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News archive: Research press releases 2016

26 December 2016

Researchers at the University of York have identified genetic markers for disease tolerance that suggest UK ash trees may have a fighting chance against a lethal fungal infection.

19 December 2016

Scientists at the University of York have found that oil palm plantations, which produce oil for commercial use in cooking, food products, and cosmetics, may act as a barrier to the movement of butterflies across tropical landscapes.

16 December 2016

Scientists at the University of York and Hull York Medical School have been awarded two new grants to tackle the parasitic disease leishmaniasis, as part of the new £1.5bn Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF).

15 December 2016

New research conducted by scientists at the University of York and the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona reveals for the first time that Europe’s earliest humans did not use fire for cooking, but had a balanced diet of meat and plants – all eaten raw.

14 December 2016

Academics from the University of York’s Management School have contributed to a parliamentary report outlining how UK businesses should deal with the risks of bribery and corruption in high-growth markets.

14 December 2016

New research by a psychologist at the University of York reveals that encouraging children to move their hands while thinking increases their creative ideas.

7 December 2016

Scientists have discovered that a gene found in the common fruit fly can be successfully expressed in a plant and used to detoxify land contaminated with TNT.

6 December 2016

More than 700 wills and other documents dating from 1576 – 1650 have been digitised, indexed and made freely available by the University of York.

5 December 2016

A ‘chemical factory’ on the surface of plant leaves could help produce more commercially useful products, researchers at the University of York have discovered.

2 December 2016

A team of international archaeologists believe a pair of mummified legs on display in an Italian museum may belong to Egyptian Queen Nefertari – the favourite wife of the pharaoh Ramses II.

30 November 2016

Researchers from the University of York have contributed to a major new report which reveals that tens of thousands of teenagers across England are suffering neglect at home.

24 November 2016

Scientists at the University of York and the MD Anderson Cancer Center, University of Texas, have found that a component of cancer cells, which acts like a ‘cellular post office’, could be the key to preventing the spread of lung cancer to other parts of the body.

15 November 2016

A team of scientists and archaeologists have discovered widespread evidence of prehistoric milk production in southern Europe.

15 November 2016

A subtle change occurred in our evolutionary history 100,000 years ago which allowed people who thought and behaved differently – such as individuals with autism - to be integrated into society, academics from the University of York have concluded.

14 November 2016

A University of York academic is one of 48 world leading experts to contribute to the inaugural Lancet report amid warnings of a “catastrophic risk to human health” from climate change.

11 November 2016

A University of York academic has written a book setting forth the benefits of a multicultural education based on his experiences of teaching African asylum seekers in Malta.

10 November 2016

The Cape Verde Atmospheric Observatory (CVO), run by chemists from the University of York’s Wolfson Atmospheric Chemistry Laboratories along with German and Cape Verdean scientists, celebrates its 10th anniversary this month.

8 November 2016

Scientists at the University of York have charted more than 1,000 years of Tanzanian environmental history using sediments extracted from a peat bog.

8 November 2016

A global review of school-based interventions for preventing HIV, sexually transmitted infections (STIs), and pregnancy in adolescents shows sex education programmes have no impact in lowering numbers of young people affected, although staying on at school can reduce pregnancy and some STIs.

7 November 2016

Academics at the University of York are involved in a large EU project which aims to develop training about sexual violence for staff at universities across six different countries.

3 November 2016

Archaeologists have shed new light on the belief systems of early Mesolithic hunter-gatherers after analysing cremated remains and artefacts given as grave offerings from the earliest recorded human burial site in Ireland.

2 November 2016

An academic from the University of York has joined forces with charity Basis Yorkshire to produce an animation and booklets to help those with experience of child sexual exploitation (CSE).

31 October 2016

Important archaeological remains at wetland sites across the world could be at immediate risk, say scientists at the University of York.

24 October 2016

Europeans suffer from a wide range of physical and mental health conditions, in part due to their economic and social conditions, a major study co-authored by a York academic reveals.

19 October 2016

Archaeologists from the University of York have conducted pioneering analysis on historic ivory, revealing where East African elephants roamed and where they were hunted in the 19th century.

19 October 2016

A new virtual Centre for Future Health (CFH) will receive £5 million over the next five years to support research across disciplines aimed at tackling some of the major health challenges of the 21st century.

18 October 2016

A new study at the University of York has shown that a standard hormone supplement, used to boost energy levels in prostate cancer patients following radiotherapy, could potentially increase the chances of the cancer returning.

