Reading in the news - Tue 19 Aug

Best for business: “The University of Reading is the best place to get a business degree in the UK, according to the 2026 edition of the Daily Mail University Guide,” writes Daily Mail and The London Weekly. Reading secured the top spot for a second year running when the Guide was published last week. The University is also number one for Architecture.

Health and wellbeing:

• The Independent republished a Conversation article, written by Dr Chris Smith (Chemistry), about methanol poisoning. Republished by Yahoo! News, Tribune, AOL and various outlets.
• ITV Meridian, The Independent, BBC Radio Berkshire, BBC Radio Oxford and WDC TV provide further coverage on research from Professor Vitaliy Khutoryanskiy (Pharmacy), into how flatworm brains react to human psychoactive drugs. From our story: Flatworms can replace rats for breakthrough brain studies

#PlanetPartners: working with global partners to protect the environment

• An ITV documentary on British heatwaves featured Dr Jess Neumann (Geography and Environmental Science) discussing how climate change and heatwaves impact water resources (approx. 6:02 mins in). Dr Akshay Deoras (Meteorology) is also interviewed about adapting to extreme weather changes (approx. 12:36 mins in).
• Dr Deoras is also quoted by FT for a piece about wildfires in southern Europe.
• An article in The Mirror on how flash floods are more likely to happen after long heatwaves links to a blog post by Dr Rob Thompson (Meteorology) and his experiment that shows how slowly water soaks into parched ground.
• Professor Richard Allan (Meteorology) is quoted by NewScientist (republished by Germanic.News) on the different factors that contributed to record-breaking global temperatures in 2023.
• Dr Jess Neumann (Geography and Environmental Science) featured on BBC Radio 4 to talk about climate change and other factors which increase flooding risks.

Business and society:

• Professor Paul Glaister (Mathematics and Statistics) wrote for The Conversation on the concerns of young people’s maths skills, for those who do not study the subject after GCSEs.
• Professor Adrian Palmer’s (Henley Business School) article for The Conversation about the influence technology has on overtourism is published in French.

Heritage and culture:

• Knowridge mentions research from Dr Jorge Avaria-Llautureo (Evolutionary Biology), finding that primates evolved from cold climates, rather than tropical rainforests. From our story: Early primates survived in cold, not tropical climates

Other coverage:

• Professor Philip Beaman (Psychology) is quoted by ThePhoblographer on how AI can alter memories of photographed events.
• The Reading Chronicle wrote about SANG maintenance fees the University receives from Shinfield residents.
• Broadcaster Masechaba Mposwa is set to speak on a panel at Henley Business School Africa, reports TimesLive.

Alumni:

• Nomvula Zeldah Mabuza, who is an MBA candidate at Henley Business School Africa, wrote for African News Agency and PersonalFinance about the ICJ ruling on climate obligations.