The Open University

Three reasons concrete doesn’t live up to its environmental claims

1 August 2022

Dr Alice Moncaster, is a Senior Lecturer in general engineering at The Open University and here she gives her take on why concrete isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be in terms of the environment. Up to 8% of all global anthropogenic human-made emissions are due to just one material, cement. And our use […]

OU PhD student helps to unearth Jurassic marine world in farmer’s field

29 July 2022

The discovery of an incredible prehistoric site containing the remains of animals that lived in a tropical sea has been made by chance in a farmer’s field in Gloucestershire. Contained within hardened limestone concretions in clay, the three-dimensionally preserved remains of ancient marine reptiles, fish, squids, rare insects roughly 183-million-year-old have been revealed for the […]

OU receives grant to develop pioneering analytical centre

19 July 2022

The OU is to receive £750k to develop the Wolfson Analytical Centre, a world-class research facility with an initial focus on planetary, environmental and space sciences. The first project ‘The Environmental Boundaries of Life’, will bring together academic expertise to ask one of our most fundamental questions: are life and habitable environments unique to Earth? […]

Nasa considers sending swimming robots to habitable ‘ocean worlds’ of the Solar System

5 July 2022

David Rothery, The Open University Nasa has recently announced US$600,000 (£495,000) in funding for a study into the feasibility of sending swarms of miniature swimming robots (known as independent micro-swimmers) to explore oceans beneath the icy shells of our Solar System’s many “ocean worlds”. But don’t imagine metal humanoids swimming frog-like underwater. They will probably […]

New study reveals Atlantic Ocean abyss was once as warm as the Mediterranean, highlighting the astonishing impact of climate change

1 July 2022

A new study of ancient ocean temperatures, published today in Science, shows that the abyssal Atlantic Ocean was once a truly balmy 20 °C – warmer even than the surface of the modern Mediterranean Sea. Scientists, including Dr Philip Sexton of the OU, say the new data, spanning the last 60 million years, show the […]

OU academic joins international team of experts to advise on samples to be returned from Mars

27 June 2022

A select group of researchers from across the world – including a STEM academic at the OU –will investigate the scientific potential of Mars rock and sediment samples gathered by space explorations. The Mars Sample Return Campaign Science Group has been established by NASA and ESA (European Space Agency) to bring together 16 researchers who […]

The trailblazing women in engineering

23 June 2022

It’s no secret that the engineering sector has traditionally seen more men than women climbing the ladder. Despite this, science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM) industries have come a long way in encouraging and supporting women into historically ‘male’ education and career paths. To celebrate this and mark this year’s International Women in Engineering Day […]

Greenwashing: how ads get you to think brands are greener than they are – and how to avoid falling for it

21 June 2022

Brands have several tricks up their sleeves to convince ad viewers their products are sustainable. Here three academics from The Open University: Morteza Abolhasani, lecturer in marketing, Gordon Liu, Professor of Marketing Strategy and Zahra Golrokhi, Lecturer in Engineering, give their views. Ads are ubiquitous in many people’s lives, whether on billboards across our cities or […]

OU academic among next generation of research leaders awarded funds to address global issues

16 June 2022

The OU’s Dr Tracie Farrell has been announced among 84 promising future leaders as part of a sweep of research and innovation awarded fellowships given funding totalling £98 million. These 84 most promising science and research leaders will benefit from £97.8m to tackle major global issues and to commercialise their innovations in the UK, Science […]

Gaia mission: five insights astronomers could glean from its latest data

15 June 2022

Adam McMaster, PhD Candidate, Astronomy and Andrew Norton, Professor of Astrophysics Education, both from The Open University have written a piece for The Conversation about the new data from the Gaia mission. The European Space Agency’s (Esa) Gaia mission has just released new data. The Gaia satellite was launched in 2013, with the aim of […]

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Category: Science, maths, computing and technology