In the news
Growing biofuel crops could produce up to nine times more carbon dioxide than fossil fuels, reported The Guardian and Science. Dr Dominik Spracklen from the School of Earth and Environment worked with the World Land Trust on a scientific analysis looking at the impact of biofuel emissions over 30 years. It concluded that it would be better to restore natural forests and grasslands, as biofuel crops are typically grown on land burnt and reclaimed from tropical forests.
What is it about a cat’s fur that makes us
want to stroke it? The New Scientist reported
that Dr Cathy Barnes is building a silicone
rubber finger that can gauge a wide range of
tactile characteristics for materials. “Industry
knows a lot about the importance of the
visual design of packaging but there’s a lack
of understanding about the feel appeal,” said
Dr Barnes, from the School of Mechanical
Engineering at Leeds.
A susceptibility to contagious yawning may actually be a sign of a person’s high level of social empathy, reported the BBC News. The University of Leeds research was presented at the British Association’s Festival of Science in York. “We believe that contagious yawning indicates empathy. It indicates an appreciation of other people’s behavioural and physiological state,” said psychology lecturer Dr Catriona Morrison.
Professor Terry Wilkins, head of the Nanomanufacturing Institute at Leeds, spoke to Radio 5 Live about a new ‘self-healing’ house he is helping to design in Greece, which will use nano polymer particles to repair itself after an earthquake (see March Reporter, 524).
For the first time next month, Bob Dylan’s songs will be taught in secondary schools throughout the country as poetry. Dr Richard Brown, a reader in modern literature at Leeds, told the Independent: “Dylan’s lyrics are full of interest and life … Part of the power of Dylan’s work is that it takes poetry back to its oral tradition.”
History lecturer Dr Kevin Linch has found a new way to encourage students to participate, by asking them to text their answers to questions such as ‘why did Britain go to war with France?’. The responses appear in a web-based inbox that is displayed on a projector screen for everyone to discuss, reported the Times Higher Education Supplement.
Dr Simon Lewis from the School of Geography was a guest on The Guardian’s weekly science podcast after giving a lecture at Heathrow’s Camp for Climate Action on ‘climate change controversies’. He was also interviewed by Reuters, The Economist and the Toronto Star.
The Yorkshire Evening Post has highlighted the latest student fashion trend at Leeds - a biodegradable library bag with ‘Sshhh...!’ written across it, which has its own page on Facebook. University Librarian Katy Sidwell, who helped design the bags, said 10,000 have been sold to date.
Last summer, the University of Leeds was the first university in Britain to introduce a juice bar to its students’ union - now more than 12 others have followed their example, reported the Education Guardian.
Leeds University Business School (LUBS) has noticed a surge in applications since the competition Scholar Hunt: Destination UK began. Sara Avery, LUB’s director of international relations, told the Times Higher Education Supplement that the show’s success has evoked interest from other countries, including China.
A new scheme that lets us hire pets in
the same way we hire cars fits an age
increasingly marked by commitment phobia,
reported The Guardian. In his new book
Liquid Love, Leeds emeritus professor of
sociology Zygmunt Bauman explains that we
are all ‘liquid moderns’ now - we prize fluid
relationships, disposable goods, and dogs
that don’t stick around.
A direct neural connection between our neck muscles and the brain plays a crucial role in regulating heart rate and blood pressure, reports a new study at Leeds, published in the New Scientist. Professor of neuroscience James Deuchars said the findings could explain why blood pressure and heart rate sometimes change when the neck muscles are injured - through whiplash for example.
Jane Austen’s portrayal in the film Becoming Jane, which tells the story of her failed love affair with suitor Tom Lefroy (see May Reporter 525) bears little resemblance to what we do know of her. Emeritus Professor of English Mark Honan told the Washington Post: “It’s a very masculine production… it has an unfounded view of creativity, supposing that you must be in love to write about love.”
The risk of outbreaks of bugs such as MRSA and flu in hospitals could be reduced by simply changing the way hospital wards are designed, particularly the air vents and layout of beds, (see Reporter 527), a study at Leeds has found. Dr Andrew Sleigh told the Daily Telegraph that the risk of TB transmission fell by 75 per cent in one case.
There are profound human impulses behind the current trend in preserving our autobiographical memories, Professor Martin Conway told Psychologies Magazine. He said that in previous societies, our identity used to be shaped by family, small communities and religious groups, whereas today our sense of who we are is far more elusive.
Photo 1: ISTOCKPHOTO.COM/icoccia
Photo 2: ZIGGA-ZAGA