2012 | News and features | University of Bristol

Mouse to elephant? Just wait 24 million generations 1 February 2012 Scientists have for the first time measured how fast large-scale evolution can occur in mammals, showing it takes 24 million generations for a mouse-sized animal to evolve to the size of an elephant.

Emma Holland, 1979-2011 1 February 2012 Emma Holland, formerly manager of the Centre for East Asian Studies, died tragically young in December. Professor Ray Forrest pays tribute to 'an outstanding administrator and manager' who had 'a wonderful, if sometimes wicked, sense of humour'.

Tower tours’ tally tops £7,500 for local charity 1 February 2012 Tours of one of Bristol’s tallest and most iconic buildings have raised an impressive £7,500 for a city charity. Keen visitors and locals alike have been making donations in return for guided tours of Wills Memorial Building, the symbolic centrepiece of Bristol University, for the past 12 years.

Professor Stephen Sparks appointed to new Chair of the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (ACME) 31 January 2012 Professor Stephen Sparks CBE FRS has been appointed as the new Chair of the Advisory Committee on Mathematics Education (ACME). Professor Sparks begins his three-year term as Chair on 13 January 2012 and takes over from Professor Dame Julia Higgins FRS following the completion of her term.

Popular lecture series kicks off with an insight into the aging process 31 January 2012 An award-winning initiative to bring thought-provoking lunchtime lectures to the wider community is back for a second series, aiming to showcase the University of Bristol’s most inspirational lecturers. The first of five 50 minute talks will take place in the Victoria Rooms on Thursday [2 February] when Professor Andy Levy looks at the quest to stay younger for longer and examines whether the philosopher’s stone could one day become a reality.

Next chapter for the Life Sciences building project 31 January 2012 A major milestone has been reached in the progress of a new £54million state-of-the-art building at the heart of the University of Bristol’s precinct. The contract for the main construction work has been signed with VINCI Construction UK, which will act as the University’s main contractor for the new Life Sciences facility, transforming the corner of St Michaels Hill and Tyndall Avenue.

Research shows we must pay now or we’ll pay more later for youth crisis 31 January 2012 A comprehensive report published today by Tomorrow’s People and the University of Bristol Centre for Market and Public Organisation shows a worrying increase in the number of young NEET (not in employment, education or training) individuals – one of the most economically vulnerable groups in society.

The global research agenda comes under the spotlight in Bristol 30 January 2012 Leaders from across the spectrum of higher education, from as far afield as Australia and Brazil, will be meeting at the University of Bristol this week to discuss how academics can work with colleagues around the world to strengthen global research networks.

Students help celebrate the Year of the Dragon at Bristol's museums 27 January 2012 University of Bristol students are helping members of the public to celebrate Chinese New Year this weekend [28 to 29 Jan] when they take part in a range of performances at Bristol’s flagship museums to help mark the Year of the Dragon.

University of Bristol announces appointment of Registrar and Chief Operating Officer 27 January 2012 The University of Bristol today [27 January] announced the appointment of Robin Geller as Registrar and Chief Operating Officer. Ms Geller, who is currently University Secretary and Registrar at Roehampton University, will take up the appointment in August of this year.

Capturing an octopus-eye view of the Great Barrier Reef 27 January 2012 A specialized camera that allows scientists to see as reef-dwelling animals do has been built by a team of researchers at the University of Bristol. The team will travel to Lizard Island off the coast of Queensland this year to capture images of the Great Barrier Reef which they hope will provide new insight into this underwater world.

Quantum physicists shed new light on relation between entanglement and nonlocality 27 January 2012 New research from the University of Bristol may disprove a long-standing conjecture made by one of the founders of quantum information science: that quantum states featuring ‘positive partial transpose’, a particular symmetry under time-reversal, can never lead to nonlocality.

Scientists map one of life’s molecular mysteries 26 January 2012 All living organisms are made up of cells, behind these intricate life forms lie complex cellular processes that allow our bodies to function. Researchers working on protein secretion — a fundamental process in biology — have revealed how protein channels in the membrane are activated by special signals contained in proteins destined for secretion. The results help explain the underlying mechanism responsible for the release of proteins such as hormones and antibodies into the blood stream.

Demystifying robotics 26 January 2012 Six groups of computer science students from the University of Bristol hope to demystify robotics when they present their prototypes to companies at an event today [Thursday 26 January].

Learning to 'talk things through in your head' may help people with autism 25 January 2012 Teaching children with autism to 'talk things through in their head' may help them to solve complex day-to-day tasks, which could increase the chances of independent, flexible living later in life, according to new research from Durham University, the University of Bristol and City University London.

Bringing engineering to women 25 January 2012 A student-led organisation that aims to increase the number of young women studying engineering, science and technology at university will come together this weekend for an international conference.

Web app could find out if a song has the X Factor 25 January 2012 A new web app that allows budding musicians to score their own songs to find out if they have hit potential has been launched by the University of Bristol’s Intelligent Systems Laboratory.

Can gene therapy be used to prevent vein graft disease? 25 January 2012 Gavin Murphy, Reader in Cardiac Surgery in the School of Clinical Sciences at the University of Bristol, has been awarded a grant of over £100,000 from Heart Research UK to investigate gene therapy in vein grafts that are used in heart bypass surgery.

Survey of pet dogs indicates Lyme disease risk much greater than previous estimates suggest 25 January 2012 Ticks infected with the bacteria that cause Lyme disease may be considerably more prevalent in the UK than expected, according to new research from the University of Bristol that used pet dogs as ‘sentinels’ for human disease risk.

Media coverage for world's first magnetic soap 24 January 2012 A University of Bristol team, led by Professor Julian Eastoe from the School of Chemistry, has dissolved iron in liquid surfactant to create a soap that can be controlled by magnets. The discovery could be used to create cleaning products that can be removed after application and used in the recovery of oil spills at sea. The research has received international coverage including New Scientist, The Hindu, Daily Mail and BBC World Service.

