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Nature & Environment
Studying mammals: Plant predators
From the mouse-deer to the elephant, plant eaters come in all shapes and sizes. But how do they manage to flourish on a salad diet? In this free course, Studying mammals: Plant predators, we will examine the special features that allow them to extract their nutrients from leaves, and see how some plants protect themselves from these predators. ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
How can we encourage people to mend their clothes?
Sustainable fashion research in the design school is investigating people mending their clothes and how to encourage it to extend garment life.
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Science, Maths & Technology
Brain-inspired computing: a new paradigm for sustainable AI
Could the secret to greener AI be hiding inside our own head? Research into brain-inspired hardware suggests it might.
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Nature & Environment
Can landfills be used to improve biodiversity?
Could we transform our relationship with landfills as forgotten spaces and use these to help biodiversity by giving nature a home?
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Science, Maths & Technology
AI without borders: balancing productivity and privacy in agriculture
Agriculture is closely tied to human civilisation. From hunting and foraging, it evolved into farming, sparking the Neolithic Revolution. Since then, agriculture has transformed through ancient, medieval, and industrial eras, and today is being reshaped by technology and artificial intelligence.
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Nature & Environment
World Environment Day
We celebrate World Environment Day on 5th June every year... but that's not where our interest in the environment starts and ends, with just one day. Check out our selection of FREE courses, articles and other content related to the environment and nature that you can explore all year round...
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Health, Sports & Psychology
How places affect well-being
This free course looks at how where people live affects their well-being. This includes the kind of neighbourhood people live in, how places are organised and run, as well as the detail of the layout of buildings. You will learn about some of the ways that psychologists explain the links between places and well-being. This includes some of the ...
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Science, Maths & Technology
Why do we feel happier in the spring?
The arrival of spring is often associated with improved mood and energy levels, and an increased desire to spend time outside and to see friends and family. But why is this?
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Nature & Environment
The Valentine's rose trade story in a dozen roses
Roses, the flower of love and romance, are a summer flower. So is Valentine’s Day to blame for such huge international trade in cut rose stems? Professor David Gowing and Dr Yoseph Araya explore the history of the rose.
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Nature & Environment
Volunteers in Green Social prescribing: contributions and inclusion
Volunteers are known to play a wide range of roles in nature conservation, whether it is maintaining green spaces, or educating the public about the nature in their surroundings. Increasingly volunteers are now helping in supporting wellbeing initiatives outdoors.
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Nature & Environment
Milton Keynes: energy capital of the UK?
Professor Peter (Jake) Chapman has made a large contribution to society, especially with his work which led to the energy rating of all buildings. Watch a film which explores what happened when Jake of The Open University and an architect of the Milton Keynes Development Corporation recognised the dangers of increased energy on the climate. ...
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Nature & Environment
Hidden soil allies – fungi that help plants face drought
Climate change makes droughts more frequent and intense, threatening the food we grow and eat every day. Luckily, plants have invisible allies under the soil – tiny fungi called mycorrhizae that help them survive in tough times.