What do scientists really think about signs of alien life? Professor Peter Vickers, Head of our Department of Philosophy, takes a look.

"Life: The Greatest Story", featuring Philosophy's Head of Department Peter Vickers, won the coveted Best Education Film Award at Dome Fest West 2026.

Durham University has established a new partnership with Southwestern University (Georgetown, USA), creating a streamlined progression route for qualified Southwestern graduates onto a selection of Durham taught Master’s programmes, including many in Arts and Humanities.

Using work on norm evolution, Dr. Kelters’ new paper in AI and Society shows how AI proliferation itself corrupts AI behaviours through ‘Systematic Alignment Decay’.

Durham University’s Department of Philosophy is at the centre of two high‑profile public events this year, bringing together leading thinkers to explore faith, disagreement, and the deepest questions about the origins of reality.

Professor Nancy Cartwright from our top-rated Philosophy Department has been awarded the BBVA Foundation Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Humanities for her influential work on the philosophy of science.

Congratulations to Nancy Cartwright for winning the BBVA Foundation 2026 Frontiers of Knowledge Award in the Humanities category for her contributions to the philosophy of science.

Dr Jack Symes from our top-rated Philosophy Department has appeared in a new episode of Jubilee Media’s popular debate series Surrounded, bringing ethical philosophy to a wide international audience.

Following a visit to Australia and New Zealand, Professor Janet Stewart, Executive Dean of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities, has laid the groundwork for new research collaborations under Durham University’s Transformative Humanities work.

Philosophy at Durham has been ranked 39th in the prestigious QS World University Rankings by Subject.

Simona Capisani is lead author of an article published this month in the journal Biology & Philosophy. Livability and non-human organisms | Biology & Philosophy | Springer Nature Link

Dr Francesca Bellazzi has been awarded the Italy Made Me Prize with her project "Functions at the Molecular Scale", given by the Italian Embassy in London.