Professor Ronald Milne, 1930-2014
Ronald Milne, former Dean of Engineering and a major contributor to research in aeronautics, died recently. Professor Gareth Padfield and Professor Dick Clements offer a tribute.
News in 2014
Species matters in a noisy world
Fish exposed to increased noise levels consume less food and show more stress-related behaviour, according to new research from the University of Bristol and the University of Exeter. However, the way fish decreased their food intake differed between the two British species tested.
Former Nixon White House staffer interviewed as part of Festival of History
Alexander Butterfield, former White House staffer to President Nixon, will be interviewed at a public event at the University of Bristol on Tuesday 4 March as part of Past Matters, the University's Festival of History.
Women’s work celebrated in Bristol
A University of Bristol event at the Watershed this Friday 7 March will celebrate women, work and value in Europe from 1945-2015.
Queen's Anniversary Prize
Professor Sir Eric Thomas, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Bristol, has been presented with the Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher Education on behalf of the University in a ceremony held at St James’s Palace yesterday [27 Feb].
Competition breeds new fish species
Size differences among fish and competition for breeding space lead to the formation of new species, according to a new study by researchers from the University of Bristol published today in Nature Communications.
Scientists call for more direct engagement with the public on issues of climate change
Climate scientists need to interact more directly with the public through blogs and social media, researchers from the University of Bristol, the University of Reading and the Met Office argue in a commentary in this week's Nature Climate Change.
An ancient 'Great Leap Forward' for life in the open ocean
University of Bristol researchers study genomic data of cyanobacteria to shed new light on how complex life evolved on Earth
£4.3 million boost for pioneering health research centre
A research centre which focuses on improving the health and wellbeing of children has been awarded £4.3 million funding to continue its work for a further five years.
Jaw mechanics shed new light on early tetrapod feeding habits
A study of the jaws of one of the earliest known limbed vertebrates shows the species still fed underwater, not on land.
New research reveals role of methionine in enzyme catalysis
The first convincing evidence that the amino acid methionine plays a role in catalysis in an enzyme has been uncovered by researchers from the University of Bristol. Previously, it was thought that methionine was only involved in structure and binding, not in making reactions happen in enzymes.
Why do some neurons respond so selectively to words, objects and faces?
Some neurons in the brain respond to words, objects and faces in a highly selective manner, consistent with the so-called 'grandmother cell' theory whereby a particular neuron activates when a person sees, hears or otherwise senses a specific entity, such as his or her grandmother. For example, a neuron in a human was found to respond to images of Jennifer Aniston but not to other people, objects or scenes.
Bristol team countdown to 4321 charity challenge
A Bristol team are putting their endurance to the test with a 4321 Challenge which involves four people, three summits, two wheels, and one challenge.
NICE calls for greater awareness about domestic violence and abuse
Domestic violence and abuse can affect anyone, both women and men regardless of their age or where they are from. The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence says there needs to be a wider understanding in health and social care, as well as in society as a whole, about how we can help people experiencing it.
Bristol show sends UK photographers wild
University of Bristol student Bertie Gregory will speak at a touring show of Britain’s best wildlife photography in Bristol on 24 March.
Scientists sought to help put science in the news
The British Science Association is inviting applications for its 2014 Media Fellowship scheme, which gives scientists a chance to gain first-hand experience of how science is reported.
Top speakers debate privacy and security at the Bristol Law Conference
Leading speakers from the worlds of law, politics and journalism will be discussing the conflicting notions of security and privacy at the second annual Bristol Law Conference on 7 March.
Good deeds and kind hearts at the University of Bristol
Today marks the start of Student Volunteering Week (SVW), a nationwide celebration of student volunteering in local communities and beyond.
New insights into the origin of birds
The key characteristics of birds which allow them to fly – their wings and their small size – arose much earlier than previously thought, according to new research from the Universities of Bristol and Sheffield into the Paraves, the first birds and their closest dinosaurian relatives which lived 160 to 120 million years ago.
Experience new music in Bristol this weekend
A showcase of new and experimental music takes place in Bristol this weekend [Friday 21 to Sunday 23 February 2014]. This tightly packed and stimulating programme of events, the first venture of Bristol New Music, will feature some of the best new music on the international arts scene.
