
Research to identify risk hotspots for Channel Island dolphins
'Best protect them'
She added: "It's really important to stay at least 100m away from them because it's really important that those bottlenose dolphins can communicate with each other."The university said the whole south coast of England and Gulf of Saint Malo were part of an important marine mammal area (IMMA).Ms Dudley said her research involved looking at the ways bottlenose dolphin populations in coastal areas could be "better managed.""I think they can tell us so much about the health of our oceans," she said.
She added: "Things that are affecting them, will affect the whole of the marine eco-system."They can really be used as a way to figure out how we as humans are affecting them and how we can best protect them."The students said identification of the Channel Islands as an IMMA gave "global recognition of how important these areas are to cetaceans and that recognition may well lead to more management measures."Ms Dudley added she hoped it would show "people what an amazing place the Channel Islands" was for marine mammals.
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Telegraph
11 hours ago
- Telegraph
We'll use AI to spot more prostate cancer, says Science Secretary
Artificial Intelligence will be harnessed to find hidden cases of prostate cancer, the Science Secretary has said. Peter Kyle told The Telegraph that the Government is investing £168m on initiatives to use public data better and one major goal is to improve cancer screening on the NHS. A world-leading initiative led by Cancer Research UK has been given £10m in funding to improve cancer screening methods by identifying the most at-risk people and offering them personalised tests. The funding will 'develop AI-powered tools that can predict cancer risk', Mr Kyle said, and could save thousands of lives a year. The Telegraph has launched a campaign calling for a targeted national screening programme for prostate cancer, which focusses on men who are at the greatest risk. This includes men over 50, black men, whose risk is twice that of white men, and those with a family history of prostate cancer. Steve McQueen, Bob Willis and Chris Hoy are some of the high-profile British men to be recently diagnosed with the condition. Around 55,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer annually in England and around 33 men a day die from the condition. Writing for The Telegraph alongside Stian Westlake, the executive chairman of the Economic and Social Research Council, Mr Kyle said: 'This funding will support work on a project linking health records to demographics, family history and behaviour to identify those at higher risk of this devastating illness, so that it can be treated early – potentially saving thousands of lives every year.' The plan is to create flexible national screening programmes which can pick up more cases in individuals who may otherwise be missed and diagnosed only when the cancer was incurable. Officials are hoping to replicate the success of BRCA1 genetic screening. Around one in 400 people has faulty BRCA genes, which give women a 60 per cent chance of developing breast cancer. This received widespread attention and became known as the 'Angelina Jolie gene' after the Hollywood actress underwent a double mastectomy after finding out she was a carrier in 2013. The NHS now offers genetic tests to high-risk groups, such as Jewish women, to catch as many cases early as possible. Mr Kyle said: 'Just as BRCA gene screening, heroically brought to the fore by campaigners including Angelina Jolie, revolutionised how we understand and manage the risk of hereditary breast cancer, this next generation of data-driven screening could do the same for more cancers, including prostate cancer.' Scientists running the scheme hope it can enable the NHS to offer more frequent cancer screening sessions or screening at a younger age to those at higher risk, while those at lower risk could be spared unnecessary tests. People identified as higher risk could also be sent for cancer testing faster when they go to their GP with possible symptoms. The wider Administrative Data Partnership will last until 2031 and try to repurpose data that already exists to make improvements to the judicial service, education, health and other public sectors. Combining, standardising and interpreting different datasets simultaneously is a daunting challenge for scientists owing to decades of independent data collection and little crossover. However, the Government believes that vast data reserves, combined with the power of AI computing, could transform healthcare. The cancer screening project will build new models over the next five years to merge relevant data as well as creating algorithms which will process it and ensure the results are accurate and reliable. Antonis Antoniou, the programme director and professor of cancer risk prediction at the University of Cambridge, said: 'The UK's strengths in population-scale data resources, combined with advanced analytical tools like AI, offer tremendous opportunities to link disparate datasets and uncover clues that could lead to earlier detection, diagnosis, and prevention of more cancers.' Dr David Crosby, the head of prevention and early detection research at Cancer Research UK, told The Telegraph: 'The single most important thing we can do to beat cancer is to find it earlier, when treatment is more likely to be successful. 