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News from The Open University
Widening access to higher education and part-time learning go hand-in-hand
The OU has welcomed the release of the Higher Education Policy Institute (HEPI) and the charity Brightside’s new collection of essays on widening access to university written by senior higher education figures. Commenting on the publication of ‘Where next for widening participation and fair access?’ Laura Burley, Head of Government & External Affairs at […]
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The sun’s core rotates four times faster than its surface – here’s why it matters
My favourite science news is the stuff that changes the way I think about the world and our place in the universe. Many dinosaurs were covered in feathers; there’s a planet in the habitable zone around the nearest star in the night sky; the universe is expanding faster and faster but no one yet knows […]
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OU/BBC documentary explores the volatile border between India and Pakistan
Marking the 70th anniversary of the Partition of India, the OU is exploring the recent history of the two nations and the Indo-Pakistan Border in a new three-part series on BBC Two. Dangerous Borders: A Journey across India and Pakistan, which starts on Monday 14 August 2017, 21:00, travels from Gujarat and Sindh to the […]
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The heartbreaking story of the flying mathematicians of World War I
Keith Lucas was killed instantly when his BE2 biplane collided with that of a colleague over Salisbury Plain on October 5, 1916. As a captain in the Royal Flying Corps, Lucas would have known that his death was a very real risk of the work he was doing in support of Britain’s war effort. But […]
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What emoji can teach us about human civilization
Dr Philip Seargeant, Senior Lecturer in Applied Linguistics, wonders where we would be without emojis today and traces their origins in history, right back to Ancient Egyptian times. Despite their popularity, emoji are still often viewed as a frivolous form of communication. For some, they seem to be a huge step back for civilization. Is it […]
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Trumpslation: why Donald Trump’s words give translators so much trouble
Much has already been written on the difficulty that translators and interpreters have when translating Donald Trump’s speeches and messages into other languages. The president’s frequent mangling of the English language has left interpreters and translators scratching their heads the world over. The most recent challenge for translators was how to translate the president’s inappropriate […]
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New series explores the dark reality behind the disruption economy
New two-part television series Secrets of Silicon Valley investigates the reality behind Silicon Valley’s endless faith in its power to change the world for the better. The so-called ‘Tech Gods’ believe progress is powered by unleashing technology to tear up the world as it is and create a new one – a process they call “disruption”. Presented […]
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Behind the numbers: should all over 60s be taking statins?
There has been a flurry of media reports over new research from Harvard University suggesting that “almost all” men over 60 and women over 75 should be taking statins to reduce their risk of stroke and heart attack. The research explores the likelihood of people having a cardiovascular event across age ranges and aims to […]
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If a brain can be caught lying, should we admit that evidence to court? Here’s what legal experts think
A man is charged with stealing a very distinctive blue diamond. The man claims never to have seen the diamond before. An expert is called to testify whether the brain responses exhibited by this man indicate he has seen the diamond before. The question is – should this information be used in court? Courts are […]
Scientists find some of Mars’ youngest volcanoes – and discover they could have supported life
4000 km wide view of Mars’ (colour-coded topgraphy) Coprates Chasma. NASA/USGS/ESA/DLR/FU Berlin (G Neukum), CC BY-SA It may seem that Mars was once a much more exciting planet. True, there are dust storms and possible water-seeps occurring today, but billions of years ago it was a dramatic place with huge volcanoes, a giant canyon […]
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