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Clean sweep
Four academics awarded Institute of Physics medals
Experts in space missions, nanophysics, bioinspired materials and physics outreach have all been announced as winners.
Four academics awarded Institute of Physics medals
Experts in space missions, nanophysics, bioinspired materials and physics outreach have all been announced as winners.
New solutions to defence and security challenges to be explored at White City
Imperial’s White City Campus is providing a new hub for the Government’s Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA).
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Immune cells can switch from ‘gang members’ to ‘police officers’
When the immune system overreacts, as in an allergic reaction, cells causing trouble can change into cells that dampen the reaction.
US student inspires local sixth-formers thanks to Ambassador’s award
A student-led outreach initiative is giving London students the chance to conduct hands-on experiments at Imperial College London.
Imperial showcases how AI is transforming healthcare to government officials
Imperial experts gave civil servants a unique insight into the potential clinical applications of artificial intelligence.
Molecular oxygen in comet’s atmosphere not created on its surface
Scientists have found that molecular oxygen around comet 67P is not produced on its surface, as some suggested, but may be from its body.
Bacteria can ‘divide and conquer’ to vanquish their enemies
Some bacteria can release toxins that provoke their neighbours into attacking each other, a tactic that could be exploited to fight infections.
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Self-learning bionic hand could spark ‘new generation’ of prosthetic limbs
The new prosthetic hand interprets muscular signals from brain activity with machine learning to make movements more natural.
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Science and music come together to inspire school pupils
Young people across London had the opportunity to learn about the sounds of the universe in a series of workshops combining science and music.
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Gut bugs and e-politics: News from the College
Here’s a batch of fresh news and announcements from across Imperial.
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Imperial’s scientific glassblower talks about his life’s work before retirement
Steve Ramsey, who has worked with glass for 50 years, retires this month from creating bespoke scientific equipment.
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Cancer-causing virus HTLV-1 changes DNA loops, affecting thousands of genes
A human virus that causes a rare form of leukaemia increases the risk of disease by changing the way DNA loops inside our cells.
City bees outbreed their country cousins
Bumblebees placed in urban areas produce more offspring than colonies in agricultural areas, concludes a surprising new study.
Managing inheritance of deadly genetic diseases a step closer with new study
The chance of passing on certain types of genetic diseases changes with the age of the mother, according to a new study in mice.
London’s pioneering MedTech accelerator launches at Imperial
An Imperial-led programme to boost the commercialisation of new medical technologies by early career researchers has welcomed its first cohort.
Slime, supercomputers, and pond lurkers at this year’s Summer Science Festival
The annual Summer Science Exhibition is the Royal Society’s week-long free festival celebrating the cutting edge of UK science.
Gut bacteria markers could be a ‘smoking gun’ for liver disease
Chemical compounds produced by the bacteria in our gut could be used to spot the early stages of liver disease, according to new research.
New enzyme boost could hasten biofuel production
Imperial scientists have enhanced the process of using biology to make products such as fuels, plastics, medicines, and cosmetics.
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Watching the immune system in action reveals what happens when things goes wrong
Scientists are unveiling how our immune system works – and malfunctions – thanks to an innovative technology that tracks immune cells.
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Dino kingdom, robot award and GP satisfaction: News from the College
Before the week comes to a close, here’s a batch of fresh news and announcements from across Imperial.
Stubborn sparrows may have sung the same songs for hundreds of years
By preserving songs for centuries, American swamp sparrows show a cultural stability previously only seen in humans.
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Podcast: Retiring legends in music and glass, and misdiagnosing diabetes
In this edition: Looking back on the careers of Imperial’s music director and scientific glassblower, and learning how diabetes can be misdiagnosed.
Sister species of birds reveal clues to how biodiversity evolves
Extensive new datasets about the world’s birds are helping to solve the riddle of how life on Earth diversified.
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Collecting bacterial communities from puddles helps solve ecosystem riddles
Researchers have used puddle ecosystems to start to unravel the roles different bacteria play in complex communities.
Ground broken on upgrades to the Large Hadron Collider
The international particle accelerator, which discovered the Higgs boson in 2012, is getting some serious upgrades in its hunt for new physics.
New type of photosynthesis discovered
The discovery changes our understanding of the basic mechanism of photosynthesis and should rewrite the textbooks.
