The mysteries of outer space have long fascinated scientists and academics, but an innovative research project has put ordinary people at the helm of exploring our cosmos. To celebrate World Space Week, Professor Bob Nicol and Professor Daniel Thomas join the Life Solved podcast to talk about Galaxy Zoo, a citizen-science project part-funded by the University of Portsmouth. Across a decade, 73,000 enthusiasts joined forces to classify galaxies in their spare time, leading to blossoming communities as well as advances in our understanding of the formation and interrelation of galaxies. What’s more, these findings have led to breakthroughs in machine learning and the development of artificial intelligence, and inspired Zooniverse: the world’s largest portal for people-powered research. FIND OUT MORE You can find out more about this work and other research at the University of Portsmouth website: https://www.port.ac.uk/research/research-projects You can find out more about Galaxy Zoo here on the Zooniverse portal:https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/zookeeper/galaxy-zoo/ Zooniverse is an incredible portal where 2.3 million people are taking part in research: https://www.zooniverse.org/projects Explore data from the Sloan Digital Sky Survey here: https://www.sdss.org Find out more about Professors Daniel Thomas and Bob Nichol here: https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/en/persons/daniel-thomas(f3c7db43-37c4-4f84-b9d4-f982a50ef9ad).html https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/bob-nichol https://twitter.com/robertcnichol?lang=en See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode of Life Solved from the University of Portsmouth, Historical Geographer Professor Humphrey Southall and Paula Aucott tell us about a new mapping project that’s transforming the way we understand the present. GB1900 collated data from digitised images of Britain’s six inch maps from between 1888 and 1914. By using specially developed analysis software from another project, it was possible to connect social references such as place names and extinct footpaths with hard data. But a huge amount of research and data verification was helped by collaboration a crowdsourced team of local history enthusiasts and family history researchers. Find out how they all worked towards making this invaluable new resource and the potential it has to give new insights into the past and present. You can find out more about this work and other research at the University of Portsmouth website: https://www.port.ac.uk/research/research-projects PROFESSOR HUMPHREY SOUTHALL https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/humphrey-southall You can download GB1900 data on this website https://www.visionofbritain.org.uk Background on the crowdsourced GB1900 project: the largest historical place-name gazetteer for Great Britain https://blog.wikimedia.org.uk/2018/08/gb1900-project-launch-the-historically-open-gazetteer-of-great-britain/ A Visual History of Pandemics https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2020/03/a-visual-history-of-pandemics See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John Worsey takes a look at some more of our favourite Life Solved moments so far. Series 6 is starting on Thursday 30th of September.From then we'll be exploring a unique mapping tool that combines historical, cultural and social data to build up a picture of Britain past and present. We'll also be looking at the enormous historical and social importance of Zines through a collection of these illustrated artefacts. Plus, we'll be celebrating World Space Week by hearing how citizen science is mapping outer space at an incredible rate.Find out more about research from the University of Portsmouth at port.ac.uk/research See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John Worsey takes a look at some of our favourite Life Solved moments so far. Series 6 is starting on Thursday 30th of September.From then we'll be exploring a unique mapping tool that combines historical, cultural and social data to build up a picture of Britain past and present. We'll also be looking at the enormous historical and social importance of Zines through a collection of these illustrated artefacts. Plus, we'll be celebrating World Space Week by hearing how citizen science is mapping outer space at an incredible rate.Find out more about research from the University of Portsmouth at port.ac.uk/research See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

