Top tech to get you through first year
University is an extremely rewarding experience but parts of it can be challenging. For many, it involves living away from home for the first time. Without home commodities, going about…
What actually is ‘Fresher’s Flu’?
A story of our very own virus library, fresher’s week and that inevitable runny nose. Words by Rob Barrie, Science And Technology Editor New friends. Alcohol. Parties. And that cold…
The eco-friendly underwater farms
Words by Jane Zhuk, Staff Writer The United Nation’s (UN) Sustainable Development goals of 2015 were set with high hopes, yet clear intentions. Among them, we see statements such as…
What’s best for students — PS4 OR PS5?
Words by Max Cowie, Staff Writer For those looking for a new tech investment for this coming academic year, the age old question of when to take the video game…
A tweet worth 2.9 million dollars
The market for NFTs has skyrocketed over the past year – but what are NFTs and why have they taken off so rapidly? NFT stands for Non-Fungible token. Fungibility refers…
A novel way of targeting brain cancer
A median survival of only 15 months following diagnosis makes glioblastoma multiforme the most aggressive brain tumour – with local tumour recurrence in up to 90% of cases despite intervention.…
Oldest sequenced DNA reveals new mammoth species
The record for sequencing the oldest DNA is now held by ancient mammoth DNA over one million years old, breaking the previous record from a horse leg bone estimated at…
A farmer, a propellant tank and the future of SpaceX
Why was part of a SpaceX rocket found on a rural farm in Washington? Falcon 9 is a partially reusable rocket employed by SpaceX mainly for its Starlink missions. Starlink…
ARIA: new funding for experimental science
The new high-risk, high-reward scientific research agency announced by the UK government. With funding for research more and more competitive, there is an urgent need for new sources and increased…
Your brain on fiction – how we become what we see
The intense moments of deep immersion are caused by something more complex than empathy. Brain imaging shows our brains are tricked into ‘becoming’ a character for our own benefit. We…
The role of the pangolin in Covid-19 transmission
New research suggests pangolin coronaviruses, Pangolin-CoVs, are more closely related to the Covid-19 virus, SARS-CoV-2, than the RaTG13 coronavirus of bats and the illegal trade of pangolins may have accelerated…
Has reporting of the AstraZeneca vaccine increased scepticism?
Recent articles claiming that The AstraZeneca COVID-19 vaccine is linked to blood clots is just one example of how one could interpret the media as having a negative effect on…
Sussex students win national debate
Words by Eleanor Deane Last weekend, a team of 4 students won the national student debate competition in medical ethics, hosted by the Institute of Medical Ethics. The team consisted…
Can gold fight cancer?
by Nisal Karunaratne and Purusotha Thambiayah Is the use of Gold Nanoparticle Therapy the ultimate weapon in the fight against cancer? Gold was one of the first metals to be…
2021 Ebola outbreak: what is different this time?
Words by Waqar Ahmed The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has had a lot of media coverage over the last month, with several vaccines being rolled out across the world and easing…
Green light for Perseverance – its trek across Mars has begun
words by Rob Barrie, Science and Tech Sub-Editor After the success of its voyage and subsequent landing, Perseverance has started driving on Mars . In total, it will trek across…
Legends of Folklore: Vampires and Werewolves- Just a Myth or Is There a Medical Explanation?
words by Nisal Karunaratne When regarding this, there is one disease that comes to mind: Porphyria. Porphyria is named from the ancient Greek word porphura, meaning ‘purple’. It is a…
Robotic foresters could be key in deforestation fight
Words by Harry Smith We entered the year 2020 at a critical point in deforestation across the Amazon, but in what was meant to be a blockbuster year for climate…
Is capitalism slowing scientific discovery?
Words By Rosie Burgess Post-enlightenment science is purported to be committed to the overarching good and the supposed path to truth. Famous philosopher Immanuel Kant once referred to its motto…
‘It’s A Sin’: A retrospective look at the retrovirus
Words by Eleanor Deane, Science and tech editor ‘It’s A Sin’, the 5-part Channel 4 miniseries, depicts the lives of a group of friends living in London throughout the height…