News & articles

Japanese fellowship recognises OU scientist's Mars atmosphere research

The Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) has awarded Post Doctoral Research Associate Dr Juan Alday, a scientist in the ExoMars research group at The Open University (OU), a research fellowship to study the atmosphere of Mars.

31st January 2023

Three young children playing with a water table in the garden

OU research shapes new framework for nursery practitioners to empower children

Research by Dr Natalie Canning, Senior Lecturer of Early Childhood and Co-Director of The Open University’s (OU) Children’s Research Centre, has helped shape a new framework for early childhood practitioners.

30th January 2023

Black background with white, swirly clouds and bright lights. NASA, ESA, CSA, and M. Zamani (ESA/Webb); Science: F. Sun (Steward Observatory), Z. Smith (Open University), and the Ice Age ERS Team.

Latest Webb telescope results uncover dark, icy beginnings of life's building blocks

The discovery of diverse ices in the darkest, coldest regions of a molecular cloud measured to date has been announced by an international team of astronomers - including from The Open University - using the NASA/ESA/CSA James Webb Space Telescope.

27th January 2023

School children sitting at desks playing with coloured bricks, with a teacher helping them

Research into play-based learning to address the learning crisis in Africa

A new research grant is looking at how teaching teachers in Africa to adopt play-based practice could improve learning outcomes.

13th January 2023

Black background with white swirls and lights. Credit: H20/Cosmic Dawn selected by Galaxy Zoo Talk Users

OU researchers and partners release thousands of previously unseen space images

Popular citizen science project Galaxy Zoo has released 22,000 high-quality images to the public. Anyone in the world can help astronomers classify pictures taken with one of the most advanced instruments installed on one of the world's leading telescopes.

3rd January 2023

View from above of brown earth with a round crater in it

International study that reveals how Earth got its water, thanks to the OU

Results from a new global research project published in Nature Astronomy indicate asteroids brought water to Earth.

22nd December 2022

A man in a grey jumper standing on the left of two women, one with dark hair and wearing a blue top and the other with dark hair, wearing a black and white dress and a pink scarf, all holding a glass trophy

People's Choice-winning sex-trafficking survivor research recognised

Professor Kevin Shakesheff, Pro-Vice-Chancellor for Research and Innovation at The Open University (OU), presented Dr Margaret Ebubedike and Dr Saraswati Dawadi with The People's Choice award for their research helping sex-trafficking survivors rebuild their lives at a ceremony at the University's Milton Keynes Campus earlier this month.

20th December 2022

View of brown ground from above, with a white, wavy line across it

What does Mars sound like? Rover microphone has recorded the red planet’s dust devils

A dust devil looks a bit like a tornado, but is weaker and rarely lasts more than about a minute. It is a twisting column of warmed air scooting across sun-heated ground, made visible by the dust that it lofts upwards. Although usually benign, occasionally dust devils can kill.

14th December 2022

Man wearing virtual reality goggles in a virtual reality games arcade with yellow and blue lights

New extended reality studios to expand research into learning

The Open University has received £5.8M from the Office for Students to develop extended reality studios to expand its teaching and learning with augmented and virtual reality.

9th December 2022