Oxford researchers have developed soft robots that operate without electronics, motors, or computers, using only air pressure to generate complex, rhythmic movements. The robots can automatically synchronize their actions and perform tasks like sorting beads into containers without external control.
A new study from the University of Oxford estimates that adopting more plant-based diets could reduce global agricultural labor needs by 5-28% by 2030, which is equivalent to 18-106 million full-time jobs. This shift could also cut global labor costs by $290-995 billion per year.
Researchers create plasma 'fireballs' using a laboratory analogue of blazar-driven pair cascades, finding no disruption from beam-plasma instabilities. This suggests that intergalactic medium contains a relic magnetic field likely seeded during the early Universe.
A new Oxford-led study reveals Africa's wildlife ecosystems are running on less than two-thirds of their natural energy, posing risks to biodiversity and the livelihoods that depend on it. The research uses an ecosystem energetics approach to quantify how energy flows through food webs, finding that smaller species now dominate Africa'...
The University of Oxford's OSI tool, a brief therapist-guided online Cognitive Behaviour Therapy platform, will be tested in five countries in Asia and South America. The project aims to ensure the tool works in various contexts and create conditions for its widespread implementation.
The new Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) report finds that nearly 8 in 10 people living in multidimensional poverty are directly exposed to climate hazards. Exposure to these hazards exacerbates daily challenges faced by poor people, reinforcing their disadvantages.
A new study from the University of Oxford found that underweight children incur comparable healthcare costs as those with obesity, challenging traditional childhood health priorities. The research tracked healthcare use in over 268,000 children aged 2-15 and estimated £340 million in additional annual NHS costs.
A new study uses general-purpose AI to classify real cosmic events and explain its reasoning without complex training. The model achieved approximately 93% accuracy and provided plain-English explanations for every classification.
New research shows that despite global GDP doubling since 2000, billions of people still lack access to essentials like food, housing, and healthcare. The study reveals that wealthy countries drive most of the ecological overshoot while poorer countries bear the brunt of deprivation.
Despite a US federal government retreat from its net zero target, global climate commitments continue to grow. Corporate net zero targets have matured, with 70% of the largest listed companies having set goals, while US states remain committed to reducing emissions, sustaining domestic and global momentum.
A new study found that US school closures imposed significant economic losses while other measures like mask mandates and testing proved more effective at controlling the virus. The research suggests rapid deployment of these interventions could have saved over 100,000 lives and cut total US impact from £3.7 trillion to £1.5 trillion.
A recent study published in the Lancet Primary Care tracked over 4,800 patients referred to the SCAN Pathway, a cancer diagnosis pathway designed for patients with non-specific symptoms. The study found that early diagnosis of cancers can save thousands of lives and reduce treatment costs for the NHS.
A team of researchers developed an AI-powered tool, called the Virtual Research Assistant (VRA), to filter through thousands of data alerts and identify genuine signals caused by supernovae. The VRA successfully filtered over 30,000 alerts while missing fewer than 0.08% of real supernovae alerts.
A new AI-powered satellite survey reveals a significant shortfall in estimated Serengeti wildebeest numbers, challenging traditional aerial surveys. The study's findings suggest at least 700,000 fewer wildebeest than previously estimated, highlighting the need for accurate data to inform conservation efforts.
Researchers used advanced X-ray imaging to track how tiny defects in stainless steel respond to hydrogen exposure. The study revealed three key changes once hydrogen was introduced, allowing internal defects to move more easily and leading to unexpected failure in metals.
Researchers found that carbon helps accelerate freezing in the inner core, while silicon and sulfur slow it down. The new constraint on the core's chemistry suggests that carbon may be more abundant than previously thought.
The new AEC-MS protocol provides comprehensive analysis of highly polar and ionic metabolites, improving molecular specificity and selectivity. This innovation has led to new applications in metabolomics, including studies on gut microbiome metabolism and energy substrate utilization.
The study reveals that victims had different dietary patterns and showed signs of higher mobility and physiological stress, suggesting they were outsiders. This finds supports a two-tiered ritual: local enemies killed in battle were dismembered as trophies; others, likely captives, were subjected to violent execution.
Researchers developed a sustainable solution to help tackle honeybee decline by creating an engineered food supplement. The new feed, designed to provide essential compounds found in plant pollen, significantly enhances colony reproduction.
A new imaging approach allows researchers to visualize how dual-acting diabetes and obesity drugs like tirzepatide interact with cells in the pancreas and brain. The tool, called daLUXendins, provides insight into the metabolic effects triggered by these drugs, which stimulate both GLP-1R and GIPR receptors.
Glaucoma is a leading cause of vision loss, with over 7.7 million people globally affected in 2020. The new microstent reduces excessive fluid buildup and intraocular pressure, supporting the eye's natural space and improving treatment efficacy. Its durable nickel-titanium alloy enables long-term safety and functionality.
Scientists have successfully synthesized a new type of molecular carbon allotrope, cyclo[48]carbon, which can be studied at room temperature. The molecule is stabilized by threaded macrocycles, increasing its stability and making it possible for spectroscopic characterization in solution.
A new framework developed by Oxford researchers helps agricultural sectors track and address biodiversity impacts, identifying areas where progress in one area may harm others. The study's safeguards act as checks and balances, ensuring that improvements in one area do not mask problems in another.
A new study found antimicrobial resistant bacteria spreading rapidly among children with severe malnutrition in Niger. The bacteria can cause life-threatening infections like pneumonia and sepsis, which are difficult to treat with antibiotics.
Wild great tits exhibit clear behaviors signalling 'divorce' long before the breeding season, according to a study by Oxford researchers. The team used data from the Wytham Woods great tit project and found that faithful birds visited feeding stations with their partners more often than those that went on to divorce.
