news 2022

Scientists at Bath found that incorporating sugar units into polymers makes them more degradable when exposed to UV light. Many plastics that are labelled as biodegradable are only compostable under industrial conditions, but scientists at the University of Bath have now found a way to make plastics break down using only UV light.

Researchers have developed a low-cost device that can selectively capture carbon dioxide gas while it charges. Then, when it discharges, the CO2 can be released in a controlled way and collected to be reused or disposed of responsibly. We found that that by slowly alternating the current between the plates we can capture double the amount of CO2 than before Alexander Forse The supercapacitor device, which is similar to a rechargeable battery, is the size of a two-pence coin, and is made in part from sustainable materials including coconut shells and seawater.

This data can help identify coastal areas most impacted - and therefore in need of protection Thomas Worthington Global change and human actions are driving rapid changes to tidal wetlands - tidal marshes, mangroves and tidal flats - worldwide. However, ecosystem restoration and natural processes are playing a part in reducing total losses.

The excellence of research at UCL and its positive real-world impact has improved since 2014, according to the Research Excellence Framework 2021 (REF) assessment results announced today. UCL has come second in the UK for research power by a measure of average research score multiplied by staff numbers submitted.

Home and lifestyle activities are major contributors to water quality. Social interventions may provide the most sustainable solution. Household and lifestyle activities are key contributors to water quality, according to new research from the University of Bath. Social interventions - such as social prescribing - may provide a more sustainable solution to this problem than improvements to wastewater treatment processes.

A new method for detecting tsunamis using existing GPS satellites orbiting Earth could serve as an effective warning system for countries worldwide, according to a new study by an international team led by UCL researchers. Initial tsunami waves are typically a few centimetres high but nonetheless cause a disturbance in the Earth's upper atmosphere by pushing up air and creating an acoustic wave that is amplified as it goes higher.

Five long-standing questions about planets outside our solar system known as "hot Jupiters" have been answered in a major new study led by UCL researchers. The study, published in The Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series , is one of the largest ever surveys of exoplanet atmospheres ever undertaken.

Climate change and intensive agricultural land use have already been responsible for a 49% reduction in the number of insects in the most impacted parts of the world, finds a new study by UCL researchers. The study published in Nature is the first to identify that an interaction between rising temperatures and land use changes, is driving widespread losses in numerous insect groups across the globe.

Organic aerosols from cooking may stay in the atmosphere for several days because of nanostructures formed by fatty acids as they are released into the air. Organic aerosols - such as those released in cooking - may stay in the atmosphere for several days because of nanostructures formed by fatty acids as they are released into the air, new research finds.

Research led by the Milner Centre for Evolution proves a statistical link between diet, habitat, social behaviour and mating systems for the first time. Weaver birds that eat seeds flock together and nest in colonies more commonly than those species that eat insects, suggests new research by an international team of scientists led by the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath.

The long-held theory that birds closer to the equator are more colourful than birds nearer the poles has been proven by a new study. The findings, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution revealed that tropical birds are roughly 30 per cent more colourful than non-tropical birds living nearer the poles.

The long-held theory that birds closer to the equator are more colourful than birds nearer the poles has been proven by a new study. The findings, published in Nature Ecology & Evolution revealed that tropical birds are roughly 30 per cent more colourful than non-tropical birds living nearer the poles.

Immediate and deep emissions reductions are required across all sectors - as well as widespread use of carbon removal technology - to limit warming to 1.5°C, according to a new Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report, involving contributions from UCL academics. Released today, the report assesses the literature on the scientific, technological, environmental, economic and social aspects of climate change mitigation.

Tools that can produce accurate models of indoor air quality are to be designed in a project led by the University of Birmingham. The new project "Indoor Air Quality Emissions & Modelling System (IAQ-EMS)", is funded by the Strategic Priorities Fund. It aims to increase the understanding of indoor air pollutants and enable people planning or assessing an indoor space to build an accurate picture of the likely sources, levels and risks of pollutants.

Continents reconfigure, oceans shift, and ice sheets thicken and thaw, but for the past 95 million years Earth's engine for distributing ocean heat has remained remarkably consistent, a new study co-led by UCL has found. The study, published this week in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences , and led by Yale University, offered a novel way of examining plankton shells to better gauge the accuracy of climate models and the Earth's temperature gradients.

Researchers have made tiny 'skyscrapers' for communities of bacteria, helping them to generate electricity from just sunlight and water. Our approach is a step towards making even more sustainable renewable energy devices for the future Jenny Zhang The researchers, from the University of Cambridge, used 3D printing to create grids of high-rise 'nano-housing' where sun-loving bacteria can grow quickly.

The death rate linked to extreme temperatures will increase significantly under global warming of 2°C, finds a report by researchers from UCL and the University of Reading. Temperature-related mortality - where a death is directly linked to climate temperature - in England and Wales during the hottest days of the year will increase by 42% under a warming scenario of 2°C from pre-industrial levels.

Ordinary potted house plants can potentially make a significant contribution to reducing air pollution in homes and offices, according to new research led by the University of Birmingham and in partnership with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS). During a series of experiments monitoring common houseplants exposed to nitrogen dioxide (NO2) - a common pollutant - researchers calculated that in some conditions, the plants could be able to reduce NO2 by as much as 20 per cent.

A new study investigates whether protecting and restoring large animal wildlife can help to support climate change goals. When it comes to helping mitigate the effects of climate change by absorbing carbon, flora rather than fauna usually comes to mind. A new study published in Current Biology now explores the role of large wild animals in restoring ecosystems and battling climate change.

A new study challenges the universal land-saving claims of vertical farming, finding that there is no one size fits all approach for land use, food security and sustainable agriculture. Faced with population growth, environmental change, and increasing concerns over food security and sustainability - the interest in Controlled Environment Agriculture (CEA) is on an upward trend.