United Kingdom

News

1 September 2008:  Researchers from Queen's University Belfast, Ireland, have developed a low-cost, eco-friendly and easy-to-use groundwater treatment technology that addresses the problem of widespread arsenic poisoning in southern Asia. Read more

25 August 2008:  The mystery of how young stars can form within the deep gravity of black holes has been solved by a team of astrophysicists at the Universities of St Andrews and Edinburgh.The team made the discovery after developing computer simulations of giant clouds of gas being sucked into black holes. Read more

21 August 2008:  An ambitious 'Janelia Farm-style' neuroscience institute to lead international efforts in understanding the brain and behaviour at the level of basic neural circuits is being planned for London. Read more

21 August 2008:  Stem cell scientists have developed a more accurate way of identifying aggressive forms of bowel cancer, which should eventually lead to better treatment and survival rates. Bowel cancer is the third most common cancer in the UK. Read more

18 August 2008:  British and French scientists have identified several variants of a single gene that boost the risk of obesity, according to a study published Sunday in the British journal Nature. Read more

18 August 2008: Using animals to research pain has "limited value" and should be replaced by newer technologies, argues a panel of medical experts from across England. Read more

14 August 2008:  Meet Gordon, probably the world's first robot controlled exclusively by living brain tissue. Stitched together from cultured rat neurons, Gordon's primitive grey matter was designed at the University of Reading by scientists who unveiled the neuron-powered machine on Wednesday. Read more

14 August 2008:  Scientists have developed a technique to examine peptides on the surface of a gold nanoparticle. This offers the promise of new ways to design and manufacture novel materials on the tiniest scale - one of the key aims of nanoscience. Read more

13 August 2008:  A new partnership is set to deepen scientific understanding of the link between diet and health, and help food companies address obesity, heart disease, and other health problems. Read more

12 August 2008:  A new environmentally-friendly milk bottle is set to go on sale in supermarkets throughout the UK. he revolutionary GreenBottle was invented by Martin Myerscough from Suffolk after he saw the impact plastic milk bottles were having on his local landfill. Read more

11 august 2008:  This is Britain - but not as we know it. These extraordinary satellite images reveal what our nation looks like from the skies. From flight paths and road networks to telephone exchanges across London, the stunning aerial shots paint a striking new perspective on the British Isles. Read more

7 August 2008:  European researchers have long set their sights on tackling malaria, a potentially deadly disease whose spread has not been as yet stopped in developing countries. Now, new research has brought to light one of the tricks the disease uses to camouflage itself from our immune system. Read more

6 August 2008:  Criminals who use firearms may find it much harder to evade justice in future, thanks to an ingenious new bullet tagging technology. Read more

31 July 2008:  UK scientists publish more research than any other country in the world except the United States, the science minister will say today. One in eight scientific studies that international researchers cite is the work of a UK academic, as are 9% of the 17m papers published in science journals each year, a government report has found. Read more

30 July 2008:  A new washing machine that uses just a cup of water, a pinch of detergent, and about 1,000 small plastic chips to clean clothes may be available for consumers in the UK next year. Read more

29 july 2008:  A new discovery could lead to treatments which turn off the inflammation in the lungs caused by influenza and other infections, according to a study published today in the journal Nature Immunology. Read more

29 July 2008:  One of the biggest world wide threats to honey bees, the varroa mite, could soon be about to meet its nemesis. Researchers at the University of Warwick are examining naturally occurring fungi that kill the varroa mite. Read more

29 July 2008:  A British scientist said Monday he was anxiously awaiting the results of DNA tests on hair claimed to be from a yeti after initial examinations showed it had human and ape-like characteristics. Ian Redmond, a biologist and expert in ape conservation, said the hairs found in the Indian jungle resembled samples collected by the conqueror of Everest, Sir Edmund Hillary, in the 1950s. Read more

24 July 2008:  Scientists may have found a way to test for and possibly avoid the most serious side effect of cholesterol-lowering statin drugs, one of the top-selling medicines in the world. Read more

24 July 2008:  Milk has a wealth of health-giving properties and a new milk research centre plans to find and exploit these in new 'functional' foods. These special properties  are in the sights of a new National Functional Foods Research Centre announced last week, which is to receive €20 million in funding through Enterprise Ireland over the next five years. Read more.

