Latest news with #LoughboroughUniversity
BBC News
5 hours ago
- Science
- BBC News
Scientists at Loughborough University create 'world's smallest violin'
If you have a complaint over your timetables or exams, Loughborough University may not be the place to air physicists at the university believe they have created the world's smallest violin using say work on the tiny instrument, which is smaller than the width of a human hair, will help with research into an array of applications from improving the efficiency of computers to finding new ways of harvesting Kelly Morrison, head of the university's physics department, said: "A lot of what we've learned in the process has actually laid the groundwork for the research we're now undertaking." The violin measures 35 microns long and 13 microns wide, with a micron being one millionth of a metre. A human hair typically ranges from 17 to 180 microns in diameter, for was created to test the capabilities of the university's new nanolithography system, which allows researchers to build and study tiny structures."Our nanolithography system allows us to design experiments that probe materials in different ways – using light, magnetism, or electricity – and observe their responses," Prof Morrison said."Once we understand how materials behave, we can start applying that knowledge to develop new technologies, whether it's improving computing efficiency or finding new ways to harvest energy."But first, we need to understand the fundamental science and this system enables us to do just that." The phrase "can you hear the world's smallest violin playing just for you?" is thought to have first appeared on an episode of TV show M*A*S*H in 1978, and usually mocks overly dramatic violin is a microscopic image rather than a playable instrument and has not been officially confirmed as the world's smallest violin, the university create it, Prof Morrison was joined by Dr Naëmi Leo and research technician Dr Arthur Coveney.A small chip was coated with two layers of gel-like material called a resist, before it was placed under the NanoFrazor, a nano-sculpting machine uses thermal scanning probe lithography, a technique where a heated, needle-like tip "writes" highly precise patterns at the allowed the violin design to be etched on to the chip's surface layer. After it was etched, the underlayer of the resist was dissolved to leave behind a violin-shaped university said a thin layer of platinum was then deposited into the chip before a final rinse in acetone removed any remaining material to leave the finished takes around three hours to create a violin using the nanolithography system, but the research team's final version took several months as they refined and tested different techniques."I'm really excited about the level of control and possibilities we have with the set-up," Prof Morrison added.
Telegraph
2 days ago
- General
- Telegraph
World's smallest violin fits inside human hair
It's a project unlikely to elicit much sympathy, but physicists at Loughborough University have laboured to create the world's smallest violin. The tiny instrument, which can only be seen under a microscope, has been etched in platinum using nanotechnology, and is significantly slimmer than a human hair. It was created to test and demonstrate the capabilities of the university's new nanolithography system, which can build and study the tiniest structures to see how materials behave at the smallest scale. 'Though creating the world's smallest violin may seem like fun and games, a lot of what we've learnt in the process has actually laid the groundwork for the research we're now undertaking,' said Prof Kelly Morrison, head of the physics department and an expert in experimental physics. 'People are always looking for something that runs faster, better, more efficiently, that requires continuing to find a way to scale down. As it gets harder to make things smaller, we now need different ways of approaching that.' The team chose to create the miniscule musical instrument in homage to the phrase 'the world's smallest violin', which is often employed sarcastically to imply a perceived problem is trivial and unworthy of concern. The expression is thought to have first emerged in the 1970s, and was popularised by the US television series M*A*S*H. The violin is a microscopic image rather than a playable instrument, and it has not yet been confirmed by any official channels as the world's smallest violin. However, it is unlikely there is any instrument smaller. It measures just 35 microns long and 13 microns wide, with a micron being one millionth of a metre. A human hair typically ranges from 17 to 180 microns in diameter. The violin was made using a technique called thermal scanning probe lithography, in which a heated, needle-like tip burns away highly precise patterns at nanoscale. It works similar to screen printing on a T-shirt where colour is squeezed through a stencil to leave the design behind. The team began by coating a small chip with a gel-like material, then used the heated tip to burn the pattern of the violin into the surface layer to create a violin-shaped cavity. A thin layer of platinum was then deposited onto the chip and the rest of the gel removed, to leave behind the violin in a process that takes around three hours. The finished piece is no larger than a speck of dust on the chip and can only be viewed in detail using a microscope. It's even smaller than a tardigrade – the microscopic, eight-legged micro-animals. Dr Naemi Leo, a research technician at Loughborough, said: 'Another comparison we can make is the size of the violin is the size of a tardigrade or small water bear, and they have a size of about 50 to 1,200 microns, so if you had a small tardigrade they might be able to play the violin.' Prof Morrison added: 'I'm really excited about the level of control and possibilities we have with the set-up. 'I'm looking forward to seeing what I can achieve – but also what everyone else can do with the system.' The team is also looking into whether the system can offer an alternative to magnetic data storage and computing technologies.
