Scientists have analysed data from nearly three million rivers across the globe to identify where hydropower stations could be sited with limited environmental impacts. The analysis identified 124,761 potential locations that met the strict environmental criteria. Of those, 4,644 of the schemes could be run profitably and would be capable of generating an additional 5.27…
Scientists have developed AI to track the development of crevasses – or fractures – on the Thwaites Glacier ice tongue in west Antarctica. Crevasses are indicators of stress building-up in the glacier. A team of researchers from the University of Leeds and University of Bristol have adapted an AI algorithm originally developed to identify cells in microscope…
Reforestation projects could be made more effective with the findings of new research into the constraints on nitrogen fixation among plants. Some trees, such as those from the Fabaceae or legume family, form a symbiotic relationship with bacteria, enabling them to them take in nitrogen from the air. For most plants, nitrogen comes from the…
Planting for a new woodland has begun on land owned by the University of Leeds on the northern edge of the city. The first tree, an oak, was put into the ground by Roger Gair, who worked at the University for more than 40 years, 20 of them as Secretary, and retired in 2021. The…
Leading researchers, including University of Leeds academics, want to see a decade of “global action” to restore the world’s lost and depleted forests. They argue that with the right policies, forest restoration can benefit both nature and the people who live and work in the forests. A landmark edition of the academic journal, Philosophical Transactions…
