The TechExpert pilot, part of the , will support 500 new doctoral students eligible for home fee status in participating UKRI Centres for Doctoral Training (CDTs) and Doctoral Focal Awards (DFAs) in the six frontier industries under the digital and technologies sector in the , plus a small number prioritised for digital and technologies in the Financial Services sector agreed between the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and HM Treasury.

TechExpert students will receive an enhanced stipend of 拢10,000 above the UKRI minimum stipend. In return students will be asked to take part in additional TechExpert activities for up to 10 days each year, including outreach to promote tech careers, networking with the TechFirst community and engagement with the tech industry. 

The aim of the TechExpert pilot is to strengthen the UK鈥檚 innovation pipeline and build a more inclusive, resilient and high-impact research ecosystem. It will test whether a higher stipend makes doctoral study a more competitive and financially viable alternative to entry-level industry roles, retaining talented graduates in research roles at doctoral level to upskill for future tech careers, as well as providing a viable way back into these roles for those who are employed. 

This programme is being delivered by the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), working with the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and Natural Environment Research Council (NERC), on behalf of the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.

An international collaboration of scientists, including from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, working on the experiment at the U.S. Department of Energy鈥檚 Fermi National Accelerator Laboratory announced that they have found no evidence for a fourth type of neutrino, known as a sterile neutrino.

For decades, physics experiments have observed neutrinos - sub-atomic particles that are all around us - behaving in a way that doesn鈥檛 fit . One of the most promising explanations was the existence of a sterile neutrino, named because they are predicted not to interact with matter at all, whereas other neutrinos can. This means they could pass through the Universe almost undetected.

Using a highly sensitive detector called MicroBooNE, sitting on two different neutrino beams, the researchers observed how thousands of neutrinos behaved over several years. If the fourth neutrinos existed, it would have left a clear fingerprint. The result, published today in the journal , shows there was no evidence and rules out a single sterile neutrino explanation with 95% certainty.

Professor of Particle Physics at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and co-spokesperson for MicroBooNE, said: 鈥淎ny time you rule out one place where physics beyond the Standard Model could be, that makes you look in other places. This is a result that is going to really spur a creative push in the neutrino physics community to come up with yet more exciting ways of looking for new physics. Sometimes, science is just as much about what you don鈥檛 find as what you do."

黑料网吃瓜爆料 played a leading role in the breakthrough. Dr Elena Gramellini was the driving force behind the experiment鈥檚 physics programme using the NuMI beam - a crucial part of the analysis behind this result. Professor Roxanne Guenette was one of the originators of MicroBooNE鈥檚 short-baseline oscillation programme, helping to shape the strategy used to investigate the sterile-neutrino question. The new paper builds directly on that foundational work.

Neutrinos come in three known types, or flavours: muon, electron and tau. They can change from one type to another as they travel. But this flavour-flipping cannot fully be explained by the current Standard Model.

Some earlier experiments - -  also made observations suggesting that muon neutrinos were oscillating into electron neutrinos over shorter distances than should be possible.

鈥淭hey saw flavour change on a length scale that is just not consistent with there only being three neutrinos,鈥� explained , 鈥淎nd the most popular explanation over the past 30 years to explain the anomaly is that there鈥檚 a sterile neutrino.鈥�

The experiment collected data from 2015 to 2021, observing neutrinos from Fermilab鈥檚 Booster Neutrino Beam and the NuMI beam. MicroBooNE is the first experiment that has done a sterile neutrino search with one detector and two beams simultaneously. This reduces the uncertainties in MicroBooNE鈥檚 result, making it possible to exclude nearly the entire favoured region in which a single sterile neutrino could be hiding. 

Although this result rules out one explanation for anomalies seen in neutrino behaviour, the mystery itself remains. Scientists are now analysing the remaining MicroBooNE data and other experiments in the Short-Baseline Neutrino Program are also on the case.

In addition to the search for new physics, the MicroBooNE collaboration is providing insight into how neutrinos interact in liquid argon, an important metric that will benefit other liquid-argon time projection chamber experiments such as the .

Matthew Toups, Fermilab senior scientist and co-spokesperson for MicroBooNE, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 really exciting to be doing both cutting-edge science that has a major impact on our field as well as developing novel techniques that will support and enable future scientific measurements.鈥�

This research has been published in the journal

Full title: Search for light sterile neutrinos with two neutrino beams at MicroBooNE

DOI: 10.1038/s41586-025-09757-7

URL:

By , Professor of Evolutionary Ecology & Conservation, The

On the western flanks of Mount Kenya lies the Laikipia plateau, an achingly beautiful landscape that is both a refuge for wildlife and a home to traditional Masai communities. Black rhinos, which were once nearly extinct, are now thriving on some of these conservation properties, thanks to the intense efforts to keep them safe.

The tells the story of the people and the challenges faced to in this volatile landscape. The cinematography and score beautifully captures the landscape, people, animals and pace of life, which is at times languorous and at times frantic.

The story unfolds from the perspective of two rangers. Ramson Kiluko is an experienced ranger who works with his team to watch, protect and understand the rhinos. The film gives us a glimpse into his family life, the camaraderie of the ranger team and the rich knowledge he has about the lives of individual rhinos and their landscape. Rita Kulamu is a young ranger learning about rhinos as her property prepares to welcome them. Their work takes place against a background of danger, posed by both people and animals.

Rhino focuses on the critical role rangers play in the conservation story of black rhinos, which is an inspiring change from the traditional wildlife documentary that suggests a wildness that exists without the need for human intervention or involvement. Once on the brink of extinction, it is precisely the intensive efforts made to protect rhinos by people like Kiluko and Kulamu that has seen .

The film loosely follows a narrative around the planned move of 21 rhinos from the and reserves in central Kenya, where they are too numerous, to 鈥� a 58,000 acre wildlife conservation area which has long been without rhinos.

On Lewa and Borana, the rhinos fight for space and territory, on Loisaba they have the opportunity to create a new breeding population. Moving rhinos between reserves is a core part of their conservation. Poaching pressures require rhinos to be fiercely guarded. In Kenya, where my team has carried out research to understand the factors that lead to successfully breeding , rangers are tasked with finding each rhino every day. Fences that keep rhinos in and people out mean that rhinos cannot move to avoid threats, avoid inbreeding, or to reestablish populations where they no longer are found.

Moving rhinos is far from easy. They can be aggressive and need to be handled with care. Rhinos are also not very resilient to being moved between properties. These moves often lead to rhinos dying from fighting, stress and .

The film shows how led to a delay of several years to try to maximise the success . This widespread and prolonged drought caused intense suffering of humans, livestock and wildlife. Conflicts over animals and land boiled over, leading to violence but also . These day-to-day challenges faced by conservationists are rarely touched on. Hopefully this film will help audiences understand that there are legions of passionate conservation professionals behind every success story.

However, there is much that the story doesn鈥檛 tell. My experience researching wildlife health and disease in this landscape has highlighted how critical it is to create solutions that benefit both nature and people. Laikipia is a complicated landscape, where land rights, land ownership and power inequalities create tensions, and even violence, .

This is a landscape where settlers, European farmers that immigrated, appropriated the best, most productive beautiful lands from . High-end conservation reserves manage landscapes that teem with wildlife but are often off limits to the people that once moved widely with their animals. Our conversations with local people suggest that they view rhino conservation as a Trojan horse, moved around to justify high fences, armed security and to restrict people鈥檚 movement.

Rhino portrays the situation in somewhat simplistic terms: the good rangers and the bad 鈥渂andits鈥�. In reality, conservation sits at a much less clear cut interface between the haves and the have nots, between those with international and national support for protecting animals, and pastoralists, a traditional way of life where people move with their herds of animals across the land, who feel their rights and traditional lands have been taken from them and that the wild animals have more rights that they do.

Violence comes not just from evil, avaricious thieves, but sometimes from frustrated, desperate people who have to deal with too many animals on too little land. Rhino tells an interesting and valuable story, but true conservation success must also address inequality, disenfranchisement and the tensions that 鈥減arachute鈥� and colonial conservation in local communities.

This article is republished from under a Creative Commons license. Read the .

The report, commissioned by Marketing 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Visit England, and the Growth Company, is the first detailed analysis of direct tourism emissions for a city-region in England. The findings reveal that international flights and domestic car travel are the biggest sources of emissions, alongside smaller impacts such as accommodation, and attractions.

Led by Dr Chris Jones and , the research also makes recommendations for how the region can grow a low carbon visitor economy in the region, supporting Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 ambition to become carbon neutral by 2038.

The framework will act as a guide for other destinations to conduct similar assessments and address common data limitations in the tourism sector.

a Research Associate based at the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change, said: 鈥淭ourism connects people with places and cultures, while supporting local economies and jobs. However, this value can鈥檛 come at the expense of our environment. In the climate crisis it is vital that the sector becomes sustainable in every sense of the word. Measuring tourism emissions is challenging, but it is important for identifying where change is most needed.

鈥淏y commissioning this research Marketing 黑料网吃瓜爆料 has taken an important and proactive step to decarbonise tourism. We hope that this work will not only support Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 to take action and reimagine what truly sustainable tourism looks like, but also inspire other destinations to do the same.鈥�

Key findings of the report include:

• International travel dominates emissions: Although relatively low visitor numbers, long-haul flights from Asia, Oceania, and North America make a disproportionately large contribution to carbon impacts.
• Domestic car travel a major contributor: Trips by petrol and diesel vehicles account for the majority of domestic travel emissions, even on well-connected rail routes.
• Trip profiles matter: Analysis suggests the carbon footprint or a trip to Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 can range from under 10kg CO鈧俥 for regional day-trippers to over 500kg CO鈧俥 for long-haul visitors. Mostly because of transport options.
• Low-carbon infrastructure already in place: Most major attractions benefit from excellent public transport accessibility, increasing the opportunity for car-free tourism.

Recommended actions include:

• Promoting rail and ferry access from nearby European countries.
• Targeting tourism growth in markets accessible by low-carbon transport.
• Supporting accommodation providers and attractions to meet local energy efficiency targets.
• Encouraging car-free tourism through public transport integration and sustainable travel itineraries.

The research establishes benchmark targets aligned with Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料's commitment to reach carbon neutrality by 2038 and its aim to be in in the Global Destination Sustainability Index top 40, including phasing out petrol and diesel car visits and ensuring no net growth in aviation emissions until truly low-carbon alternatives become available at scale. It also supports Marketing 黑料网吃瓜爆料's participation in the Glasgow Declaration on Climate Action in Tourism.

Victoria Braddock, Managing Director of Marketing 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淭ourism is a significant contributor to Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 economy, but we cannot overlook its environmental impact. As a destination, Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 is passionate about driving forward low-carbon tourism, and this report, in collaboration with the Tyndall Centre, is helping us set a standard for other English cities to follow through . Having clear objectives will help us to make a positive impact and support our partners to become greener in the process; all of which will contribute to our region鈥檚 ambition to become carbon neutral by 2038 and keep our status as a leading sustainable UK destination.鈥�

Most national strategies emphasise supply-side technological solutions such as electrification and renewable energy generation. But the research, published today in , finds that supporting demand-side solutions, such as social and behavioural changes to how people travel, work, heat their homes, and consume goods, could cut total UK energy demand by between 18% and 45% by 2050 compared to today.

These demand-focussed pathways would continue to maintain quality of life while costing around half as much as technology-led pathways.

The finding is the result of a unique collaboration between academics from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, University College London, University of Leeds, and University of Oxford and members of the public, which informed a published by the UK Government Office for Science in 2023.

The study uniquely placed policymakers at the centre of modelling four future scenario designs, guided by the experts. Together, they explored how different mixes of technology, lifestyle, and social change could shape the country鈥檚 energy system and costs:

• Atomised Society: Rapid tech growth drives high consumption, but it creates a divided society where the rich are protected and the poor face greater climate risks.
• Metropolitan Society: High growth and trusted AI enable efficient living, but this concentrates prosperity in cities, creating an urban-rural divide.
• Self-preservation Society: Low growth and outdated tech lead to a fragmented society, though some communities find comfort in the slower, traditional pace of life.
• Slow Lane Society: Despite low growth, strong community values and high trust promote repair, reuse, and major cuts in energy demand.

Analysis shows that all four futures deliver lower energy demand than today, but reductions vary. The Slow Lane Society achieves the biggest cut (around 45%), while Atomised Society delivers the smallest (around 18%). Energy system costs also vary: the most energy-intensive future could see costs rise 136% by 2050, while the lowest-demand scenario limits this to just 24% compared to today.

Crucially, higher-demand futures depend far more on large-scale carbon removal technologies, which are still unproven at scale, whereas lower-demand pathways could reduce the need for such measures by around 70%.

The researchers also held discussions with members of the public to explore how believable each scenario felt and what impacts people thought they might have on everyday life. Participants generally viewed Metropolitan Society and Self-Preservation Society as most realistic, while Atomised and Slow Lane Societies were seen as more aspirational. Interestingly, while policymakers described Slow Lane as somewhat restrictive, the public viewed it as hopeful and positive.

The team say their approach could help other countries design people-centred climate policies that balance technological innovation with social, demand-side change.

The discovery, published in the journal , provides the first biomolecular data linking several extinct Australian megafauna species to their living relatives.

Led by at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, an international team analysed 51 fossilised marsupial bones collected from caves and swamps across Tasmania 鈥� one of the last refuges of these giant animals. Using an innovative technique called zooarchaeology by mass spectrometry (ZooMS), or collagen fingerprinting, the team was able to analyse fossils more than 100,000 years old 鈥� far beyond the age limit for traditional DNA analysis.

