Exeter Uni News

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 shows.  This may sound like good news for slowing climate change, but scientists warn it comes at a cost: rising ocean acidification that threatens marine life and global food security. The new study, led by researchers with the…

The European Union’s legal ambiguity on the Western Sahara frozen conflict is an increasingly glaring source of vulnerability for Sahrawis, a new study shows. The lack of an EU firm position on the non-self-governing status of Western Sahara’s territory is a disadvantage for the Polisario Front. The EU’s ambiguity includes questions such as where lies the distinction between Western Sahara’s people and local population and who is entitled to represent them. The study, by Dr Irene Fernández-Molina, from…

Cross-sector collaboration can prepare the UK economy for future challenges, according to a new report. The ‘Creating a Future Ready Economy’ report, published by Business in the Community (BITC) in collaboration with Royal London and with analysis by University of Exeter, outlines how the UK can create a resilient, future-ready economy that delivers shared prosperity in the face of social, environmental and geopolitical shocks. Launched at a reception in the House of Commons on Monday (20 Oct), the…

A new interdisciplinary research centre with a mission to investigate Artificial Intelligence has been launched by the University of Exeter. The Critical AI Centre (CrAIC) will explore the complex and evolving roles and risks associated with conceptions of artificial intelligence in society. Drawing on expertise from disciplines within the arts and humanities, social sciences, and computer science, CrAIC promises to take a collaborative approach to different ways we can study AI. It was formally launched by academics in…

Companies that are more sensitive to temperature changes are consistently overvalued and deliver lower-than-expected returns. Global temperature rises as a result of climate change impact firms differently, with sectors such as agriculture and energy directly exposed to physical climate risks, while others face transition risks linked to regulation, supply chains and consumer behaviour. A new study published in Management Science analysed more than five decades of US stock data and introduced a new measure of ‘temperature sensitivity’ to…

Current NHS policies designed to improve care for people taking multiple medicines may not be effective, according to new research.   In England, more than one in seven people take five or more medicines daily, leading to growing concerns over the overuse of medicines – known as polypharmacy – because of potential side effects and patient harms.   The new study is funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) and led by the universities of Exeter…

A children’s book written by a renowned author at the University of Exeter has been named as one of the most ‘essential’ titles of the genre. Lubna and Pebble, by Professor Wendy O’Shea-Meddour, and illustrated by Daniel Egnéus, was chosen by The Atlantic as one of its 65 most essential children’s books. The 2019 story about a child refugee who finds comfort and friendship in a pebble was described by the magazine as “offering ‘a child’s view of…

The growing age imbalance in the duty solicitor scheme in England and Wales risks eroding trust in the criminal justice system, a new study warns. Most duty solicitors are aged 45 and over, putting at risk the ability of vulnerable suspects to access timely and effective legal representation at the police station. The study says the Ministry of Justice’s failure to offer training grants to criminal law firms to support trainee solicitors with Solicitors Qualifying Examination fees is…

Major new research will examine whether younger people are more anxious about the climate emergency than older generations. The study will examine if millennials and those younger do worry more about environmental changes, who they blame and how they cope. Social media memes and hashtags suggest “baby boomers” are often blamed for global problems, including climate change, at least according to millennials. Intergenerational blame may distract from real solutions and foster discord and disengagement. The study will also…

A delegation from the University of Exeter has met with the British High Commissioner to South Africa during a visit to showcase Exeter’s research successes in the country at the prestigious Oppenheimer Research Conference. University President and Vice-Chancellor, Professor Lisa Roberts, headed up the Exeter contingent during a six-day visit to the country. As well as meeting the British High Commissioner to South Africa, Anthony Phillipson, she attended the Oppenheimer Research Conference, where Exeter researchers presented their work…