Daily Mirror
2 days ago
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Couples on State Pension given £1,600 warning over retirement risk
The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) has put the annual cost of a comfortable retirement for a couple at £60,600 The cost of a comfortable retirement for a couple has rocketed to an astonishing £60,600 a year. This post-tax income number has gone up by £1,600 from the previous year, reveals new research by the Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA). For a more modest lifestyle after retirement, couples now face an annual post-tax increase of £800, with costs hitting £43,900. Conversely, those aiming for just the basics in later life will find themselves spending £800 less, as figures drop to £21,600 per annum for couples. In an effort to set clear expectations for retirement spending, the PLSA's Retirement Living Standards (RLS) were formed together with Loughborough University's Centre for Research in Social Policy, based on thorough conversations with Britons about their anticipated retirement lifestyles, reports the Express. Through this study, they've laid out their guidelines for living comfortably after work ends: Comfortable Standard of Living Annual income: £60,600 (couple) Greater financial freedom Includes regular overseas holidays, generous home improvements, and extensive social/leisure activities Moderate Standard of Living Annual income: £43,900 (couple) More financial security and flexibility Includes a car, a few holidays a year, and more frequent leisure activities Minimum Standard of Living Annual income: £21,600 (couple) Covers basic needs with some leftover for occasional treats Includes a week-long UK holiday, dining out once a month No budget for a car; relies on public transport Zoe Alexander, PLSA's Director of Policy and Advocacy, noted: "We're not just seeing changes in costs, we're seeing changes in how retirees live." She added: "Retirement isn't a one-size-fits-all experience. The Standards recognise that retirees can share costs, often with a partner, and that can make a huge difference to affordability in later life." The latest research underscores the critical role of the State Pension, particularly for those on the minimum level. By 2025/26, a couple receiving the full new State Pension, which amounts to £11,973 per person or £23,946 combined, would be able to cover the costs associated with the minimum standard of living. The Pensions and Lifetime Savings Association (PLSA) is urging people to utilise its findings as a guide for future planning, adapting the information to fit personal lifestyles and mixing elements from various living standards. Notably, the data indicates that to achieve a comfortable joint annual income after tax of £60,600, supplementing the State Pension, each partner in a couple would need a private pension pot ranging between £300,000 and £460,000 to purchase an annuity – a lifetime income. For a moderate lifestyle in retirement, it's estimated that each individual would require a private pension savings of £165,000 to £250,000 to secure an annuity that would top up their State Pension. Professor Matt Padley, Co-director of the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University, commented: "Our research on what the public agree is needed in retirement at these three different levels continues to track changes in expectations, shaped by the broader economic, social and political context." He also noted: "The consequences of the cost-of-living challenges over the past few years are still being felt, and we've seen some subtle changes in public consensus about minimum living standards in retirement, resulting in a small fall in the expenditure needed to reach this standard." Zoe Alexander stated: "For many, retirement is about maintaining the life they already have, not living more extravagantly or cutting back to the bare essentials. The Standards are designed to help people picture that future and plan in a way that works for them." Tom Selby, AJ Bell's Director of Public Policy, noted that the required size of private pension pots "might feel intimidating". He advised: "The key is to focus on saving as much as you can afford from as early as possible, taking advantage of incentives like employer contributions, tax relief and tax-free investment growth." At present, the minimum pension contributions are 8% of incomes; however, this falls short of the necessary amount, he warned. "The big danger here is that, without a scaling up of minimum contributions, millions of people will sleepwalk into a retirement shock and be forced to choose between working longer or living on less money in their later years," he said.
