science wire

Head of World Bank to deliver prestigious Roskill Lecture at Churchill College

Levers to cut the rate of home repossessions in the UK
Oxford University academics have produced an economic forecasting model which suggests that the rate of home repossessions in the UK in 2011 would have been at least 23 per cent higher had the government not intervened with a range of policies to protect mortgage payers in difficulties.

Conservation clusters: making the case
A new study reveals how the gathering together of conservation organisations in one location - a 'conservation cluster' - can work best to reap global rewards.

Recession increases work-related stress by 40 per cent, study finds
One in four workers experience work-related stress in times of recession — and work-related stress increases by 40 per cent overall, according to new research. A study, published in the journal Occupational Medicine , also found that the number of staff taking time off due to job stress increased by 25 per cent during an economic downturn.

£3.5million funding grant awarded to Creative Community projects
The University of Birmingham has been awarded more than £1,200,000 by the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) for a creative urban economy project as part of a larger £3.5m investment in three national projects set to support communities and their creative economy.

The fate of a thin liquid filament
Scientists have solved one of the printing industries greatest challenges - whether a liquid thread will break up into drops.

Graphene enjoys a Royal visit

Building the future with BRICs
A major conference examining how the emergence of Brazil, Russia, India and China as leading world powers should be accommodated by the international community will take place at Cambridge University later this month.

New Director of the Smith School appointed

British scientist warns AAAS of the threat posed by ocean acidification
One of the country’s leading voices on ocean acidification has addressed a prestigious conference in Canada with a warning that marine biodiversity is at risk due to the corrosive effects of carbon dioxide.

SPRU named top UK science and technology think tank
SPRU named top UK science and technology think tank Sussex is home to the UK's number one science and technology think tank, according to a major new report.

Life in conflict

£9.3 million project to improve oil refining in Russia gets the green light
For Immediate Release Wednesday 15 February 2012 Multi-million pound project to improve sustainability and efficiency of Russian oil industry is given green light A £9.3 million international consortium to make oil refining in Russia more efficient and environmentally sustainable has been given the green light this week.

Start-up finds online meaning
Software developed at Oxford University that accurately assesses what people mean from what they say online will provide a valuable ‘sentiment analysis' tool for businesses, particularly finance companies.

Finalists to learn debt-busting strategies

From buskins to brothel-creepers: our love affair with shoes
Tomorrow Cambridge historian Ulinka Rublack will give a public talk that will set footwear at the centre of her argument that in neglecting to explore the history of things we miss a golden opportunity to further our understanding of the past.

Principal appointed to Commission of Future of HE

Glasgow-led project delivers 266 new homes in Pakistan’s flood-hit Swat Valley
A University of Glasgow-led project which channelled Scottish Government and other donor funding into Pakistan's flood-hit Swat Valley district has resulted in the construction of 266 new homes.

Fund raising boost for The University of Manchester
The UK's leading technology investment manager MTI has confirmed it is actively fundraising for the world's largest unquoted investment fund dedicated to university spin-outs.

Russia looks to its future
A key advisor to the Russian President has analysed the country's prospects in a University lecture.

Infrastructure revolution
Technology has advanced to the point where the condition of bridges, tunnels and buildings can be monitored in unprecedented detail.

Pupils given a taste of US Congress
Oxfordshire schoolchildren gained an insight into the workings of the United States Congress from two former Congressmen at the Rothermere American Institute on Monday 6 February 2012.

New Sponsor for the Boat Race announced
The Boat Race Company Ltd. (BRCL) announced today that BNY Mellon will be the new Title Partner of The Boat Race.

UK Cabinet Office and Oxford team up to promote government project leadership

Me, myself and I

Prime Minister calls on Prof Dame Nancy Rothwell to advise on science

Innovation and reform key to ending financial crisis, says Sussex economist
Innovation and reform key to ending financial crisis, says Sussex economist Government needs to implement radical, strategic financial reform that favours innovation and the technology economy – or face economic instability with major social consequences.

Should your business ’go mutual’ to survive the downturn?
Wisdom has it that employee-owned firms are small, undercapitalised and less efficient than conventional firms.

Socio-economic impacts of the Artificial Surfing Reef at Boscombe
The question of whether the artificial surf reef at Boscombe in Dorset has generated value for money for the town is set to be examined by researchers at Plymouth University.

