3,639 search results

On the inside of the rebellion against climate change
Nature & Environment

On the inside of the rebellion against climate change

...opening experience. Social psychology has documented the polarisation of groups based on perceptions of in-group and out-group membership and how these can lead to hostility between different groups. Looking at XR events over the week there was little evidence of hostility between XR members and the police. While police arrested protestors, police handled the arrest...
Explainer: how hostile is space?
Science, Maths & Technology

Explainer: how hostile is space?

...Open University, explains more...Space may seem calm, but it is a more hostile environment than that on Earth. Invisible radiation is a big problem for space enthusiasts and scientific instruments. Substituting electronic devices to do human tasks reduces risk, but it doesn’t eliminate all risk. Every active device in space is dealing with such risks right now – be it...
Iron from the sky: Meteors, meteorites and ancient culture
Science, Maths & Technology

Iron from the sky: Meteors, meteorites and ancient culture

...Open University to visualise what remained of the bead microstructure and measuring the chemistry of any preserved metal fragments. At The University of Manchester in the x-ray imaging facility, we produced an x-ray CT model of the bead which illustrated the variations in its structure and composition in three dimensions. The results indicated the bead micro-structures...
‘It’s Just Banter’: Women and Sexual Harassment in the Hospitality Industry
Society, Politics & Law

‘It’s Just Banter’: Women and Sexual Harassment in the Hospitality Industry

...Open University's History and Social Sciences qualifications. Setting the Scene Two old guys at the bar where I was working: “Whaur’s ma New Year’s kiss then?” “Aye, and whaur’s mine?” “No thank you,” I said. “Aw, come on! Ye’ve got tae gie me a New Year’s kiss!” “No thank you,” I repeated and went to get on with cleaning glasses. Their tone...
Sniffing out signs of life
Science, Maths & Technology

Sniffing out signs of life

...Open University field trip to Iceland under a Europlanet grant. Copyright: Claire Batty Researching VOCs at AstrobiologyOU In AstrobiologyOU, we are studying VOCs in ‘analogue environments’. An analogue environment is a location or situation that resembles the geological or biological conditions of another planetary body. Some analogues are laboratory simulations,...
Today’s immigration laws have teeth, and their bite is toxic for people seeking asylum
Society, Politics & Law

Today’s immigration laws have teeth, and their bite is toxic for people seeking asylum

...open that could be a fire hazard. In this way, everyday actions become border offences. [A piece of paper is stuck up on a yellow patterned wall with blu-tack. It says 'HOUSE RULES' in red in the centre then underneath "All doors in the property must stay closed and not be wedged open with any object. They are fire doors and here for your safety. Anyone seen to be...
Properties of gold
Science, Maths & Technology

Properties of gold

Open University chemist Mike Bullivant outlines the properties of gold...Find out more about The Open University's Science courses and qualifications [vial of gold] Why is gold so expensive? Gold is an unusual metal in that it predominantly exists in the Earth’s crust as the element (so-called ‘native’ gold); that is, it’s not chemically combined with other elements....
How does COVID-19 affect cancer treatment?
Science, Maths & Technology

How does COVID-19 affect cancer treatment?

...Open University answer cancer-related questions about the new coronavirus in this series of articles...Who are we? We are cancer researchers working at The Open University. Our daily job involves identifying and testing new therapies and new diagnostic technologies for cancers. For this reason, we are regularly in contact with cancer charities and patient support groups....