Categories: research

An image showing the process of ice flowing into the ocean and forming an ice shelf in Antarctica

Major Antarctic glacier passed a tipping point in the last 80 years, research reveals

Pine Island Glacier in West Antarctica has gone through an irreversible retreat, passing a tipping point within the last 80 years, researchers have found. The findings, which are published in the influential journal Nature Climate Change, have emerged when world leaders gather in Dubai to debate the impacts of climate change at the COP28 conference.

Northumbria University has been named as the first academic institution to host the prestigious International Volunteer Cooperation Organisations (IVCO) conference.

First university hosting of international volunteering conference highlights value of collaboration

Northumbria University has been confirmed as the first academic institution to host the prestigious International Volunteer Cooperation Organisations (IVCO) conference organised annually by the International Forum for Volunteering in Development, known as Forum, in 2024.

Northumbria University’s Professor Ahmed Elmarakbi

Northumbria Professor leads development of ‘wonder material’ for real applications

It’s the strongest material on Earth and has the potential to transform the performance and sustainability of everything from the cars we drive to the way we clean our drinking water.

A new study outlining the implications of changes to how data is extracted and shared within and across social media platforms has been published in Nature Human Behaviour. Image: Unsplash.

Social media research threatened by new data limitations

A new study outlining the implications of changes to how data is extracted and shared within and across social media platforms has been published in Nature Human Behaviour.

Initial artist's impressions show the North East Space Skills and Technology Centre on Northumbria University's Newcastle city campus.

Northumbria University announces £50m space skills, research and development centre set to transform the UK space industry

Investments from Lockheed Martin, the UK Space Agency and Northumbria University forge pathway for NESST’s global prominence.

Northumbria University Autumn 2023 Newspaper.

Read the latest issue of Northumbria University News: Autumn 2023 edition

The Autumn 2023 edition of Northumbria University’s newspaper is available to collect on campus or read online now.

Study author Dr Andy Suggitt surveying habitat at Creag Meagaidh NNR, Scotland (Credit: NERC refugia project team).

EXPERT COMMENT: Our new map reveals the effects of 20th century land-use and climate change on Britain’s wild species

In an article written for The Conversation*, Andrew Suggitt, Assistant Professor in Geography and Environmental Sciences at Northumbria University, and Alistair Auffret, Senior Lecturer in Landscape Ecology at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, discuss how making a new map of land-use change for Great Britain helped their research into the extinction crisis.

An artistic representation of how the northern infrared aurora would have looked like in 2006 (marked in red). The darker red locations indicate confirmed aurora locations, with fainter red used to mark possible aurora locations.

Uranus aurora discovery promises new riches from James Webb Space Telescope

After more than 30 years scientists have finally been able to confirm that the icy planet Uranus has an infrared aurora.

The discovery will provide insight into how magnetic fields on ice giants such as Uranus and Neptune behave and could even help astronomers use NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope to identify similar aurorae from planets outside our solar system.
The findings were made b

The land use of Newcastle-upon-Tyne and Gateshead as surveyed by the Land Use Survey of Britain between 1931 and 1935 (Copyright Giles Clark, CC-BY-NC-SA)

New map of 20th century land use in Britain helps researchers demystify biodiversity change

A collaboration led by Northumbria University and the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences has for the first time mapped how land use changed across Britain throughout the last century. The new map reveals how and where some 50 per cent of semi-natural grassland was lost, including 90 per cent of the country’s lowland meadows and pasture, as the country intensified its agriculture.

New research shows that washing clothing by hand can shed just as many microfibres as laundry washed in a machine.

EXPERT COMMENT: Doing laundry by hand sheds just as many microfibres as machine washing – new research

In an article written for The Conversation*, Deirdre McKay, Professor of Sustainable Development at Keele University, Kelly Sheridan, Associate Professor in Forensic Science at Northumbria University, and Axa Research Fund Fellow Thomas Stanton from Loughborough University discuss new research on the shedding of microfibres.

Meltwater drips from winter sea ice grounded as the tide drops. Photo from British Antarctic Survey

EXPERT COMMENT: Increasing melting of West Antarctic ice shelves may be unavoidable – new research

In an article written for the Conversation, Jan De Rydt, Associate Professor of Polar Glaciology and Oceanography at Northumbria University, along with Ocean-Ice Modeller Kaitlin Naughten and Ocean and Ice Scientist Paul Holland, both from the British Antarctic Survey, discuss their recent research findings on the warming of the West Antarctic ice sheet.

Life on Our Planet premieres on Netflix on Wednesday 25 October. Image courtesy of Silverback Films/Netflix

Researcher’s knowledge called upon for new Netflix series, Life on Our Planet

Insights from an expert in past climates at Northumbria University have been used to help inform the science and technology behind a much-anticipated new Netflix series which promises to bring the Earth’s oldest creatures back to life.

Sea ice reflections around Rothera Point, home to a research station and British Antarctic Survey (BAS) base on the Antarctic Peninsula. Photo by Steve Gibbs.

Increased West Antarctic ice sheet melting is ‘unavoidable’, say scientists

The West Antarctic ice sheet will continue to increase its rate of melting over the rest of the century, no matter how much we reduce fossil fuel use, according to British Antarctic Survey (BAS) research, supported by Northumbria University, and published in the journal Nature Climate Change.

Debris objects - mostly debris - in low Earth orbit (LEO) - view over the equator. Copyright European Space Agency - ESA

Satellite swarm to provide ‘missing link’ between space weather and space debris

Satellite technology developed by Northumbria University scientists has been adapted for a new, European Space Agency (ESA) funded mission, which will see a “swarm” of satellites sent into space to address the growing threat of space debris.

First AI safety summit for the North East to be hosted at Northumbria University

First AI safety summit for the North East to be hosted at Northumbria University

Northumbria will host a conference with Dynamo North East, exploring Artificial Intelligence (AI) and the impact it is having on our lives, during a time of profound technological transformation.

Left to Right- Dr Steve Jones, Dr Kate Egan, Dr Johnny Walker, and Dr Russ Hunter.

Video Shop Horrors exhibition to open in time for Halloween

A terrifying new exhibition featuring a series of rare movie posters for horror films of the 1980s will be installed at Northumbria University’s Gallery North in time for Halloween.

Sarah Kyle with her family

Student wins prestigious award to help improve mental health among farmers and their families

A Northumbria University PhD student has won an esteemed studentship award to support her research into the mental well-being of people from farming communities.

Dr Juna Sathian

Top award for physicist’s research breakthrough

A Northumbria University academic is part of a team of scientists to be awarded a prestigious physics gold medal and prize for their work developing the world’s first room-temperature MASER.

New research centre driving economic growth and sustainability

New research centre driving economic growth and sustainability

Northumbria University is one of six northern institutions driving a new £5m research initiative to help boost UK economic growth and address regional needs.

Dr Mark Goddard believes the importance of gardens for protecting wildlife and connecting people to nature is too often overlooked. Photo by Ellen Moran, Getty Images.

Humanity for Habitat – saving nature at home

The important role of managing residential gardens and yards to promote biodiversity is the focus of a new study led by the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service and co-authored by an academic from Northumbria University.

Show more

#TakeOnTomorrow

Northumbria University is a research-intensive university that unlocks potential for all, changing lives regionally, nationally and internationally.

Northumbria University, Newcastle
Northumbria University, Newcastle
NE1 8ST Newcastle upon Tyne
United Kingdom
Northumbria University homepage