In the early 1980s, scientists and public health officials from around the world hailed Singapore as a model for the control of dengue fever. Between 1965 and 1985, health authorities dramatically reduced the incidence of dengue by suppressing Aedes aegypti mosquitoes through cleaning campaigns and environmental modification. However, after 1985, annual epidemics of dengue swept through the country despite low mosquito densities, leaving authorities scrambling for answers.
Mauna Kea is a sacred mountain in Hawaii, yet it is also one of the world’s best locations for astronomy. Since the 1960s, large telescopes have been built on its summit, with the latest and largest, the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), sparking intense controversy between Native Hawaiians and the scientific community.
When examining the scientific community’s efforts to include Native Hawaiians in the decision-making process for TMT, we find that many attempts at inclusivity were performative and failed to meaningfully represent Native interests.
Growing up in Blowing Rock, North Carolina, a rural Appalachian town with a population of just over 1,300, Health, Medicine, and Society, MPhil student Caroline Hoover saw firsthand how social issues like health care access disproportionately affected her community.
Space in our Clore Learning Studio is limited so you may wish to return later. This event is suitable for families. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Space in our Clore Learning Studio is limited so you may wish to return later. This event is suitable for families. Children must be accompanied by a responsible adult.
Join us for a special Saturday workshop on 15 March led by artist James Tunnard, where we'll dive into the magic of colour and light.
As you may have heard, we’re creating a new art installation for the Learning Gallery ceiling and the activities in this workshop will inspire and contribute to this exciting piece!
Get creative with these hands-on activities:
Legumes like peas and beans have developed a clever way to overcome the lack of nitrogen in the soil. They form special structures on their roots, called nodules, which act as tiny homes for nitrogen-fixing bacteria. These bacteria help convert nitrogen from the air into a form the plant can use to grow. The process begins when the plant’s root hairs recognise the bacteria and allow them to infect the root. The nodules then form below this site, deep within the root tissues.
You may have heard talk of plants flowering earlier as a result of our warming climate. Phenology, the study of seasonal cycles, can help us to understand the effects of climate change on plants. We would like to know how seasonal weather changes are affecting the trees at CUBG, and if they can adapt, survive and even thrive.
A small number of plants attract pollinators not by providing a food reward, but by mimicking females of the pollinating animal species. Male animals are attracted to these mimics and may attempt to mate with them. In the process, pollen is transferred to and from the animal’s body and can be carried to other flowers. The plant gets pollinated and has not had to provide any nectar in exchange! We will discuss how these sexually deceptive flowers work and how plants are able to construct these brilliant models of female insects.
The humanities and the sciences supposedly belong to separate cultures, but some of the world’s most celebrated images stem from scientific roots. Just as every picture tells a story, so too there are many different stories to tell about a picture. Who created it? And why? What places, objects and people does the picture show? Has its meaning changed over time?
