The Open University

Foraged mushrooms and sea beet featured in British meals in the 16th century. Why not today?

9 March 2026

Wild garlic, oyster mushrooms and sea beet were once regularly gathered and eaten as part of meals across the UK, says Emmanuel Junior Zuza, Visiting Assistant Professor in Environmental Sciences at The Open University. Today, some people have concerns about eating food growing in the woods or hedgerows, but are keen to discuss why – […]

The Middle East conflict has swiftly exposed economic vulnerability in the region

9 March 2026

At the end of 2025, the Gulf states received high praise for their economic resilience. According to reports by the World Bank and the World Economic Forum, the region was stable, modern and reliable, says Emilie Rutledge, Senior Lecturer in Economics at The Open University. Now the six countries of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) […]

Ancient Palestine – Statement from The Open University

4 March 2026

There have been suggestions that The Open University has decided to stop using the term ‘Ancient Palestine’ in all its teaching materials. This is not the case. Academic colleagues remain free to use the term ‘Ancient Palestine’. Decisions about the use of terminology are matters of academic judgement, made by individual academics and teaching teams in line with disciplinary conventions and their professional expertise. That position has been clearly communicated across the University. Previous correspondence with an […]

The JANUS camera on the JUICE spacecraft observes a cosmic visitor on its way to Jupiter

3 March 2026

Space researchers from the Open University Atmospheric Research and Surface Exploration group, led by Prof. Manish Patel, and the Centre for Electronic Imaging, have helped image an interstellar visitor to our Solar System. The European Space Agency JUICE mission to Jupiter carries the JANUS camera, which uses UK-built Teledyne e2v detectors provided by The Open […]

Forensics: The Real CSI returns for a new series

26 February 2026

A new OU/BBC series, Forensics: The Real CSI (Series 5 and 6) begins Sunday 1 March at 9pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. The edge of a fingerprint. A single hair. A drop of blood. These tiny margins are the difference between success and failure for police forensics investigators. The series re-joins West Midlands […]

AI Confidential: New OU / BBC Series Investigates the Human Impact of the AI Revolution

23 February 2026

A new OU / BBC series, AI Confidential with Hannah Fry begins Monday 23 February at 9pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Presented by Professor Hannah Fry, the series explores some of the most shocking, surprising, and revealing stories emerging from the global AI revolution. Across the series, Hannah investigates what happens when powerful new […]

AI sheds new light on dinosaur footprints

20 February 2026

A new publication introduces a transformative AI approach to studying dinosaur footprints, offering researchers (and enthusiasts!) an objective way to classify tracks and investigate the conditions in which dinosaurs lived. The paper, published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), discussed how using an unsupervised neural network, the team — including Dr Gregor Hartmann of […]

OU researchers lead international advances in planetary protection

19 February 2026

Open University researchers are leading international advances in planetary protection, helping ensure that space exploration is safe, sustainable, and scientifically rigorous. Their research is featured in a new thematic issue of Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A which brings together the latest international perspectives on preventing contamination in space and safeguarding Earth from extraterrestrial […]

OU and International Rescue Committee launch online Healing Classrooms course to support refugee learners

19 February 2026

A new online CPD course designed to help teachers support refugee and asylum‑seeking students has been launched on The Open University’s OpenLearn Create platform, following a year‑long collaboration with the International Rescue Committee (IRC). The course forms part of the IRC’s Healing Classrooms programme, a free, trauma‑informed professional development initiative that equips educators with practical […]

Report into teachers’ perceptions of boys and young men launches

16 February 2026

A report into perceptions of boys and young men has been published, aiming to consider the way they are seen by teachers, particularly those from working-class backgrounds. The research, titled Dignity, respect and meaningful engagement with boys in the classroom was co-authored by Dr Jon Rainford, Senior Lecturer in Childhood and Youth Studies at The […]

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