'With half a million cancer cases per year expected in the UK by 2040, we need a major shift towards more accurate diagnosis and detection of early cancer. 'The Cancer Data Driven Detection programme will link health data sources together and build the powerful new tools doctors need to identify those at highest risk of cancer and prioritise resources towards them. 'Moving towards a preventative approach to healthcare will not be easy and will take time. Cancer Research UK's investment in the programme is an investment in the future of cancer care.' Data is the key to changing lives for the better By Peter Kyle and Stian Westlake For much of our everyday lives, data is king – from digital maps getting us from A to B, to health apps keeping our fitness and sleep in check, to even streaming platforms suggesting the next drama we might want to get stuck into. For this government, making good use of data is the difference between successful policies that are rooted in evidence, and those that rely on hope, luck or intuition, which no minister, legislator or council leader wants to rely on. Ultimately data is the bedrock of decision-making, ensuring policies, programmes and funding are doing what they are intended to do – changing lives for the better. Linking data from across government to the national pupil database for example can help to really dig into the source of inequalities that trap too many Brits from childhood through to the labour market – helping us to take targeted action in boosting social mobility and shattering glass ceilings. Or by better applying it in the justice system, we can understand patterns of reoffending, stopping career criminals from inflicting more misery on the law-abiding majority. And it can forecast the impact that this government extending the national living wage has on younger workers, so that millions more who put the hours in take home the pay they deserve. What unites all of these examples is that they were all made possible by UKRI's administrative data research UK partnership. It works to connect, and make sense of, the huge wealth of data that is generated by government services, bringing it to our world class researchers securely and with the public's privacy at heart since 2018. In short it has been demonstrating the role data can play in improving lives in as many ways as we can imagine and more. But we know we can go further and too many social and economic researchers – many of the very best of whom are right here in the UK – simply can't access the data they need. It is fragmented and siloed, held in different datasets by different public organisations. That means too many rely instead on insights from abroad, which while offering much, simply can't tell the full story of life in Britain in 2025. Accessing the raw resource of all that data and translating it into a form that researchers can use is no easy task, and while we need to grow our data science expertise, we also need to build relationships and make the case to other organisations that secure data sharing has the power to change lives. That is why UKRI is investing a further £168m to continue ADR UK's programme of work through to 2031. This includes continuing our partnership with Cancer Research UK to develop AI-powered tools that can predict cancer risk based on health records, family history and behaviour. Just as BRCA gene screening, heroically brought to the fore by campaigners including Angelina Jolie, revolutionised how we understand and manage the risk of hereditary breast cancer, this next generation of data-driven screening could do the same for more cancers, including prostate cancer. This funding will support work with organisations and charities like Cancer Research UK for example, on a project linking health records to demographics, family history, and behaviour to identify those at higher risk of this devastating illness, so that it can be treated early – potentially saving thousands of lives every year. The ADR will also offer learnings for and help us shape our new national data library, a central government resource designed to bring together existing research programmes and make it easier for policymakers and public bodies to access and use data securely to improve public services. As the incredible opportunities and challenges of technology like AI advance at unprecedented speeds and as we grapple with the fate of our planet as our climate changes, using data to drive policy for the generations to come has never been more important. This government is driven by a plan for change that will transform the lives of the British people, from growing our economy so that our payslips go further, to unlocking opportunity for everyone regardless of background, and building an NHS that is fit for the future and makes the most of the opportunities in new technology. Data can play a huge part in getting that right and targeting government support where it is needed most.


