In the news
Mechanical engineer and Deputy Vice-Chancellor Professor John Fisher told the Yorkshire Post that he hoped pioneering techniques in body tissue regeneration, developed at the University, would begin clinical trials in two years. If successful they could become routinely available to patients undergoing heart and knee surgery, for example. University spin-out firm Tissue Regenix will carry out further research with nearly £700,000 funding.
Professor Fisher also spoke to the Financial Times about improving hip replacements through nanotechnology research. He led a team that has designed an artificial joint which generates less friction and could last a patient’s lifetime.
Linguistics expert Professor Clive Upton discussed the new voice of the BT speaking clock on the BBC One O'clock News . Professor Upton is a consultant to the BBC Voices project.
BBC's Look North visited the University to look at the world's smallest Christmas card, drawn on a pinhead using one of the world's most powerful microscopes. Professor Rik Brydson said the card is smaller than the width of a human hair and was designed to interest children in science.
Dr Teela Sanders, a sociology lecturer and author of Sex Work – A Risky Business discussed the Ipswich murders with Sky News , BBC News 24 , Radio 4‘s the Today Programme and Woman's Hour , the Times and Radio Leeds .
The Telegraph reported that remains of an ape-like creature found in South Africa are 400,000 years too young to be one of our direct human ancestors, according to Dr Jo Walker and Dr Bob Cliff from the School of Earth and Environment. Their findings were published in the American journal Science .
An international research team involving Leeds' Dr Richard Holland and Dr Dean Waters has shown that bats can navigate by sensing the Earth's magnetic field, reported the New Scientist , National Geographic News , the Times and the Yorkshire Evening Post .
A Danish study of 420,000 mobile phone users confirmed their use does not increase the risk of brain cancer. Professor Tricia McKinney of Leeds ' Centre for Epidemiology and Biostatistics told the Independent , Evening Standard and the Daily Mail that the study results are important as they are based on phone company records and do not rely on users remembering how often they used their phone.
An exhibition by School of Design lecturer Judith Tucker, Resort , was previewed in the Guardian Guide . The Scunthorpebased exhibition is inspired by pre-war holiday photographs brought over by her grandmother when she escaped from Nazi Germany
It was déjà vu all over again with research by Leeds psychologists Chris Moulin and Akira O'Connor reported in India , Romania , China and Canada . The Herald , the Telegraph and the Yorkshire Post also published their findings, which show that blind people can experience déjà vu using other senses.