Research grant to study Lewy body disease20 September 2011Researchers at the University of Bristol’s Dementia Research Group have been awarded a grant by local charity BRACE to investigate Lewy body disease and its association with other diseases, such as Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s.
Wrangler Paranjpe Reassessed20 September 2011A new book by Dr Jitu Shah, a Visting Fellow in the School of Physics, examines the life and work of Sir Raghunath Purushottam Paranjpe (1876-1966), the first Indian to achieve the coveted title of Senior Wrangler at the University of Cambridge.
Open day attracts 13,000 visitors to Bristol20 September 2011Bristol is to experience a surge in visitor numbers as 13,000 people attend Bristol University’s latest open day tomorrow [21 September].
Smoking in films encourages teenagers to take a drag20 September 2011Ever since the era of silent films, smoking has played a major part in film symbolism. Think Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s or Robert De Niro in Goodfellas. But iconic scenes such as these could be damaging the health of teenagers, who are more likely to smoke after watching films depicting the habit.
Michael P Costeloe, 1939-201119 September 2011Emeritus Professor Michael Costeloe died peacefully at home, with his family by his side, on 24 August. Colleagues and former students pay tribute to a supportive colleague, an inspiring teacher, a fine scholar, and a warm and generous friend.
Government advisor calculates how to kick the fossil fuel habit16 September 2011One of the UK Government’s Chief Scientific Advisors is coming to Bristol to address one of the biggest challenges facing the world – how to cut greenhouse gases by at least 80 per cent.
Some like it hot – European fish stocks changing with warming seas15 September 2011The first "big picture" study of the effects of rapidly rising temperatures in the northeast Atlantic Ocean shows that a major shift in fish stocks is already well underway. But it isn't all bad news. The research, published today [15 Sep] in Current Biology, shows that some fishes' losses are other fishes' gain.
Minerals from ocean-floor rocks found in ultra-deep diamonds15 September 2011Mineral inclusions discovered in diamonds prove that surface rocks can be subducted into the deep part of the Earth’s mantle. The isotopic composition of the diamonds confirms that recycling of crustal materials, including carbon, extends into the lower mantle.
Timothy Hemming, 1934-201115 September 2011Timothy Hemming, the mainstay of medieval studies in the Department of French for many years, died on 11 August. John Parkin offers this tribute.
Top-level conference to address international human rights15 September 2011The University of Bristol Law School is hosting a top-level human rights conference next week [19 to 20 September] to examine UN torture prevention mechanisms.
New research into chronic condition reveals long-term cost to UK economy15 September 2011Myalgic Encephalopathy [ME] or Chronic Fatigue Syndrome [CFS] causes severe debilitating fatigue and affects up to 2.6 per cent of adults in Britain. New University of Bristol research, published today [15 Sep], into the impact of the illness on employment and productivity has estimated lost earnings of over £102 million a year to the UK economy.
Call for UK and international student entries for FIRA RoboWorld Cup 201214 September 2011Student teams with expertise in robotics and engineering from universities around the world are being invited to enter the FIRA RoboWorld Cup 2012. The event, hosted by the University of Bristol and the University of the West of England, will take place in Bristol from 20-25 August 2012.
‘Partner abuse is normal’ say disadvantaged youth14 September 2011The levels of violence girls and boys from disadvantaged backgrounds experience in their partner relationships is revealed in new University of Bristol research published today. It is the first time there has been an in-depth look at violence in the intimate relationships of disadvantaged teenagers who are not in mainstream education. Some of those who took part had been permanently excluded from school, were young offenders or teenage mothers.
SPICE project widely reported14 September 2011The annoucement of the SPICE project, led by Dr Matt Watson in the School of Earth Sciences, was covered by The Times, The Guardian, The Daily Telegraph, The Independent, the Daily Mail, the FT and other national and local media.
Remembering dictatorship14 September 2011Life under state socialism is the theme of a series of free public events hosted by the University of Bristol this September as part of research into the legacy of socialist dictatorship and its impact on the post-socialist present.
SPICE project announced at British Science Festival14 September 2011Preparations are underway for a unique test of engineering technology that could pave the way to reducing atmospheric temperatures caused by climate change, if conventional attempts to reduce carbon emissions prove insufficient.
Bristol ChemLabS and Learning Science partner with Cengage Learning13 September 2011Bristol ChemLabS and Learning Science Ltd have formed a partnership with Cengage Learning to develop a new online version of the award-winning Chemistry LabSkills software which will bring the very latest e-learning innovations in practical science-based interactive learning and skills development to chemistry students all around the world.
