What the latest research says about a four-day working week or a three-day weekend. More and more countries are trialling 4-day workweeks. If the United Kingdom’s 4-day workweek pilot, one of the largest in the world, is any indication, more businesses will be embracing the long weekend. Published in February 2023, the report shows that […]
EU-funded project could incorporate touch sense into virtual reality
New technologies can bring the sense of touch to virtual reality and create a more immersive experience. Although virtual reality (VR) is often associated with gaming and the metaverse, it can have a huge impact on a variety of industries. For example, surgeons can use it to perform complex surgical techniques and even perform operations […]
EU-funded project aims to develop a vaccine against metastatic cells
Clinical trials of a new prototype vaccine designed to selectively target and eradicate the early spread of cancer cells represent another step in the fight against cancer. While most cancer treatments focus on treating the primary tumour, the leading cause of cancer death is metastasis, the spread of cancer cells from the primary tumour to […]
EU-funded project unveils first commercial solar electric car that charges itself
Imagine a car you can drive for months without worrying about refuelling. It promises the Lightyear One, a sleek five-seater electric saloon powered by solar panels that uses very little energy. The EU-funded LIGHTYEAR project has launched the first commercially available self-recharging solar car. The project is part of the new CORDIS video series “Make […]
Waste no more coffee grounds!
Why waste spent coffee grounds after the coffee has been made? An EU-backed company now uses them to make a bio-based plastic film. The world’s love of coffee results in millions of tonnes of used coffee grounds being dumped in landfills every year. They decompose and emit methane, one of the major causes of […]
Can brain training slow cognitive decline?
Is the belief that a daily sudoku can ward off dementia just wishful thinking? Expert Arfan Ikram says these mental gymnastics deserve some thought. If you’re worried about memory loss and cognitive decline then listen up – it’s time to break out those crossword puzzles, download a language-learning app, or learn how to solve sudoku. […]
CORDIS: A pan-European network to boost agroecology
Agroecology projects are taking root across Europe. The EU-funded AE4EU project aims to spread best practices through improved networking and infrastructure. There is an increasing need to make agricultural practices consider not only production quotas, but also every living and non-living component of the farmland ecosystem. Alternatives such as organic farming may be a step […]
AI won an art contest
AI-created artwork took first place at a state fair in the United States. Long before digital editing tools and computer-assisted design programmes, French poet and art critic Charles Baudelaire thought photography was art’s biggest undoing. Fast forward to today, and who would have thought we wouldn’t need a brush to create art anymore. In August, […]
Looking at how language became so complex
Using a combination of individual experiments and computational modelling, researchers uncover some big ideas in evolutionary linguistics. When it comes to language, one could say ‘you speak as you learn’. “The fundamental structural features of language are a consequence of how a language is learned,” explains Kenny Smith, a professor at the University of Edinburgh. […]