24 July 2008:  Britain's six biggest internet service providers (ISPs) have signed up to a government-backed drive to clamp down on illegal downloading of music and films, it was revealed today. Read more

23 July 2008:  The inclusion of a touchscreen keypad in place of a physical keyboard on the iPhone has enabled the manufacturer to incorporate a larger screen which means a better display of videos, web pages and games. However, without being able to feel when a button is selected users often experience a high level of errors, particularly when inputting text. Now researchers are using tiny vibrations to imitate the feel of a button when a user touches the keypad. Read more

22 July 2008:  Scientists say they have found a workable way of reducing CO2 levels in the atmosphere by adding lime to seawater. And they think it has the potential to dramatically reverse CO2 accumulation in the atmosphere, reports Cath O'Driscoll in SCI's Chemistry & Industry magazine published today. Read more

22 July 2008:  The dreaded dentist's drill and common toothbrush could become a thing of the past. Scientists have created a solution that mimics the way the body forms new teeth - allowing natural repairs of holes without the need for drilling and filling. Oral hygiene experts at Leeds Dental Institute have also made a mouthwash that kills plaque-making bacteria when a light is shone into the mouth. Read more

22 July 2008:  A technique that allows experiments to be carried out on cow eyes thrown away by abattoirs could lead to thousands fewer rabbits being used in scientific research each year. Read more

22 July 2008:  Cars run on fuel made from household waste could be on the streets in just two years, according to a world-leading chemical company. The British company INEOS aims to produce commercial quantities of bioethanol fuel from biodegradable municipal waste by 2011. Read more

22 July 2008:  The world's most technically advanced fighter has put on a spectacular display in its first European appearance. The £71million F-22 'Raptor' gave a 15-minute display of seemingly impossible dips, dives and pirouettes at the Farnborough International Airshow. Read more

22 July 2008:  Scientists say they have genetically engineered fruit and vegetables capable of providing most of a day's nutrients in a single meal. Heading towards the market are potatoes with 33 per cent more protein content, modified tomatoes that could be capable of protecting against cancer and peanuts without the chemicals that cause deadly nut allergies. Read more

21 July 2008:  Blood vessels, tendons and bladders from animals are to be used in humans for the first time after a breakthrough in transplant surgery. Scientists have overcome the problem of rejection, which has previously prevented animal tissues from being used in patients. Read more

21 July 2008:  A gene which apparently evolved to protect people from malaria increases their vulnerability to HIV infection by 40%, say US and UK scientists. Read more

21 July 2008:  Irish science is on the up - in recent years, the country has succeeded in doubling its science capacity, and it plans to double it again in the next six to seven years. Read more

21 July 2008:  Breast cancer research needs to investigate how a person's ethnicity influences their response to treatment and its outcome, according to a new Comment piece in today's Lancet by researchers from Imperial College London. Read more

18 July 2008:  Plane makers and airlines meeting Farnborough, England for the world's largest air show pledged Wednesday to improve efficiency in the global aviation industry to reduce its contribution to global warming.  But executives from British Airways and Airbus also used the meeting for a "sustainable aviation" attack on the European Union over its revised emissions trading scheme, which they said will cripple the European airline industry coming on top of soaring oil prices.  Read more

17 July 2008:  A huge study compares cancer survival rates in 31 countries. Read more

17 July 2008:  Bumblebees lose a bit of their buzz when ill, and like humans, have a tougher time doing daily tasks until they recover, British researchers said on Wednesday. Read more

17 July 2008:  Researchers have discovered early blood markers in people genetically predisposed to develop Huntington's disease, a mysterious neurodegenerative disorder. These signs may provide future targets for staving off or even preventing symptoms from developing. Read more

16 July 2008:  In a world where economies are increasingly dependent upon high-level knowledge, higher education is a key national resource. But a Forward Look initiated by the European Science Foundation (ESF) shows that we need to know more about how universities, and other higher education institutions, are changing in the 21st century. Read more

16 July 2008:  Mystery Insect Bugging Experts at London Museum. The experts at London's Natural History Museum pride themselves on being able to identify species from around the globe, from birds and mammals to insects and snakes. Yet they can't figure out a tiny red-and-black bug that has appeared in the museum's own gardens. Read more

11 July 2008:  Scientists at the University of Cambridge have for the first time identified a key component to unravelling the mystery of room temperature superconductivity, according to a paper published in today's edition of the scientific journal Nature.  Read more

