Movement at the top in 2024 World University Rankings

The geography of the education world appears to be changing.Continue ReadingCategory: Good Thinking, LifestyleTags: QS World University Rankings, MIT, Harvard, University of Cambridge, University of Oxford, Princeton University Continue reading Movement at the top in 2024 World University Rankings

Working-age death rate 2.5x higher in the US than other countries. Why?

Working-age US adults are dying at far higher rates than their peers from high-income countries, even surpassing death rates in Central and Eastern European countries, and midlife mortality rates in the UK are not great either. A new study has examined… Continue reading Working-age death rate 2.5x higher in the US than other countries. Why?

Fundamental physics rule violated as same-charge particles attract

It’s a fundamental principle of physics that particles with opposite charges attract each other, while those with the same charge repel. But now, scientists at the University of Oxford have found that under certain circumstances, particles can attract … Continue reading Fundamental physics rule violated as same-charge particles attract

Hedgehog “crash test dummy” may save the critters from being robo-mowed

It’s a sad and gruesome fact that robotic lawnmowers sometimes run over hedgehogs, maiming and even killing them. That’s why scientists have recently developed a rubber hedgehog stand-in, for safety-testing such mowers.Continue ReadingCategory: Good Th… Continue reading Hedgehog “crash test dummy” may save the critters from being robo-mowed

Decomposed bodies found at home are on the rise in England and Wales

Despite overall improved mortality rates, the number of people found at home so decomposed that it is impossible to determine their cause of death is on the rise in parts of the UK. A new study led by University of Oxford researchers tries to parse the… Continue reading Decomposed bodies found at home are on the rise in England and Wales

Strange egg-laying mammal casually reappears after a 62-year absence

With spines like a hedgehog, feet like a mole and snout like an anteater, this bizarre-looking animal is hard to miss. But that’s exactly what it has been excelling at for more than half a century, eluding scientists to the point that this weird hybrid… Continue reading Strange egg-laying mammal casually reappears after a 62-year absence

3D-printed tissues using stem cells may offer repair for brain injuries

Researchers have used human neural stem cells to 3D print functional brain tissue that mimics the architecture of the cerebral cortex, the brain’s outermost layer. The breakthrough technique has the potential to provide individualized repairs to brain … Continue reading 3D-printed tissues using stem cells may offer repair for brain injuries

New “calculator” identifies 14-year dementia risk from 50 onwards

Researchers have developed a new risk ‘calculator’ that identifies people in midlife at risk of developing dementia in the next 14 years, outperforming existing scores. Moreover, it’s based on 11 key risk factors, many of them modifiable.Continue Readi… Continue reading New “calculator” identifies 14-year dementia risk from 50 onwards

Huge increase in 5-year survival rates of early breast cancer

A new UK study has found that, compared to 20 years ago, women diagnosed today with early invasive breast cancer and initially treated with surgery are 66% less likely to die from the disease.Continue ReadingCategory: Health & Wellbeing, LifestyleT… Continue reading Huge increase in 5-year survival rates of early breast cancer