Spin-out secures record sales
A Cardiff University spin-out company which develops radio frequency equipment and device measurement to the semiconductor industry has secured $1.25M in sales of its technology.

Canopy commerce: forest conservation and poverty alleviation
Innovative approaches for protecting the future of Sierra Leone's Gola Forest - globally important for its biodiversity and its carbon reserves - are being developed by a collaboration of conservation agencies and University of Cambridge researchers.

First international client confirmed for new marine facility at Plymouth University
A British-Italian wave energy company has become the first international client to inwardly invest in Plymouth’s burgeoning marine renewables sector. 40South Energy Ltd has signed a contract with Plymouth University to establish a base of operation in its new marine facility on campus. The deal is the first for the £19m new Marine Building, which will offer business collaboration space for marine-focussed enterprise when it opens later this year.

New investment aims to establish the UK as a global graphene research hub
Today sees the announcement of full details of how an additional £50 million will be spent to keep the UK at the forefront of research into ‘wonder material' graphene.

NHS Scotland a role model for reform, says study
PA 33/12 The NHS in England may be in turmoil, but a major new academic study claims its Scottish equivalent should serve as a role model for the public sector.

Oxford University access activity sees results
A flagship Oxford programme to attract students from educationally under-represented backgrounds is having a major impact on University entry, according to new figures .

Biodiversity conservation for life
This month, the University of Cambridge will be profiling research that addresses biodiversity conservation.

Minister launches new forum set to forge innovation between universities and industry

The Rede Lecture 2012

Forging new research talent
The search is on for the next generation of talented researchers building their careers in Wales. Welsh Crucible, the development scheme for the nation's research leaders of the future, is recruiting for this summer's capacity-building programme.

The Tremough Innovation Centre opens for business
A shipyard designer, a social enterprise tackling deforestation in South America, and a high-tech web architecture firm are among the first clients to move into Cornwall’s new state-of-the-art business innovation facility.

Bioscience investment for Manchester

King’s India Institute launch
King's College London held the official inauguration ceremony yesterday for its new India Institute, which is aiming to become the leading international centre for the study of contemporary India.

Brandwashed – A sign of the times?

Korean Culture after the Kim Dae-Jung Administration

New website matches ideas with investors
New website matches ideas with investors A new collaboration between Sussex and four of the south-east's other leading research institutions was launched on Monday (23 January).

Making a ‘contract’ with society: GlaxoSmithKline’s research and development head discusses the company’s ethos
By Tanya Gubbay Wednesday 25 January 2012 The Chairman of Research and Development at one of the world's largest pharmaceutical companies last night shared his insights into the philosophy behind its work, in a distinguished guest lecture at Imperial College Business School.

UCL and partners win £5.4 million for PhD studentships

Imperial and partners receive £4.5million from the BBSRC to equip the life scientists of the future
The Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) has awarded approximately £4.5 million to Imperial College London, Royal Holloway, University of London and the Research Complex at Harwell to establish a joint Doctoral Training Partnership.

Microbubbles provide new boost for biofuel production
Microbubbles provide new boost for biofuel production A solution to the difficult issue of harvesting algae for use as a biofuel has been developed using microbubble technology pioneered at the University of Sheffield. The technique builds on previous research in which microbubbles were used to improve the way algae is cultivated.

Transatlantic partnership creates new robotics postgraduate programme
A new Masters programme for robotics has been unveiled, bringing together two respected institutions in the discipline on either side of the Atlantic.

Hopes and fears for 2012 -- business and advisers share their views
Businesses and advisers have shared their hopes and dreams for the coming year, in the first survey for 2012 of the University of Nottingham's Barometer Project.

Climate balancing: sea-level rise versus surface temperature change rates
Engineering our way out of global climate warming may not be as easy as simply reducing the incoming solar energy, according to a team of University of Bristol and Penn State climate scientists.

Promoting legal capability in the UK
A new framework, produced by the Personal Finance Research Centre (PFRC) at the University of Bristol and Law for Life, aims to improve public legal education so that more people are aware of their legal rights when faced with law-related issues in everyday life, such as consumer complaints, discrimination at work or debt problems.

Manchester is number one for graduate recruitment

Report backs government-funded older people’s advice service
Analysis of the FirstStop initiative reveals that the service saves money and improves quality of life. With better information and advice about how to deal with the housing, care and financial challenges of ageing, people are able to remain independent in their own homes or move to housing that really suits them." —Gemma Burgess A government-funded information and advice service helping older people to prepare for later life is proving a much-needed resource as Britain becomes an increasingly top-heavy society, a new report says.

