University launches Climate Action Plan
The University of Bristol has refreshed its approach to sustainability and climate action with a focus on collaboration across the institution to support climate goals now and in the future.
News in 2026
Scientists catch sperm whale dialects evolving in the Mediterranean Sea
How sperm whale vocal dialects evolve as they adopt new calls while still remembering the old, has been shown in new research by an international team of researchers, led by the University of St Andrews and including the University of Bristol.
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Pterosaurs would have had more diverse wing shapes than previously thought, study shows
Pterosaurs, the first vertebrates to fly, would have had more diverse wing shapes than current scientific reconstructions suggest, according to new University of Bristol-led research. The study is published in the journal Paleobiology today [23 June].
Corals past and future: new research rewrites the survival story
Coral reef ecosystems, widely seen as a climate change bellwether, are more complex than previously understood. A new international study by the universities of Bristol, Wuhan in China and Erlangen-Nuremberg, Germany, reveals that the evolutionary advantage of coral-algae symbiosis is not fixed; it depends entirely on environmental context.
How protein limiting offspring numbers contributed to evolutionary success of mosses
A moss gene previously thought to have been inactive actually plays a key role in their evolutionary success, researchers from the University of Bristol have discovered.
Mongooses prepare for likely future battles with powerful enemies, study finds
Dwarf mongooses anticipate encounters with rival groups and adjust how they move, communicate and defend resources beforehand, according to new research from the University of Bristol.
'Geriatric' butterfly species lives nearly three times as long as their relatives
A tropical butterfly has evolved an ingenious anti-ageing strategy by delaying the ageing process enabling it to live far longer than its closest relatives, according to a new University of Bristol-led study published in Nature Communications today [16 June].
Grow your knowledge at the Festival of Nature 2026
Academics and researchers from the University of Bristol will come together with artists at this year’s Festival of Nature, the UK’s largest free celebration of the natural world.
Fewer insects, fewer nutritious crops: pollinator decline puts our health at risk
Biodiversity loss is directly threatening human health and welfare, according to new research led by the University of Bristol. The study, published in Nature today [6 May] reveals, for the first time, how the decline of insect pollinators undermines essential ecosystem services that support human nutrition and livelihoods. Biodiversity also plays a vital role in supporting people’s everyday health and resilience, too.
Most birds have not evolved optimal wing-shapes for flight, study finds
Even the giant wings of the albatross are not ‘optimally’ shaped for their extraordinary long-distance migrations, according to new University of Bristol research.
Lost millennium of Galápagos deep-sea corals linked to major Pacific climate shift
Scientists have discovered that deep-water corals in the Galápagos region vanished for more than 1,000 years before eventually recovering. The findings reveal that deep-water coral ecosystems may be more susceptible to climate change than previously thought.
Dr Les Strong, 1940-2026
Dr Les Strong, a lecturer and senior lecturer in Insect Biology at the University of Bristol from 1966 to 1999, passed away on 15 January. His former research collaborator, Professor Richard Wall, shares his recollections.
Partner With Us on Research That Matters to Your Local Environment
We’re inviting community organisations - such as wildlife trusts, community gardens and farms, local green charities, neighbourhood environment groups and eco‑education CICs - to co‑create research projects with our MSci students in Biology, Zoology and Plant Sciences.
Experience the wonder of the Botanic Garden this year with no fixed entry price on weekdays
Entry to the University of Bristol’s Botanic Garden will be donation only on weekdays throughout 2026 – with no fixed entry price.
Global analysis of wildlife decline warns conservation action must be coordinated across multiple threats
Efforts to stop declines in vertebrate wildlife populations should aim to address multiple threats simultaneously, rather than focusing on pressures one by one, a new study led by the University of Bristol has found.
Fossils show giant prehistoric kangaroos could still hop
Scientists studying the fossil remains of giant prehistoric kangaroos have found that even animals weighing more than 200kg may not have been too big to bounce, overturning long-held assumptions about the limits of hopping.
Discovery of bats' remarkable navigation strategy revealed in new study
A long-standing mystery about how wild bats navigate complex environments in complete darkness with remarkable precision, has been solved in a new University of Bristol-led study. The findings are published today [21 January] in Proceedings of the Royal Society B.
Bristol scientists discover early sponges were soft
Sponges are among earth’s most ancient animals, but exactly when they evolved has long puzzled scientists. Genetic information from living sponges, as well as chemical signals from ancient rocks, suggest sponges evolved at least 650 million years ago.