Topics

Chicks' in-built preference for face-like shapes has led to a simple test to detect autistic spectrum disorder in babies. Image Credit - Flickr/Alex Starr,CC BY-SA 2.0

28 January 2019

Chick-inspired autism test for newborn babies to help early intervention

Giorgio Vallortigara didn’t set out to develop software that could detect whether babies have autism. A neuroscience professor at the University of Trento in Italy, his areas of expertise include animal cognition – he’s into the brains of honeybees, zebrafish and newly-hatched chicks.

Redesigning allergen molecules could cure allergies - a chronic condition that affects more than 150 million Europeans. Image Credit - Andrew Goloida, Flickr, CC BY 2.0

health

24 January 2019

Could hacking the immune system cure allergies?

Scientists are redesigning natural allergens to help the immune system defend against them, in a move that could eliminate the side effects and lifelong medication of treating allergies - the most common chronic condition in Europe.

During high periods of solar activity, the sun flings off massive chunks of changed plasma which can severely damage technological infrastructure on Earth. Image Credit - NASA/SDO and the AIA, EVE, and HMI science teams.

space | industry

23 January 2019

Extreme space weather can wreak havoc on Earth. These tools help warn of the dangers ahead

On a hot day in August 1972 toward the end of the Vietnam War, dozens of naval mines off the coast of Hai Phong in North Vietnam began to explode without warning. In March 1989, a magnetic surge tripped circuits, knocking out power in the entire Canadian province of Quebec. While in 1859, an event sparked telegraph lines, igniting fires, and northern lights so bright that British stargazers could read newspapers at night. These days, scientists know that all these events were caused by intense space weather, capable of wreaking havoc on electric grids and electromagnetically sensitive technology.

Robots play a role in post-disaster relief work in situations that are too dangerous for humans. Image Credit - Centauro

ict | security

22 January 2019

The robots being readied to enter nuclear no-go zones

Robust, intelligent robots that react to their surroundings are being developed to work in situations that are too dangerous for humans, such as cleaning up Europe’s decades-old radioactive waste or helping during a nuclear emergency.

Pinpointing how accents change and influence each other can tell us how languages form. Image Credit - Eric Bridiers, for U.S. Mission. CC BY-ND 2.0

science in society

21 January 2019

Why do people discriminate against speakers with foreign accents?

Listening to someone speaking with a foreign accent makes human brains work harder which can lead to unintentional discrimination against people communicating in languages other than their own, new research suggests. But exposure to foreign accents can also change the way people speak, and over time, the ensuing accents can become new languages.

Researchers plan to use drones to monitor bridges and tunnels during intense weather events. Image credit - FADA CATEC

security | environment | transport

17 January 2019

Preparing for extreme weather

From high winds and heavy rainfall to droughts and plummeting temperatures, people in Europe have already begun to feel the effects of extreme weather. As we get used to this new reality, scientists are investigating how it will affect how we get around and whether our infrastructure can cope.

Bilingualism was previously thought to confer an element of protection against age-related cognitive decline. Image credit - Pexels, licensed under CC0

health

16 January 2019

Claims that bilingualism keeps brains young could be ‘wishful thinking’

Speaking two languages is a highly valuable skill but is an unlikely defence against age-related cognitive decline as previously thought, according to new research on ageing and bilingualism.

Sustainability means different things to different people, say researchers. Image credit - Lars Plougmann, licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0

science in society

15 January 2019

The apps that can tell you if you’re buying sustainably

What does sustainable shopping look like? From environmental impact to workers’ rights, the term can cover so many aspects that buying sustainably can be a daunting task. But a new app that helps people select supermarket products by ethical preferences and an online database that brings transparency to supply chains aim to change that.

A lot of people are unaware that drones need to stay at least 1km away from an airport, says Dan Hermansen. Image credit - MyDefense

interview | security | transport

11 January 2019

Drone jamming system to protect European airports, public spaces

Airports could be equipped with technology capable of detecting and bringing down drones that stray into their air space, according to Dan Hermansen, chief technology officer of Danish anti-drone firm MyDefence.The company has developed a drone alarm and protection system that is being installed at a number of prominent sites around Europe, including an airport. It has the potential to prevent the kind of costly disruption that hit London’s Gatwick and Heathrow airports recently.

Through Grassroots Wavelengths, FM frequencies work off a transmitter connected to a mobile phone, broadcasting over a radius of up to 12 km. Image Credit - Andreea Bonea / RootIO, licensed under CC BY-NC

ict | open to the world | science in society

10 January 2019

Hyperlocal radio and do-it-yourself networks bring information closer to home

Modern communications technology means one can find anything, anywhere around the world, on the internet and via mobile phones. But people still live in communities and need information that is relevant to them.