Latest news with #UniversityOfSurrey
BBC News
2 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Surrey teens find healthy living too expensive, study finds
Teenagers in Surrey face barriers to living a healthy lifestyle including run down facilities and the cost of nutritious foods, according to a of Surrey researchers found the cost of sports clubs, equipment, healthy food and transport are among the issues for young people, even in affluent areas of the study also found that teenage girls continue to see sexism, including being ridiculed for their appearance and labelled negatively for playing sports traditionally seen as "for boys", as another roadblock to Helen Lambert, senior lecturer in public health nutrition, said the research "highlights systemic issues beyond individual choices". The study, called understanding barriers to health behaviours in 13–17-year-olds: A whole systems approach in the context of obesity, was funded by Surrey County Council and published in journal featured 27 participants aged between 12 and 16 and interviewed a further 35 people working in either education or youth found that young people often saw healthy food options in schools as too expensive, instead opting for cheaper, less nutritious people said school meals "aren't very healthy" and "really overpriced" compared to options such as supermarket meal less affluent areas of Surrey, sports facilities were also often found to be "run-down or non-existent", limiting opportunities for working with young people said there was a lack of training to help young people with weight management or specialist help with Jane Ogden, Professor of Health Psychology at the University of Surrey, said: "We can't simply tell teenagers to 'eat better and exercise more' - there are significant, structural issues that need to be addressed at both a community and societal level."By spotlighting these barriers, we can start creating a fairer and more supportive environment that will help young people in Surrey access healthier choices and have an opportunity to thrive."
BBC News
2 days ago
- Science
- BBC News
AI to be used to map habitats in Surrey conservation project
Artificial intelligence (AI) is to be deployed in a conservation project to protect Surrey's natural landscapes. Space4Nature, led by Surrey Wildlife Trust and University of Surrey, will see volunteer teams map habitats by recording plant species thriving on acid grassland. What the volunteers document at places like Puttenham Common will be used to help train an AI model, which will be able to match specific types of habitat with similar ones close by using satellite Banks, Space4Nature project citizen science officer, said: "Conservation is increasingly reliant on new technologies to develop solutions that can be implemented at scale." "But that doesn't mean that old fashioned ground truthing isn't needed too."As the Artificial Intelligence capabilities being developed by our colleagues at University of Surrey become more sophisticated, we need more complex data to help them keep learning and evolving."With the climate and nature crisis becoming more severe, local people with an interest in nature can make a real difference by getting involved in local projects." Space4Nature said over the last two years it has deployed more than 200 volunteers to some of the county's most important chalk grassland, wetland and heathland habitats, including Chobham Common, Unstead wetland reserve, Sheepleas and Puttenham Common.
The Guardian
3 days ago
- Business
- The Guardian
Aliens, asteroid mining … and Mars births? Royal Society envisions next 50 years in space
Humanity must prepare for a sweeping revolution as nations and companies gear up to build moon bases, space stations and orbiting factories, and uncover evidence – if evidence is out there – that we are not alone in the universe. A horizon-scanning report from the Royal Society envisions a new era of space activities that will reshape the world, including clean energy beamed to Earth, robots that mine asteroids or recycle dead satellites, and manufacturing plants that circle the planet churning out products labelled 'Made in Space'. Prediction is difficult, especially about the future, but the report anticipates radical developments that will generate some of the most important technological and economic opportunities of the century. While some countries are well-placed to benefit, Britain lacks a clear plan and is at risk of missing out, the authors warn. 'We're not trying to predict the future, but these are the sorts of things that could happen,' said Sir Martin Sweeting, the report's co-chair and professor of space engineering at the University of Surrey. 