A study calls for a shift in focus from coral reefs to seagrass meadows as they face increasing threats from climate change and human activities. Seagrass conservation is crucial for global fisheries production, carbon cycle, and coastal ecosystem health.
Researchers used playback experiments to assess harbour porpoise echolocation click detection ranges for underwater acoustic loggers. The maximum distance captured was 566m, but effective detection ranged from just under 200m to 72m, providing valuable insights for conservation efforts.
Scientists at Swansea University's Energy Safety Research Institute are working on a £20,000 Royal Society Research Grant to create ultra-conductive wires that can transport electricity with improved energy efficiency. By mixing copper with carbon nanotubes, they aim to reduce the 10% of electricity lost in the grid.
Swansea University researchers have developed a perovskite solar module six times bigger than the previous largest, with efficiencies of up to 6.3% PCE and 11% PCE at low light levels. The technology uses simple and low-cost printing techniques, paving the way for industrial production.
A £7 million funding has enabled the development of a 'virtual factory' to test and refine new steel alloys 100 times faster than traditional methods. This breakthrough allows for faster testing of small-scale samples, covering areas like strength, durability, and corrosion resistance.
A study by Swansea University found that up to one in seven recent graduates may have paid someone to undertake their assignment, representing 31 million students. The data suggests a significant increase in contract cheating over time, with a historic average of 3.5% rising to 15.7% in studies from 2014.
Researchers at Swansea University's CERN project have improved the synthesis of antihydrogen and accumulated the anti-atoms for greater experimentation scope. This achievement allows for greater control and manipulation of ultra-cold anti-atom properties.
A team of researchers led by Dr Marco Taddei at Swansea University's ESRI has found a way to utilize defects in metal-organic frameworks to capture CO2. The team investigated the role of defects in post-synthetic exchange, a process that allows MOFs to be modified through exchange of components of their structure.
Researchers emphasize the importance of seagrass conservation in securing a sustainable planet due to its role in biodiversity, fisheries, and carbon cycling. Seagrasses store significant amounts of carbon in their sediments, supporting local ecosystems and potentially mitigating climate change.
Researchers at Swansea University have identified a new species of venomous snake found only in Australia. The Weipa bandy-bandy, a small black and white banded snake, poses no risk to humans but its venom may hold potential for future drug developments.
A new airborne remote-imaging method can identify olive tree infections caused by the devastating bacterium Xylella fastidiosa before visible symptoms appear. This detection enables rapid containment and culling of infected trees, crucial in controlling the spread of the disease across southern Europe's iconic orchards.
The Active Office and Classroom demonstrate a 'buildings as power stations' concept, generating more energy than they consume. This innovative design could slash fuel bills and reduce carbon emissions in UK offices.
A new laser technology developed by Swansea University has won the Materials Science Venture Prize, allowing for real-time monitoring of molten metal furnaces without stopping production. This innovation saves steel plants up to £4.5 million a year and can be applied to various metals such as aluminium and copper.
Researchers from Swansea University found that enriching natural gas with hydrogen is a promising way to reduce UK carbon dioxide emissions. By increasing the hydrogen content to 30%, domestic carbon emissions could be reduced by up to 18% without requiring any changes to appliances.
Seagrass meadows support global fisheries production by providing nursery habitat, promoting health of connected habitats, and supplying trophic support. However, the coastal distribution of seagrasses makes them vulnerable to threats such as land runoff and trawling, leading to declines in seagrass and fisheries.
Research by Swansea University and Indian team finds that tea leaf extract-based nanoparticles inhibit lung cancer cell growth, destroying up to 80%. Quantum dots produced from tea leaves also show promise in bioimaging and anticancer applications.
A new Swansea University study finds that using anonymised routinely collected electronic health records can help track trial participants over long-term periods, providing more complete results. The use of these records reduces volunteer bias, increases reliability, and provides new insights into population health.
The Steel and Metals Institute at Swansea University will transform the UK iron and steel making industry into a low-carbon, resource-efficient sector. The research focuses on smart steel processing of high-value products, including sustainable packaging made from steel.
Researchers found that Antarctic glaciers can experience surface melting during the winter months due to warm winds. The Larsen C ice sheet shows large meltwater lakes forming, which may affect ice-shelf stability and contribute to sea-level rise if ponds cause ice shelves to break up.
Swansea University's METaL scheme has received £1.4m EU funding to increase skills in the advanced manufacturing sector. The additional funding will enable the scheme to support over 400 people in gaining technical skills, with a focus on emerging sectors such as energy and smart manufacturing.
A recent awareness and management programme for sepsis has led to increased E. coli blood stream infection cases, raising questions about the effectiveness of existing targets. The programme's success in sepsis detection suggests considering alternative measures, such as positive-to-negative sample ratios or urine analysis.
The project aims to explore highly novel forms of physical photovoltaic (PV) tiles that can harness indoor and ambient light to power integrated digital services. This technology has vast applications, including interactive art designs, pedestrian navigation, and energy-efficient street awnings.
A new study reveals that European rivers have a much higher density of barriers than previously thought, with up to one barrier per kilometer. A newly developed smartphone app, Barrier Tracker, is now available to help document and update this information.
A systematic review of over 150,000 children and young people found that those who are cyberbullied are more than twice as likely to self-harm and enact suicidal behavior. The study also highlights the need for effective prevention and intervention strategies to address both victims' and perpetrators' vulnerabilities.
A new study by Swansea University researcher Andrew Lucas reveals vital behaviors of hoverflies in plant pollination. The research helps identify the plants hoverflies visit and provides advice to landowners on species-rich grasslands.