Students invited to have their say 24 January 2012 Students at the University of Bristol are being given the opportunity to have their say about how the Students’ Union is run and what issues they should be tackling.

South West researchers awarded £4.2m to improve our understanding of life on Earth 24 January 2012 A new partnership, announced today by the Minister for Universities and Science, David Willetts, aims to establish the South West of England as a centre for international excellence in training for bioscience and food security research. The South West Doctoral Training Partnership (SWDTP), comprising the Universities of Bristol, Bath and Exeter, and Rothamsted Research, aims to equip future generations of scientists with skills they need to tackle the many challenges facing society today that have potential solutions in biological science.

Bristol scientists produce world’s first magnetic soap 23 January 2012 A University of Bristol team has dissolved iron in liquid surfactant to create a soap that can be controlled by magnets. The discovery could be used to create cleaning products that can be removed after application and used in the recovery of oil spills at sea

Magic mushrooms’ effects illuminated in brain imaging studies 23 January 2012 Brain scans of people under the influence of psilocybin, the active ingredient in magic mushrooms, have given scientists the most detailed picture to date of how psychedelic drugs work. The findings of two studies being published in scientific journals this week identify areas of the brain where activity is suppressed by psilocybin and suggest that it helps people to experience memories more vividly.

Why bats, rats and cats store different amounts of fat 20 January 2012 Why different animals carry different amounts of fat depends on how they have solved the problem of avoiding both starving to death and being killed by predators, new research from the University of Bristol suggests.

Sir David Attenborough’s latest insight into science is filmed at the University 20 January 2012 Legendary broadcaster Sir David Attenborough has made a starring appearance in one of Bristol University’s laboratories, which provided the backdrop for part of his upcoming series looking at the unparalleled change in our planet’s history he’s witnessed during his career.

Another chance to ‘meet your brain’ with Bristol psychologist Professor Bruce Hood 20 January 2012 The 2011 Royal Institution’s Christmas Lectures, delivered by University of Bristol psychologist Professor Bruce Hood, proved so popular that they will be rebroadcast on BBC Two from Tuesday 24 January.

Shrew whiskers inspire ground-breaking robot design 20 January 2012 The Etruscan shrew, one of the world’s tiniest mammals, measuring around 4 centimetres long, is the inspiration for a ground-breaking new robot developed to use sophisticated whiskers to find its way around.

Children as young as nine at risk of depression due to vitamin D deficiency 19 January 2012 New research from the Children of the 90s study at the University of Bristol shows that the link between low levels of vitamin D and depression is established in childhood and that ensuring children have a good intake of vitamin D could help reduce depression in adolescence and adulthood.

Promoting legal capability in the UK 18 January 2012 A new framework, produced by the Personal Finance Research Centre (PFRC) at the University of Bristol and Law for Life, aims to improve public legal education so that more people are aware of their legal rights when faced with law-related issues in everyday life, such as consumer complaints, discrimination at work or debt problems.

Verandas and eggshell examination could improve hen welfare 18 January 2012 New research by academics at the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences to help farmers improve the health of free-range hens has found verandas for the birds and the early scrutiny of eggshells could improve their welfare.

Climate balancing: sea-level rise versus surface temperature change rates 18 January 2012 Engineering our way out of global climate warming may not be as easy as simply reducing the incoming solar energy, according to a team of University of Bristol and Penn State climate scientists. Designing the approach to control both sea level rise and rates of surface air temperature changes requires a balancing act to accommodate the diverging needs of different locations.

British Science Association seeks award lecture nominees 18 January 2012 The British Science Association is seeking nominations for its Award Lectures to be delivered during the British Science Festival in Aberdeen between 4 and 9 September 2012. The deadline for nominations is 27 January.

Free media training for mid-career researchers 18 January 2012 The Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) is running a series of media training days for ESRC-funded, mid-career researchers (those beyond their first five years as a researcher). Non-ESRC-funded applicants may be permitted to attend if space allows.

Research proves success of Sutton Trust summer schools 18 January 2012 New research from the University of Bristol published today [18 January] shows that non-privileged young people have a higher chance of going to a leading university if they attend one of the week-long university summer schools sponsored by the Sutton Trust.

Study calls for new approach to understanding children’s wellbeing 18 January 2012 Dr Debbie Watson, Senior Lecturer in Childhood Studies in the School for Policy Studies, is one of the authors of a new study that argues that wellbeing for children should be understood at the level of the individual child.

Professor calls for more radical approach to public sector funding of UK film 16 January 2012 As the Government publishes its UK Film Policy Review today, Professor John Adams, who contributed to the Film Review Policy Panel consultations and has written extensively on UK film policy, calls for a much more radical, forward thinking approach to the use of public sector funding for UK film.

Computer models that predict crowd behaviour could be used to prevent the spread of infections at mass gatherings 16 January 2012 A new study led by Dr Anders Johansson in the University's Department of Civil Engineering, suggests computer models that predict crowd behaviour could be used to prevent the spread of infections at mass gatherings.

Media coverage for Science paper on particle which could 'cool the planet' 13 January 2012 Research into Criegee biradicals by Professor Dudley Shallcross in the School of Chemistry was covered by the Daily Mail, The National Post, PA, Reuters and a number of science websites.

Researchers discover particle which could ‘cool the planet’ 13 January 2012 Scientists have shown that a new molecule in the earth’s atmosphere has the potential to play a significant role in off-setting global warming by cooling the planet. In a breakthrough paper published in Science, researchers from the University of Manchester, the University of Bristol and Sandia National Laboratories report the potentially revolutionary effects of Criegee biradicals.