News and Events

University farms part of major Government research to drive 5G adoption

Wireless sensors which aim to revolutionise agricultural practices are in place at Newcastle University’s Farms as part of a government programme to drive 5G adoption.

Save the Spuds: How we're redirecting surplus potatoes to local communities

The crop research programme at Newcastle University delivers world-leading organic potato crop research, leveraging remote sensing technology, bioinsecticides, gene sequencing, crossbreeding, cropping strategies and more.

Calls for regulatory action to strengthen biodiversity disclosures

Business and finance disclosures need a biodiversity outcome focus and regulatory backing to deliver critical conservation goals, new study reveals.

Respectful marine users are rewarded with magical dolphin encounters

A citizen science project reveals that most boat users along the North-East coast do not disturb dolphins and are often rewarded with close-up encounters.

Study reveals retention ponds slash tyre particle pollution by 75%

New study has found that retention ponds can deliver a substantial reduction in tyre particle pollution.

Study shows the crop benefits of enhanced rock weathering

Enhanced rock weathering results in higher crop yields and improved crop health, new research has shown.

Helping predict cold-blooded animals' response to environmental shifts

Newcastle University researchers have developed a new tool to predict cold-blooded animals’ responses to environmental change.

Study uncovers potential origins of life in ancient hot springs

Newcastle University research turns to ancient hot springs to explore the origins of life on Earth.

ERC funding to support pioneering battery research

A Newcastle University project led by Dr James Dawson has been successful in securing a Consolidator Grant from the European Research Council (ERC).

Tackling the Growing Issue of Light Pollution

Light pollution is getting worse but could be easily remedied.

Creating a Universal Software for Quantum Dynamics

New funding will support the development of a universal quantum dynamics software to help advance quantum research and technology.

New report on state of conservation at World Heritage Site in India

Conservation experts have provided vital recommendations to help protect a globally significant UNESCO World Heritage Site in India.

Pacific coral reef shows historic increase in climate resistance

Coral reefs in one part of the Pacific Ocean have likely adjusted to higher ocean temperatures which could reduce future bleaching impacts of climate change, new research reveals.

University duo win prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry Prizes

Professor Akane Kawamura has been named winner of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Jeremy Knowles Award, while Dr James Dawson has been recognised with the Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize.

Antidepressants for Chronic Pain Lack Reliable Effectiveness Evidence

Most antidepressants used for chronic pain are being prescribed with “insufficient” evidence of their effectiveness, scientists have warned.

Newcastle Researchers to Deliver Vital Battery Projects

Newcastle University will be involved in four Faraday Institution battery research projects aimed at delivering commercial impact.

STEM for Britain

Newcastle University scientists take their research to Parliament and win bronze!

National space sector funding for university natural capital project

A Newcastle University project delivered through the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) and School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES) to receive funding from UK Space Agency.

National space sector funding for university natural capital project

A Newcastle University project delivered through the National Innovation Centre for Rural Enterprise (NICRE) and School of Natural and Environmental Sciences (SNES) to receive funding from UK Space Agency.

New funding could put North East on the map as a climate leader

Newcastle University experts will be part of the region’s Stronger Shores initiative, which will take a new approach to making British coastlines and communities stronger in the face of flooding, erosion and the impacts of climate change.

New tool offers hope in the fight against plant extinction

New research provides key insights into which pressures are causing what damage and where.

Offering a taste of potato research, innovation and food waste prevention

A new event centred around on the humble potato will showcase Newcastle University’s leading research and latest innovations in plant and crop science.

Unlocking the potential of sensory deterrents to reduce bycatch

A new study has revealed the potential for sensory deterrents to reduce marine megafauna bycatch in fisheries.

Urgent calls for Ecosystem Restoration

Scientists are calling for an evidence-led, equitable approach to Ecosystem Restoration in a global context.

Machine learning may enable bioengineering of the most abundant enzyme

A Newcastle University study has for the first time shown that machine learning can predict the biological properties of the most abundant enzyme on Earth - Rubisco.

Pyridine implicated in mass crustacean mortalities

Newcastle University research has identified the chemical responsible for the crab and lobster mass mortalities on the Northeast and North Yorkshire coasts.

Tapping into the potential of agroforestry

A new Newcastle University study has highlighted actions that could be used to increase tree cover on farmed land in the North East.

