University of Leeds
University of Leeds is a university that is part of the pulse of the water sector. Here we bring together everything it publishes on Smart Water Magazine: its news, its blogs and the events it takes part in.
Academic calls for upgrade to sewage systems to protect health
The risk to public health from human feces in our rivers and seas will increase without action to create a wastewater system fit for the future, according to a Leeds academic. Professor Barbara Evans, Leeds' Professor of Public Health Engineering, has collaborated on a new report which assesses the best ways to reduce dangers associated […]
Study shows climate change disrupts seasonal flow of rivers
Climate change is disrupting the seasonal flow of rivers in the far northern latitudes of America, Russia and Europe and is posing a threat to water security and ecosystems, according to research published in Science. A team of scientists led by the University of Leeds analyzed historical data from river gauging stations across the globe and found that 21% of […]
Tracking the accelerated melting of glaciers in Greenland
A study reveals widespread mass loss of glaciers and ice caps in Greenland since the 20th century. The meltwater runoff affects North Atlantic ocean circulation, European climate patterns, and Greenlandic fjord water quality and marine ecosystems.
Scientists calculate over 3,000 billion tons of ice lost from Antarctic ice sheet over 25 years
Scientists have calculated that the fastest changing Antarctic region—the Amundsen Sea Embayment—has lost more than 3,000 billion tons of ice over a 25-year period. If all the lost ice was piled on London, it would stand more than 2 km tall—or 7.4 times the height of the Shard. If it were to cover Manhattan, it […]
Reduced rainfall in tropics linked to deforestation
Deforestation is resulting in reduced rainfall across large parts of the tropics, according to new research. People living in tropical forest communities have often complained that the climate gets hotter and drier once trees are cleared but until now, scientists have not been able to identify a clear link between the loss of tree cover […]
Satellites reveal speed-up of Antarctic glaciers
Glaciers along the Antarctic peninsula are flowing faster in the summer because of a combination of melting snow and warmer ocean waters, say researchers. On average, the glaciers – giant blocks of moving ice – travel at around 1km a year. But a new study has found a seasonal variation to the speed of the […]
How much microfiber do we emit with our washing?
The U.K.'s laundry releases microfibers weighing the equivalent of up to 1,500 double-decker buses every year, according to new research. The discovery was made by academics in Leeds' School of Design, who co-created a test to measure how different materials and washing conditions affect the amount of microfibers released into water. Microfibers are tiny threads […]
AI developed to monitor changes to the globally important Thwaites Glacier
Scientists have developed artificial intelligence techniques to track the development of crevasses—or fractures—on the Thwaites Glacier Ice Tongue in west Antarctica. A team of scientists from the University of Leeds and University of Bristol have adapted an AI algorithm originally developed to identify cells in microscope images to spot crevasses forming in the ice from satellite images. […]
Identifying the top 100 global water management questions for the coming decade
Recent intense heatwaves in India and widespread US droughts have highlighted the need for a global approach to tackling chronic water shortages. Now, new research has drawn together expert voices from across the globe to help address current and future water challenges. Key areas identified include water scarcity, sanitation and climate dynamics. But the main concern […]