The Open University

OU develops world’s first COVID-19 digital immunity passport

24 April 2020

Tech experts from The Open University (OU) have developed the world’s first digital application to certify COVID-19 immunity test results. Researchers from the OU’s Knowledge Media Institute have created a prototype mobile phone app that enables instant verification of tamper-proof coronavirus test results and vaccination certificates. Immunity passports backed by government In recent weeks, the […]

OU leads the way with £1 million software engineering project

20 April 2020

Researchers from The Open University (OU) spearhead a £1 million project, funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), to change the culture of software engineering. The socio-technical resilience in software development project, also known as STRIDE, will challenge the focus of software engineering on automation and new technologies, to put people at […]

New, Earth-sized planet found in habitable zone

15 April 2020

A team of scientists from around the world have discovered an Earth-size exoplanet orbiting in its star’s habitable zone, the area around a star where a rocky planet could support liquid water. Scientists from The Open University, NASA, University of Texas, SETI Institute and the Harvard-Smithsonian Center for Astrophysics discovered a new planet, called Kepler-1649c, […]

Coronavirus: the meaning behind the figures

3 April 2020

Dr Helen Wimalarathna, an infectious disease epidemiologist at The Open University, explains the figures behind the coronavirus outbreak. As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic continues, it can feel as though we are being bombarded with statistics. A few early cases have turned into thousands, the number of deaths globally has passed 35,000. The scale of the […]

OU awarded €393,000 from EU emergency fund to combat false COVID-19 information

1 April 2020

An Open University (OU) researcher has been awarded €393,000 from a European Union (EU) emergency fund to track the spread of misinformation about coronavirus (COVID-19) on social media platforms. Harith Alani, Professor of Web Science at the OU, received funding from EU Horizon 2020 (H2020) for the Health Emergency Response in Interconnected Systems (HERoS) project. […]

OU researchers discover ancient water reservoirs inside Mars

30 March 2020

A team of researchers, including scientists from The Open University (OU), have discovered ancient water reservoirs inside the mantle of Mars. OU researchers Professor Mahesh Anand, Dr Ian Franchi, Dr Susanne Schwenzer and Dr Jessica Barnes, a former student at the OU and an Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona, worked as part of […]

OU scientists make hand sanitiser to support frontline professionals in Milton Keynes

27 March 2020

The Open University (OU) is supporting local efforts to stop the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) by producing much-needed hand sanitiser for healthcare professionals in Milton Keynes. With the outbreak of COVID-19, there has been unprecedented demand for hand sanitiser from the public and across the healthcare landscape, which has caused a national shortage. Scientists from […]

Interior of Imam Mosque at Naqhsh-e Jahan Square in Isfahan, Iran

Cultural sites and war crimes, explaining the connection

20 January 2020

As tensions between Iran and the US continue, the OU’s Professor Derek Matravers takes a closer look at at why criticism was levelled at President Trump earlier this month, for his threats to Iran’s cultural sites. Derek Matravers is Professor of Philosphy at The Open University and his research activity includes his involvement in directing […]

Getting to know the Green Originals

10 January 2020

A new radio series – co-produced by The Open University and the BBC – recognises the pioneers of the environmental movement who championed “green” causes and changed thinking. The Rainforest loggers in Brazil, land rights in Australia, the hole in the ozone layer and paying attention to climate change – all of these and more […]

I never believed I could get a degree, let alone end up in my dream job!

2 January 2020

Teaching had always been Emma’s dream but when her teachers at school flagged that she might be dyslexic she feared her ambition was out of reach. However, with the help of The Open University and a bucket load of determination, Emma has finally achieved her goal and starts a job as a newly qualified teacher […]

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