Science press releases

Ask An Expert COVID edition cover photo

Video Q&A: Curious about COVID-19? Expert panel answer questions on vaccines, wellbeing and more

Are you immune to COVID-19 if you’ve had the vaccine? Is there going to be a ‘third wave’? How accurate are lateral flow tests? Will the coronavirus ever fully disappear?
Illustration of hands holding technology with COVID news showing

New study shows how online endorsement could help address COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy

A third of the UK adult population intend to use social media and personal messaging to encourage people to get vaccinated against COVID-19, a new, large scale, multi-university study involving Loughborough researchers has found.
Wind turbines in a forest

New AI tool, developed by Loughborough experts, 85% accurate for recognising and classifying wind turbine blade defects

Demand for wind power has grown, and with it the need to inspect turbine blades and identify defects that may impact operation efficiency.

Space race: Astronaut Chris Hadfield gives advice on life, spacesuits and leadership to Loughborough runner and engineering student Alex Haydock-Wilson

Astronaut Chris Hadfield has said that winning an Olympic Gold medal “won’t even be as good as you think” in a personal one-to-one chat with Loughborough athlete and student Alex Haydock-Wilson.

New portable gamma ray camera could help speed up cancer diagnosis

Scientists have designed a portable 3D imaging device which will improve the treatment and diagnosis of cancer.
Illustration of a computer with a lock sign on the screen

Loughborough expert to lead international project that will investigate how AI can make digital cultural records more accessible to users

It’s no secret that emails have largely replaced letters, and PDFs and Word documents have taken the place of paper reports – and though it makes communication faster and more effective, the shift to digital concerns archivists.
Fitness icons including trainers, an apple, and weights

COVID-19 has highlighted the need to tackle the ‘obesity time bomb’ – here are two simple steps we could take

The urgency of tackling the obesity time bomb has been brought to the fore by evidence of the link to an increased risk from COVID-19, says the UK Government’s Department of Health and Social Care₍₁₎.

Hands holding weights, water, and healthy food

Three ways behavioural psychology might help you lose weight

There’s no shortage of weight loss programmes out there to choose from, each of which claim to have the key to shedding pounds. One of the latest popular weight loss programmes out there is Noom, which claims that behavioural psychology is the key to helping people lose weight for good – including those who haven’t had success in the past.
The artwork for the latest experts in sport podcast

Experts in Sport: Does stronger = faster?

Force, velocity, and power are all vital for success in jumping and sprinting, but how are these key components measured and monitored to improve athlete performance?

Athlete being monitored on indoor running track

Loughborough best university in the world for sports-related subjects for fifth consecutive year

Loughborough has been named the best university in the world for sports-related subjects for the fifth year running by the global QS higher education league table.
Young man in a hoodie talking to an adult.

‘Children who offend should be treated as children first and foremost’: new report provides evidence-base for Child First approach in youth justice systems

Responding to young people that come into contact with the Youth Justice System as ‘children’ and not ‘offenders’ can enhance lives, reduce offending, promote safer communities and lead to fewer victims, a new report states.

The set of the 90s sit-com Friends

‘The One with the Conversation Analyst': What Friends and Phoebe Buffay teach us about the way we talk

Conversation analyst Professor Elizabeth Stokoe has studied social interaction in a variety of contexts including healthcare settings, police interviews, hostage negotiations, and even first dates.
People toasting at the pub

British people are really missing the pub – here’s why

The events of the past year have had a devastating impact on the hospitality sector in the UK. At the forefront of lockdown’s sacrifices for many is the closure of an institution that is a cornerstone of british culture – the pub.
motor sport athletes

Motorsport athletes put in pole position at Loughborough University

Leading athletes from across the world of motorsport have been put through their paces at Loughborough University – all in the name of gaining an advantage over their competitors, both on and off the track.

Cuppa with a Scientist logo.

Loughborough University launches ‘Cuppa with a Scientist’ podcast

Loughborough University has officially launched ‘Cuppa with a Scientist’, a brand new podcast led by the PR team that aims to inspire the next generation of scientists.

living neuronal cell circuits grown in the lab

Stem cell AI: Loughborough part of £3m ‘brain on a chip’ project that aims to revolutionise computing power

Loughborough University scientists have started work on a project that will see human brain stem cells used to power artificial intelligence (AI) devices and bring about a revolution in computing.

Physicists use ‘hyperchaos’ to model complex quantum systems at a fraction of the computing power

Physicists have discovered a potentially game-changing feature of quantum bit behaviour which would allow scientists to simulate complex quantum systems without the need for enormous computing power.

Illustration of a family playing board games

Academics awarded £93k to develop novel board game that aims to improve children’s numeracy skills

Mathematics education research has repeatedly shown that children’s early counting abilities are an essential precursor to wider mathematical learning.

Teachers could be over or underestimating the effectiveness of education studies because of how they are presented

The way that some education studies are presented could give teachers unrealistic expectations about what they might be able to achieve in the classroom, according to new research.
the world

Climate change: what would 4°C of global warming feel like?

Another year, another climate record broken.

New theory for how snowflakes grow

Scientists have discovered what drives the delicate and complex microcosm of tiny terraces, pyramids and craters found on the surface of ice.
Biofilm rendering off Getty

FEATURE: Corals, wound infection detection, and theoretical physics...exploring how Loughborough academics are tackling major issues related to biofilms

Biofilms are central to our most important global challenges, from antimicrobial resistance and food safety to water security, and they have a significant economic, social, and environmental impact.
Hand sprinkling salt

A dash of salt could revolutionise drug delivery and bio-analysis, experts suggest after developing new mechanism that can trap submicron particles in minutes

A spoonful of sugar may make the medicine go down, but a new Loughborough-led study suggests a dash of salt is key to progressing important medical areas such as drug delivery and biological sample analysis.

Creating the next generation of Li ion batteries - new research

A breakthrough in the design of lithium ion batteries could lead to the next generation of safer more reliable solid-state power cells.

Modelling shows sneezes and coughs are like “mini atomic bombs” and regularly exceed two metres

Keeping two metres apart might not be far enough to stop the spread of coronavirus from sneezes and coughs, according to a new study.