News archive

July 2020

Exeter part of national project to support disadvantaged students affected by COVID-19 to enter higher education

The University of Exeter has joined a national project designed to offer pivotal support to disadvantaged students, who have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, to enter higher education.

Urgent research begins to help ensure survival of regional theatre threatened due to coronavirus

Urgent research has begun to find a way for small and mid-sized theatre companies threatened with closure due to coronavirus to keep operating.

Endurance expert takes on marathon challenge

A scientist who has worked with runners including Eliud Kipchoge and Paula Radcliffe is preparing for his own endurance challenge – running his first sub-three-hour marathon at the age of 50.

New technique in which drugs make bacteria glow could help fight antibiotic resistance

A new technique could help reduce antibiotic prescribing by predicting which drugs could be effective in fighting bacteria within minutes.

Thermophones offer new route to radically simplify array design, research shows

Scientists have pioneered a new technique to produce arrays of sound produced entirely by heat.

Exeter in global top five for research on green space and public health

The University of Exeter has leapt into the top five institutions in the world for research output on the links between green space and public health.

Learn from COVID-19 pandemic to prevent environmental catastrophe, scientists argue

Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic could help avert global warming and mass species extinction, a team of scientists and policy experts have argued.

Decision to replace exams with predicted grades during coronavirus has left pupils feeling “powerless” survey shows

The decision to replace GCSE and A-level exams with predicted grades this summer has left pupils feeling “powerless” and “overwhelmingly” concerned with their grades, a major survey shows.

Students develop innovative ideas to help tackle the world’s greatest problems during Grand Challenges week

From new technology to end loneliness to children’s books and food labelling to tackle the climate emergency – University of Exeter students have developed innovative solutions to the world’s greatest problems.

New breakthrough in ‘spintronics’ could boost high speed data technology

Scientists have made a pivotal breakthrough in the important, emerging field of spintronics – which could lead to a new high speed energy efficient data technology.

£1.85 million for children’s health and maternity research

A national research collaboration has been awarded £1.85 million to investigate children’s health and maternal wellbeing.

Project to enhance climate hazard resilience and related disease prevention in Africa receives funding boost

Experts from the University of Exeter will lead a pioneering project to design digital innovations to help communities across Africa become more resilient to climate hazards and prevent outbreaks of associated diseases.

Palm trees most abundant in tropical forests in the Americas

Palm trees are more than five times more numerous in tropical forests in the Americas than in comparable Asian and African forests, a new study shows.

University of Exeter student project with Babcock International proves huge success

An innovative collaboration between the University of Exeter and Babcock International, designed to give students unparalleled industry experience, has proved a resounding success.

Coconut confusion reveals consumer conundrum

Coconut oil production may be more damaging to the environment than palm oil, researchers say.

Next-generation triple antibody test for Covid-19 given green light by MHRA

University of Exeter scientists have developed a revolutionary new device that could allow health professionals to test patients’ antibody response to Covid-19 in as little as seven minutes.

Walking Along Blue Spaces Such as Beaches or Lakes Benefits Mental Health

New study identifies benefits to mood and well-being associated with short, frequent walks near bodies of water

Innovative Cornish project creates landscape art - with a twist

Cornish residents have played an integral role in a breath-taking new project that has given an unusual twist to the traditional way of creating landscape paintings.

Exeter receives 24th ICURe award for commercialisation of research

The University of Exeter has been granted its 24^th award for Innovation to Commercialisation of University Research (ICURe). The awards are made to teams led by Early Career Researchers to support the transition of commercially promising ideas and innovation out of labs and into the marketplace where they will secure the greatest impact.

University of Exeter collaboration shortlisted for prestigious national KTP ‘Best of the Best’ Awards

A ground-breaking collaboration, between experts from the University of Exeter and Supacat Ltd, to spearhead a green revolution in defence and off-highway transport has been short-listed for a prestigious national award.

Canon Medical and Exeter deal to research child heart disease

Canon Medical is supporting University of Exeter research into heart problems in children.

Science education community should withdraw from international tests which have led to “narrow” curricula and pedagogy, study says

The science community should withdraw from involvement in international tests such as PISA because they have forced schools to adopt “narrow” curricula and pedagogies, a study says.

Business consultant launches confidence course for women in science

Business consultant and author Sadie Sharp is working with 100 scientists, the majority female, to help them build their confidence in a male-dominated sector.

Waste industry under pressure during COVID-19 outbreak

The impact of COVID-19 on the UK waste sector will be investigated in a new project led by the University of Exeter.

Theft law needs reform to reduce the risk of judgements which lack “common sense”, new study warns

Theft law needs reform so the crime is based on consent not dishonesty – reducing the risk of judgements which lack “common sense” – a new study warns.

Talking about grammar is a crucial tool in literacy teaching, study shows

Discussion between teachers and children about writing is a crucial tool to help pupils learn about grammar, a new study shows.

