Updated statement: Natasha Abrahart
Many will have seen the recent media coverage following the inquest of Natasha Abrahart, a 2nd year student in the School of Physics who took her own life in April 2018.
News in May
Researchers identify how to find best and worse colours for camouflage
Avoiding detection can provide significant survival advantages for prey, predators, or the military. For the first time, scientists from Bristol's Camo Lab have identified a new method to find the optimal colour to minimize or maximize detectability of a target. The study is published in a Royal Society Interface study.
Innovation students win prestigious design award from RSA
A team of students from the University of Bristol’s Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship has won a prestigious Student Design Award from the RSA (Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce).
Life isn’t over: how best to communicate with people living with dementia
When Sandie Read was diagnosed with dementia at 57, she felt a mixture of fear, anxiety and depression. Fifteen years later and not only is she offering support to fellow sufferers but she’s also working with researchers to improve the way people communicate and interact with those living with the condition.
Bristol refreshes International Foundation Programme
The University of Bristol has refreshed its International Foundation Programme (IFP), placing students at the centre and smoothing the way for those with the talent and ambition to progress to undergraduate study.
$800 million spin-out deal wins global award for University’s Research Commercialisation Team
The sale of a University of Bristol spin-out company working on technology to develop next-generation insulin has won a global award.
New research shows that mites and ticks are close relatives
Scientists from the University of Bristol and the Natural History Museum in London have reconstructed the evolutionary history of the chelicerates, the mega-diverse group of 110,000 arthropods that includes spiders, scorpions, mites and ticks.
Interactive quantum chemistry in virtual reality
Scientists from the University of Bristol’s Intangible Realities Laboratory (IRL) and ETH Zurich have used virtual reality and artificial intelligence algorithms to learn the details of chemical change.
Professor Alan Emond awarded highest honour bestowed by Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
Professor Alan Emond from Bristol Medical School has been awarded the highest honour bestowed by the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health – the James Spence Medal - for his outstanding contributions to the advancement of paediatric knowledge.
School choice system is ‘unfair’ to households in areas with fewer choices
The first ever study to assess secondary school choices made across all households in England has shown that the system is unfair to households in areas where they are given fewer options on the application form, with these parents having to make ‘less ambitious’ choices.
Leaving school earlier could increase the risk of heart disease
Although it has been known for a long time, that education, and socioeconomic position affect health, particularly in later life, there was limited knowledge as to why. New research has found that increased levels of BMI, blood pressure and smoking partly explain why people who left school at an earlier age could be at an increased risk of heart disease.
Scientists discover the source of new CFC emissions
Since 2013, annual emissions of a banned chlorofluorocarbon (CFC) have increased by around 7,000 tonnes from eastern China, according to new research published in Nature today [Wednesday 22 May] by an international team of scientists from the UK, South Korea, Japan, USA, Australia and Switzerland.
African rondavel unveiled to celebrate the Botanic Garden's South Africa collection
An African rondavel will be unveiled at the University of Bristol Botanic Garden tomorrow [Thursday 23 May] to celebrate the Garden's African heritage and its South Africa display in the Mediterranean climatic region. The thatched African-style hut will be officially opened by Beryl Ferguson, Board Chairperson of the South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI).
LGBT+ Staff Network wins at Bristol Diversity Awards
The University of Bristol’s LGBT+ Staff Network won the Business Award for LGBT+ at the 2019 Bristol Diversity Awards on Saturday.
The Lost Heroes of DNA
James Watson and Francis Crick discovered DNA but in fact, they clicked into place the last piece of a huge jigsaw puzzle that other researchers had assembled over decades. A free talk tonight [22 May 6 pm to 7.30 pm] by Professor Gareth Williams, Emeritus Professor of Medicine and Dentistry will tell the story of the discovery of DNA, highlighting some of its lost heroes.
Great George to chime for anniversary of University’s Royal Charter
Bristol’s largest bell will ring out across the city today [22 May] as the University of Bristol celebrates the anniversary of its charter being granted.
New study to help uncover childhood risks for self-harm or eating disorders
A new study led by the University of Bristol will help uncover risk factors and links between self-harm and eating disorders.
LeDeR annual report indicates ongoing concerns over deaths
Findings published today in the Learning Disabilities Mortality Review (LeDeR) Programme’s 2018 annual report indicate ongoing concerns about the premature deaths of people with learning disabilities.
Expert judgement provides better understanding of the effect of melting ice sheets
Melting ice sheets in Greenland and the Antarctic, and subsequent sea level rise (SLR) this will cause, is widely recognised as posing a significant threat to coastal communities and ecosystems.
