The Open University

Dr Manish Patel in the recording studio.

Ground control to Major Manish. OU academic to record single for space mission

1 April 2016

There has been Band Aid, USA for Africa and Peter Kay’s Animated All Star Band. But today a new name is being added to the list of legendary charity single artists. Manish Patel, Senior Lecturer in Space Science at The Open University, is putting aside his academic research and picking up the microphone to record […]

Saturn’s moons may be younger than the dinosaurs – so could life really exist there?

31 March 2016

Saturn is home to more than 60 moons – from the massive Titan and the crater-riddled Phoebe, to Enceladus with its geysers. Enceladus in particular has been put forward as a good candidate for harbouring microbial life, thanks to its warm internal ocean. After all, if intelligent life could evolve on Earth in a few […]

Mars and me: a day in the life of a PhD student

18 March 2016

In the same week the European Space Agency (ESA) launched its ExoMars Mission, we spoke to OU PhD student Rhian Chapman about dust storms on the Red Planet and her fascination with space: the final frontier… Name: Rhian Chapman Age: 33 Hometown: Shepperton, Surrey What is the focus of your PhD and what stage are you […]

How the ExoMars mission could sniff out life on Mars – and what to do next

16 March 2016

“It (could be) life Jim, but (perhaps) not as we know it.” This is not just a sci-fi catchphrase, but also something some planetary scientists have uttered in response to the discovery of methane in Mars’ atmosphere. That’s right – scientists believe that some kind of past or present microbial lifeform on Mars could have […]

ExoMars Mission 2016, EDM and TGO separation

On a mission to Planet Mars

10 March 2016

Establishing whether the planet Mars has ever supported life is one of the great unanswered questions of modern science. On Monday 14 March 2016, the European Space Agency (ESA) will be launching its ExoMars Mission to investigate the environment of the Red Planet. The ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), which is due to launch from […]

Making a difference for International Women’s Day

8 March 2016

On International Women’s Day the OU reveals how it aims to make a difference for women in crucial areas of the workplace where women are poorly represented. Gender, Skilled Migration and IT; a comparative study of India and the UK is wide-ranging and significant research project investigating the lack of women working in highly-skilled roles […]

Farewell to Philae?

16 February 2016

How do you say goodbye to a valued colleague with whom you have worked closely for almost two decades? Maybe there is a farewell party, a collection for a gift, a bunch of flowers? If the colleague is moving to an exciting new post, the affair is usually joyful, possibly tinged with envy as well […]

Read more about Farewell to Philae?

Gravitational waves, scientific theories and wobbly bits

15 February 2016

In a style all of her own, Professor Monica Grady took part in a radio panel discussion covering everything from gravitational waves and scientific theories to wobbly bits. On Broadcasting House, the Radio 4 magazine style programme on Sunday mornings, Professor Grady was joined by fellow scientist Professor John Butterworth from University College London. They […]

OU research student names ridge on planet Mercury

8 February 2016

PhD student mapping features on the planet’s surface Large ridge is as long as distance from London to Liverpool In May you can observe Mercury yourself as it transits the Sun A large ridge on Mercury, the length of the distance between London and Liverpool, has been named ‘Unity’ after the ship which took Edmond […]

The Department of Physical Sciences laboratory with two female scientists representing diversity

The OU Department of Physical Sciences receives top diversity award

5 February 2016

The OU Department of Physical Sciences is one of just two departments from UK universities to receive a top award this week for its dedication to diversity and equality. The Institute of Physics’ (IOP) Project Juno Champion award recognises and rewards departments that promote gender equality. The OU Department of Physical Sciences has demonstrated its […]

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Category: Science, maths, computing and technology