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Expert comment: Fuego eruption is not a ‘river of lava’
Professor David Rothery, Professor of Planetary Geosciences, explains more about what is happening in Guatemala: “The cause of most deaths at the current eruption of Fuego (Guatemala) is being widely reported as a ‘river of lava‘. This is probably an inexpert description or a mistranslation. Fuego does not characteristically produce long fluid lava flows like […]
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A PhD isn’t possible with three children, is it? Diane would argue otherwise
Originally from the Isles of Scilly, in 2009, Diane Coral Turner, 42, enrolled on her part-time PhD with The Open University, collaborating with Amersham Hospital and Medical Detection Dogs to develop techniques for diagnosing bladder cancer. After having a child in 2010 and twins in 2012, she wanted a break from study. When her twins […]
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Icy dunes on Pluto: spacecraft reveals new details about planet’s surface
When Clyde Tombaugh discovered Pluto in 1930, he could not have known that he was opening a whole field of science that is only now coming into its own: the study of planetary landscapes, or comparative planetary morphology. Since the announcement of Pluto’s discovery, the body has been a subject of much speculation: even from […]
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Jonathan Nicholls named as the OU’s new Acting University Secretary
The Open University has appointed Dr Jonathan Nicholls as its Acting University Secretary. He will take up the post in mid-July on the departure of the current University Secretary, Keith Zimmerman. Expertise in higher education Dr Nicholls has long expertise and experience in higher education. He has previously served as the principal administrative officer at […]
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Abandoned by the British, Afghan interpreters explain how they wait for years seeking safety
When the British began to withdraw their forces from Afghanistan in 2012, the Afghan civilians they employed as interpreters, cooks and security guards, became even more exposed to threats, losing the limited protection that military bases granted them. In recognition of their work and its risks, the UK government put two schemes in place. The […]
Popularity of ‘Donald’ plunges as ‘Melania’ rises: how names accrue social meaning
While his overall approval ratings might remain surprisingly upbeat, there’s one poll in which “The Donald” has seen a consistent decline. As Time magazine announced in 2017: “The Popularity of ‘Donald’ as a Baby Name Has Hit an All-Time Low.” And this downward trend has continued in 2018. According to social security data, fewer people […]
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Phasing out of Government grant underlines need for new funding system
The UK Government has confirmed the final phase of its staged reduction of direct grants to The Open University. Teaching grant in England fallen by 80% Government support for students in England – paid through the teaching grant – has now fallen by 80 per cent since the university funding reforms of 2012. The latest […]
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Where you ask the questions – BBC and OU launch new ‘citizen inquiry’ website
The Open University has partnered with the BBC for Tomorrow’s World to develop a new ‘citizen inquiry’ website – nQuire – where members of the public can take part in surveys and experiments about their everyday life and the world around them. The first survey focuses on the use of personal data, linking into the new […]
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Why are less than 10% of maths professors women?
Mathematics has long been dominated by male academics and scientists, but why? In her inaugural lecture, Professor of History of Mathematics June Barrow-Green explores the history of women in mathematics and the centuries-long struggle for women mathematicians to gain equality. Against the odds Professor June Barrow-Green, whose working life began in an art gallery, started […]
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Lava in Hawai’i is reaching the ocean, creating new land but also corrosive acid mist
There is something special and awe-inspiring about watching new land form. This is what is now happening in Hawai’i as its Kīlauea volcano erupts. Lava is reaching the ocean and building land while producing spectacular plumes of steam. These eruptions are hugely important for the creation of new land. But they are also dangerous. Where […]
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