OU News

News from The Open University

  1. Home
  2. Category: Science, maths, computing and technology

Category: Science, maths, computing and technology

OU space expert among world’s first to receive moon samples from China’s Lunar Exploration Program for research

OU space expert among world’s first to receive moon samples from China’s Lunar Exploration Program for research

An academic from The Open University (OU), Professor Mahesh Anand, has been selected as the first scientist from the UK to receive Moon samples from China’s Lunar Exploration Program for conducting research. The sample comes from the Chinese lunar mission, Chang’e 5, which returned Moon samples to Earth in December 2020. Professor Anand applied to […]

Read more about OU space expert among world’s first to receive moon samples from China’s Lunar Exploration Program for research

Close-up of a Lab Worker Doing Research and Holding a Piece of Meat

Lab-grown meat: you may find it icky, but it could drive forward medical research

Lab-grown meat causes heated debates. Proponents see benefits for the climate and animal welfare. Opponents worry about a Frankenstein food they regard as risky and unnatural. Whatever your opinion, the technology underpinning cultivated meat is moving fast to create large pieces of muscle tissue, says James Hague, Senior Lecturer in Theoretical Condensed Matter Physics and […]

Read more about Lab-grown meat: you may find it icky, but it could drive forward medical research

PhD grant boosts Open University cancer research

PhD grant boosts Open University cancer research

The Open University’s partnership with Medical Detection Dogs (MDD) is taking an exciting step forward thanks to a new PhD studentship starting later this year. A grant from the Pet Plan Charitable Trust will enable a doctoral student to join the team and conduct in-depth research into how dogs identify colorectal cancer, using cutting-edge machine […]

Read more about PhD grant boosts Open University cancer research

The Secret Genius of Modern Life returns for a new season

The Secret Genius of Modern Life returns for a new season

Today (2 April) at 8pm, the OU / BBC series, The Secret Genius of Modern Life, returns with a third series. The fascinating programme unpacks the amazing science and mind-boggling innovation behind everyday objects. Professor Hannah Fry is our hammer-wielding, tech-savvy tour guide to the extraordinary stories behind everything from air fryers to roller coasters. […]

Read more about The Secret Genius of Modern Life returns for a new season

A young man wearing a black jumper sat next to an older woman with long-grey hair and a long-sleeved pink jumper. A dog is sat between them.

‘I never considered university was an option until my son encouraged me to take the leap’, says mum of OU graduate

When George, 28, from Kent, earned his BSc in Computing and IT from The Open University (OU) last year, he never imagined his success would inspire his mum to follow in his footsteps. Thanks to his degree, George has already secured multiple promotions and even an award nomination. Now, his mum, Maria, 52, has embarked […]

Read more about ‘I never considered university was an option until my son encouraged me to take the leap’, says mum of OU graduate

OU researchers use specialised method to map ices across a molecular cloud with JWST

OU researchers use specialised method to map ices across a molecular cloud with JWST

Research led by academics at the The Open University (OU) has used a specialised observing mode of the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) to map interstellar ices containing water (H2O), carbon dioxide (CO2) and carbon monoxide (CO) simultaneously across a molecular cloud with an unprecedented level of resolution. The study, published today in Nature Astronomy, […]

Read more about OU researchers use specialised method to map ices across a molecular cloud with JWST

Euclid mission reveals spectacular new space discoveries

Euclid mission reveals spectacular new space discoveries

New data from a satellite one million miles from Earth has helped UK scientists, including those from The Open University (OU), shed light on how mysterious forces shaped the evolution of the Universe. The release of the first survey data from the European Space Agency’s pioneering Euclid satellite – made public today – has led […]

Read more about Euclid mission reveals spectacular new space discoveries

Join the OU for its first Open Research Week

Join the OU for its first Open Research Week

The OU is set to host its first Open Research Week from 24th to 28th March. The week is an opportunity for anyone, anywhere, to learn about our ‘real world’ applications of our openly available data, outputs and citizen science platforms and to help others in the research community to do research better. Communicated through webinars, videos […]

Read more about Join the OU for its first Open Research Week

Radio series Rare Earth returns for a new season

Radio series Rare Earth returns for a new season

Tune in weekly from today (Friday 28th February) to listen to the OU/BBC radio series, Rare Earth, return for its fourth season hosted by environmental journalist Tom Heap and physicist Helen Czerski. Listeners can tune in live on Fridays at 12pm or listen later through BBC Sounds. The new series takes us from the deepest […]

Read more about Radio series Rare Earth returns for a new season

OU appoints new Executive Dean for Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

OU appoints new Executive Dean for Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

The Open University (OU) is delighted to welcome Professor Michael Fernando who will be taking over as the university’s Executive Dean for Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) in April 2025. Professor Fernando joins the OU from his most recent role as Dean of the School of Engineering and Computing at the University […]

Read more about OU appoints new Executive Dean for Faculty of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics

Page 1 of 56