£300,000 for new study into the origin of AIDS13 September 2011£300,000 has been awarded to the Universities of Bristol and Cambridge, along with a further £1.5million to the University of Wisconsin-Madison, for a joint research project to investigate why the HIV virus only emerged in the 1970s despite entering the human population many decades earlier.
Bristol academics win Wolfson Merit awards13 September 2011Two Bristol academics, in Chemistry and Earth Sciences, respectively, have won coveted Royal Society Wolfson Research Merit Awards in the latest funding round.
Manipulative mothers subdue show-off sons12 September 2011The gaudy plumage and acrobatic displays of birds of paradise are a striking example of sexual selection, Charles Darwin’s second great theory of evolution. But new research shows that this powerful process may collapse when mothers can decide whether to have a son or a daughter.
Project to tackle most common food poisoning bacteria12 September 2011Twelve projects, bringing together researchers from across disciplines, will study Campylobacter in the food chain, from field to plate. One of the projects, led by the University’s School of Veterinary Sciences, will look at the use of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) in the diet of chickens.
Bristol runners enjoy half marathon success12 September 2011A team of runners, sponsored by the Institute of Greece, Rome and the Classical Tradition at the University of Bristol, successfully completed the Bristol Half Marathon on Sunday 11 September.
Decisive role of trade unions in Ed Miliband’s leadership victory12 September 2011One year on from Ed Miliband’s victory as Labour party leader, new research at the University of Bristol published in the Palgrave Macmillan journal British Politics, explores the extent of trade union involvement in the electoral contest and how they determined the outcome of that electoral contest.
Smart Walking Tour hits the mark9 September 2011The University has launched a new smartphone application (currently iPhone only) that directs visitors around the precinct and provides information about University buildings and facilities.
Neuroscience meets real-life medicine8 September 2011Four members of Bristol Neuroscience (BN) have won Translational Neuroscience Research Fellowships (TNRFs), which will enable them to dedicate up to six months to developing translational neuroscience research – the two-way interaction between fundamental research and life beyond the laboratory bench.
Why we need plant scientists8 September 2011‘Plant scientist’ should take its rightful place beside ‘doctor’, ‘lawyer’ and ‘vet’ in the list of top professions to which our most capable young people aspire, according to a hard-hitting letter by an international group of botanists and crop scientists published today.
Where does all the gold come from?7 September 2011Ultra high precision analyses of some of the oldest rock samples on Earth by researchers at the University of Bristol provides clear evidence that the planet’s accessible reserves of precious metals are the result of a bombardment of meteorites more than 200 million years after the Earth was formed. The research is published today in Nature.
Bristol researchers' Nature paper widely reported7 September 2011Research into the tungsten isotope composition of the Earth’s mantle by Dr Matthias Willbold in the School of Earth Sciences was covered by The Times, the Daily Mail and other media around the world.
Bristol team to mark 2,500th anniversary of the first marathon7 September 2011A team of runners, sponsored by the Institute of Greece, Rome and the Classical Tradition at the University of Bristol, will be running the Bristol Half Marathon this Sunday [11 September] to celebrate the 2,500th anniversary year of the very first marathon.
New research sheds light on teenage friendship networks6 September 2011Making friends is a key part of school life, often shaping our futures and helping us develop as individuals. With youngsters across the country returning to school this week, new research has identified the factors which influence these relationships, with academic achievement, mother’s education and personality found to be essential in the friendship formation process.
New heating system set to save energy and money5 September 2011A new energy-efficient heating control system is being introduced into many of the University of Bristol’s student halls to cut down on carbon emissions and save money.
Take a sneak peek behind closed doors at Bristol University2 September 2011A rare glimpse inside some of Bristol University’s finest architectural and historic buildings is taking place next weekend as part of the city-wide Bristol Doors Open Day.
Geoffrey Ford, 1942-20111 September 2011Geoffrey Ford, former University Librarian and Director of Information Services, died in August. Cathryn Gallacher, Director of Library Services, and Mike Heery, former Director of Library Services at the University of the West of England, offer this remembrance.
Mike Bird, 1934-20111 September 2011Mike Bird (Brian Michael Bird), Emeritus Professor of Electrical Engineering, a pioneer of power electronics and a dedicated worker for the engineering profession, died suddenly on 15 July 2011. Duncan Grant offers an appreciation.
Is the poverty gap widening in Hong Kong?31 August 2011Hong Kong and UK researchers today launched an international collaboration to measure poverty and social exclusion in Hong Kong.
There’s a big buzz coming to the Botanic Garden31 August 2011There has been a dramatic decline in bee and pollinator populations in recent years. A festival this weekend [3 and 4 September] aims to highlight the maintenance of healthy ecosystems and the importance of bees and other pollinators for food production.