Dr Buckley said: 鈥淯ntil now, we鈥檝e struggled to determine exactly how many of these extinct species were related because Australia鈥檚 hot climate destroys DNA over time. However, collagen proteins survive in much older and even extremely fragmented bones, allowing us to identify species and reconstruct the evolutionary relationships between extinct and living marsupials that could not be achieved through traditional methods.鈥�

The most surprising discovery was that despite being wildly different animals, the koala and the marsupial lion - one of the largest meat-eating mammals ever to roam Australia - shared a common ancestor around 25-35 million years ago. This places the two animals much closer previously thought.

The research also provides new biomolecular data for two other extinct species 鈥� Zygomaturus trilobus and Palorchestes azael. Comparisons of their ancient collagen sequences confirmed that both belonged to the broader wombat鈥搆oala group, known as Vombatiformes.

The findings could help solve one of Australia鈥檚 biggest prehistoric mysteries surrounding the extinction of the continent鈥檚 giant animals.

During the Late Pleistocene, Australia lost nearly 90% of its giant land animals in one of the greatest extinction events in Earth鈥檚 history. Scientists are still debating whether the cause was climate change, human hunting, or a combination of both.

Because ZooMS can identify even tiny bone fragments and reveal their species, it could help scientists refine the timeline of when Australia鈥檚 megafauna disappeared and how long they overlapped with humans.

Dr Buckley added: 鈥淶ooMS also allows thousands of fossil specimens to be analysed quickly, so it could be a game-changer for the study of extinct species. We can now identify more fossils, improve extinction chronologies, and better understand ancient biodiversity.鈥�

This paper was published in Proceedings of the Royal Society B

Full title: Collagen fingerprinting and sequence analysis provides a molecular phylogeny of extinct Australian megafauna

DOI/link:  

The study, funded by Natural Environment Research Council (NERC),  and led by researchers at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, introduces a more detailed way of simulating how urban areas interact with the atmosphere inside one of the world鈥檚 leading models, the Community Earth System Model (CESM), which scientists use to predict how the Earth鈥檚 climate behaves now and in the future.

Until now, these large-scale climate and Earth system models have treated cities very simply, grouping them into just a few generic categories such as 鈥渉igh density鈥� or 鈥渕edium density鈥�. But cities differ enormously with a mix of buildings, roads, vegetation and human activity, which can significantly affect how heat is stored, released and transferred, with knock-on effects for heatwaves, air quality and energy demand.  These factors are often overlooked in current climate predictions and policy decisions.

The new model, published today in the , integrates a detailed urban classification system known as Local Climate Zones (LCZ), which distinguishes between ten types of built environments 鈥� from compact high-rise districts to open low-rise neighbourhoods. Each environment is defined by its building height, layout and materials and allows researchers to simulate how cities exchange heat and energy with the atmosphere in much finer detail.

Lead author Dr Zhonghua Zheng, Co-Lead for Environmental Data Science & AI at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Environmental Research Institute (MERI) and Lecturer in Data Science & Environmental Analytics at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淐ities, which host more than half of the world鈥檚 population, are highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, but they are also key to sustainable solutions. By using the Local Climate Zones approach, we can now represent the true diversity of urban areas, which is crucial for making accurate climate predictions. Improving how we simulate cities will help researchers and policymakers better understand urban heat stress and energy use, and design more effective strategies for the future.鈥�

Yuan Sun, PhD researcher at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, added: 鈥淚ncorporating LCZs into ESMs provides a bridge for communication between the environmental model community and urban climate adaptation actors.鈥�

Tests carried out at 20 urban observation sites worldwide, including locations in France, South Korea, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands, showed that the new LCZ-based approach improved the model鈥檚 accuracy in simulating key urban heat processes. These include how city surfaces release heat into the atmosphere (known as upward longwave radiation) and the heat generated by human activity, such as air conditioning (known as anthropogenic heat flux), compared with the standard urban scheme.

The study also identified where LCZ-based models could be refined to further improve accuracy.

Sensitivity experiments revealed that rooftop reflectivity has the biggest impact on sunlight and heat in cities, while the layout and shape of streets and buildings, along with roof materials, also play key roles.

Understanding these factors in urban areas could help explain why some areas get hotter than others and could guide future urban design and climate adaptation strategies.

This research appeared in the

Full title: Enhancing Global-Scale Urban Land Cover Representation Using Local Climate Zones in the Community Earth System Model

DOI:   

Scientists have developed a simple, low-cost method to drive key chemical reactions, which could make large-scale drug manufacturing, faster, more accessible and affordable.

The new study, published in the journal today by 黑料网吃瓜爆料, describes how complex light or electricity-mediated methods currently used across modern chemistry could be replaced by those driven by a simpler technology - heat.

By heating two common, inexpensive chemicals together, the researchers triggered 鈥榚lectron transfer鈥� reactions that chemists use to make many of our everyday products and medicines.  

Lead researcher, , Lecturer in Synthetic Organic Chemistry at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淥ur goal was to develop a broadly accessible and low-cost way to promote electron transfer reactions for industrial applications.

鈥淏y using something as simple as heat - something every chemistry lab already has - we鈥檝e created a process that can be scaled more easily and used by companies without the need for expensive, specialised equipment, opening up new possibilities for chemists all over the world.鈥�

Many modern chemical reactions rely on photochemical (light) or electrochemical (electricity) technologies to kick start 鈥榚lectron transfer reactions鈥� 鈥� a process that involves transferring electrons between molecules to make medicines, or other essential materials. Although these high-tech methods are powerful and effective, they can be difficult to scale up for industrial use as they require specialist reactors and costly infrastructure.

The 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team鈥檚 new approach achieves the same result using only heat and two widely available chemicals - a type of azo compound and a formate salt. When heated together in a standard industrial reactor, these reagents naturally form a highly reactive molecule known as 鈥榗arbon dioxide radical anion鈥� - a simple yet powerful species capable of driving a wide range of chemical transformations.

Working with Dr James Douglas from AstraZeneca, the research team successfully demonstrated the scalability of the developed method  and tested it on a variety of other chemical reactions used in drug discovery.

, Lecturer in Computational & Theoretical Chemistry at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, added: 鈥淩adical chain chemistry underpins so many areas of science and manufacturing, so we hope this simple initiation method will be of wide use across both industry and academia. Beyond large-scale applications, it could also become a valuable tool for researchers studying new chemical reactions.鈥�

This research was published in the journal . 

DOI: 10.1038/s44160-025-00919-z

黑料网吃瓜爆料 is globally renowned for its pioneering research, outstanding teaching and learning, and commitment to social responsibility. We are a truly international university 鈥� ranking in the top 50 in a range of global rankings 鈥� with a diverse community of more than 44,000 students, 12,000 staff and 550,000 alumni from 190 countries.  Sign up for our e-news to hear first-hand about our international partnerships and activities across the globe. 

Based in the , Prof. Liddle works across many areas of lanthanide and actinide chemistry, but in particular he researches the chemistry of metal-ligand multiple bonding, metal-metal bonding, small molecule activation and catalysis, and transuranium science. Earlier this year Prof. Liddle was elected to the in recognition of his work.

On 15-17 September, over 30 leading experts in synthetic biology, mirror biochemistry, sociology, ethics, and tech governance gathered outside of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, U.K. for technical workshops co-hosted by of the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and the Mirror Biology Dialogues Fund, a non-profit dedicated to understanding and addressing risks posed by mirror organisms.

Concerns about mirror organisms have been discussed at several recent scientific meetings. A at the Institut Pasteur 鈥� detailed in a subsequent 鈥� explored how mirror organisms could plausibly evade many mechanisms of immunity and natural ecological controls and pose potentially significant risks to humans, animals, plants, and ecosystems.

Participants at the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 workshop examined four key precursor technologies that could contribute to the creation of mirror organisms. They evaluated the potential benefits of each technology, the extent to which its development would lower barriers to the creation of mirror life, and possibilities for its governance. The technologies examined were:

1. Protein synthesis Using Recombinant Elements (PURE) systems using natural-chirality proteins;
2. Mirror ribosomes;
3. 鈥淐rossover鈥� translation systems that enable natural-chirality transcription-translation machinery to produce mirror-image proteins; and
4. The 鈥渂ooting-up鈥� of fully synthetic natural-chirality cells.

鈥淎ny governance framework for mirror-image organisms should explicitly preserve beneficial mirror biomolecule research, particularly chemical synthesis of mirror biomolecules,鈥� said Jonathan T. Sczepanski, Professor of Chemistry at Texas A&M University. 鈥淢irror biomolecules are promising candidates for treating diseases that current therapies can鈥檛 address effectively. Workshop discussions underscored the importance of drawing boundaries against high-risk applications like creating mirror life, while ensuring that therapeutic and other valuable research can progress.鈥�

No firm conclusions on research boundaries were reached at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, though international discussions on mirror life are ongoing 鈥� for example, recent discussions at the U.S. National Academies of Science, Engineering and Medicine explored mirror life, and further engagement is planned at the National University of Singapore in 2026.

鈥淭he discussions at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 highlighted how creating mirror life would require major technological advances, but also that researchers are making progress on the underlying technologies,鈥� said Kate Adamala, Associate Professor of Synthetic Biology at the University of Minnesota. 鈥淲e鈥檙e still in a position where it鈥檚 possible to stop mirror life from being made, but as these technologies mature, our options for intervention will become more limited.鈥�

鈥淭he interdisciplinary nature of these challenges became clear through our discussions,鈥� said Joy Zhang, Professor of Sociology at the University of Kent. 鈥淩ed lines alone aren鈥檛 sufficient 鈥� we need a portfolio of governance approaches, including red lines, safety nets, and incentives, that account for the social and ethical dimensions of this technology.鈥�

The Engineering and Safeguarding Synthetic Life (ESSL) on 18 September also featured discussions about mirror organisms. The conference included talks on synthetic cells, genome engineering, and convergence with AI and robotics. Several presentations and a panel discussion examined historical examples of red lines in scientific development; technical and ethical questions about mirror organisms; and scientific discussions since the December 2024 publication of a Science and that first presented the risks of mirror organisms in detail.

鈥淭he discussions at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 showed the importance of scientific input and careful analysis in any decision-making around guardrails on research,鈥� said James Smith, Deputy Director of the Mirror Biology Dialogues Fund and adjunct faculty at the J. Craig Venter Institute.

"As this conversation moves to Singapore next year, I鈥檓 excited to invite diverse stakeholders from Asia and around the world to join this critical discussion,鈥� said Matthew Chang, Executive Director of the National Centre for Engineering Biology, Singapore, and Professor at the National University of Singapore.

Aurore Hochard, Director at MEC, brought Startup Weekend to the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 in 2024, shortly after joining the team. Following the huge success of the very first Startup Weekend initiative, it has since become a flagship event at the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, championing entrepreneurship among students across the university. 

This year鈥檚 event, organised by Joana Carneiro (Enterprise Innovation Administrator at MEC) and Izzy Paton (Operations Administrator at MEC), brought together industry experts, speakers, and mentors to spark and celebrate entrepreneurship, showcasing both emerging and established talent. 

Across the weekend, participants pitched ideas, formed teams, and developed startup concepts with guidance from experienced mentors and industry leaders, wrapping up the weekend with a live pitch event in front of a panel of expert judges.

The event opened with inspiring talks from Aurore Hochard and Farah Frikha, Founder of Vesta Capsules and MEC alumna, followed by rapid-fire 30-second pitches and team formations. 

Throughout the weekend, participants learned how to identify customer needs, validate business concepts, and apply entrepreneurial thinking to solve real-world problems. 

Saturday focused on turning ideas into viable products and business models, with hands-on workshops including 鈥淏uilding the Startup Team鈥� led by Dr Rob Martin, Lecturer in Enterprise and Entrepreneurship at MEC. 

Tom Parson, Founder of Big Echo, led 鈥淏lank Page to Big Idea: Unlock Startup Ideas with AI鈥�, a session on using AI to spark creativity and accelerate the ideation process, helping students transform concepts into viable business ideas. 

Jorge Servert, Founder of Sensium, led 鈥淒eveloping the Right Product or Service鈥�, a practical session guiding students to define and build their product or service based on real market needs, while also creating their first business plan using MEC鈥檚 startup template. 

On Sunday, teams perfected their business ideas through sessions like 鈥淢arketing & Acquiring Customers鈥� with Eleni Chiarapini, Lecturer in Entrepreneurship at MEC, and 鈥淧ersonal Branding for Startups鈥� with Coralie Watson, Founder of Theme Socials. 

Lastly, students worked on their pitches in 鈥淧itch Perfect鈥� with Julia Spencer, Acceleration Manager at NatWest Corporate Banking. Julia shared industry experience and insight on what investors are really looking for in a pitch and how to make an idea stand out. 

The weekend wrapped up with final presentations to a judging panel featuring Professor Lee Pugalis (Deputy Director of MEC), Travis Ralph-Donaldson (Innovation Discovery Manager at the University鈥檚 Innovation Factory), Stephen Sankson (Regional Director at NatWest Corporate Banking), and Jenny Oliver (CEO and Founder of Biora Nature Tech). 