Tackling the temptation of illegal cheap tobacco
A pioneering programme to tackle the use of illicit tobacco in the North of England has had a positive impact and offers a blueprint for similar programmes both nationally and internationally, research by the UK Centre for Tobacco Control Studies has shown. ‘ Tackling Illicit Tobacco for Better Health' is a pilot scheme which was launched in 2009 to improve the health of people in the North West, North East and Yorkshire and Humber by trying to reduce the supply of and demand for illegal cigarettes and tobacco.

How successful Chinese entrepreneurs really think
Can you really learn to be an entrepreneur? A new in-depth study offers fresh insights into how successful business players teach themselves to become better and better at making money.

Seeking benefits, avoiding conflicts
A new report on Uganda's emerging oil and gas industry says companies can improve their corporate social responsibility (CSR) to give fairer employment, compensation and land deals to communities. The report Seeking Benefits and Avoiding Conflicts: A Community-Company Assessment of Uganda's Hydrocarbon Industry is the culmination of a year of consultation, validation discussions, roundtables and workshops, conducted by the Ugandan members of the study team and coordinated by the Civil Society Coalition on Oil and Gas (CSCO).

Science career ’not for me’ say many 10 year olds
Children as young as ten already see a career in science as ‘not for me'. Despite the majority of children enjoying the subject at school and viewing scientists positively, fewer than 17 per cent are interested in pursuing a career in science, according to research from King's College London, published today.

UCL Vice-Provost (Research) responds to minister’s Our Hi-Tech Future speech
Professor David Price, UCL Vice-Provost (Research), comments on the recent speech, Our Hi-Tech Future , by the Minister of State for Universities &.

Purchase deal over Hepatitis drug
American pharmaceutical giant Bristol-Myers Squibb has agreed the purchase of US biotech company Inhibitex, in a $2.5Bn (£1.6bn) deal which includes the promising new anti-hepatitis C drug INX-189, first designed and prepared in Cardiff University.

Durham Business School to sign lease agreement for temporary move to Ushaw College
Durham Business School to sign lease agreement for temporary move to Ushaw College Durham University and the Trustees of Ushaw College have announced that Durham Business School (DBS) is to temp

What happens to the young and educated without a job?
A new study led by the University of Oxford is looking at how young educated people who are unemployed become politicised in different ways - either through violent struggle or as reformers working for a more equal society.

Economic returns and job creation from major investments in low carbon cities
A new study from the Centre for Low Carbon Futures shows that UK cities could cut their energy bills by billions by exploiting commercially attractive opportunities in energy and carbon management.

Mitey Kate joins LASI’s outreach effort
Mitey Kate joins LASI's outreach effort Sussex's Laboratory of Apiculture and Social Insects received an unusual Christmas present to support its outreach programme.

‘Extreme Sleepover #3’ – gathering the views of indigenous women in rural Ecuador
In the third of a series of reports contributed by Cambridge researchers, geographer Sarah Radcliffe describes her work with women from impoverished indigenous communities in Ecuador.

Businesses offer cautious backing over PM’s handling of Eurozone crisis
PA 396/11 Small businesses and their advisors appear to have backed the Government's stance over the Eurozone crisis, a survey has shown.

Cambridge Enterprise announces 2011 results
Income generated from the University of Cambridge's commercialisation activities continued to rise in 2011, as did the number of intellectual property, consultancy and equity agreements signed on behalf of the University and its researchers.

New Oxford scholarships at Blavatnik School of Government

The role of social media in protests
A study has explored the dynamics behind social network sites in recruiting and spreading calls for action that contribute to riots, revolutions and protests. Led by Oxford University and published in the journal Scientific Reports , the study finds that the most influential group consists of a small group of users close to the centre of a network.

Industrial "inertia to change" is delaying development of zero carbon homes, report finds
Tackling rising CO2 emissions from the residential sector could make a vital contribution towards mitigating climate change, according to a new report from the UCL Bartlett School of Planning.

