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In about a year's time we'll hit a milestone when a quantum computer outperforms the best classical computer, says Dr Monz. Image credit - Dr Thomas Monz
interview | ict
04 June 2019

‘Quantum computers will soon outperform classical machines’

European scientists have spent 100 years developing the field of quantum mechanics – a branch of physics dealing with the atomic and subatomic scale – and we need to reap the profits now that quantum computers and other technologies are becoming a reality, according to Dr Thomas Monz from the University of Innsbruck, Austria.

Researchers used forensic architectural techniques to calculate the ‘height of burst’ of a white phosphorus projectile in Rafah, Gaza, on 11 January 2009. Image credit - Iyad El Baba/UNICEF
social sciences | frontier research
03 June 2019

The forensic architects piecing together the story of war

Around the world there are 10 wars being fought, according to recent figures. That covers humanity’s most deadly clashes, but the figure rises to 49 if you count those state-based conflicts where ‘only’ 1,000 people or fewer have been killed in the past year. The captain’s share of all this fighting happens in cities.

Young scientists are blurring the boundaries between advocacy and research, according to Luciana Miu, vice chair of the 2019 International Student Energy Summit. Image by David Holt on Flickr, CC-BY 2.0
interview | energy | policy | environment
29 May 2019

‘Young scientists share protesters’ sense of urgency on climate’

Young scientists have the ambition, disruptive thinking and sense of urgency to drive clean energy forward at the radical pace that is needed, says Luciana Miu, a PhD student in chemical engineering who is focusing on energy efficiency at Imperial College London, UK. 

Minor cereals such as einkorn can add to the diversity of our food production. Image credit - Pixabay/Kamelia, licensed under the pixabay license
environment
29 May 2019

Rare crops crucial to protect Europe’s food supply, boost health

Rye bread or porridge oats may not be everyone’s first choice of breakfast, but scientists say Europeans need to broaden their taste in cereals both to boost their own health and to protect the future of Europe’s farming.

The way emotions affect eating behaviours as well as dieting style can help predict when an eating disorder in an individual may occur. Image credit - Pixabay/MikesPhotos
health | frontier research
29 May 2019

To treat an eating disorder, we need to know what emotion fuels it

Pinpointing how different emotional states and neural pathways influence our eating behaviours could pave the way for better ways to tackle eating disorders and obesity.

Harmless doses of chemicals can form mixtures inside our bodies and the health risks of this are not yet fully understood. Image credit - Flickr/CGP Grey, licensed under CC BY 2.0
environment | health
15 May 2019

Chemical mixtures pose ‘underestimated’ risk to human health say scientists

Each of us harbours hundreds of man-made chemicals inside our bodies because we are exposed to them in our daily lives. While individual chemicals may not be of immediate concern to public health, scientists now worry that certain mixtures of them may pose previously underestimated risks to health.

Prof. Knut-Inge Klepp says that the increased availability of energy rich food with little nutritional value is a major driver of childhood obesity. Image credit - Prof. Knut-Inge Klepp
interview | health
13 May 2019

‘Teenagers are going to be the ones to beat childhood obesity’

Teenagers rarely have a say in the public health policies that concern them, but we can’t halt the childhood obesity problem without working with them, says Professor Knut-Inge Klepp, executive director of the mental and physical health division at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health.

A new way of teaching known as STEAM is breaking down the barriers between science, technology, engineering, art and maths. Image credit - Laura Taverna/ Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia
ict
09 May 2019

How music and movement can help kids understand maths

Staring at rows of numbers or formulas on a page can be off-putting for many children studying mathematics or science in school. But music, drawing and even body movement are providing promising new ways of teaching complex subjects to youngsters.

Prof. Wendland believes it is possible to restore the Notre Dame in Paris in an authentic and most respectful way by the 2024 Olympics. Image credit - Prof. David Wendland
interview | frontier research
07 May 2019

Notre Dame: Medieval stonemasons built vaulted ceilings to protect against fires

Medieval stonemasons built soaring vaulted ceilings such as those of the cathedral of Notre Dame in Paris, France, using techniques that are still not completely understood today.

Viticulture is a good starting point for community-based energy initiatives, according to researchers, as it is both energy-intensive and vulnerable to climate effects. Image credit - Esther Marín-González
energy
06 May 2019

Homemade energy gets boost to go mainstream

New rules and initiatives to support communities wanting to produce their own renewable energy could help ordinary people play a key role in the European Union’s transition to clean energy.

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