Staying ahead of the game: Pre-empting flu evolution may make for better vaccines
An international team of researchers has shown that it may be possible to improve the effectiveness of the seasonal flu vaccine by ‘pre-empting’ the evolution of the influenza virus.
Calcium loss is turning lakes to ‘jelly’
Declining calcium levels in some North American lakes are causing major depletions of dominant plankton species, enabling the rapid rise of their ecological competitor: a small jelly-clad invertebrate. Scientists say increasing ‘jellification’ will damage fish stocks and filtration systems that allow lakes to supply drinking water, and that lakes may have been pushed into “an entirely new…
Lifelong learning and the plastic brain
Our brains are plastic. They continually remould neural connections as we learn, experience and adapt. Now researchers are asking if new understanding of these processes can help us train our brains.
Scene and heard: a week of Cambridge poetry
Recalling the spirit of the iconic Cambridge Poetry Festivals of the 70s and 80s, a new celebration of Cambridge poetry begins on November 22, featuring performances by Vahni Capildeo, John James, Mark Ford and former Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams.
Molecular event mapping opens door to more tests 'in silico'
Scientists report a new method for establishing whether chemical compounds are safe for human use without "in vivo" testing, based on so-called "molecular initiating events" at the boundary between chemistry and biology.
Artificial muscle capable of ‘remembering’ movements developed
Researchers from the University of Cambridge have developed artificial muscles which can learn and recall specific movements, the first time that motion control and memory have been combined in a synthetic material.
Growing 3D lung tissue in the lab to beat cancer
Help two University of Cambridge doctors build real lung tissue using stem cells to uncover more about the biggest cancer killer.
The art of engineering: images from the frontiers of technology
From the kaleidoscopic swirl of a neural network, to ribbons of crystals unfolding like sheets of wrapping paper, to the relief on the faces of villagers in Malawi after their local well was repaired, the breadth of engineering research at the University of Cambridge is reflected in the images produced by the winners of this year’s Department of Engineering photo competition.
New imaging method could improve treatment of UK's 5 million asthma sufferers
A new method of observing exactly what happens to drug particles as they travel from an asthma inhaler to the lungs could lead to the development of more efficient asthma treatments.
Drugging the undruggable: discovery opens up possibility of slowing cancer spread
A trawl through a library of more than 50,000 ‘small molecules’ has identified a potential candidate to inhibit the spread of cancer cells throughout the body.
Symphony of the seas: add your voice to Museum of Zoology project
Members of the public are being asked to contribute to a symphony of the seas as part of a project to create a soundtrack for the new Whale Hall at Cambridge University's Museum of Zoology.
HIP HOP PSYCH initiative aims to tackle mental health issues through hip-hop
The two worlds of hip-hop and psychiatry are being brought together in a unique project led by researchers at the University of Cambridge, which aims to use the lyrics and music of artists such as Nas and Tupac to help tackle issues surrounding mental health.
Alternative finance market set to double in 2015
The UK’s alternative finance market – which includes crowdfunding, peer-to-peer lending and invoice trading – is set to reach nearly £2 billion by the end of the year, and is expected to double in 2015, as businesses increasingly seek more efficient ways to raise funding.
Cambridge professor and ScienceGrrl celebrate women in science
A Cambridge professor and an army of ScienceGrrls – with a little assistance from the late Magnus Pyke – will be helping celebrate women in science, with the release on iTunes of a cover version of Thomas Dolby’s 1982 hit She Blinded Me With Science.
Cambridge Festival of Ideas wraps up biggest year yet
The street banners are down, the fuchsia-clad volunteers have gone home. But the ideas shared over the fortnight of art, social sciences and culture still echo for thousands of attendees, inspiring conversations and sparking new interests.
Clearing a path for electrons in polymers: closing in on the speed limits
A new class of low-cost polymer materials, which can carry electric charge with almost no losses despite their seemingly random structure, could lead to flexible electronics and displays which are faster and more efficient.
Shaping up: Researchers reconstruct early stages of embryo development
Researchers at the University of Cambridge have managed to reconstruct the early stage of mammalian development using embryonic stem cells, showing that a critical mass of cells – not too few, but not too many – is needed for the cells to being self-organising into the correct structure for an embryo to form.
Creating music in classrooms using code teaches ‘risk-taking’ in next generation
Early research into new education practices that fuse computing with music-making shows they create “enquiry-rich” conditions that empower children to take risks, and allow teachers to build innovative cross-subject collaborations. New ‘learning pathways’ could help free future musicians from ‘locked-in’ hardware and fuel creative economy.
Work begins at the Maxwell Centre
Work has begun on a centrepiece building created to pioneer revolutionary “blue skies” research and industrial partnership in the physical sciences. The start of construction on the £26 million Maxwell Centre marks a crucial early stage of a major move into new facilities for the staff of Cambridge University's Cavendish Laboratory.
The ‘ultimate’ stem cell
In the earliest moments of a mammal’s life, the developing ball of cells formed shortly after fertilisation ‘does as mother says’ – it follows a course that has been pre-programmed in the egg by the mother. Extraordinary as this is, what happens then is even more remarkable.
Immorality and invention: the 'great stem cell debate'
Human stem cell research holds promise for combating some of the most recalcitrant of diseases and for regenerating damaged bodies. It is also an ethical, legal and political minefield.
Imaging the genome: cataloguing the fundamental processes of life
A new study at the University of Cambridge has allowed researchers to peer into unexplored regions of the genome and understand for the first time the role played by more than 250 genes key to cell growth and development.
Return of the new gods: Jedis, auras and online witch schools
Research by a digital anthropologist is looking at how new religious movements are harnessing online platforms. These ‘invented religions’ take inspiration from ancient philosophy and recent cultural events to develop doctrine and communities of believers in digital spaces.
Cambridge Festival of Ideas tackles technology
Where did computational thinking originate? Could Cambridge be a smarter city? How is ubiquitous surveillance changing us? These and other technology-related questions will be tackled during the Cambridge Festival of Ideas, currently underway.
Text messaging is transformed
A Cambridge University Engineering Design Lecturer has been recognised for his research work, which has revolutionised the way mobile telephone texting is carried out.