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The recent Supreme Court decision in Vince v Wyatt aroused much media interest because it allowed an ex-wife to proceed with a financial claim against her ex-husband, who became a millionaire years after they divorced. The judgement is available at http://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKSC/2015/14.html In this video Dr Brian Sloan describes the reasoning behind the decision focusing on the limits of

Cambridge scientists are part of a resolution revolution. Building powerful instruments that shatter the physical limits of optical microscopy, they are beginning to watch molecular processes as they happen, and in three dimensions. Here, Professor Clemens Kaminski describes how a new era of super-resolution microscopy has begun. The developments earned inventors Eric Betzig and William E Moerner

"It has been nearly a year since the shocking death of George Floyd, triggered protests around the world and calls for actions rather than words to tackle racism. So, has anything fundamentally changed in that time? How much have governments, institutions, the media and society generally taken those calls on board? Go to www.slido.com and enter code A093 to participate in a live Q&A with the

Newton Institute Web Seminars: newton.ac.uk/webseminars The general appeal of abstracting real-world networks to simple graphs is understandable and has been partly responsible for fueling the new field of "network science". However, as the Internet application has demonstrated, such abstractions that ignore much of what engineers consider as critical come at a price. For example, they can lead

On 9th April 2024 the European Court of Human Rights delivered Grand Chamber rulings in three cases relating to climate change: Carême v. France - https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-233261 Duarte Agostinho and Others v. Portugal and 32 Others - https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-233174 Verein KlimaSeniorinnen Schweiz and Others v. Switzerland - https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-233206 In

Dr Tim Wilkinson is combining liquid crystals with nanotechnology to try and create 3D displays which would look like real life. Under the Microscope is a collection of videos produced by Cambridge University that show glimpses of the natural and man-made world in stunning close-up. Check out the rest of the series here: http://bit.ly/A6bwCE Dr Wilkinson: "Liquid crystal displays are now a

We are conducting a study based at the Cambridge Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities Research Group (www.CIDDRG.org.uk), in partnership with the Down's Syndrome Association (DSA) and the Wolfson Brain Imaging Centre (WIBC) Cambridge to investigate the risk of dementia in people with Down's syndrome (DS). This four year study is funded by the Medical Research Council (MRC). We believe that

An insect not much bigger than a grain of rice is able to repeatedly jump on the surface of water using specialised paddles on their hind legs, new research reveals. The pygmy mole cricket, which is really more closely related to a grasshopper than a cricket, is only 5mm (1/4 inch) long and weighs less than 10mg. They live in burrows that they dig into the muddy banks alongside fresh water, to

A Venezuelan pitcher plant uses wettable hairs to make insects slip into its deadly traps. An insect-trapping pitcher plant in Venezuela uses its downward pointing hairs to create a 'water slide' on which insects slip to their death, new research reveals. Hairs on plants, called trichomes, are typically used to repel water. However, the Cambridge researchers observed that the hairs on the inside

Johannes Kepler - 1571-1630, is one of history’s most admired astronomers. He defended Copernicus's sun-centred universe and defined the three laws of planetary motion. Less well known is that in 1615, when Kepler was at the height of his career, his widowed mother Katharina was accused of witchcraft. The proceedings led to a criminal trial, with Kepler conducting his elderly mother's defence.

This video discusses six issues arising out of the recent statement of Prime Minister David Cameron to the House of Commons entitled “Prime Minister’s Response to the Foreign Affairs Select Committee on the Extension of Offensive British Military Operations to Syria”

Researchers at Cambridge’s Centre for Natural Material Innovation have invented a cheaper, greener alternative to ‘knocking through’ by making innovative use of engineered wood. House-owners often consider ‘knocking through’ walls to achieve more open-plan living or changing layouts. The results may be impressive, but they come at a sizeable financial and environmental cost. But what if

The Chancellor of the University of Cambridge, Lord Sainsbury of Turville, has recorded a message in which he acknowledges the extraordinary efforts of the entire collegiate University in its response to the pandemic. Describing the the breadth of the University's activities – from those involved in COVID-related research to others working to ensure the safety of students during the new

The trial of Oscar Pistorius for the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp aroused worldwide media interest. From the beginning Pistorius claimed that he had no intent to kill Reeva because when he fired the fatal shots her he thought he was firing at an intruder. And so whether he had the necessary intent to kill became a crucial issue in his trial. In this video Professor Christopher Forsyth

This image shows individual particles of cobalt oxide. The particles are engineered to form a superlattice or 3D mesh structure, which has a large surface area and a high chemical activity. Giorgio Divitini, based in the Department of Materials Science and Metallurgy at the University of Cambridge, works on the application of electron microscopy to nanomaterials for energy. 'Nanomaterials Up Close

Dr Andrew Gillis explains how an elephant fish embryo lives off a large yellow yolk sack for 7 to 10 months before hatching out as a fish. Cambridge University's Under the Microscope is a collection of videos that show glimpses of the natural and man-made world in stunning close-up. Check out the rest of the series here: http://bit.ly/A6bwCE Dr Gillis: "This is a picture of an elephant fish embryo

Plastic has become a malevolent symbol of our wasteful society. It’s also one of the most successful materials ever invented: it’s cheap, durable, flexible, waterproof, versatile, lightweight, protective and hygienic. During the coronavirus pandemic, plastic visors, goggles, gloves and aprons have been fundamental for protecting healthcare workers from the virus. But what about the effects on

Cambridge University's Under the Microscope is a collection of videos that show glimpses of the natural and man-made world in stunning close-up. Check out the rest of the series here: http://bit.ly/A6bwCE Nanowires growing in real time. Each nanowire is roughly 450 atoms wide. Andrew Gamalski: "This video is a bright field environmental transmission electron microscopy video of silicon nanowires

Part of the Darwin College Lecture Series 2010. Social scientists tell us we now live that we live in a world risk society. But what does this really mean and what, if anything, do environmental risks, health risks, and natural disasters have in common with those posed by terrorism? When we move from the natural world to human threats are we still dealing with hard science or are we in the realm

If you would like to donate in memory of David, you may wish to give to the Arthur Rank Hospice Charity or to Darwin College. https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/davidjcmackay https://cafdonate.cafonline.org/donatesteps.aspx?beneficiarycampaignid=3358 Cambridge University physicist, David Mackay, in a passionate, personal analysis of the energy crisis in the UK, in which he comes to some