The event concluded with an awards ceremony recognising the top-performing teams and their innovative ideas:

First place went to Veila, a clothing brand redefining modest fashion, led by Sabrinel Takheroubt (AMBS, Faculty of Humanities) alongside Nishita Chatlani, Yutong Song, Danna Casta帽eda, and Eleanor Alphonso (all AMBS and Faculty of Humanities students). The team received 拢3,000 to continue their journey to market, focusing on direct-to-consumer growth and online marketing. 

Second place was awarded to DecoRent, a decoration rental service for short-term stays in 黑料网吃瓜爆料. The team, Stella Zhuoyue Ji Chen (AMBS), Mollie Levitt (School of Arts, Languages and Cultures, Faculty of Humanities), Benya Irlam (AMBS), Yaowen (Stephen) Hu (AMBS), and Chaerin (Devon) Son received 拢2,000 to help expand their mission of bringing cosy, functional spaces to students across the city. 

Highly Commended went to isitUp, a speculative market app for investing in people鈥檚 relationships, led by Isaac Batho (School of Engineering).

In total, 20 new business ideas were formed over the weekend, showcasing the entrepreneurial energy of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 student community and representing students from across all three faculties, Humanities; Science and Engineering; and Biology, Medicine and Health. 

Throughout the weekend, participants were supported by a dedicated group of mentors offering one-to-one advice and feedback, including Oladabola Babalola (Babz), Fernando Torres, Harry Panter, Sergio Gutierrez, Luke Marden, Jonghun Lee, Rick Watson, Ramin Esmaeilzadeh, Huw James, and Leigh Wharton. 

About the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre:  

The Masood Entrepreneurship Centre (MEC) is the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 focal point for enterprise and entrepreneurship teaching, learning, and startup support. MEC helps students, researchers, and alumni turn ideas into real-world impact through workshops, mentorship, and venture programmes.  

Learn more at:  

A team from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, working with industry partner Q-Sustain Limited, an engineering consultant based in 黑料网吃瓜爆料, is designing innovative vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs) that capture airflow generated by trains moving through tunnels 鈥� known as the piston effect.

The project, which begins with the Transpennine Route Upgrade project, will explore how this untapped energy source can be integrated into transport infrastructure, providing clean electricity and supporting the UK鈥檚 decarbonisation goals.

Early feasibility studies have already confirmed the potential of tunnel airflow, and the team has developed a bespoke techno-economic analysis (TEA) toolkit to evaluate performance and commercial viability of such designs. Available through , the software offers a practical platform for assessing renewable energy projects, with potential applications beyond just rail.

The project, funded under EPSRC Impact Acceleration Account (IAA) and under the remit of 鈥榮ustainable engineering and transport systems鈥�, could transform how transport infrastructure is designed and operated in the future.

Academic Lead of the project at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淥ur VerXis toolkit represents a leap forward in renewable energy research. By turning minimal tunnel geometry and schedule data into bank-level economic indicators in minutes, we're bridging the gap between academic innovation and real-world deployment, making piston-wind VAWTs not just technically viable, but genuinely investable.鈥�

Mr Azhar Quaiyoom, Director of industrial partner Q-Sustain Limited, added: 鈥淲hat excites us most about VerXis is its ability to rapidly test and scale turbine designs tailored to each tunnel environment. This toolkit enables smarter, data-driven decisions, helping us deploy sustainable solutions in railway infrastructure that align with the UK's net-zero ambitions and calculates the return on investment for our clients鈥�

The next stage will see prototype turbines tested in real-world tunnel environments, alongside further development of the VerXis toolkit, with the ambition of influencing future rail energy standards.

If successful, the approach could be applied not only to rail but also to other transport networks, providing a scalable model for integrating renewable energy into infrastructure across the UK and beyond.

11 student and graduate founders from across 黑料网吃瓜爆料 gave compelling 4-minute pitches to an audience of investors, local ecosystem partners, stakeholders, and peers 鈥� demonstrating innovative solutions to real problems across diverse sectors. 

They each developed their products and services on the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Venture Builder 鈥� MEC's 12-week programme of structured support to help entrepreneurs test and validate their idea, build an MVP and gain real traction on their journey to market-readiness. 

Mohamed Abbas (Venture Builder Manager, MEC) emphasised the importance of collaboration between organisations and individuals in supporting emerging young founders:

After the pitches, startups and guests gathered for the showcase and networking 鈥� an opportunity to ask questions, share ideas, and build connections. 

The ventures showcased were: 

• SpinOr 鈥� Compact superconducting quantum computers.
• PeerMatch 鈥� Building the platform where humanity's next breakthrough begins.
• AquaMinds 鈥� AI-powered early warning system for fouling in water treatment plants.
• Vesta Capsules 鈥� Offering safe sleep anytime, anywhere through stackable, weatherproof, and modular pods inspired by Japanese capsule hotels.
• ARDHANN 鈥� AI-powered next-gen composite materials for Energy, Space and Defence.
• Gynomics 鈥� Harnessing computational biology and machine learning to drive predictive and preventative care in women's reproductive health.
• Ecotrace 鈥� Plug-and-play circularity SaaS to extend the lifecycle of consumer goods, improve customer experiences, and help manufacturers meet tightening regulations.   
• Synkit 鈥� Wellness app helping employers support female staff through cycle-synced lifestyle.
• Waddle 鈥� Spontaneous small-group meetups for students seeking real-world connection.
• UniSights 鈥� Platform for Latin American schools to connect students with UK universities.
• TerraIQ 鈥� AI-powered farm optimisation platform for smallholder farms to unlock sustainability-linked revenue. 

We would like to congratulate all the startups who participated in the Demo Day for reaching this key milestone and we are excited to follow their growth and continued success. 

MEC is the University鈥檚 focal point for enterprise and entrepreneurship, offering opportunities for all current students, recent graduates and staff. Our vision is to create an ecosystem that nurtures innovators and fosters startups, driving global impact. 

You can find out more on our website . If you are interested in supporting our entrepreneurs with your expertise or investment, please get in touch with our team.

The dolphin-sized ichthyosaur called Xiphodracon goldencapensis, or the 鈥淪word Dragon of Dorset鈥� is the only known example of its kind in existence and helps to fill an important gap in the evolutionary fossil record of ichthyosaurs.

Thousands of ichthyosaur fossils have been found along the UK鈥檚 Jurassic Coast since the discoveries of pioneering palaeontologist Mary Anning. Yet the discovery of Xiphodracon is the first described genus of an Early Jurassic ichthyosaur described from the region in over 100 years.

Discovered near Golden Cap in 2001 by Dorset fossil collector Chris Moore, the fossil is almost perfectly preserved in three dimensions. The skeleton includes a skull with enormous eye socket and a long sword-like snout. The scientists say the animal would have been about three metres long and would have dined on fish and squid. The remains even show what may be traces of its last meal. It is probably the world鈥檚 most complete prehistoric reptile from the Pliensbachian period.

The finding has been described by a trio of international palaeontologists, led by ichthyosaur expert Dr Dean Lomax, an Honorary Research Fellow at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and an 1851 Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, in the journal today.

Dr Lomax said: 鈥淚 remember seeing the skeleton for the first time in 2016. Back then, I knew it was unusual, but I did not expect it to play such a pivotal role in helping to fill a gap in our understanding of a complex faunal turnover during the Pliensbachian. This time is pretty crucial for ichthyosaurs as several families went extinct and new families emerged, yet Xiphodracon is something you might call a 鈥渕issing piece of the ichthyosaur puzzle鈥�. It is more closely related to species in the later Early Jurassic (in the Toarcian), and its discovery helps pinpoint when the faunal turnover occurred, being much earlier than expected.鈥�

After its discovery in 2001, the skeleton was acquired by the Royal Ontario Museum, Canada, where it became part of their extensive collection of ichthyosaurs but had remained unstudied.

Ichthyosaurs from the Pliensbachian (193鈥�184 million years ago) are incredibly rare and makes Xiphodracon a vital piece of evidence for scientists studying the critical but poorly understood time in ichthyosaurian evolution.

Ichthyosaur expert and co-author, Professor Judy Massare, from the State University of NY at Brockport, USA, said: 鈥淭housands of complete or nearly complete ichthyosaur skeletons are known from strata before and after the Pliensbachian. The two faunas are quite distinct, with no species in common, even though the overall ecology is similar. Clearly, a major change in species diversity occurred sometime in the Pliensbachian. Xiphodracon helps to determine when the change occurred, but we still don鈥檛 know why.鈥�

Dr Erin Maxwell, a co-author and ichthyosaur expert from the State Museum of Natural History Stuttgart, added: 鈥淭his skeleton provides critical information for understanding ichthyosaur evolution, but also contributes to our understanding of what life must have been like in the Jurassic seas of Britain. The limb bones and teeth are malformed in such a way that points to serious injury or disease while the animal was still alive, and the skull appears to have been bitten by a large predator - likely another much larger species of ichthyosaur- giving us a cause of death for this individual. Life in the Mesozoic oceans was a dangerous prospect.鈥�

Collectively, the trio have identified several features in Xiphodracon that have never been observed in any ichthyosaur. The most peculiar is a strange and unique bone around the nostril (called a lacrimal) that has prong-like bony structures.

Dr Lomax, who is the author of the recently published book, 鈥�The Secret Lives of Dinosaurs鈥�, said: 鈥淥ne of the coolest things about identifying a new species is that you get to name it! We opted for Xiphodracon because of the long, sword-like snout (xipho from Greek xiphos for sword) and dracon (Greek and Latin for dragon) in reference to ichthyosaurs being referred to as 鈥渟ea dragons鈥� for over 200 years.鈥�

The new research has been published today in the international journal 鈥�Papers in Palaeontology鈥�. The skeleton is planned to go on display at the Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto, Canada.

Paper title:  A new long and narrow-snouted ichthyosaur illuminates a complex faunal turnover during an undersampled Early Jurassic (Pliensbachian) interval

DOI:   

Professor Zara Hodgson and Professor Jovica Milanovi膰 have been elected for their exceptional contributions to their field: pioneering new innovations within academia and business, providing expert advice to government, and fostering a wider comprehension of engineering and technology. 

Zara Hodgson, Professor of Nuclear Engineering and Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 is an internationally renowned expert in nuclear energy policy and research. She has been pivotal in the UK government鈥檚 recent interventions to grow the UK鈥檚 nuclear fuel production capability, delivering advances for the global net-zero mission, and generating energy security by building resilient supply chains. Zara is the Director of the Dalton Nuclear Institute and a Professor of Nuclear Engineering at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料, where she is leading contributions to the national nuclear enterprise through high impact research, education, training and independent advice.

Jovica Milanovi膰, Professor of Electrical Power Engineering at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 is internationally recognised for his outstanding contributions to power systems engineering. His research focuses on the probabilistic modelling of power system dynamics, addressing uncertainties in generation, demand, and network topology, and advancing distributed voltage control strategies. He has played a pivotal role in shaping industrial standards through leadership in IEEE and CIGRE task forces, and his work on load modelling has been instrumental in improving peak demand management across UK networks. Professor Milanovi膰 also holds leadership positions within the IEEE and senior advisory roles in the electrical power industry.

The new Fellows will be formally admitted to the Academy at a special ceremony in London on 18 November, when each Fellow will sign the roll book. In joining the Fellowship, they will lend their unique capabilities to achieving the Academy鈥檚 overarching strategic goal to engineer better lives.   

The group consists of 60 Fellows, nine International Fellows and five Honorary Fellows.They are drawn from every specialism from within the engineering and technology professions and cover sectors ranging from energy and defence to new materials.

 Sir John Lazar CBE FREng, President of the Royal Academy of Engineering, said: 鈥淎s we approach our 50th anniversary next year it鈥檚 a good time to reflect on how much we have achieved. The Academy is built on the foundation of our Fellowship, and that remains as true today as half a century ago. Our story began as a 鈥楩ellowship of Engineering鈥� of 130 Fellows including such pioneers as Air Commodore Sir Frank Whittle, Lord Hinton of Bankside and Sir Ove Arup, driven by the support of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

鈥淭oday鈥檚 cohort join a community of around 1,700 of some of the most talented engineers and innovators in the UK and around the globe. Their knowledge and experience make them uniquely well placed to tackle the biggest challenges facing the world, and our determination to advance and promote excellence in engineering remains undimmed.鈥� 

Further information about the new Fellows can be found on the

Working with colleagues at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 St Mary鈥檚 Hospital and the University of Malaysia, the researchers used mathematical modelling to understand how the cord鈥檚 unique twisted shape affects the way oxygen, nutrients and heat are exchanged before birth.

The study, published in the , found that the spiral design of the blood vessels in the cord appears to affect the exchange of oxygen and heat, minimising the risk of heat and oxygen being lost, helping to keep babies鈥� temperature and oxygen levels stable before birth.

Although the umbilical cord is essential to life, scientists still know little about how its complex coiled structure contributes to its function. These new findings shed light on an overlooked but vital process.

Complications linked to the placenta and umbilical cord, such as fetal growth restriction and pre-eclampsia, affect around 10% of pregnancies in the UK, yet remain poorly understood.

The researchers hope their work will pave the way for further studies on abnormal cord structures, such as cords that are too loosely or tightly coiled, which are known to be associated with complications during pregnancy.

Paper details:

Journal : Journal of the Royal Society Interface

Full title: A functional shunt in the umbilical cord: the role of coiling in solute and heat transfer

DOI:

The image from this research was also chosen as the journal's issue cover: 

The project, supported by a 拢3 million grant from the Gates Foundation, will develop national-scale irrigation mapping data and capacity in three countries 鈥� Kenya, Ethiopia, and Nigeria 鈥� between September 2025 and August 2029.

