Honorary degrees awarded at the University of Bristol – Wednesday 17 February
World-renowned musicians James Blunt and Alfred Brendel KBE will be receiving honorary degrees from the University of Bristol today [17 February].
International
Eavesdropping crickets drop from the sky to evade capture from bats
Researchers have uncovered the highly efficient strategy used by a group of crickets to distinguish the calls of predatory bats from the incessant noises of the nocturnal jungle. The findings, led by scientists at the Universities of Bristol and Graz in Austria and published in Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B, reveal the crickets eavesdrop on the vocalisations of bats to help them escape their grasp when hunted.
20 University of Bristol academics named on Highly Cited Researchers 2024 list
A total of 20 University of Bristol academics have been named on Clarivate’s Highly Cited Researchers 2024 list.
Are non-smoking young adults who use e-cigarettes more likely to smoke in the future?
Young people who have tried e-cigarettes but have never smoked before are nearly five times more likely to go on to try smoking, a new study has found. However, the findings do not provide clear support for the claim that e-cigarettes cause young people to start smoking (the so-called possible "gateway effect").
Could a drug combination prevent people with the eye disease uveitis lose their sight?
Two in 10,000 people are at risk of serious sight loss from a form of eye inflammation known as uveitis. A new clinical research study, led by the University of Bristol and University Hospitals Bristol and Weston NHS Foundation Trust (UHBW), will evaluate a drug combination treatment for the eye disease thanks to funding of £2.5 million by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). The study will be co-ordinated by the University's Bristol Trials Centre (CTEU).
NHS rolls out national genetic test to reduce risk of donor kidney failure
Hundreds of potential kidney donors of Black African and Black Caribbean heritage can now get a simple blood test to help reduce the risk of kidney failure.
Genetic study of proteins is a breakthrough in drug development for complex diseases
An innovative genetic study of blood protein levels, led by researchers in the MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (MRC-IEU) at the University of Bristol, has demonstrated how genetic data can be used to support drug target prioritisation by identifying the causal effects of proteins on diseases.
Specially-adapted drones gather new data from unexplored volcanoes
Specially-adapted drones developed by an international team including Bristol scientists have been gathering data from never-before-explored volcanoes that will enable local communities to better forecast future eruptions.
A quarter of puppies are taken from their mothers prematurely
One in four people acquired their puppies before the advised age of eight weeks old, according to new findings from Dogs Trust's pioneering dog welfare study 'Generation Pup'.
Exceptional challenges of bereavement during the pandemic highlighted in interim findings
Interim findings of a survey of people bereaved in the UK since March, led by researchers from the univerities of Bristol and Cardiff and the Marie Curie Palliative Care Research Centre, show the difficulties and distress experienced by those who have lost a loved one, both prior to the death and in their grief.