A new study reveals a disconnect between media and public perceptions on the risks of consuming wild meat in Central Africa during COVID-19. Researchers found that people's perceptions were more influenced by their personal experience, with domesticated red meat viewed as the riskiest protein source for disease.
Researchers have developed a novel single-shot diagnostic technique called RAVEN, allowing for the complete capture of ultra-intense laser pulses in real-time. This method enables scientists to fine-tune laser systems and bridge the gap between experimental reality and theoretical models.
A new paper proposes a global framework to measure how well people and nature are thriving together, introducing the Nature Relationship Index to complement the Human Development Index. The index assesses countries' relationships with ecosystems, access to nature, and environmental protection.
A new study on ancient dog DNA shows that dogs slowly spread southward alongside early farming societies in the Americas. The research found that all pre-contact dogs in Central and South America descended from a single maternal lineage.
A University of Oxford study found that an intensive low-energy diet programme significantly improved eating disorder symptoms in people with type 2 diabetes and excess weight at risk of developing eating disorders. The programme showed benefits persisting six months after completion.
Physicists at the University of Oxford have set a new global benchmark for qubit operation accuracy, achieving an error rate of just 0.000015%. This breakthrough could lead to more efficient and robust quantum computers, as reducing errors is crucial to their functionality.
An international study found that dehorning rhinos resulted in a drastic reduction of poaching, with a 78% decrease in poaching rates. The study analyzed data from 11 Greater Kruger reserves and found that dehorning reduced incentives for poaching, making it an effective conservation strategy.
Researchers from Oxford University and the Instituto Superior Técnico recreated the quantum vacuum effect, a state previously thought to be empty but predicted to contain virtual electron-positron pairs. The simulation reveals new insights into how intense laser beams alter the quantum vacuum, enabling future high-energy experiments.
Researchers used SWOT satellite data to confirm that two mega tsunamis triggered by landslides caused trapped waves in the fjord. The study provides new insights into ocean extremes and how climate change affects remote areas.
A new technique has been developed to identify materials needed for large-scale, fault-tolerant quantum computing. The technique uses a scanning tunneling microscope to detect the topological surface state in intrinsic topological superconductors, enabling the identification of promising platforms for topological quantum computing.
Researchers developed a new method for extracting and identifying proteins from ancient soft tissues, providing insights into past lives and diseases. The technique identified over 1,200 ancient proteins from 2.5mg of sample, offering a window on human history.
A new study from Oxford University finds that people in poverty are more likely to feel lonely than those with higher incomes, despite similar socialization patterns. Strong social connections were shown to have the greatest symptom-reducing effects for those living in poverty.
A team at the University of Oxford created a comprehensive map of the world's rivers, capturing complex branching systems. The new GRIT mapping system improves flood models, water management, and disaster planning, supporting AI-driven global data-driven models.
Researchers at University of Oxford provide key ingredients for finding natural geological hydrogen, essential for a carbon neutral future. The discovery could unlock a commercially competitive, low-carbon hydrogen source, contributing significantly to the global energy transition.
A study found that large language models generalize language patterns in a surprisingly human-like way through analogy, relying on stored examples and drawing analogies when dealing with unfamiliar words. The models behave as if they have formed a memory trace from every individual example of every word encountered during training.
Researchers have discovered nearly 35,000 publicly downloadable deepfake image generators, downloaded over 15 million times since late 2022, primarily targeting women. The study highlights the need for robust technical safeguards and regulatory approaches to address the creation and distribution of these harmful AI models.
A new study has investigated seismic signal shear-wave splitting to provide early warnings of dangerous eruptions. The research team discovered that the amount of splitting doubles before a larger, more explosive eruption, indicating a useful relationship between the parameter and the size of the eruption.
Researchers have discovered a way to enhance wheat plants' sugar signalling ability, increasing yields by up to 12%. The new technology uses a Trehalose 6-phosphate pre-signalling molecule to activate the pathway for starch synthesis, leading to increased photosynthesis and grain filling.
A new study analyzing data from 2000 to 2023 found that the introduction of a 'pregnancy checkbox' on death certificates contributed significantly to rising maternal deaths between 2000-2019, accounting for two-thirds of the increase. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a sharp spike in maternal mortality rates, particularly among Native Amer...
Researchers from China, UK, and USA collaborated to study Uturuncu volcano's 'zombie' behavior, finding that movement of liquid and gas beneath the crater is the cause of unrest. The risk of an imminent eruption is considered low, alleviating fears for local populations.
A new study found that a pay-to-release programme increased live releases of endangered species caught as bycatch, but also encouraged some vessels to increase their catches at the expense of conservation goals. Adjustments have been made to improve the programme's effectiveness.
A recent study published in The Lancet Global Health found that malaria and meningitis deaths in comatose African children remain high despite decades of research and health interventions. The study highlights the critical need for immediate antibiotics alongside antimalarials, regardless of malaria diagnosis.
A new study from the University of Oxford reveals that a molecule called glycosyrin, produced by the bacterium Pseudomonas syringae, mimics galactose to suppress plant immune responses. This finding has potential medicinal applications and highlights the complex strategies used by bacteria to manipulate host plants.
A team of researchers at the University of Oxford has found evidence in a rare type of meteorite that supports the theory that water on Earth is native, rather than originating from asteroids. The discovery suggests that the early Earth had sufficient hydrogen to form water molecules.
The updated CONSORT 2025 statement provides a minimum set of essential items for reporting randomised trials, aiming to enhance the reliability and validity of trial findings. The guidelines include new checklist items and revisions to existing ones, focusing on open science principles.