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Scientists spot erupting jets of material as black hole tears a star apart
Astronomers have for the first time directly imaged a fast-moving jet of material ejected as a supermassive black hole consumed a star.
'Surprisingly fast' recovery of life at dinosaur-killing asteroid impact site
Within 30,000 years of impact, Mexico’s Chicxulub crater fostered a thriving ecosystem - a much faster recovery than many sites around the world.
White City children explore urban ecosystems with Imperial
School pupils discovered the flora and fauna of White City as part of an outreach programme to help them to better understand their local environment.
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“The universe is incredibly simple” says renowned physicist at annual lecture
Professor Neil Turok, an Imperial alum, described the quantum beginnings of the universe in the annual Peter Lindsay memorial lecture.
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Experts build pulsed air rig to test 3D printed parts for low carbon engines
Researchers designed a unique facility for testing 3D printed engine parts, to help reduce carbon emissions worldwide.
New measurements of Higgs boson deepen our understanding of the origin of mass
A key property of the Higgs boson, which had been predicted but never observed, has been confirmed today with unprecedented precision.
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Students solve complex equations using own vital signs
A new app by Imperial experts might help increase student engagement in undergraduate lectures.
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How Imperial’s findings on post-Brexit borders caught the eyes of politicians
Dr Ke Han has reflected on his work to predict post-Brexit traffic conditions on the M20/A20 motorway in Kent.
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Why do older male birds father more illegitimate children?
When female birds have chicks as the result of an extra-marital fling, the fathers are almost always older males, and scientists are finding out why.
Paper sensor to speed up sepsis diagnosis wins innovation competition
A student-founded startup creating paper sensors to monitor breathing rates of hospital patients has won the White City Innovators' Programme.
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Airbus joins Imperial's White City innovation district
Aerospace giant Airbus is to co-locate with Imperial College London’s researchers, fast-growth companies and vibrant start-ups at White City.
Annalisa Alexander on raising aspirations and inspiring the next generation
Dr Annalisa Alexander, Head of Outreach at Imperial, has been awarded the President’s Medal for Excellence in Societal Engagement.
Outstanding research projects and people recognised in 2018 President’s Awards
Established teams, promising new faces and vital research support staff have been recognised in the President's Awards for Excellence in Research.
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Podcast: Feast on the Festival and find out why Eurovision makes countries happy
In this edition: Sampling the delights of the 2018 Imperial Festival and discovering the happiness-boosting powers of the Eurovision Song Contest.
Don’t wait for a unicorn: investing in low-carbon tech now will save money
Waiting for a ‘unicorn technology’ that provides green energy at low cost could be more expensive than adopting low-carbon energy technologies now.
Artificial cells-in-cells triggered by light act as mini chemical reactors
Artificial cells that release materials when exposed to light have been embedded in a durable membrane, allowing chemical reactions to be controlled.
HIV researchers create Chelsea garden to raise awareness of disease stigma
Scientists and designers have teamed up with young people living with HIV to create a garden at this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show.
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Dorset, UK, used as model for finding life traces on Mars
By studying streams on the UK coast, experts have calculated how much organic matter we might find on Mars, and where to look.
Molecule that acts on human cells might provide hope for irresistible cold cure
Researchers have lab-tested a molecule that can combat the common cold virus by preventing it from hijacking human cells.
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Mini tractor beams help arrange artificial cells into tissue structures
Researchers have used lasers to connect, arrange and merge artificial cells, paving the way for networks of artificial cells that act like tissues.
X-rays from tabletop lasers allows scientists to peer through the ‘water window’
Studying the fleeting actions of electrons in organic materials will now be much easier, thanks to a new method for generating fast X-rays.
Conservation efforts could be improved with more accurate species loss estimates
Scientists have come up with a new way of calculating how many species are lost when deforestation occurs, by taking fragmentation into account.
Eurovision Song Contest associated with increase in life satisfaction
Participating in the Eurovision Song Contest may be linked to an increase in a nation’s life satisfaction, according to new research.
Genetic clues reveal origins of killer fungus behind the ‘amphibian plague’
A deadly fungus responsible for the devastation of amphibian populations around the world may have originated in East Asia, new research has found.