Expanding and improving irrigation access is vital for climate adaptation and food security across Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Yet, most SSA countries lack up to date or reliable information about existing irrigation systems, leaving governments and development actors limited in their ability to target interventions to improve irrigation access, evaluate outcomes of investments, and ensure development is both sustainable and equitable.

The new project 鈥� IrrEO: Irrigated Area Mapping Tool Development and Deployment 鈥� will leverage advances in Earth Observation (EO) imagery and artificial intelligence algorithms, working with national partners in the three focal countries to co-develop a set of data products, algorithms, and software that enable high-resolution mapping of irrigated croplands both now and into the future.

The project will also work with local research teams to use new irrigation mapping data and tools to understand the barriers and opportunities for irrigation development, highlighting investment strategies that deliver better results for small-scale farmers.

Another key goal is to strengthen the capacity of government agencies and development partners across Sub-Saharan Africa to apply advanced mapping approaches in national irrigation planning. Over four years, the team will conduct training workshops and participatory design session to help overcome barriers to adopt of EO methods and tools in irrigation decision-making and policy.

The University team brings together interdisciplinary expertise in remote sensing, agricultural sustainability, rural development, and data justice. Alongside , the other 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team members include , Senior Lecturer in Physical Geography from the School of Environment Education and Development (SEED) and co-lead of MERI鈥檚 newly launched Land and Resource Futures Initiative 鈥� and , Senior Lecturer in Socio-Environmental Systems in the Global Development Institute (GDI).

Organised in partnership with Rethink Rebuild Society and supported by the Chemists鈥� Community Fund (Royal Society of Chemistry), 48 children aged nine to 14 visited the University鈥檚 state-of-the-art Makerspace facility over three days to take part in a variety of fun and practical experiments, including making batteries out of lemons, testing acidity with natural indicators, and simple filtration experiments.

The initiative is the brainchild of Dr Abdullatif Alfutimie, Senior Lecturer in the School of Chemical Engineering at the University. Dr Alfutimie first came to 黑料网吃瓜爆料 from Aleppo in 2009 to pursue postgraduate study before going on to complete his PhD in 2012. But while pursuing his research career, his home city of Aleppo 鈥� once one of Syria鈥檚 most vibrant cultural centres 鈥� was being devastated by civil war.

Staying closely connected to family and friends affected by displacement and the collapse of education, he began to consider how he might use his own expertise to help displaced students regain educational confidence.

Dr Abdullatif Alfutimie, who led the programme, said: 鈥淭his event wasn't just about science 鈥� it was about recognising curiosity, celebrating identity, and creating a sense of belonging for children who often face immense challenges.

"If we need to rebuild our country or even to contribute to improve this country, we need to educate this generation.

鈥淭he enthusiasm from the pupils was truly heartwarming - one parent told us that their child couldn't wait to repeat an experiment at home for their siblings.鈥�

The initiative concluded with a Community Celebration Day at Rethink Rebuild Society鈥檚 centre in 黑料网吃瓜爆料, welcoming more than 150 children and family members. Each child received a certificate and a take-home chemistry kit to continue their learning at home. A representative from the Royal Society of Chemistry was also in attendance to present the certificates and celebrate the children鈥檚 achievements.

Magda van Leeuwen, Volunteer and Engagement Manager for the Royal Society of Chemistry, said: 鈥淐hemistry Education for Refugee Students is an important initiative that gives young people who have already experienced a lot in their lives hope and opportunities. Programmes like the one Abdullatif has developed show that chemistry really is for all and can be a catalyst for instilling a lifelong passion in our subject.

鈥淭hrough the Outreach Fund and with the backing of the Chemists鈥� Community Fund, the RSC is committed to supporting projects that give more people the opportunity to get hands-on scientific experiences. We are proud to have played a small part and want to applaud Abdullatif and his colleagues for their hard work in putting together such a practical and engaging experience for the participants.鈥�

黑料网吃瓜爆料 is recognised as a University of Sanctuary, working to make the University a welcoming and safe place for refugees and asylum seekers. The University鈥檚 commitment to supporting sanctuary seekers is embedded across its three core goals: research, teaching, and social responsibility. The city of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 is also a City of Sanctuary, part of the . The University works closely with the organisation to help its aim of making 黑料网吃瓜爆料 a place that is open and fair. 

Read more about Abdullatif鈥檚 initiative on the

鈥�, published to mark the Centre鈥檚 25th anniversary, looks back at the Tyndall Centre鈥檚 own energy scenarios, alongside more than 80 others produced in the 2000s. The study found that while most scenarios assumed some level of reduction in energy demand, only one -  Tyndall Centre鈥檚 鈥淩ed鈥� scenario - came close to predicting the UK鈥檚 actual energy demand in 2022.

The researchers say this mismatch reveals that early scenarios often focused on untested technologies while overlooking practical and proven ways to reduce energy use, such as improving public transport, insulating homes, and reducing air travel.

They identified that these modelling choices often influenced policy debates, with optimism about new technologies often overshadowing everyday solutions, potentially limiting the scope of decarbonisation deemed possible by policymakers.

 By comparing the envisioned futures with the UK energy system changes that actually emerged, the authors show where foresight was limited, where assumptions proved overambitious, and where genuine transformation was underestimated.

The report also reflects on two decades of Tyndall Centre鈥檚 research. Starting with the Royal Commission鈥檚 60% carbon cut target by 2050, the Tyndall Centre helped bring carbon budgets to the centre of UK climate policy and highlighted the need for action across all sectors, including aviation and shipping,.

The authors argue that energy scenarios aiming to support an urgent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, must explore a wider range of options, with greater focus on proven solutions such as efficiency, lifestyle change, and equity. Doing so would open up more options for policymakers to deliver on their climate ambition, reduce reliance on unproven technologies, and align the UK鈥檚 energy pathways more closely with climate science.

Decarbonising the UK revisited is being launched at the Tyndall Centre鈥檚 25^th Anniversary Conference at the University of East Anglia (UEA) on Monday, 8 September. Our Critical Decade for Climate Action is a major meeting for 300 researchers from 20 countries.

The report is part of a wider project at Tyndall Centre that explores how energy scenarios influence policy and what lessons can be drawn halfway through this critical decade for climate action.

Read the full report

In a new review, published in the journal today, the researchers have examined the current scientific research on how tiny plastic fragments 鈥� called micro and nanoplastics 鈥� enter the air, where they come from, and the mechanisms that transport them across vast distances.

The study reveals significant gaps in knowledge and understanding of airborne plastic pollution, driven by inconsistent measurement techniques, limited data, oversimplified simulations, and gaps in understanding atmospheric cycling mechanisms.

One key uncertainty is the scale of plastic entering the atmosphere. Current estimates vary wildly - from less than 800 tonnes to nearly 9 million tonnes per year - making it difficult to assess the true global impact. It also remains unclear whether the dominant contributors are land-based, such as road traffic, or marine based, such as sea spray.

Such large uncertainties raise the concern that airborne plastics, which pose potential risks to human and environmental health, may have a more extensive presence and influence than previously captured by current monitoring and simulation systems.

Each year, the world produces over 400 million tonnes of plastic, with a significant proportion ending up as waste. Over time, these plastics breaks down into microscopic particles called microplastics (less than 5mm) and nanoplastics (smaller than 1 micron), which are increasingly being found in the air we breath, oceans and soil. These particles can move thousands of miles within days and have even remote regions like polar ice zones, desserts and remote mountain peaks.

While our understanding of the problem has grown rapidly, limited real-world data, inconsistent sampling methods, and computer models that oversimplify how plastic behaves in the air, means that key questions remain unanswered.

To address these concerns, the authors are calling for future research efforts to focus on three critical areas:

• Expanding and standardising global observation networks
• Improving and refining atmospheric modelling
• Harnessing the power of artificial intelligence (AI)

They say this integrated approach could transform how we understand and manage the plastic pollution crisis.

Full title: A Review of Atmospheric Micro/Nanoplastics: Insights into Source and Fate for Modelling Studies

Journal: Current Pollution Reports  

DOI: 10.1007/s40726-025-00375-5

Link:

Located around 3,400 light-years away in the constellation Scorpius, the Butterfly Nebula is one of the best studied planetary nebulae. Its 鈥榳ings鈥� of glowing gas were previously but Webb鈥檚 new observations, published in today, go even further, uncovering hidden structures and finally pinpointing the nebula鈥檚 elusive central star.

Planetary nebulae like the Butterfly form when stars heavier than the sun reach the end of their lives, casting off their outer layers of gas and dust. The Butterfly Nebula is what astronomers call a bipolar nebula, meaning that it has two lobes of gas that spread in opposite directions to form the 鈥榳ings鈥� of the butterfly. At its centre, a dense band of dusty gas called the torus, which poses as the butterfly鈥檚 鈥榖ody鈥�. This structure energises the nebula and may be responsible for its insect-like shape by preventing gas from flowing evenly in all directions. 

Using James Webb鈥檚 , scientists have now been able to see through this dusty torus for the first time, providing an unprecedented view of its complex structure.

By combining images at many different wavelengths with complementary data from the Atacama Large Millimetre/submillimetre Array in Chile, the international team of researchers, including from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, discovered  the butterfly鈥檚 central star, one of the hottest ever found in our galaxy, with a scorching surface temperature of around 220,000 Kelvin.

Although this intense heat powers the nebula鈥檚 colourful glow, earlier telescopes lacked the sensitivity and resolution needed to see through the thick layer of dust, making the star impossible to detect at visible wavelengths.

Professor Albert Zijlstra, a co-author of the paper from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淭his is an extraordinary discovery. We鈥檙e looking at one of the hottest stars ever found - an object so elusive that even Hubble couldn鈥檛 detect it for decades. Thanks to JWST, we鈥檝e finally uncovered it, concealed within its own dense shroud of dust.

鈥淪urrounding the star is a massive dark torus, the heaviest ever observed around such an object, containing more material than our own Sun. Even Webb can鈥檛 fully pierce through it. Inside, the environment is sheer chaos; powerful radiation and stellar winds tearing into the surrounding cloud. It鈥檚 unlike anything I鈥檝e ever seen.

鈥淢ost planetary nebulae appear graceful and symmetric, but this one is still at the beginning of its transformation 鈥� it鈥檚 more like a butterfly struggling out of its cocoon than the elegant shapes we鈥檙e used to seeing.鈥�

The Webb data revealed that the torus is composed of crystals similar to quartz as well as unusually large grains of dust, suggesting they have been growing for a long time. Outside the torus, the team observed jets of iron and nickel blasting away from the star in opposite directions, along with a multilayered structure made up of different atoms and molecules.

Perhaps most intriguing was the discovery of carbon-based molecules known as polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs. On Earth, these molecules are found in smoke from fires or even burnt toast 鈥� but they have never before been seen in an oxygen-rich planetary nebula. The team believes the PAHs may form when a bubble of stellar wind bursts into the surrounding gas.

The finding provides an important glimpse into the details of how these molecules form.

***

Journal:

Full title: The JWST/MIRI view of the planetary nebula NGC 6302 鈥� I. A UV-irradiated torus and a hot bubble triggering PAH formation

DOI:  

Link:  

A series of three new papers published this week in Nature Astronomy and Nature Geoscience, reveal that Bennu is a mix of dust formed in our solar system, organic matter from interstellar space and stardust that predates the solar system itself. The asteroid is thought to have formed from fragments of a larger parent asteroid destroyed by a collision in the asteroid belt between the orbits of Mars and Jupiter.

In the first paper, co-led by researchers at the University of Arizona and NASA鈥檚 Johnson Space Center, published in the journal , 黑料网吃瓜爆料 researchers studied the gases trapped inside Bennu鈥檚 samples 鈥� in particular xenon, which is a very rare gas. Their measurements showed that Bennu鈥檚 gases resembled those found in some of the most primitive meteorites found on earth and materials returned from asteroid Ryugu by Japan鈥檚 Hayabusa2 mission.

When combined with other elemental and isotopic analyses, the results suggest that Bennu鈥檚 parent body contained material from a range of origins, close to the Sun, far from the Sun, and even some grains from beyond our solar system.

The findings also show that while much of the materials in the parent asteroid had been affected by water and heat, some of the material had escaped various chemical processes and retained its original chemical signatures. Some even survived the extremely energetic collision that broke it apart and formed Bennu.

The studies also show that while some of Bennu鈥檚 original material survived unchanged, similarly, much of it was transformed by reactions with water. Minerals in its parent asteroid likely formed, dissolved, and re-formed over time, with up to 80% of Bennu鈥檚 material now made up of water-bearing minerals.

These findings were reported in a second paper the paper published in co-led by the University of Arizona and the Smithsonian鈥檚 National Museum of Natural History, and included contributions from Professor Rhian Jones at 黑料网吃瓜爆料.

In the third paper, co-led by Lindsay Keller at NASA鈥檚 Johnson Space Center and Michelle Thompson of Purdue University, also published in , researchers found microscopic craters and tiny splashes of once-molten rock 鈥� known as impact melts 鈥� on the sample surfaces - signs that the asteroid was bombarded by micrometeorites. These impacts, together with the effects of solar wind, are known as space weathering and occurred because Bennu has no atmosphere to protect it.

