Articles Archives

Earth & Environment

Climate risk mapping provides rice growers with adaptation options in the Mekong River Delta

The Mekong River Delta in Vietnam accounts for over half of the country’s domestic rice production yet is increasingly affected by climate change. Mr Le Thanh Tung, Mr Bui Tan Yen and Mr Nguyen Hong Son from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development have jointly worked with the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security in […]

Biology

Growing soybean in Canada: Collaborative genomics research

The collaborative research initiative, SoyaGen, was launched officially in October 2015 to develop soybean as a valuable and viable crop in Canada. François Belzile and Richard Bélanger of the Université Laval, Québec, co-lead this ambitious project involving six research institutions. Supported by Genome Canada, Génome Québec, the Western Grain Research Foundation and fourteen other partners, the project also includes grower […]

Thought Leaders

Smashing assumptions: Supporting and celebrating female scientists and technologists

Science and Technology in Australia (STA) are one of many organisations who have recognised the difficulties women can face in the world of science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). With the pressure of stereotypes and the need for more female role models, more needs to be done to incubate and acknowledge the talent of women. According to research from the United Nations […]

Biology

Unravelling the secrets of the cell with suspended microchannel resonators

Researchers can learn much about the properties of many materials simply by weighing them. In cell biology, repeatedly measuring the mass of a cell reveals how fast the cell grows. However, this is very challenging: the mass of a single-cell is extremely difficult to measure with enough accuracy and without perturbing the cell. The laboratory of Dr Scott Manalis at […]

Physical Sciences

Smart tests of intumescent coatings for thermal insulation

Intumescent coatings are a crucial component of many thermal insulation systems, but until now, researchers have faced significant challenges in testing their responses to heat. In his research, Dr Jiyuan Kang at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio has developed sophisticated new methods for imaging the materials during heating; revealing their responses to fires in unprecedented levels of detail. By […]

Health & Medicine

The untold stories of age-related macular degeneration

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is one of the leading causes of vision loss worldwide. It goes without saying there is a need for early diagnosis of this devastating disease and to provide patients with effective treatment. Professor Christine Curcio from the University of Alabama at Birmingham has been working on exactly that. Professor Curcio and her team aim to reveal […]

Behavioural Sciences

Explaining how the mind works: A new theory

How and why do humans think and act in the ways that we do? To answer this question, Dr Paul Badcock and his colleagues have recently proposed a theory of the human brain that combines evidence from evolutionary and developmental psychology, neuroscience, and biology. This theory posits that the human brain is a complex adaptive system, composed of relatively specialised […]

Biology

Poultry science: chicken & egg

Production of poultry meat and egg comprise a significant part of the economy throughout Alabama. At Auburn University, the Department of Poultry Science in the College of Agriculture conducts research to aid local, national, as well as many different international poultry industries. Emeritus Professor Edwin Moran’s efforts typify the broad scope of work being performed in the Department. In one […]

Thought Leaders

Putting Primary Science on the Agenda: The Primary Science Education Conference 2019

Between the 6th-8th June, Research Outreach attended the Primary Science Education Conference (PSEC), which was organised by the Primary Science Teaching Trust (PSTT). Over three days, leaders in primary science education gave a diverse and fascinating range of talks, seminars and practical workshops about work in their field, aiming to provide teachers in attendance with the chance to learn new […]

Thought Leaders

Learning through play: New perspectives on early years development

Scientists readily acknowledge that species that play the most are the most intelligent. New research is beginning to explore the role that play has on children’s learning and development. Whilst the definition of play can be subjective, it is integral to children’s development of language skills, social skills, intellectual and emotional intelligence. Adults’ role in play is also important, providing […]