Footprints show different dinosaurs drank from the same lagoon
Researchers say finding the footprints together is a "fascinating insight" into the environmental preferences and behaviours of dinosaurs from the Middle Jurassic period.They explained that, by analysing the tracks of the dinosaurs, they believe that the prehistoric beasts milled around the lagoon's edges in a similar way to animals congregating around watering holes today.They think both plant-eating and meat-eating dinos preferred the lagoons to drier exposed mud-flats.
Research lead Tone Blakesley said: "The footprints at Prince Charles's Point provide a fascinating insight into the behaviours and environmental distributions of meat-eating theropods and plant-eating, long-necked sauropods during an important time in their evolution."The first three footprints were discovered five years ago, on the island's Trotternish Peninsula, by a student from the University of Edinburgh. After this initial discovery more footprints were found and scientists believe there are still more to be uncovered. The number of footprints make the area one of the most extensive dinosaur track sites in Scotland.
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Edinburgh Reporter
a day ago
- Edinburgh Reporter
Fringe 2025: The Provocateurs: Compassion During Birth/Screw Up or Breakthrough?
The Provocateurs is The Stand's new series of debates, featuring academics who have to tell us about their research while making it fun – and provocative – all in the space of twenty minutes. And if that sounds familiar, it is. Last year these events were part of the Cabaret of Dangerous Ideas sessions but, as our host Susan Morrison tells us, 'The Young People said we needed a rebrand.' Fortunately, even if (by her own admission), Morrison find 'provocateurs' a tricky word to get her Glaswegian tongue around, nothing else has really changed. We're still promised an interesting, entertaining and thought-provoking hour (with time for questions) from two researchers at the top of their game. On Thursday, our first speaker is Lucy Remnant (University of Edinburgh), a scientist studying DNA and chromosomes. But before she gets onto those, Remnant wants to tell us about scientific mistakes, of which it seems there are rather a lot. Is that a bad thing? 'NO!' Students are taught, says Lucy, to learn from their mistakes but not to repeat them – when in fact, looking at them and repeating them can sometimes lead to massive breakthroughs. Lucy cites Alexander Fleming. He discovered penicillin, right? What a genius! But if Fleming hadn't left a plate of bacteria out when he went on holiday, he'd never have found a fungus growing on that bacteria when he came back. That fungus was preventing the bacteria from growing. It was promptly named penicillin, and went on to have a stellar career of its own, saving the lives of many soldiers in World War One. In 1895, Wilhelm Conrad Rontgen, a German physicist, was busy shooting cathode rays through chemicals. On a whim, he decided to shoot some through his own pelvis. He wasn't supposed to be doing this (who knew?) but ta-dah! He discovered X-Rays and they've been used to take photos of bones ever since. In her own field, Lucy tells us about Linus Pauling. He published what he thought was the chemical structure of DNA; a year later James Watson and Francis Crick found out he'd got it wrong – and by looking at where he'd gone wrong, they got it right. To illustrate her research, Lucy produces some knitted socks. Except they're not socks – they're tubes of chromosomes. Possibly… Each sock has a pair, except one sad one that gets left behind and feels uncomfortable. It's likely that 1% of the population has a different number of chromosomes from the standard 46. These are mistakes made by cells, and it's those mistakes – which may cause anything from Down's Syndrome to cancer and fertility problems – that Lucy's investigating. And a human mistake – or rather a failure to follow a protocol – has led to her lab's discovery of a new and simpler way to isolate chromosomes, and so to the writing of a new, simpler, protocol. Lucy is all for students being taught not to fear mistakes, but how can this happen when, as Morrison points out, scientists may well be penalised for making them? Pressures of funding, the need to publish authoritative papers – even, as Lucy reminds us, the hyper sterile environments now demanded in labs, all conspire against the idea that short term failure can bring long term benefits. Lucy is part of a new network that plans to change things, 'It's the messy edges where breakthroughs can come through. It would be better to teach young people to fail often.' A tricky idea when the pressure to be perfect in all things has perhaps never been greater, but as Morrison suggest, all we need to do is be more cat. When something goes wrong, just walk away with the classic 'I meant to do that 'look. Because if anyone knows how to do nonchalance, it's definitely our feline friends. Our second speaker appears in an oversized hospital gown. Yvonne Kuipers is Professor of Midwifery at Edinburgh Napier University, an honorary professor at the University of Antwerp and an NMC Registered Midwife. Her research looks at women's experiences of birth and how these might be improved. Yvonne's presentation begins with voiceovers of comments passed on to interviewers by the women who were on the receiving end of them. Women are told to 'stop moaning' to 'be a good girl.' They are regularly told that they should be grateful they have a