Study suggests R rate for tracking pandemic should be dropped in favour of ‘nowcasts’
When the COVID-19 pandemic emerged in 2020, the R rate became well-known shorthand for the reproduction of the disease. Yet a new study suggests it’s time for ‘A Farewell to R’ in favour of a different approach based on the growth rate of infection rather than contagiousness.
‘Back to basics’ approach helps unravel new phase of matter
A new phase of matter, thought to be understandable only using quantum physics, can be studied with far simpler classical methods.
Lucy Cavendish College launches innovative and unique Life Sciences Community
A supportive and inclusive collaboration will provide new opportunities for STEMM students and improve employment prospects.
University of Cambridge appoints Sonita Alleyne as Chair and Simon Fairclough as Director of the Centre for Music Performance
The University of Cambridge is pleased to announce the appointments of Simon Fairclough as Director and Sonita Alleyne OBE as Chair of the new Centre for Music Performance (CMP), which has been established to enable students, staff and the wider community to make music in all its forms a core part of life at Cambridge.
Cambridge researchers elected Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering
Four researchers from the University of Cambridge are among the leading figures in engineering and technology elected as Fellows of the Royal Academy of Engineering.
Rates of infectious disease linked to authoritarian attitudes and governance
Researchers argue that a desire for “conformity and obedience” as a result of COVID-19 could boost authoritarianism in the wake of the pandemic.
Darwin College’s Earthshot Prize nomination Sanergy announced as a finalist
Darwin College, Cambridge, has announced that Sanergy, one of its nominated solutions for the Earthshot Prize 2021, has been selected as one of 15 finalists for this year’s prize.
Cambridge University Eco Racing team gets ready for UK solar race event
The student society Cambridge University Eco Racing (CUER) has been taking its four-seater solar-powered car, Helia, to car shows around the UK this summer, with a UK solar car student team race event coming up very soon.
Vice-Chancellor decides to step down
Today Professor Stephen J Toope notified the University Council of his decision to complete his term as the University of Cambridge’s Vice-Chancellor at the end of September 2022, after five years in office.
Have we detected dark energy? Cambridge scientists say it’s a possibility
Dark energy, the mysterious force that causes the universe to accelerate, may have been responsible for unexpected results from the XENON1T experiment, deep below Italy’s Apennine Mountains.
World first for AI and machine learning to treat COVID-19 patients worldwide
Addenbrooke’s Hospital in Cambridge along with 20 other hospitals from across the world and healthcare technology leader, NVIDIA, have used artificial intelligence (AI) to predict COVID-19 patients’ oxygen needs on a global scale.
Real-time drone intent monitoring could enable safer use of drones and prevent a repeat of 2018 Gatwick incident
Researchers have developed a real-time approach that can help prevent incidents like the large-scale disruption at London’s Gatwick Airport in 2018, where possible drone sightings at the perimeter of the airport caused the cancellation of hundreds of flights.
‘Levelling up’ met with widespread scepticism across England, survey study suggests
Researchers say Tories are “right to be worried” about parts of the Home Counties due to fears over the meaning of levelling up. The study also investigates national identity, finding some attitudes run counter to ‘Little Englander’ labels.
Spread of Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant driven by combination of immune escape and increased infectivity
Findings suggest infection control measures against variants will need to continue in the post-vaccination era.
Four Cambridge researchers recognised in the 2022 Breakthrough Prizes
Four University of Cambridge researchers – Professors Shankar Balasubramanian, David Klenerman, Suchitra Sebastian and Jack Thorne – have been recognised by the Breakthrough Prize Foundation in recognition of their outstanding achievements.
Open Cambridge hosts community feast
The hugely popular heritage festival, Open Cambridge, is gearing up to host its first ever community feast on the evening of 17th September – and everyone is invited.
Applications open for new Cambridge Foundation Year’s first student intake
UK students from backgrounds of exceptional educational and social disadvantage can now apply – via UCAS - for a place on the pre-degree Cambridge Foundation Year in Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences
New research project aims to make the UK a global leader in digital roads technology
Cambridge engineers will explore how Digital Twins, smart materials, data science and robotic monitoring can work together to develop a connected physical and digital road infrastructure system.
Cambridge alumna to fly to the International Space Station on her first-ever spaceflight
University of Cambridge alumna and NASA astronaut Kayla Barron will experience her first spaceflight when she serves as a mission specialist for the agency’s SpaceX Crew-3 mission to the International Space Station next month.
Going up: birds and mammals evolve faster if their home is rising
The rise and fall of Earth’s land surface over the last three million years shaped the evolution of birds and mammals, a new study has found, with new species evolving at higher rates where the land has risen most.
Nano ‘camera’ made using molecular glue allows real-time monitoring of chemical reactions
Researchers have made a tiny camera, held together with ‘molecular glue’ that allows them to observe chemical reactions in real time.
New mechanism preventing toxic DNA lesions opens up therapeutic avenues for Huntington's disease
A new mechanism that stops the progression of Huntington’s disease in cells has been identified by scientists at the University of Cambridge and UCL, as part of their research groups at the UK Dementia Research Institute.
Cambridge-authored book explores how artificial intelligence could help address climate change
Humanity is facing two existential threats. The first: uncontrolled CO2 emissions irreversibly changing the climate. The second: a hostile artificial intelligence (AI) becoming the dominant form of intelligence on Earth. But while the situation may appear bleak, this two-pronged crisis also presents an opportunity.
Open Cambridge: a feast for culture lovers
The hugely popular heritage festival, Open Cambridge, kicks off next week with over 65 free in-person and online events across 10 days.
New class of habitable exoplanets are 'a big step forward' in the search for life
A new class of exoplanet very different to our own, but which could support life, has been identified by astronomers, which could greatly accelerate the search for life outside our Solar System.