Biodiversity is a prerequisite for our existence, but is rarely top of our daily list of priorities. The EU recognises the value of biodiversity; it’s funded NetBiome-CSA to support life on earth, including yours.
An EU-funded project is testing intelligent, energy-efficient and passenger-friendly bus service innovations designed to bring benefits to both commuters and public authorities across 12 cities in Europe. The most effective solutions are expected to create new market opportunities for cutting-edge technology in public transport.
Such is the wealth of biodiversity in Latin America that several countries sport the label ‘megadiverse’. But biological hotspots are also often home to precious cultural diversity. EU and Latin American researchers studied community-based initiatives to protect both – together known as ‘biocultural diversity’. The findings fed into guides to local conservation.
The EU-funded project SOLAR-JET has produced the world's first ‘solar’ jet fuel from water and carbon dioxide (CO2). The process uses a promising technology with the potential to turn a greenhouse gas into a resource – and increase Europe’s energy security.
On a sinking ship, crews need to evacuate passengers quickly — but they may have to find them first. An innovative system based on EU-funded research may soon make this task a great deal easier. On vessels fitted with this system, teams will be able to locate passengers instantly, on board and in the water.
RADIO is a Horizon 2020 action to develop an Ambient Assisted Living solution that integrates robotic and home automation technologies. The RADIO Home is designed to support independent living of elderly population. Three academic partners, three SMEs and three clinical partners, led by the National Centre of Scientific Research “Demokritos” (Greece), cooperate to develop the RADIO ecosystem and to pilot the system in two clinical sites (Italy, Spain) and several home environments (Greece).
With her degree in biology, Dr Maria-Elena Torres-Padilla left Mexico and embarked on an international career in epigenetics. She completed her PhD at the Pasteur Institute in Paris and then moved to Cambridge University. In 2006 she joined IGBMC in Strasbourg where she is currently a group leader. Supported by an ERC grant, she studies the mechanisms controlling embryonic cellular plasticity with the aim of shedding new light on today's fertility issues.
Why do so many diabetes patients develop kidney disease, and how can we improve prevention? EU-funded research has examined insulin-related processes at play in impaired renal function — and it may have found a way to protect key cells that help to filter our blood.
From fairy-tale fortresses to majestic monasteries, preserving Europe’s cultural treasures takes time and money. New all-natural materials developed by EU-funded researchers could help ensure that cleaning and protection become less frequent and less costly.
Companies can miss the chance to innovate because they are slow to react to new opportunities. An EU-funded project is developing software tools that will help businesses make faster and more robust decisions.
Since the early 1990s almost 2000 planets have been detected outside our solar system. These discoveries led to a new area of universe sciences which is rapidly expanding. Astronomers are currently searching for extra-solar planets using a huge array of telescopes and instruments. Funded by the ERC, Prof. Cardoso Santos’ team has developed new tools to be used in both ground- and space-based facilities, to detect and study these planets.
More than 95% of our universe comes in the mysterious form of dark matter and dark energy that we can neither explain nor directly detect. Dr Catherine Heymans leads a team of researchers who were the first to “map” dark matter on the largest of scales. She now uses her research to confront Einstein’s theory of general relativity in an attempt to explain the nature of dark energy.
As empirical experiments are almost impossible in astronomy, research in this field relies heavily on observation. Prof. Andrzej Udalski set new frontiers in observational astronomy, in particular in the search for extra-solar planets, using a cutting-edge gravitational microlensing technique which enables the study of celestial objects irrespective of the light they emit.
In just a couple of years, Africa has gone from possessing a total bandwidth availability comparable to that of Norway to having almost one hundred million internet users and seven hundred million mobile users.
Scientists don’t know all of the reasons why some people are more susceptible to lung disease than others – something that the EU-funded ALEC project is seeking to find out. The results could be an important step towards better prevention and treatments for patients.
About 1 000 active satellites are currently circling the Earth and they have to withstand incredibly hostile conditions. EU-funded researchers have designed a forecasting system to help satellite operators prepare for severe space weather and thus reduce the risk of damage.
When the nature of a disease is unknown, it is difficult to be prepared. Think Ebola, avian influenza or SARS – news reports of their spread were regularly accompanied by updates on the frantic hunt for vaccines and treatments. EU-funded researchers hope to stay one step ahead from now on with a new platform for detecting and analysing outbreaks.
An EU-funded consortium is bridging the gap between science and the general public, fostering real and virtual environments in which researchers and citizens collaborate on cutting-edge initiatives for the benefit of both science and society.
By studying the impact of climate change on some of the ocean’s smallest organisms, EU-funded researchers have identified trends that could have profound implications for the health of marine ecosystems and the global environment.
Physiological differences between men and women can have a significant impact on the incidence and progression of many diseases, but to date little attention has been paid to gender-based healthcare. EU-funded researchers are working to change that with the aim of providing more targeted and effective treatments for both sexes.