14 October 2016

A new study has demonstrated that a decline in forest diversity can have a significant economic impact on productivity that relies on healthy forest systems.

13 October 2016

A historian from the University of York has written a comprehensive guide on Britain’s most popular pilgrim routes.

11 October 2016

‘Owning’ an obese body produces significantly lower body satisfaction for females than males, scientists have found.

11 October 2016

The NHS needs a “clear and transparent” funding system for mental health after research revealed a substantial degree of variability in costs between hospital trusts.

11 October 2016

A consortium of northern universities is launching a new £16.8 million Social Science Doctoral Training Partnership, which aims to support postgraduate students in accessing the highest quality research training throughout their time at university.

10 October 2016

The Hull York Medical School (HYMS) has been recognised for its commitment to women in science with a Silver Athena SWAN award.

5 October 2016

Warming temperatures can reduce marine diversity but increase freshwater species – showing responses to climate change could be habitat dependent.

3 October 2016

The first and only fully-protected marine reserve in Scotland is proving highly beneficial for marine conservation and fisheries, with lobsters more than doubling in numbers and increasing in size.

26 September 2016

Scientists have identified fossil proteins in a 3.8 million year-old ostrich eggshell, suggesting that proteins could provide valuable new insights into the evolutionary tree, much further back in time than was previously thought.

23 September 2016

A new study assessing the status of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) has revealed that overweight children, adult drinking and death caused by violence continue to be significant hurdles in many nations’ development.

21 September 2016

An academic from the University of York has developed a new method for scanning electronic devices - such as smartphones - for defects, speeding up the production process.

20 September 2016

Academics from the University of York have helped develop a healthcare package for one of the poorest countries in the world, which has the potential to be used as a blueprint for other developing countries.

20 September 2016

Researchers have called for greater transparency in the public release of clinical trial data after a study revealed significant under-reporting of side effects in medical treatments.

19 September 2016

A University of York academic has contributed to a new UNICEF campaign urging world leaders to act on improved cooperation on child migration.

16 September 2016

Researchers from the University of York have helped to solve an archaeological dispute - confirming that Neandertals were responsible for producing tools and artefacts previously argued by some to be exclusively in the realm of modern human cognitive abilities.

14 September 2016

Researchers from the University of York have been awarded a £2.74 million grant to lead a new food systems resilience project.

14 September 2016

Researchers at the University of York have developed a new sensor that is capable of detecting multiple proteins and enzymes in a small volume of blood, which could significantly speed up diagnostic healthcare processes.

14 September 2016

A new study conducted by researchers at the Universities of York and Bristol, and the NHS Bradford Institute for Health Research shows there is an urgent need to find the best threshold to balance the potential benefits and harms of diabetes treatment during pregnancy.

7 September 2016

The European Space Agency (ESA) has confirmed that British astronaut Tim Peake will be attending the University of York as part of the UK Space Agency’s Schools Conferences.

7 September 2016

Academics from the University of York are to explore ways of bringing low-cost broadband to rural communities in Nigeria via high-altitude platforms (HAPs).

6 September 2016

Archaeologists from the Universities of York and Cambridge have revealed the first direct evidence that Mesolithic foragers from the Balkans consumed domestic cereals almost half a millennium earlier than previously thought.

5 September 2016

Cancer researcher, Professor Norman Maitland, from the University of York, is part of a new £2.6 million award scheme to further understanding of personalised medicine for prostate cancer.

5 September 2016

University of York Chemist, Professor Gideon Davies, has been awarded the prestigious Royal Society Ken Murray Research Professorship.

1 September 2016

Scientists operating research aircraft over West Africa have detected organic materials in the atmosphere over a number of urban areas, contributing to concerns of the rise in pollution across the region.

1 September 2016

A pioneering study led by researchers at the University of York’s Social Policy Research Unit (SPRU) shows that life story work has the potential to help people with dementia.

31 August 2016

Researchers at the University of York have shown that small alterations to a person’s appearance, such as wearing glasses, can significantly hinder positive facial identification.

31 August 2016

More than a quarter of a million girls in Britain are unhappy with their lives according research at the University of York and the Children’s Society.

30 August 2016

A new report, by the University of York, City University London and the International Organization for Migration’s Global Migration Data Analysis Centre, shows that many of the bodies of migrants drowned in the Mediterranean are never identified.

30 August 2016

New research by a psychologist at the University of York and colleagues at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston, MA, US, and University of Leeds shows that radiologists can discriminate between normal and abnormal mammograms in half a second.