Lindsay Keller at NASA鈥檚 Johnson Space Center, said: 鈥淭he surface weathering at Bennu is happening a lot faster than conventional wisdom would have it, and the impact melt mechanism appears to dominate, contrary to what we originally thought.

鈥淪pace weathering is an important process that affects all asteroids, and with returned samples, we can tease out the properties controlling it and use that data and extrapolate it to explain the surface and evolution of asteroid bodies that we haven鈥檛 visited.鈥�

As leftovers from the formation of planets 4.5 billion years ago, asteroids like Bennu provide a valuable record of solar system history. Unlike meteorites that fall to Earth, which often burn up or are altered in the atmosphere, Bennu鈥檚 pristine samples give scientists a rare opportunity to study untouched material.

The project brings together researchers from NASA, universities and research centres around the world 鈥� including the UK, the United States, Japan and Canada 鈥� to study Bennu鈥檚 samples and unlock new insights into the origins of the solar system.

For more information on NASA鈥檚 OSIRIS-REx mission, visit:

The research, published today in , tracks 130 years of changes in the 鈥渟pirograph鈥� Planetary Nebula IC418 - a glowing shell of gas and dust cast off by a dying star about 4000 light years from Earth.

By piecing together observations dating back to 1893, when astronomers first recorded the nebula by eye through a telescope, to today, scientists found the nebula鈥檚 signature green light, emitted by oxygen atoms, has grown around 2.5 times stronger since Victorian astronomers first studied it.

This change is being driven by the central star鈥檚 rising temperature, which has increased by around 3,000掳C since 1893, or roughly 1,000掳C every 40 years. For comparison, the Sun increased by the same amount during its formation, but took 10 million years to do it.

However, although the star is heating faster than ever observed, it is still slower than the latest models had predicted. This challenges current theories of how stars age and die, and may force astronomers to rethink the masses of stars capable of producing carbon 鈥� the element essential for life.

A planetary nebula marks one of the final stages in a star鈥檚 life. As the star鈥檚 core becomes unstable, it sheds its outer layers into space. The remaining core heats rapidly, energising the surrounding gas and dust to form beautiful structures. In the case of IC418, this creates an intricate, swirling structure, earning its nickname 鈥渢he spirograph nebula鈥�. Our Sun will undergo the same fate in about 5 billion years.

While planetary nebulae usually evolve slowly, the researchers discovered that IC418 is evolving fast enough to track within a human lifetime.

This makes it the most prolonged and rapid transformation ever recorded in a planetary nebula, and possibly any star.

The team examined 130 years of observations from a wide range of telescopes 鈥� from the human eye measurements in the late 1800s to the advanced technologies of today. They verified, calibrated, and combined the data before comparing it with detailed models of stellar evolution. This allowed them to measure the star鈥檚 heating rate, determine its current mass, and even estimate the mass of the star before it began its transformation.

The findings offer a rare insight into of how planetary nebulae evolve and suggest the night sky can change much faster than we usually think.

Co-author, Professor Quentin Parker from the University of Hong Kong, said: 鈥淲e believe this research is important because it offers unique, direct evidence of how planetary nebulae central stars evolve. It will prompt us to rethink some of our existing models of stellar life cycles.

鈥淚t鈥檚 been a strong joint effort - collecting, verifying, and carefully analysing more than a century鈥檚 worth of astronomical data and then melding that with stellar evolutionary models. It鈥檚 a challenging process that goes far beyond simple observation, and we鈥檙e grateful for the opportunity to contribute to our field in this way.鈥�

Journal: The Astrophysical Journal Letters

Full title: The secular evolution of planetary nebula IC 418 and its implications for carbon star formation

DOI: 10.3487/2041-8213/ADF62b

Link:

A new study, led by researchers at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, in collaboration with Chester Zoo, found that birds appear to follow Zipf鈥檚 Law of Abbreviation (ZLA) 鈥� the idea that more frequently used sounds tend to be shorter. This rule, found in all human languages, helps make communication more efficient.

The findings, published in the journal today, offer new insight into how animals communicate and provide a new foundation for researchers exploring whether birds, like humans, shape their vocal signals according to the 'principle of least effort'.

Lead author Dr Tucker Gilman, Senior Lecturer at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: 鈥淚n human language, if we say something a lot, we tend to shorten it 鈥� like saying 鈥楾V鈥� instead of 鈥榯elevision鈥�. It turns out that the same pattern exists in birdsong.

鈥淲e know that birds and humans share similarities in the genes and brain structures involved in learning to communicate but this is the first time we鈥檝e been able to detect a consistent pattern of ZLA across multiple bird species. There鈥檚 still a lot more work to be done but this is an exciting development.鈥�

Although previous studies hinted that animal communication might follow ZLA 鈥� including in penguins 鈥� it has been difficult to find clear evidence of ZLA in birdsong. That鈥檚 partly because most birds have much smaller repertoires compared to humans. While humans use thousands of words, birds may only produce a few dozen distinct sounds.

To tackle this, the researchers developed new method for studying ZLA in birdsong that focuses on how often individual birds use certain note types and how long those notes last allowing them to examine communication at an individual rather than population level.

They then applied this method using a new open-source computational tool called ZLAvian, which compares real-world observed patterns to simulated ones to determine if ZLA is present.

Using ZLAvian, the team analysed more than 600 songs from 11 bird populations spanning seven different species. They found that while individual populations didn鈥檛 always show clear signs of ZLA, a stronger pattern emerged when the data was combined, showing more frequently used birdsong phrases were shorter on average.

Co-author Dr Rebecca Lewis, Conservation Scientist at Chester Zoo, said: 鈥淪tudying ZLA in birdsong is far more complex than in human language. Birds often have very few note types, individuals even within the same species can vary widely in their repertoires, and classifying notes is tricky too. Our research has taught that it鈥檚 important to look across a wide range of species when looking for language patterns and we hope ZLAvian will make it easier for other researchers to explore these patterns in  more birds but also other animals in the future.鈥�

The team says that further studies are needed across a broader set of bird species to confirm their findings.

Paper details:

Journal: PLoS Computational Biology

Full title: Does Zipf鈥檚 law of abbreviation shape birdsong?

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pcbi.1013228

Link:

黑料网吃瓜爆料 has been awarded a major grant to lead a new programme that will transform the lifecycle of graphite in nuclear energy - an essential material for the future deployment of nuclear power.

The award brings together world-leading expertise led by 黑料网吃瓜爆料 in collaboration with the Universities of Oxford, Plymouth, and Loughborough.

Nuclear energy is expected to play a central role in the UK鈥檚 net zero goals as it emits nearly zero carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gas emissions 鈥� but it comes with challenges.

The five-year ENLIGHT programme (Enabling a Lifecycle Approach to Graphite for Advanced Modular Reactors) will develop critical technologies to support the deployment of next-generation nuclear energy technology and will address two of the UK鈥檚 most pressing nuclear challenges - securing a sustainable, sovereign supply of nuclear graphite and finding solutions to manage the country鈥檚 growing volume of irradiated graphite waste.

The project is supported with an 拢8.2m grant from UK Research and Innovation鈥檚 Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), Higher Education Institutions, and around 拢5m of contributions from industry partners.

The programme of research, collaboration, and skills development aims to secure the UK鈥檚 position at the forefront of nuclear innovation and a global leader in advanced reactor technology and clean energy innovation.

Graphite is a critical component in many next-generation Advanced Modular Reactors (AMRs), including High Temperature Gas-cooled Reactors and various Molten Salt Reactor designs - technologies key to achieving the UK鈥檚 ambition to deliver 24GW of new nuclear power by 2050.

The material accounts for around one-third of reactor build costs, yet despite its importance, the UK currently relies entirely on imports to meet demand.

With the existing Advanced Gas-cooled Reactor fleet approaching decommissioning by 2028, and more than 100,000 tonnes of irradiated graphite already in storage, ENLIGHT will pioneer new approaches to both recycling legacy material and producing new, sustainable high-performance graphite suitable for future AMRs.

Dr Greg Black, Senior Advisor at the Environment Agency, said: 鈥�The Environment Agency look forward to participating as a partner in the ENLIGHT programme. As the environmental regulator for the nuclear industry in England, we consider the ambitions of the ENLIGHT programme on 'sustainable graphite' aligns with our Regulatory and RD&I areas of interest.鈥�

The programme will focus on three strands of work:

• Sustainable Graphite 鈥� Developing processes for decontaminating, recycling and reusing irradiated graphite from AMR deployment.
• Graphite Selection & Design 鈥� Designing new graphite materials engineered to withstand extreme conditions in AMR environments.
• Graphite Performance 鈥� Understanding how these new materials behave in novel AMR conditions to improve its lifespan.

These advances could save the UK up to 拢2 billion in future waste management costs and offers a pathway to strengthen the UK鈥檚 unique position as a global hub for graphite research and innovation.

, Professor of Energy Materials at the University of Oxford will lead theme two around graphite selection and design. He said: 鈥淚鈥檓 delighted to be leading Theme two (Graphite Selection & Design 鈥� Designing new graphite materials engineered to withstand extreme conditions in AMR environments) in this major project.  Materials will contribute to several work packages across the whole activity, and our initial focus will be on novel studies of mechanical damage to support the design and qualification of new nuclear graphites for advanced fission reactors.鈥�

At Loughborough University, researchers are contributing advanced computational modelling to explore how nuclear graphite behaves under extreme conditions.

Senior Lecturer in Materials Modelling at Loughborough University, said: 鈥淭his will help us predict how and when these critical reactor components may fail, guiding the design of stronger, more reliable materials for the reactors of tomorrow. Our research also supports the reuse and recycling of existing graphite, helping to make future nuclear energy both safer and more sustainable."

The University of Plymouth will bring expertise in the analysis of porous materials, which will play a critical role in evaluating the performance and suitability of repurposed graphite.

, Lecturer in Environmental and Analytical Chemistry at the University of Plymouth, said: 鈥淭his project is not just about scientific discovery; it's about pioneering sustainable solutions for nuclear energy, turning waste into a valuable resource and bolstering the UK's energy security for decades to come. This consortium embodies a truly cyclical and green approach to nuclear solutions, aiming for a cleaner energy transition and helping to demystify some of the traditional concepts that surround the nuclear industry. Our expertise in analysing the intricate properties of porous materials will be instrumental in ensuring the suitability of repurposed graphite for next-generation nuclear reactors, and we are particularly excited to have the opportunity to grow our relationship with 黑料网吃瓜爆料 鈥� and our industrial partners across the nuclear industry 鈥� through this initiative.鈥�

ENLIGHT will also focus on skills development to expand the national graphite research community and train the next generation of graphite scientists and engineers essential to the UK's clean energy future.

Home to the and a core partner in the , 黑料网吃瓜爆料 is uniquely positioned to lead the ENLIGHT programme. The University brings together cutting-edge facilities from the Irradiated Materials Laboratory and the .

ENLIGHT will also build on 黑料网吃瓜爆料's role in flagship activities and initiatives including, the , the and

On Thursday 17^th July 2025, researchers from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 furthered their entrepreneurial journey by completing the MEC R2I programme at the Options Roundabout event. The event saw participants pitch their innovations to a panel of commercialisation experts, entrepreneurs and funders from across the University. The day concluded with a celebration of the cohort鈥檚 accomplishments with peers and supporters of the programme, as well as a networking opportunity to aid them in their next steps.

The R2I programme aims to inspire and accelerate the translation of academic research into impact-driven ventures. Over the course of 12-weeks, participants benefited from a series of bespoke workshops and mentoring opportunities to help them articulate their ideas and explore the commercial potential of their research.

Six Innovation Enabling Awards were granted to acknowledge the progress and growth potential, with early career researchers receiving between 拢2,000 to 拢10,000 to support the further development of their businesses.

Aurore Hochard, Director of the Masood Entrepreneurship Centre, presented the Innovation Enabling Awards to the six winning projects.

Award Winners

Innovation Enabling Award: 拢10,000

Lut猫o Medical

Dr Abigail Elias (School of Biological Sciences)

鈥�The support, mentoring, and resources provided through the Researcher to Innovator (R2I) programme have been transformative. Most importantly, the experience gave me the confidence to reach out to potential stakeholders and begin building the connections needed to bring my ideas to life. It was also great to connect with people on the cohort from such a broad range of disciplines."

Innovation Enabling Award: 拢5,000

ViRTUE: Virtual Reality Training in Ultrasonic Evaluation

Daniel Conniffe (School of Engineering)

鈥淩2I equipped me with the resources, motivation, and communication skills to bridge the gap between research and industry. Through building a strong network, I gained insight into real-world challenges and was able to pivot my research toward creating a meaningful, practical solution.鈥�

Innovation Enabling Award: 拢3,000

Hollowgraf

Dr Premlal Balakrishna Pillai (School of Engineering)

鈥淭he encouragement, guidance, and practical knowledge I gained through R2I have been truly inspiring. The programme really helped me to clarify my idea and shape it into a commercially viable opportunity, giving me the confidence to take the first steps into entrepreneurship.鈥�

Innovation Enabling Award: 拢2,000

PRECIOUS: Programmable Recovery of Critical Elements Using Synthetic Biology

Dr Sergio Guti茅rrez Zapata (School of Natural Sciences)

鈥淭he R2I programme gave me the push I didn鈥檛 know I needed. It helped me go from a scientific idea to something that could actually work in the real world 鈥� with real people and real challenges. Being able to shape a venture around bioremediation, and test the idea from different angles, has been incredibly motivating.鈥�

Innovation Enabling Award: 拢2,000

PRISM: Prostate cancer Risk Identification by Spectroscopic Measurement

Dr Dougal Ferguson (School of Engineering)

鈥�The R2I programme really helped me hone my ability to concisely and impactfully pitch my research as a commercial application. I am much more confident now pitching my science to a non-scientific audience!鈥�

Innovation Enabling Award: 拢2,000

Inclusive Skincare Solutions

Yoana Kirilova (School of Biological Sciences)

鈥淭he Researcher to Innovator programme has been a fantastic journey 鈥� connecting with like-minded peers, learning from experienced entrepreneurs, and gaining insights that will continue to shape my innovation journey.鈥�

The prize winners will also receive expert support and signposting to regional and national accelerator programmes and all the participants on the MEC R2I programme will be connected to the wider ecosystem for further support, mentoring and guidance in taking their research ideas forward.

