News in 2018
- ‘Pause’ in global warming was never real, new research proves 19 December 2018 Claims of a ‘pause’ in observed global temperature warming are comprehensively disproved in a pair of new studies published today.
- New discovery pushes origin of feathers back by 70 million years 18 December 2018 An international team of palaeontologists, which includes the University of Bristol, has discovered that the flying reptiles, pterosaurs, actually had four kinds of feathers, and these are shared with dinosaurs – pushing back the origin of feathers by some 70 million years.
- Scientists discover how birds and dinosaurs evolved to dazzle with colourful displays 11 December 2018 Iridescence is responsible for some of the most striking visual displays in the animal kingdom. Now, thanks to a new study of feathers from almost 100 modern bird species, scientists have gained new insights into how this colour diversity evolved.
- Student Awards 2018 celebrate notable achievements and triumphs over adversity 11 December 2018 Biological Sciences student Lydia Wilkinson is recognised by the University today for her incredible display of strength and positivity in facing what has been a traumatic past couple of years.
- Celebrating 10 years of the Green Impact Awards 11 December 2018 Today the iconic Wills Memorial Building will be lit in green to celebrate the 10-year anniversary of the Green Impact Awards, a University of Bristol-born environmental initiative, which has gone on to have national impact, having been adopted by over 400 UK organisations.
- Enhancing our vision of the past 5 December 2018 An international group of scientists led by researchers from the University of Bristol have advanced our understanding of how ancient animals saw the world by combining the study of fossils and genetics.
- ‘Bristol Big Give’ scheme saves record haul in unwanted items 30 November 2018 Students involved in this year’s city-wide recycling scheme ‘Bristol Big Give’ have helped to save a record-breaking 205 tonnes of unwanted items from landfill waste, going instead towards raising vital funds for charity.
- Just like us, giraffes prefer to dine with friends, study finds 26 November 2018 When it comes to meal times in the animal kingdom, giraffes have been found to be just like us and prefer the company of their friends, according to new research by the University of Bristol.
- Rainbow Meadow supporting the Bees’ Needs 21 November 2018 The beautiful Rainbow Meadow outside Royal Fort House has won the Bees Needs Champion 2018 award!
- Plant and Agricultural Sciences Fellowships at Bristol 19 November 2018 The School of Biological Sciences is seeking highly motivated individuals to join us as independent research fellows to lead research in the field of plant and agricultural sciences. Prospective fellows are invited to visit the department, meet with academic and support staff and will be given the opportunity to present their proposed research area.
- Resonant mechanism discovery could inspire ultra-thin acoustic absorbers 14 November 2018 New research led by academics at the University of Bristol has discovered that the scales on moth wings vibrate and can absorb the sound frequencies used by bats for echolocation (biological sonar). The finding could help researchers develop bioinspired thin and lightweight resonant sound absorbers.
- ‘Ground-breaking’ great ape activity device revealed at Bristol Zoo Gardens 14 November 2018 A team of scientists from the University of Bristol and Bristol Zoological Society have collaborated to develop a ‘ground-breaking’ new animal enrichment activity for the gorillas at Bristol Zoo Gardens.
- Misunderstood flying fox could prove bat species demise, warn scientists 12 November 2018 A large fruit-eating bat native to Mauritius is the subject of controversy over the announcement of a major cull to protect the Indian island's fruit crops, despite a lack of evidence as to the extent of damage directly attributed to the endangered species. An international team of researchers, including the University of Bristol, that monitored the damage directly caused by the Mauritian flying fox to commercial fruit has found the bat is responsible for only some, and could be managed effectively without the need to cull. The study is published in the journal Oryx.
- Moths survive bat predation through acoustic camouflage fur 8 November 2018 Moths are a mainstay food source for bats, which use echolocation (biological sonar) to hunt their prey. Scientists from the University of Bristol are studying how moths have evolved passive defences over millions of years to resist their primary predators.
- University schools win Athena SWAN Awards 2 November 2018 Three of the University’s schools have successfully gained Athena SWAN Awards – including the first non-STEMM subject award at Bristol.
- Bristol to join forces with one of the world’s most prestigious research societies New Max Planck-Bristol Centre for Minimal Biology announced 2 November 2018 The University of Bristol partners with the Max Planck Society in Germany to establish an innovative new Max Planck Centre for Minimal Biology in Bristol. The Centre will pursue game-changing research in the emerging field of minimal biology to address some of the most complex challenges in fundamental science. This could lead to transformative applications in biotechnology and medicine.
- University of Bristol academics announced as Fellows of The Alan Turing Institute 2 November 2018 Thirty academics from engineering, health sciences, mathematics, veterinary science, geographical sciences, computer science, arts and other disciplines join the national institute for data science and artificial intelligence.
- Business Minister visits Bristol BioDesign Institute and Unit DX 29 October 2018 The Rt Hon Lord Henley, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State at the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), visited the University’s Bristol BioDesign Institute today, along with a visit to science incubator, Unit DX [25 Oct].
- Location of large ‘mystery’ source of banned ozone depleting substance uncovered 29 October 2018 Researchers from the University of Bristol have found significant ongoing emissions of a potent ozone-depleting substance from eastern China.
- Antarctic Ocean CO2 helped end the ice age 25 October 2018 A team of scientists has shown that rapid CO2 release from the ocean around Antarctica helped end the last ice age.
- Size and contrast increase the divertive effect of eyespots 25 October 2018 Recent studies have shown that some eyespots of prey divert the strikes of predators, increasing the likelihood of prey escape. However, little is known about what makes eyespots effective divertive (deflective) prey marks.