Researchers from Swansea University and Deakin University have discovered vast deep-water seagrass meadows in the Great Chagos Bank of the Western Indian Ocean. The study used satellite tracking to locate these habitats, which are critical for storing carbon and supporting fish populations.
Researchers at Swansea University's Energy Safety Research Institute have found a way to convert CO2 into ethylene, the basis of making plastics, at room temperature. This process has the potential to offset global carbon emissions and utilise half a billion tonnes of emitted CO2 annually.
A new study re-examines a 17th-century Scottish natural history book, revealing insights into the country's pre-industrial environmental change. The research, published in the Royal Society Journal of the History of Science, highlights Scotland's lost wildlife species and its ecosystem's preservation of ancient species.
Seagrass meadows in Indonesia are under threat due to environmental degradation, with up to 90% of meadows showing extensive damage. Community-led conservation action and replanting initiatives have shown promise in mitigating the problem.
Researchers from Swansea University have conducted the most precise direct measurement of antimatter ever made, revealing the spectral structure of antihydrogen atoms in unprecedented detail. The result surpasses previous measurements by a factor of 100, bringing us closer to testing fundamental symmetries like CPT invariance.
Researchers used advanced imaging techniques to subject small gold particles to extreme temperatures, revealing their remarkable resilience and ability to change shape. The findings have significant implications for nanotechnology applications in catalysis and aerospace.
A new study by Swansea University found that children with intellectual disability or autism are more likely to be given antipsychotic medication, leading to higher rates of depression, injury, and hospitalization. The research also highlights the potential long-term health implications of treating behavioral problems in this way.
A £1 million funded research project at Swansea University is developing virtual qualification for high-value manufacturing. This technology uses 3D X-ray imaging to create digital replicas of components, allowing for the assessment of performance and reduction of human error. The goal is to reduce testing time from weeks to hours.
Swansea University will share initial investment of £30 million with Queen's University Belfast to focus on Modernising Public Health and Enabling Precision Medicine. The project aims to upscale research in scientific discovery and its translation to improve patient and population health.
Scientists at Swansea University are developing a circular economy solution using algae to clean up waste nutrients from food and farm waste. The ALG-AD project aims to cultivate algal biomass for animal feed and other products, reducing pollution and promoting sustainable agriculture.
Researchers at Swansea University have discovered patterns in soil fractures that could speed up the decontamination of industrial brownfield sites. The technique uses fracturing to generate high-conductivity pathways for fluid exchange, reducing cleaning time and cost.
Researchers found that resource-rich environments cause people to favor short-term relationships, leading to a 16% increase in preferences for short-term partnerships. Human behavior is influenced by environmental cues, and this study demonstrates the adaptability of relationship preferences in response to changing circumstances.
Researchers at the Energy Safety Research Institute discovered that hard-to-remove contaminants like iron catalyst, carbon, and water can skew conductivity test results. Cleaning these contaminants using vacuum annealing or argon ion bombardment can improve measurement accuracy, but may also introduce defects that degrade conductivity.
A study found that women's health values, work and achievement values, and spiritual values predict pelvic floor muscle training session attendance. Patients value relationships more strongly than other aspects of their lives, but these values don't necessarily influence treatment attendance.
Researchers developed trapped-ion quantum error correction protocols to detect and correct processing errors, enabling the creation of larger quantum computers. The study suggests that today's quantum computer prototypes can meet specific criteria with current ion-trap technologies.
A recent study published by Swansea University found that babies who feed themselves solid foods have no increased risk of choking. The study analyzed 1151 mothers and their babies aged 4-12 months, concluding that baby-led weaning approaches do not pose a choking risk as long as high-risk foods are avoided.
A new law aims to address contract cheating by placing strict liability on service providers, rather than students. This approach tackles the issue of 'intent' in contract cheating, where services use terms and conditions to protect themselves from student accusations.
Researchers found that seagrass meadows are globally extensive fishing habitats, with significant impact on daily food supply and livelihoods in developing countries. The study highlights the need for recognition of seagrass habitats' value in supporting fisheries.
A study published in Scientific Reports reveals how Cape Town's baboons use a sit-and-wait tactic before raiding homes and gardens in search of food. The research shows that only 10% of their foraging time is spent on raids, highlighting the extreme behavioral flexibility of these canny primates.
Researchers from six centers worldwide have assembled a vast family dataset to study genetic contributions to common epilepsies. The study reveals distinct family syndromes that could inform future genetic research and treatment development.
Research by Swansea University scientists improved nanowire stability, enabling more durable nanotechnology for future semiconductor devices. Atomic changes to metal catalyst particles revealed new physical evidence on barrier inhomogeneity, allowing nanoengineers to select device properties.
Researchers have developed a new quantum simulation protocol to understand key properties of interacting quantum field theories. The protocol uses cold atoms as controllable quantum sensors to measure the generating functional, a fundamental concept in quantum field theory.
Researchers create a superhydrophilic filter that can remove greater than 90% of hydrocarbons and all bacteria from contaminated water produced by hydraulic fracturing operations. The filter significantly cuts the amount of water that needs to be stored or transported, making it ideal for reusing in fracking operations.
New research confirms that Greenland's outlet glaciers slide over wet, slippery sediment rather than hard rock, and this will accelerate ice flow as global temperatures rise. This challenges the view of a slowdown in ice flow, suggesting a more complex future pattern of ice sheet movement.
Swansea University scientists have made a groundbreaking observation of spectral line shapes in antihydrogen, a key step towards understanding the origin of matter. The team has also precise determined the antihydrogen hyperfine splitting and measured its first transition line shape.