26 August 2016

A new predictive tool, which for the first time combines human perception of the environment with land-use planning and socioeconomic data, could help governments mitigate the impact of climate change in developing countries.

22 August 2016

Indicators of how well the NHS is tackling health inequality across the country have now been adopted by the NHS.

17 August 2016

Ecologists from the University of York have tested a new method to detect and decrease wildlife poaching, using data to better predict where illegal activities occur in protected areas.

11 August 2016

Archaeologists from the Universities of York, Cambridge and UCL have identified rare human bones from the UK dating to the Late Mesolithic era (around 4000 BC, just prior to the arrival of farming in Britain) using an innovative new bone collagen analysis technique.

10 August 2016

Drones will be used to discover more about the social lives of killer whales as part of new research which could help protect the species.

8 August 2016

Scientists say they are a step closer to providing effective treatments for three “neglected” diseases after making a chemical which can kill the parasites that cause the illnesses.

1 August 2016

A University of York academic has collaborated with the British Film Institute (BFI) to produce a new DVD about Shakespeare in silent film.

27 July 2016

Global warming has been underestimated by approximately 19 per cent, scientists at the University of York say.

26 July 2016

Three new infestations of an invasive garden ant - known for building massive colonies of tens of thousands of insects - have been found in the UK this year, with researchers at the University of York warning their impact on biodiversity could be huge.

25 July 2016

University of York chemists have come up with a unique solution to ensure biorefineries are economically resilient to oil price fluctuations.

22 July 2016

A simple and inexpensive therapy is equally as effective at treating depression as the ‘gold standard’ of Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT), scientists at the University of York have found.

22 July 2016

Woody climbing vines, known as lianas, are preventing tropical forests from recovering and are hampering the ability of forests to store carbon, scientists are warning.

12 July 2016

A series of crude doodles and drawings discovered in the margins of a medieval manuscript were probably made by children, a University of York historian has revealed.

7 July 2016

The increasing popularity of low-cost air pollution monitors with members of the public could generate large volumes of untested and questionable data, two leading atmospheric scientists from the University of York have warned.

6 July 2016

The landmark Born in Bradford project - tracking the lives and health of more than 13,500 children across the city - has been awarded a £3m grant to expand its research.

5 July 2016

Scientists at the University of York have found new evidence that tiny viruses called bacteriophages turbo-charge the evolution of bacteria that cause lung infections in Cystic Fibrosis patients.

4 July 2016

Scientists from the University of York have developed an innovative new green method of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power stations, chemical and other large scale manufacturing plants.

30 June 2016

Holding elections on a Thursday could favour conservative outcomes, according to research by University of York psychologists.

22 June 2016

Numbers of a rare species of moth - found only in York in England – have tumbled in recent years, a team including researchers from the University of York have discovered.

17 June 2016

Historians at the University of York have helped to produce a series of digital reconstructions depicting how the Anglo-Saxon church on the site of Glastonbury Abbey looked in the eighth century.

14 June 2016

An international team of scientists, including academics from the University of York, have identified an increase in the concentrations of ethane and propane gas over much of the Northern Hemisphere since around 2009, probably due to increasing North American oil and natural gas production.

10 June 2016

Researchers at the University of York have developed an app which allows visitors to London’s Barbican Centre enjoy a self-guided audio journey.

9 June 2016

Scientists at the University of York have led the first full-scale national assessment of metal contamination in bats, showing that many bats in the UK contain levels of metals high enough to cause toxic effects.

8 June 2016

Researchers at the University of York have developed an app to help users of smokeless tobacco quit.

2 June 2016

A computer scientist from the University of York will play a key role in developing an app and email alert system for gardeners as part of the Big Bug Hunt – a global citizen science project that warns gardeners of pests.

1 June 2016

A University of York conservationist who put out a call for schools to name a new species of tropical tree has found a winner.

1 June 2016

Researchers at the University of York have discovered a link between a recurrence of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and anxiety and depression.

25 May 2016

Archaeologists at the University of York have undertaken pioneering scans of the highest prehistoric paintings of animals in Europe.

25 May 2016

A new report from the University of York-based Cambridge Primary Review Trust reviews evidence and presents recommendations on the government’s academies policy.

25 May 2016

A University of York academic has been awarded the 2016 Major Advancement in Psychological Science Prize.

24 May 2016

Three University of York academics have been awarded prestigious Wellcome Trust Investigator Awards for their work in biomedical research.

