The Open University

Professor Joyce Tait appointed to the Council for Science and Technology

11 September 2017

Professor Joyce Tait has been appointed to the Council for Science and Technology, which advises the Prime Minister on science and technology policy issues that cut across the responsibilities of individual government departments. Joyce, one of five new appointments to the Council, is the Director of the Innogen Institute based at The Open University (in […]

The Docklands Light Railway: 30 years of revolutionary transport

31 August 2017

On the 30th anniversary of the Docklands Light Railway, Emeritus Professor of Transport Strategy, Stephen Potter, considers the history and impact of one of the busiest transport systems in the UK. In 2016 – 17, 122.3 million journeys were made on the DLR. To put this into context, the next busiest light rail system, […]

Volcanic emissions caused the warmest period in past 56m years – new study

31 August 2017

To predict what type of Earth lies ahead of us, we scientists usually turn to complex computer simulations. But how can we test whether these models are remotely accurate? Perhaps the best solution is to turn to instances in the geological past when Earth’s climate experienced similarly rapid warming. One such event is the Palaeocene-Eocene […]

OU to host Astrobiology Society of Britain Conference 2017

28 August 2017

The Astrobiology Society of Britain (ASB) Conference series continues its objective of education and outreach for UK astrobiology research with its seventh annual conference. Hosted at the OU in Milton Keynes, ASB7 will focus on habitability beyond the Earth. The Conference will begin at 10:30 on Wednesday 13 September 2017, with talks on biosignatures, ground-based […]

There could be snow on Mars – here’s how that’s possible

22 August 2017

Given that there are ambitious plans to colonise Mars in the near future, it is surprising how much we still have to learn about what it would be like to actually live on the planet. Take the weather, for instance. We know there are wild fluctuations in Mars’s climate – and that it is very […]

The sun’s core rotates four times faster than its surface – here’s why it matters

11 August 2017

My favourite science news is the stuff that changes the way I think about the world and our place in the universe. Many dinosaurs were covered in feathers; there’s a planet in the habitable zone around the nearest star in the night sky; the universe is expanding faster and faster but no one yet knows […]

The heartbreaking story of the flying mathematicians of World War I

10 August 2017

Keith Lucas was killed instantly when his BE2 biplane collided with that of a colleague over Salisbury Plain on October 5, 1916. As a captain in the Royal Flying Corps, Lucas would have known that his death was a very real risk of the work he was doing in support of Britain’s war effort. But […]

Behind the numbers: should all over 60s be taking statins?

2 August 2017

There has been a flurry of media reports over new research from Harvard University suggesting that “almost all” men over 60 and women over 75 should be taking statins to reduce their risk of stroke and heart attack. The research explores the likelihood of people having a cardiovascular event across age ranges and aims to […]

Scientists find some of Mars’ youngest volcanoes – and discover they could have supported life

26 July 2017

4000 km wide view of Mars’ (colour-coded topgraphy) Coprates Chasma. NASA/USGS/ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G Neukum), CC BY-SA It may seem that Mars was once a much more exciting planet. True, there are dust storms and possible water-seeps occurring today, but billions of years ago it was a dramatic place with huge volcanoes, a giant canyon […]

Soapbox Science MK 2017: how to make a mountain and the stories seashells tell

24 July 2017

Science is all about furthering our understanding of ourselves, the planet, and the Universe. Two Female academics from the OU will be sharing their love of research with members of the public in Milton Keynes at Soapbox Science MK 2017. Lecturer in Environment, Earth, and Ecosystems Sciences, Dr Pallavi Anand, and PhD Researcher, Stacy Phillips, […]

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Category: Science, maths, computing and technology