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Interview

The peat fire in the field experiment in Dumai, South Sumatra, continued to burn after three days of torrential rain. Video/image credit - Yulianto Sulistyo Nugroho
interview | environment | frontier research | security
31 October 2019

In a picture: ‘Not enough people are aware of this monster’

Professor Guillermo Rein, a fire scientist, tells Horizon why smouldering peatland fires are so dangerous and why we know so little about them.

Giving people graphical information can do more to correct misperceptions than text-based information, says Prof. Reifler. Image credit - Alice Vergueiro/Abraji
interview | social sciences | frontier research
22 October 2019

Why people’s misperceptions about climate change, vaccinations are so hard to shake

The most powerful source of misperceptions about important issues such as immigration and climate change are false beliefs rooted in people’s political or social preferences, but having people who question authority is also important for a society, according to Professor Jason Reifler, a political scientist at the University of Exeter, UK.

Non-antibiotic drugs may also have a role to play in promoting antibiotic resistance, Dr Typas says. Image credit - Dr Nassos Typas
health | interview | frontier research
03 October 2019

Antibiotic resistance: How did we get here?

Finding ways to enlist the bacteria living in our bodies to defend against infections while better understanding their role in promoting antibiotic resistance are key to fighting this growing problem, says Dr Nassos Typas, a microbiologist at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory in Heidelberg, Germany.

Europe is capable of tackling the challenges disrupting our societies through research and innovation, says Jean-Eric Paquet. Image credit - Flickr/ ID/ Sander de Wilde
interview | policy
02 September 2019

The future of European research must be inclusive - Jean-Eric Paquet

With Europe facing significant challenges over the next decade, it is vital that the EU’s research activities are designed not just by bureaucrats but by a wide range of voices to ensure that they’re fit for purpose, according to Jean-Eric Paquet, the European Commission's Director General for Research and Innovation.

Focusing on 'boring emissions' rather than 'sexy' ones could do more to tackle climate change, says Prof. Bulkeley. Image credit - Prof. Harriet Bulkeley
interview | environment | policy
01 August 2019

People in cities hold the key to ensuring a sustainable future

Cities have a critical role to play in fighting climate change but hard conversations lie ahead about the best way to achieve the transition to sustainability, according to Harriet Bulkeley, professor of geography at Durham University, UK.

Part of running a mission well is to know when to stop or change direction, says Prof. Mazzucato. Image credit - University College London
interview | policy
04 July 2019

Missions will require a ‘revolution’ in European governments – Prof. Mariana Mazzucato

The success of European research missions, which aim to stimulate innovation to solve major societal problems, will require a complete change in the way governments think about business and risk, according to Professor Mariana Mazzucato, special advisor to the European Commissioner for Research, Science and Innovation, Carlos Moedas.

Dr Hangartner says asylum processes in Europe traditionally assumed applications would be rejected but since 2015 have focused on integration. Image credit - Hans Peter Jost
interview | frontier research
01 July 2019

Five things you need to know about: the science of refugee integration

In the last few years, the integration of refugees into European societies has become an urgent issue.  Since 2015, nearly 4 million people have applied for asylum in the EU and many are now beginning to make new lives here. What does it mean to become integrated into a new society? How can it be achieved? And are current policies helping or hindering? We spoke to Dr Dominik Hangartner from the Immigration Policy Lab at ETH Zurich, Switzerland, about what the evidence tells us about successful integration. Here are five takeaways.

Clean combustion expert Dr Chong Cheng Tung says that waste cooking oil and biomass are the most promising sources for green jet fuel. Image credit - Dr Chong Cheng Tung
interview | transport | environment | open to the world
13 June 2019

Aeroplanes could cut emissions by flying on waste cooking oil fuel

Blending biofuels and kerosene to create greener jet fuel has shown promising results in test flights, but more work needs to be done to ensure biofuels burn cleanly and can be produced in a large-scale, low-cost way, says Dr Chong Cheng Tung, associate professor at the China-UK Low Carbon College of Shanghai Jiao Tong University in China.

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.

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. 

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