The Open University

UK scientists join NASA’s first steps back to the Moon – and onward to Mars

6 July 2021

A team of scientists from The Open University (OU) and RAL Space are collaborating with ESA and NASA to investigate the occurrence and behaviour of water on the Moon. Led by the OU’s Dr. Simeon Barber, the UK team has developed a sophisticated analytical instrument known as the Exospheric Mass Spectrometer (EMS) under a contract […]

OU research finds human impacts on monsoon rainfall could exceed natural changes over last 30 million years

30 June 2021

A study by a team from the Open University (OU) has had its findings published in leading science journal Nature Communications Findings at a glance Study shows that the long-term evolution of East Asian Monsoon rainfall was driven by the rising Himalayas, but Indian Monsoon rainfall is sensitive to a complex mix of drivers, with […]

Lunar samples record impact 4.2 billion years ago that may have formed one of the oldest craters on the Moon

11 June 2021

An international team of researchers led by The Open University (OU) has provided the first sample-based evidence, which they argue reflects the age of the Serenitatis Basin – one of the oldest craters on the Moon. The formation and ages of the lunar basins and craters, created during large collisional impact events during the first […]

A million years of past South Asian monsoons suggests stronger monsoon rainfall in the future

7 June 2021

A study by an international research team including scientists from The Open University (OU) has had its findings published in the journal Science Advances. It found that increases in monsoon rainfall over the past million years were linked with increases in atmospheric CO2, continental ice volume and the import of moisture from the southern hemisphere, […]

OU PhD student is asking the public to get involved in a unique tree study in Milton Keynes

27 May 2021

Trees are vital for our towns and cities. They make them more sustainable, attractive and healthy places to be. But urban trees are constantly under threat, with less access to water, soil and room to grow. These threats can hamper tree health, slow their growth and eventually kill them. Experts aren’t entirely sure why some […]

A Year to Change the World: Q&A with OU Professor Neil Edwards

26 April 2021

The final episode of the three-part series, Greta Thunberg: A Year to Change the World, airs tonight at 9pm on BBC One. The documentary is co-produced by The Open University and BBC. In this episode Greta looks at how COVID-19 has posed a challenge for tackling the climate crisis. She meets with German Chancellor Angela […]

Scientists discover new biomarker behind aggressive form of prostate cancer

26 April 2021

An international group of geneticists have discovered a new molecule that drives the spread of the most aggressive form of prostate cancer. This breakthrough signals new hope for sufferers of the deadly disease. In the UK, more than 48,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year – it is the most common cancer found […]

Funding award supports OU partnership to protect climate and restore floodplain meadows

22 March 2021

The OU’s Floodplain Meadows Partnership has won a substantial grant from Ecover to help restore and protect 50 hectares of floodplain meadows along the banks of the River Thames in Oxfordshire. The team, which includes scientists from the OU and partners; Berks, Bucks and Oxon Wildlife Trust and Long Mead Local Wildlife Site, will work […]

Changes in global rainfall in the past give future climate change insight

19 March 2021

New research from The Open University has revealed global tropical rainfall changes that took place during past climatic periods, which can help in understanding processes for the impact of future climate change. The study by an international research team, made up of researchers from The Open University (OU), the British Geological Survey and Brown University, […]

BBC/OU Co-Pro unveils the undiscovered life in sewage

18 March 2021

A fascinating look into the world of sewage and how scientists are searching for ways to upcycle human waste comes to our television screens this week. The Secret Science of Sewage a BBC/Open University co-production, explores the biology, chemistry, and history of feces – looking inside the tanks of one of the UK’s largest and […]

OU News

Category: Science