Social sunbathing in the mint-sauce worm24 February 2016Self-organizing social behaviour in the so-called plant-animal, a ‘solar-powered’ species of marine flat worm that gains all its energy from the algae within its own body, has been demonstrated by researchers from the University of Bristol.
University wins strategic awards to support translational research23 February 2016The University of Bristol has won two awards from the Medical Research Council (MRC) to support translational research – work that turns fundamental scientific discoveries into improvements in human health and economic benefit.
A total of £650,000 was awarded to the University to provide flexible funding for early stage translational projects, to enable the development of academic-industry collaborations, and allow impact development.
Bristol enterprise leader named in UK’s top 10023 February 2016Bristol business leader Nick Sturge, who runs the University of Bristol’s award-winning SETsquared business incubation centre, has been named in an elite list of Britain’s most successful philanthropists, investors, mentors, advisors and ascending entrepreneurs.
Baby gorilla born after rare caesarean section23 February 2016A baby Western lowland gorilla has been born at Bristol Zoo Gardens after an emergency caesarean procedure by University of Bristol academic, David Cahill, Professor in Reproductive Medicine and Medical Education.
Donna Constant, 1964-201622 February 2016Donna Constant, a General Assistant at Goldney Hall, died recently. Her colleague, Sam Norcliffe, offers a tribute.
Significant new study shows importance of help for childhood sexual abuse victims22 February 2016While the sexual abuse of children is currently an issue at the forefront of public life, concern has focused on the protection of children and the identification of perpetrators.
However, a new study by the Universities of Bristol and Durham for the NSPCC, hopes to refocus attention on what can be done to help the victims of childhood sexual abuse.
New book on food fraud sorts the beef from the bull21 February 2016A new book, co-authored by Professor Richard Evershed of the University of Bristol, which explains the role of science in uncovering some of the century’s biggest food scams is published by Bloomsbury this week.
The ‘ugliest fossil reptiles’ who roamed China19 February 2016Long before the dinosaurs, hefty herbivores called pareiasaurs ruled the Earth. Now, for the first time, a detailed investigation of all Chinese specimens of these creatures – often described as the ‘ugliest fossil reptiles’ – has been published by a University of Bristol palaeontologist.
Best to sleep on it: brain activity patterns during sleep consolidate memory19 February 2016Why does sleeping on it help? This is the question tackled by new research at the University of Bristol, which reveals how brain activity during sleep sorts through the huge number of experiences we encounter every day, filing only the important information in memory.
Sauropod swimmers or walkers?18 February 2016An international team of scientists, led by the China University of Geosciences in Beijing and including palaeontologists from the University of Bristol, has shed new light on some unusual dinosaur tracks from northern China. The tracks appear to have been made by four-legged sauropod dinosaurs yet only two of their feet have left prints behind.
Have you rehomed a dog in the last six months?17 February 2016People who have adopted a dog in the last six months are being asked by the University of Bristol’s School of Veterinary Sciences to take part in a survey about their decisions and how they came to choose the dog which they adopted.
Student Callum rows into the history books17 February 2016After a tough 58 days at sea, battling the elements on his own as he rowed 3,000 nautical miles, University of Bristol student Callum Gathercole has become the youngest person to row across an ocean solo.
Researchers ask for public’s views on Bristol’s shared spaces15 February 2016Researchers at the University of Bristol are asking people for their views about ‘shared space’ in the city. Pedestrians, cyclists, motorists and others are often expected to share routes or public spaces in order to get around in Bristol. Sometimes this works well, but at other times it can cause difficulties.
Rooting the family tree of placental mammals15 February 2016The roots of the mammalian family tree have long been shrouded in mystery – when did the placental mammals go their separate ways? Now, researchers led by Dr James Tarver at the University of Bristol say they’ve found where the family tree of placental mammals first branched apart – and when it happened.
Genome studies can help identify lifestyle risks for diseases12 February 2016A type of study commonly used to pinpoint genetic variants associated with diseases can also be used to identify the lifestyle predictors that increase the risk of a disease – something that is often overlooked in genetic studies
Catastrophic failure of ice age dam changed ocean circulation and climate12 February 2016The catastrophic release of fresh water from a vast South American lake at the end of the last Ice Age was significant enough to change circulation in the Pacific Ocean, according to new research co-authored by a PhD student from the University of Bristol.
