The Open University

Research photograph [CREDIT: Professor Shailey Minocha]

Can sharing photos online help reduce feelings of loneliness in older people?

23 January 2018

Everyone loves uploading their holiday albums or even photographs of their meals on social media, but is this just for our entertainment or are there other benefits? Research by The Open University and Oxford Brookes University is investigating whether sharing photographs via social media reduces loneliness and social isolation in older people. The research, which […]

A huge asteroid wiped out the dinosaurs, but what danger do smaller ones pose?

19 January 2018

A small asteroid passed relatively close to Earth this month, having been discovered just six days earlier. This might sound scary, but it’s unusual that such an object would actually collide with the Earth. Each year about 50,000 tonnes of extraterrestrial material (rocks and dust) hits our planet. This comes as tiny pieces – even […]

The biological reason why it’s so hard for teenagers to wake up early for school

15 January 2018

In societies the world over, teenagers are blamed for staying up late, then struggling to wake up in the morning. While it’s true that plenty of teenagers (like many adults) do have bad bedtime habits, researchers have long since proven that this global problem has a biological cause. In 2004, researchers at the University of […]

OU calls for “urgent action” to address fall in part-time students in England

12 January 2018

The OU is renewing its call for urgent action by the UK Government after new figures showed a further year-on-year fall in the number of part-time students in England. Figures from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA) revealed a 14 per cent drop in the number of people starting undergraduate courses in England between 2015/16 […]

Tiny blue salt crystals from space reveal a big surprise

10 January 2018

In 1998 two meteorites fell to earth, and on them were minuscule sapphire-coloured salt crystals. Now, 20 years on, science lab equipment is finally powerful enough to analyse these crystals – and the results have been startling. Organic compounds and liquid water have been found together for the first time on these 4.5 billion year […]

A trans review of 2017: the year of transgender moral panic

3 January 2018

Three years ago, 2014 was hailed as “the transgender tipping point” – a year when trans people became more visible and better understood. Sadly, looking back on 2017, it seems it was the year of a transgender moral panic. In the first half of the year, every few weeks seemed to bring another news story […]

Hugh’s Wild West: new BBC wildlife programme explores the West Country

3 January 2018

Lifelong nature-lover Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall pursues his fascination with the wildlife of the West Country as he teams up with the region’s most dedicated nature lovers for a new series, produced in partnership with The Open University. Hugh’s Wild West begins on Saturday 6 January at 6.15pm on BBC Two and runs for twelve episodes. Amateurs are contributing […]

Predicting volcanic eruptions – new technique developed by scientists

1 January 2018

Scientists have developed a new method for forecasting the probability of an active volcano erupting. Scientists from The Open University (OU) have developed a new technique to help predict when a volcano is most likely to erupt based on measurements of how much nearby ground swells. The ‘inflation’, or gradual swelling, of the ground that […]

Five ways students can enjoy a guilt-free Christmas

21 December 2017

Studying with The Open University can be a real juggling act, particularly at Christmas time when you want to relax and enjoy time with your family but still have that looming assignment on your mind. Karen Foley is an OU Lecturer and presenter on the OU’s Student Hub Live. She’s knows that OU students are […]

2017: an award-winning year of inspiring BBC TV and radio

20 December 2017

2017 has been the most successful year to date for The Open University and BBC partnership. Our TV and radio programmes reached more people than ever before and have won an unprecedented number of awards, including a BAFTA and a Grierson. Everything we produce creates unique resources for our teaching and learning. Exploring the planet, […]

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