made worse – or sometimes improved - by human activity.
New frontiers in communication systems2 February 2016Data centres such as the ones used by Google and Facebook are the fundamental backbone for a range of services and applications including cloud and fog computing, big data, Internet of Things (IoT), social networking, weather forecasting, earthquake and tsunami prediction and cyber security. As such they are a hidden, yet integral part of modern life and human progress. New research by the universities of Bristol, Keio and industrial partners have unlocked 80 THz of fibre-optic bandwidth that will enable future exascale data centres and transform 5G networks.
Exploring the genomic basis of parasitism 1 February 2016The genes that cause parasitism in a group of intestinal worms, responsible for one of most prevalent tropical diseases in the developing world, have been identified by an international team of scientists, led by the University of Bristol.
Government announces new consortium to lead R&D in secure wireless connectivity for autonomous vehicles1 February 2016The University of Bristol, as part of the FLOURISH consortium, is among the recipients of the government’s multi-million pound research grant to fuel development in user-centric autonomous vehicle technology and connected transport systems. The new programme, co-funded by the UK’s innovation agency - Innovate UK, will focus on the core themes of wireless connectivity, security and customer interaction.
Teacher training revamp needed to avert looming supply crisis, say leading academics1 February 2016Leading education academics have called for urgent action to safeguard the future of initial teacher training in England.
Dr Janet Orchard, from the University of Bristol, and Professor Christopher Winch from King’s College London, argue in a briefing from PolicyBristol that the value of education theory and the intrinsic role of universities in initial teacher training need to be recognised, and the training system overhauled.
Bristol welcomes the Year of the Monkey1 February 2016A cultural spectacular will welcome the Year of the Monkey at Bristol Museum & Art Gallery this weekend. Students and staff from the University of Bristol will be helping visitors to celebrate Chinese New Year in traditional style, with dancing lion performances, martial arts, traditional Chinese dances, storytelling, family trails, arts and craft activities, live music and much more on Saturday and Sunday [6 and 7 February].
PHD student wins British Pharmacological Society poster prize29 January 2016Gerda Gasiunaite, a PhD student in the University of Bristol’s School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience (Faculty of Biomedical Sciences), has been awarded a British Pharmacological Society (BPS) Poster Prize.
HEA Fellowships for Biomedical Sciences staff29 January 2016Dr Ann Pullen and Dr Gus Cameron from the University of Bristol’s Faculty of Biomedical Sciences have been made Senior Fellows of the Higher Education Academy (HEA) in recognition of their established record in teaching and learning.
ACCIS CDT triumphs for third consecutive year in best student paper awards28 January 2016Eric Eckstein, a PhD student in the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Composites for Innovation and Science (ACCIS CDT), has won the prestigious Jefferson Goblet award for overall best student paper at the 57th AIAA/ASCE/AHS/ASC Structures, Structural Dynamics and Materials Conference. Held this year in San Diego, USA, in conjunction with the SciTech Forum and Exposition, this event is the largest aerospace gathering in the world.
Bristol SU wins Students’ Union of the year 28 January 2016The University of Bristol Students' Union (Bristol SU) has won Students' Union of the year at the National Centre for Diversity Awards.
Bristol dominates international geochemistry awards27 January 2016Dr Kate Hendry and Professor Jon Blundy – both members of the University of Bristol’s Cabot Institute and School of Earth Sciences – have won two of the three awards bestowed this year by the European Association of Geochemistry (EAG).
Stress from noise can be short-lived 27 January 2016Underwater noise can negatively impact anti-predator behaviour in endangered eels and increase stress in both eels and European seabass, a new study published in Royal Society Open Science confirms.
Wills Memorial Building welcomes visitors all the way from China26 January 2016Over 100 students from China, interested in studying in the UK, have travelled to Bristol for special tours of the Wills Memorial Building. The youngsters, aged 14 to 16, were given a guided look inside the iconic building owned by the University of Bristol.
Global security experts call for comprehensive debate ahead of Trident replacement decision26 January 2016The UK Government should use the current decision on replacing Trident to encourage a serious public debate about the UK’s nuclear status, leading academics have said.
Researchers from the universities of Bristol and Birmingham, and King’s College London, argue in a new report that a decision to go ahead with replacing Trident would commit the UK to nuclear weapons for the foreseeable future, at a time when anti-nuclear voices in mainstream British politics are at their strongest in a generation.
Open networking solutions company receives major investment 25 January 2016Zeetta Networks, which focuses on the design, development and marketing of open networking solutions, has received funding of £1.25 million to commercialise the University of Bristol’s software-defined networking technology to smart enterprises and Internet of Things (IoT).
Professor Syed Hamid Hussain, 1981 to 201625 January 2016A chemistry professor formerly associated with the University of Bristol was killed trying to protect students in a suspected Taliban attack on Bacha Khan University, Charsadda, Pakistan, on 20 January 2016.
Heritage Lottery Fund boost for historic garden transformation25 January 2016A historic garden in the heart of Clifton has received a £35,000 funding boost from the Heritage Lottery Fund (HLF) to be returned to its former Georgian glory. Clifton Hill House, steeped in history since it was completed in 1750, has been owned by the University of Bristol for more than 100 years.