Western Telegraph
2 days ago
- Business
- Western Telegraph
Calls to scrap two-child benefit cap over child poverty link
At least one in four children is in poverty in two-thirds of the UK's constituencies, the annual analysis from Loughborough University for the End Child Poverty Coalition found. 'Bold action' is needed, the campaign said ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves's spending review this month, as they called for the cap to be scrapped as soon as possible. The policy means parents only receive support for up to two children through the universal credit system. Analysis of the child poverty rate and the proportion of children affected by the two-child limit found that the two are 'extremely highly correlated', adding to evidence that the cap is a 'major driver of child poverty across the UK'. In the North East, West Midlands and Wales, around nine out of 10 constituencies were found to have a child poverty rate higher than one in four. Birmingham Ladywood, Dewsbury and Batley and Bradford West were among those with the highest rates. Sir Keir Starmer and the Chancellor are under pressure to respond to mounting calls for the two-child benefit cap to be axed at a cost of around £3.5 billion. Ministers have reportedly been considering scrapping it as part of their child poverty strategy, which was due to be published in the spring but is now set to come out in the autumn so it can be aligned with the Chancellor's budget. Dan Paskins, vice-chairman of the End Child Poverty Coalition, said the data presents a 'bleak picture of life' for the UK's children. 'A record number are now in poverty and this is under the noses of our MPs, particularly Cabinet members. 80% of Keir Starmer's Cabinet represent constituencies with higher-than-average child poverty rates. 'The time for action is now, and the Comprehensive Spending Review and forthcoming child poverty strategy should involve bold action. 'Due to the analysis's finding (of) a strong correlation between child poverty rates in local areas and the number of children impacted by the two-child limit to universal credit, it is essential this policy is scrapped as soon as possible.' A Government spokesperson said: 'This Government is determined to bring down child poverty. 'We've already expanded free breakfast clubs, introduced a cap on the cost of school uniforms, increased the national minimum wage for those on the lowest incomes, uprated benefits in April and supported 700,000 of the poorest families by introducing a fair repayment rate on universal credit deductions. 'We will publish an ambitious child poverty strategy later this year to ensure we deliver fully-funded measures that tackle the structural and root causes of child poverty across the country.'
South Wales Argus
2 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Welsh constituencies with highest levels of child poverty
The study by Loughborough University for the End Child Poverty Coalition reveals that 36 per cent of children in Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, and 35 per cent of children in Newport East are living in poverty after housing costs are considered. The new data show the constituencies with the highest levels of child poverty in Wales as Blaenau Gwent and Rhymney, followed by Rhondda and Ogmore, and Newport East. The list also includes Merthyr Tydfil and Aberdare, Aberafan Maesteg, and Clwyd North, Cardiff South and Penarth and Swansea West all of which have a 34 per cent of children living in poverty. Elsewhere, figures show that 33 per cent of children Ceredigion Preseli and Mid and South Pembrokeshire live in poverty. The research also highlights that 31 per cent of all children in Wales are living in poverty. Only two of the 35 Welsh parliamentary constituencies have fewer than 25 per cent of children living in poverty. Nationally, child poverty affects every community in Wales. This can mean children lacking food, warm clothing, and living in unsafe housing. The End Child Poverty Coalition, representing over 135 UK organisations, has raised concerns and called upon the government to address these figures. Rachel Walters, the End Child Poverty Coalition manager, said: "No child in the Wales or beyond should have to experience poverty. "These figures should demonstrate to government just how important it is to quickly address this so to prevent another generation of children from growing up in low-income families. "The government's strategy to tackle child poverty must invest in children in areas with higher levels of poverty. "As a first step the government must scrap the two-child limit to benefit payments, a policy which continues to pull children into poverty every day." The research identifies a correlation between the two-child limit and child poverty across Wales. It also emphasises the potential for devolved policy measures to lower child poverty rates. The introduction of the Scottish Child Payment has reportedly reduced poverty levels in Scotland. Dr Steffan Evans, head of policy (poverty) at the Bevan Foundation, said: "Whilst many of the key levers to tackle child poverty still remain at Westminster, this latest analysis highlights just how important a role the Welsh Government has to play in support children and their families. "The Welsh Government have taken many welcome steps over recent years to address child poverty such as the introduction of universal free school meals in primary schools and in updating the education maintenance allowance to make sure it's fit for purpose. "The latest analysis highlights that there is a need for all political parties to be bolder in their commitments to end child poverty as attention turns to the Senedd election next year."
