news 2020

Scientists examined the intricate mechanisms of the T-cells (or white blood cells) that control the body's immune system and found that the cells could be 're-trained' to stop them attacking the body's own cells. The body's immune system can be re-wired to prevent it from recognising its own proteins which, when attacked by the body, can cause autoimmune diseases like multiple sclerosis, a significant new study by UK scientists has found.

New research conducted by Professor Tim Blackburn (UCL Biosciences) and the Chinese Academy of Science have found that in many of the world's protected areas, non-native 'invasive species' were living close by. The human population is growing rapidly and making increasing demands on the planet for food, water and natural resources.

A new study from researchers at Oxford University's Departments of Zoology and Biochemistry shows that warring bacteria will engage in suicidal attacks in vast numbers to take down competitors. Bacteria are aggressive organisms that have evolved a host of draconian ways to kill and inhibit their competitors.

Protected areas across the globe are effectively keeping invasive animals at bay, but the large majority of them are at risk of invasions, finds a China-UK research team involving UCL. The research, led by the Chinese Academy of Science and published , show that for most protected areas, there is an invasive animal species living less than 10km away that is well suited to the protected area's environment.

Persistently engaging in negative thinking patterns may raise the risk of Alzheimer's disease, finds a new UCL-led study. In the study of people aged over 55, published in Alzheimer's & Dementia , researchers found 'repetitive negative thinking' (RNT) is linked to subsequent cognitive decline as well as the deposition of harmful brain proteins linked to Alzheimer's.

A new study from researchers at Oxford University's Departments of Zoology and Biochemistry shows that warring bacteria will engage in suicidal attacks in vast numbers to take down competitors. Bacteria are aggressive organisms that have evolved a host of draconian ways to kill and inhibit their competitors.

Urban red foxes are becoming more similar to domesticated dogs as they adapt to their city environment, according to a new analysis. Credit Sean Page A team led by Dr Kevin Parsons, of the University of Glasgow's Institute of Biodiversity, Animal Health and Comparative Medicine, has carried out an analysis into the differences between urban and rural red foxes in the UK.

Scientists at UCL have discovered sets of regulatory genes, which are responsible for maintaining healthy hearing. The finding, made in fruit flies, could potentially lead to treatments for age-related hearing loss (ARHL) in humans. Globally one third of people (1.23 billion people) aged over 65 experience hearing impairment, and while there are thought to be more than 150 candidate genes which may affect hearing loss, there is no unified view on how to use these to develop novel preventive or curative hearing loss therapies.

Honeybees that specialise in grooming their nestmates (allogroomers) to ward off pests play a central role in the colony, finds a new UCL and University of Florence study. Allogroomer bees also appear to have stronger immune systems, possibly enabling them to withstand their higher risk of infection, according to the findings published in Scientific Reports .

The advantages of animals foraging in an orderly group are well-known, but research by the University of Bristol has found an element of unruly adventure can help fish in the quest for food. The study, published today [1 June] , sheds new light on why fish shoals switch frequently between behaving in states of extreme order and disorder.

Here's a batch of fresh news and announcements from across Imperial. From insights into the cause of Alzheimer's and Type 2 Diabetes, to simulating the Universe with mobile phones, here is some quick-read news from across the College. Biophysical origins Amyloids are misfolded proteins whose presence can lead to diseases like Alzheimer's and Type 2 Diabetes (T2D).

Recently discovered 'single-pixel vision' in fish could help researchers understand how humans are able to spot tiny details in their environment - like stars in the sky. In a paper published this week, researchers at the University of Sussex found that zebrafish are able to use a single photoreceptor to spot their tiny prey.

Ongoing environmental changes are transforming forests worldwide, resulting in shorter and younger trees with broad impacts on global ecosystems, scientists say. In a global study published in the 29 May 2020 , researchers including experts at the University of Birmingham, showed how rising temperatures and carbon dioxide have been altering the world's forests.

New research has revealed the evolution of colour vision in elapid snakes following their transition from terrestrial to fully marine environments, and for the first time, provided evidence of where, when and how frequently the species have adapted their ability to see in colour. Published in the journal Current Biology , the study is an international collaboration between the University of Adelaide, the University of Plymouth, University of Bristol and The Natural History Museum, London, and others, involving scientists from the UK, Australia, Denmark, Bangladesh and Canada.

The Near East was a crossroad for the ancient world's greatest civilizations, and invasions over centuries caused enormous changes in cultures, religions and languages. However, a new study of the DNA of ancient skeletons spanning 4,000 years has revealed that most of these changes had no lasting effect on the genetics of the local population of Beirut.

Unique animals with long evolutionary histories are under increased threat of extinction around the world, according to a new study. Our analyses reveal the incomprehensible scale of the losses we face if we don't work harder to save global biodiversity. Rikki Gumbs Many of these unique species live in areas that are facing unprecedented levels of human pressure from activities such as urban development, deforestation and road building, including the Caribbean, the Western Ghats of India, and large parts of Southeast Asia.

When people are highly confident in a decision, they take in information that confirms their decision, but fail to process information which contradicts it, finds a UCL brain imaging study. The study, published , helps to explain the neural processes that contribute to the confirmation bias entrenched in most people's thought processes.

Scientists have created the world's largest publicly available database of genetic variants - changes in DNA that can sometimes lead to disease. The use of this resource, called the Genome Aggregation Database (gnomAD) and including information from over 140,000 people from across the globe, is described in a landmark collection of seven papers, published today in the journals Nature , Nature Communications and Nature Medicine.

The earliest brain changes due to Huntington's disease can be detected 24 years before clinical symptoms show, according to a new UCL-led study. The researchers say their findings, published in The Lancet Neurology , could help with clinical trials by pinpointing the optimal time to begin treating the disease.

Using a combination of behavioural trials in the field, computational visual modelling and a computer-based detection experiment, the study published in PNAS reveals that, while glass frog translucency does act as camouflage, the mechanism differs from that of true transparency. Lead author, Dr James Barnett who began the research while a PhD student at the University of Bristol and is now based at McMaster University in Canada, said: "The frogs are always green but appear to brighten and darken depending on the background.