The material, known as biphenylene network, is highly conductive and may prove able to store more electrical energy than even graphene, the astonishing atomic-thickness carbon honeycomb material identified nearly 20 years ago. In May, scientists announced that they have been able to tailor the arrangement of carbon atoms into a mesh that, for the first…
A one-of-a-kind terawatt laser installed on Mount Säntis in the Swiss Alps will demonstrate how lasers can control and safely divert lightning. Almost 270 years since Benjamin Franklin invented the lightning rod, lightning protection is still based on this same concept. Although we can’t deny the benefits of lightning rods, major drawbacks do remain. Installing…
The first-ever European Maritime, Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund (EMFAF) call for proposals has been published by CINEA. The single-stage call focuses on establishing a pre-operational ‘incident alerting service’ in the CISE (Common Information Sharing Environment) for the EU maritime domain network, where information regarding incidents on board vessels or any type of maritime asset can be exchanged.…
From streaming movies or games and sharing photos on Instagram to the growing use of ‘smart’ devices and growth in artificial intelligence (AI) technologies, the amount of data being processed is escalating. As a result, energy consumption of data centres in the European Union (EU) is expected to rise from 2.7 per cent of electricity…
Landmark UN study warns that our planet’s condition is worsening faster than previously thought. From catastrophic wildfires and deadly floods to intense heatwaves, Europe has seen it all this summer. On 9 August, a major UN scientific report sounds the alarm for all of humanity. Then, just 24 hours later, Italy sets the record for…
In the infamous words of Jurassic Park consultant Dr Ian Malcolm, “life finds a way”. In the depths of the ocean, in volcanic springs, under four metres of ice: almost anywhere scientists can think of to look for life on Earth, we have found it. The methods these organisms employ to survive the extreme have…
An EU-funded project gains better insight into how brain synapses malfunction, paving the way for better future treatments for neurodegenerative disease sufferers. Neurodegenerative diseases—an umbrella term for a range of conditions affecting the neurons in the human brain—impact millions of people worldwide. The most common of these diseases are Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s, with Alzheimer’s and…
We rely on experts all the time. If you need financial advice, you ask an expert. If you are sick, you visit a doctor, and as a juror you may listen to an expert witness. In the future, however, artificial intelligence (AI) might replace many of these people. In forensic science, the expert witness plays…
Spring 2060. In dark glasses, a wide sunhat and with what little exposed skin left caked in sun cream, a child stares at the woodland across from their house. It looks scraggly and stunted, and with far fewer leaves than in the old photos she has seen. Still, no time to dwell on it: there’s…
Grains such as teff, millet, and sorghum are mostly grown and consumed locally in certain African countries. However, there is interest in cultivating them in Europe and elsewhere as new sources of cereal since they are highly nutritious. Teff grains, for example, are rich in calcium and protein as well as iron, containing levels almost…