The organisers wish to thank the Innovation Academy and the Engineers for Business Fellowship for their sponsorship of the Innovation Enabling Awards.

The  is supported by the University鈥檚 Innovation Academy. The Innovation Academy is a pan University initiative and joint venture between the , the  and the Business Engagement and Knowledge Exchange team, bringing together knowledge, expertise and routes to facilitate the commercialisation of research.

The study, led by ETH Zurich and supported by 黑料网吃瓜爆料, sheds new light on how fast-moving mixtures of water, soil and rocks 鈥� known as debris flows 鈥� develop into a series of surges, destroying everything in their path. 

Using highly sensitive 3D laser scanners, the scientists collected measurements during a major debris flow in the Illgraben valley in Switzerland on 5 June 2022. Analysis enabled the scientists to pinpoint how small surface disturbances evolve down the channel into powerful large amplitude waves that concentrate the flow鈥檚 destructive power.

The findings, published in the journal , are among the most detailed measurements of a real-life debris flow ever recorded.

Debris flows are a recurring natural hazard in steep terrain throughout the world, and are triggered by heavy rainfall, and increasingly, glacial runoff and permafrost melt. Recent landslides in the Alps continue to highlight the risks posed by debris flows, such as the 2017 Bondo landslide in Graub眉nden, which triggered a debris flow that travelled 4km downhill into the Bondasca Valley. This emphasises the urgent need to better understand and predict these hazardous events.

Due to the frequency of debris flow occurence, the Illgraben valley has been equipped with measuring instruments since 2000. It has recently supplemented by five highly sensitive 3D laser scanners, called LiDAR, which can determine distance and speed, and six high-speed video cameras.

On the day of the June 2022 event, 25,000 cubic meters of water, earth and debris poured approximately seven kilometres down the bed of the Illbach before the muddy stream was absorbed by the river Rh么ne at Susten. The devices measured surface velocities and the evolving free surface of the debris flow at three measuring stations with a spatial resolution of 2 cm and a temporal resolution of 0.1 seconds.

The team of scientists from ETH Zurich, Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research (Birmensdorf) and 黑料网吃瓜爆料, were able to document how the waves grew along the channel and use the data to develop a new friction law that was used in a debris-flow model to realistically simulate the  genesis and growth of the waves.

They found that near the top of the (about 2km from the outflow into the Rh么ne river), the debris flow had a fast-moving wave front, but no surges, while further down the channel the flow became shallower and spontaneously developed a series of waves. During the 30-minute event, researchers recorded 70 of these surges, which emerge from a surface instability that allows the waves to grow and as they move downhill.

Lead researcher, Jordan Aaron, Professor of Engineering Geology at ETH Zurich, said: "It has long been known that waves play a central role in the destructive power of debris flows, because they concentrate the forces that are applied to structures in their path.

"Thanks to the measurements around the debris flow of June 2022 and the modelling based on them, the researchers now have a better understanding. Our analysis provides new insights into the dynamics of debris flows and enables improved hazard management in the medium term.鈥�

This research, which was partially funded by the UK鈥檚 Natural Environment Research Council (), has been published in the journal Communication Earth & Environment

Full title: Detailed observations reveal the genesis and dynamics of destructive debris-flow surges

DOI: doi.org/10.1038/s43247-025-02488-7

Link:  https://www.nature.com/articles/s43247-025-02488-7

The research, published today in , investigates a meter-long flipper from a Temnodontosaurus - a giant ichthyosaur 鈥� with uniquely preserved with fossilised soft tissues.

The findings reveal that the marine reptile, which exceeds 10m in length, was equipped with evolved to have specialised fins that the scientists believe served to suppress the sound of its own movements when foraging in dimly lit environments about 183 million years ago - an evolutionary adaptation never previously seen in any aquatic creature, living or extinct.

The team involves an international team of scientists, led by Dr Johan Lindgren from Lund University in Sweden, in collaboration with one of the world鈥檚 leading ichthyosaur experts, , a Palaeontologist at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, who has been working on the fossil for about six years and says the finding 鈥渞epresents one of the greatest fossil discoveries ever made鈥�  and could revolutionise the way scientists investigate other prehistoric animals.

Dr Lindgren, who has pioneered research on ancient marine reptile soft tissues, said: 鈥淭he wing-like shape of the flipper, together with the lack of bones in the distal end and distinctly serrated trailing edge collectively indicate that this massive animal had evolved means to minimise sound production during swimming. Accordingly, this ichthyosaur must have moved almost silently through the water, in a manner similar to how living owls鈥攚hose wing feathers also form a zigzag pattern鈥攆ly quietly when hunting at night. We have never seen such elaborate evolutionary adaptations in a marine animal before.鈥�

Although many small ichthyosaurs have been found with soft-tissue preservation, scientists have never found anything on this scale.

Using a range of advanced imaging, chemical analysis and computational modelling techniques, the researchers also identified that the structure of the flippers were truly unique, with scalloped trailing edge reinforced by mineralised, rod-like structures that the team name 鈥榗hondroderms鈥�. 

Moreover, Temnodontosaurus also had the largest eyes 鈥� the size of footballs 鈥� of any vertebrate known, supporting the hypothesis that this aquatic reptile hunted under low-light conditions, either at night or in deep waters. 

Dr Dean Lomax, who is also an 1851 Research Fellow at the University of Bristol, said: 鈥淭he first time I saw the specimen, I knew it was unique. Having examined thousands of ichthyosaurs, I had never seen anything quite like it. This discovery will revolutionise the way we look at and reconstruct ichthyosaurs (and possibly also other ancient marine reptiles) but specifically soft-tissue structures in prehistoric animals.鈥�

 The fossilised flipper was discovered by fossil collector Georg G枚ltz, a co-author on the new study. Remarkably, Georg made the find entirely by chance whilst looking for fossils at a temporary exposure at a road cutting in the municipality of Dotternhausen, Germany.

The fossil consists of both the part and counterpart (opposing sides) of almost an entire front flipper. Although Georg looked for more, no other remains were found. As the top part of the fin is missing, the team surmise that it was originally an isolated flipper that might have been ripped off by a larger ichthyosaur.

Georg brought the specimen to the attention of palaeontologist and co-author Sven Sachs of the Natural History Museum, Bielefeld, who recognised the rarity of the find.

Dr Lindgren said: 鈥淭he fact that we are able to reconstruct the stealth capabilities of a long-extinct animal is quite remarkable. Also, because human-induced noise from shipping activity, military sonar, seismic surveys, and offshore wind farms has a negative impact on today鈥檚 aquatic life, our findings could provide inspiration to help limit the adverse biological effects from anthropogenic input to the modern marine soundscape.鈥�

 To unravel the mystery behind the features preserved in this fossil, it was subjected to a range of sensitive imaging, elemental and molecular analyses. The multidisciplinary research team included palaeontologists, engineers, biologists and physicists. This involved high-end techniques such as synchrotron radiation-based X-ray microtomography at the Swiss Light Source SLS at PSI and Diamond Light Source, time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry and infrared microspectroscopy, along with the reconstruction of a virtual model using computational fluid dynamics.

Dr Lomax added: 鈥淭he fossil provides new information on the flipper soft tissues of this enormous leviathan, has structures never seen in any animal, and reveals a unique hunting strategy (thus providing evidence of its behaviour), all combined with the fact that its noise-reducing features may even help us to reduce human-made noise pollution. Although I might be a little bias, in my opinion, this represents one of the greatest fossil discoveries ever made.鈥�

The very first ichthyosaur brought to the attention of science was discovered over 200 years ago by pioneering palaeontologist Mary Anning and her brother Joseph. That fossil was also a Temnodontosaurus, the same type of ichthyosaur to which this flipper belonged.

鈥淚n a weird way, I feel that there is a wonderful full-circle moment that goes back to Mary Anning showcasing that even after 200 years, we are still uncovering exciting and surprising finds that link back to her initial discoveries鈥�, added Dr Lomax.

Nature article reference: Lindgren, J., Lomax, D. R., Sz谩sz, R-Z., Marx, M., Revstedt, J., G枚ltz, G., Sachs, S., De La Garza, R. G., Heing氓rd, M., Jarenmark, M., Ydstr枚m, K., Sj枚vall, P., Osb忙ck, F., Hall, S. A., de Beeck, M. O., Eriksson, M. E., Alwmark, C., Marone, F., Liptak, A., Atwood, R., Burca, G., Uvdal, P., Persson, P. and Nilsson, D-E. 2025. Adaptations for stealth in the wing-like flippers of a large ichthyosaur. Nature, 10.1038/s41586-025-09271-w.

Link to paper:

The research, published today in the journal, , demonstrates that compounds or 鈥榲olatiles鈥� found in sebum 鈥� the oily substance produced by our skin 鈥攈old key biomarkers for identifying Parkinson鈥檚 in its earliest stages.

Using a technique known as Thermal Desorption-Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (TD-GC-MS), scientists at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, in collaboration with Salford Royal NHS Trust and the Medical University of Innsbruck, analysed skin swabs from participants with Parkinson鈥檚, healthy volunteers, and those with a sleep disorder called isolated REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder (iRBD) 鈥� a known early warning sign of Parkinson鈥檚 disease.

The results showed that people with iRBD had distinct chemical profiles in their sebum that were different from healthy individuals, but not yet as pronounced as those with established Parkinson鈥檚 disease. This supports the idea that Parkinson鈥檚 disease leaves a detectable trace on the body well before physical symptoms appear.

Joy Milne 鈥� the 鈥榮uper smeller鈥� who inspired the research  鈥�  was also able to distinguish swabs from people with iRBD from the control group and Parkinson鈥檚 patients. Intriguingly, she was able to detect both diseases in two of the swabs that came from iRBD individuals, who were later diagnosed with Parkinson鈥檚 at their next clinical appointment, after sampling.

Professor Perdita Barran, Professor of Mass Spectrometry at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淭his is the first study to demonstrate a molecular diagnostic method for Parkinson鈥檚 disease at the prodromal or early stage. It brings us one step closer to a future where a simple, non-invasive skin swab could help identify people at risk before symptoms arise allowing for earlier intervention and improved outcomes.鈥�

The study involved more than 80 participants, including 46 people with Parkinson鈥檚, 28 healthy controls, and nine with iRBD.  They found 55 significant features in the sebum that varied between the groups. Those with iRBD often showed levels that sat between the healthy controls and the Parkinson鈥檚 group, reinforcing the possibility of detecting the disease in its early phase.

Dr Drupad Trivedi, a researcher from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, built a model that examined the markers in a longitudinal sampling study. He collected samples from Parkinson鈥檚 patients over a three-year period and found patterns that suggest this method can also be used to map the progression of the disease, which could have use in refining treatment options and improve patient outcomes.

Sebum is also easy to collect using gauze swabs from the face or upper back, making it ideal for non-invasive routine screening and regular monitoring. by the team has also shown it does not need to be stored in the same cold conditions as other biofluids, such as blood, reducing associated costs.

The research is inspired by the observations of Joy Milne, who detected a unique scent in individuals with Parkinson's disease, prompting researchers at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 to explore sebum as a source of diagnostic biomarkers.

By using mass spectrometry, a technique that measures the weight of molecules, they have found that there are distinctive Parkinson鈥檚 markers in sebum, which has led them to develop this non-invasive swab test.

These findings have recently been validated in another paper, published today in the, where trained dogs were able to detect Parkinson鈥檚 in the patients recruited by Prof Barren and Dr Trivedi with remarkable accuracy by smelling skin swabs.

Now, the researchers are continuing to develop and improve the sebum-based testing to eventually use as a practical tool in real-world clinical settings.

Dr Drupad Trivedi, Lecturer in Analytical Measurement Sciences at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: "Our goal is to develop a reliable, non-invasive test that helps doctors detect Parkinson鈥檚 earlier, track its progression, and ultimately improve patient outcomes.

鈥淲e鈥檙e also keen to hear from other hyperosmic individuals, potential 鈥榮uper smellers鈥� like Joy, whose remarkable sense of smell could help extend our work to detect other diseases with potential odour signatures."

***

This research was published in the journal npj Parkinson's Disease

Full title: Classification of Parkinson鈥檚 Disease and idopathic REM Sleep Behaviour Disorder: Delineating Progression Markers from the Sebum Volatilome

DOI: 10.1038/s41531-025-01026-8

Link:

***

Biotechnology is enabling us to find new and more sustainable ways to produce chemicals, materials, and everyday products, by understanding and harnessing nature鈥檚 own processes and applying them at industrial scales. Supported by the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 Institute of Biotechnology, our 400+ experts are innovating solutions in environmental sustainability, health and sustainable manufacturing. Find out more about our biotechnology research.  