Europe in crisis - Sussex experts speak out
Europe in crisis - Sussex experts speak out The collapse of the Euro, a UK exit from Europe, the end of the coalition and even the political disintegration of the UK – these are still po

Britain’s Public Finances: Past, Present and Future
Why do governments tax, spend, lend and borrow? At a time when fiscal management is under intense scrutiny around the world, Robert Chote , Chairman of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), wi

Age a barrier for breaking into the Bar
People aged 30 or over who choose to re-train as barristers are at a significant disadvantage to younger applicants, according to new research from King's College London.

Tool which targets carbon emission hotspots in supply chains developed
Tool which targets carbon emission hotspots in supply chains developed A management expert at the University of Sheffield has developed a tool to analyse supply chains in industry, enabling businesses to highlight waste hotspots and make their processes more environmentally friendly.

Christmas - it’s not about the money, money, money
Christmas doesn't have to cost a fortune and a simple handmade or pre-used gift can mean as much, if not more, than the present that broke the bank.

Quotas for women in local politics brings surge in documented crimes against women in India
An increase in female representation in local politics has caused a significant rise in documented crimes against women in India, new research has found. That is good news, say the authors of the study carried out at the Centre for Competitive Advantage in the Global Economy (CAGE) at the University of Warwick in the UK, Harvard Business School and the IMF, who argue that the increase is down to greater reporting of crimes against women, rather than greater incidence of crimes against them.

Research Strategy published
The 2011 UCL Research Strategy calls for a transformation of the understanding of the role of our comprehensive research-intensive university in the 21st century.

Can Wales resist market healthcare?

University hosts the launch of the Labour’s Small Business Taskforce’s interim report
Chuka Umunna MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills, today launched, “Fulfilling the Promise of British Enterprise” - the interim report from the Labour Party's

The Northern Way – how the North can become the world’s nuclear base
13 Dec 2011 The North of England has the opportunity to become one of the world's leading nuclear manufacturing hubs, creating many thousands of new jobs and generating substantial economic growth for the UK, according to a University of Manchester report.

Swarms of bees could unlock secrets to human brains
Swarms of bees could unlock secrets to human brains Scientists at the University of Sheffield believe decision making mechanisms in the human brain could mirror how swarms of bees choose new nest sites. Striking similarities have been found in decision making systems between humans and insects in the past but now researchers believe that bees could teach us about how our brains work.

£1 million drug treatment study launched
08 Dec 2011 University of Manchester researchers have been awarded £1 million to investigate the effectiveness of the Department of Health's ‘Payment by Results' (PbR) schemes in the treatment of addiction.

How sustainable is nuclear power for the UK?
08 Dec 2011 Nuclear power could contribute significantly to reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the UK but this would lead to considerable impacts on natural resources and the environment, a report from The University of Manchester claims. The research into the sustainability of nuclear and other electricity options in the UK shows that nuclear power could make a significant contribution to reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 2035.

IT pioneer makes donation to fight autism
A leading UK businesswoman has made a major donation towards autism research.

Cities fail to recognise full potential of smart technologies
PA 380/11 Cities are wasting the potential of smart technologies by failing to realise the value of their hidden infrastructure and digital assets.

Making finance serve society, the economy and the environment
Ways to make the financial system better serve Europe's economic, social and environmental needs are to be explored by a ¤10m international research project.

Warwick economist to lead £15 million research initiative into private enterprise in developing countries
Warwick economist to lead £15 million research initiative into private enterprise in developing countries University of Warwick economics professor Christopher Woodruff will oversee a new initiative that plans to invest £15 million into research on private enterprise development in low-income countries, it was announced today.

Kaiser, Reich and the making of modern Germany
Europe is in crisis and its future is said to depend on Germany. The most comprehensive study of Germany's early modern history ever undertaken, published this week, questions just how much we know about its past - and how much we understand it as a result.

Digital church records offer window into past
Digital church records offer window into past The University of Sheffield's Humanities Research Institute (HRI) has completed a project with the University of York to digitise records of

St John’s College announces the prestigious Dr. Manmohan Singh Scholarships 2012

200 lorry loads of concrete in one day: a construction challenge
A major construction logistics operation was staged on the West Cambridge site recently to create a substantial concrete base for some of the world's most powerful microscopes.

Six steps to a better material world
Every year we make 10 times our own bodyweight of steel, aluminium, cement, plastics and paper, for every person alive, using a fifth of all the world's energy supply to do so. Now researchers are releasing a manifesto to change that and help cut carbon emissions. And they've also released an album of songs to go with it.