'And if we think about them sooner rather than later, we'll be better off.' The Space: 2075 report aims to kickstart discussions on the possibilities and consequences of space science and technology over the next 50 years, so governments, regulators, businesses and the public can prepare. The implications are as consequential to today's industry, society and culture as the Industrial Revolution was in the 18th century, the authors write. Future advances in reusable rockets and spaceplanes may pave the way for factories that make products feasible only in microgravity and larger-scale facilities for constructing spacecraft that could never launch from Earth, the report says. Interplanetary space stations could be built in orbit and deployed across the solar system as desired. Existing industries may relocate into orbit. Power-hungry data-farms, for example, would benefit from plentiful solar energy and free cooling in space. Meanwhile, radical new technologies may emerge, such as satellites that capture solar energy and beam it efficiently through the atmosphere to ground-based receiving stations by converting it into microwaves or laser beams. The ever-increasing volume of space debris from spent rockets, defunct satellites and fragments from collisions and explosions is driving ambitions to recycle the junk. This would reduce collision risks and prevent the materials from polluting the atmosphere when they burn up on re-entry. As space becomes more congested, conflict becomes more likely, the authors warn, with nations and companies clashing over prime spots on planetary bodies, valuable orbits and critical radiofrequency bands. While the UK is strong on a handful of technologies such as Earth observation, communications and small satellites, it needs a 'clear national ambition' to keep up with the pace of change, the report finds. 'The UK government, the international community, and society at large need to comprehend, anticipate and be prepared,' it states. Ethical challenges are expected, too. Extremophile bugs that endure harsh environments on Earth could be engineered to make 'living tools' on Mars that convert natural resources into useful compounds. But what if those bugs colonise the planet and crowd out yet-to-be-discovered native microbes? Terraforming trials, in which patches of planets are engineered to be more hospitable to humans, raise similar concerns. And if humans move to the red planet? 'What happens if we end up with humans being born on Mars?' asks Sweeting. At several public workshops convened for the report, questions arose about alien life and how it should be handled should proof arise. One participant at a workshop in Wrexham marvelled at the number of galaxies in the cosmos. 'In all those galaxies, there has to be one planet to have something similar to a caterpillar,' they asserted. If aliens, caterpillar-like or otherwise, live nearby, we will probably know in the next 50 years, the authors write. 'I would hope that would bring nations together and say: let's forget about our petty arguments and think about the bigger issues,' said Sweeting, 'but that may be wishful thinking.'
BBC News
19-05-2025
- Science
- BBC News
Guildford pubs to help host national science festival
A national science festival for researchers to share their discoveries is coming to a string of pubs in an area of of Science is taking place across the UK, including in Guildford, from Monday night until than 15 scientists are to discuss topics including health, AI and the environment at pubs in the non-profit festival, which launched in 2012, said its aim was to give a space to researchers and the public to talk about research in a relaxed environment outside of "mysterious laboratories or daunting dark lecture theatres". Seven presentations are being held in Guildford as part of the event, at The Star, Pews Bar and Courtyard, and The Green Room in Wates House at the University of of Science is being held in 42 towns and cities across the UK, including Exeter, Cardiff, Belfast and Aberdeen.
BBC News
08-05-2025
- Business
- BBC News
Padel facility proposed at Surrey Sports Park near Guildford
The University of Surrey says it wants to build new padel facilities at its sports campus in racquet sport - similar to tennis but played in enclosed courts allowing shots to bounce off the walls - has an estimated 30 million players proposed addition to Surrey Sports Park will consist of 10 covered padel courts, including a show court for elite tournaments, if it goes university says it will be the biggest padel facility in Surrey and in the higher education sector, subject to planning permission. The University of Surrey added that it hopes to open the facility in 2026 in partnership with operator proposed facilities will feature a clubhouse, cafe, bar, social area, and project will "offer something special for everyone in the community", says Surrey Sports Park's director of sport, Georgina Agnies."Padel is one of the fastest-growing sports globally and we're thrilled to bring this exciting game to Surrey Sports Park," she chief executive officer Andy Knee added: "Together we will create an incredibly vibrant home for padel in Guildford and beyond." The padel proposal comes five months after professional rugby club Harlequins separately submitting a planning application to build expanded office and training facilities at the professional club's "increasingly obsolete" current space at the Guildford site is "unable to accommodate the growing professional women's squad" at the club, according to the planning application.
