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Researchers at UCL have created one-atom-thick ribbons made of phosphorus alloyed with arsenic that could dramatically improve the efficiency of devices such as batteries, supercapacitors and solar cells. The research team discovered phosphorus nanoribbons in 2019. The "wonder material", predicted to revolutionise devices ranging from batteries to biomedical sensors, has since been used to increase lithium-ion battery lifetimes and solar cell efficiencies.

A team of scientists, led by researchers at UCL, have developed new methods to predict outcomes for pregnancies where there are issues with poor growth of the baby inside the womb. The research, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation , involved 142 women from the EVERREST Prospective Study* who had severe early-onset fetal growth restriction (FGR) - meaning their babies were very small on ultrasound scans early in the second half of pregnancy (between 20 and 27 weeks).

Researchers at UCL and Moorfields Eye Hospital have developed an artificial intelligence (AI) system that has the potential to not only identify sight-threatening eye diseases but also predict general health, including heart attacks, stroke, and Parkinson's disease. RETFound , one of the first AI foundation models in healthcare, and the first in ophthalmology, was developed using millions of eye scans from the NHS.

A new study involving UCL that aims to inform mathematical models of sexually transmitted infections shows how the number of sexual partners we have changes as we age, with some surprising findings. A team from the UCL Institute of Health Informatics, the University of East Anglia (UEA) and King's College London surveyed more than 5,000 people aged 18 years and older during the 2022 mpox (previously known as "monkeypox") outbreak.

Having a hobby is linked to fewer depressive symptoms and higher levels of happiness, self-reported health and life satisfaction among people aged 65 and over, and this holds true across 16 countries on three continents, according to a new study led by UCL researchers. The study, published in the journal Nature Medicine , aimed to see if the benefits of hobbies were consistent in different national settings, and looked at data from 93,263 people aged 65 or over who had enrolled in five existing longitudinal studies in England, Japan, United States, China and 12 other European countries.

The risk of COVID-19 infection is around two times higher in older adults with cardiovascular disease and complex comorbidities than in their healthier peers, according to a new study from UCL. The study, published in Gerontology, analysed data from 4,428 individuals over the age of 50 who took part in the English Longitudinal Study of Ageing (ELSA) COVID-19 Sub Study in 2020.

Embracing the Rural Exception Site planning policy can significantly increase the delivery of affordable homes in the English countryside, while maintaining the community's local character, finds a new report by researchers from UCL and the English Rural Housing Association. The report, titled Land, Landowners, and the Delivery of Affordable Homes in Rural Areas , outlines the housing affordability issues facing rural towns and parishes, and highlights how greater use of the already-established Rural Exception Site policy could help deliver much needed affordable homes.

A gene therapy developed in mice by an international team of researchers led by UCL and the NIHR Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre, could significantly reduce hearing loss associated with Norrie disease. Norrie disease is a rare but devastating genetic disorder that causes blindness and hearing loss.

Education about domestic abuse equips and empowers friends, colleagues, and neighbours to respond in positive and helpful ways when someone discloses experiences of abuse, finds a new study by researchers from UCL and SafeLives. The study, published in the journal Trauma, Violence & Abuse , synthesised the findings of 11 existing studies from around the world that examined the effects of domestic abuse training for colleagues, neighbours, or faith leaders.

Disadvantaged teenagers are at greater risk of email scams and need better protection, according to an international study by a UCL researcher. The findings, published in the British Journal of Educational Studies , were based on more than 170,000 students aged 15 and show that one in five from low-income families or deprived areas could fall victim to phishing.

A team of UCL-led researchers has developed a new method to determine the attention levels of drivers and their readiness to respond to warning signals when using auto-pilot mode. The research, published in Cognitive Research: Principles and Implications , found that people's attention levels and how engrossed they are in on-screen activities can be detected from their eye movements.

Unparalleled speed, capacity and reliability of new fibre broadband technology, invented by UCL researchers, could provide connectivity needed for applications of the future such as driverless cars and drone fleets. The study, published in Nature Electronics , describes how the new telecommunications technology, called frequency referenced multiplexing, could provide more than 20 times the capacity of the best full fibre broadband networks available and 65 times the speed of typical current UK home broadband, along with a near-guaranteed connection and low latency 1 .

Children receiving services under a care and support plan had higher overall vaccination rates and were more up to date with immunisations than the general population of children in Wales, finds a new study involving UCL researchers. The research, published in Frontiers in Public Health , is the first data linkage study to explore vaccination coverage in children under social care services in Wales.

Markers that indicate the presence of Parkinson's disease in patients on average seven years before clinical presentation have been identified by a UCL and Moorfields Eye Hospital research team. This is the first time anyone has shown these findings several years before diagnosis, and these results were made possible by the largest study to date on retinal imaging in Parkinson's disease.

Using MRI as a screening test alongside PSA density allowed detection of cancers that would have been missed by the blood test alone, according to new research from UCL, UCLH and King's College London. The REIMAGINE study, published in BMJ Oncology , is the first study to use MRI scans with prostate specific antigen (PSA) density to assess the need for further standard NHS tests.

A significant number of healthcare workers have either left their job or considered changing it because they feel undervalued or have experienced discrimination, according to a new study led by the University of Leicester in collaboration with UCL. The study, published in The Lancet , found that 48% of healthcare workers surveyed had either considered or acted upon changing or leaving their roles.

The Big Wasp Survey, a citizen science project involving thousands of volunteers throughout the UK, has yielded important genetic insights into the common wasp, reports a study led by UCL researchers. Using data and samples of Vespula vulgaris (a species of yellowjacket wasp known as the Common Wasp) collected by amateur 'citizen scientists', the researchers conducted the first large-scale genetic analysis of the insect across its native range.

Researchers at UCL and Great Ormond Street Hospital have collaborated with institutes across the world to use rapid genome sequencing to provide a diagnosis for children with unexplained epilepsy and significantly benefit their care. Epilepsy in children ranges in severity and can leave families and carers with many questions about their child's future health.

A new study led by UCL researchers has found a positive association between academic pressure or proximity to exams and mental health issues among young people. The research, published in the Journal of Affective Disorders, reviewed 52 studies involving students who attended either primary school, secondary school or sixth-form college across the globe, between 1991 and 2022.

Receiving therapy for problematic social media use can be effective in improving the mental wellbeing of people with depression, finds a new study by UCL researchers. The research, published in the Journal of Medical Internet Research , found that social media use interventions could help adults for whom social media use has become problematic or interferes with their mental health.