Opinion: Translation: a bridge between languages that can foster cultural equality
09 June 2016Marcus Tomalin (Department of Engineering) discusses the role of translation in social inequality and social justice.
Opinion: When it comes to sugary drinks, people prefer a nudge than a tax
09 June 2016Theresa Marteau (Behaviour and Health Research Unit) discusses how to get people to consume less sugar.
Cellulose: new understanding could lead to tailored biofuels
09 June 2016In the search for low emission plant-based fuels, new research may help avoid having to choose between growing crops for food or fuel.
Just your cup of tea: the history (and health claims) of the nation’s favourite brew
09 June 2016How do you take your tea – with a drop of poisonous chemicals or a spoonful of sheep dung? Throughout history, the health benefits – and harms – of this popular beverage have been widely debated. In an article originally published in the student science magazine BlueSci, Sophie Protheroe, an undergraduate student at Murray Edwards College, examines the global history of tea and its effect on our health.
Minecraft tree “probably” the tallest tree in the Tropics
08 June 2016A tree the height of 20 London double-decker buses has been discovered in Malaysia by conservation scientists monitoring the impact of human activity on the biodiversity of a pristine rainforest. The tree, a Yellow Meranti, is one of the species that can be grown in the computer game Minecraft.
Smart glass goes from clear to opaque and back again – 27 million times
08 June 2016A smart material that switches back and forth between transparent and opaque could be installed in buildings or automobiles, potentially reducing energy bills by avoiding the need for costly air conditioning.
Blueprint for success: what makes a city thrive?
07 June 2016Why is Milton Keynes one of the most successful cities in the UK, and Dundee one of the least? What gives Leeds its economic edge over Liverpool? How did London survive the 1990s recession, going from boom to bust and boom again? Researchers are asking these questions and many more in the largest ever analysis of what makes cities thrive.
Larger wine glasses may lead people to drink more
07 June 2016Selling wine in larger wine glasses may encourage people to drink more, even when the amount of wine remains the same, suggests new research from the University of Cambridge. In a study published today in the journal BMC Public Health, researchers found that increasing the size of wine glasses led to an almost 10% increase in wine sales.
Opinion: Droughts and floods: India’s water crises demand more than grand projects
06 June 2016Bhaskar Vira (Department of Geography and University of Cambridge Conservation Research Institute) discusses ways of dealing with the crisis affecting India’s water resources.
Opinion: How the British military became a champion for language learning
06 June 2016Wendy Ayres-Bennett (Department of Theoretical and Applied Linguistics) discusses the impact of the military's new language policy.