BBC News
13 hours ago
- BBC News
Hundreds set to graduate from University of Wolverhampton
The University of Wolverhampton is gearing up to celebrate its class of 2025, with more than 2,600 students being recognised for their university's eight graduation ceremonies take place at the University of Wolverhampton at The Halls from Monday until Thursday. The students will join a community of more than 155,000 graduates in 130 countries across the world, becoming part of the university's global alumni individuals have also been nominated for an honorary award for exceptional contributions to their fields. This year's list includes astronaut Jannicke Mikkelsen, a graduate from the university, who has been awarded an Honorary Doctor of Mikkelsen made history earlier this year by launching into space aboard the SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket and Dragon capsule from NASA's Kennedy Space served as the vehicle commander for the four-crew mission, which was a first-of-its-kind astronaut flight over Earth's poles. The space explorer has also worked in virtual reality filmmaking and extreme expedition a severe childhood accident that left her temporarily quadriplegic, she channelled her passion for technology and exploration into a thriving career in film and cinematography. Ms Mikkelsen directed the first live-concert film in virtual reality for Queen and produced documentaries with Sir David Attenborough. She also contributed to NASA projects, including a VR exhibit commemorating the Apollo 11 50th anniversary, and led a Guinness record-breaking circumnavigation of the Earth in under 48 gained a BA Hons Video and Film Production at the University of Wolverhampton. Another honorary award will go to Jai Herbert, a Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) fighter born in fighter, known as The Black Country Banger, will be awarded an Honorary Fellowship. Professor Ebrahim Adia, vice chancellor at the university, said: "We are an ambitious university that is proudly rooted in our communities. "We offer opportunity to all, regardless of background and that spirit of social mobility and aspiration to equip people with the skills they need to succeed in life and work runs through the heart of what we do." Follow BBC Wolverhampton & Black Country on BBC Sounds, Facebook, X and Instagram.


Daily Mail
18 hours ago
- Daily Mail
Britain's biggest 'baby deserts': The truth about plunging birth rates amid growing threat of 'underpopulation' - find out how YOUR area fares
Plunging fertility rates mean nine in ten neighbourhoods face the terrifying threat of 'underpopulation', MailOnline can today reveal. Laying bare the reality of Britain's 'baby bust', staggering analysis shows only 5,000 out of 36,000 communities are having enough babies. Nationwide, fertility rates have sunk to their lowest levels since records began in the 1930s. Women in England and Wales, on average, now only have 1.44 children. Yet, in parts of the country, this is as low as 0.1 – the equivalent of one child for every ten women of childbearing age. Experts fear the freefalling trend will leave the country reliant on immigration to prop up the economy, with Britain otherwise left with too few younger people to work, pay tax and look after the elderly. MailOnline analysed fertility rates by lower layer super output areas (LSOAs) – home to around 2,000 people. Across England and Wales, there are 36,000 in total. Full results of our probe – employing methodology backed by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – can be viewed below in our postcode search tool below. For a population to stay the same size without relying on immigration, nations must achieve a 'replacement' level fertility rate of 2.1. Yet scientists studying the demographic phenomenon – dubbed the 'greatest risk to the future of civilisation' by Elon Musk – claim the real target should be upped to 2.7 to avoid extinction. Only 679 LSOAs (1.9 per cent) recorded a total fertility rate above that threshold, our figures showed. The fertility rate – calculated by comparing populations of birthing-aged women with the amount of babies born for each area – was below one in 6,000 LSOAs. In seven neighbourhoods, no births were recorded at all in 2023 – the last year with available data. Excluding LSOAs where no children were born, the area with the lowest fertility rate was in the Western quadrant of leafy Guildford (0.07). Behind it in the league table came the south western corner of Darlington, inbetween Hummersknott and Skerne Park, (0.09) and the Paignton area of the Devon seaside town of Torbay (0.11). At the other end of the spectrum was the Stamford Hill area of Hackney, where 76 babies were born to 354 women. Four of the top five areas were located in that north London borough, with Shoreditch (5.54), Woodbury Wetlands (5.4) and the area next to South Tottenham (5.33) ranking third, fourth and fifth, respectively. The second top spot belonged to a pocket of King's Lynn and West Norfolk, next to the village of Hockold cum Wilton (5.78). Fertility replacement doesn't account for the impact of immigration, meaning overall population levels can still increase in a country despite a drop in fertility rates. Yet becoming reliant on immigration to offset low birth rates would only fuel the fire, on what is already a hugely controversial topic in British society. Immigration levels have spiralled to all-time highs over the past few years, with tens of thousands having arrived on small boats. Experts also say the fertility rates of immigrants' descendants tend to converge with those of the native population over time as second and third generation immigrants are influenced by social norms of their birth country. It means that to sustain population growth through immigration, a continuous influx of new migrants is required. World-leading demographer Dr Paul Morland told MailOnline: 'We have been below replacement fertility levels for over 50 years now. 