The Open University

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, […]

TV cameras capture building of Britain’s biggest nuclear power station

2 June 2021

A new series co-produced by the BBC and The Open University offers viewers a fascinating insight into the ambitious construction of Britain’s new nuclear power station, Hinkley Point C in Somerset. Building Britain’s Biggest Nuclear Power Station begins on Wednesday 2nd June at 9pm on BBC Two. The four-part series follows the engineers, technicians and […]

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 […]

Plant Britain returns

21 May 2021

Plant Britain returns to our screens this spring on BBC One. The Countryfile series, co-produced by The Open University and BBC, will air on Sunday 23 May 2021 at 5:50pm. Building on the success of Plant Britain’s tree planting campaign, the spring episode will focus on community gardens in a bid to tackle climate change […]

Open University students receive top scholarship awards from prestigious Gray’s Inn

5 May 2021

Three Open University Law students have been awarded scholarships from the highly regarded Gray’s Inn – one of the four Inns of Court which has the exclusive right to call men and women to the Bar of England and Wales. The prestigious scholarships recognise merit, intellectual ability, advocacy and drive and determination to succeed at […]

Artificial reefs could restore sea urchin populations and coral reefs

30 April 2021

Locally sourced breeze blocks placed on the sea floor could increase depleted sea urchin populations and support the growth of healthy coral reefs, a new study suggests. Researchers, led by The Open University (OU) and Operation Wallacea (OpWall), have found that strategically placed artificial reefs in the sea could be used to stimulate population recovery […]

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 […]

BBC/OU co-pro Bad People podcast asks does ‘good cop, bad cop’ interviewing work?

22 April 2021

The latest episode of the BBC Sounds podcast Bad People, features an interview with OU academic Dr Zoe Walkington and asks, does the ‘good cop/bad cop’ style of police interviewing ever work? Presented by criminal psychology scientist Dr Julia Shaw and comedian co-host Sofie Hagan, Bad People deconstructs true crime, turning to psychological science to […]