COP 17 and a low carbon future for cities
Investing 2% of a modern city's GDP in low carbon and energy efficient opportunities for ten years would reduce that city's carbon emission levels by 40% at no net cost.

Birmingham experts respnd to the autumn economic statement
Birmingham's academic experts provide their views on George Osborne's autumn economic statement. "Most welfare benefits have been increased fully in line with inflation, somewhat contrary to expectations.

Health and Safety rules will be overhauled
Ragnar Löfstedt, Professor of Risk Management at King's College London, has recommended a suite of health and safety regulations be axed to reduce the red tape of legislation and ease the burden on business, in a review for Government published today.

Industry leaders and academics debate how to reduce the UK’s carbon output
By Simon Levey Friday 25 November 2011 Official recommendations expect the UK to almost triple its annual cut in carbon footprint in order to meet its 2050 target of reducing emissions by 80% as compared to 1990.

Ingenious Britain: Dyson invests £1.4m in academic research at Cambridge
In a £1.4m deal, announced today, Dyson is funding a Cambridge University professorship to support breakthrough engineering and scientific research over the next decade.

Doing good - or just talking about it?
UK companies making bold claims about social and environmental achievements are using incorrect and irrelevant data, say researchers at the University of Leeds and Euromed Management School (France).

Graphene: the future in a pencil trace
The European programme for research into graphene, for which the University is leading the technology roadmap, today unveiled an exhibition and new videos communicating the potential for the material that could revolutionise the electronics industries.

UK recovery will require strong public sector leadership confident of its special role and more closely connected with those it serves
Leadership in the public sector is facing an unprecedented crisis of confidence at a time when public services are facing huge challenges.

India Institute Avantha Chair
King's India Institute receives £3.5million from Avantha Group King's has received a £3.5 million gift from the Indian Avantha Group to endow a Chair that accompanies the Directorship of the India Institute.

'Want an ethical career Become a banker'
Ethically-minded people should consider a career in banking rather than joining the third sector, an Oxford University ethicist has suggested.

Who owns the City?
Foreign investors now own the majority of City of London offices, according to a new study from the Department of Land Economy.

Rule-breaking, risk-taking and road safety
Cardiff researchers have discovered that culture and the attitudes of road users towards risk are fundamental in explaining road traffic safety in the UK and around the world. The research compared rates of death and injury caused by road incidents with the willingness to follow the rules across different countries.

King’s Russia Institute
King's College London is set to open a Russia Institute in 2013, which will aim to become the leading international centre for the study of contemporary Russia.

Plymouth University to manage Health and Wellbeing Innovation Centre
Plymouth University has been confirmed as the operator of the new multi-million pound international innovation facility focussed upon the health and wellbeing sector in Cornwall.

Pioneering Cambridge Campaign reaches record US$2 billion

Starlings give clue to irrational preferences
Research into decision-making by European starlings ( Sturnus vulgaris ) may help to explain why many animals, including humans, sometimes exhibit irrational preferences. A study by Oxford University scientists in which starlings pecked on different coloured keys to gain a food reward shows that the birds pay too much attention to context: this makes them vulnerable to the sort of tricks that marketing specialists use to try to make human shoppers choose one product over another.

Family firms more likely to survive in recession-hit UK
Family businesses have been more resilient in meeting the economic challenges created by the current recession, a study has shown.

University of Nottingham extends science collaborations in China
The University of Nottingham has signed a collaboration agreement with the China Guanghua Science and Technology Foundation, based in Beijing.

New book by Sussex academic examines sex, gender and Cameron’s Conservatives
New book by Sussex academic examines sex, gender and Cameron's Conservatives The Conservatives may have produced Britain's only female Prime Minister, but the Tory establishment has still to res

Graduate wins international award

New national social enterprise network to be launched at Plymouth University
A new government and industry-backed national network, which will support social enterprise and help higher education institutions grow sustainable businesses, is set to be launched at Plymouth University this week.

Silicon mashup as Valley hits Fen

Oxford's '1+1' programme announced

The State of the Unions
Don't write off the unions yet - a new study reveals how trade unions are adapting to 21st century pressures in an effort to reclaim the hearts and minds of the British workforce.

Lessons from a German bank could cut energy bills for UK homeowners
UK home owners could see reduced energy bills if the government's energy policy takes lessons from a publicly owned German bank that has pioneered energy-efficient construction over the past 30 years, a new report has found.