Stronger evidence found for link between prenatal exposure to paracetamol and the risk of developing asthma10 February 2016Researchers have provided new evidence that developing asthma can be linked to pregnant women and infants being exposed to paracetamol; by testing that the association was not simply due to the medical complaint for which the person is taking paracetamol. The findings were published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
Dinosaurs take over Bristol Museum for British Science Week10 February 2016Bristol Museum & Art Gallery will be celebrating British Science Week (11-20 March 2016), with a Dinosaur Takeover. Bristol Museums have partnered with dinosaur experts at the University of Bristol to deliver an exciting half day experience for school groups in the region, packed with thrilling dinosaur-related activities.
Bristol Team places fifth in international Drones for Good awards8 February 2016Dr Tom Scott and Dr Oliver Payton, with Bristol spin-out company ImiTec Ltd, took their Advanced Airborne Radiation Monitoring System to Dubai and took on 1017 entrants from 165 countries.
Bristol student breaks Atlantic rowing record8 February 2016After battling storms, sharks, sunstroke and sleep deprivation, University of Bristol student Freddie Wright and best friend Jack Galsworthy have become the youngest pair to row the Atlantic.
Ocean acidification makes coralline algae less robust 8 February 2016Ocean acidification (the ongoing decrease in the pH of the Earth’s oceans, caused by the uptake of CO2 from the atmosphere), is affecting the formation of the skeleton of coralline algae which play an important part in marine biodiversity, new research from the University of Bristol has found.
New book explores Neolithic island ritual8 February 2016Ritual life on Neolithic islands is the subject of a new book edited by Dr George Nash of the University of Bristol’s Department of Archaeology and Anthropology and the late Andrew Townsend, who completed a PhD in archaeology at Bristol.
Dr A Brian Hawkins, 1934-20165 February 2016Dr Brian Hawkins, former Reader in Engineering Geology, died in January. His colleague Dr David Nash offers a remembrance.
Bristol archaeologists help pupils explore school’s history5 February 2016University of Bristol archaeologists have been working with local primary school children to explore the history of land adjoining Two Mile Hill Primary School in Kingswood.
Motorboat noise gives predators a deadly advantage 5 February 2016The rate that fish are captured by predators can double when boats are motoring nearby, according to pioneering work led by the University of Exeter and co-authored by the University of Bristol, published today in Nature Communications.
Spotlight on Chinese wartime science at Bristol Museum4 February 2016A pop-up exhibition of photographs providing a fascinating insight into Chinese science during the Second World War will feature as part of Bristol Museum & Art Gallery’s Chinese New Year celebrations this weekend.
Virtual museum to bring evolutionary education out of the Stone Age4 February 2016Fossils from around the world will be displayed in an online ‘computer game museum’ designed to help teach pupils about the evolution of life on earth. The Virtual Natural History Museum, a project which is being led by a team of palaeontology experts at the University of Bristol, will provide a unique resource to teachers – offering digital access to specimens rarely seen outside of academia.
Women are seen more than heard in online news3 February 2016It has long been argued that women are under-represented and marginalised in relation to men in the world’s news media. New research, using artificial intelligence (AI), has analysed over two million articles to find out how gender is represented in online news. The study, which is the largest undertaken to date, found men’s views and voices are represented more in online news than women’s.
Loss of wild flowers across Britain matches pollinator decline3 February 2016The first ever Britain-wide assessment of the value of wild flowers as food for pollinators, led by the University of Bristol, shows that decreasing resources mirror the decline of pollinating insects, providing new evidence to support the link between plant and pollinator decline.
Sonic tractor beam goes to Hollywood3 February 2016University of Bristol research assistant Asier Marzo demonstrated the world’s first sonic tractor beam to Hollywood actors Ben Stiller, Owen Wilson and Will Ferrell on the Spanish TV programme El Hormiguero.
