Dr Nick Lane (UCL Genetics, Evolution & Environment) and colleagues have fleshed out the detail on how the first cells might have evolved in these vents, and escaped their deep sea lair. Read: Nature

Professor Mark Ronan (UCL Mathematics) describes new efforts at the Ashmolean Museum, Oxford, to decode the world’s oldest undeciphered language. Read: History Today

Drs Simon Waddington and Anna David (UCL Maternal & Fetal Medicine) talk about fetal trials, and curing diseases in the womb. Read: New Scientist

Some common species of tree in the Amazon date back more than 8million years and have survived through epochs of massive temperature fluctuations, according to research by Dr Simon Lewis (UCL Geography). Read: Daily Mail More: UCL News

A review of 14 separate studies by Dr Sarah McKenzie Ross (UCL Clinical, Educational & Health Psychology) shows that organophosphates can damage the brain and nervous system. Listen: BBC World Service Health Check More: The Ecologist

Dr Muhammad Adnan (UCL Geography) has used 4 million geo-tagged tweets to plot the most common twitter names across the capital. Read: Londonist More: Guardian

Cycling is almost five times safer than driving for men under 21, according to a new study by Dr Jennifer Mindell (UCL Epidemiology & Public Health). Read: Times (£) More: Road.cc Independent Telegraph UCL News

More babies survive being born before 27 weeks but severe disability rates are unchanged, according to a study by Professor Neil Marlow (UCL Institute for Women's Health). Read: Independent More: BBC News Daily Mail Guardian Telegraph Times (£) BBC R4 Today (1h 50m 50s & 2h 3m 37s) UCL News

“Much of the debate around the choice between offshore wind electricity generation in the years post-2020 assumes wind is more expensive. This study represents powerful evidence to the contrary,” says Professor Paul Elkins (UCL Energy Institute). Read: Independent

A new study shows that all women are driving more and young men are driving much less. Professor Peter Jones (UCL Civil, Environmental & Geomatic Engineering) discusses whether the reduction in male journeys may be because of the internet. Listen: BBC R4 Today (from 2hr52m)