- Food for thought: microorganisms an essential link in understanding bottom-up directed effects of chemical stressors in aquatic food webs 24 October 2018 Microbially-mediated indirect effects of silver nanoparticles on aquatic invertebrates
- Zebrafish gravitate to higher levels 23 October 2018 Zebrafish could help scientists understand the early stages of diseases such as osteoarthritis after spending time in hypergravity to investigate how their development is affected by increased loading conditions. Postgraduate students from the University of Bristol completed their study at the European Space Agency (ESA) European Space Research and Technology Centre last month.
- Renewed funding for UK greenhouse gas and ozone depleting substances monitoring 18 October 2018 A network of greenhouse gas and ozone depleting substance measurements in the UK and Ireland has been awarded renewed funding of £2.1 million for continued operation for a further two-and-a-half years.
- Pioneering animal welfare approach with AssureWel 17 October 2018 New guidance outlining a pioneering new approach for farm assurance schemes, retailers and farmers to improve animal welfare has been released following a six-year project with the Soil Association, RSPCA and University of Bristol.
- Scientists create synthetic prototissue capable of synchronised beating 15 October 2018 A tissue-like material capable of synchronised beating when heated and cooled has been developed by a team of University of Bristol chemists.
- Understanding natural fungicide synthesis: the pathway to strobilurins revealed at last 9 October 2018 Scientists from the Universities of Bristol and Hannover studying a naturally-produced compound that inspired the biggest selling family of commercial agricultural fungicides have, for the first time, discovered how this important class of compound is synthesised in nature. The findings could potentially be used in the future to enable a ‘pick and mix’ approach with combinations of enzymes to make designer biosynthetic pathways for new compounds that could help to control crop diseases.
- Easy to be Green 5 October 2018 An interactive art wall, a smoothie bicycle, various talks and stalls as well as plenty of freebies throughout the day. These are just some of the free activities available to all Bristol students and staff at Monday's sustainability fair. It will be a green takeover!
- Fish in habitats with higher motorboat disturbance show reduced sensitivity to motorboat noise 3 October 2018
- Discover hidden arts and science in the city with Bristol Fun Palaces 1 October 2018 Graffiti a YoBike, pedal fruit into a smoothie, discover optical illusions, make a postcard on a moving train and try your hand at willow weaving and poetry. These are just some of the free activities members of the public can try this coming weekend [Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 October] across Bristol Fun Palaces.
- Bristol comes together for Green Great Britain Week 1 October 2018 The University of Bristol’s Cabot Institute for the Environment, in conjunction with Bristol Green Capital Partnership and its members, will be taking part in Green Great Britain Week from the 15 to the 19 October with a host of events and activities planned in Bristol.
- Managing sheep scab in UK flocks: there may be trouble ahead 1 October 2018 Parasites, including sheep mites, remain one of the most important limitations to animal health, welfare and productivity. A University of Bristol research paper about managing scab mites in UK sheep flocks has been presented with an Impact Award by the Vet Record, the official journal of the British Veterinary Association (BVA).
- Tiny fossils reveal how shrinking was essential for successful evolution 1 October 2018 A new study published today in Nature, using research carried out at the University of Bristol, shows that getting smaller was a key factor contributing to the exceptional evolution of mammals over the last 200 million years.
- Stakeholder Workshop: Social Responsibility and Wheat Research 26 September 2018 Bringing together researchers, farmers, flour millers, commercial plant breeders, food industry representatives and civil society, the Bristol Cereal Genomics Lab held a Stakeholder Workshop entitled “Social Responsibility and Wheat Research” on 13th September.
- Sustainable fisheries, food security: lessons from tilapia fish in Tanzania 14 September 2018 Fish production is increasing to meet the protein demands of a growing human population. However, cross-breeding large-bodied native species with small-bodied non-native species can reduce yields and lead to loss of unique biodiversity, with negative consequences for food security.
- New research could reduce primate electrocutions and help conservation strategies 5 September 2018 New research has mapped and analysed the incidence of primate electrocutions in Diani, Kenya to identify hotspot areas that should be prioritised to reduce the risk of electric shock. The study could also inform conservation strategies in other parts of the world where primate electrocutions are common. Electrocution threatens a wide range of primate species across the world and the hazard could become more widespread as species are increasingly restricted to human-dominated landscapes.
- Evolutionary origins of animal biodiversity 4 September 2018 A new study by an international team of researchers, led by scientists from the University of Bristol, has revealed the origins and evolution of animal body plans.
- Russian connections of reptile from the Jurassic Coast 30 August 2018 The Triassic red rocks of the Devon coast around Sidmouth, some 240 million years old and pre-dating the earliest dinosaurs preserve fossil fishes, amphibians and reptiles, and a new specimen, uncovered with help from palaeontologists at the University of Bristol, shows distinct connections with Russia.
- Climate change increasing the prevalence of harmful parasite, warn scientists 29 August 2018 A rise in a parasite called liver fluke, which can significantly impact livestock production in farms in the UK and across the world, could now be helped by a new predictive model of the disease aimed at farmers. The tool, developed by University of Bristol scientists, aims to help reduce prevalence of the disease.
- Where would we 'bee' without pollinators? 29 August 2018 Without pollinators there would be no strawberries, apples and chocolate. At this weekend's Bee Festival at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden people will be able to find out how they can help bees and other vital pollinators or learn about growing fruit and vegetables. The Festival will also celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Avon Beekeepers Association Annual Honey Show.
