Globally, heating our homes and businesses accounts for nearly half of all energy consumption and in the UK 77% of our heating is produced using fossil fuels. Decarbonising heat is essential if targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions are to be met. Thanks to the work of Durham Energy Institute (DEI), we are at the forefront of research into how to achieve this.

Our Chancellor, Sir Thomas Allen, is to step down from his post after more than ten years in the role.

We are proud to say that our Arts and Humanities subjects have been ranked among the best in the world.

For this year’s biennial Lumiere light festival we brought together the producers, Artichoke, and regional writing development agency New Writing North, on an exciting collaboration that will see new works from some of the UK’s leading poets light up Durham Castle. Among them is prize winning writer Kayo Chingonyi, an Assistant Professor in our Department of English Studies. Here Kayo tells us about his involvement and how poetry has been a central part of his life.

A team of scientists say that ‘grabby aliens’ are needed to explain why we humans have appeared so soon after the big bang, and that our descendants would encounter them in roughly a billion years’ time.

A new model developed by our data scientists to simulate the spread of COVID-19 has helped curb the spread of the virus in the world’s largest refugee settlement.

A specially created ensemble made up of some of our most talented student musicians has recorded the soundtrack to the centrepiece of this year’s Lumiere light festival.

We’re working to build an environment that is respectful and where people feel comfortable to be themselves and flourish. As part of this work, we’re very pleased to announce the appointment of our first Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion).

A new study led by experts from our Psychology Department has revealed that apes such as chimps and bonobos show striking similarities to humans in how they interact using signals.

Our graduates go on to enjoy inspiring careers and make a significant, lasting impact around the globe. We’re very pleased to be honouring one of them as she makes her way to Glasgow for COP26.

Experts from our Department of Biosciences think this is a possibility after new research found that some species of trans-Saharan migratory birds, like Nightingales and Willow Warblers, are spending as many as 50-60 fewer days a year in their non-breeding grounds in Africa.

As part of this year’s Lumiere light festival our Ogden Centre for Fundamental Physics will be lit-up with a projection entitled 'Chronos', telling the story of time from nanoseconds to millennia. Here we explore how experts in our Department of Physics are behind research to measure time ever more accurately.