Until recently, there were opaque photovoltaic panels, and there was transparent glass. Innovative nanomaterials bring photovoltaics and transparency together in greenhouse panels that convert the sun’s light into electricity, while augmenting plant photosynthesis. Meeting the world’s growing food and energy demands while mitigating climate change is one of the greatest challenges of our time. Agriculture […]
Lend a helping hand with drying river networks
What is happening to our drying river networks? A new app helps scientists find out. An EU-funded project has launched the first open-source smartphone app that helps scientists monitor drying events in Europe’s and South America’s rivers and streams. A new app is giving citizens the power to help scientists understand drying river networks. Developed […]
How social science can help trace new paths out of the climate crisis
One of the key challenges we face today is how society should tackle climate change and mitigate the impacts of global warming. The EU-funded ENGAGE project has gathered key stakeholders to produce a new generation of global and national decarbonisation pathways. Policymakers, industry and civil society leaders count on solid data to inform and guide […]
Microscopic 3D-printed sensors to detect hazardous gases and vapours
EU-backed scientists have successfully printed in 3D tiny gas sensors that mimic colour change mechanisms seen on peacocks. The sensors respond optically to traces of gas in homes, work settings and cars. Certain types of sensors detect and identify different types of hazardous pollutants, such as toxic or explosive gases. Some also measure gas concentration. […]
Do it now or later? New research reveals the ideal deadline
Researchers looked into short, long and no deadlines to see which one works best. Deadlines motivate us to complete tasks and keep from procrastinating. But how does the length of a deadline affect us in getting things done? While extending a deadline gives us more time to finish something, there’s also the risk that postponing […]
Breast cancer predisposition genes exposed
Scientists know that a subset of genes are linked to familial breast cancer. However, this link has yet to be clearly determined or ruled out for many newly emerging genes. The FBC predisposition project aims to clear up remaining doubts. Of all women affected by breast cancer every year, 5 % to 10 % of […]
How Australia’s wildfires affected an ocean area thousands of kilometres away
A new study shows a link between the windborne iron aerosols from Australia’s 2019-2020 wildfires deposited in the Southern Ocean and the massive algal blooms observed there, raising new questions about oceanic carbon uptake. The wildfires that devastated Australia in 2019 and 2020 burned millions of hectares of land and resulted in nearly 3 billion […]
Have we found the first sign of animal life on Earth?
Canadian geologist claims to have discovered the oldest animal fossils. The earliest life forms we know of evolved around 3.7 billion years ago. The world’s oldest known animal, Dickinsonia, dates to about 540 million years ago. A discovery in a remote region of north-west Canada is about to change what we understood until now. According […]
Greek island Tilos picks up award for clean energy transition
The Greek island of Tilos places 3rd in EU-sponsored renewable energy production competition and wins a EUR 100 000 cash prize for its innovative energy model. When Greek islands are written about in the press, it’s usually to extol the beauty of their beaches. However, one little Greek island has broken the mould and made […]