healthy baby, regardless of whether they've been ignored, mocked, cut, stitched, given medication without consent and totally traumatised. A pilot lands a plane safely; he gets a round of applause. Beyonce performs Crazy and gets a standing ovation, 'Childbirth is special, sacred…the women doing it should be honoured, applauded, given flowers, diamonds.' What happens to most women? They're left flailing on their backs under bright lights, with no privacy and a constant stream of medical staff coming in and out of the room. In 'normal' life, says Yvonne, the things done to women in childbirth would be classed as assault. In the labour ward, they're just 'routine procedure.' Women do not forget childbirth. Even if it all happened years ago, when Yvonne talks with them they remember it as if it were yesterday, and few of them see it as a positive experience. A 2004 report showed that there had been no improvement in birth outcomes in high income countries; this led to efforts being focused entirely on the reduction of neo-natal deaths, and blame for poor outcomes being directed at women. Mothers are labelled too fat, too thin, too old, too everything. If a woman in labour disagrees with a medical professional, what Yvonne calls 'the dead baby card' is swiftly played; you'd better accept what we say, you don't want to risk your baby's life, do you? Again and again, women are told to be 'grateful.' And it doesn't end at birth, says Yvonne. Women who feel traumatised by this lack of compassion can suffer post-natal depression; their relationship with their partner may deteriorate. They will be reluctant to go to their doctor with their problems because they have lost any hope of being listened to. The lack of compassion and dignity in birth silences women, and yet again they are told just to be 'glad your baby's healthy' – which of course makes them feel guilty for having any negative feelings at all. A traumatic birth full of intervention teaches a woman that her body is not her own, and leads to a wider, societal fear of childbirth. My own mother told me not to let my daughters watch Call the Midwife as 'it will put them off forever' – and that was the early series, when the same midwife visited the woman in her home and delivered her baby there too. Long gone are those halcyon days. Yvonne wants to change things. Compassion and dignity should not, she says, be optional; consent should never be non-negotiable. Childbirth has become over-medicalised and rife with protocols; it's very difficult for a midwife, no matter how empathetic, to do anything differently. There's a well-documented shortage of midwives, and an even better-documented lack of cash in the NHS coffers. Is change even feasible? Midwives work on an inflexible shift system which means they can rarely stay with a woman throughout labour. Hospitals want women in and out of beds as soon as possible – will there ever be space for a woman to take longer than her allocated time to deliver? The only people likely to be allowed that luxury are surely those who can afford to pay for it? Yvonne believes we have to try. Communication, or rather lack of it, is, she says, a big part of the problem in all medical care. Whilst there may not be time to get consent in an emergency, it would normally be perfectly possible to ask a woman if she agrees with the proposed course of action. Is there a way to build compassion into midwifery training? And even if there is, can it be put into practice given the constraints under which midwives work? This was an interesting talk and one that raised more questions than it answered. I'm sure most mothers, or women planning a pregnancy, would like to hear more about Yvonne's work in future, but much as I would like to see her views in action, I fear that nothing will change in our underfunded, overloaded, system for many years to come. The Provocateurs series continues throughout the Fringe at The Stand, York Place (venue numbers vary.) Please note many events, including these ones, take place in buildings other than The Stand's main venue, though still on York Place. On Monday 18 August at 11.25am Chris Purcell will speak on Learn with Your Body and Michael Leavitt on Knocks to the Head, followed at 5.40pm by Chris Elsden on Children's Money and Berengere Digard on Minds Eyes. Further talks include Urban Camping, Sleep Myths, Robot Romance, Brain Health Roulette, Gender Fears, Women in Iranian Cinema, and many more. For details visit The Stand's website and click on the Fringe tab. Like this: Like Related
STV News
3 days ago
- STV News
Satellite to track climate change from space with help from Scots scientists
Scientists from the University of Edinburgh are celebrating the successful launch of a new satellite set to transform the way the world monitors carbon dioxide. MicroCarb – a landmark UK-France mission – has soared into orbit aboard the 35-metre Vega-C rocket, launched from French Guiana. It's designed to deliver the most detailed satellite measurements of atmospheric CO2 ever achieved from space. The groundbreaking satellite marks a major milestone in the fight against climate change by providing more accurate climate data, experts say. STV News 'Climate watchdog' satellite will transform how carbon is monitored globally Designed to act as a 'climate watchdog', MicroCarb will pinpoint how much carbon dioxide is being emitted and absorbed by cities, oceans and forests in unprecedented detail. Its readings will feed into global efforts to tackle climate change and limit global warming to 1.5C. University of Edinburgh space science professor Paul Palmer told STV News: 'For us, there are still some very fundamental questions about our knowledge of the global carbon cycle particularly now with our warming world. STV News Researchers from the University of Edinburgh will translate the satellite's CO₂ data into detailed publicly accessible maps showing carbon absorption and emissions. 