News archive 2020
Plant life expanding in the Everest region
Plant life is expanding in the area around Mount Everest, and across the Himalayan region, new research shows.
Exeter researcher finalist in Blavatnik Awards
A University of Exeter researcher has won recognition in the 2020 Blavatnik Awards for Young Scientists in the UK.
Autoimmunity may explain why an important immune system is absent in many bacteria
New findings from University of Exeter researchers reveal how bacterial immune systems can be harmful for their hosts and explain why they are not found in many bacteria.
School pupils join University of Exeter for Environment and Sustainability Day
Year 9 pupils from schools around Cornwall spent the day at the Penryn Campus for the annual Environment and Sustainability Day, which was this year based on the theme ‘Sustainable Futures for Cornwall’.
Should I Stay or Should I Go? – new exhibition offers fascinating insight into Cornwall’s hidden world
A stunning new exhibition will offer a fascinating glimpse into the colourful and often kaleidoscopic world of bacteria, hidden out of sight throughout the distinctive Cornish landscape.
New director for Environment and Sustainability Institute
Professor Jane Wills has been chosen as the new director of the Environment and Sustainability Institute
‘Tequila’ powered biofuels could be used for transport fuel and hand sanitizer, research shows
The agave plant - which is used to make tequila – could be the key ingredient to unlocking a new way of producing environmentally-friendly transport fuel and hand sanitizer, new research has found.
Pine martens like to have neighbours – but not too near
Pine martens need neighbours but like to keep their distance, according to new research.
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Virtual event in Cornwall explores link between art and the natural world
The distinctive relationship between art and the natural world will be explored during a special virtual event in Cornwall, to be held later this month.
Appetite for fast fashion goes out of style when people learn about impact of mass-produced clothing, study shows
Learning in groups how to make, mend and modify clothing reduces the appetite for fast fashion, a new study shows.
Sea swimming linked to illness, study shows
People who go in the sea are more likely to experience symptoms of illness compared to non-bathers.
Less than a quarter of Cornwall’s voluntary sector operating as usual amid COVID-19 crisis
Cornwall’s voluntary organisations have been adapting services to support more vulnerable people for longer during the Covid-19 crisis.
Exeter project to develop new energy-saving windows and facades given £1.65 million funding boost
A pioneering new project to develop revolutionary new energy saving windows and facades has received a significant funding boost.
Penryn student receives prestigious award for her work on tackling plastic waste
A University of Exeter postgraduate student has been honoured with The Diana Award - the highest accolade a young person can achieve for social action or humanitarian efforts.
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.
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.
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.
Road verges could be havens for pollinators
Better-managed road verges can help boost pollinating insects, new research shows.
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.
Strengthening Cornwall’s food supply chains post Covid-19
Shortening food supply chains and improving local public procurement could provide a significant boost to the Cornish economy post-Covid-19, according to new research.
Researchers identify five types of cat owner
Cat owners fall into five categories in terms of their attitudes to their pets’ roaming and hunting, according to a new study.
Safe thresholds for antibiotics in sewage needed to help combat antibiotic resistance
New research reveals current understanding of safe antibiotic levels in rivers may not prevent evolution of antibiotic resistance.
Scientists unravel 66 million years of climate history from ocean sediments
Pioneering new analysis of deep-sea sediments has revealed the climatic changes over the last 66 million years of Earth’s history - which can be studied like a ‘colourful barcode’.
Nights warming faster than days across much of the planet
Global warming is affecting daytime and night-time temperatures differently – and greater night-time warming is more common than greater daytime warming worldwide – new research shows.
Exeter researcher wins Philip Leverhulme Prize
A University of Exeter researcher has been named among the winners of the 2020 Philip Leverhulme Prizes.
New project to find Europe’s green technology metals
A new four-year project ‘GREENPEG’ has received a grant of €8.3 million from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme to develop new techniques to explore for pegmatite rocks containing lithium and other green technology metals.
Artificial night lighting has widespread impacts on nature
Artificial night-time lighting has a diverse range of effects across the natural world and should be limited where possible, researchers say.
Pioneering new Circular Economy Centre in Technology Metals announced
The University of Exeter will lead a pioneering new research centre, designed to revolutionize how crucial metals are extracted, used and reused in clean and digital technologies across the UK.
New guide on using drones for conservation
Drones are a powerful tool for conservation – but they should only be used after careful consideration and planning, according to a new report.
Exeter’s pioneering approach to sustainability secures prestigious Guardian award
Pivotal work conducted by staff and students to transform the University of Exeter’s approach to sustainability has won a prestigious Guardian University Award.
Solar Walls could power green transport of the future
Build Solar has won funding to explore whether their technology could be used extensively across UK rail networks in order to harvest solar energy at scale.
University of Exeter responds to climate crisis
The University of Exeter has created a comprehensive plan to cut carbon emissions and improve the environment on its campuses and beyond.