Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Sep 4

Congratulations to Dr Marc Fernández-Yagüe (School of Physical and Chemical Sciences) who has received a European Research Council Starting Grant.

A fantastic achievement and recognition of Queen Mary’s research strength in materials chemistry.

Find out more: tinyurl.com/bde9yh79

Queen Mary early-career researchers awarded prestigious European Research Council Starting Grants

www.qmul.ac.uk

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Sep 4

Queen Mary is delighted to be a ‘University of the Year’ finalist in the #THEAwards!

And we’re so proud Professors @larschittka.bsky.social and @alastairhackney.bsky.social have been shortlisted for Outstanding Research Supervisor of the Year. @timeshighered.bsky.social.

tinyurl.com/ebe8yx23

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Aug 18

A new study from our researchers shows that highly sensitive people are more likely to experience mental health problems compared to less sensitive people.

The findings suggest these individuals could benefit more from interventions like mindfulness.

shorturl.at/IHUsD @qmul.bsky.social

People with sensitive personalities more likely to experience mental health problems

shorturl.at

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Aug 14

Fantastic to see this paper in @nature.com, co-authored by @qmul.bsky.social researchers, showing how arrow worms invent new genes!

Queen Mary School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences @qmulsbbs.bsky.social · Aug 13

New Nature study (co-authored by Queen Mary researchers) reveals that arrow worms evolved unique organs by inventing brand-new genes — not just reusing old ones. 🧬🌊

🔗 www.qmul.ac.uk/sbbs/news/it...

@qmulse.bsky.social

Cracking the Genetic Code of Arrow Worms: How Chaetognaths Got Their Unique Body Plan

www.qmul.ac.uk

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Reposted by Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering

Nature Communications @natcomms.nature.com · Jul 22

www.nature.com/articles/s41...
Arctic winter is changing fast. In February 2025, #Svalbard saw rain, thawing tundra, and pooling meltwater. The comment by Bradley and co-authors shows how winter #warming is reshaping #polar ecosystems—and why this is the new #Arctic.

Svalbard winter warming is reaching melting point - Nature Communications

The Arctic winters are changing fast. In February 2025, Svalbard endured rain, thawing tundra, and pooling meltwater. The Comment by Bradley and coauthors describes how winter warming is reshapin...

www.nature.com

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jul 21

"The gear I packed felt like a relic from another climate." – @drbradbrad.bsky.social‬, on a shocking February in #Svalbard. The new Nature Comms commentary reveals the #Arctic winter reaching its melting point, with widespread thaw & vegetation bloom. Read more: www.nature.com/articles/s41...

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jul 18

Big insights into how animals adapt to a changing climate, published in @cp-iscience.bsky.social by Dr Roman Arguello & team at @qmulsbbs.bsky.social!

www.cell.com/iscience/abs...

Evolution of temperature preference behaviour among Drosophila larvae

Biological sciences; Entomology; Evolutionary biology

www.cell.com

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jul 18

If you're melting, take comfort: even fruit flies are apparently over this heatwave. 🫠
A fantastic new study shows how #Drosophila larvae have repeatedly evolved to pick their perfect temperature, essentially "fine-tuning" their comfort zone.
Read more: www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jul 16

Brilliant to see this fascinating research! We're especially delighted to see @ehowaspi.bsky.social, visiting researcher at the @qmulsbbs.bsky.social, contributing to this amazing study.

University of Oxford @ox.ac.uk · Jul 15

Then vs Now: Same chimp, same task - 17 years apart 🐒🔧

New Oxford-led research suggests that ageing can affect how wild chimpanzees use tools, though the impact varies widely between individuals.

More info ⬇️
www.ox.ac.uk/news/2025-07...

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jul 15

Our very own Dr Babis Rallis's fascinating work on #caffeine and #cellularageing has been featured in Bloomberg. Beyond just a morning boost, new insights suggest caffeine could play a role in slowing cellular ageing.
Find out more about this exciting research: www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet...

Scientists Probe Caffeine’s Hidden Benefits

Hey, it's Tim in Munich, where I'm feeling rather virtuous right now about my morning coffee habit. But first ...

www.bloomberg.com

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jul 9

This discovery, published in Physical Review X, offers a unique natural laboratory to study complex processes with implications extending far beyond our own star to other hot, diffuse astrophysical plasmas across the universe.
journals.aps.org/prx/abstract...

Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jul 9

Researchers at @qmulspcs.bsky.social confirmed the "helicity barrier" in solar wind using NASA Parker Solar Probe data. This explains why the Sun's atmosphere is millions of degrees hotter than its surface! A breakthrough for space weather & astrophysics.

Read more: www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...