John Worsey takes a look at some of the exciting research coming up in our next series of Life Solved, starting on Thursday 30th of September.Find out about a unique mapping tool that combines historical, cultural and social data to build up a picture of Britain past and present. We'll also be looking at the enormous historical and social importance of Zines through a collection of these illustrated artefacts. Plus, we hear how citizen science is mapping outer space at an incredible rate.Find out more about research from the University of Portsmouth at port.ac.uk/research See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

In this episode of Life Solved, we hear about a cross-disciplinary project to help fight the illegal trade in plants and animals. Dr Nick Pamment tells us about his Wildlife Crime module and how this led to a collaboration with Jac Reed, a lecturer in Criminology and Dr Paul Smith, a Reader in Crime Science. Together the team have combined their expertise in criminology and forensics to help tackle the illegal trade in wildlife.Rangers working in the field can find themselves in dangerous scenarios and need to work quickly to gather evidence. Find out about how the working group tested their fingerprinting approach on a sample of pangolin scales to develop an easy-to-use method that’s making a real difference already.POINTS OF INTEREST & FURTHER READINGDr Nick Pammenthttps://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/nicholas-pammentDr Paul Smith@paul1smith2https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/paul-smithJac Reed @Jac_Reedhttps://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/jac-reedFingerprinting pangolin scaleshttps://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/files/19526874/Fingerprint_on_Pangolin_Scales_FINAL_1_.pdfWhat is a pangolin?https://www.worldwildlife.org/species/pangolinFind out more about wildlife crimehttps://cites.org/eng/prog/iccwc/crime.phpFind out more about a multi-million pound smuggling tradehttps://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/uncovering-a-multi-million-pound-smuggling-trade/id1524216431?i=1000487134547 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The University of Portsmouth’s Dr Marina Davila Ross tells us about her work studying communication in Great Apes.In this episode of Life Solved, we hear the call of Pongo Tapanuliensis, otherwise known as the Tapanuli Orang-utan, the third and most rare species of orang-utan.Marina reveals how her recordings of this 800-strong colony in Sumatra helped classify it as a whole new species and raised many more questions for science.She tells us how she originally gathered data on orang-utan long calls using a Sony Walkman and how she is able to analyse vocalisations to identify different species.The classification of this distinct third species in 2017 has also been vital for its conservation. The mountainous, rugged habitat of the Tapanuli had been primed for development, but now those plans are on hold in a bid to conserve this population.POINTS OF INTEREST & FURTHER READINGDr Marina Davila-Rosshttps://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/marina-davila-rossLong call distribution in wild orang-utanshttps://journals.openedition.org/primatologie/219?lang=enListen to orang-utan sounds and callshttps://wildambience.com/wildlife-sounds/orangutan/About the orang-utan Long Callhttps://zooatlanta.org/the-amazing-orangutan-long-call/A new species is classifiedhttps://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/article/new-orangutan-species-sumatra-borneo-indonesia-animals See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

For the rest of this series of Life Solved, we’re delving into the world of wildlife crime. The University of Portsmouth is addressing the illegal trade in animals and plants through cutting-edge research and real-world application. This time Caroline Cox explains how her work led her to providing vital information to support a change in the law here in the UK.In fact, the UK has recently introduced a world-leading ban on the trade in elephant ivory with strict conditions introduced for what objects can change hand.Until recently, antique dealers were allowed to trade in ivory products created from animals that had died before 1947. But not only is it tricky to identify the age of ivory, the uncertainty here meant that some were unwittingly breaking the law, whilst others were deliberately taking advantage. The illegal slaughter of elephants for their ivory was still taking place, enabled in part by uncertainty in the rules of trade.That’s where Caroline, a Senior Lecturer in Law, passionate about antiques, teamed up with the University of Portsmouth’s Nick Pamment to form the Ivory Project.In this episode she explains how they interviewed antiques