Just in time for Mother’s Day teens have spoken out on what they consider makes a good mother. The project Young Lives and Times, part of the Timescapes study and funded by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), reveals how teens view their mums.

Findings from the project entitled 'Look at me! Images of Women and Ageing' have revealed the complexity of women's feelings about the images of ageing. These findings are presented in various exhibitions in Sheffield, which runs from 9 March to 15 April.

Data from findings from Understanding Society, the world’s largest household panel survey, show that people with degrees are 25 per cent more likely, on average, than people with no education qualifications to adopt pro-environmental behaviours, at least in terms of paying more for environmentally-friendly products.

The Comic Relief appeal achieves a remarkable amount of support with around six million people buying red noses. Donations to this cause have increased five-fold between 1988 when the first Red Nose Day appeal raised £15 million to the £82 million raised on Red Nose Day in 2009.

The employed and self-employed enjoy much better sleep than those out of work, according to Understanding Society, the world’s largest longitudinal household study. One in ten people report taking sleeping medication (eg. sleeping pills) on three or more nights a week.

A survey of households across the UK taken at the height of the recession in 2009 show 67 per cent of people in full-time work were living comfortably or doing allright and that unemployed people were broadly optimistic about their future prospects.

Young people in the UK are very satisfied with their lives with 70 per cent rating themselves as happy or very happy. These are the first findings from Understanding Society, the world’s largest household panel study managed by the Institute of Social and Economic Research (ISER) at the University of Essex.

The largest ever UK-wide study of babies and young children today received a landmark £24.25 million commitment from the Department of Business Innovation and Skills. The 2012 Birth Cohort Study will be the largest ever UK-wide study of babies and young children today.

Understanding Society, the largest household panel study in the world, publishes its first book of findings drawn from Wave 1 data collected in 2009. This first volume is an initial analysis of the data by researchers from ISER and the universities of Oxford, Surrey and Warwick.

The first findings from the world’s largest study of households are now published. With data on our working lives, relationships, health, finances and neighbourhoods the Understanding Society publication gives an early taste of the social landscape of the UK as the country fell into the deepest recession for 60 years.

Whether you are married or cohabiting with your partner, the vast majority of couples in the UK are happy in their relationship. Initial findings from Understanding Society show that around 90 per cent of individuals who are living with a partner are happy with their relationship.

Research by ESRC's Innogen centre shows that radical reform of the drugs industry regulatory system must be an important part of the solution to ensure a productive and profitable pharmaceutical sector, both globally and in the UK.

Researchers at Oxford University will lead an interdisciplinary team of global experts in carrying out field studies and controlled experiments on exploring how ritual contributes to intergroup conflict and violence.

The largest joint initiative between European funding agencies in social sciences, the Open Research Area Scheme, announces its successful grants. The scheme is a new way of funding for the ESRC, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research in international research.

The ESRC's new web portal is launched today, Thursday 27 January 2010, with straight to the point easy navigation and dynamic research content on important topics some of the new features. The new website will be the first port of call for anyone interested in the UK’s society and economy.

A new report released today (Thursday 27 January) by the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) provides a snapshot of what we know about our current economic situation and explores what can be learned by looking at evidence from economic and social research.

David Willetts, the Minister for Universities and Science, has reappointed Professor Malcolm Grant to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC).

Urban planning needs to consider how older people use walking routes as well as public areas, concludes a Research Council UK-funded research project from the New Dynamics of Ageing Programme. Planning should include a smooth transition between walking, driving and using public transport and should take account of how older people navigate between these.

An innovative software tool presents the mechanics of movement, enabling older people to improve their quality of life when carrying out everyday activities.

A study by the New Dynamics of Ageing Programme, a joint initiative by Research Council's UK (RCUK), examines the relationship between successful ageing and mobility patterns.

December 1st is World AIDS day. There are 33.4 million people worldwide living with HIV, 67 per cent in the Sub-Saharan Africa region. In South Africa alone, 5.6 million people are HIV-positive, with only 22 per cent having access to anti-retroviral medication.

A new study shows that the ability of 'Black Africans' settling in the UK to integrate with society varies according to their national and ethnic background.

Published on Friday 19 November 2010, the ESRC newsstand magazine Britain in 2011: The state of the nation showcases new ESRC-funded research, findings and expert comments covering a wide range of issues in our society today.

Management and business performance, rather than technological innovation, is the main focus for companies collaborating with universities, according to a major survey of businesses and research collaborations.

Professor Chris Pissarides of the London School of Economics has been awarded the Sveriges Riksbank Prize in Economic Sciences in Memory of Alfred Nobel, jointly with Professors Peter Diamond and Dale Mortensen.