Continental shelf seas revealed as powerful carbon sinks, but cutting global emissions remains critical to safeguard sea life
Continental shelf seas – the shallow waters surrounding our coasts that provide most of the world’s seafood – are absorbing more carbon than they release, with the strength and direction of the prevailing wind proving a key control, new research…
Exeter researcher named among 2025 Women of Discovery
A University of Exeter researcher has been named on the 2025 Women of Discovery. Dr Divya Karnad, who works on marine conservation and social science, is part of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on the Penryn Campus in Cornwall….
‘New reality’ as world reaches first climate tipping point
Widespread mortality of warm-water coral reefs under way, as world reaches first tipping point With global warming set to breach 1.5°C, world dangerously close to further catastrophic tipping points These include melting ice sheets, Amazon rainforest dieback and collapse of…
Lessons from Ascension’s shark troubles could help boost conservation
Understanding people’s attitudes to interactions with sharks could help halt the global decline of shark numbers, according to new research carried out on Ascension Island. In 2017, there were two non-fatal shark attacks at Ascension – a UK territory…
2023 ocean heatwave ‘unprecedented but not unexpected’
The June 2023 heatwave in northern European seas was “unprecedented but not unexpected”, new research shows. During the heatwave, temperatures in the shallow seas around the UK (including the North Sea and Celtic Sea) reached 2.9°C above the June average…
Clam shells sound warning of Atlantic ‘tipping point’
A study of clam shells suggests Atlantic Ocean currents may be approaching a “tipping point”. Scientists studied records of quahog clams (which can live for over 500 years) and dog cockles – because shell layers provide an annual record of…
New podcast explains what happens after inevitable ‘overshoot’ of 1.5°C global warming
A new podcast series will explore what will happen when global warming exceeds 1.5°C. The four-part documentary – called Overshoot: Navigating a world beyond 1.5°C – is released 10 years after the landmark Paris climate agreement set a goal of…
Oil rig study reveals vital role of tiny hoverflies
A study of migratory hoverflies on a North Sea oil rig has revealed their vital role as long-distance pollen transporters. Researchers studied 121 marmalade hoverflies that landed on an oil rig in the Britannia oil field, 200km off the…
Coral reefs set to stop growing as climate warms
Most coral reefs will soon stop growing and may begin to erode – and almost all will do so if global warming hits 2°C, according to a new study in the western Atlantic. An international team, led by scientists from…
South West Water and University of Exeter collaborate using AI in bid to make water network lead free
South West Water is working in partnership with the University of Exeter through the Centre for Resilience in Environment, Water and Waste (CREWW), to develop an upgraded model to predict the location of lead pipes across its network. This work…