1 in 50 16-year-olds affected by chronic fatigue syndrome25 January 2016In what is believed to be the biggest study of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) – also known as myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) – in children to date, researchers at the University of Bristol have found that almost two per cent of 16-year-olds have CFS lasting more than six months, and nearly three per cent have CFS lasting more than three months (the UK definition). Those with CFS missed, on average, more than half a day of school every week.
South West teacher training programme rated outstanding by Ofsted 21 January 2016A programme to support people with leadership potential to become inspirational teachers in schools in low income communities, run jointly by the University of Bristol and Bath Spa University, has been rated as ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.
The Teach First South West Leadership Development Programme, which combines teacher training and a fully-funded PGCE with one-to-one coaching, enables trainees to develop the skills and qualities to be inspirational teachers. It aims to ensure no child’s success is limited by their socio-economic background.
Embark on a cultural adventure at the University of Bristol21 January 2016Ever questioned whether freedom is therapeutic? Or wondered what it would be like to venture into the nine circles of Hell? Or fancied belly dancing to the Marseillaise? A team of experts on language and culture from the University of Bristol has put together a free, four-week course – ‘Cultural Studies and Modern Languages: An Introduction’ – which takes learners on a cultural adventure across the world.
Quantum computing is coming – are you prepared for it?20 January 2016Quantum computing will change lives, society and the economy and a working system is expected to be developed by 2020 according to a leading figure in the world of quantum computing, who will talk tomorrow [21 January 2016] at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland.
New Alzheimer’s disease drug trial opens more sites across the South West18 January 2016People with Alzheimer’s disease are helping with a ground-breaking government-funded trial but with new sites recently opened in the South West more people are being asked to take part in the study led by academics from the Universities of Bristol, Cambridge, Queen’s University Belfast and University College London, and hosted by North Bristol NHS Trust.
It’s a 3D printer, but not as we know it18 January 20163D printing techniques have quickly become some of the most widely used tools to rapidly design and build new components. A team of engineers at the University of Bristol has developed a new type of 3D printing that can print composite materials, which are used in many high performance products such as tennis rackets, golf clubs and aeroplanes. This technology will soon enable a much greater range of things to be 3D printed at home and at low-cost.
Breakthrough in human cell transformation could revolutionise regenerative medicine18 January 2016A breakthrough in the transformation of human cells by an international team led by researchers at the University of Bristol could open the door to a new range of treatments for a variety of medical conditions.
Their paper, published today in Nature Genetics, demonstrates the creation of a system that predicts how to create any human cell type from another cell type directly, without the need for experimental trial and error.
University of Bristol 4th most targeted university by top UK employers18 January 2016A major new report out today [18 January] has revealed that students at the University of Bristol are among the most targeted by Britain’s top 100 employers. Bristol has been ranked ahead of Oxford and Cambridge at 4th in the table, which was compiled as part of the ‘Graduate Market in 2016’ study.
Research project looking for mums-to-be with family history of eczema14 January 2016Researchers at the University of Bristol are looking for pregnant women to take part in a study into preventing babies developing eczema.
The study, called Barrier Enhancement for Eczema Prevention (BEEP), aims to recruit 1,300 babies and find out if the application of non-cosmetic moisturisers, along with best practice skin care advice, could prevent the onset of eczema in high-risk babies.
Study by Bristol researchers to examine obesity treatment14 January 2016Clinical researchers at the University of Bristol are studying treatment options for obesity, after a survey on behalf of National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) found more than four in 10 people in the West have noticed an increase in local obesity levels in the last five years.
Despite the findings, the same survey shows that around three-quarters of the public in this region have a clear understanding of the most important causes of obesity: overeating and lack of exercise. This suggests that with obesity levels in the UK having almost trebled in the last 30 years, public understanding is not solving the problem.
Scientists call for more open research practices through peer review 14 January 2016Peer reviewers should provide complete reviews only for scientific papers that share data and materials, or where the authors explain why sharing is impossible, an international group of scientists, including Professor Stephan Lewandowsky of the University of Bristol, argue in a paper published today in Royal Society Open Science.
Pilot programme helps new mums with learning difficulties 13 January 2016New mothers with learning difficulties have benefited from a pilot programme that helped them learn to care for and interact with their babies, an evaluation by University of Bristol experts has found.
How drugs can help your brain encode memories13 January 2016Medical researchers at the University of Bristol have uncovered a fundamental mechanism that explains the interaction between brain state and the neural triggers responsible for learning.
The discoveries, made by researchers in collaboration with the pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly & Co., could lead to new ways of boosting cognitive function to counteract the effects of diseases such as Alzheimer’s, as well as enhancing memory in healthy people.
Common dementia drug found to improve Parkinson’s symptoms13 January 2016Scientists in Bristol have discovered that a commonly prescribed dementia drug could hold the key to helping prevent debilitating falls for people with Parkinson’s.
The research, published today in The Lancet Neurology, shows people with Parkinson’s who were given the oral drug rivastigmine were 45% less likely to fall and were considerably steadier when walking, compared to those on the placebo.
Ants respond to social information at rest, not on the fly13 January 2016Ants don’t get easily distracted by social information when on the move, only fully responding to it when at rest, a new study from the University of Bristol indicates. Such sporadic monitoring of the social environment may reduce information overload and enhance the robustness of complex societies, the researchers suggest.
Grazing towards sustainability12 January 2016The first international Global Farm Platform conference hosted by the University of Bristol this week [12 to 15 January] will highlight the benefits of utilising pasture and robust cows over high-yield, intensive systems.
