News Archive: August 2016

Is a trend for pink chicken livers making us sick?

People are being warned to take the current trend for ‘pink’ chicken liver recipes with a pinch of salt. Research from Bangor, Manchester and Liverpool universities found that a current trend to serve ‘rare’ chicken livers is potentially exposing the public to the risk of campylobacter food poisoning.

Publication date: 30 August 2016

UK's first 'popular' digital fiction writing competition launched

The first ever UK competition to find the best new examples of popular digital fiction has been launched by Sheffield Hallam University and Bangor University.

Publication date: 26 August 2016

Lifelong Learning Staff and Students in print

New books offer insights into the lives of very different Welsh women

Publication date: 25 August 2016

Out and about this weekend?

This bank holiday weekend, how about going out and walking the countryside and taking photographs of prehistoric monuments? Around Wales there are some fantastic walks, and you will be able to see our past heritage as well.

Publication date: 25 August 2016

Bangor set to host Legal Wales Conference

Bangor Law School will host the annual Legal Wales Conference on Friday, 7th October 2016. The theme of this year’s conference is ‘Convergence or Divergence’, and the guest of honour will be the Lord Chief Justice of England and Wales, the Rt. Hon Lord Thomas of Cwmgiedd.

Publication date: 22 August 2016

Spider silk: Mother Nature’s Bio-Superlens

Hot on the heels of a paper (Sci. Adv. 2 e1600901,2016) revealing that a team at Bangor University’s School of Electronic Engineering has used a nanobead-derived superlens to break the perceived resolution barrier, the same team has achieved another world first: using spider-silk as a superlens to increase the microscope’s potential.

Publication date: 19 August 2016

Footballers’ voices: gambling and addiction in football

Media reports have highlighted gambling problems amongst a minority of professional footballers. New research, published in Addiction Research Theory , has revealed how some players could develop difficulties with their gambling, and what can be done to help them seek treatment. Footballers with a range of professional experiences, who have experienced gambling problems, were interviewed as part of research by Bangor, London and Oxford universities. The researchers had direct access to the players to learn about their experiences of gambling and how and why their gambling became a problem.

Publication date: 19 August 2016

ONE WEEK left to register for our Anniversary Dinner

The School of Social Sciences’s 50th anniversary celebrations will culminate in a black-tie dinner and conference next month.

Publication date: 19 August 2016

Marine Centre Wales opens its doors for Menai Seafood Festival

Visitors to the Menai Seafood Festival on Saturday (20 August) will have an unique opportunity to see behind the scenes at Bangor University's brand new Marine Centre Wales in Menai Bridge. During what will be the first public open day since the Centre was officially opened by HRH The Prince of Wales in July, there will be interactive displays, demonstrations and walk-in cinema screenings showcasing the innovative work carried out by the School of Ocean Sciences.

Publication date: 16 August 2016

Bangor leads the field for Welsh-medium higher education provision

According to the latest figures, Bangor University is still leading the field in terms of its Welsh-medium provision. More students study the majority of their courses through the medium of Welsh at Bangor than at any other Welsh university.

Publication date: 15 August 2016

Nursing at Bangor University goes from strength to strength but a limited number of places will be available during clearing

Bangor University’s School of Healthcare Sciences has performed very well in recent University league tables whilst its Wrexham campus continues to benefit from further investment. The School was also delighted to recently be awarded a considerable uplift in funded student places from the Welsh Government meaning that its excellent courses, based at both Bangor & Wrexham campuses have additional spaces for September 2016 and April 2017 entry.

Publication date: 15 August 2016

Seeing the invisible: visible light superlens made from nanobeads

A paper in Science Advances (12 August) provides proof of a new concept, using new solid 3D superlenses to break through the scale of things previously visible through a microscope. Illustrating the strength of the new superlens, the scientists describe seeing for the first time, the actual information on the surface of a Blue Ray DVD. That shiny surface is not as smooth as we think. Current microscopes cannot see the grooves containing the data- but now even the data itself is revealed

Publication date: 13 August 2016

£36m EU-backed Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarships 2 (KESS 2) operation for Wales launched

A £36m EU-backed project offering Research Masters and PhD opportunities in collaboration with local companies through the eight Universities in Wales was formally launched by Welsh Government Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford AM at Bangor University on July 26 th .

