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News archive: Research press releases 2013

Researchers point to digital gains in human recognition

Thursday 26 December 2013

Human beings are highly efficient at recognising familiar faces, even from very poor quality images.


Cone snails are for life and not just at Christmas

Monday 23 December 2013

Those who fly to tropical shores this Christmas in search of sea and sun, may be unaware that an exotic shell picked from the beach could potentially bring relief to many thousands of people suffering life-threatening illnesses.


Malaria drug target raises hopes for new treatments

Monday 23 December 2013

Scientists from the University of York are part of a UK team which has made an important step towards new malaria treatments by identifying a way to stop malaria parasites from multiplying.


York scientists’ significant step forward in biofuels quest

Sunday 22 December 2013

Scientists at the University of York have made a significant step in the search to develop effective second generation biofuels.


University to play key role in industry-academia networks

Thursday 19 December 2013

The University of York is set to play a major role in three networks in industrial biotechnology and bioenergy designed to boost interaction between academia and industry.


Grant boost for high impact CNAP research

Wednesday 11 December 2013

The University of York’s Centre for Novel Agricultural Products has been awarded £10 million to fund research projects that have the potential to make a significant impact in both agriculture and the search for alternatives to fossil fuels.


York study looks at improving language after stroke

Tuesday 10 December 2013

Researchers from the University of York’s Department of Psychology are carrying out a new study examining whether electrical stimulation of the brain can improve the understanding of words and pictures after a stroke.


New study compares leg ulcer treatments

Tuesday 10 December 2013

A new study, conducted by researchers at the University of York, has found that compression stockings perform just as well as traditional bandages for the treatment of venous leg ulcers.


Researchers aim to improve pan-European data on fuel poverty

Friday 6 December 2013

Researchers from across Europe are developing a pilot survey of fuel poverty which will pave the way for better data across the EU.


BaBY is growing: researchers to examine depression during pregnancy and early motherhood

Tuesday 3 December 2013

University of York researchers and their clinical NHS colleagues are expanding a project to investigate the health and wellbeing of newborn babies and their parents to include a study of depression during pregnancy and early motherhood.


York research brings benefits for St Helena

Tuesday 26 November 2013

The social security system in one of Britain’s most remote overseas territories is undergoing a partial restructure with the help of academics from the University of York.


Scientists developing new cost-effective materials for magnetic storage devices

Thursday 14 November 2013

An international team of European and Japanese scientists led by the University of York has launched a €4.6m collaborative project funded by the European Commission (EC) and the Japanese Science and Technology Agency (JST) to develop new materials to replace the scarce metal Iridium commonly used in magnetic storage devices.


‘Missing heat’ discovery prompts new estimate of global warming

Wednesday 13 November 2013

An interdisciplinary team of researchers say they have found ‘missing heat’ in the climate system, casting doubt on suggestions that global warming has slowed or stopped over the past decade.


Combination therapy could lead to reduction in prostate cancer recurrence

Wednesday 13 November 2013

Prostate cancer patients who receive radiotherapy could soon be treated more effectively, according to research published today in the British Journal of Cancer.


Researchers uncover origins of cattle farming in China

Friday 8 November 2013

An international team of researchers, co-led by scientists at the University of York and Yunnan Normal University, has produced the first multi-disciplinary evidence for management of cattle populations in northern China, around the same time cattle domestication took place in the Near East, over 10,000 years ago.


Researchers warn of the ‘myths’ of global medical tourism

Tuesday 5 November 2013

A team of British researchers, led by the University of York, is warning governments and healthcare decision makers across the globe to be wary of the myths and hype surrounding medical tourism.


Nature network hope for birds threatened by climate change

Monday 4 November 2013

New research involving a University of York academic provides strong evidence that internationally important British bird populations are being affected by climate change, which could threaten their long-term conservation status.


York researchers discover important mechanism behind nanoparticle reactivity

Monday 4 November 2013

An international team of researchers has used pioneering electron microscopy techniques to discover an important mechanism behind the reaction of metallic nanoparticles with the environment.


Celebrity chefs ranked on seafood sustainability

Tuesday 29 October 2013

Celebrity chefs are encouraging more people to cook with sustainable seafood, but how far do they practise what they preach?


Physicists provide new insights into coral skeleton formation

Tuesday 29 October 2013

An international team of scientists, led by physicists from the University of York, has shed important new light on coral skeleton formation.


European award for Hull York Medical School student

Friday 25 October 2013

A postgraduate student with the Hull York Medical School (HYMS) has won a major European award for the second consecutive year for his research into cardiothoracic surgery.


