Discover

Our aim is to inform and educate in an accessible way. To take global issues, explain how these affect us in our everyday lives, and think about what we can do to protect our future.

We want you to learn something new and find answers to questions you may have. Some of the most influential minds from the University – including scientists, researchers, designers, business leaders, artists and other world experts – will share their thoughts and ideas on complicated topics in an easy-to-understand way.

D-Day 80 and Devon

Ahead of the 80th anniversary of the Normandy Landings on 6 June 1944, Dr Harry Bennett explores the preparation and activity that took place in “sleepy old Devonshire”.

“The fields and lanes of Devon became mock battlefields, and more than a few American soldiers learned to truly hate Dartmoor with its clinging damp, peat bogs, tors and tussocks that just seemed to go on forever.”

Discover more about the D-Day preparations in Devon

The US Army training on Dartmoor

What will you discover today?

Graphic of a night sky during a meteor shower with moon -

From shooting stars to micro space rocks

Discover how you can get involved in the study of space from the comfort of your own home

Life beneath the paddleboard: the hidden ecology of our beach destinations

Discover the dynamic environment of surf zone ecosystems – from surf-riding clams to weever fish

Understanding rip currents

Discover how rip currents are created, what factors affect them, and how we can spot and avoid a rip current

What is neurodiversity?

Discover what it means to be neurodivergent and how we can be more ‘neuroinclusive’

What is energy security?

Discover how the natural power of renewable energy sources are being combined with advanced technologies to improve the UK's energy mix

How can we turn the tide on plastic pollution?

Discover why there is a global plastic emergency and how scientists are working to provide solutions

How can protecting rainforests begin at home?

Discover how we can help to restore under threat temperate rainforests – important ecosystems that aid biodiversity and help limit climate change

Talking chatting speech bubble vector designs.

How can social media be used to promote social justice?

Discover what your morning scroll has to do with social justice and how digital activism can be used to raise collective awareness

Surprising facts and myths about the brain

Discover five fascinating and surprising facts about the brain, and five things you may have heard that are, in fact, myths

Vector graphic of two wind turbines at sea.

What is floating offshore wind (FLOW)?

Discover why this renewable energy source is a fast-growing sector and how the University is developing FLOW opportunities in the Celtic Sea

Infographic of eelgrass bed under the sea and blue carbon.

What is blue carbon?

Discover why the protection and restoration of blue carbon ecosystems is essential for human wellbeing

Colour vector illustration of sun and sea landscape.

What is a marine heatwave?

Discover what a marine heatwave is and why they are a problem to marine life

Why are peatlands important?

Discover what peatlands are and why it is crucial to protect these areas for the benefit of the environment

A vector illustration featuring silhouette of sharks in a blue sea background.

Are great white sharks warming to UK waters?

Discover why experts predict we could see these endangered ocean predators closer to our shores

The history of singing Christmas carols

Discover how this Christmas tradition began and has changed over time

Vector image showing sewage entering a river.

How clean is our water?

Discover how a sewerage system works and why sometimes sewage gets pumped into our seas and rivers

Vector image of a drawing by artificial intelligence.

Is AI-generated art actually art?

How is AI art created? Is it a threat to the creative arts world or another form of artistic expression?

Why are artificial lawns bad for the environment?

Discover why artificial grass is growing in popularity as an alternative to real lawns and why this is harmful to the environment

How can closing the digital divide improve older people's lives?

Discover how University research is promoting health and well-being across generations, places and spaces through digital technology

Why do we feel anxious under pressure?

How can we help people become more resilient under high pressure?

What is the future of the book in the digital age?

How do we view the printed book today and what type of reader does it make you?

How do we solve the antibiotic resistance crisis?

Is this the end of antibiotics as we know them?

What are invasive species? Are they always bad for our ecosystems?

Discover the possible benefits – and not just the negative impact – non-indigenous species can bring to new environments

What is food security?

Is agricultural technology the answer to the global food security crisis?

ocean getty sea bed ocean floor. portrait image

What is ocean acidification?

The rising CO2 problem impacting our oceans

Are microplastics a big problem?

Discover microplastics’ effects on the environment and what the University of Plymouth is doing to help

Why might we get more winter storms?

Discover the reasons why some areas of the UK may get stormier and how chasing storms can help protect our coastlines

What was Operation Mincemeat?

With an upcoming British film based on the deception operation starring Colin Firth, Dr Harry Bennett explores a range of Allied intelligence used in the Second World War.

From dead bodies to spies, code-breakers to gadgetry 'Allied intelligence' in the Second World War came in many forms.

Operation Mincemeat was a brilliantly unorthodox example of Allied strategic deception in the Second World War, the purpose of which was to misdirect the attention of the German Armed Forces as to Allied plans to land on the island of Sicily in 1943.