Cambridge makes Hay
A host of Cambridge academics and alumni will speak about subjects ranging from obesity and smart drugs to US politics and domestic service at this year's Hay Festival.
Braking revolution
Braking technology set to shave a massive 25% off truck stopping distances looks set to come to fruition this year. However, its developers believe their systems may not be widely available for at least five years, possibly double that. That's despite the considerable and obvious benefits, in terms of preventing accidents, mitigating others, saving lives, reducing accident damage, and cutting…
Professor Sir Robert Edwards MA, Hon ScD, CBE, FRS
Notice from the University of Cambridge on behalf of the family of Professor Sir Robert Edwards MA, Hon ScD, CBE, FRS: “It is with deep sadness that the family announces that Professor Sir Robert Edwards, Nobel prizewinner, scientist and co-pioneer of IVF, passed away peacefully in his sleep on 10th April 2013 after a long illness. He will be greatly missed by family, friends and colleagues. …
Gates Cambridge welcomes 51 new Scholars
Fifty-one of the world's most academically brilliant and socially committed young people from 24 countries have been selected as Gates Cambridge Scholars and will begin their postgraduate courses at the University of Cambridge this October.
A museum for the future
The University of Cambridge Museum of Zoology contains far more than a record of the past. Ambitious redevelopment plans will enable enhanced use of its unique collections for research into global issues from climate change to conservation.
Scientists develop simple blood test to track tumour evolution in cancer patients
Cancer Research UK scientists have developed a new way of looking at how tumours evolve in real-time and develop drug resistance by tracking changes in the patients’ blood, described in a study published in Nature.
Click to save the nation’s digital memory
Billions of web pages from millions of websites, as well as public Facebook posts and tweets, will be preserved for time immemorial by Cambridge University Library and five other major libraries.
Investigating child abuse: how interview training really matters
Gathering evidence from children about alleged sex abuse is problematic. Research shows that when interviewers are trained in a protocol that favours open-ended questions more cases lead to charges and more charges lead to prosecution.
Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology shortlisted for Art Fund Prize
The Cambridge Museum of Archaeology & Anthropology (MAA) has been announced as one of the ten finalists for the prestigious Art Fund Prize for Museum of the Year 2013. Celebrating the very best UK museums and galleries, it is the largest arts prize in the UK.
New system to improve DNA sequencing
A sensing system developed at Cambridge is being commercialised in the UK for use in rapid, low-cost DNA sequencing, which would make the prediction and diagnosis of disease more efficient, and individualised treatment more affordable.
Cambridge Conservation Campus launched
An insightful lecture by Sir David Attenborough in the University of Cambridge Senate House has marked the launch of the Cambridge Conservation Campus, which will become the hub for the world’s largest conservation cluster, the Cambridge Conservation Initiative (CCI).
David MacKay appointed Regius Professor of Engineering
David MacKay, the acclaimed author of Sustainable Energy - Without The Hot Air will be the first holder of a Royally-appointed engineering post at Cambridge.
Low-cost LEDs for saving energy and improving health
Gallium nitride has been described as “the most important semiconductor since silicon” and is used in energy-saving LED lighting. A new £1million growth facility will allow Cambridge researchers to further reduce the cost and improve the efficiency of LEDs, with potentially huge cost-saving implications.
Study reveals genetic variations that raise the risk of breast, prostate or ovarian cancer
Over 80 regions of the genome that can increase an individual’s risk of breast, prostate and ovarian cancers have been found in the largest ever study of its kind.
Cambridge launches first Creative Writing degree
The University of Cambridge’s first Master of Studies (MSt) in Creative Writing will explore the art of writing in all its many forms and guises, not just novel writing, according to Course Director Dr Sarah Burton.
Public Health Network launched
The University of Cambridge has launched the PublicHealth@Cambridge Research Network in order to draw together expertise in all aspects of population health across the arts, humanities, social and physical sciences, technology and biomedicine.
New research suggests animal-to-human transmission of MRSA
Cambridge scientists have linked two human cases of infection with the antibiotic-resistant superbug MRSA to farms in Denmark. The results of the study, published in the journal EMBO Molecular Medicine, suggest the methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteria was transmitted from the livestock to the farmers.
Lessons from history: how Europe did (and didn’t) grow rich
The Industrial Revolution is seen as the spark that lit Europe’s economic prosperity. In her analysis of markets over many hundreds of years, University of Cambridge economist Dr Victoria Bateman presents a compelling argument for a broader global perspective.
Cambridge Sports Centre topped out at West Cambridge
A commemorative plaque has been affixed to a roof girder 17 metres above the floor of Cambridge Sports Centre at the University West Cambridge site to mark the topping out of the building.
Roads could help rather than harm the environment
Two leading ecologists say a rapid proliferation of roads across the planet is causing irreparable damage to nature, but properly planned roads could actually help the environment.
Planck captures portrait of the young Universe, revealing earliest light
After years of work, scientists have removed bright foreground emissions from the Planck satellite’s first all-sky image to reveal the Universe’s earliest light – imprinted on the sky when the Universe was just 380,000 years old – and seen today as the Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB), the relic radiation from the Big Bang.
Cambridge scientists receive Royal Society Research Professorships
Royal Society Research Professorships have been awarded to world-class scientists whose research interests cover topics ranging from climate to cognition.
Nurturing science’s next generation
Twelve years after his death, the legacy of distinguished organic chemist Dr Herchel Smith is enabling a new generation of bright young researchers to pursue their scientific ambitions.
Big ideas in small packages: videos convey complex messages
A project to make academic research more readily accessible to the public has led to the creation of a collection of short videos that feature archaeological themes.In just four minutes, and using an immediately engaging format, each video encapsulates an aspect of the original work undertaken by a Cambridge PhD student or postdoctoral researcher.
Laser-like photons signal major step towards quantum ‘Internet’
The realisation of quantum networks is one of the major challenges of modern physics. Now, new research shows how high-quality photons can be generated from ‘solid-state’ chips, bringing us closer to the quantum ‘Internet’.