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Category: Science, maths, computing and technology

Image of planets in the Solar System

Material from asteroid Ryugu starts to give up secrets of early Solar System

Monica Grady, Professor of Planetary and Space Sciences, The Open University Just over a year ago, material from the Japanese Hayabusa 2 mission to Asteroid (162173) Ryugu arrived back on Earth . And this week, the first two papers reporting analysis of the material have been published in Nature Astronomy. Excitingly, they suggest we may […]

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New theory about alien life subject of latest bitesize video for BBC Ideas

New theory about alien life subject of latest bitesize video for BBC Ideas

A brand new short film is now available to view on the award-winning BBC Ideas website called Are We Thinking About Alien Life All Wrong? With the OU’s Dr Mark Fox-Powell providing academic consultancy, Professor Brian Cox explains the ‘panspermia’ theory – how alien life could spread around the Universe. This new theory, which has […]

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Killer in the Car Park – Forensics: The Real CSI returns

Killer in the Car Park – Forensics: The Real CSI returns

The programme that gives viewers unique access to the work of forensic scientists is making a return to our screens. Forensics: The Real CSI is co-produced by The Open University and the BBC and the series continues with series 2 (episode 7) Killer in the Car Park, which airs Monday December 6 at 9pm on […]

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Misinformation about COVID-19 spreads faster on social media than fact-checking content

Misinformation about COVID-19 spreads faster on social media than fact-checking content

New research has found that the amount of misinformation related to COVID-19 is disproportionately higher than content produced by fact-checkers on Twitter. COVID misinformation also maintains attention and engagement for longer online than fact-based content. The research, led by Open University academics, aimed to examine misinformation about COVID-19 online as a means of improving the […]

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Open University academic wins prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry Education Prize

Open University academic wins prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry Education Prize

Michael Seery of the School of Life, Health and Chemical Sciences, has been named the winner of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Nyholm Prize for Education. Nominated by their peers, Professor Seery was chosen by the RSC’s prestigious panel of judges as one of the most inspirational, innovative and dedicated people in education. Having recently […]

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Professor Stephen Lewis to lead inaugural lecture on dynamic climates

Professor Stephen Lewis to lead inaugural lecture on dynamic climates

On Tuesday 9 November The Open University will host an inaugural talk by Professor Stephen Lewis, Head of School, Physical Sciences, marking the first on-campus event with an audience since the beginning of the pandemic. Over 40 people are expected to attend, though those at home can also register to watch the event live online. […]

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Project to monitor trees from space receives new funding

Project to monitor trees from space receives new funding

A satellite which will classify and monitor trees from space is among climate change and security projects that have just received new funding from the UK Space Agency. TreeView is one of 11 projects which have been awarded a share of over £7M of funding to put into action the latest advances in space innovation. […]

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OU/BBC – Countryfile Plant Britain Autumn Special

OU/BBC – Countryfile Plant Britain Autumn Special

A BBC Countryfile Plant Britain autumn special airs this weekend promising a fascinating look at how trees and hedgerows help in combatting climate change, boosting wildlife and our own wellbeing. And there’s a guest appearance from Dr Philip Wheeler, Senior Lecturer in Ecology at the OU. Countryfile has been reporting on rural, agricultural, and environmental […]

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New research highlights the economic cost of climate change inaction

New research highlights the economic cost of climate change inaction

Different countries face different risks and opportunities as the world switches from fossil fuels to renewable energy, researchers say. Green policies have traditionally been seen as costly to countries who implement them, while other nations can do nothing and “free-ride” – leading to global inaction on the climate crisis. However, the research team – led […]

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OU scientist showing how application of space technology can help the global climate crisis

OU scientist showing how application of space technology can help the global climate crisis

It’s called technology transfer, when innovations in one field are used with a different goal than the original purposes – often in a different industry. Space technology must meet high standards, needs to be reliable and failure-proof and that’s why OU space scientist Dr Geraint ‘Taff’ Morgan has been invited on an interdisciplinary panel of […]

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