The Open University

Project to monitor trees from space receives new funding

9 November 2021

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. […]

OU/BBC – Countryfile Plant Britain Autumn Special

5 November 2021

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 […]

New research highlights the economic cost of climate change inaction

4 November 2021

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 […]

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

2 November 2021

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 […]

Professor Andy Lane awarded global education prize

1 November 2021

Professor Andy Lane has been awarded the International Council for Open and Distance Education (ICDE) 2021 Prize for Lifelong Contribution to the field of Open, Flexible and Distance Learning. The prize is awarded to deserving institutions and individuals for the highest possible excellence in the field. The ICDE is the leading, global membership organisation that […]

Epic moments that crafted our Universe unfold in new BBC / OU programme

27 October 2021

Join Professor Brian Cox in a journey across time and space in a new series co-produced by the BBC and The Open University. The first episode of Universe, a five-part documentary, airs on 27 October at 9.00pm on BBC2 and will begin by telling the story of the Sun, also known as ‘God Star’. Airing […]

A new vision for farming would help the world tackle climate change and restore biodiversity

22 October 2021

A coalition of agroecological and regenerative farming organisations are calling on leaders to be bold on sustainable agriculture in tackling the climate and nature emergency at COP26 in Glasgow. The coalition is pleased to see the Government publish its Net Zero Strategy this week. There are certainly many elements that are welcome, particularly around agroforestry […]

New research finds climate change caused woolly mammoths to go extinct

22 October 2021

For five million years, woolly mammoths roamed the earth until they vanished for good nearly 4,000 years ago – now scientists say they have found out why. The hairy cousins of today’s elephants lived alongside early humans and they were a regular staple of their diet. Skeletons of woolly mammoths were used to build shelters, […]

Extensive approach to climate change education will prepare learners for the future

18 October 2021

Climate change study needs to be embedded in higher education at all levels to prepare learners for their roles in work and wider society, says a new paper co-authored by an OU Associate Lecturer. The bold, rapid action needed to tackle the climate and ecological crisis offers an unparalleled opportunity for higher education institutions, argues […]

Floodplain Meadows Partnership art competition winners announced

15 October 2021

Alice Walker from Oxfordshire and Claire Cornish from Cumbria have been crowned the winners of the Floodplain Meadow arts and crafts competition. The winning pieces of art demonstrated the diverse role of floodplain meadows for biodiversity, flood water management, agriculture, and the importance of their preservation. Funded by the Morgan Family Bursary Fund and the […]

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Category: Science, maths, computing and technology