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Category: Science

BepiColombo swings by Mercury for the final time

BepiColombo swings by Mercury for the final time

On 8 January 2025, the ESA/JAXA BepiColombo mission flew past Mercury for the sixth time, successfully completing the final ‘gravity assist manoeuvre’ needed to steer it into orbit around the planet in late 2026. As with BepiColombo’s previous flybys, the spacecraft’s monitoring cameras (M-CAMs) did not disappoint. “Wonderful to see” David Rothery (Professor of Planetary Geosciences) […]

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Presenter Justin Rowlatt in a flight simulator, copyright Attaboy TV

Production reveals the truth behind those cheap holiday flights

Cheap flights have transformed the holiday industry and the way we fly around the globe. A new OU-BBC co-production takes a closer look at these bargain deals which have helped many people travel to the sun. Cheap Flights: What They Really Mean For You is a one-off documentary to be broadcast on Thursday 28 November […]

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Emilie wearing a blue lab coat surrounded by scientific equipment,

‘OU study unlocked the career I’d always wanted’

For many years Emilie, 47, put her professional aspirations aside, working hard to pay the bills and be present as a mum. It wasn’t until her son completed his degree that Emilie decided it was her turn to shine, embarking on an Open University (OU) degree that would unlock the career she dreamed of. Now […]

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Illustration of interstellar dust grain coated in water ice

Astronomers make new discovery about the grain structure of interstellar ice

Astronomers, including Open University (OU) academics Helen Fraser and Hugh Dickinson and OU PhD student Zak Smith, have discovered the spectral signature of water ice that reveals new information about how ice forms and evolves during the birth of stars and planets. Their findings have been published today in the journal Nature Astronomy. A spectral […]

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Andy dressed in warm clothing with a backdrop of Antarctica

‘OU study unlocked an amazing opportunity to work in Antarctica’

When Natural Sciences student Andy, 54, was made redundant, he was unsure what to expect from the next chapter of his life. With a thirst for new experiences and an open mind about his next career move, Andy embarked on an academic journey with The Open University, never imagining it would take him on the […]

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Image shows Tim Blackman being presented with the Queen's Anniversary Prize by The Queen at Buckingham Palace

The Queen presents The Open University with Queen’s Anniversary Prize at Buckingham Palace

The Open University has been presented with a prestigious Queen’s Anniversary Prize for Higher and Further Education by Her Majesty The Queen today at a ceremony in Buckingham Palace. It was announced in November that the OU had been awarded a Queen’s Anniversary Prize for its OpenSTEM Labs initiative – the highest national Honour in […]

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Image is of Professor Sally Jordan

Professor Sally Jordan awarded 2023 Institute of Physics Lawrence Bragg Medal and Prize

Professor Sally Jordan from The Open University (OU) has been awarded the prestigious 2023 Institute of Physics Lawrence Bragg Medal and Prize for her contribution to physics education, often as ‘a genuine unsung hero who works selflessly for others’. The Institute of Physics (IOP) is the professional body and learned society for physics, and the […]

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Photo of three children with their backs to the camera. They are weaving with colourful fabric scraps

New art exhibit celebrates the beauty and value of floodplain meadows

A new art exhibit is being shown at the Oxford University Museum of Natural History to celebrate and raise awareness of Britain’s floodplain meadows. The exhibit will be open until the end of October and is part of an Open University (OU) project working to conserve, restore and protect Britain’s floodplain meadows. The Floodplain Meadows […]

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No simple fix to climate variation extremes – just better management

No simple fix to climate variation extremes – just better management

As southern Europe and parts of the USA and Asia sizzle in unbearable record-breaking heat, Dr Kevin Collins, senior lecturer in the environment and systems, from The Open University gives a stark warning – there’s no simple fix to the variation in climate change, only improved management. While the UK isn’t frying it’s just a […]

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OU Student Ian Muirhead

From Army veteran to space scientist

When Open University graduate Ian Muirhead isn’t searching for moons and exoplanets, he’s inspiring the next generation of space scientists to reach for the stars. It’s a career he never dreamed possible when he left school at 15 without any qualifications. Over 20 years’ on and Ian tells us he couldn’t be happier making the […]

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