dealers to better understand the issues, and ended up creating a body of work of international importance.POINTS OF INTEREST & FURTHER READINGFind out more about Caroline Coxhttps://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/caroline-cox(ca148f70-e472-4a51-9354-60883553866c).htmlRead Caroline’s report ‘The Elephant in the Sales Room’https://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/files/26100547/Ivory_Report_Final_Draft23022017_v02.pdfThe Ivory Projecthttps://www.port.ac.uk/research/research-projects/the-ivory-projectWhat is Wildlife Crime?https://cites.org/eng/prog/iccwc/crime.phpThe Ivory Act is passing into lawhttps://www.gov.uk/government/news/uks-world-leading-ivory-ban-moves-step-closer See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Life Solved explores research and ideas from the University of Portsmouth.This time we’re asking if the coronavirus pandemic has created a dramatic setback for the global environmental crisis.From the vast increase in the use and disposal of PPE such as face masks and gloves, to the changing consumer habits that arose from lockdown, we look at how the plastics problem has been exacerbated by Covid-19 conditions.At the same time we ask where there might be some hopeful green lights on the horizon as the individuals, governments and international collaborations take action.Dr Steve Fletcher and Dr Keiron Roberts explain how the University of Portsmouth’s Revolution Plastics initiative is sharing insights to help make impactful policy. And Dr Sianne Gordon-Wilson tells us about her research into how our consumer behaviour and sustainable attitudes changed during the pandemic.POINTS OF INTEREST & FURTHER READINGDr Sianne Gordon-Wilsonhttps://twitter.com/SianneGWhttps://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/sianne-gordonwilson(0092ccfe-9d1d-4df1-b859-2833e28b3d77).htmlOverview of Sianne’s researchhttps://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/publications/consumption-practices-during-the-covid19-crisis(8125d94d-0347-4eab-bf49-dcb323ac78bf).htmlDr Steve Fletcherhttps://twitter.com/DrSFletcherDr Keiron Robertshttps://twitter.com/keiron_robertsRevolution Plastics https://twitter.com/UoPPlasticshttps://www.port.ac.uk/research/themes/sustainability-and-the-environment/revolution-plasticsWhat is a sustainable circular economy?https://sustainabilityguide.eu/sustainability/circular-economy/https://theconversation.com/what-a-sustainable-circular-economy-would-look-like-13380812 ways to life more sustainablyhttps://www.biologicaldiversity.org/programs/population_and_sustainability/sustainability/live_more_sustainably.html See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This episode of Life Solved from the University of Portsmouth explores what the Coronavirus pandemic restrictions have meant for human rights, democracy, trust and policing. We hear how narratives of control have played out in government policies and ask what this means for democracy here in the UK.Professor Leila Choukroune and Dr Sarah Charman discuss the issues that have come with police enforcement of temporary legislation, and the confusion that can arise from rapidly introduced measures and guidelines. Sarah’s work looks at the impact of the pandemic upon both police and public and she shares some of her latest research insights.We also explore the worrying surge in hate crime reported throughout the pandemic.Dr Lisa Sigiura and Dr Jemma Tyson have a conversation about the new legislation and regulation being debated to try and curb online and offline hatePOINTS OF INTEREST & FURTHER READINGOur Researchers:Professor Leila Choukroune  @LChoukrounehttps://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/leila-choukrouneDr Sarah Charman @SarahC2612https://www.port.ac.uk/about-us/structure-and-governance/our-people/our-staff/sarah-charmanPolice, Socialisation, Identity and Becoming Bluehttps://www.palgrave.com/gb/book/9783319630694Dr Lisa Sigiurahttps://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/lisa-sugiura(52d16734-471c-40d4-94f3-94a684574741).htmlDr Jemma Tysonhttps://researchportal.port.ac.uk/portal/en/persons/jemma-tyson(342f721a-612f-414c-b179-b48c15d1588c).htmlDisablist Hate Crime in “Victimology”https://www.springer.com/gb/book/9783030422875Follow the latest research from the University of Portsmouth- https://www.port.ac.uk/research Solve Magazine- port.ac.uk/solve  https://www.port.ac.uk/news-events-and-blogs/magazines/solve-magazineThe University of Portsmouth Social Media Links -Facebook - facebook.com/universityofportsmouthInstagram -instagram.com/portsmouthuni/Twitter -  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.