Foreign private patients provide a lucrative source of NHS income

Friday 25 October 2013

Foreign patients coming to the UK for private medical treatment are a lucrative source of income for the NHS, according to a new study by researchers at the University of York and the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine.


Scientists' new approach improves efficiency of solar cells

Thursday 24 October 2013

An international team of scientists, led by researchers from the Universities of York and St Andrews, has developed a new method to increase the efficiency of solar cells.


Researchers show how plants tell the time

Wednesday 23 October 2013

Plants use sugars to tell the time of day, according to research involving a University of York scientist which is published in Nature today.


Killer whales may have menopause so ‘grandma can look after the kids’

Friday 18 October 2013

University of York researchers are playing a key role in a project investigating why killer whales continue to live long after they have stopped reproducing.


Scientists prove Heisenberg’s intuition correct

Thursday 17 October 2013

An international team of scientists has provided proof of a key feature of quantum physics – Heisenberg’s error-disturbance relation - more than 80 years after it was first suggested.


White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities to nurture next generation of skilled researchers

Tuesday 15 October 2013

A successful collaboration between the Universities of York, Leeds and Sheffield has received a £19m award from the Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) to create the White Rose College of the Arts & Humanities.


Giant channels discovered beneath Antarctic ice shelf

Monday 7 October 2013

A team of UK scientists, including experts from the University of York, have discovered huge ice channels beneath a floating ice shelf in Antarctica.


Research helps health staff caring for seriously ill young adults

Friday 4 October 2013

Research carried out by the University of York has highlighted ways in which health and care staff working with young adults with life-limiting or life-threatening illnesses can improve their care.


York scientist urges us to ‘embrace new invaders’

Thursday 3 October 2013

A University of York scientist claims that invasive species such as Himalayan balsam and rhododendron should be welcomed to Britain rather than reviled. At least, they should not be hated simply because they are alien, he says.


York to use ‘cutting-edge approaches’ to urban pollution monitoring

Tuesday 1 October 2013

The University of York is launching an innovative 3.5m Euro project which will use new technologies to improve the understanding of urban pollution and its effects on human health and the environment.


Acupuncture or counselling plus usual care ‘may improve’ depression symptoms

Wednesday 25 September 2013

Acupuncture or counselling, provided alongside usual care, could benefit patients with depression, according to a study by researchers at the University of York.


Alpine archaeology reveals high life through the ages

Tuesday 24 September 2013

An international team of archaeologists led by experts from the University of York has uncovered evidence of human activity in the high slopes of the French Alps dating back over 8000 years.


Copper bracelets and magnetic wrist straps fail to help rheumatoid arthritis, says York research

Monday 16 September 2013

Copper bracelets and magnet wrist straps have no real effect on pain, swelling, or disease progression in rheumatoid arthritis, according to new findings from a study conducted at the University of York.


Scientists discover new bat species in West Africa

Tuesday 3 September 2013

An international team of scientists, including biologists from the University of York, has discovered five new species of bats in West Africa.


Acupuncture can be considered as one of the physical therapies for relieving osteoarthritis knee pain

Thursday 29 August 2013

A new systematic review by academics at the University of York suggests that acupuncture is at least as effective as other physical therapies for short-term relief from the pain of osteoarthritis of the knee.


Little changes – large effects

Thursday 29 August 2013

Scientists at the University of York have discovered that very small chemical changes to dietary flavonoids cause very large effects when the plant natural products are tested for their impact on the human immune system.


Researchers reveal hunter-gatherers’ taste for spice

Thursday 22 August 2013

Our early ancestors had a taste for spicy food, new research led by the University of York has revealed.


The top ten mammals surviving because of zoos

Wednesday 14 August 2013

A tiger, a West African primate and a large antelope are among species staving off extinction thanks to the help of zoos, according to a new report co-ordinated by Dr Andrew Marshall from the University of York and Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo.


Bright birds make good mothers

Tuesday 13 August 2013

Female blue tits with brightly coloured crowns are better mothers than duller birds, according to a new study led by the University of York.


York scientists to test plants as natural pest controls

Wednesday 7 August 2013

Scientists at the University of York are part of a £3 million research initiative announced by the Biotechnology and Biological Sciences Research Council (BBSRC) and the Scottish Government to fund four projects aimed at improving food security for some of the world’s most important crops.


Research fellowship to aid understanding of what babies are thinking

Wednesday 31 July 2013

A psychology professor at the University of York has been awarded a national fellowship to support research into helping parents understand what their babies might be thinking or feeling.


