Physicists have devised a method of investigating brain function, opening a frontier in the diagnoses of neurodegenerative and ageing related diseases. This new non-invasive technique could potentially be used for any diagnosis based on cardiovascular and metabolic-related diseases of the brain. The researchers at Lancaster University and the Medical University of Gdansk (Poland) deciphered oscillations in the cerebrospinal fluid which ...

The EU-funded RECALL project has been exploring ways of using technology to augment human memory, for instance by feeding data from purpose-built personal memory banks onto screens and other interfaces to replay and remind people of key information from events in the recent or distant past. Four European universities came together in the three-year RECALL project to research the possibilities of using technology to augment human memory.

Children learn words using the same method as robots, according to psychologists. This suggests that early learning is based not on conscious thought but on an automatic ability to associate objects which enables babies to quickly make sense of their environment. Dr Katie Twomey from Lancaster University, with Dr Jessica Horst from Sussex University, Dr Anthony Morse and Professor Angelo Cangelosi from Plymouth wanted to find out how yo...

Artificially intelligent computer software that can learn, adapt and rebuild itself in real-time could help combat climate change. Researchers at Lancaster University's Data Science Institute have developed a software system that can for the first time rapidly self-assemble into the most efficient form without needing humans to tell it what to do. The system - called REx - is being developed with vast energy-hungry data centres in mind.

Researchers at Lancaster University found abundant magnetite nanoparticles in the brain tissue from 37 individuals aged three to 92-years-old who lived in Mexico City and Manchester. This strongly magnetic mineral is toxic and has been implicated in the production of reactive oxygen species (free radicals) in the human brain, which are associated with neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s disease.

The world should consider ways to limit data growth on the internet to prevent run-away energy consumption and help limit carbon emissions, say leading computer scientists. Researchers from Lancaster University argue that the growth of remote digital sensors and devices connected to the IoT has the potential to bring unprecedented and almost unlimited rises in energy consumed by smart technologies.

Blood-testing technology that promises to improve healthcare treatments for cancer patients, post-operative care and monitor the health of babies in the womb is being developed by Lancaster academics. A portable bedside blood diagnostics device is the focus of a collaborative research project.

  The energy storage market in the US alone is estimated to be worth $200-600bn in 10 years. While most research and development efforts have been focused on improving battery technologies, a Lancaster student believes a mechanical solution could provide the answer.

Plant scientists have made an important advance in understanding the natural diversity of a key plant enzyme which could help us address the looming threat of global food security. Rubisco is the central enzyme responsible for photosynthesis in plants, it enables them to absorb carbon from the atmosphere, which they depend upon to live and grow.

Reflecting back on incidents can help people manage their anxiety. However, since traditional reflection aids such as written diaries are often abandoned, wearable technology could provide the solution. Human computer interaction specialists at Lancaster University have worked with adults diagnosed with autism to create prototype personalised wristband devices called Snap that enable wearers to digitally record data when they are feeling anxious.

Researchers have produced the first detailed study of the impact of solar parks on the environment, opening the door to smarter forms of farming and better land management. Environmental Scientists at Lancaster University and the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology monitored a large solar park, near Swindon, for a year. They found that solar parks altered the local climate, measuring cooling of as much as 5ºC under the panels during the summer ...