Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Simon Bayly @simonbayly.bsky.social · 16d

Crick chief: UK and Europe have ‘duty’ to welcome US scientists www.researchprofessionalnews.com/rr-news-uk-c...

Crick chief: UK and Europe have ‘duty’ to welcome US scientists - Research Professional News

New head of flagship biomedical institute notes “tragic opportunity” stemming from US cuts to research

www.researchprofessionalnews.com

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · 18d

Congratulations to my amazing colleagues who have worked so hard to deliver the research, innovation and knowledge exchange that underlies this rating. @ucl.ac.uk is one of the most entrepreneurial universities in the world, sitting at the heart of London's @knowledgequarter.bsky.social

UCL Innovation & Enterprise @uclenterprise.bsky.social · 18d

UCL has been recognised as one of the top universities in England for knowledge exchange in Research England’s Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF).

Read more: bit.ly/46tDarL

#KEF5

@ucl.ac.uk @profgeraintrees.bsky.social

A leading university for knowledge exchange 5 years in a row

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UCL Innovation & Enterprise @uclenterprise.bsky.social · 18d

UCL has been recognised as one of the top universities in England for knowledge exchange in Research England’s Knowledge Exchange Framework (KEF).

Read more: bit.ly/46tDarL

#KEF5

@ucl.ac.uk @profgeraintrees.bsky.social

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · 18d

Twenty-fourth book of 2025 finished - curious part-autobiography, part-biography (of David Starr Jordan, founding President of Stanford)

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · 21d

I guess it's not often someone from UCL senior leadership says "Go Durham!" But if you check out this @durham-university.bsky.social page I think you'll find out why #prouddad
www.durham.ac.uk/news-events/...

University Challenge 202526 - Durham University

www.durham.ac.uk

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UCL News @uclnews.bsky.social · 26d

Could these companies be turning their backs at precisely the wrong moment?, asks @profgeraintrees.bsky.social after US firm Merck put the brakes on a £1 billion London research centre & AstraZeneca said it would pause a £200m investment to expand its research and development arm in Cambridge

Why Merck and AstraZeneca may regret turning their back on Britain

The pair may have gone cold on the UK but start-ups and university spinouts here are using AI to revolutionise drug discovery

www.thetimes.com

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · 27d

Personally, I’d wager culture. Execution of a policy is more challenging than announcing a policy.

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · 28d

on.ft.com/4pgD6UR AI ‘hit squad’ set up to drive Whitehall efficiency struggles to hire top talent

AI ‘hit squad’ set up to drive Whitehall efficiency struggles to hire top talent

The Incubator for Artificial Intelligence unit spent less than half of its budget last year because of recruitment delays

on.ft.com

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Hetan Shah @hetanshah.bsky.social · 29d

Pet parrots which typically live alone (whilst those in the wild live in large flocks) were given the technology to call each other. They would use it for up to three hours a day, and developed favourite friends 💔
on.ft.com/3K05vhS

When a parrot wanted to connect with a distant friend, a touchscreen showed a selection of other birds available online. The parrots learned to activate the screen, designed specially for them, by touching it gently with their tongues rather than pecking aggressively with their beaks.
"We had 26 birds involved," said Hirskyj-Douglas. "They would use the system up to three hours a day, with each call lasting up to five minutes." The interactions ranged from preening and playing with toys to loud vocal exchanges.
"When we went through the data, we found that most of these parrots had favourite friends," said Hirskyj-Douglas.

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · Sep 2

Great to see this @ucl.ac.uk spinout doing so well!

Sifted @sifted.eu · Sep 2

The UK-based startup says its algorithms can unlock value even with error-prone quantum computers.

Phasecraft raises $34m to double down on quantum algorithms

sifted.eu

Sifted @sifted.eu · Sep 2

The UK-based startup says its algorithms can unlock value even with error-prone quantum computers.

Phasecraft raises $34m to double down on quantum algorithms

sifted.eu

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · Sep 2

Interesting no link to cerebellum size, only neortical size.

Science News @scinews.bsky.social · Sep 2

Longer thumbs, bigger brains

This study reveals a significant relationship between relatively longer thumbs – a key feature of precision grasping - and larger brains across 95 fossil and extant primates.

www.nature.com/articles/s42...

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · Sep 2

This is a really interesting finding!

Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · Sep 1

Scientists discover the secret behind the shrew’s amazing ability to shrink their brains 🧠

The clever trick sheds unwanted weight without compromising too much on cognition.

Find the 5-letter word 👇

Study by @cecibaldoni.bsky.social Dechmann Lab #shrewcrew et al

www.ab.mpg.de/743885/news_...

Rare seasonal brain shrinkage in shrews is driven by water loss, not cell death

Common shrews are one of only a handful of mammals known to flexibly shrink and regrow their brains. This rare seasonal cycle, known as Dehnel’s phenomenon, has puzzled scientists for decades. A study...

www.ab.mpg.de

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · Sep 2

Marvellous to see this important new clinical trial finding from colleagues UCL - and its historical link to the discovery of aldosterone at UCL over seventy years ago www.ucl.ac.uk/news/2025/au...

Promising new drug for people with stubborn high blood pressure

A new treatment has been shown to significantly lower blood pressure in people whose levels stay dangerously high, despite taking several existing medicines, according to the results of a Phase III cl...

www.ucl.ac.uk

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Jack Stilgoe @jackstilgoe.bsky.social · Sep 2

The Californian Ideology hits harder than ever

Justin Hendrix @justinhendrix.bsky.social · Sep 1

Thirty years ago today, Richard Barbrook and Andy Cameron published “The Californian Ideology” in Mute magazine and circulated on the early-adopter email list nettime, writes Nathan Schneider. Its diagnosis of what makes Silicon Valley tick is worth revisiting:

Thirty Years On, the Californian Ideology is Alive and Well | TechPolicy.Press

In the seminal essay, Barbrook and Cameron insisted that there are other ways to build technology, and to do it democratically, writes Nathan Schneider.

www.techpolicy.press

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Science News @scinews.bsky.social · Sep 2

Longer thumbs, bigger brains

This study reveals a significant relationship between relatively longer thumbs – a key feature of precision grasping - and larger brains across 95 fossil and extant primates.

www.nature.com/articles/s42...

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Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior @mpi-animalbehav.bsky.social · Sep 1

Scientists discover the secret behind the shrew’s amazing ability to shrink their brains 🧠

The clever trick sheds unwanted weight without compromising too much on cognition.

Find the 5-letter word 👇

Study by @cecibaldoni.bsky.social Dechmann Lab #shrewcrew et al

www.ab.mpg.de/743885/news_...

Rare seasonal brain shrinkage in shrews is driven by water loss, not cell death

Common shrews are one of only a handful of mammals known to flexibly shrink and regrow their brains. This rare seasonal cycle, known as Dehnel’s phenomenon, has puzzled scientists for decades. A study...

www.ab.mpg.de

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · Sep 1

Delighted that we have been able to appoint two incredibly talented colleagues to lead this new Grand Challenge at UCL

UCL Grand Challenges @uclgrandchallenges.bsky.social · Sep 1

We’re delighted to announce Prof Lauren Andres & Dr Victoria Austin as UCL’s new joint Pro-Vice-Provosts for Inequalities.

Over the next 5 years, this theme will support transformative research to address rising inequalities.

Find out more 🔗 https://bit.ly/4lO8jfa

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UCL Grand Challenges @uclgrandchallenges.bsky.social · Sep 1

We’re delighted to announce Prof Lauren Andres & Dr Victoria Austin as UCL’s new joint Pro-Vice-Provosts for Inequalities.

Over the next 5 years, this theme will support transformative research to address rising inequalities.

Find out more 🔗 https://bit.ly/4lO8jfa

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Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · Aug 29

Twenty-third book of 2025 finished - epic space opera…

Geraint Rees @profgeraintrees.bsky.social · Aug 21

Happy World Entrepreneur's Day! So proud of our amazing entrepreneurial community at UCL and the amazing people in my team that support them. Ten years in and we are still growing strongly, with the potential for even more entrepreneurial impact...watch this space!

UCL Innovation & Enterprise @uclenterprise.bsky.social · Aug 21

Celebrating ten years of BaseKX – UCL’s Entrepreneurship Hub🎉

Today on #WorldEntrepreneursDay, we’re celebrating some of the remarkable achievements of those who received entrepreneurial support from UCL.

Read about some of UCL’s inspiring entrepreneurs: bit.ly/45sLTeI

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