UK's agricultural resilience strengthened by new initiative in York

Monday 22 July 2013

The Food and Environment Research Agency (Fera) and the University of York have today announced a new joint venture: an Initiative in Agrifood Resilience. This announcement comes on the same day as the Government launches its new UK Agri-Technology Strategy, which sets out how investment will back the technologies of the future allowing our agricultural industries to grow and flourish.


York launches new International Centre for Mental Health Social Research

Monday 22 July 2013

Mental health experts from around the world are teaming up to undertake a unique research programme applying social science to mental health practice.


It's not just the heat – it's the ozone: Study highlights hidden dangers

Friday 19 July 2013

During heat waves – when ozone production rises – plants' ozone absorption is curtailed, leaving more pollution in the air, and costing an estimated 460 lives in the UK in the hot summer of 2006.


Study demonstrates link between reclassification of cannabis and cannabis psychosis

Thursday 18 July 2013

Researchers from the University of York have demonstrated that the change in cannabis declassification in 2009 has coincided with a significant increase in hospital admissions for cannabis psychosis - rather than the decrease it was intended to produce.


York physicists offer novel insight into experimental cancer treatment

Monday 15 July 2013

Physicists from the University of York have carried out new research into how the heating effect of an experimental cancer treatment works.


York Nanocentre researchers image individual atoms in a living catalytic reaction

Friday 12 July 2013

Groundbreaking new electron microscopy technology developed at the York JEOL Nanocentre at the University of York is allowing researchers to observe and analyse single atoms, small clusters and nanoparticles in dynamic in-situ experiments for the first time.


Earthworms could help scientists ‘dig’ into past climates

Monday 8 July 2013

A team of UK researchers believe earthworms could provide a window into past climates, allowing scientists to piece together the prevailing weather conditions thousands of years ago.


University archaeologists unearth well-kept secrets

Monday 8 July 2013

Archaeologists from the University of York say a virtually intact Late Roman well discovered near Heslington, on the outskirts of the city, may have had significance in contemporary local agricultural cycles and fertility practices.


New research demonstrates an increase in NHS productivity

Wednesday 3 July 2013

A new study by researchers at the Centre for Health Economics, University of York, reveals the productivity of the NHS in England increased by 3.2 per cent in the first year of the Coalition administration.


Mountain rescue with a difference

Wednesday 3 July 2013

The Nepalese Himalayas north of Kathmandu, provide a mountain landscape of exceptional beauty, where trekkers can experience rugged snow-capped peaks, pristine mountain streams and lush wild flower meadows.


National recognition for groundbreaking University of York business collaboration

Tuesday 25 June 2013

An innovative scientific and educational collaboration between the University of York and Flamingo Land Theme Park and Zoo has scooped a top national award in recognition of the outstanding impact of its conservation and educational work.


Health economics assessment of antimicrobial copper for infection control

Tuesday 25 June 2013

A unique health economics assessment of copper’s role in preventing healthcare-associated infections (HCAIs) is being presented this week at the WHO’s International Conference on Prevention and Infection Control (ICPIC) in Geneva, demonstrating rapid payback on the capital investment.


Protected areas provide African birds with stepping stones to survival

Thursday 20 June 2013

The protected area network in Tanzania is playing a vital role in the survival of savannah bird species as they move west in response to climate and environmental changes, according to new research led by the University of York.


To germinate, or not to germinate, that is the question

Monday 10 June 2013

Scientists at the University of York have uncovered new insights into the way seeds use gene networks to control when they germinate in response to environmental signals.


Researchers recommend clearer national guidance on the role of community nursing assistants

Monday 10 June 2013

A pioneering study led by researchers from the University of York highlights the role and contribution of community nursing assistants and their potential impact on patient experience.


How the wood-eating gribble could help turn waste into biofuel

Monday 3 June 2013

Scientists, led by Professor Simon McQueen-Mason and Professor Neil Bruce at the University of York, have discovered a new enzyme that could prove an important step in the quest to turn waste, such as paper, scrap wood and straw, into liquid fuel.


Impacts of caregiving on the health and quality of life of European carers

Wednesday 29 May 2013

The impact that providing informal care to close relatives has on people's health and quality of life depends on where they live and their cultural and social background, according to research published today by the Centre for Health Economics, University of York.


The Ascent of Man: why our early ancestors took to two feet

Friday 24 May 2013

A new study by archaeologists at the University of York challenges evolutionary theories behind the development of our earliest ancestors from tree dwelling quadrupeds to upright bipeds capable of walking and scrambling.


