Climate change is supercharging Europe’s biggest hail, study shows
Global warming may lead to less frequent but bigger and more devastating hail storms, new research has revealed.
News in 2025
Study shows increasing ‘healthy competition’ between menu options nudges patients towards greener, lower-fat hospital food choices
New research has shown hospital patients could reduce the carbon footprint and saturated fat content of their selected meals by up to almost a third – if the weekly menu featuring the same dishes is cleverly reorganised.
Bristol academics land prestigious European Research Council grants totalling €10 million
Five University of Bristol early-career researchers have been awarded prestigious European Research Council (ERC) Starting Grants totalling €10 million to pursue their pioneering research.
Discovery of North America’s role in Asia’s monsoons offers new insights into climate change
A pioneering study that used climate models to measure the impact of global atmospheric patterns has found new evidence for North America’s hidden role in Asia’s summer monsoon, a seasonal rainfall system vital to more than a billion people.
New Chair for the Cabot Institute for the Environment
The Cabot Institute for the Environment has welcomed Chris Kaye to chair its Strategic Advisory Board.
Bristol ‘standout choice’ as it’s named Research University of the Year
The University of Bristol has received a top accolade in the Daily Mail University Guide, being named Research University of the Year 2026 for ‘constantly pushing at the boundaries of human knowledge’.
Researchers discover tantalisingly ‘sneaky’ way to help diners make healthier, greener menu choices
Pioneering research has uncovered a cunning way to curry favour with diners’ food choices, so they’re more likely to select meals which have a much lower carbon footprint and reduced fat content.
New research reveals ancient alliance between woody plants and microbes has potential to protect precious peatlands
As the climate warms and regional drying becomes more frequent, peatlands – some of the planet’s most important carbon sinks – are increasingly under threat. But a study, led by an international team including scientists from the University of Bristol, has shown peatland ecosystems may have a natural defence through the combined forces of plant changes and microbes.
New evidence static electricity sense could be a factor in evolution of extreme body shapes of treehoppers
Could detecting static electricity be a factor in explaining why treehopper insects have evolved such bizarre body shapes?
Bristol Professor elected as first UK-based fellow of the American Chemical Society
Professor Steve Eichhorn has been elected as a Fellow of the American Chemical Society; he is the first UK-based scientist to have been given this honour.
Rainforest researchers find tropical butterflies that look alike, see alike
Butterflies that independently evolved the same wing patterns have also evolved similar eyes and brains which are fine-tuned for vision in the shifting light of tropical rainforests, according to new research led by the University of Bristol published in PNAS this week.
UK-France Summit: University of Bristol to lead a supercomputing partnership with France
A new and unique supercomputing collaboration between the UK and France was announced at the UK-France Summit today (10 July).
Cutting-edge research projects secure new Prosperity Partnerships funding
The University of Bristol has secured funding for two new pioneering research projects as part of a major investment programme from the UKRI Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) in collaboration with UK businesses announced today (Thursday 10 July).
Researchers from Bristol and Nottingham launch new social venture to tackle food waste and support small-scale farmers
A ground-breaking new social venture company has been launched by researchers at the University of Bristol and the University of Nottingham to help farmers sell surplus produce to community-based buyers including food banks, social supermarkets and small food producers across the UK.
Recognition for University of Bristol research in Royal Society of Chemistry awards
The Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2025 Prize winners include several successes for the University of Bristol.
Bristol becomes first university to hit milestone for sustainable laboratories
The University of Bristol has become the first institution globally to certify all of its laboratories at Silver level through the Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework (LEAF) - a landmark achievement in the journey toward more sustainable research practices.
Renewable rice robots offer appetising role for the future
Scientists at the University of Bristol have created soft robots from rice paper which biodegrades safely within 32 days.
Researchers simulate earthquakes to stress test a 3D-printed concrete house
Scientists at the University of Bristol have used the UK’s largest shaking table to mimic conditions of a medium-magnitude earthquake to assess the potential damage to a 3D-printed building.
Bristol experts make tracks to Bonn to help advance climate adaptation and justice
Climate change experts from the University of Bristol’s Cabot Institute for the Environment are poised to champion inclusivity and a fair shift to a net zero economy at an important international summit next week.
Research shows rivers release ancient carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, uncovering a greater role for plants and soil in the carbon cycle
A new study has revealed for the first time that ancient carbon, stored in landscapes for thousands of years or more, can find its way back to the atmosphere as CO₂ released from the surfaces of rivers.
