http://ec.europa.eu//research/index.cfm?pg=whatsnew en Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:08:46 GMT http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=rss For more RSS news feeds click the link above. Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:08:46 GMT http://ec.europa.eu/research/index.cfm?pg=rss http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_06_13_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=30373 What do Europeans think of big issues affecting their lives, from schools to policing and healthcare? While elections and opinion polls offer a snapshot of thought on particular topics, they do not delve into the deeper feelings, hopes and fears of Europeans on key questions. The ESS charts changing attitudes and behaviour patterns of the diverse European populations on key policy issues, shedding light on the complex relationships between citizens and institutions. ]]> Thu, 13 Jun 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-06-13:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_06_13_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=30373 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-crashtest&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=30174 Road accidents killed almost 35 000 people in the European Union's 27 member states in 2009, the latest year for which statistics are available. While this number represents a fall of 38% since the start of the 21st century, there is still great scope to improve vehicle safety in Europe. ]]> Tue, 28 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-28:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-crashtest&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=30174 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-wheylayer&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=30114 Plastic films are used for packaging a wide range of products, offering protection against humidity and potential contaminants. Over time, however, these films let in air, diminishing the properties of the packed products. And while multilayer films combining several plastics are often used to improve protection, most of this packaging cannot be recycled. The researchers behind the EU-funded WHEYLAYER project found a cheese-based biodegradable alternative to conventional multilayer films. ]]> Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-24:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-wheylayer&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=30114 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-one-p&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29936 A radio made completely of plastic? We might see them in the near future, claim scientists. In 1977 researchers discovered that certain types of plastic can conduct electricity, just like metals. Initially these plastics remained a curiosity, but by improving their electrical properties researchers have now opened the way for their use in a large number of electric and electronic devices. ]]> Fri, 10 May 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-05-10:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-one-p&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29936 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_30_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29853 Electrochromic glass – which instantly glazes or shades at the flick of an electrical switch – has proved popular in a range of applications where the control of light and heat is important. But the physical nature of the glass and the costs involved limit the opportunities open to this technology. An EU-funded project has applied these 'smart glass' principles to a flexible film which opens up a whole new world of green, low-cost and commercially viable possibilities.]]> Tue, 30 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-30:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_30_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29853 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_23_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29753 Each year, twice as many people die in Europe from hospital acquired infections than from road accidents. These infectious diseases have developed antibiotic resistance and spread despite the best efforts of staff, mainly through textiles like bed linen. But the technology developed by a European research project helps fight back against the so-called superbugs, by using a revolutionary nanotechnology to treat bed linen and other textiles.]]> Tue, 23 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-23:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_23_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29753 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_17_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29693 Europe and the Mediterranean contain more World Heritage sites than any other global region. These sites include hundreds of museums, churches, houses and castles that capture Europe’s rich history over the centuries. ]]> Wed, 17 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-17:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_17_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29693 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_10_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29633 In the decades ahead, landslide risk will probably increase in some regions of Europe as a consequence of climate change and growing population. But landslides’ danger can be hidden: though their destruction is plain, in official data landslides are often lumped in with their triggers, such as extreme precipitation, earthquakes or floods. This means that damage wrought by landslides is generally underestimated by analysts, and public awareness of landslide risk is less than that of comparable natural hazards. ]]> Wed, 10 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-10:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_10_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29633 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_02_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29533 In their quest to better understand the past, archaeologists also take great care to preserve the resting grounds of ancient artefacts. This is not always easy in large digs. But the Radiography of the Past (Radio-Past) project has harnessed the skills of international research teams to develop the next generation of non-destructive approaches to archaeology, including aerial surveying and remote-sensing technology. This approach has unearthed new evidence from buried settlements across Southern, Central and Western Europe which sheds light on how Roman cities and societies were constructed.]]> Tue, 02 Apr 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-04-02:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_04_02_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29533 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_03_19_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29413 Faced with tough competition from low-wage countries and economic strife at home, European shoemakers are interested in clever and efficient solutions to design and customise stylish shoes that meet every customer's needs. But is ‘mass customisation’ like this a contradiction in terms? Not according to EU-funded researchers. ]]> Tue, 19 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-03-19:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_03_19_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29413 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-phelinet&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29357 The revolutionary medical research project PHeLINet has not only created openings for doctors to better diagnose cancer, asthma, cystic fibrosis and other lung diseases, but it has expanded the professional horizons for budding scientists like Guilhem Collier. ]]> Tue, 12 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-03-12:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-phelinet&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=29357 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_03_06_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29317 When you think of species conservation, the first thing that probably enters your mind is big projects like animal breeding programmes and nature reserves. But how often do you consider the species in your garden, in your city park, or on your farm? These environments are also crucial places for preserving biodiversity according to a recent €1.8 million EU-funded research project, which examined ways to better coordinate conservation efforts between local and national governments. ]]> Wed, 06 Mar 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-03-06:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/headlines/news/article_13_03_06_en.html&item=Infocentre&artid=29317 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-nm4tb&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=28936 With tuberculosis (TB) making an unwelcome comeback in many developed countries – TB never really left the developing world – the news that EU-funded researchers are on the verge of a drug breakthrough is timely to say the least. ]]> Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-01-10:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-nm4tb&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=28936 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-elsa&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=28934 August 2013 will see the launch of Gaia, a five-year space mission packed with scientific ambition that is quite literally astronomical. The European Space Agency (ESA) aims to chart about one billion stars, or roughly 1% of the Milky Way. It is expected to discover thousands of new celestial objects, from extra-solar planets to failed stars called brown dwarfs. It is an extraordinary endeavour, taking astrometry to a new level of complexity and precision, but it will mean little if Europe's science community cannot handle the volume of data that Gaia space mission is expected to send back to Earth. And this is where ELSA comes in. ]]> Thu, 10 Jan 2013 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2013-01-10:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-elsa&calledby=infocentre&item=Infocentre&artid=28934 http://ec.europa.eu/research/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-wheylayer&calledby=infocentre&item=All&artid=28397&caller=SuccessStories Green plastic, and safety on land, in the skies and at sea are the subjects of some of our latest Success Stories! • WHEYLAYER – New green plastic made from milk whey • ShipArrestor – New rescue tool to save ships in distress • SAFECAST – Innovative inspection system to make buildings safer • QualiTi – New airplane inspection system to make skies safer]]> Wed, 28 Nov 2012 00:00:00 GMT tag:ch,2012-11-28:/infocentre/article_en.cfm?id=/research/star/index_en.cfm?p=ss-wheylayer&calledby=infocentre&item=All&artid=28397&caller=SuccessStories