Milwaukee-York researchers forward quest for quantum computing

Thursday 23 May 2013

Research teams from UW-Milwaukee and the University of York investigating the properties of ultra-thin films of new materials are helping bring quantum computing one step closer to reality.


Eco database to map landscape projects

Tuesday 21 May 2013

Environmental projects which map some of the most important benefits we get from nature have been brought together for the first time in an online database, following national survey work by researchers in the University of York Environment Department.


Why we need to put the fish back into fisheries

Monday 20 May 2013

Overfishing has reduced fish populations and biodiversity across much of the world's oceans. In response, fisheries are increasingly reliant on a handful of highly valuable shellfish. However, new research by the University of York shows this approach to be extremely risky.


Creating citizenship communities: helping young people take their place in society

Friday 17 May 2013

A major new study suggests a range of potential improvements in the way schools pursue citizenship education.


National evaluation of the Realising Opportunities programme

Thursday 16 May 2013

A team at the University of York’s Institute for Effective Education (IEE) has been commissioned to carry out the national evaluation of the Realising Opportunities (RO) Programme.


Scientists uncover the fundamental property of astatine, the rarest atom on Earth

Wednesday 15 May 2013

An international team of scientists, including a University of York researcher, has carried out ground-breaking experiments to investigate the atomic structure of astatine (Z=85), the rarest naturally occurring element on Earth.


Scientists demonstrate pear-shaped atomic nuclei

Thursday 9 May 2013

An international team of physicists, including scientists from the University of York, has shown that some atomic nuclei can assume asymmetric 'pear' shapes.


Study reveals pressure ulcer research uncertainties

Wednesday 8 May 2013

A new study involving researchers at the University of York has revealed substantial areas of doubt and uncertainty about the prevention and treatment of pressure ulcers.


Chaos proves superior to order

Tuesday 7 May 2013

An international team of physicists, including researchers from the Universities of York and St. Andrews, has demonstrated that chaos can beat order - at least as far as light storage is concerned.


More than a game: exploring new digital frontiers

Friday 3 May 2013

A groundbreaking new initiative led by the University of York, with partners at Cass Business School, part of City University London and Durham University Business School, aims to unlock the potential for scientific and social benefits in digital games.


York joins the world’s largest nuclear physics research facility

Friday 3 May 2013

Researchers at the University of York will have access to the most impressive and advanced nuclear physics research facility in the world as the United Kingdom today becomes part of a €1.6 billion international project that will be to nuclear physics what CERN is to particle physics.


New research shows inequalities in progression to postgraduate study in the UK

Thursday 25 April 2013

In a study commissioned by the Higher Education Academy (HEA), researchers from the University of York have highlighted potentially worrying inequalities in transition to postgraduate degrees.


Study reveals alcohol industry tactics to influence alcohol policy reform in Scotland

Wednesday 24 April 2013

The alcohol industry – including some supermarkets, drinks companies, and trade associations – distorted international evidence on effective alcohol control measures in an attempt to influence the Scottish Government’s public health policy to its advantage, according to a study published in the journal PLOS Medicine.


York scientist provides 'new spin' on emerging quantum technologies

Tuesday 23 April 2013

An international team of scientists, including University of York physicist Dr Irene D’Amico, has shed new light on a fundamental area of physics which could have important implications for future electronic devices and the transfer of information at the quantum level.


Scientists throw new light on DNA copying process

Thursday 18 April 2013

Research led by a scientist at the University of York has thrown new light on the way breakdowns in the DNA copying process inside cells can contribute to cancer and other diseases.


Pottery reveals Ice Age hunter-gatherers' taste for fish

Wednesday 10 April 2013

Hunter-gatherers living in glacial conditions produced pots for cooking fish, according to the findings of a pioneering new study led by the University of York which reports the earliest direct evidence for the use of ceramic vessels.


Protected wildlife areas are 'welcome mats' for UK's bird newcomers

Wednesday 10 April 2013

A new study by scientists at the University of York and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) shows that bird species which have colonised the UK in recent decades breed initially almost exclusively in nature reserves and other areas specially protected for wildlife.


New centre to inform mental health social policy and practice

Tuesday 2 April 2013

The University of York has launched a new centre to help collaboration between researchers investigating the social, economic and cultural influences on mental health and wellbeing.


Report highlights 'bleak' poverty levels in the UK

Thursday 28 March 2013

The Poverty and Social Exclusion (PSE) Project published its first report today. 'The Impoverishment of the UK' reveals significant levels of poverty and deprivation.


