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Thought Leadership

No PCR, no problem: how COVID can be diagnosed with X-rays

Dr Stamos Katsigiannis, from our Department of Computer Science, Professor of Computing Engineering, Naeem Ramzan and PhD student, Gabriel Okolo, from University of the West of Scotland outline their research into whether a quick and reliable alternative to PCR testing could be provided by using commonly available hospital equipment – namely, the machines available in the radiography department.
Woman in White Long Sleeve Shirt Holding Blue and White X-Ray of Lungs

Can a writing exercise close the gap for low-income pupils?

Professor Beng Huat See from our School of Education tested a simple classroom intervention on thousands of secondary school students and found it could help to boost attainment in disadvantaged pupils.
Hand writing in notepad

How memory ‘clutter’ makes it harder to remember things as we get older

Professor Alexander Easton, from our Department of Psychology, outlines an alternative explanation for forgetfulness as we get older, suggesting that our memories remain good, but get cluttered as we age.
Elderly couple on bench reading newspaper

Fears of election rigging may fuel further abuses in Kenya: democracy could be the loser

Professor Justin Willis, from our Department of History, Gabrielle Lynch, Professor of Comparative Politics at University of Warwick and Nic Cheeseman, Professor of Democracy at University of Birmingham discuss the approaching general election in Kenya due to take place in August 2022 and the fact that many Kenyans lack confidence in the electoral process.
Voting ballot box

How much exercise should disabled young people get? New recommendations offer advice

Professor Brett Smith, Director of Research from our Department of Sport and Exercise Sciences, and Dr Charlie Foster, Professor of Physical Activity and Public Health at the University of Bristol, outline the recommendations of the new guidelines on physical activity for disabled young people.
Family exercising playing football.

Don’t watch Pam and Tommy – the series turns someone’s trauma into entertainment

Professor Clare McGlynn, from Durham Law School, and Teaching Fellow and PhD Researcher, Alishya Dhir, from our Department of Sociology, encourage viewers to think twice before watching Pam and Tommy as they address the recurring trauma of intimate image abuse.
Woman holding a phone

One hundred years after his tomb was discovered, Tutankhamun’s afterlife continues

Christina Riggs is a Professor of the History of Visual Culture in our History department and an expert on the history of the Tutankhamun excavation. Here Professor Riggs discusses the enduring interest in Tutankhamun.
Image of Tutankhamun

Autism is still underdiagnosed in girls and women. That can compound the challenges they face

Professor Carol Adams, from our Business School, and Dr Tamara May, Senior Research Fellow at Monash University, consider how autism being underdiagnosed in girls and women can lead to a lifetime of struggles.
Upset woman sitting on couch alone at home

Durham-led research network rises to the challenge of neglected tropical diseases

Each year, leishmaniasis and Chagas disease infect more than two million people and kill approximately 10,000 people. Dr Mags Leighton, Project Manager of the Neglected Tropical Diseases Network, in our Department of Chemistry outlines how an equal approach to sharing scientific expertise and resources is needed to tackle these diseases.
Youtube presentation slide of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis banner

How your culture informs the emotions you feel when listening to music

Dr George Athanasopoulos and Dr Imre Lahdelma, from our Department of Music, discover how the emotional perception of music may be influenced by the listeners’ cultural background, and examine whether there are any universal aspects to emotions conveyed by music.
Kalash people dancing on rooftop in Pakistan

The University of the Arctic (UArctic) has appointed Professor Philip Steinberg UArctic Chair in Political Geography

Professor Steinberg discusses Durham’s role as an Arctic research hub, some of Durham’s ongoing Arctic research initiatives, and the significance of the UArctic network.
UArctic

First English sighting of ‘ball lightning’: a 12th century monk’s chronicle reveals all

Professor Brian Tanner, Emeritus Professor in our Department of Physics, and Professor Giles Gasper, in our Department of History, discover what appears to be the earliest known account of a rare weather phenomenon called ball lightning in England.
A drawing depicting a ball lightning event