News

This is our spot to tell you the most exciting Edinburgh-centric science news we can find. It's also a great place for new writers to learn their trade- so get in touch.

New Alzheimer’s Treatments made Possible by Novel Study

Submitted by admin on Sun, 2010-10-17 13:28

Researchers at the University of Edinburgh have identified the role of an enzyme which helps control brain activity. The findings, published in the renowned journal Nature Neuroscience, may pave the way for new treatments for Alzheimer’s and epilepsy. Read more »

What a copycat

Submitted by admin on Sun, 2010-10-17 13:24
bowerbirds are also proficient mimics, typically mimicking over a dozen other species and environmental noises

Bowerbirds are best known for the construction and subsequent decoration of their elaborate bowers, which are used by males to attract mates.  But it is not so widely known that bowerbirds are also proficient mimics, typically mimicking over a dozen other species and environmental noises. Read more »

Flights over forest give scientists aerial view of climate change

Submitted by admin on Sun, 2010-10-17 13:16
sensors will collect data about the absorption of CO2 by the trees

A team from the GeoSciences department at The University of Edinburgh, lead by Dr Caroline Nichol, has launched a programme to assess how much carbon dioxide boreal forests are absorbing. These are located around the Arctic Circle and their size is comparable to Amazon rainforests. Read more »

Research raises hope for age-related diseases patients

Submitted by admin on Thu, 2010-09-30 00:43
The shape of the molecules and how it could trigger aggregation will come under investigation

A research project based in Edinburgh is set to enhance our understanding of age-related diseases, and may subsequently indicate directions for drug development.

As one gets older, a number of crucial proteins often form clumps, formally referred to as aggregations. These underlie various symptoms of diseases that generally occur in later life, such as dementia and sight loss. Read more »

Alcohol-related deaths are connected with ethnic divides

Submitted by admin on Thu, 2010-09-30 00:37
native Scots are twice as likely to die from alcohol consumption compared to the English or Welsh

In the UK, alcohol-related deaths have doubled between 1991 and 2006, especially in Scotland with nearly 1,500 deaths each year. Research has shown that liver disease, liver cirrhosis, accidents and suicides are the most common causes of death associated with extensive alcohol consumption in Scotland. Read more »

Sport drinks boost endurance in young athletes

Submitted by admin on Tue, 2010-09-28 14:56

Scientists at The Institute of Sport, Physical Education and Health Sciences of the University of Edinburgh’s Moray House School of Education, recently became curious by the fact that the consumption of commercially available energy drinks in adolescents has increased. Read more »

Discovery could make it possible to create crops growing in cold

Submitted by admin on Tue, 2010-09-28 14:55
“We have pinpointed a key gene linked to the growth of plants according to the temperature – this could be of real interest in improving crop yields and food security in temperate climates.”

Scientists from the Universities of Edinburgh and York have linked, for the first time, a gene called Spatula to the limited growth in plants under cool conditions. They used a weed called thale cress as their study object. It was shown that when there was a low level of this gene, the plants leaves grew up to two times as much as they would normally at a cooler temperature.

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Scientists discover nature's talent in biodiversity

Submitted by admin on Mon, 2010-09-20 09:17
Scientists at the University of Edinburgh have highlighted nature's flair for producing new types of flowers.DNA from wild evergreen rhododendrons from the Himalayas were analysed in the study.
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A leap forward in tissue regeneration

Submitted by admin on Tue, 2010-09-14 12:14
Until now, stem cell researchers believed it to be impossible for cells originating in one cellular layer to cross the boundaries to the other two cellular layers fo
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Worm study could save farmers millions

Submitted by admin on Tue, 2010-08-17 09:25
Every year, parasitic gastroenteritis (PEG) costs farmers in the UK £80 million. This is a disease caused by a worm found in the stomach of sheep.
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