Publication date: 12 August 2016

A 400-year-old shark is the latest animal discovery to reveal the secrets of long life

With an estimated lifespan of 400 years, the Greenland shark has just been reported to be the longest-lived vertebrate on the planet. This is only the latest of a series of recent findings that push the boundaries of animal longevity, and it raises the perennial question of what factors enable some animals to achieve what we might call extreme longevity – lifespans that can be measured in centuries.

Publication date: 12 August 2016

How Pokemon Go turned couch potatoes into fitness fanatics without them even realising it

Pokemon Go, the latest version of the Pokemon game has been hailed for increasing physical activity in a group of individuals that have traditionally been seen as couch potatoes . Since 1980, worldwide obesity has doubled . Likewise, people are spending more time sitting down . Pokemon Go is undoubtedly a great tool for boosting physical and mental health , and could probably claim to be the most successful health app on the market without even trying to be. But why is it so motivating for some, and how can we harness this power to change other behaviours?

Publication date: 11 August 2016

How should top athletes acclimatise for heat?

Top athlete preparing to compete in a hot climate have to acclimatise in order to achieve their peak performance in hot climates. They currently do this by moving to the country ten to 14 days in advance or by training in a climate chamber. In recently published research, Prof Neil Walsh and his team at Bangor University’s School of Sport, Health & Exercise Sciences have shown that taking a hot bath after exercise in temperate conditions for six days can trigger changes in the body which mimic how the body adjusts to hot weather.

Publication date: 11 August 2016

Bangor University in top 15 according to satisfied students

Bangor University’s students have given the University an overall satisfaction rating of 90%, placing the University among the UK’s top 15 non-specialist universities, the traditional institutions who offer a broad range of subjects. These results come from the annual independent National Student Survey ( NSS ).

Publication date: 10 August 2016

Professor John Ashton awarded Honorary Fellowship by Chartered Banker Institute

Professor John Ashton has been awarded a prestigious Honorary Fellowship by the Chartered Bankers Institute of Scotland.

Publication date: 10 August 2016

NSS Success for School of English Literature

The release of the 2016 National Student Survey (NSS) results has seen phenomenal success for English Studies at Bangor, which is now ranked 1st in the UK.

Publication date: 10 August 2016

Eminent Scientist to receive Royal Medal

An eminent British chemist who began his academic career at Bangor University, is one of three leading scientists to receive a Royal Medal this year. Sir John Meurig Thomas Hon FREng FRS is awarded the 2016 Royal Medal for his pioneering work within catalytic chemistry, in particular on single-site heterogeneous catalysts, which have had a major impact on green chemistry, clean technology and sustainability.

Publication date: 9 August 2016

Bangor Business School enters partnership with the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment

Bangor Business School has entered into partnership with the Chartered Institute of Securities and Investment, and extended its existing accreditation by the Chartered Insurance Institute.

Publication date: 9 August 2016

How the snake got its extra-long body

The fairground freakshows of the past are a testament to our fascination with unusual animals. Given the similarities between most furry, four-legged mammals, it’s not surprising that we often look at the more weird and wonderful members of the animal kingdom and ask questions like “Why does a spider have so many legs?” or “Why are snakes so long?”.

Publication date: 9 August 2016

£4.4m EU-backed scheme to boost leadership and management skills in North Wales

A £4.4m EU-backed scheme to help boost leadership and management skills in North Wales has been announced by Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford. The North Wales Business Academy will support business growth and competitiveness in the region by delivering university-accredited leadership and management qualifications to more than 1,000 employees over the next three years. A Young Talent Academy will also be set up to develop and retain the next generation of managers in North Wales.

Publication date: 4 August 2016

Learning to live better with dementia through technology: new apps piloted today connect those affected by dementia and researchers

A project supported by Bangor University is one of two to be adopted for a new initiative to support people with dementia and their carers.

Publication date: 2 August 2016

New degree programme launched at the Eisteddfod

Amidst the hustle and bustle of a Tuesday morning at this year’s Eisteddfod, the School of Welsh launched a brand new degree programme, Cymraeg Proffesiynol . Jointly developed with the University’s Centre for Welsh Language Services, Research and Technology, Canolfan Bedwyr , the launch was opened by the Secretary of State for Wales, The Rt Hon Alun Cairns MP.

Publication date: 2 August 2016