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. […]
A step towards an emissions-free transport system
An EU-funded project is helping modern cities achieve one of their dreams through sustainable electric vehicle charging solutions. Imagine a city with no traffic jams or parking problems; a city where both cars and mopeds are fuelled by green electricity, and people share pools of personal vehicles without concerns about vehicle availability or charging opportunities. […]
Open Innovation Test Beds to accelerate European innovation
Europe’s tech industries face high capital costs and complex regulation. Knowledge sharing hubs can lower these barriers and bring products to market faster. The development of innovative advanced materials is essential to meet Europe’s long-term economic, technological and environmental goals. Composite materials are used in a broad range of applications, from medical devices to automobile […]
Can insects get fat?
Insects don’t have time to laze about – that’s probably why we say someone is “as busy as a bee”. But would an overfed and underactive bug find itself putting on weight like we do? We put this question to insect expert Erlend Sild. The short answer is a hypothetical yes, explains Sild, CEO and […]
Opera empowering marginalized people
Since its birth in the 16th century, opera has entertained both the wealthy nobility and the general public. The EU-funded TRACTION project is now using this art form to reach out to marginalised groups such as migrants, the rural poor and young offenders. Armed with two innovative tools, an EU-funded project is using opera to […]