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Category: Science, maths, computing and technology

Coloured plastic carrier bags. Image credit: Thinkstock

New biodegradable materials could replace plastic bags

While shoppers in England face a 5p charge for each plastic carrier bag they use from today (5th October 2015), OU research highlights work into alternative and more environmentally friendly materials that could potentially replace them. The OU’s Integrated Waste Systems (IWS) research group is working on an ambitious partnership worth around £250,000 with a […]

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Image of the planet Mars

Water on Mars: evidence of glaciers similar to Earth’s

Researchers at University College Dublin (UCD) and The OU have found new evidence that liquid water flowed beneath a glacier on Mars, suggesting it had glaciers more like Earth’s than currently thought . The finding fuels the debate concerning Mars’ habitability and the burning question of whether other planets can sustain life. Dr Colman Gallagher […]

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Oblique view of Phlegra Montes region of Mars showing remnant glacier and eskers. Credit: NASA

NASA: streaks of salt on Mars mean flowing water, and raise new hopes of finding life

Salty streaks have been discovered on Mars, which could be a sign that salt water seeps to the surface in the summers. Scientists have previously observed dark streaks (see image above) on the planet’s slopes which are thought to have resulted from seeps of water wetting surface dust. Evidence of salts left behind in these […]

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Padlock and code showing cyber security. Image: Thinkstock

Hackers have finally breached Apple’s security but your iPhone’s probably safe (for now)

Cyber security experts recently discovered that the almost impenetrable Apple App Store had been hacked. While cyber break-ins have become routine news for many companies, Apple has long prided itself on providing technology for its phones and tablets that was incredibly secure. This was done by controlling how developers – the people who create your […]

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