university of exeter – Page 5 – Shamskm: A site to exchange knowledge and solutions

New book explores challenges for democracy in North Africa

By Guest PostFebruary 16, 2014Politicsalgeria, arab spring, arab world, ben ali, challenges for democracy, democracy, explore, Facebook, islam, islamist ennahda, jacopo granci, libya, lise storm, maghreb region, mauritania, middle east expert, morocco, new book, north africa, party politics, president bouteflika, regime, tunisia, Twitter, university of exeter

The uncertainties surrounding the long-term prospect of democracy being fully embraced by North African nations embroiled in the Arab Spring rebellions are the focus of a fascinating new book.

The book, called ‘Party Politics and the Prospects for democracy in North Africa’, explores whether traditional political parties have adapted in response to growing demands for democracy in the region in recent years.

Author Dr Lise Storm, a Middle East expert from the University of Exeter examines whether a less authoritarian approach has been integrated, or whether existing parties have simply reinvented themselves to meet today’s expectations. (more…)

Seasonal awareness a traditional way of life

By Guest PostFebruary 8, 2014Cultureannual cycle, Britain, candlemas eve, church, ecology, english rural traditions, februus, latin februa, pagan god, professor nick groom, seasonal awareness, traditional, underworld, university of exeter, way of life

A celebration of the traditional connections between human lives, the seasons and the natural world form the basis of a new book by University of Exeter academic, Professor Nick Groom.

The book, called ‘The Seasons: An Elegy for the Passing of the Year’, is an urgent plea for English rural traditions not to be forgotten, and investigates not only how society is becoming cut off from the rhythms of the natural world, but also the ways in which the annual cycle has been celebrated for centuries. (more…)

Fungi are the rainforest ‘diversity police’

By Guest PostFebruary 4, 2014Environmentbelize, biodiversity in rainforests, chiquibul forest reserve, diversity police, fungi, fungicide amistar, nerc, oomycetes, owen lewis, oxford university, rainforest, sarah gurr, sheffield university, university of exeter

A new study has revealed that fungi, often seen as pests, play a crucial role policing biodiversity in rainforests.

The research, by scientists at Oxford University, the University of Exeter and Sheffield University, found that fungi regulate diversity in rainforests by making dominant species victims of their own success.

Fungi spread quickly between closely-packed plants of the same species, preventing them from dominating and enabling a wider range of species to flourish. (more…)

Schizophrenia in the limelight: film-industry technology provides insights into social exclusion

By Guest PostJanuary 30, 2014Health3d, array, film industry technology, gestures, illness, infrared camera, mary lavelle, nodding, nonverbal communication, pat healey, posture, rose mccabe, schizophrenia, social exclusion, social stigma, symptoms, university of exeter

The first 30 seconds of a social encounter is crucial for people with symptoms of schizophrenia for establishing contact with people, according to new research carried out at Queen Mary University of London and the University of Exeter Medical School.

Using motion capture technology more commonly found in the film industry, the researchers studied social interactions of patients in a group and analysed the patterns of verbal and non-verbal communication. (more…)

Glaciers existed in Britain as late as Georgian era

By Guest PostJanuary 27, 2014Environment9th millennium, bc, beryllium 10 isotope, Britain, British Geological Survey, cairngorm mountain range, climate, cosmogenic dating, east kilbride, edinburgh, geography, georgian era, glacier climate model, glaciers, highlands, jez everest, katie brady, little ice age, martin kirkbride, numerical, plymouth university, scotland, scottish highlands, scottish mountains, simulate, small glaciers, snowy mountains, stephan harrison, technique, university of dunde, university of exeter

New evidence indicates glaciers present 11,000 years later than believed

Research led by a scientist from the University of Exeter has shown that Britain was home to small glaciers within the last few centuries – around 11,000 years later than previously thought.

Dr Stephan Harrison of Geography has established that small glaciers almost certainly existed in the Cairngorm mountain range in Scotland as recently as the 18^th century, contrary to the long held belief that Britain’s last glaciers melted around the 9^th millennium BC. (more…)

Bat’s sea crossing is first from UK to mainland Europe

By Guest PostJanuary 22, 2014Nature, Scienceautumn, bat, bat conservation trust, bat migration, blagdon near bristol, continental europe, discovery, fiona mathews, lisa worledge, mainland europe, mammal, nathusius pipistrelle, north sea, old historical records, sea crossing, uk, university of exeter

A tiny bat found in the Netherlands is believed to provide the first direct evidence that British bats migrate over the sea between the UK and mainland Europe.

The bat, a Nathusius’ pipistrelle, flew from Blagdon near Bristol across the country and over the North Sea before settling in a farm building near the coast in Friesland – a direct journey of 596 kilometres (370 miles).

Bat experts in both countries are working together to learn more about this remarkable journey and its implications for bat conservation and offshore windfarms. (more…)

Scandalous bodies and our relationship with food

By Guest PostJanuary 21, 2014Culture, Healthalcohol consumption, attitude, body shape, corinna wagner, extravagant lifestyle, georgian period, goddesses of health, government, honest british, king george, late georgian england, medicine, mid victorian period, model, modern day phenomenon, monarchy, mulligatawny soup, obesity, over indulgence, pathological bodies, persian delicacies, physical perfection, political culture, self control, self discipline, the english malady, thomas king chambers, university of exeter, victorian, vitriolic public condemnation

Attitudes toward over-indulgence, obesity and body shape were being hotly debated and used for political purposes as early as the 19^th century, a new book claims. ‘Pathological Bodies’, by Dr Corinna Wagner from the University of Exeter, shows that body consciousness is not just a modern-day phenomenon.

Instead, medical warning about excessive eating and drinking, and public attitudes about self-control and discipline emerged more than 250 years ago, when the perceived decadence of the Georgian period gave way to the more moderate and austere approach adopted by the Victorians. (more…)

Enormous scale of Nile ‘mega lake’ revealed

By Guest PostJanuary 19, 2014Environment, Sciencedavid haberlah, east africa, eastern sahara desert, egypt, exposure, isotope beryllium 10, lake baikal, lake michigan, lake tanganyika, nile mega lake, shoreline deposits, Siberia, sudan, surface area, tim barrows, university of exeter, US, valley, white nile river

The eastern Sahara Desert was once home to a 45,000 km²freshwater lake similar in surface area to the largest in the world today.

A study led by the University of Exeter has revealed that the mega lake was probably formed more than one hundred thousand years ago in the White Nile River Valley in Sudan.

Dr Tim Barrows of the University of Exeter and colleagues used a dating approach based on exposure to cosmic rays to measure the amount of the isotope beryllium-10 in shoreline deposits. Its abundance can be used to calculate how long rocks or sediments have been exposed at the surface of the earth. (more…)

Tag Archives: university of exeter