news 2013

Imperial has announced the immediate actions it is taking following the release of an independent report into animal care and welfare at the College. The College asked Professor Steve Brown in April 2013 to convene an independent committee to investigate how Imperial can improve to meet the highest standards in animal research and care internationally.

Scientists have found evidence that there was once an ancient lake on Mars that may have been able to support life. It is exciting to think that billions of years ago, ancient microbial life may have existed in the lake's calm waters, converting a rich array of elements into energy.

06 Dec 2013 Researchers from The University of Manchester and Salford Royal NHS Foundation Trust have tested a new way to treat a disfiguring skin condition. Telangiectatases are knot-like clusters of blood vessels on the skin which can occur in 30 to 50 per cent of patients with systemic sclerosis, a potentially serious and incurable auto-immune condition that affects connective tissue.

Researchers have looked at why anonymous traders using eBay auction sites bother to give feedback on one another, given such transactions are usually one-offs. The study examined hundreds of thousands of online transactions and found that in over 60% of them, buyers and sellers provided feedback even though they had little to gain from it as individuals.

Ever wondered what the weather and climate was like in Middle Earth, the land of hobbits, dwarves, elves and orcs, from J.R.R. Tolkien's The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings ? Climate scientists from the University of Bristol, UK have used a climate model, similar to those used in the recent Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, to simulate and investigate the climate of Middle Earth.

A new documentary to be broadcast on Channel 4 this weekend is largely based on research carried out by a team from the UCL Institute of Archaeology, in collaboration with colleagues at the Emperor Qin Shihuang's Mausoleum Site Museum in China. New Secrets of the Terracotta Warriors is the first public presentation of some of the work led by Dr Xiuzhen Janice Li, Dr Andrew Bevan, Professor Marcos Martinón-Torres and their team, which involves a number of innovative scientific methods and unexpected results.

Viruses alter plant biochemistry in order to manipulate visiting aphids into spreading infection The work started almost accidentally when about five years ago a student and I noticed that aphids became sick or died when confined on a virus-infected plant Dr John Carr University of Cambridge researchers have shown that viruses use aphids as pawns, discouraging the insects from permanently settling on already-infected crops and using this forced migration to spread infection to healthy vegetation.

For a copy of the paper, go to http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/journal/apl/103/20/10. Nano Electronic Diamond Devices and Systems group Researchers at the University of Glasgow have found an improved method to introduce mobile electronic charge into synthetic diamond. The improved method will increase the stability and performance of electronic components such as transistors made from diamond and lead to a new generation of tough and durable electronic systems that could be used in space.

Academics at The University of Nottingham have launched two free internet resources for vets. Scientists from the Centre for Evidence-based Veterinary Medicine (CEVM) at the School of Veterinary Medicine and Science have launched BEstBETS for VETS ( www.bestbetsforvets.org ) and VetSRev ( www.nottingham.ac.uk/cevm/vetsrev ).

Researchers at the University of Nottingham conducted a meta-analysis of experimental studies into cannabinoids; chemicals related to those found in cannabis, some of which also occur naturally in the body. The findings showed that the compounds could reduce the size of stroke and improve neurological function.

Why beaks evolved in some theropod dinosaurs and what their function might have been is the subject of new research by an international team of palaeontologists published this week in PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences). Beaks are a typical hallmark of modern birds and can be found in a huge variety of forms and shapes.

Koalas' low-pitched voice explained by unique organ The pitch of male koalas' mating calls is about 20 times lower than it should be, given the Australian marsupial's relatively small size, University of Sussex research reveals. Dr Benjamin Charlton and Dr David Reby, reporting in the Cell Press journal Current Biology on December 2 have discovered the koalas' secret: they have a specialised sound-producing organ that has never before been seen in any other land-dwelling mammal.

A simple urine test could distinguish between aggressive and less aggressive bladder cancers according to a new University of Birmingham study published in the British Journal of Cancer. The test could quickly detect patients with the most advanced and aggressive forms of bladder cancer, helping to tailor and speed up their treatment.

It's historically known as 'the king of diseases and the disease of kings' and was long thought to be caused by an overindulgent lifestyle, but now scientists at The University of Nottingham have confirmed that 'gout' strongly runs in families. Researchers in the Division of Rheumatology, Orthopaedics and Dermatology studied the whole population of Taiwan (23 million) where gout is most prevalent in the world.

Tiny bits of plastic trash could spell big trouble for some of the smallest and most crucial members of the marine ecosystem according to scientific findings released today. Research conducted by Plymouth University and the University of Exeter has revealed the unpalatable situation confronting the lugworm when it is exposed to high levels of microplastic in ocean sediments.

Study finds no correlation between violent crime and flexible alcohol licensing following the 2003 Licensing Act, with researchers describing the policy intervention as "built on weak evidence".

Agents of the immune system called natural killer (NK) cells may have an important role in asthma, according to research. NK cells are best known for eliminating cancer cells and cells infected by viruses, but the new study suggests that they might be partly to blame for inflammation in the airways in asthma.

New research suggests that it should be possible to influence how bacteria manage nitrogen, in order to create better fertilisers for crops. Nitrogen is an essential nutrient, but most plants cannot process it from the air. They depend on bacteria in the soil to provide them with nitrogen in a usable form.

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. You can change your cookie settings at any time. Otherwise, we'll assume you're OK to continue. Archaeologists find more bodies at Durham University site Durham University archaeologists have found the remains of many more human bodies at a dig on the City's World Heritage Site, providing clear evidence of a centuries-old mass grave.

Expert wine tasters cannot tell which grapes are in sparkling wines when asked to taste them blind, an Oxford University-led study has found. And the champagnes they rated highly weren't always the most expensive, showing that you don't necessarily have to fork out when buying champers for your Christmas party.