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Posts by Research Outreach
Research Outreach – Issue 135: Surgical simulation, sloppy science, and The Secret of Kells
Research Outreach Issue 135 is brimming with insightful articles on the most recent research currently being undertaken. It covers medieval art and its relationship to a modern animation, innovative surgical simulations, and the danger of sloppy science. We also discuss the use of AI in academic editing with Charlotte Baptista, Product Head at Paperpal, and a new initiative to increase […]
Boat trip: A significant panorama of Tang Dynasty river basins
Dr Wende Chen of Huaqiao University, China, has analysed Chinese poetry to reveal historical geographies of Tang Dynasty river basins. Taking the Chinese character for ‘boat’ as the dependent variable, characters with significant statistical correlation were identified. These characters were classified into nine themes: structure and use of boats, geographical locations, natural water systems, flora and fauna, official travel, economic […]
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Leading with integrity: How principals influence teacher effectiveness without derailing morale
It was JF Kennedy who said that leadership and learning are indispensable to one another, but what makes for good leadership in educational settings? In a new study, David Grant of the University of Redlands in the United States integrates practices from diverse leadership models which have been debated for many years. His research determined which practices have the greatest […]
Sloppy science, shortcuts, and COVID-19
The COVID-19 pandemic has led to one of the most public incidences of a phenomenon known as sloppy science (originally slodderwetenschap in Dutch). Shortcuts and simplifications were made during scientific research, which led to the public declaration of incorrect statements or ‘truthies’. Professor Michael Lissack, from the College of Design and Innovation at Tongji University in China, and Brenden Meagher […]
Inclusivity, diversity, and gender equality in cybersecurity
Digital and communication technologies have revolutionised humanity; however, cyber attacks pose a constant threat that transcends national boundaries. As such, collaborative international approaches to cybersecurity are needed. Cybersecurity has traditionally been a male-dominated field. However, at Cardiff Metropolitan University in the UK, Dr Liqaa Nawaf and her colleagues have established a new, British Council-funded initiative to promote improved gender equality […]
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Harm reduction in substance use treatment
Opioid use and abuse There is a current public health crisis regarding the opioid epidemic in the US which has been caused by aggressive prescription practices, opioid misuse, and illicit opioid overdose related deaths (Clark & Schumacher, 2017). Harm reduction has been identified as an evidence-based best practice to support opioid abuse, aiming to to mitigate the negative consequences of […]
Loneliness and social isolation: How can we protect our mental health and cognitive functions?
It is well known that social isolation can cause poor mental and physical health. Our recent global experience of compulsory social isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic has created a need to find new ways to prevent its devastating consequences, such as anxiety-induced cognitive decline, from manifesting. Dr Jing Liang and her team at the University of Southern California’s Mann School […]
Challenging established theory: History of Japanese basketball
Basketball was introduced to Japan as early as 1902 as a sport in mission schools, according to new research by Dr Tetsuji Kakiyama, Professor of Sports and Health Sciences of Fukuoka University, Japan. His research overthrows established theories about the transfer of the game to Japan and shows how basketball was first played by girls in Japan who were taught […]
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Tonic thermoelectric materials – powering future technology
Are you wearing a smartwatch? If so, what powers it? Chances are, it’s charged using mains electricity. But soon your body’s heat could be powering your wearable devices, using thermopower. Thermoelectric (TE) generators convert thermal energy into electricity. However, conventional TE generators typically can’t provide the voltage levels needed in small, wearable devices. But ionic thermoelectric materials (i-TE materials) can. […]
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The flipside of DNA: Flipons and alternative nucleic acid structures
DNA sequences called flipons can adopt alternative DNA structures. New research suggests that they have important biological roles. In a quest to further unravel the mystery of these dynamic DNA elements, Dr Alan Herbert, InsideOutBio Inc, USA, and colleagues have spent years conducting experiments at the cutting edge of genomic and molecular science. Now, they demonstrate that by targeting flipons, […]
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