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  • Megalith tombs were family graves in European Stone Age

    In a new study published in PNAS, an international research team, led from Uppsala University, discovered kin relationships among Stone Age individuals buried in megalithic tombs on Ireland and in Sweden. The kin relations can be traced for more than ten generations and suggests that megaliths were graves for kindred groups in Stone Age northwestern Europe.

  • New research supports volcanic origin of Kiruna-type iron ores

    The origin of giant apatite-iron oxide ores of the so-called ‘Kiruna-type’ has been the topic of a long standing debate that has lasted for over 100 years. In a new article, published in Nature Communications, a team of scientists presents new and unambiguous data in favour of a magmatic origin for these important iron ores. The study was led by researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden.

  • Origin of Scandinavian wolves clarified

    There are no signs that hybrids of dog and wolf have contributed to the Scandinavian wolf population – a matter that has been discussed, especially in Norway. These wolves appear to have originated from the Nordic region or adjacent parts of Northern Europe, new genetic research from Uppsala University shows.

  • 2019 Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science to Margaret Levi

    Professor Margaret Levi at Stanford University and University of Washington has been named the 25th recipient of the Johan Skytte Prize in Political Science. She is awarded the prize for “having laid the foundations of our understanding of why citizens accept state coercion, by combining theoretical acumen and historical knowledge.”

  • Two genes explain variation in colour and behaviour in the wall lizard

    How are reptiles capable of generating such a diversity of bright colors? And how is it possible that within a single population of the same species, different individuals exhibit strikingly different coloration patterns? A team of scientists reveal two genes implicated in yellow to red pigmentation in reptiles, and demonstrate that these “pigmentation genes” also affect behaviour and other traits

  • ​Should we be screening future parents for genetic disorders?

    Should public health-care systems provide couples with expanded screening for genetic disorders before they decide to become pregnant? Screening programmes could increase our reproductive choices and autonomy. But there are ethical issues at stake.

  • New research initiative will power up Europe’s battery revolution

    A world moving from fossil fuels to renewable energy will rely more and more on energy storage and in particular on batteries. The Battery 2030+ large-scale research initiative will gather leading scientists in Europe, as well as the industry, to achieve a leap forward in battery science and technology.

  • Uppsala Health Summit announces travel grants for journalists

    Uppsala Health Summit will offer up to four travel grants to journalists to attend the summit 7 - 9 October themed Healthy Urban Childhoods at Uppsala Castle, Sweden. The grant is intended for journalists with a demonstrated interest in the area, and who otherwise would not have the possibility to attend due to unavailability of funds. Last day to apply is 3 May 2019.

  • Hard-to-detect antibiotic resistance an underestimated clinical problem

    When antibiotics are used to treat bacteria susceptible to them, the treatment usually works. Nevertheless, the antibiotic chosen is sometimes ineffective. One of the reasons for this is heteroresistance, a phenomenon explored in depth by Uppsala and Emory University researchers in a new study.

  • The 210-million-year-old Smok was crushing bones like a hyena

    Coprolites, or fossil droppings, of the dinosaur-like archosaur Smok wawelski contain lots of chewed-up bone fragments. This led researchers at Uppsala University to conclude that this top predator was exploiting bones for salt and marrow, a behavior often linked to mammals but seldom to archosaurs.

  • Celsius-Linnaeus Lectures 2019: Climate change, carbon dioxide storage, and human health

    What do we need to be able to store carbon dioxide in bedrock and thereby reduce the human impact on the global climate? At the Celsius-Linnaeus lectures on 7 February, geologist Martin Blunt and microbiologist and toxicologist Linda S. Birnbaum will present research findings on some of the biggest challenges facing humanity.

  • Large volcanic eruption in Scotland may have contributed to prehistoric global warming

    Around 56 million years ago, global temperatures spiked. Researchers at Uppsala University and in the UK now show that a major explosive eruption from the Red Hills on the Isle of Skye may have been a contributing factor to the massive climate disturbance. Their findings have been published in the journal Scientific Reports.

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