23 May 2016

Researchers have used mathematical modelling to re-analyse the Battle of Jutland and help shed new light on the biggest naval engagement of World War One.

20 May 2016

A study part-conducted by researchers at the University of York shows that ‘helping wildlife’ and ‘contributing to scientific knowledge’ are among the key motivating factors for citizen scientists.

19 May 2016

The University of York and City of York Council are to establish a unique City Environment Observatory (YCEO) to further our understanding of how health, wellbeing and economic issues are linked to the quality of the environment.

18 May 2016

The world's largest primary care pay-for-performance programme, designed to improve patient health care and outcomes, has failed to save additional lives according to joint research by the Universities of York, Manchester and Michigan.

17 May 2016

Socio-economic inequality costs the NHS in England £4.8 billion a year, almost a fifth of the total NHS hospital budget, according to researchers at the University of York.

11 May 2016

Reform of the welfare and benefits systems - and in particular the emphasis on trying to change behaviour through sanctions - has had a “profoundly negative effect” on the people that receive them, according to a collaborative study led by the University of York.

29 April 2016

New research by scientists at the Universities of York, Bristol, Sheffield and Madrid, reveals that eating different foods does not determine how birds of prey’s beaks evolve.

28 April 2016

Scientists at the Universities of York and Leiden have made a significant breakthrough in the treatment of an inherited genetic disorder which damages muscle and nerve cells in the body.

26 April 2016

A group of military personnel and veterans, including those injured in Afghanistan and other operations, are taking part in a unique project which uses archaeology to help assist with their recovery.

22 April 2016

Archaeologists have uncovered evidence that Swiss cheesemaking dates back to prehistoric times, paving the way for such delicacies as Gruyere and Emmental.

21 April 2016

A scientist at the University of York has used cutting-edge facial recognition software to provide an insight into the next face of Dr Who’s companion.

20 April 2016

People who feel lonely or socially isolated are at increased risk of developing coronary heart disease and stroke, researchers from the University of York have concluded.

14 April 2016

Establishing a quantum internet to transfer huge amounts of quantum information within a split second across the world is the ‘Holy Grail’ of the future quantum technologies for the computer engineering and communications industries.

13 April 2016

A research team led by archaeologists at the University of York used traditional techniques to create replicas of ritual headdresses made by hunter-gatherers 11,000 years ago in North Western Europe.

11 April 2016

A major new report, involving academics from the University of York, reveals that EU membership has transformed the UK’s environmental protection policies since 1973.

7 April 2016

Scientists at the University of York aim to unleash the untapped potential of the physical sciences in the search for new treatments for human infection and inflammatory diseases.

6 April 2016

Residents in York are being encouraged to take part in an online survey exploring mobility and wellbeing in older people.

31 March 2016

Scientists from the University of York teamed up with colleagues from over 30 universities and institutes across Europe to investigate to what extent quantum simulations of material properties agree when they are performed by different researchers and with different software.

30 March 2016

A new book, edited by a University of York Professor in Social Policy, reveals that since 2009 UK children's physical health is improving, but they are more unhappy.

29 March 2016

A scholar from the University of York has helped identify the type of tremor a prolific 13th century scribe suffered from after carrying out forensic analysis of his distinctive handwriting.

23 March 2016

A new study conducted by researchers at the University of York, in conjunction with charity WaveLength, shows that media technology can help to alleviate loneliness.

22 March 2016

An archaeologist who carried out detailed analysis of artwork daubed on the walls of a flat by the Sex Pistols' Johnny Rotten today said he had “mixed feelings” after it was announced the building had been given listed status.

22 March 2016

Health economists from the University of York are to spearhead a research project in Chile examining the impact a sugar tax has on the health of the population.

21 March 2016

Archaeologists at the University of York, leading a large international team, have revealed surprising new insights into why pottery production increased significantly at the end of the last Ice Age – with culture playing a bigger role than expected.

21 March 2016

Protecting large stretches of the ocean from human influence may well be good for conservation. But a new study by University of York scientists Professor Callum Roberts and Dr Bethan O’Leary suggests that setting aside at least 30 percent of it would also benefit fishermen and other stakeholders.

18 March 2016

Research conducted by scientists at the University of York has revealed how recreational ketamine abuse damages the bladder.

15 March 2016

Trace concentrations of antibiotic, such as those found in sewage outfalls, are enough to enable bacteria to keep antibiotic resistance, new research from the University of York has found. The concentrations are much lower than previously anticipated, and help to explain why antibiotic resistance is so persistent in the environment.