Scientists identify ‘long distance scanner’ for DNA damage
Scientists at the University of Bristol have discovered that a mechanism for preventing mutation within important genes involves long distance scanning of DNA by a molecular motor protein.
University of Bristol hosts development conference
The Bristol International Development Conference (BIDC) will be opening its doors for a day of talks and events on 8 March.
Molecular biology mystery unravelled
The nature of the machinery responsible for the entry of proteins into cell membranes has been unravelled by scientists, who hope the breakthrough could ultimately be exploited for the design of new anti-bacterial drugs.
New project investigates the internet's impact on suicide
Researchers at the University of Bristol are joining forces with Samaritans to carry out groundbreaking research into the role the internet plays for those with suicidal thoughts.
Common medicines should mimic the timing of the body’s natural systems to prevent side-effects, scientists say
Debilitating side effects associated with prescription medication for some of today’s most common conditions could be eradicated if they mimicked the body’s natural hormone secretion cycles, a new report has said.
Dr Yon Richard Mayhew, 1924-2013
Dr Yon (‘John’) Mayhew, who taught in the Department of Mechanical Engineering for some 40 years, died in late 2013. Professor Robert Adams offers a tribute to an engineer who co-authored a highly influential textbook on engineering thermodynamics.
Sports writers take new look at language of sport
Leading sports writers, academics and translators will discuss the practise of sports writing and its relationship to sporting cultures at the University of Bristol on 21 February.
Fighting food waste in Nicaragua by ‘eating united’
Katie Alesbury has been tackling food poverty thousands of miles away on the streets of Nicaragua using inspiration gained from Bristol initiatives.
Mission accomplished for Mars expedition
Three University of Bristol researchers have returned from a successful mission which simulated life on Mars.
Tony Philpott, 1938-2014
Generations of Bristol Geography staff and students will learn with sadness of the death in January of Tony Philpott at the age of 75. Emeritus Professor Peter Haggett offers a tribute.
First leg of Antarctic iSTAR mission accomplished
A team of British scientists, including Dr Stephen Cornford from the University of Bristol, has returned from a 1,500km journey across the ice of West Antarctica after successfully completing the first leg of their groundbreaking mission.
Bristol Farm Animal Veterinary Society hosts national student congress
What farmers will want from their veterinary surgeon in the future was one of the subjects discussed at the Farm Animal Veterinary Society’s 2014 congress held at the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences at Langford.
£2 million for research into new materials for photovoltaic solar cells
A University of Bristol-led research project which aims to develop new active materials for photovoltaic solar cells based on abundant and low cost elements has been awarded £2 million funding by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC).
From surf to turf: archaeologists and chemists trace ancient British diets
Studies of old rubbish dumps and dirty dishes have revealed that, 6,000 years ago, ancient Britons gave up their passion for fish to begin a love affair with milk. The research by archaeologists and chemists from the University of Bristol and Cardiff University is published today in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Vet student wins small animal case study competition
Undergraduate Amy Peel in the School of Veterinary Sciences has won the Burgess Pet Care Veterinary Student Case Study Prize for her detailed entry on ophthalmic diseases in guinea pigs.
EU Commissioner tells ‘inconvenient truth’ about migration
A full-house gathered at the University of Bristol to hear a senior EU official defend the free movement of migrant workers within the EU, urging people to accept the ‘inconvenient truth’ that labour mobility benefits the economy.
New research sheds light on how the body regulates fundamental neuro-hormone
New research has revealed a previously unknown mechanism in the body which regulates a hormone that is crucial for motivation, stress responses and control of blood pressure, pain and appetite. The breakthrough could be used to design drugs to help fight health problems connected with these functions in the future.
Royal support for Engine Shed’s growth mission and latest robotics at BRL
HRH The Duke of York, KG, travelled to Bristol today [10 February] to meet with entrepreneurs in the city’s innovative new Engine Shed and to visit the Bristol Robotics Laboratory (BRL) to gain an insight into the latest advances in robotics research.
Lord Toulson to judge inaugural intervarsity mooting competition
The School of Law will host its inaugural intervarsity mooting competition on Saturday 15 February, where the final will be judged by The Right Honourable Lord Toulson, Justice of the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
New strategic partnership announced with EDF for nuclear energy
The University of Bristol has negotiated a new strategic partnership with French nuclear energy company, EDF, with the aim of establishing a base for nuclear energy research and teaching in the South West.