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University of Portsmouth


Men think they're better liars

A study by Dr Brianna Verigin found that nearly half of all lies are told by a small number of prolific liars, who use their charm and words to deceive others. These expert liars prefer face-to-face interactions and often lie to close family members and colleagues.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalPLOS ONE·DateDec 20, 2019

Helping the body's ability to grow bone

Researchers at the University of Portsmouth used synchrotron X-ray computed tomography to examine the performance of four different bone-biomaterial systems. They found that strain can be used to understand and potentially predict clinical outcomes of biomaterials in a living body.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalACS Biomaterials Science & Engineering·DateJun 24, 2019

Islamic values play a significant role in the travel decisions of Muslim tourists

A new study by the University of Portsmouth reveals that Islamic values play a significant role in Muslim tourists' travel decisions. The research found that Muslim travelers prioritize halal facilities, prayer spaces, and adherence to Sharia law when choosing destinations, driving growth in the global halal tourism market.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalInternational Journal of Tourism Research·DateJun 24, 2019

The evolution of puppy dog eyes

Researchers found that dogs have developed a muscle above the eyes to intensively raise their inner eyebrow, making them appear larger and more infant-like. This movement, known as AU101, triggers a caregiving response in humans, potentially leading to enhanced social interaction.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateJun 17, 2019

The bird that came back from the dead

Scientists discovered two instances of flightless rail species colonizing Aldabra island, evolving independently after tens of thousands of years. The study provides the first evidence of iterative evolution in rails, revealing how a single species from Madagascar gave rise to two distinct species on the island.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalZoological Journal of the Linnean Society·DateMay 9, 2019

Choice architecture for architecture choices

A new tool, Multicriteria Decision Aiding methodology, helps decision makers structure and aggregate complex information for social housing initiatives. The method, based on Analytical Hierarchy Process and Non-Additive Robust Ordinal Regression, provides a transparent and explainable outcome.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalLand Use Policy·DateOct 24, 2018

People can die from giving up the fight

Researchers describe five stages of give-up-itis, a condition characterized by progressive psychological decline and apathy, leading to potentially life-threatening consequences. The condition is triggered by severe trauma and affects the anterior cingulate circuit, governing motivation and goal-directed behavior.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalMedical Hypotheses·DateSep 27, 2018

Penalty kick research hits the spot

A new study from the University of Portsmouth suggests that implicit practice methods can help football players improve their penalty kick accuracy. The research found that using these methods, which encourage independent decision-making, results in higher kicking accuracy compared to explicit training methods.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalHuman Movement Science·DateAug 9, 2018

Can pollution alter wildlife behavior?

New studies demonstrate that chemical exposure can alter animal behaviour, impacting food chains. Researchers designed experiments using amphipods to investigate effects of tank size and shape on exploratory behaviours, finding variations between species in response to light stimuli.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalPeerJ·DateJul 27, 2018

Einstein proved right in another galaxy

An international team confirms Albert Einstein's general theory of relativity by making the most precise test of gravity outside our solar system. By combining data from NASA's Hubble Space Telescope and the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope, the researchers found that gravity behaves as predicted by GR on galactic s...

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalScience·DateJun 21, 2018

Engineering a plastic-eating enzyme

Scientists at the University of Portsmouth and NREL have engineered an enzyme that can break down polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics, a major contributor to ocean pollution. The discovery could lead to a recycling solution for millions of tons of plastic waste.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences·DateApr 16, 2018

Man's earliest ancestors discovered in southern England

Fossils of the oldest mammals related to mankind have been discovered on the Jurassic Coast of Dorset, dating back 145 million years. The two teeth belong to small, rat-like creatures that lived during the time of the dinosaurs and are the earliest undisputed fossils of mammals belonging to the line that led to human beings.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalActa Palaeontologica Polonica·DateNov 7, 2017

Dogs are more expressive when someone is looking

New research from the University of Portsmouth found that dogs produce more facial expressions when humans are looking at them. The study, led by Dr Juliane Kaminski, showed that dogs use these expressions to communicate with humans and not just due to excitement. Brow raising was the most commonly used expression in this research.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalScientific Reports·DateOct 19, 2017

Cocktail tests on toxic waste called for

Scientists found that low concentrations of toxic chemicals can affect aquatic creature behavior, including feeding and swimming speed. The study calls for low dose and mixture toxicity testing to assess the impact of complex pollutant mixtures on aquatic ecosystems.

SourceUniversity of Portsmouth·JournalEnvironmental Pollution·DateOct 16, 2017