Road verges could be havens for pollinators

Better-managed road verges can help boost pollinating insects, new research shows.

Research into what helps couples to thrive used to teach teenagers about healthy relationships

Research showing the key features of healthy relationships will be used in schools around the country to help teenagers learn how to build healthy relationships of their own.

Paris Agreement’s global warming target of 2C works for economy too, argues study

Make global warming stay below 2C to strike the right balance between climate action and protecting economies, say the authors of a study arguing the economic case for the UN’s 2100 climate targets.

COVID risk calculator aims to help keep BAME healthcare workers safer

A newly-developed tool aims to help workers and employees calculate the biological risk of an individual’s exposure to COVID-19.

COVID-19 a driver of widespread gender inequality, study finds

Women are almost twice as likely as men to have lost their job and suffered an anxiety attack during lockdown, according to a study that reveals how COVID-19 has driven widespread gender inequality.

Exeter partnership to pioneer use of data science and AI to solve global environmental challenges

A new initiative designed to find solutions to some of the world’s most pressing environmental challenges has been announced.

Extinction Rebellion’s activists more likely to be new to protesting, study shows

Extinction Rebellion supporters are more likely to be new to protesting than other environmental activists, a new study shows.

Air pollution in China fell 48% due to economic impact of COVID-19 policies

Air pollution in China, as measured by levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), fell by 48% during lockdown, as a result of the economic fall-out from policies implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19, a study has found.

Exeter professor in conversation with BBC Dynasties director

A director from David Attenborough’s Dynasties series will speak to Professor Steve Simpson, of the University of Exeter, in a free online event.

Partnership to drive forward experimental dementia research with data science and artificial intelligence

A new partnership brings together a combination of around a thousand scientists and innovators

Pioneering spin-out company’s test identifies fungal lung disease in COVID-19 patients

A revolutionary point-of-care test developed by experts from a University of Exeter spin-out company has been used to safely diagnose a lethal fungal lung disease during the Coronavirus pandemic.

New solar panels at University of Exeter

Three new solar installations will cut the University of Exeter’s carbon footprint by more than 100,000kg per year.

Penryn students receive awards for Cornish community voluntary work

Two students at the University of Exeter’s Penryn Campus have received prestigious local awards for promoting the Celtic spirit of Cornwall.

Exeter Astrophysics expert awarded prestigious international prize

Professor Isabelle Baraffe, a leading expert in astrophysics research, has been awarded a prestigious international science prize.

Defra report features Westcountry research on health benefits of being by the sea

Researchers at two leading Westcountry institutions have teamed up with Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) in a study

Concerns over police head injuries

Head injuries may be worryingly common among police officers, according to a new pilot study led by the University of Exeter.

How governments actively resist a World Heritage ‘In Danger’ listing

A study published today finds that governments worldwide have repeatedly resisted the placement of 41 UNESCO World Heritage sites on a list of “World Heritage In Danger”.

Research to reveal the evolutionary reasons why we get by with a little help from our friends

The quest to discover why friendship plays such a pivotal role in social and mental well-being has been given a significant boost, it has been announced.

Collecting footballing memories for the future

Exeter City Football Club’s Grecian Archive has been gathering ‘memories for the future’ with the help of the University of Exeter.

New soap opera, comic and apps being used to tackle kidnappings in Mexico

A new soap opera, comic and app are the latest weapons being used to tackle the epidemic of kidnappings in Mexico.

Plastics found in sea-bed sharks

Microplastics have been found in the guts of sharks that live near the seabed off the UK coast.

Educators at museums, zoos and aquariums boost learning

Educators at informal science learning sites such as science museums, zoos and aquariums promote interest and learning among visitors of all ages, new research has found.

Government failing to reap huge economic opportunities from investing in nature, say experts

The Government has failed to honour its commitment to ‘leave the natural environment of England in a better state than it inherited’ made in the 2011 Natural Environment White Paper and needs to seize opportunities to deliver a green recovery from the recession caused by COVID-19.

Exeter academic wins prestigious national BMJ award for climate change in healthcare

David Pencheon, Honorary Professor at the University of Exeter, has won the BMJ Outstanding Contribution to Health Award

Earliest humans stayed at the Americas ‘oldest hotel’ in Mexican cave

A cave in a remote part of Mexico was visited by humans around 30,000 years ago – 15,000 years earlier than people were previously thought to have reached the Americas.

Mammal cells could struggle to fight space germs

The immune systems of mammals – including humans – might struggle to detect and respond to germs from other planets, new research suggests.

Development of international principles for sustainable securities lending gains global traction

Experts and major organisations have co-created the first international principles that will encourage more concerted efforts towards sustainable securities lending.

Quorn protein found to lower cholesterol levels in healthy adults

A study from the University of Exeter has found that mycoprotein, the protein-rich food source that is unique to Quorn products, lowers the post absorptive levels of low-density lipoproteins (LDL), commonly known as “bad” cholesterol, more than meat and fish.