The authoritative lectures on authority

Durham part of consortium awarded £5.3M to establish new research and innovation capability
Durham part of consortium awarded £5.3M to establish new research and innovation capability Durham University is part of a consortium awarded a £5.3m grant from the UK Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills' new Regional Growth Fund (RGF) scheme.

Spin-out is energy-saver for business
The latest spin-out from Oxford University, Pilio Limited, provides a cost-effective online tool enabling small and medium businesses to monitor and manage their energy usage, potentially saving up to 40 per cent of their energy budget.

Thousands of Sheffield residents trapped in poverty
Thousands of Sheffield residents trapped in poverty An economics expert at the University of Sheffield says about 40,000 Sheffield residents are trapped in poverty and being forced to borrow money from loan sharks.

The Cornwall Enterprise Programme
Cornwall’s business leaders are gearing up for a series of inspirational conferences being staged right across the county over the coming weeks.

New professors signal fresh ambitions for science policy research at Sussex
New professors signal fresh ambitions for science policy research at Sussex The University of Sussex continues to tackle the most challenging issues for governments and policy makers with the appointment of three big names in the field of science and technology policy.

Shortlisted for inequality work
Cardiff Social Scientist Professor Teresa Rees CBE AcSS is on the first-ever shortlist for Research Fortnight's Achiever of the Year Award.

African political leaders visit University of Birmingham
The University of Birmingham will host two African political leaders during a parliamentary visit to the UK on Tuesday 8 November 2011.

Nearly half of hedge funds' voluntary disclosures are ’unreliable’
New research by Oxford University and Duke University suggests that voluntary disclosures by hedge funds about their monthly investment performance are unreliable. The researchers tracked changes to statements of historical performance of over 18,000 hedge funds recorded in publicly available hedge fund databases, at different points in time between 2007 and 2011.

Spin-out improves scientific imaging
A new spin-out firm from Oxford University is developing high performance scientific imaging detectors capable of studying structures and processes at the atomic level.

Developing a sustainable laboratory
An interdisciplinary team of researchers from across Wales is aiming to tackle waste and shape the laboratory of the future by redesigning the lifecycle of laboratory gloves.

Half of British workforce ill-treated in past two years
One million Britons experienced workplace violence in the last two years, while millions more were subjected to intimidation, humiliation and rudeness, new research has shown. Surprisingly, managers and professionals in well-paid full-time jobs are among the groups most at risk. The study by Plymouth and Cardiff Universities also shows that conventional employment policies are failing to deal with workplace ill-treatment.

Bonuses and risk not linked, says research
New research into the causes of the credit crisis has cast doubt on the alleged link between bonus payments and risk exposures in the UK financial sector.

US alumni events

Ambitious new building project at Manchester Business School

Inventors invited to bring their creations to Nottingham Contemporary
Inspired by the weird and wonderful inventions in the current exhibition by Klaus Weber, budding inventors are being invited to bring their brainchildren to an Inventors Clinic at Nottingham Contemporary on Saturday 29th October, between 1pm–4pm.

Dementia costs Europe £165 billion a year
Oxford University researchers have estimated that the cost of dementia across 15 western European countries totalled £165 billion in 2007. Most of the cost was due to the care provided by families and friends, which accounted for over two-thirds of the total, or £112 billion. Over a quarter of the costs were down to social care, predominantly in residential and nursing homes, while costs to countries' healthcare systems made up just 5% of the total burden.

European research leaders visit Nuclear AMRC
27 October 2011 European research leaders visit Nuclear AMRC Leading nuclear researchers from across Europe visited the Nuclear AMRC as part of a tour of key UK research facilities.

Space mission scientists share their cosmic vision
by Simon Levey 25 October 2011 Imperial scientists are planning to take physics to new limits with two missions given the rubber stamp by the European Space Agency (ESA) this month, known as Solar Orbiter and Euclid.

Engineers could go missing and commits to help find them
The University of Warwick is to embark on a programme to help prevent half the UK's prospective engineers from going missing and is to mount a campaign, funded by the National HE Stem programme, to encourage students, particularly bright young girls, to become engineers and scientists.

Abandon ship or keep the faith Cameron’s EU test
Abandon ship or keep the faith? Cameron's EU test Prime Minister David Cameron is enduring a rocky ride at home and abroad over matters European this week.

Durham University’s research and development strengths win award from world leading company