Study using activity monitors to track cats' activity levels
Does your cat live indoors? Researchers from the University of Bristol Vet School want to hear from indoor cat owners for a new study looking at cats' mobility levels using cat activity monitors.
New book explores 15 centuries of Welsh literature
The biggest history of Welsh literature, exploring 15 centuries of Welsh writing, is published this week.
Bristol science companies at Unit DX raise over £20 million
The University of Bristol and science incubator Unit DX last week celebrated the second anniversary of its partnership and announced over £20 million raised by Unit DX members.
Test yourself against real surgeons in a giant game of Operation
Surgeons from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) Bristol Biomedical Research Centre (BRC) will be challenging passers-by to a giant game of Operation in Clifton Down Shopping Centre, Whiteladies Road, today [Monday 20 May] from 9am-4pm to mark International Clinical Trials Day.
Statement following the inquest of Natasha Abrahart
Natasha’s death is a tragedy that has affected everyone at the University but in particular the staff and students who knew and worked with her in the School of Physics.
Bristol's 5G technology gives aspiring musicians chance to play live with Jamie Cullum
The University of Bristol’s Smart Internet Lab is behind a landmark musical event that will see amateur musicians rehearse and perform live with platinum-selling artist, Jamie Cullum, from different venues across the UK – at the same time.
New research reveals what was on the menu for medieval peasants
Scientists from the University of Bristol have uncovered, for the first time, definitive evidence that determines what types of food medieval peasants ate and how they managed their animals.
Winchester Cathedral’s mortuary chests unlocked
A team of archaeologists and anthropologists from the University of Bristol have been gradually unlocking the secrets hidden within Winchester Cathedral’s mortuary chests as part of an on-going research project supported by the Dean and Chapter of Winchester Cathedral.
Cooling baby treatment one of ‘Nation’s Lifesavers’
A University of Bristol researcher who discovered that cooling babies who have suffered a lack of oxygen at birth improves their survival without brain damage in later childhood, is named by Universities UK as one of the ‘Nation’s Lifesavers’.
Statement re: Voynich research paper
Please see below an updated statement.
As cash declines, research shows the most deprived communities are left behind
As the UK heads towards a cashless society, experts have warned changes to infrastructure – including easy access to free ATMs - are leaving some of the most deprived communities behind.
Help capture historic European Elections for UK’s largest treasure trove of political propaganda
When the first European Parliament elections were held in June 1979, they were hailed as the world’s first international elections. Under Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, the Conservative Party stated in the opening paragraph of its manifesto that Britain’s future ‘lies unequivocally within the European Community’.
Better together – University and Max Planck Society showcase leading research collaboration
The University of Bristol and Max Planck Society will be presenting their new ground-breaking research collaboration at the BUILA/DAIA Showcase at the British Embassy in Berlin today [Tuesday 14 May].
Ground-breaking 5G-enabled tourism experience to be showcased
The University of Bristol's Smart Internet Lab led the team behind the 5G-enabled Tourism Experience Catalyst project that will be showcased at this year's Digital Transformation World in Nice, France [Tuesday 14 - Thursday 16 May].
Ground-breaking driverless car project showcases vision for a connected transport future
The multi-organisational team behind the £5.5 million FLOURISH connected and autonomous vehicle (CAV) project is today [Monday 13 May] celebrating the completion of three years of collaborative research and development with the launch of its latest findings.
What happens when your picky toddler becomes a teen?
Toddlers who are picky about their food are not deficient in essential nutrients compared to their peers when they are teenagers.
University wins award for driverless car infrastructure
A team at the University of Bristol have won an award for their work on the infrastructure required for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAVs).
Antimicrobial Resistance Partnership Hub launched in China
The University of Bristol along with Peking University and a consortium of partners has launched the ‘UK-China AMR Partnership Program on strategies to reduce the burden of antibiotic resistance in China’.
Using AI and data science to crack the productivity puzzle at work
The law firm of the future is a step closer thanks to a new partnership between Burges Salmon and the University of Bristol, which will explore how the use of AI and data science can improve productivity.
£6.6 million for major UK non-communicable disease prevention project
The University of Bristol, in partnership with the Universities of Bath, West of England, Manchester, Reading and Cardiff and Bristol City Council and Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has been awarded £6.6 million by the UK Prevention Research Partnership (UKPRP) to tackle unhealthy urban planning and development linked to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) such as heart disease, obesity, poor mental health, cancer and diabetes.
Bristol Eating Better Awards ‘brings positive change’
A new report by the University of Bristol evaluating Bristol City Council’s Bristol Eating Better Awards, concludes there is significant benefit to both consumers and food businesses in participating in an officially recognised scheme.