science wire

A technique to improve the precision of prostate cancer surgery means that almost twice as many men preserve their erectile function compared to those undergoing standard surgery, according to results from a clinical trial led by researchers from UCL and UCLH.

People who share more mealtimes with others are more likely to report higher levels of life satisfaction and wellbeing, finds research led by a UCL academic for the World Happiness Report. In chapter three of the report, Sharing Meals with Others , the researchers from UCL, University of Oxford, Harvard University and Gallup found that meal sharing as an indicator of self-reported wellbeing was on a par with income and employment status.

Writing in The Conversation, Dr Alberto Prati (UCL School of Slavonic and East European Studies) discusses the importance of social capital and the positive benefits of in-person interactions.

The Dark Energy Spectroscopic Instrument (DESI), which involves UCL researchers, has released its most detailed analysis yet of dark energy, the mysterious force driving the universe's accelerating expansion.

Smoking rates have fallen more quickly in the north of England compared to other regions, according to a new study led by UCL researchers.

Climate change is impacting adolescent wellbeing in areas most affected by climate change, according to a new study in Madagascar involving a UCL researcher.

Professor Aida Andres and Harrison Ostridge (both UCL Biosciences) explain their study which involved collecting faecal samples from hundreds of wild chimpanzees across 17 African countries as part of the Pan African Programme: The Cultured Chimpanzee. Chimpanzees are humans' closest living relatives, sharing  over 98% of our DNA.

The oxytocin system - which helps release breast milk and strengthens the bond between mother and baby - may be affected during breastfeeding in mothers experiencing postnatal depression, finds a new study by UCL researchers. The new research, published in Psychoneuroendocrinology , investigated the link between maternal mood and the oxytocin pathway during breastfeeding, in mothers with and without symptoms of postnatal depression.

Some 'unofficial' parental control apps have excessive access to personal data and hide their presence, raising concerns about their potential for unethical surveillance as well as domestic abuse, according to new research from UCL and St. Pölten UAS, Austria.

Writing in The Conversation, Professor Professor Kristin M Bakke (UCL Political Science) uses her public opinion polling to examine what the Ukrainian people are willing to accept for peace.

The discovery of a human facial fragment aged over one million years represents the oldest known face in western Europe and confirms the region was inhabited by two species of human during the early Pleistocene, finds a new study involving a UCL researcher. The discovery of a human facial fragment aged over one million years represents the oldest known face in western Europe and confirms the region was inhabited by two species of human during the early Pleistocene, finds a new study involving a UCL researcher.

Recent data shows boys in years 5 and 9 in England have scored significantly higher than girls in maths and science compared with 2019, report UCL researchers who analysed the latest Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS). The findings, which use data from 2023, mirror results for many participating countries, where a gender gap has opened up in favour of boys since the last report, published in 2020 with data from 2019.

A surgical operation normally carried out to correct a blocked nasal passage may help patients who lost their sense of smell after contracting a Covid-19 infection, according to new research by UCL and UCLH researchers.

Writing in The Conversation, Dr George Butler (UCL Cancer Institute) explains how his research found that larger species do have more cancer compared to smaller ones.

High levels of ammonia kill liver cells by damaging the mitochondria that power the cells. But this can be prevented using an existing drug due to start clinical trials, finds a new study in mice led by researchers from UCL.

Ethnic minority graduates from a low socio-economic background are 45% less likely to be offered entry-level professional roles compared to more advantaged White applicants, finds a new report led by UCL researchers.

Following former student Zhenhao Zou-s conviction for multiple rapes and other serious offences, we have issued this statement and are providing support for our community.

Ethnic minority immigrants in England are exposed to significantly higher levels of air pollution than natives and immigrants from western countries, finds a new report led by UCL researchers.

A simple genomics blood test could improve treatment and care for childhood epilepsy, but more investment is needed to make access fair and securely join up the data, finds a new study involving researchers at UCL and Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children (GOSH).

A new diagnostic test for womb cancer, developed by researchers at UCL and the University of Innsbruck, has been registered with the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), allowing it to be placed on the market.

Images captured by UCL researchers have been showcased in the fourth annual National Institute for Health and Care Research Great Ormond Street Hospital Biomedical Research Centre (NIHR GOSH BRC) 'A Moment of Discovery' image competition.

The Big Toilet Project, which will be run by a team of researchers from UCL, is inviting parents and care givers to help them explore why the average toilet training age of children has risen and how to reduce the environmental burden of disposable nappy waste.

The number of judges in England and Wales thinking of quitting early in the next five years has risen sharply over the last decade, partly due to poor working conditions, finds a new UCL Judicial Institute report conducted on behalf of the UK judiciary.

A team of researchers from UCL and King's College London has developed an AI-powered tool that can detect 64% of brain abnormalities associated with epilepsy, that were missed by human radiologists. MELD Graph is an AI tool that could drastically change the care of 30,000 patients in the UK and 4 million patients worldwide who have focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) - a leading cause of epilepsy.

Safety critical components for aircraft and Formula 1 racing cars could one day be 3D printed via a new technique, developed by researchers at UCL and the University of Greenwich, that substantially reduces imperfections in the manufacturing process. The technique was developed after the team used advanced X-ray imaging to observe the causes of imperfections that formed in complex 3D printed metal alloy components.

Four young children have gained life-changing improvements in sight following treatment with a pioneering new genetic medicine through UCL Institute of Ophthalmology and Moorfields Eye Hospital, with the support of MeiraGTx.