Research reveals remarkable variability in coral heat tolerance

Marine heat waves have decimated corals in recent years and the future looks bleak for tropical reefs if the pace of climate change continues at current rates.

Depredation impacts support for shark conservation

Conflict between shark populations and fishing communities is reported to be rising within one of the world’s first shark sanctuaries.

Ancient source of oxygen for life hidden deep in the Earth’s crust

Scientists at Newcastle University have uncovered a source of oxygen that may have influenced the evolution of life before the advent of photosynthesis.

New database to support conservation

Scientists have created a new tool to fill the large gaps in our understanding of where and how human activities threaten wild species around the world.

How nemo fits in his anemone

Study reveals how clown anemonefish adjust their growth to their environments.

Over half of threatened species require targeted recovery actions

A staggering 57% of threatened species need targeted recovery actions to ensure their survival, new research has shown.

Researchers go on the run to raise funds

Scientists at the Cancer Research UK Drug Discovery Unit in Newcastle are urging people to sign up to Race for Life and raise money for life-saving research.

Getting hands-on with berry-powered solar cells

Future renewable energy experts attending the Summer Science Exhibition will learn first-hand from Newcastle University experts how berries can be used in solar cells.

Sustainable practices improve farmers’ wellbeing

Small-holder farmers in rural Tanzania can improve food security and their wellbeing by adopting agroecological practices, new research funded by UKRI Global Challenges Research Fund has shown.

Fernandina Island Galapagos giant tortoise is not extinct

New genetic research has found that the Galapagos giant tortoise Chelonoidis phantasticus is not extinct.

University scientist wins prestigious Royal Society of Chemistry Prize

Dr Marina Freitag has been named one of winners of the Royal Society of Chemistry’s Harrison-Meldola Memorial Prize

Network thinking can revolutionise global agriculture

New perspectives show how advances in complexity science can change the way we think about and manage farm and global food systems for good.

New bacteria found that stick to plastic in the deep sea

Newcastle University scientists have found new types of plastic loving bacteria that stick to plastic in the deep sea that may enable them to ‘hitchhike’ across the ocean

Supporting conservation in the Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework

Writing for the journal Oryx, experts discuss the steps to increase capacity for species conservation in the post-2020 Global Diversity Framework.

Using existing records for new insights to map vegetation communities

Ecologists have developed powerful modelling tools to predict the distributions of individual species, especially those of conservation importance.

Healthy food, healthy people, healthy planet

UKRI has injected £14 million funding into crucial research that puts improved health outcomes for people and the natural environment at its core.

Conservation actions work to save species

Research shows species on the brink of extinction have successfully been saved. Professor Philip McGowan argues that applying the same approaches more broadly could help the planet.

New textbook on ‘Rural Places and Planning: Stories from the Global Countryside’

Dr Menelaos Gkartzios, Reader in Planning and Rural Development at CRE has co-authored a new textbook on ‘Rural Places and Planning: Stories from the Global Countryside’

International Women’s Day 2022 Blog: Women in STEM across our Faculty

As part of our SAgE Faculty International Women's Day celebrations this year, we asked some inspirational women in STEM to chat about their experience and how they hope to inspire future generations of women and girls.

Durty Beanz announced as new artist in residence with Maltings and Newcastle University

Glasgow-based Durty Beanz are a collaborative performance project established in 2019. Their residency with Maltings, Berwick and Newcastle University’s Centre for Rural Economy and Institute for Creative Arts Practice, will explore food production and consumption.

Farming ‘smart meters’ could reduce harmful emissions

Scientists are trialling a new sensor to help monitor greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture.

Climate crisis will leave pollinators searching further for food

Study yields the first direct experimental evidence that climate change would immediately impact wildflowers and pollinators.

Driving conservation efforts with DNA data

Using ancient and historical genetic data could help guide conservation actions, according to new research led by Newcastle University.

Agricultural universities team up on research plan

More than a dozen universities, which offer courses in agriculture and carry out agricultural research, are getting together to agree on joint agricultural research priorities, working with farmers and others who have a stake in the industry’s future.

New £5.8m million nature recovery project will restore crucial river and marine habitats across North East England and Scottish Borders

A five-year partnership project led by Natural England will improve the condition of the river, coastal and marine habitats of the Northumberland Coast and Tweed river catchments, thanks to a £5.8m million funding boost.