York scientists discover driving force behind prostate cancer

Wednesday 27 March 2013

Scientists at the University of York have discovered the driving force behind the development of prostate cancer.


Laser empties atoms from the inside out

Monday 25 March 2013

An international team of plasma physicists has used one of the world’s most powerful lasers to create highly unusual plasma composed of hollow atoms.


New study suggests social status, ethnicity and maternal age can predict which women are at an increased risk of operative births in the UK

Wednesday 20 March 2013

Independent maternal demographic factors such as social status, ethnicity and maternal age can predict the likelihood of operative births in the UK, according to a new study by researchers from the University of York.


Investment will power new understanding of materials

Monday 18 March 2013

A consortium of top UK academics is developing computer codes to provide new insights into existing and predicted materials using the national supercomputer (HECToR).


Plants let chloroplasts know the time

Thursday 14 March 2013

Plant cells communicate information about the time of day to their chloroplasts, the part of their cells that underpins all agricultural productivity on Earth, according to new research involving three University of York students which is published today in Science.


Curtains down for the black hole firewall paradox: making gravity safe for Einstein again

Wednesday 6 March 2013

Research by scientists at the University of York has revealed new insights into the life and death of black holes.


New research to test success of prison drugs initiative

Thursday 21 February 2013

New research led by the University of York will carry out a detailed appraisal of Drug Recovery Wings which have been established in 11 prisons in England and Wales.


Major investment in new microscope technologies

Wednesday 20 February 2013

A project to drive forward the understanding of key biological processes by developing new microscope technologies has received a £2m funding boost.


High-altitude archaeologists to probe prehistoric Himalayas

Tuesday 19 February 2013

A team of archaeologists from the University of York are to travel to the roof of the world to discover, survey, and record mountain archaeology in the Nepalese Himalayas.


Research uncovers a potential link between Parkinson’s and visual problems

Friday 15 February 2013

The most common genetic cause of Parkinson’s is not only responsible for the condition’s distinctive movement problems but may also affect vision, according to new research by scientists at the University of York.


Research shows how 'Mallard' dye fills need for speed

Thursday 14 February 2013

Scientists at the University of York have developed a new medical tool which could help surgeons carrying out complex procedures in the operating theatre.


New study examines community role of Ireland's rural pubs

Tuesday 5 February 2013

Researchers from the University of York are exploring the role village pubs play in local communities in Ireland and ways of halting their decline.


Pioneering research helps to unravel the brain’s vision secrets

Monday 4 February 2013

A new study led by scientists at the Universities of York and Bradford has identified the two areas of the brain responsible for our perception of orientation and shape.


New study highlights impact of environmental change on older people

Thursday 31 January 2013

Recent natural disasters illustrate vulnerability of older people: majority of deaths from the Great East Japan Earthquake (2011) and Hurricane Katrina (2005) occurred among older people.


Snails signal a humid Mediterranean

Wednesday 30 January 2013

An international team of researchers has shown that old wives' tales that snails can tell us about the weather should not be dismissed too hastily.


York contributes to social policy development in St Helena

Monday 28 January 2013

Two University of York academics are playing a key role in a review of social security reforms introduced in one of Britain's remotest overseas territories.


Top academics respond to the UK Government Digital Strategy

Friday 25 January 2013

A major report published today examines the challenges faced by the Government in delivering its new digital strategy.


Introducing ‘more patient reality’ into NHS spending decisions

Thursday 24 January 2013

A study by health economists at the University of York has, for the first time, produced an estimate of the impact on other NHS patients of new and more costly drugs and other treatments.


Neon lights up exploding stars

Tuesday 15 January 2013

An international team of nuclear astrophysicists has shed new light on the explosive stellar events known as novae.


New study reveals gas that triggers ozone destruction

Monday 14 January 2013

Scientists at the Universities of York and Leeds have made a significant discovery about the cause of the destruction of ozone over oceans.


York insulin scientists in anniversary breakthrough

Wednesday 9 January 2013

Scientists at the University of York played a pivotal role in new research that has signaled a significant step forward in the understanding of how insulin works.


People with dementia and their carers play key role in new study

Monday 7 January 2013

People with dementia and their family carers are to play a pivotal role in a pioneering study led by researchers at the University of York into the effectiveness of using Life Stories to influence their care and improve their quality of life. The study has been funded by the National Institute for Health Research Health Services and Delivery (NIHR HS&DR) Programme.


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