University

Non-drug alternative to antidepressants

Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy (MBCT) could provide an alternative non-drug treatment for people who do not wish to continue long-term antidepressant treatment, suggests new research carried out at the University of Exeter and published today in The Lancet.

The results come from the first ever large study to compare MBCT – structured training for the mind and body which aims to change the way people think and feel about their experiences – with maintenance antidepressant medication for reducing the risk of relapse in depression.

The study aimed to establish whether...

Warming seas risk for fishy favourites

Popular North Sea fish such as haddock, plaice and lemon sole could become less common on our menus because they will be constrained to preferred habitat as seas warm, according to a study published in Nature Climate Change.

Fish distributions are limited by water temperature and some species can only thrive in certain habitats and depths. In the last 40 years the North Sea has warmed four times faster than the global average and further warming is predicted over the coming century, leading fisheries scientists to study how this will impact on commercial species.

The...

Scientists urge public to take part in final part of health survey

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 04/14/2015 - 12:02pm

Scientists in Cornwall are making a final appeal for people to take part in research that will shed light on the health effects of marine pollution.

To help them assess the health risks that ocean-goers might face, the researchers want to compare the health of people who venture into the waves with those who stay firmly on shore.

The University of Exeter Medical School is working with Surfers Against Sewage to conduct the study, with the final phase starting on Monday 13th April. They are asking adults living in England and Wales to respond to a short online survey,...

Alternating antibiotics could make resistant bacteria beatable

Authored by News Desk
Posted: Mon, 04/13/2015 - 4:29pm

Pioneering new research has unlocked a new technique to help combat the rise of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, that cause debilitating and often life-threatening human illness.

Researchers from the University of Exeter has shown that the use of ‘sequential treatments’ – using alternating doses of antibiotics – might offer effective treatment against bacterial infection.

Crucially, the research also demonstrates this technique for administering treatment also reduces the risk of the bacteria becoming resistant to antibiotics, and so maintaining the long-term effectiveness of...

Come Find Yourself 20th Anniversary Tour: Fun Lovin' Criminals

Event Date: 
19/02/2016 - 8:00pm
Venue: 
Exeter University (The Great Hall)

The New York City trio, Fun Lovin' Criminals are bringing their 20th Anniversary tour to Exeter's Great Hall next February.

Best known for their hit 'Scooby Snacks' which contains samples from Quentin Tarantino films. They create songs which are mainly about NYC and city life.

They have no specific genre but cover other genres like hip-hop, funk, jazz, rock and blues.

Tickets are £24.20 including booking fee. Link to tickets are found below.

https://www.ents24.com/exeter-events/exeter-university-the-great-hall/fu...

Bid to solve mysteries of flamingo fatherhood

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 03/17/2015 - 11:06am

A researcher at the University of Exeter has launched a bid to analyse the DNA of a group of flamingos in order to answer some of the questions surrounding paternity and social behaviour in the distinctive pink birds.

Paul Rose, a PhD student in the Centre for Research in Animal Behaviour, has been working with flamingos for three years at Slimbridge Wetlands Centre in Gloucestershire and is now embarking on a crowdfunding bid to genetically analyse who is related to who within the flock.

He said: “Flamingos are amazing birds. They have been around for millions of years and...

Switch off the lights for bats

New research has discredited the popular belief that street lighting is attractive to common bats.

The study, carried out by scientists from the University of Exeter and Bat Conservation Ireland, found that bat activity was generally lower in street-lit areas than in dark locations with similar habitat.

The findings have important implications for conservation, overturning the previous assumption that common bats benefited from street-lights because they could feed on the insects that congregated around them.

The research, published in the journal Philosophical...

Love, love me do: male beetles that have more sex are more insecure, study shows

Males that mate more often are more insecure about their social status than those mating less, according to new research on the behaviour of burying beetles.

The study, published tomorrow (Tuesday 10th March) in the journal Evolution, provides new evidence that the social sensitivity of male behaviour is linked to how often male beetles mate.

Male burying beetles actively compete with each other for access to breeding resources such as dead mice, and when they find a suitable carcass will emit pheromones as a signal to attract females. But the emission of pheromones may...

Exeter students scoop global technology prize

Authored by Mary Youlden
Posted: Tue, 03/03/2015 - 11:34am

Students from the University of Exeter have stormed to victory in an international competition, with their innovative app that allows users to lock and unlock doors with their mobile phone.

The team of Computer Science undergraduates secured victory in the Project Arduino competition, organised by leading engineering and technology company Thales, following a worldwide public vote.

The winning entry, called ‘LockDuino’, allows doors to be locked and unlocked remotely via a mobile phone app, which connects to a small Arduino microprocessor that runs the locking system. The...

Refugee Week events in Exeter

Encouraging people to take a positive look at asylum and celebrating the contributions of refugees in the UK forms the basis of Refugee Week.

The University of Exeter is hosting and supporting events until March 13 to bring awareness to individuals seeking sanctuary in Devon and around the world. Students have arranged a series of free events 9 – 13 March at the University’s Streatham Campus.

The Red Cross will talk about their work in supporting refugees and asylum seekers on 9 March, in the Forum and on the 10 March they will present a talk ‘Trading in Flesh: Human...

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