World news

Helping Pacific Island communities build energy resilience – new paper

The inhabitants of the Pacific Islands are locked in an ongoing battle against rising sea levels and tropical cyclones which ravage their homes and their energy infrastructure with devastating regularity.
Water bubbles

Loughborough water engineering experts awarded more than £287k for projects that support COP26 adaptation and resilience priorities

Loughborough University academics from the School of Architecture, Building and Civil Engineering (ABCE) have been awarded more than £278,000 for projects that seek to address key environmental research challenges relevant to the COP26 Adaptation and Resilience theme.
Sign saying 'there is no planet b'

“We’re at the start of a critical decade”: Climate expert discusses hopes and fears around the future of our planet and why we must focus on the possible

“In my view, a lot of thinking about what to do about climate change has been bogged down by the fear of uncertainty.

Earth on fire.

What would 4°C of global warming feel like?

COP26 is underway and keeping 1.5°C within reach will feature prominently in world leaders’ discussions.

COP26 banner

COP26: a four-minute guide by a climate scientist

COP26, which is taking place in Glasgow, is the latest in a series of meetings through which the world’s governments attempt to deal with climate change.
Preview of the infographics created by Dr Richard Hodgkins.

Good COP, bad COP: How decisions made at COP26 could impact weather and temperatures in the East Midlands

New infographics created by a Loughborough University physical geographer explore how decisions made at the upcoming Conference of the Parties (COP) may impact weather and temperatures experienced in the East Midlands.
Woman cooking with biomass

COP26 EXPLAINER: Biomass: what is it, why cooking with it is an issue, and what Loughborough is doing to develop and promote alternatives

A rapid and just transition to clean energy across the globe will dominate discussions at COP26 as it is crucial to meeting the goals of the Paris Agreement for avoiding dangerous climate change and limiting global warming to 1.5°C.
Crystallisation occuring. Protein crystal of lysozyme with tetragonal or sea urchin shape in one droplet

Clear about crystallisation: Exchange project aims to increase survival rate of various diseases by improving knowledge of a pharmaceutical purification process

For the next two years, researchers from Loughborough and Tianjin Universities will make the 10,000+ mile round journey between the two institutes in a bid to increase our understanding of a key process used in the pharmaceutical industry to purify molecules.
Illustration of solar panels

Sustainable energy expert appointed Chair of UN group dedicated to increasing solar energy uptake

An academic in Loughborough University’s School of Social Sciences and Humanities has been appointed to a United Nations role that will allow her to continue pushing for solar energy uptake.

Displaced community waits in line for food.

Clean energy cooking in refugee camps should be prioritised on the humanitarian agenda, new briefing note argues

According to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, 79.5 million people were forcibly displaced in the world at the end of 2019, and over the course of 2020, that number has soared beyond 80 million*.

New guide sets out how to deliver successful national vaccination programmes

A guide for delivering safe and effective national COVID vaccination programmes is being rolled out around the world to help countries with mass immunisations.
Blue graphic with LEADING written on it

Loughborough University launches LEADING

The University is delighted to announce the launch of LEADING, Loughborough’s Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Networked Research Group.

New low-cost ventilator which doesn’t need electricity could help hospitals treat COVID patients

A team of engineers from Loughborough University has designed and built a unique low-cost, non-electric ventilator in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo of the collaborative staff partners in Cape Town

Loughborough University partners with South African universities to launch collaborative doctoral training programme

Loughborough University’s Doctoral College has launched a new doctoral training programme for staff from five South African universities.

Cuppa with a scientist bonus image

“You know you’re there to endure and suffer” – climate scientist discusses extraordinary expedition to install world’s highest weather station on Mt. Everest

“There's a reason that it is so famous; it's not just that it's the highest mountain on earth, it is an incredibly awe-inspiring landscape”, says climate scientist Dr Tom Matthews, who was part of the team that installed the world’s highest weather station on Mount Everest in 2019.

Visual of a head with a cog turning inside to represent artificial intelligence

Institute of Advanced Studies announces annual Theme for 2021/22

Loughborough University’s Institute of Advanced Studies (IAS) is delighted to announce AI: Facts, Fictions, Futures as their annual Theme for 2021/22.

Nissan staying in UK is great news after Brexit, but car industry’s future is still very unclear

When the UK voted for Brexit, there were no positives for the UK car industry. The prospect of a 10% tariff on car production that involves parts and sub-assemblies moving in and out of the UK was untenable.
the world

Climate change: what would 4°C of global warming feel like?

Another year, another climate record broken.
pink and red banner with the words 'Poster Project, campaign for a better world' and the LU Arts logo

Winners of LU Arts’ Poster Project announced for their striking and topical designs

Last term LU Arts launched their poster project, Campaign for a better world, calling for students and staff to submit their own political posters about the causes they were passionate about.

Biofilm rendering off Getty

FEATURE: Corals, wound infection detection, and theoretical physics...exploring how Loughborough academics are tackling major issues related to biofilms

Biofilms are central to our most important global challenges, from antimicrobial resistance and food safety to water security, and they have a significant economic, social, and environmental impact.
experts in sport image

Experts in Sport: Beat the heat at the Olympic and Paralympic Games

Next summer’s Olympic and Paralympic Games in Japan are widely anticipated to be the hottest and potentially most humid to-date.

An image from Loughborough University's para sport project in Africa

Loughborough University to play role in £1million+ Para Sport Against Stigma project that aims to change attitudes towards people with disabilities in Africa

A £1.89m collaborative project between Loughborough University, the International Paralympic Committee (IPC) and the University of Malawi, Chancellor College will aim to overcome stigma and discrimination against people with disabilities in Africa.

Iwona, the ECR Award winner.

Elsevier and US-UK Fulbright Commission announce Loughborough University academic as winner of Early Career Researcher Award

A Loughborough University academic in the Department of Geography and Environment has been named as one of the 2020 winners of the prestigious Early Career Researcher (ECR) UK Awards.

New game aims to protect the cultural heritage of marginalised communities against disasters

A game has been developed to help people understand how cultural and natural heritage can be used for disaster risk reduction and sustainable development.

Twitter analysis shows Trump on course to win US election – but is bot activity skewing results?

In depth analysis of US public emotion on twitter has revealed that Trump looks set to win the Presidential Election – but the impact of bot activity cannot be ignored.