news 2023

A near total lack of transparency is making it impossible to assess the quality of corporate-led ecosystem restoration projects, a new study finds. The world's largest corporations have the potential to lift ecosystem restoration efforts to an unprecedented scale. But their involvement has to be managed with proper evidence and accountability, to make sure the outcomes are beneficial and fair for everyone.

Imperial engineers and a team of global experts have reviewed technological options, innovation and opportunities in the hybrid solar energy industry. They anticipate that hybrid PV-thermal technologies could produce a further drop in global emissions of about three per cent (around 600 Mega-tonnes of CO2) by 2030 if the systems mentioned in this study are installed as proposed.

A new study has found that air pollution is preventing pollinators finding flowers because it degrades the scent. A research team comprising the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) and the Universities of Birmingham, Reading, Surrey and Southern Queensland, found that ozone substantially changes the size and scent of floral odour plumes given off by flowers, and that it reduced honeybees' ability to recognise odours by up to 90% from just a few metres away.

U.S. voters who don't trust universities are also more likely to believe that human activity doesn't cause climate change, a new collaborative study from researchers at the University of Cambridge and the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) revealed in PLOS Climate this week.

Researchers discover complete Neolithic cursus on the Isle of Arran A leading team of researchers have discovered what is believed to be a complete Neolithic cursus set within a rich prehistoric landscape on the Isle of Arran, Scotland. A leading team of researchers have discovered what is believed to be a complete Neolithic cursus set within a rich prehistoric landscape on the Isle of Arran, Scotland.

A groundbreaking Imperial-led study is looking at indoor exposure to air pollution in more than 100 homes in West London. The WellHome study, led by Imperial College London's world-leading Environmental Research Group , is a first-of-its-kind community-based study focusing on assessing air quality inside and outside of homes, as well as identifying various contaminants such as chemicals, biological agents, and microplastics that are present within the home environment.

Scientists use innovative techniques to map the environmental impact of Birmingham's Clean Air Zone Birmingham's clean air zone (CAZ) has reduced the levels of nitrogen dioxide gas (NO2) - an air pollutant which adversely affects people's health, a new study reveals. University of Birmingham scientists used an innovative technique to discover that during the CAZ's first seven months of operation, after correction for weather and seasonal effects, it resulted in 'modest, but significant' reductions in NO2 of up to 7.

By monitoring the calls of spider monkeys, researchers have shown what level of human activity they will tolerate, helping guide conservation. The study, led by Imperial College London researchers, showed that Geoffroy's spider monkeys in Costa Rica are not found in areas with less than 80% forest cover and within one kilometre of a paved main road.

Researchers have carried out a study to understand the psycho-social impacts of climate crisis on young people in the UK. The study found that distress over climate change is related to many difficult emotions in young people - even in the absence of direct climate-related experience. It can, though, also motivate them to take positive climate actions.

A new study led by the University of Southampton has revealed why coral reefs can thrive in seemingly nutrient poor water, a phenomenon that has fascinated scientists since Charles Darwin. The research shows that corals farm and feed on their photosynthetic symbionts - microscopic algae that live inside their cells.

New research by Cardiff University has measured the impact of ant invasions on native species at a global scale for the first time - finding that the introduction of invasive ants into new environments can reduce species numbers by 53% through competition and predation. Ants play an important role in helping to maintain stable ecosystems, despite this some species of ants have been transported by humans globally and can cause major problems, even contributing to the extinction of some animal species.

Study of microscopic fossils taken from Mississippi sediment cores reveals climate feedback that acted as temporary brake on an ancient cooling event Clues about the formation of major ice sheets on Antarctica have been found in mud cores drilled in Mississippi, providing an important lesson about a major climate cooling event, sometimes known as the Grande Coupure or great cut.

The Big Wasp Survey, a citizen science project involving thousands of volunteers throughout the UK, has yielded important genetic insights into the common wasp, reports a study led by UCL researchers. Using data and samples of Vespula vulgaris (a species of yellowjacket wasp known as the Common Wasp) collected by amateur 'citizen scientists', the researchers conducted the first large-scale genetic analysis of the insect across its native range.

New research suggests a new solar energy design, inspired by nature, may pave the way for future renewable energy technologies. Photovoltaic solar energy is obtained by converting sunshine into electricity - and researchers from Imperial have developed a new leaf-like design with increased efficiency.

Known for their striking yellow breast feathers and distinctive song, great tits are a common sight in gardens and countryside alike. Now, new research has revealed that some great tits may be more brightly coloured that others, with urban birds found to have paler plumage than their countryside counterparts Known for their striking yellow breast feathers and distinctive song, great tits are a common sight in gardens and countryside alike.

Paleoclimate evidence shows that around 1.1 million years ago, the southern European climate cooled significantly and likely caused an extinction of early humans on the continent, according to a new study led by UCL researchers. Published in the journal Science , the team of researchers discovered the occurrence of previously unknown extreme glacial conditions around 1.1 million years ago.

A study of four common fish species by University of Manchester scientists has revealed that gene expression changes when their developing embryos are exposed to warmer waters. The analysis of the small-spotted catshark, zebrafish, European seabass, and the three-spined stickleback is published in the journal Science of The Total Environment.

Researchers from REVEAL have shown that even minimal customisation of avatars can help people learn better in a virtual environment. Learning a new skill using VR works better if your virtual instructor is customised to look more like you, according to research by the University of Bath. The study suggests that even minimal customisation can make a difference in how well people learn in a virtual environment.

River barriers made up of natural materials like trees, branches, logs and leaves can reduce flooding in at-risk communities by storing water upstream, new research has found. The study, led by scientists from Cardiff University and the University of Worcester, assessed the impact of leaky barriers at a natural flood management site on a small Shropshire river over a period of two years.

Researchers at the Milner Centre for Evolution evaluated the effectiveness of conservation educational activities in the Cape Verde Island of Maio. Increasing understanding of conservation issues in schools doesn't necessarily translate into attitude change, says new research from the Milner Centre for Evolution at the University of Bath.