Pioneering space probe reveals secrets of mysterious solar barrier

www.qmul.ac.uk

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Reposted by Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering

Science X / Phys.org @sciencex.bsky.social · Jun 25

Smaller islands in Wallacea, Indonesia, provide vital, higher-quality habitats for endangered mammals, highlighting the importance of targeted conservation and habitat protection on these landmasses. doi.org/g9rdch

Smaller islands offer crucial refuge for endangered mammals in Wallacea, Indonesia

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences reveals that smaller islands within the Wallacea biodiversity hotspot are crucial refuges for endangered vertebrates, providing higher-quality habitats and supporting populations.

phys.org

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Reposted by Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering

Queen Mary University of London @qmul.bsky.social · Jun 27

Researchers from Queen Mary and Kew Gardens, have found that natural selection is working to combat the devastating ash dieback disease.

Find out more: www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...

Picture of a green European Ash tree, in front of a blue sky.

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Reposted by Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering

Queen Mary School of Biological and Behavioural Sciences @qmulsbbs.bsky.social · Jun 24

A new study led by our researchers finds women with ADHD could be 3x more likely to have PMDD — a severe premenstrual disorder with serious health impacts.

Even undiagnosed ADHD symptoms = higher risk.

Find out more: www.qmul.ac.uk/sbbs/news/it...

@agnewblais.bsky.social @qmulse.bsky.social

Researchers uncover link between ADHD and severe premenstrual disorder in women

www.qmul.ac.uk

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jun 20

Congratulations to Professor Andrew Livingston, VP for Research & Innovation at Queen Mary, who has been recognised with a Lifetime Achievement Award from the World Chemical Engineering Council and has secured a major grant from @ukri.org's EPSRC! www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...

Professor Andrew Livingston celebrated for double honours in chemical engineering

www.qmul.ac.uk

Reposted by Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering

Queen Mary University of London @qmul.bsky.social · Jun 19

Queen Mary has risen 35 places in two years in the QS league table.

We’re now ranked 110th in the world according to QS, and for the second year, a top 100 university globally and top 10 in the UK by @usnews.com

Learn more: www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...

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Reposted by Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering

Queen Mary University of London @qmul.bsky.social · Jun 12

Expert panellists have recognised Queen Mary’s innovation and research excellence at the University’s Research and Innovation Awards.

Judges were incredibly impressed by the high standard of submissions and positive impact of their work.

www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...

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Reposted by Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering

Science X / Phys.org @sciencex.bsky.social · Jun 9

A robotic hand featuring high-resolution tactile sensing across 70% of its surface achieves human-like dexterity and adaptive grasping, outperforming previous systems in dynamic real-world tasks. doi.org/g9psjw

Robotic hand with unprecedented tactile sensitivity achieves human-like dexterity in real-world tasks

Researchers have unveiled a robotic hand, the F-TAC Hand, which integrates high-resolution tactile sensing across an unprecedented 70% of its surface area, allowing for human-like adaptive grasping.

techxplore.com

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jun 4

Ever wonder how your cells build themselves? 🤔 New research from @qmulsbbs.bsky.social & @dundee.ac.uk, out in @pnas.org, reveals the key mechanism behind microtubule growth. It's crucial for understanding cell division and has potential impacts on cancer treatments. www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...

Cellular scaffolding secrets unlocked: scientists discover key to microtubule growth

www.qmul.ac.uk

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jun 4

Read more about this incredible leap: www.qmul.ac.uk/media/news/2...
Find the @pnas.org paper here: www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/...

Effective polarization in potassium channel simulations: Ion conductance, occupancy, voltage response, and selectivity | PNAS

Potassium (K+) channels are widely distributed in many types of organisms. They combine high efficiency (~100 pS) and K+/Na+ selectivity by a conse...

www.pnas.org

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · Jun 4

Scientists from @mpi-nat.bsky.social & @qmul.ac.uk cracked the code on ion channel currents with atomic-level accuracy. As Dr @wojciechkopec.bsky.social says, this "opens up entirely new avenues for studying physiology and developing therapeutics."

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Reposted by Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering

Tanai Cardona @tanaicardona.bsky.social · May 28

Our paper on testing #Alphafold predictions and structural phylogenetics of a #photosystem subunit is now published in @pplplantarum.bsky.social. Work by @tomdongmin.bsky.social, with JW Murray & D Pretorius at Imperial. onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.... @qmulse.bsky.social @qmul.ac.uk 🌳

Exploring the Structural Diversity and Evolution of the D1 Subunit of Photosystem II Using AlphaFold and Foldtree

Although our knowledge of photosystem II has expanded to include time-resolved atomic details, the diversity of experimental structures of the enzyme remains limited. Recent advances in protein struc...

onlinelibrary.wiley.com

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · May 21

Blown away by Prof @venetosmani.com's talk! His work on using sensor data from smartphones to predict health changes is incredible.
He shared how they detected stress levels from how people hold their phones and even observed stress contagion! This is the power of #ClinicalAI in action.

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Queen Mary Faculty of Science and Engineering @qmulse.bsky.social · May 21

What are the most challenging questions AI faces today?

Laura Herman (‪Head of AI Research at Adobe‬) focused on making AI handle tedious administrative tasks while exposing system complexity, and ensuring non-Western perspectives are genuinely included in AI development.

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