Science in society

Robotics company Open Bionics makes customisable, 3D-printed prostheses. Image courtesy of Open Bionics

03 December 2015

A helping hand for high-tech firms

Europe’s roboticists are coming together to find new ways of getting their prosthetic arms, grocery-picking machines and automated vacuum cleaners out of the laboratory and into Europe’s homes and businesses.

Artists Klaus Spiess and Lucie Strecker programmed genes in synthetic yeast to follow the livestock market, slowing down the yeast’s growth if the price got too high. Image courtesy of Klaus Spiess and Lucie Strecker

science in society

26 November 2015

When science meets art

Yeast that tracks the stock market index, a woman who simulates giving birth to a dolphin baby and homemade human cheese are just a few projects that have emerged from collaborations between scientists and artists – and the result is to produce better science and innovation, say researchers.

Marty McFly crosses Hill Valley's Courthouse Square just after arriving in 2015. Image credit: Universal Studios

science in society

21 October 2015

Back to the Future – are we nearly there yet?

Hoverboards, self-tying shoelaces, and auto-adjusting sleeves – these are just a few of the innovations predicted in the iconic 1989 film Back to the Future Part II, in which Marty McFly (Michael J. Fox) travels forward in time to 21 October 2015. To celebrate Back to the Future day, Horizon looks at which predictions came true, and which are in development by European researchers.

This year, European Researchers' Night is celebrating its 10th anniversary. Image credit: European Commission

science in society

25 September 2015

‘How one evening changed my career’

For Matteo Iafrati, a European Researchers’ Night conference changed the course of his career. For others, it provides an opportunity to connect with the general public and generate a broad interest in science.

169 young scientists from 39 countries across Europe competed for the EUCYS awards. Image credit: EUCYS

science in society

21 September 2015

Light scattering model wins prize

A new model of how light scatters when it hits a surface could help designers and animators produce realistic computer graphics more quickly, and the work has scooped its 18-year-old creator a first prize in the 2015 European Union Contest for Young Scientists (EUCYS).

Professor Alan Irwin believes open science can raise questions about what science is for, what it is leading to, and what kind of innovations we want to have. Photo courtesy of Alan Irwin

science in society | interview | open science

13 July 2015

Open science should help us to question innovation – Professor Alan Irwin

Open science should mean that citizens have the chance to put questions to scientists and have a say on the kind of innovations that are being funded, according to Professor Alan Irwin from the Copenhagen Business School.

Matas Navickas won a third prize of EUR 3 500 at this year's European Union Contest for Young Scientists, held in Warsaw.

interview | science in society

05 November 2014

Curiosity is most important trait in scientists – Matas Navickas, EUCYS prize winner

Curiosity, creativity and tenacity are three vital qualities for young scientists, says 18-year-old Lithuanian Matas Navickas, who won third prize at the European Union Contest for Young Scientists in September for his work creating a flowering apple tree in a test tube.

EUCYS 2014 winners Mariana De Pinho Garcia and Matilde Gonçalves Moreira da Silva were also selected to attend the London International Youth Science Forum in 2015.

science in society

24 September 2014

Snail-inspired pollution test wins 2014 EU young scientist award

Two young Portuguese scientists have scooped a first prize at the EU young scientist awards for their work on how the eggs of pond snails can be used to measure the amount of pollutants in water.

European researchers are working towards a cure for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, a type of motor neurone disease. Neuron illustration: Shutterstock/ Sergey Nivens

health | science in society

12 September 2014

Ice buckets pour new attention on little-known area of research

If you haven’t had a bucket of iced water poured over your head recently, you probably know someone who has. The astonishingly successful #icebucketchallenge Facebook campaign, in which people agree to a chilled soaking to raise money for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), has generated unprecedented publicity for a previously little-known disease.

The MOTHERTONGUE project treats the evolution of words like the evolution of genes. Image: Shutterstock/ Pressmaster

science in society | ict

10 September 2014

Settee or sofa? Meet the words earmarked for extinction

‘Davenport’, ‘settee’, ‘couch’ – less common words are more likely to go out of fashion than precise terms, according to researchers who are borrowing techniques from genetics to study the evolution of language. Their results could help inform the way that computers communicate.