'We're seeing things changing very rapidly, particularly in the tropics, and also because we're going to collect data that will contribute to the Paris Agreement. 'So, understanding which countries are emitting and absorbing what will play a role in our delivery of that information.' MicroCarb can also track the faint glow plants emit when they take in too much energy from the sun than they can use, revealing seasonal trends of carbon absorption. Philippe Landiech, senior project leader for MicroCarb at the National d'études Spatiales (French National Space Agency). said watching the satellite successfully enter orbit was 'a great pleasure'. UK Space Agendy Artist's impression of MicroCarb in orbit He said: 'We had a few seconds of anxiety – there was great satisfaction once everything was okay! 'The aim of MicroCarb is to get worldwide access of the CO₂ contribution in the atmosphere and measure the CO2 content between sources around the Earth. 'To have this in the longer timeframe, we want to see the seasonal effects better in a longer timeframe and track global trends linked to the climate change we are facing.' UK minister for space Sir Chris Bryant said: 'Satellites like Microcarb are essentially our eyes in the sky,' he said. 'Over half of the critical data we use to understand climate change comes from space.' 'This groundbreaking mission is proof of what can be achieved when we harness the strength of Britain's burgeoning space industry, together with our deep scientific expertise. Bolstered with £15m UK Government backing, the MicroCarb satellite will overhaul our ability to track carbon emissions – supporting the clean energy mission that's key to this Government's Plan for Change. 'It's also further evidence of the value of our deep and unique relationship with France: a partnership which the Prime Minister reinforced, with President Macron, at the UK-France Summit earlier this month.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
BBC News
6 days ago
- BBC News
Cats develop dementia in a similar way to humans
Cats develop dementia in a similar way to humans with Alzheimer's disease, leading to hopes of a breakthrough in research, according to scientists. Experts at the University of Edinburgh carried out a post-mortem brain examination on 25 cats which had symptoms of dementia in life, including confusion, sleep disruption and an increase in vocalisation. They found a build-up of amyloid-beta, a toxic protein and one of the defining features of Alzheimer's disease. The discovery has been hailed as a "perfect natural model for Alzheimer's" by scientists who believe it will help them explore new treatments for humans. Dr Robert McGeachan, study lead from the University of Edinburgh's Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, said: "Dementia is a devastating disease - whether it affects humans, cats, or dogs. "Our findings highlight the striking similarities between feline dementia and Alzheimer's disease in people. "This opens the door to exploring whether promising new treatments for human Alzheimer's disease could also help our ageing pets. Microscopy images of older cats which had previously shown symptoms of feline dementia revealed a build-up of amyloid-beta within the synapses - the junctions of brain cells. Synapses allow the flow of messages between brain cells, and losing these causes reduced memory and thinking abilities in humans with Alzheimer's. The team believe the discovery in cats could help them get a clearer understanding of the process, offering a valuable model for studying dementia in people. Previously, researchers have studied genetically-modified rodents, although the species does not naturally suffer from dementia. "Because cats naturally develop these brain changes, they may also offer a more accurate model of the disease than traditional laboratory animals, ultimately benefiting both species and their caregivers," Dr McGeachan said. Will this research benefit cats? The researchers found evidence that brain support cells - called astrocytes and microglia - engulfed the affected synapses. It's known as synaptic pruning, an important process during brain development but which contributes to dementia. Prof Danielle Gunn-Moore, an expert in feline medicine at the vet school, said the discovery could also help to understand and manage feline dementia. "Feline dementia is so distressing for the cat and for its person," she said. "It is by undertaking studies like this that we will understand how best to treat them. This will be wonderful for the cats, their owners, people with Alzheimer's and their loved ones." The animal rights campaign group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said the study appeared to have been conducted in a "respectful, non-invasive way" on the brain of cats that already died. However it said it would oppose any research that involved future experiments on live cats. The study, funded by Wellcome and the UK Dementia Research Institute, is published in the European Journal of Neuroscience, and included scientists from the Universities of Edinburgh and California, UK Dementia Research Institute and Scottish Brain Sciences.