4 July 2008:  Rubber 'snake' could help wave power get a bite of the energy market.  A device consisting of a giant rubber tube may hold the key to producing affordable electricity from the energy in sea waves.  Read more

1 July 2008:  Ground-breaking technology that will enable biologists to identify and monitor large numbers of endangered animals, from butterflies to whales, without being captured, will be shown to the public for the first time at this year's Royal Society Summer Science exhibition.  Read more

16 June 2007: The Researcher Exchange Programme (RXP) is a £250,000 initiative that provides individual researchers with awards covering travel and subsistence costs, and some consumables costs, needed to develop new scientific collaborations and contacts through exchange visits of between one week and three months’ duration. Read more

16 June 2008: UK insurers extend freeze on genetic testing. Read more

12 June 2008: This year Cambridge University Eco Racing (CUER) have designed and built the UK's first road legal solar car. Read more

10 June 2008: UK economy is hostage to oil, warns expert. Read more

28 May 2008: UK's organic cows are cream of the crop. Read more

27 May 2008: Research suggests parts of UK could be too hot for wine-making by 2080. Read more

Older news

European RTD Insight

European RTD Insight is a monthly publication on developments in EU research and policy.  Insight is funded by the British Council and is available without charge.

In addition to EU policy and research news, Insight includes information on education, training and culture, external collaboration, events and awards, and new publications and on-line resources.  It also contains a glossary of EU acronyms and terms.

Should you wish to receive Insight by email each month, please send an email to ukro@bbsrc.ac.uk, stating 'European RTD Insight' in the subject line. You will then be added to our mailing list.

Please address any comments or recommendations on Insight to ukro@bbsrc.ac.uk. Your input will help us in developing the publication and ensuring that it meets your information needs. read more

Researcher Exchange Programme (RXP)

The Researcher Exchange Programme (RXP) is our new initiative that aims to promote the development of scientific co-operation and contacts between the UK and other countries.

The purpose of the Researcher Exchange Programme is to help develop new research links between higher education institutions and research laboratories in the UK and other countries. It aims to encourage mobility and internationalism among early stage researchers for the exchange of information, ideas and knowledge, and for relationship-building.

For early stage researchers, spending time in another country offers many advantages; giving them a chance to acquire new cutting-edge-skills, to participate in multicultural research teams and network with others in the same field.

For more information, please e-mail science@britishcouncil.org

Key facts about UK Science &Technology

  1. The UK produces around 6% of the world's science, from around 1% of the world's population
  2. With 1% of the world's population, the UK has an 8% share of world scientific publications and a 9.1% share of world citations, This places the UK second to the USA and significantly ahead of Japan, Germany and France.
  3. The UK receives on average 168.2 citations each year for every million the Government spent on civil R&D in 1991. This makes the UK the most cost effective producer of research of the G7 countries (next is USA on 148.7, Canada on 121.4).
  4. The UK is second only to the US in winning major (over $200,000) internationally recognised prizes, well clear of third-place Germany.
  5. In 1995 UK spent some 14,328 million on S&T, 2.05% of GDP (latest figure available)
  6. Of the UK's total S&T expenditure, one third is financed by government, 48% by industry, 14.3% from abroad and 4.3% by other sources.
  7. Overseas contribution to S&T in UK is larger than G7 partners and growing; this puts the UK firmly on the international stage.
  8. UK's science is highly international - in 1994 around one quarter (26%) of papers with first authors in the UK were the product of trans-national collaborations.
  9. Inward investment benefits a wide range of industrial sectors, including automotive, chemical, engineering, electronics and pharmaceutical.

UK science connections

Additional information on Science and Technology in the UK can be obtained from the following Organisations/Internet sites:-

Department of Trade & Industry (DTI)

Government support for research in industry is led by the DTI. The Department's main role is to stimulate innovation in industry so as to enhance competitiveness in Britain and overseas.

Office of Science & Technology (OST)

OST is responsible for the government financed research councils covering engineering and physical sciences; particle physics and astronomy; bioligical sciences; medicine; the natural environment; and economics and social science. The OST encourages links between the research councils and organisations using their research, such as industry and government departments.

Research Councils

The research councils support research, study and training in universities and other higher education establishments, their own institutes, and international research centres. Funded chiefly from OST, they also receive income from research commissioned by government departments and from the private sector.

Miscellaneous


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