Influential climate scientists land prestigious Royal Meteorological Society awards
Two pioneering University of Bristol climate researchers have received recognition for the impact of their work at the Royal Meteorological Society’s 2024 Awards.
Bristol Professor appointed as one of the European Commission’s Chief Scientific Advisors
Professor Dimitra Simeonidou, Director of the Smart Internet Lab at the University of Bristol, has been appointed as Chief Scientific Advisor to the European Commission playing a key role in contributing to science-driven EU policy making and legislation.
Glaciers will take centuries to recover even if global warming is reversed, scientists warn
New research reveals mountain glaciers across the globe will not recover for centuries – even if human intervention cools the planet back to the 1.5°C limit, having exceeded it.
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1.5°C Paris Climate Agreement target too high for polar ice sheets and sea level rise
Efforts to limit the global temperature increase to 1.5°C under the Paris Climate Agreement may not go far enough to save the world’s ice sheets, according to a new study.
Research reveals why next-generation engine noise grinds our gears
A breakthrough study has revealed why emerging electric aircraft engine technology sounds so annoying — and how to fix it.
Handy octopus robot can adapt to its surroundings
Scientists inspired by the octopus’s nervous system have developed a robot that can decide how to move or grip objects by sensing its environment.
Pioneering research reveals tree-mendous potential of inexpensive drones to help community forests flourish and unlock restoration funding
Restoring forests at a community level can contribute significantly to helping reach global net zero and biodiversity goals.
Scientists repurpose gene editing tool to help uncover hidden microbial diversity
Pioneering research has repurposed a gene editing tool to help shed light on the true biodiversity present in natural environments.
Cabot Institute for the Environment academic awarded OBE
A University of Bristol professor who has played a pivotal role in advancement of telecommunications research has received an OBE in the honorary awards to foreign nationals announced last week.
Research examines how aeriel robots could revolutionise the construction industry
New research led by Imperial College London and co-authored by the University of Bristol, has revealed that aeriel robotics could provide wide-ranging benefits to the safety, sustainability and scale of construction.
Pioneering research reveals Arctic matter pathways poised for major shifts amidst climate change
A new study has shed unprecedented light on the highly variable and climate-sensitive routes that substances from Siberian rivers use to travel across the Arctic Ocean. The findings raise fresh concerns about the increasing spread of pollutants and the potential consequences for fragile polar ecosystems as climate change accelerates.
Scientists make water-repellent breakthrough to replace toxic ‘forever chemicals’
A team of international scientists has invented a substitute for synthetic chemicals, called PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances), which are widely used in everyday products despite being hazardous to health and the environment.
Research to receive £7m grant from EPSRC to develop sustainable electrification
Researchers from the Universities of Nottingham, Newcastle and Bristol are to receive a £7 million grant from a funding council to develop sustainable technologies to reduce energy wastage.
Art commission led by local children will explore natural ecologies at new University campus site
An independent artists’ studio co-run by children from Hareclive Primary School in Hartcliffe has been chosen by the University of Bristol to create a series of artworks that investigate the natural ecologies around the site of the new Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus [TQEC].
Research reveals even cool, wet Northern Ireland is feeling strain of climate change
Northern Ireland is known for its cool, wet weather – but a new study has shown warmer temperatures and erratic rainfall due to climate change are taking a toll on the nation’s health and farming industry.
UK and Japan scientists set to supercharge semiconductor microchip technologies in the race to reach Net Zero
Charging electric cars in faster than five minutes and making the national energy grid much more efficient could be a step closer to reality thanks to a unique new partnership on track to revolutionise semiconductor microchip technologies.
Electric scooter schemes reduce bicycle collisions by 20%, study suggests
Electric scooter schemes appear to reduce the risk of bicycle collisions by around 20%, according to a University of Bristol-led study. The research, funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR), is published in Injury Prevention today [21 March].
Scientists rub shoulders with royalty to raise awareness of growing global drought and flooding risks
Two University of Bristol researchers joined WaterAid UK for a Water and Climate Reception hosted by His Majesty The King to highlight the increasing risks to drought and flooding in major cities across the world.
Pioneering research ranks world’s most populated cities for flood and drought risk
A new report has revealed how the 100 most populated cities globally are becoming increasingly exposed to flooding and drought.
Greater openness about the use of complementary and alternative medicines in UK dairy farming could bring benefits
Greater openness about complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) use has the potential to strengthen farmer-vet relationships, which may prevent potential unintended harm to animals, reduce antibiotic use and improve herd health management, new research has found. The study, led by the University of Bristol, is published today [26 February] in Frontiers in Veterinary Science.