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Scientists Defuse the Vietnam Time Bomb

By Guest PostNovember 11, 2011Health, Sciencebacterial pathogen, bacterium, burkholderia, burkholderia pseudomallei, cancer, david rice, deadly tropical disease, diseases, drugs, endemic areas, esrf, european synchrotron radiation facility, france, grenoble, hiv and tuberculosis, kevin van cauter, key mechanism, melioidosis, northern australia, pmi2 funding, protein synthesis, rick titball, south east asia, structure of a protein, stuart wilson, therapies to prevent the proliferation of cancer cells, university of exeter, university of sheffield, us military personnel, vietnam time bomb, xrays at diamond light source

A key mechanism by which a bacterial pathogen causes the deadly tropical disease melioidosis has been discovered by an international team, including a University of Exeter scientist.

The findings are published in the journal Science and show how a toxin produced by the bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei kills cells by preventing protein synthesis.

The study, led by the University of Sheffield, paves the way for the development of novel therapies to combat the bacterium which infects millions of people across South East Asia and Northern Australia.

Using intense X-rays at Diamond Light Source, the UK’s national synchrotron facility, and at the European Synchrotron Radiation Facility (ESRF) in Grenoble, France, the research team solved the structure of a protein from Burkholderia, the function of which was initially unknown. (more…)

‘Heat-proof’ Eggs Help Turtles Cope With Hot Beaches

By Guest PostSeptember 29, 2011Nature, Scienceascension island, cayman islands department of environment, coast of south america, eggs, favourable genes, green turtles, jonathan blount, mark orr, rapid climate change, sam weber, sea turtles, south atlantic ocean, turtle evolution, turtles are naturally heat tolerant, uk, university of exeter, warming climate threatens

*Sea turtles face an uncertain future as a warming climate threatens to reduce their reproductive viability.*

*However, new research led by the University of Exeter and published this week in Proceedings of the Royal Society B shows that some turtles are naturally heat-tolerant.*

The study focused on green turtles nesting on Ascension Island, a UK overseas territory in the South Atlantic Ocean. Scientists from the Universities of Exeter and Groningen found that eggs laid by turtles nesting on a naturally hot beach withstand high temperatures better than eggs from turtles nesting on a cooler beach just a few kilometres away. (more…)

Roman Civilisation Travelled Further than History Books Tell Us

By Guest PostAugust 6, 2011Culture, Sciencearchaeologist, coin, danielle wootton, devon, earthwatch, excavation, history of the romans in britain, ioana oltean, largest roman settlement, metal detectorists, pas, portable antiquities scheme, quarry pits, roman cemetery, roman coins, roman invasion and occupation of devon, sam moorhead, south west peninsula of britain, university of exeter

A University of Exeter archaeologist’s research has uncovered the largest Roman settlement ever found in Devon. The discovery could force us to rewrite the history of the Romans in Britain.

The discovery of a large Roman Settlement in Devon was the result of a chance metal detecting coin find. Danielle Wootton, the Finds Liaison Officer for the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) and archaeologist at the University of Exeter was called on to investigate further. (more…)

Exeter Academic Contributes to New TV Series on Islam

By Guest PostJuly 20, 2011Culture, Mediabbc, british citizenship, historical personality, islam, islamic intellectual history, Jerusalem, jordan, mecca, muslims, muslims in britain, prophet, rageh omaar, saudi arabia, syria, the life of muhammad, the uk, the usa, turkey, university of cambridge, university of exeter

*A University of Exeter academic, who is an expert on Islam, has contributed to the new television series ‘The Life of Muhammad’ currently being broadcast on BBC Two. The three-part documentary, presented by journalist Rageh Omaar, charts the story of the Prophet who, in little more than 20 years, changed the world forever.*

Professor Sajjad Rizvi, University of Exeter’s Associate Professor of Islamic Intellectual History at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies, provided expert advice to the BBC team. He also appears in the series. (more…)

Decline in Species Shows Climate Change Warnings Not Exaggerated

By Guest PostJuly 15, 2011EnvironmentAntarctica, bering sea, birds, bivalve mollusks, boreal forests, climate change, effects of climate change on plant and animal species, Europe, extinction, extinction risk, fenno scandia, global biodiversity, global warming, human induced climate change, ilya maclean, Madagascar, marine mammals, nematode worm, pine grosbeak, population declines, robert wilson, species, spectacled eider, tenerife, tiger salamander populations, two barred crossbill, types of habitat, united states of america, university of exeter, yellowstone national park

One in 10 species could face extinction by the year 2100 if current climate change impacts continue.

This is the result of University of Exeter research, examining studies on the effects of recent climate change on plant and animal species and comparing this with predictions of future declines.

Published in leading journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, the study uses the well-established IUCN Red List for linking population declines to extinction risk. The research examines nearly 200 predictions of the future effects of climate change from studies conducted around the world, as well as 130 reports of changes which have already occurred. (more…)

‘Lost’ Bats Found Breeding on Scilly

By Guest PostJune 19, 2011Naturebat detectors, brown long eared bat, fiona mathews, ios bat group, islands, isles of scilly, lost species of bat, mike gurr, monterey pine tree, pipistrelle colony, plecotus auritus, radiotracking, scilly area of outstanding natural beauty, soprano pipistrelles, st mary, the whispering bat, university of exeter, wiltshire bat group, woodland

*A University of Exeter biologist has discovered a ‘lost’ species of bat breeding on the Isles of Scilly.*

*A pregnant female brown long-eared bat is the first of its species to be found on the islands for at least 40 years.*

It was discovered by Dr Fiona Mathews, Senior Lecturer at the University of Exeter, a postgraduate student and a team from the Wiltshire Bat Group.

The Scilly Isles Bat Group called in Dr Mathews and her team to help them find out more about bats on the islands. The researchers set up a radiotracking study, with funding from the Isles of Scilly Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, to monitor the islands’ bat activity. (more…)

Africa’s Sea Turtles Need Passports for Protection

By Guest PostMay 13, 2011Natureangela formia, brendan godley, coast of central africa, conkouati douli national park, cornwall campus, disney worldwide conservation fund, endangered sea turtles, fishing nets, gabon, marine park, mayumba national park, olive ridley sea turtles, republic of the congo, sara maxwell, satellite tracking, satellite transmitters, turtles, university of california santa cruz, university of exeter

Research by experts at the University of Exeter has led to calls to create an international marine park to protect endangered sea turtles.

Scientists from the university’s Centre for Ecology and Conservation, based at its Cornwall Campus, worked with an international team to carry out satellite tracking of olive ridley sea turtles off the coast of Central Africa for the study. (more…)

University Academic Lifts Lid on Iphone Tracking

By Guest PostApril 23, 2011Technologyalasdair allan, apple, cell tower triangulation, ios 4, ipads, iphones, operating system, pete warden, university of exeter

A University of Exeter researcher has revealed how he discovered Apple iPhones and iPads are tracking every movement of their owners and storing it in a file on the device.

Dr Alasdair Allan, a Senior Research Fellow in the Astrophysics department, came across the find while looking at programmes on the iPhone with security expert, Pete Warden. (more…)

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