Developed with the support of engineers at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 since 2019, Concretene is a graphene-enhanced admixture for concrete that improves compressive strength and durability, enabling removal of cement and a reduced carbon footprint.

The company has extended its production and materials testing facility in the adjacent Pariser Building 鈥� part of the new 鈥� taking advantage of the advanced materials ecosystem delivered by the GEIC.

Concretene is one of several technologies being developed and applied at the GEIC to explore the potential of graphene in construction. It aims to create a more sustainable and cost-effective solution for the industry by increasing the service life of concrete and reducing cement requirements.

This is an ideal case study for 鈥榯he 黑料网吃瓜爆料 model鈥� of innovation, whereby an idea for the exploitation of nanomaterials is grown through 黑料网吃瓜爆料 to become a spin-out company, creating high-value jobs and encouraging inward investment in the city.

Concretene has attracted 拢1.9m of UK government funding and 拢6m of venture capital investment since its incorporation in late 2022 and has grown to a staff of 20.

Three Innovate UK-funded projects have delivered significant advances in the application of graphene-enhanced concrete:

• GraphEnhance 鈥� scale-up of graphene and graphene oxide supply chain (with and ).
• SMART 鈥� pre-cast foundation pilings (with )
• GCRE 鈥� low-carbon railway sleepers (with )

Prototype trials have demonstrated compressive strength increases up to 50% in ready-mix applications and 15-20% in pre-cast, all showing compatibility with existing low-carbon concrete mixes incorporating cement replacements (CEM II limestone, CEM III GGBS).

Tests by the Building Research Establishment (BRE) on Concretene鈥檚 low-carbon railway sleeper for Cemex have indicated improvements in durability, notably to mitigate shrinkage 鈥� a common problem for low-carbon concretes that can lead to cracking and shorter service life.

Collaboration is ongoing with ARUP 鈥� the global design and engineering consultancy, which is one of  鈥� and a range of material suppliers to hone specifications for different concrete mixes and applications, with a programme of further scaled trials upcoming to produce the robust dataset required for product certification and launch.

James Baker, CEO of Graphene@ 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said:
鈥淲e鈥檙e incredibly proud to support Concretene鈥檚 journey as a standout example of how graphene innovation at the GEIC can scale into real-world industrial impact. Their progress reflects the strength of our collaborative model, which brings together engineers, researchers and industry to tackle global challenges like decarbonising construction. Concretene represents the kind of transformative work we鈥檙e driving forward, and we continue to collaborate with a broad range of partners to accelerate the adoption of graphene-enhanced technologies that deliver both environmental and economic benefits.鈥�

Mike Harrison, CEO of Concretene, said:
鈥淲e鈥檙e really pleased to extend our deal with the GEIC for another three years. Having a dedicated formulation development facility, technical support and high-end microscopy and characterisation kit on site has been invaluable in the development of the product. The proximity of growth and maker space within the Sister Innovation District has allowed us to remain in 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and we are grateful of the support from this community.

鈥淲e look forward to building on our success to date with the GEIC, commissioning our pilot plant in the Pariser Building and supporting asset owners in their journey to decarbonise concrete in construction.鈥�

Advanced materials is one of 黑料网吃瓜爆料鈥檚 research beacons - examples of pioneering discoveries, interdisciplinary collaboration and cross-sector partnerships tackling some of the planet's biggest questions. #ResearchBeacons

Professor Cox returned to his hometown of Oldham in July for a series of four inspirational 鈥楪reat Horizons鈥� events. These celebrated STEM education and highlighted the vital role teachers and industry play in shaping future opportunities for young people in Oldham. They were designed to raise the profile of science teachers and science learning, towards igniting ambition in the next generation of scientists, engineers, and innovators.  On Tuesday 1 July, Professor Cox took part in a celebration event for science teachers and leaders from across Oldham鈥檚 schools. The event was coordinated by the Cranmer Trust and brought over 250 teachers together to identify how they can take science to a new level in their schools. 

The following day, he engaged with primary school pupils in a 鈥榯our of the galaxy鈥� during special morning assemblies, promoting participation in the Great Science Share for Schools. 

In the afternoon, Professor Cox met with business leaders, council representatives, and local influencers, working with Oldham鈥檚 Economy Board鈥檚 and Oldham Athletic Football club with the remit to lever local business engagement to actively support education and career pathways in STEM. 

Later that evening, he hosted a Q&A session with secondary and college students at Oldham Sixth Form College, sharing insights and answering questions about science and space. 

 黑料网吃瓜爆料 provided leadership in coordinating and hosting the events, with special focus on the primary school event that involved Professor Cox having a whistle-stop tour of 4 primary schools in Oldham, working to ignite the curiosity of hundreds of pupils. Across the town other schools received VIP visits from the Oldham Lord Mayor, industry and charity professionals. These experiences provided opportunity to incentivise schools to become involved in the University鈥檚  flagship campaign, the Great Science Share for Schools, which celebrated its 10th anniversary this year. The campaign encourages young people to ask, investigate and share scientific questions, elevating the prominence of practical science in the classroom. 

Professor Lynne Bianchi, FSE Vice Dean for Social Responsibility, Equality, Diversity and Inclusion, and Director of SEERIH, said: 鈥淭he two days were powerful in bringing the town鈥檚 industry and education partners together. It鈥檚 been a real place-based approach that is starting something that will have legacy beyond these launch events. The key now is to harness the energy that spued out of each event and identify key actions that can impact on young people in the short and longer term.鈥�  

Dave Benstead, Chairman of Oldham Enterprise Trust and Oldham鈥檚 Economy Board, said: 鈥淲e set out to optimise STEM-Industry-School-College partnerships which will lead to greater exposure of a variety of STEM career options, broaden student's perspectives and help them make more informed decisions as they progress through education. Our young people need a clearer understanding of the real-world problems that STEM related careers can address and Professor Brian Cox achieved this grabbing their interest and motivation as only he can.鈥� 

With acknowledgments to: Oldham Council, Oldham Enterprise Trust, Oldham Athletic Football Club, Cranmer Education Trust, Pinnacle Learning Trust and SEERIH (黑料网吃瓜爆料). 

Using high-resolution 3D seismic (sound wave) imaging, combined with data and rock samples from hundreds of wells, researchers from 黑料网吃瓜爆料 in collaboration with industry, identified vast mounds of sand 鈥� some several kilometres wide 鈥� that appear to have sunk downward, displacing older, lighter and softer materials from beneath them.

The result is stratigraphic inversion - a reversal of the usual geological order in which younger rocks are typically deposited on top of older ones on a previously unseen scale.

While stratigraphic inversion has previously been observed at small scales, the structures discovered by the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 team 鈥� now named 鈥渟inkites鈥� 鈥� are the largest example of the phenomenon documented so far.

The finding, in the journal Communications Earth & Environment, challenges scientists understanding of the subsurface and could have implications for carbon storage.

Lead author Professor Mads Huuse from 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淭his discovery reveals a geological process we haven鈥檛 seen before on this scale. What we鈥檝e found are structures where dense sand has sunk into lighter sediments that floated to the top of the sand, effectively flipping the conventional layers we鈥檇 expect to see and creating huge mounds beneath the sea.鈥�

It is believed the sinkites formed millions of years ago during the Late Miocene to Pliocene periods, when earthquakes or sudden shifts in underground pressure may have caused the sand to liquefy and sink downward through natural fractures in the seabed. This displaced the underlying, more porous but rigid, ooze rafts - composed largely of microscopic marine fossils - bound by shrinkage cracks, sending them floating upwards. The researchers have dubbed these lighter, uplifted features 鈥榝loatites鈥�.

The finding could help scientists better predict where oil and gas might be trapped and where it鈥檚 safe to store carbon dioxide underground.

Prof Huuse said: 鈥淭his research shows how fluids and sediments can move around in the Earth鈥檚 crust in unexpected ways. Understanding how these sinkites formed could significantly change how we assess underground reservoirs, sealing, and fluid migration 鈥� all of which are vital for carbon capture and storage鈥�.

Now the team are busy documenting other examples of this process and assessing how exactly it impacts our understanding of subsurface reservoirs and sealing intervals.

Prof Huuse added: 鈥淎s with many scientific discoveries there are many sceptical voices, but also many who voice their support for the new model. Time and yet more research will tell just how widely applicable the model is.鈥�

This research has been published in the journal Communications Earth & Environment

Full title: Km-scale mounds and sinkites formed by buoyancy driven stratigraphic inversion

DOI:

Celebrating its 10^th anniversary this year, the campaign inspires teachers of 5-14 year olds to upskill their own knowledge and skills of teaching science enquiry - a form of science education that gives the pupils the opportunity to explore a scientific question through practical investigations linked to .  

Using innovative resources and ideas related to this year鈥檚 theme of #ConnectedScience, pupils across the UK and across the world have been taking the lead and becoming science communicators.  The theme illustrates how science is not isolated in learning, but rather, the way we think scientifically has the power to connect our ideas and successes in all areas of our lives. 

The campaign runs throughout the year, leading to registrations from 835,135 pupils sharing on or around Tuesday 17 June. With wider reach across the globe, #GSSfS inspires teachers and educators from 52 different countries to take part, with events taking place across venues such as schools, hospital schools, museums, sports venues and universities.  

This year, 黑料网吃瓜爆料 hosted more than 35 schools from across Greater 黑料网吃瓜爆料 in its Nancy Rothwell building.  

Some of the questions shared this year included: 

• Are all flowers the same? 
• How does wind speed affect voltage generated? 
• Which type of soil will retain the most water to help keep plants hydrated in hot weather? 
• How does the temperature of the ocean affect coral? 

The GSSfS campaign was launched by Professor Lynne Bianchi, Vice Dean for Social Responsibility at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, to provide a unique way to elevate the prominence of science in the classroom, focussing on learner-focussed science communication, inclusive and non-competitive engagement, and promoting collaboration.  

Professor Bianchi, said: 鈥淚t鈥檚 been truly inspiring to witness the Great Science Share for Schools reach its 10th anniversary with such global momentum.鈥�

In 2024 and 2025, the campaign was granted the prestigious patronage of the , in recognition of its status as a beacon of excellence in science education and its pivotal role in shaping the next generation of scientists, innovators, and global citizens.  

Now in its 10^th year, the GSSfS strategy further develops to explore strategic alliances with ministries of education and schools across the world.  This year the Ministry of Education in Malta and the STEM & VET Curriculum and the Museo de Ciencias Universidad de Navarra in Spain, and the Foundation for Education and Development (FED) Unified Learning Centre in Khao Lak, Thailand have become a key focus for development. 

Grace Marson, Campaign Manager, said: 鈥淲hat Great Science Share for Schools has shown year on year, is that pupils have a thirst for science. They are naturally curious about the world around them and given the opportunity through GSSfS, they demonstrate that they can ask amazing scientific questions. This campaign puts pupils at the centre of their learning.鈥�  

This empowering accelerator, crafted specifically for students and recent graduates, brought together 22 exceptional student founders from every corner of the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料. The breadth of talent included Computer Science innovators working alongside Biotechnology pioneers, Economics strategists collaborating with Chemical Engineering problem-solvers, with representation from undergraduates right through to PhD candidates. 

The intensive 12-week programme, designed to take participants from initial concept to business execution, concluded with presentations from all participating student startups. The session featured valuable feedback and insights from industry professionals Ranvir Singh (GC Angels) and Dan Sandler (CEO of Veridox), who provided expert guidance to the emerging entrepreneurs. Ranvir also shared his thoughts on the importance of persistence, that "Excellence in any field demands unwavering commitment and effort".

Throughout the programme, participants validated business ideas, developed actionable business models, created minimum viable products, and mastered essential skills including market validation, fundraising strategies, and pitching techniques. All 22 student entrepreneurs successfully presented their ventures, representing diverse sectors and innovative solutions.

Congratulations to all our graduates and their innovative ventures: 

• AccuNote - Evangelos Anapliotis  
• Aharik - Maansi Gupta  
• ARDHANN - Dr Sangeethsivan Sivakumar  
• Aurora-Hive - Yasar W Khan  
• Binary Aura - Taha Naeem  
• Branchify - Chih Chiang yang  
• CoordVenture - Ehsan Siddiqui  
• FoulGuardAI - Abdullah Albiladi  
• FurryWell - Pu-De Ciou  
• Groupy - Jonghun Lee  
• Gynomics - Dora Mar膷ec  
• Neurotect - Dylan Simpson  
• PawFur - Donglin Zhao  
• PetFit - Rebecca Jibson  
• PulsR - Leo Feasby  
• PurFetch - Raymond Xiang Zheng  
• Quillall - Serban-Andrei Locota  
• Reviewer.Go - Altynai Mambetova  
• Sync It - Matilde Ferias  
• TerraIQ - Imaara Keshwani  
• UniSights - Sebastian Contreras Scheuermann  
• Vesta Capsules - Farah Frikha

The Venture Builder Programme has proved transformational for its founding cohort, providing essential frameworks for turning ambitious ideas into viable businesses.  

 "It has helped us validate our assumptions. Initially, we didn't know what would work and what wouldn't, what to scrap and what to keep. Venture Builder has helped us clarify our vision for our startup, so we can go from ideation to implementation", explains Andrei, who studies BSc International Business Finance and Economics at AMBS. This journey from uncertainty to clarity exemplifies how the programme equips participants with the critical thinking and strategic tools needed to navigate the challenging transition from concept to execution.

