news 2016

'Tiny earthquakes' help scientists predict mountain rock falls The risk of mountain rock falls in regions with sub-zero temperatures, such as the Swiss Alps and parts of Canada, could be better predicted by using technology which measures 'tiny earthquakes' - according to a group of international experts.

Scientists at the University of Liverpool have shown that a change in weather patterns, brought on by the 'Godzilla' El Niño of 2015, fuelled the Zika outbreak in South America. The findings were revealed using a new epidemiological model that looked at how climate affects the spread of Zika virus by both of its major vectors, the yellow fever mosquito ( Aedes aegypti ) and the Asian tiger mosquito ( Aedes albopictus ).

People who have a greater risk of developing schizophrenia are more likely to try cannabis, according to new research, which also found a causal link between trying the drug and an increased risk of the condition. The study from the University of Bristol comes on the back of public health warnings issued earlier this year by scientists who voiced concerns about the increased risk of psychosis for vulnerable people who use the drug.

Reducing our cholesterol levels to those of a new-born baby significantly lowers the risk of cardiovascular disease, according to new research. Although previous studies have suggested lowering cholesterol levels may be associated with a lower risk of heart attack, recent evidence has questioned whether very low levels are beneficial.

A new study from The University of Nottingham will examine the issue of forced marriage among adults with learning disabilities. ' My Marriage My Choice ' is a two-year study which aims to improve understanding of the issue, as well as helping to develop policy and practice to support professionals in their work of safeguarding vulnerable children and adults.

UK scientists have created a synthetic molecule that, when applied to crops, has been shown to increase the size and starch content of wheat grains in the lab by up to 20%. The new plant application, developed by Rothamsted Research and Oxford University, could help solve the issue of increasing food insecurity across the globe.

Curling up with a good e-book? Why there's nothing quite like a paper book when it comes to a bedtime story Since the birth of digital reading technology, arguments have raged over whether reading from a screen has any significant effects on the experience of reading and shared storytelling among both adults and children.

Owners of dogs showing signs of osteoarthritis are being asked by the University of Bristol's School of Veterinary Sciences to take part in the first study of its kind to find out whether an omega-3 oil derived from algae can help dogs with osteoarthritis (OA). The double blind placebo-controlled trial , funded by the Dogs Trust , is led by Dr Jo Murrell and a team of animal health and welfare specialists in the Vet School.

The size of a female animals' brain may determine whether they live longer and have more healthy offspring, according to new research led by the University of Cambridge. We found that some of the cross-species predictions about brain size held for female red deer, and that none of the predictions were supported in male red deer.

New Court of Session papers, missing for more than 200 years, have been unearthed by the Faculty of Advocates and Professor Gerard Carruthers, University of Glasgow. The newly found papers shine light on Thomas Muir and how he courted controversy in his early years, which may have contributed to his treatment by the justice system in later life.

Poor access to health care and confusion over post-detention care may have contributed to more than 400 deaths following police custody and prison detention since 2009, a new report has claimed. Here, in an article first published on The Conversation, report authors Prof Loraine Gelsthorpe and Prof Nicola Padfield of Cambridge's Faculty of Law, along with their colleague Jake Phillips from Sheffield Hallam University, discuss their findings.

Scientists based at Oxford University have created a new method for counting lions that they say is the most robust yet devised. Using the Maasai Mara National Reserve and surrounding conservancies in Kenya as a case study, they estimate there to be 420 lions over the age of one in this key territory.

A leak of a protein called haemoglobin from damaged red blood cells may be associated with brain shrinkage in multiple sclerosis. This is the conclusion of a team from Imperial College London , whose early-stage findings suggest treatments that lower levels of haemoglobin could slow progression of the disease.

A change in the way human tissue banks are registered should help prevent millions of human tissue samples, that could be used for medical research, from going to waste. All UK human tissue banks will now be expected to register with the new central UK Clinical Research Council (UKCRC) Tissue Directory developed by experts at The University of Nottingham's Advanced Data Analysis Centre (ADAC) in partnership with UCL (University College London).

For many households, crowding around the television for a family film or to watch the Queen's speech is as much of a Christmas tradition as opening presents and enjoying a turkey dinner. But in homes where one family member has a hearing aid, settling down to watch the box can become a festive flashpoint - leading to arguments about volume and tussles over the TV remote.

How our brains are biologically tuned to be influenced by confident people Scientists have uncovered that the added influence of confident people may be down to our biology. By studying brain activity, academics discerned that human brains are geared for placing added value on opinions of confident people.

PA 289/16 A topical skin cream could be used as a viable alternative to surgery for patients with a common type of skin cancer, a study led by researchers at The University of Nottingham found. The research, published in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology , found that imiquimod had high levels of success when used to treat basal cell carcinoma (BCC) over a period of five years.

Scientists have discovered a gene network in the brain associated with epilepsy. The team, led by scientists at Imperial College London , believe the discovery may lead to more treatments for the condition. The study, published in the journal Genome Biology , has revealed an 'epileptic network' of 320 genes, called M30, that is associated with the condition.

Signs of powerful changing winds have been detected on an exoplanet 16 times larger than Earth, according to a team involving UCL scientists. It's the first time that weather systems have been found on a gas giant outside the solar system. Led by the University of Warwick, the researchers discovered that the gas giant HAT-P-7b, which is located over 1000 light years away, is affected by large scale changes in strong winds moving across the planet, likely leading to catastrophic storms.

EnzBond, a new biotechnology company from Oxford University, has been formed to commercialise in-silico technology, which makes utilising enzymes in drug manufacturing both cost-effective and time-efficient. At present, discovering the right enzymes for production in drug development can prove both prohibitively expensive and time consuming, as identifying the right enzyme is a trial and error process that can see companies go through potentially thousands of enzymes during the search.