Today’s physics news: Friday, 18 December

Has the race to detect dark matter been won?

Researchers from the Cryogenic Dark Matter Search II, an experiment buried deep beneath the forests of Minnesota, US, will be announcing likely detection of weakly interactive massive particles (WIMPS) in a series of talks they are giving over the next few weeks.  Their results are still to be peer-reviewed.
Guardian
Nature

Responses to Research Excellence Framework

Times Higher Education has rounded up a series of responses to the Higher Education Funding Council for England’s consultation on the Research Excellence Framework.  As many anticipated, many academics wish to see the much-debated ‘impact’ criteria’s importance scaled down. 
THE

Students to bear brunt of universities’ funding cuts

A senior anonymous source has informed the Times Higher that the Pre-Budget Report was a clear steer to Lord Browne, who is heading the review into the costs of tuition fees, that students are going to have pay more for a university education.
THE