Looking Ahead: Demo Day 2025

The programme completion marks the beginning of the next phase for these emerging businesses. Participants will continue developing their ventures in preparation for the Venture Builder Demo Day on 8th October 2025.

The Demo Day represents a milestone in the entrepreneurial journey, offering participants a platform to demonstrate their progress, attract potential investment, and connect with key stakeholders in the 黑料网吃瓜爆料 startup ecosystem.

The Venture Builder Programme is powered by MEC and designed for UoM students and graduate founders ready to transform their ideas into viable businesses. More information can be found on including registering interest to be part of the 25/26 academic year cohort.  

Register your interest for the Venture Builder Demo Day on the 8 October 2025.

The five-year multi-centre research project 鈥� supported by 拢10mn funding from Wellcome 鈥� involves researchers from the Universities of Cambridge, Kent, 黑料网吃瓜爆料, Oxford, and Imperial College London. SynHG is led by Professor Jason Chin of the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology; he was also recently announced as the founding Director of the Generative Biology Institute at the Ellison Institute of Technology, Oxford, and a Professor at the University of Oxford.

A dedicated social science programme, led by Professor Joy Zhang of the Centre for Global Science and Epistemic Justice at the University of Kent, runs throughout the project alongside the scientific development. The programme will work with civil society partners around the world to actively explore, assess and respond to the socio-ethical implications of tools and technologies developed by SynHG.

The benefits of human genome synthesis to research and beyond 
Since the completion of the Human Genome Project at the start of the century, researchers have sought the ability to write our genome from scratch. Unlike genome editing, genome synthesis allows for changes at a greater scale and density, with more accuracy and efficiency, and will lead to the determination of causal relationships between the organisation of the human genome and how our body functions. Synthetic genomes have the potential to open up brand new areas of research in creating targeted cell-based therapies, virus-resistant tissue transplantation and extensions may even enable the engineering of plant species with new properties, including the ability to withstand harsh climate. 

To date, scientists have successfully developed synthetic genomes for microbes such as E. coli. The field of synthetic genomics has accelerated in recent times, and advances in machine learning, data science and AI showing promise, with synthesised DNA becoming more widely available. However, today鈥檚 technology is not able to produce large, more complex sections of genetic material, such as found in crops, animals and humans. 

The research team are focusing on developing the tools and technology to synthesise large genomes exemplified by the human genome. Focusing on the human genome, as opposed to other model organisms such as mice, will allow researchers to more quickly make transformative discoveries in human biology and health.

 Professor Jason Chin, Founding Director of the Generative Biology Institute at EIT, Oxford, said: 鈥淭he ability to synthesize large genomes, including genomes for human cells, may transform our understanding of genome biology and profoundly alter the horizons of biotechnology and medicine. With SynHG we are building the tools to make large genome synthesis a reality, and at the same time we are pro-actively engaging in the social, ethical, economic and policy questions that may arise as the tools and technologies advance.  We hope that Wellcome鈥檚 support for this combination of approaches will help facilitate substantive societal benefit.鈥�

A bold, ambitious project facing complex scientific challenges 
SynHG focuses on developing the foundational tools and methods required to equip more researchers in the future. This research journey will potentially catalyse new technologies in the field of engineering biology, generating exciting discoveries about how cells use their genomes even before achieving complete genome synthesis. 

The team of researchers hope to provide proof of concept for large genome synthesis by creating a fully synthetic human chromosome, which makes up approximately 2% of our total DNA. Initially, the team hope to establish methods where small changes are made to the sequence of a chromosome with minimal onward effect on the proteins that it produces. 

Setting the foundation 鈥� testing the concept, iterating the methods, and embedding ethical considerations 鈥� could alone take many years. Even as engineering biology technologies improve, reliably building a complete synthetic human genome and meaningfully applying it to human health will likely take decades.

Michael Dunn, Director of Discovery Research at Wellcome, said: 鈥淥ur DNA determines who we are and how our bodies work and with recent technological advances, the SynHG project is at the forefront of one of the most exciting areas of scientific research. Through creating the necessary tools and methods to synthesise a human genome we will answer questions about our health and disease that we cannot even anticipate yet, in turn transforming our understanding of life and wellbeing.鈥� 

Professor Patrick Yizhi Cai, Chair of Synthetic Genomics at the University of 黑料网吃瓜爆料 said: "We are leveraging cutting-edge generative AI and advanced robotic assembly technologies to revolutionize synthetic mammalian chromosome engineering. Our innovative approach aims to develop transformative solutions for the pressing societal challenges of our time, creating a more sustainable and healthier future for all."

Embedding global socio-ethical discussions in scientific advancements 
To effectively translate scientific ambition into meaningful and potentially profound societal benefits, it is essential that there is proactive and sustained engagement with the evolving socio-ethical priorities and concerns of diverse communities. 

Wellcome is also funding Care-full Synthesis, a dedicated social research initiative conducting empirical studies with diverse publics worldwide. Led by Professor Joy Y. Zhang and hosted by the Centre for Global Science and Epistemic Justice (GSEJ) at the University of Kent, the project builds on GSEJ鈥檚 global network of academic, civil society, industry and policy partners to promote a new approach of science鈥搒ociety dialogue that is Open, Deliberative, Enabling, Sensible & Sensitive, and Innovative (鈥極DESSI鈥�). 

Professor Joy Zhang, Founding Director of the GSEJ at the University of Kent said: 鈥淲ith Care-full Synthesis, through empirical studies across Europe, Asia-Pacific, Africa, and the Americas, we aim to establish a new paradigm for accountable scientific and innovative practices in the global age鈥攐ne that explores the full potential of synthesising technical possibilities and diverse socio-ethical perspectives with care.鈥� 

Over the next five years, the team will undertake a transdisciplinary and transcultural investigation into the socio-ethical, economic, and policy implications of synthesising human genomes. The project places particular emphasis on fostering inclusivity within and across nation-states, while engaging emerging public鈥損rivate partnerships and new interest groups. 

Through the generation of rich empirical data, the team will develop a toolkit to enable effective integration of careful thinking into the management, communication, and delivery of human genome synthesis. This work aims to substantially expand the practice of accountable science and innovation, reflecting the complex realities of a hyperconnected yet ideologically fragmented world. Care-full Synthesis will achieve this by advancing a fresh approach to engaging with global communities, ensuring that fast-moving science is accompanied by robust social and legal deliberation, and identifying innovative strategies to co-ordinate regional and global governance accounting for diverse social priorities and scientific pathways.

In a boon for the future of data storage technologies, the researchers have made a new single-molecule magnet that retains its magnetic memory up to 100 Kelvin (-173 掳C) 鈥� around the temperature of the Moon at night.

The finding, published in the journal , is a significant advance on the previous record of 80 Kelvin (-193 掳C). While still a long way from working in a standard freezer, or at room temperature, data storage at 100 Kelvin could be feasible in huge data centres, such as those used by Google.

If perfected, these single-molecule magnets could pack vast amounts of information into incredibly small spaces 鈥� possibly more than three terabytes of data per square centimetre. That鈥檚 around half a million TikTok videos squeezed into a hard drive that鈥檚 the size of a postage stamp.

The research was led by 黑料网吃瓜爆料, with computational modelling led by the Australian National University (ANU).

David Mills, Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at 黑料网吃瓜爆料, said: 鈥淭his research showcases the power of chemists to deliberately design and build molecules with targeted properties. The results are an exciting prospect for the use of single-molecule magnets in data storage media that is 100 times more dense than the absolute limit of current technologies.

鈥淎lthough the new magnet still needs cooling far below room temperature, it is now well above the temperature of liquid nitrogen (77 Kelvin), which is a readily available coolant. So, while we won鈥檛 be seeing this type of data storage in our mobile phones for a while, it does make storing information in huge data centres more feasible.鈥�

Magnetic materials have long played an important role in data storage technologies. Currently, hard drives store data by magnetising tiny regions made up of many atoms all working together to retain memory. Single-molecule magnets can store information individually and don鈥檛 need help from any neighbouring atoms to retain their memory, offering the potential for incredibly high data density. But, until now, the challenge has always been the incredibly cold temperatures needed in order for them to function.

The key to the new magnets鈥� success is its unique structure, with the element dysprosium located between two nitrogen atoms. These three atoms are arranged almost in a straight line 鈥� a configuration predicted to boost magnetic performance but realised now for the first time.

Usually, when dysprosium is bonded to only two nitrogen atoms it tends to form molecules with more bent or irregular shapes. In the new molecule, the researchers added a chemical group called an alkene that acts like a molecular pin, binding to dysprosium to hold the structure in place.

The team at the Australian National University developed a new theoretical model to simulate the molecule鈥檚 magnetic behaviour to allow them to explain why this particular molecular magnet performs so well compared to previous designs.

Now, the researchers will use these results as a blueprint to guide the design of even better molecular magnets.

We are sad to report that one of the founders of the science of radio astronomy, Sir Francis Graham-Smith FRS, FRAS, FInstP, has passed away at the age of 102.

Sir Francis, or Graham as he was known to friends and colleagues, was the second Director of Jodrell Bank Observatory, taking over from Sir Bernard Lovell when he retired in 1981.

His career in astronomy was remarkable.

During the Second World War, Graham had been forced to interrupt his university studies in Cambridge in order to work on the development of radar. At the end of the war, he returned to Cambridge and began working alongside Martin Ryle, another wartime radar expert. There he played a key role in pioneering the new science of radio astronomy, providing some of the most accurate positions for the newly discovered sources of cosmic radio waves using interferometers.  

In 1964, he was appointed as a Professor of Radio Astronomy at 黑料网吃瓜爆料 and moved to Jodrell Bank. He worked on some early space-based radio astronomy experiments as well as ground-based detection of cosmic rays.

However, when pulsars were discovered by Jocelyn Bell and Antony Hewish at Cambridge in 1967, his focus switched immediately to these new and important phenomena. Their study, using the Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank and others, was to occupy much of the remainder of his career.

Whilst Director of Jodrell Bank, Graham was instrumental in securing funding for a significant upgrade to the MERLIN telescopes, Jodrell Bank鈥檚 own interferometer network, including the addition of a new 32-metre telescope to be sited in Cambridge. This upgrade kept MERLIN at the leading edge throughout the 1990s and paved the way for the later development to e-MERLIN and the Observatory today.

Although he officially retired in 1988, Graham continued to be an active member of Jodrell Bank鈥檚 pulsar research group, completing the latest edition of the research text 鈥楶ulsar Astronomy鈥� in his 99^th year and publishing a review of Fast Radio Bursts in only April of this year, at the age of 102.

In 1970, Graham was elected as a Fellow of the Royal Society. He then became Director of the Royal Greenwich Observatory in 1975 where he oversaw the development of the UK鈥檚 optical observatory on La Palma in the Canary Islands. In 1981, he returned to Jodrell Bank to take over as Director when Sir Bernard Lovell retired. From 1975 to 1977, he was President of the Royal Astronomical Society and, from 1982 to 1990, he was Astronomer Royal. He received a knighthood in 1986.

Outside his work in research and scientific management, Graham was always a strong supporter of and participant in public engagement with science and education. For example, he delivered the 1965 Royal Institution Christmas Lecture alongside fellow radio astronomers Sir Bernard Lovell, Sir Martin Ryle and Antony Hewish. Amongst many other activities, including writing popular books and research-level texts, he played a significant role in the development and management of the public visitor centre at Jodrell Bank.

Graham was married to Elizabeth, his wife of 76 years who died in 2021.  They had four children.  He was a keen gardener and, for many years, an avid bee-keeper, an interest which he retained well into his 90s.

Selected recent books

• Pulsar Astronomy
  Lyne, A. G., Graham-Smith, F., Stappers, B. (CUP, 2022). .
•  An Introduction to Radio Astronomy
  Burke, B. F., Graham-Smith, F., Wilkinson, P. N. (CUP, 2019). .
• Eyes on the Sky: A Spectrum of Telescopes
  Graham-Smith, F. (OUP, 2016). .
• Unseen Cosmos: The Universe in Radio
  Graham-Smith, F. (OUP, 2013). .

Selected research papers

• A New Intense Source of Radio-Frequency Radiation in the Constellation of Cassiopeia
  Ryle, M., Smith, F. G., Nature (1949). .
• An Accurate Determination of the Positions of Four Radio Stars
  Smith, F. G., Nature (1951). .
• Radio Pulses from Extensive Cosmic-Ray Air Showers
  Jelley, J. V. et al (1965). .
• Characteristics of the radio pulses from the pulsars
  Lyne, A. G., Smith, F. G., Graham, D. A., MNRAS (1971). .
• Crab pulsar timing 1982-87
  Lyne, A. G., Pritchard, R. S., Smith, F. G., MNRAS (1988). .
• Statistical studies of pulsar glitches
  Lyne, A. G., Shemar, S. L., Smith, F. Graham, MNRAS (2000). .
• Pulsars: a concise introduction 
  Graham-Smith, F. , Lyne, A. G., A&G (2023). .
• A new era for FRBs
  Graham-Smith, Francis, A&G (2025). .

Recent interviews

• (BBC Science Caf茅 from 2023)
• (Jodcast from 2016).
• (Jodcast from 2015).

Obituary written by Professor Tim O'Brien.