14 March 2016

A team of archaeologists from the University of York is playing a pivotal role in a major project to give a new lease of life to the ruins of the capital of Ancient Egypt.

11 March 2016

New research conducted by a University of York scientist has found the first evidence of grid cell activity in healthy volunteers asked to imagine moving through an environment.

10 March 2016

Scientists at the University of York are part of a new £1 million research team to help combat the spread of new diseases in oak trees.

2 March 2016

Scientists at the University of York have conducted new research into measuring how commonly-prescribed pharmaceuticals behave in the guts of starlings.

1 March 2016

Scientists at the University of York are part of an international research team that has made a significant step forward in understanding the processes naturally occurring enzymes use to degrade microbe-resistant biomass, a key aim in the development of biofuels.

29 February 2016

The University of York has launched a website that makes one of the most important collections of historical materials to survive in England today available online.

26 February 2016

Psychologists at the University of York have concluded that officers in an elite face recognition squad in the Metropolitan Police possess extraordinary powers of perception.

25 February 2016

An 11,000 year old engraved shale pendant discovered by archaeologists during excavations at the Early Mesolithic site at Star Carr in North Yorkshire is unique in the UK, according to new research.

23 February 2016

Researchers at the University of York and Liverpool John Moores University (LJMU) have published a new report into the policing of an anti-fracking protest site, calling for an overhaul in police tactics and policies.

22 February 2016

A new study by an international research team suggests that global sea level rose faster in the 20th century than in any of the 27 previous centuries.

22 February 2016

Researchers at the University of York have been part of the first comprehensive study of how Zanzibar was formed, charting the extinction of various animals from the island.

16 February 2016

A major international study, which involved researchers from the University of York, has provided a fresh perspective on how children around the world feel about their lives.

15 February 2016

A critical discovery about how bacteria feed on an unusual sugar molecule found in leafy green vegetables finally reveals how sulphur is harnessed by living organisms. The work may inform strategies to boost our ‘good’ gut bacteria and promote digestive health.

11 February 2016

Berlin’s underground heritage – characterised by its alternative techno club scene - is at risk from “gentrification” and there needs to be greater recognition of its cultural significance and contribution to the city’s distinctive character, an archaeologist from the University of York has said.

11 February 2016

A perfect storm of high rents and benefit restrictions means that the cost of homelessness is spiralling in London, according to independent research by the University of York.

2 February 2016

Scientists at the Universities of York and Torino have used mathematics as a tool to provide precise details of the structure of protein nanoparticles, potentially making them more useful in vaccine design.

1 February 2016

The N8 Research Partnership (N8) has announced that Professor Koen Lamberts, Vice Chancellor of the University of York, will take over from Sir Alan Langlands as Chair of the N8 Board of Directors from 1 February 2016.

21 January 2016

A major new research project led by the University of York will examine the way energy efficiency policies in the UK affect groups who are vulnerable to fuel poverty, and identify a sustainable direction for future policy which is fair to all consumers.

19 January 2016

University of York archaeological scientists were part of an international team that used cutting edge genome technology to cast more light on a mystery that has perplexed archaeologists for more than a decade.

19 January 2016

Researchers have developed a set of indicators which could help reduce preventable A&E admissions arising from social inequality – as figures reveal there were almost 38,000 deaths in England in one year from treatable conditions.

18 January 2016

Since the dawn of time, humans have endeavoured to unravel the laws governing the physical world around us. Over centuries we have tried to discover a Theory of Everything.

14 January 2016

University of York physicists will host a series of courses, meetings and a visitor programme bringing together the UK nuclear theory community this year.

13 January 2016

Researchers at the University of York led a pioneering study which opens up a new front in the battle against a disease affecting ash trees across Europe.

12 January 2016

Scientists from the University of York have developed a new approach for the synthesis of piperazines – drug compounds used to treat hay fever and HIV.

7 January 2016

A University of York spin-out backed by the Royal Academy of Engineering’s Enterprise Hub, has been awarded a £300,000 grant from the UK’s innovation agency Innovate UK, sponsored by NC3Rs, to develop a ‘virtual laboratory’ to establish the environmental impact of drugs earlier in discovery and development.

5 January 2016

Three of the UK’s leading research-intensive universities have joined forces to set up a new open access digital platform to publish scholarly articles across the academic disciplines.

4 January 2016

Biologists at the universities of York and Exeter have published new research which shows that an ancient symbiosis is founded entirely on exploitation, not mutual benefit.