Research news
2019
UK insects struggling to find a home make a bee-line for foreign plants
Posted on Monday 16 December 2019
Non-native plants are providing new homes for Britain’s insects - some of which are rare on native plants, a new study has found.
New study uses viruses as weapons to destroy aggressive plant bacterial disease
Posted on Wednesday 4 December 2019
Pathogen-specific viruses can be successfully used to fight a disease that decimates some of the world’s major food crops, a new study has found.
York laboratory awarded Queen's Anniversary Prize
Posted on Thursday 21 November 2019
The University of York’s Structural Biology Laboratory (YSBL) in the Department of Chemistry has been awarded a prestigious Queen's Anniversary Prize.
Scientists find no evidence for ‘Insect Armageddon’ – but there’s still cause for concern
Posted on Monday 11 November 2019
Researchers who set out to test the widespread theory that the UK is experiencing an alarming plunge in insect numbers have found no evidence for ‘Insect Armageddon’.
Global warming is causing tropical moths to shrink in size
Posted on Thursday 10 October 2019
Researchers have discovered the first evidence of tropical insects shrinking in size in their bid to survive rising temperatures.
Scientists shed new light on mechanism by which bacteria exchange genes
Posted on Wednesday 9 October 2019
Scientists are now a step closer to understanding the mechanisms behind how a group of viruses facilitate the exchange of genes between bacteria.
New research reveals soil microbes play a key role in plant disease resistance
Posted on Wednesday 25 September 2019
Scientists have discovered that soil microbes can make plants more resistant to an aggressive disease - opening new possibilities for sustainable food production.
York research shortlisted for Newton Fund prize
Posted on Thursday 22 August 2019
Professor Frans Maathuis’s research to increase the tolerance of rice to salinity and drought, has been shortlisted for the 2019 Newton Prize.
University of York and Yorkshire Water team up to produce energy from waste
Posted on Wednesday 14 August 2019
University of York researchers will be working in partnership with Yorkshire Water to optimise next-generation anaerobic digestion (AD) facilities.
Declining fire threatens Serengeti ecosystem
Posted on Tuesday 9 July 2019
A study of the Serengeti-Mara ecosystem involving researchers from the University of York has revealed that increasing livestock numbers are threatening the ecology of the area by reducing fires.
The Serengeti-Mara squeeze – one of the world’s most iconic ecosystems under pressure
Posted on Thursday 27 June 2019
Increased human activity around one of Africa’s most iconic ecosystems is “squeezing the wildlife in its core”, damaging habitation and disrupting the migration routes of wildebeest, zebra and gazelle, an international study has concluded.
Drones could protect coffee plants from devastating fungal disease
Posted on Thursday 27 June 2019
A team of UK scientists, including researchers at the University of York, are researching how to apply drone technology to prevent the spread of a fungal disease which devastates coffee crops.
York researcher to study medicinal potential of East Asian tree
Posted on Thursday 27 June 2019
A University of York researcher has been awarded a Future Leaders Fellowship from UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to investigate how a small tree native to East Asia could help in the creation of new medicines.
Africa’s elephant poaching rates in decline, but scientists warn iconic animal is still under threat
Posted on Thursday 27 June 2019
Elephant poaching rates in Africa have started to decline after reaching a peak in 2011, an international team of scientists have concluded.