By Samantha Tipper, Senior lecturer in Forensic Anthropology, Anglia Ruskin University
Roman dodecahedra are something of an enigma: there is no known mention of these 12-sided, hollow objects in ancient Roman texts or images. First discovered in the 18th century, around 130 dodecahedra have been found across the Roman Empire, although it is interesting that the majority have been found in northern Europe and Britain, and none have been found in Italy.
Dodecahedra are quite intricate, featuring a number of round holes, with knobs framing the holes. It would have taken…
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By Dan Baumgardt, Senior Lecturer, School of Physiology, Pharmacology and Neuroscience, University of Bristol
The so-called ‘thumb-palm’ test may tell if you are at risk of a ballooning artery. But the evidence is far from certain.
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By Monica Germanà, Reader in Gothic and Contemporary Studies, University of Westminster
The new 00s are back in a mission to stop a network of international smugglers and rescue Britain’s greatest spy, James Bond.
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By Justin Stebbing, Professor of Biomedical Sciences, Anglia Ruskin University
A personalised mRNA vaccine to treat melanoma has now reached late-stage trials in the UK. This is just the latest step in improving the cure rate of cancer.
This form of cancer therapy harnesses the power of the body’s immune system to target and eradicate cancer cells. During the phase 2 trials, the vaccine was shown to reduce the risk of cancer returning…
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By Seán Jordan, Associate professor, Dublin City University
Louise Gillet de Chalonge, PhD Student in Astrobiology, Dublin City University
There is still so much we don’t understand about the origin of life on Earth.
The definition of life itself is a source of debate among scientists, but most researchers agree on the fundamental ingredients of a living cell. Water, energy, and a few essential elements are the prerequisites for cells to emerge. However, the exact details of how this happens remain a mystery.
Recent research has focused on trying to recreate in the lab the chemical reactions that constitute life as we know it, in conditions plausible for early Earth (around 4 billion years ago). Experiments…
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By Nick Hajli, AI Strategist and Professor of Digital Strategy, Loughborough University
Nick Jennings, Vice-Chancellor and President, Loughborough University
Before you buy something, or visit a new restaurant, or see a new film, you may be tempted to check out the online reviews. Researching what strangers think of the things we might like has become a familiar part of the modern consumer experience.
But how can we know which reviews to trust? Which ones are written by honest customers sharing their genuine experiences, and which ones are posted with ulterior motives?
For while consumer reviews can guide us towards the best products and services, concealed within the shadows are deceptive reviews, meticulously crafted to deceive…
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By Vinita Srivastava, Host + Producer, Don't Call Me Resilient
Ateqah Khaki, Associate Producer, Don't Call Me Resilient
Catherine Zhu, Student Journalist, Don't Call Me Resilient
Is a cellphone ban, along with increased surveillance, the right way to deal with the impact of addictive and harmful technology in classrooms?
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By Mira Sucharov, Professor of Political Science, Carleton University
A wave of protests expressing solidarity with the Palestinian people is spreading across college and university campuses. There were more than 400 such demonstrations by the end of April 2024 just in the U.S., with many more in Canada and other countries.
The…
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By Lucyl Harrison, PhD Candidate, School of Humanities, University of Hull
Paul Auster, who has died at the age of 77, grew up in New Jersey in the post-war years of the 1950s, where a bookless household laid the foundations for his obsessional focus on human behaviour and the complexities of the shifting world.
As “a young Jew in New York” with a voracious appetite for literature and a fascination with writing, Auster attended Columbia University, where he studied English Literature, influenced by Edgar Allan Poe, Nathaniel…
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By Steven Cammiss, Associate Professor, Birmingham Law School, University of Birmingham
Graeme Hayes, Reader in Political Sociology, Aston University
Trudi Warner was initially accused of contempt of court for holding a sign outside the trial of a climate protester.
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