'That's why we've had mass migration, why our economy is in such a bad way and it's just decades of problems'. 'It's also a major lag that we'll be dealing with for many years'. Oxford University-educated Dr Morland, the author of No One Left: Why the World Needs More Children, added: 'We are only now suffering the effects of our fertility rate in the 2000s.' Women prioritising their education and careers, and couples waiting to have children until later in life have fuelled the freefalling trend. Rising costs, especially the price of childcare and housing, is another factor thought to be putting people off starting families. There is no evidence that Covid vaccines are to blame, with scientists insisting there is no proof they harm fertility. Britain's fertility rate as a whole is forecasted to fall to 1.3 by 2100. The US is on track for a similar downward trajectory, researchers warned last year in the respected medical journal The Lancet. Sharing their shock findings, the University of Washington team warned 97 per cent of nations face the threat of underpopulation by 2100. By then, half of all babies may be born in sub-Saharan Africa. Dr Morland said that, as nations become more prosperous, fertility rates typically fall. He said: 'The only western country with a birthrate above two is Israel and there is a countervailing religious ideology to that - if you don't have that then Western countries fall behind.' Last week, Keir Starmer refused to align with his Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson's line that she harboured 'worrying repercussions for society in the future' if the UK's birth rate didn't improve. A No10 spokesperson said that the Prime Minister would not 'tell people how to live their lives'. The move comes as comparable Western countries with similar birth issues such as France and Italy have taken steps in recent years to right the ship. Last year, French President Emmanuel Macron brought in free fertility checks for those aged 18 to 25. And Giorgia Meloni, Italy's Prime Minister, set a target of 500,000 births annually. Asked why Sir Keir would not weigh in on the debate in the way Mr Macron and Ms Meloni have in France and Italy respectively, the No10 spokesman said: 'It's for the members of the French and Italian government to speak for their policies.' Last year, the Office for Budget Responsibility warned that Britain's falling birth rate could see the national debt soar over the next 50 years. It said the country would have to become reliant on migration to boost the population as deaths will outnumber births in Britain from the middle of the next decade. A waning population could mean there are not enough workers to care for the ageing members of society and to pay taxes to keep funding public services. Immigration remains a hot button voter issue in Keir Starmer's premiership. In May, the PM announced plans to 'significantly' reduce net migration over the next four years, with the Home Office suggesting his eight core policy areas could lead to a 100,000 per year drop by 2029. In his recent meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron, Keir Starmer said that a 'one in, one out' policy was scheduled to come into force within weeks. Our search tool also lays bare the rising average age of mothers across the nation. Nationally, the average age of mums now stands at 30.9 years old. This is an all-time high. During the 1970s, it was closer to 26. The oldest mothers in the country, on average, live in the City of London (38.2) and Kensington and Chelsea (35). Westminster (34.8), Camden, and Islington (both 34.7) followed closely behind. At the other end of the spectrum was the Nottinghamshire town of Mansfield and the region of North East Lincolnshire, both with an average age of 28.2. Methodology MailOnline analysed fertility rates by lower layer super output areas (LSOAs) – home to around 2,000 people. Across England and Wales, there are 36,000 LSOAs in total. We used the 2022 female population estimates for each LSOA from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) – the most up-to-date figures available. These were broken down into age brackets of 15-24, 25-34 and 35-44. This is how the ONS separates women of childbearing age in its statistics. We then pulled the number of births that occurred in 2023 for each age group in every LSOA and calculated age-specific fertility rates. Finally, to calculate the total fertility rate figure for each area, we summed the age-specific rates and multiplied the result by ten – representing the age gap in each bracket. The final figure was then divided by 1,000 to give us a total fertility rate.