£1m pledged for historic Border Mires

Major boost for efforts to revitalise more of the north’s peat bogs

Report calls for animal welfare to be at heart of genome editing plans

A Newcastle University academic has contributed to a new report which says animal welfare must be at the heart of plans to approve new breeding technologies in farming and food production.

Fresh Careers 2021

A group of students from SNES and the School of Biomedical, Nutritional, and Sport Sciences led by Dr. Diogo Souza Monteiro attended the Fresh Careers 2021

Making solar energy more sustainable with light-powered technology

Technology using a new generation of hybrid solar cells is one step closer to mass-production, thanks to Newcastle University-led research.

Climatic drivers of honey bee disease revealed

Honey bee colonies worldwide have suffered from a range of damaging diseases. A new study has provided clues on how changing weather patterns might be driving disease in UK colonies.

Two leading research centres join the LEAF Network as centres of excellence for sustainable farming

Newcastle University Farms and Agrii’s Throws Farm Technology Centre have become the latest two establishments to join the LEAF Network.

Tribute to Douglas Boyes

We are shocked and deeply saddened to learn of the recent sudden loss of Douglas Boyes

Newcastle Farm Business Management students shine in The Pinnacle Awards 2021

Two Newcastle students, Rory Oliver and Tom Procter were shortlisted for the Pinnacle Awards 2021 for Excellence in Business Management, a national competition open to all students from all universities and colleges.

LED streetlights reduce insect populations by 50%

‘Eco-friendly’ LED streetlights are even more harmful for insect populations than the traditional sodium bulbs they are replacing, a new study has shown.

Newcastle University scientist recognised with a Royal Society Fellowship

Dr Tom McAllister has been awarded a prestigious five-year Royal Society University Research Fellowship to be hosted at Newcastle University.

Does living near cows make us happy? Town Moor Cattle are the focus of a new photographic publication

In Newcastle, cattle grazing on the city’s famous Town Moor is a familiar sight. In fact, the Freemen of the Newcastle have exercised their right to graze cattle on the land since before the Norman conquest.

Is seaweed the answer to more sustainable laundry?

Seaweed might not be something you instantly think of as clean, but it holds the key to a new laundry product that lowers emissions, protects the environment and saves UK families money on household bills.

Leading experts to join an international event on biodiversity conservation and sustainability

A new consortium is bringing together leading experts from around the world in an event exploring the role of UK higher education in biodiversity conservation and sustainability

How we discovered a giant new crustacean scavenging on the deepest depths of the ocean floor

How we discovered a giant new crustacean scavenging on the deepest depths of the ocean floor

Eurythenes plasticus is named a Top Ten Marine Species of 2020

Nearly 2,000 new marine species were discovered in 2020 — each a unique and fascinating addition to our known marine biodiversity.

Free activity packs to mark British Science Week

To celebrate British Science Week (BSW), we've created free activity packs for children and young people to do at home or in the classroom.

Man-made borders threaten wildlife as climate changes

Walls and fences designed to secure national borders could make it difficult for almost 700 mammal species to adapt to climate change, according to new research.

Agri-environment subsidies provide more stable farm incomes than direct payments

One of the consequences of Brexit has been that the UK government can have more flexibility and responsibility in deciding its own agricultural policy.

Chemistry Student cycles over 1100km in 8 days to raise £4200 for Cancer Research UK

Second-year Chemistry student Nick Hall was inspired to complete the rigorous challenge following his Dad’s diagnosis with Lymphoma in October 2020

Study reveals bycatch risk for dolphins and porpoises in global small-scale fisheries

A new study by Newcastle University shows that the risk of dolphins and porpoises being caught in small-scale (artisanal) fisheries is highest in low- and middle-income regions around the tropics and sub-tropics.

Chemistry breakthrough could speed up drug development

Scientists have successfully developed a new technique to reliably grow crystals of organic soluble molecules from nanoscale droplets, unlocking the potential of accelerated new drug development.

Laser-activated magnets could enable cloud computing systems to process data up to 100 times faster than current technologies

Data storage plays a key role in today’s society and is expected to consume 20% of the world’s energy production by 2025. Indeed, data storage servers are already emitting as much carbon dioxide as the whole aviation industry.

Zombie solar cells power smart IoT sensors with indoor lighting

New research from Newcastle University on ‘zombie solar cells’ has emerged.