2006 | News and features | University of Bristol

Acupuncture deactivates 'pain area' in brain 21 January 2006 An experiment conducted in the BBC TV series Alternative Medicine: The Evidence (tx BBC 2, 9pm, 24 January 2006) presented by scientist Professor Kathy Sykes from Bristol University, shows that acupuncture has a powerful and measurable effect on the human brain.

Young Black fathers and maternity services 20 January 2006 A new study of young Black fathers highlights the need for maternity services to change established ways of thinking about this marginalised group.

Benefits of a seafood diet outweigh the risks 20 January 2006 Restrictions on fish consumption during pregnancy could have damaging consequences for the child in the womb, according to new research using the Children of the 90s cohort.

Rise in sudden infant death syndrome cases involving infants that sleep with parent on a sofa 18 January 2006 The number of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) cases that occur when a parent sleeps with their infant on a sofa has increased in recent years, according to a paper published online today (Wednesday January 18, 2006) by The Lancet. The authors strongly recommend that parents avoid this sleeping environment.

Why are people from big families at greater risk of a stroke? 17 January 2006 Babies who suffer severe diarrhoea in the first few months of their lives could be at greater risk of suffering a stroke many years later.

You've been tango'd community challenge 17 January 2006 An unusual challenge set to send pulses racing will be taking place tomorrow, Wednesday, 18 January. Members of staff from across the University of Bristol will be joining forces with the local community in Easton to take part in the ‘Introduction to tango’ community challenge.

Free talks celebrate Brunel's 200th anniversary 16 January 2006 To celebrate the 200th anniversary of the birth of Bristol’s most famous engineer, Isambard Kingdom Brunel, the University of Bristol is holding a series of free public talks. The talks highlight how Bristol’s world-leading engineering experts are continuing Brunel’s legacy as they seek to tackle some of the challenges facing the world over the next 30 years, such as climate change, floods, earthquakes, air travel and the future of telecommunications.

New start to the New Year? 16 January 2006 People looking for a great start to the New Year need look no further. If meeting new people, seeking new challenges, learning a new skill or helping the local community, was one of your New Year’s resolutions, the University of Bristol can help. The University is hosting the city’s third Annual Volunteer Recruitment Fair on Thursday, 2 February 2006.

Nature paper: Frog extinctions linked to global warming 12 January 2006 A direct link between climate change and the extinction of dozens of frog species in the pristine habitats of tropical America is reported in Nature today [12 January, 2006].

Nature paper: Ants teach each other a lesson 12 January 2006 The occurrence of teaching in ants indicates that teaching can evolve in animals with tiny brains. It is probably the value of information in social animals that determines when teaching will evolve, rather the constraints of brain size.

Re-run of original Clifton Suspension Bridge competition 11 January 2006 The Clifton Suspension Bridge is the most famous reminder of Brunel’s genius. It serves both as a memorial to Brunel and as a symbol of Bristol across the world. But, given modern technology and materials, could it be bettered today?

New book warns of chaos in the probation service 11 January 2006 In a book launched at the House of Lords today, top probation and prison experts warned that the Government's root-and-branch reform of the probation and prison services could backfire, leading to organisational chaos in the probation service and a failure to reduce re-offending.

Volunteers required for University's post-traumatic stress study 10 January 2006 Bristol University is looking for male volunteers to participate in a study that aims to understand why some people develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and some do not.

European adventurers and Latin America 4 January 2006 A new research project on European adventurers in Colombia and Venezuela between 1810 and 1860 took Dr Matthew Brown to the European University Institute in Florence.

Bristol opens window on Tudor Ireland 4 January 2006 Bristol’s customs accounts hold the key to understanding the development of Tudor Ireland, according to new research at the University of Bristol.

Drunken elephants and the marula fruit myth 3 January 2006 Is it just a myth that elephants get drunk by eating the fermented fruit of the marula tree?

Wills Tower set for new glory 3 January 2006 Bristol University’s famous gothic tower at the top of Park Street is about to disappear under scaffolding so that experts can closely inspect the exterior and undertake essential repair and restoration work. It is thought to be the first such operation in over 30 years.