Legumes fix nitrogen in the soil, helping other plants to thrive. But do they get anything in return? Indeed they do, says EU-funded research, if they’re combined with suitable non-leguminous crops.
EU-funded researchers are looking to commercialise cutting-edge technology that converts toxic olive oil waste into heat and electricity, bringing environmental and economic benefits to some of the most underdeveloped regions of Europe.
The NOMORFILM project is looking into whether biomolecules in marine microalgae can combat bacterial and fungal infections associated with prosthetic devices and catheters. Preventing infections will improve patient care and help cut the cost of treating complications, estimated at €7 billion a year in Europe
Around Europe, 50 SMEs, start-ups and web entrepreneurs are receiving EU support as they put the final touches to their prototype apps for smart farming. Around 30 will be selected for further funding, which will be used by the developers to prepare their app for market launch in 2016.
EU-funded research has developed insemination strategies to help goats reproduce at any time of the year, without the use of hormones. This means year-round, hormone-free goat’s milk.
EU-funded researchers are looking to commercialise cutting-edge technology that converts toxic olive oil waste into heat and electricity, bringing environmental and economic benefits to some of the most underdeveloped regions of Europe.
EU-funded researchers have developed a zero-emission method of recycling organic phosphorous fertiliser from animal bones. They aim to help farmers cut down on chemicals – saving them money and making food production safer and greener.
Gadgets and wearables that support a healthy lifestyle are very hip today, but not always very attractive for the elderly. This is where ELF@Home comes in. It empowers people to manage their own health by self-check, self-care and self-fitness.
EU-funded researchers are advancing a novel form of cancer therapy described as a ‘magic bullet’ against certain types of tumours. Their work promises to lead to more personalised and effective treatments for breast, ovarian and other forms of cancer over the coming years.
Chemotherapy can have a considerable impact on patients’ quality of life, causing nausea or hair loss as well as depression and anxiety. More personalised care could help many patients and even improve outcomes. The EU-funded project eSMART is putting a mobile phone-based remote patient monitoring system to the test.
You can’t see it, you can’t touch it, nor is it something you could hear, taste or smell. Dark matter is all around us, and its mass produces measurable gravitational effects. Other than that, it interacts with the visible universe even less than previously thought, according to the results of recent EU-funded research.
Africa is particularly vulnerable to disease outbreaks, and the continent has large gaps in preventative healthcare. So it makes sense to build regional capacity to find solutions to these health problems. An EU-funded project trained new graduates in Africa to develop health research programmes and share scientific knowledge.
Looking for a novel way to visualise the ocean? Think fish. Arrays of sensitive cells on their skin — so-called lateral lines — enable them to perceive water movements by detecting subtle changes in pressure. The LAKHSMI project is developing new monitoring and imaging technology based on this principle.
An archaeological project has challenged assumptions that the Early Iron Age wine trade was simply a coastal activity. Through analysis of ancient wine containers found in Central Europe, an EU-funded researcher has asserted that early European trade was more complex than previously thought.
The TIME SCALE project is investigating the feasibility of growing food crops in space and whether this might provide astronauts with long-term supplies of food and oxygen. The findings could lay the foundations for a manned mission to Mars and also lead to more sustainable production back on Earth.
To ensure food and energy security for today’s growing populations, governments increasingly turn to earth observation. Remotely-sensed data can provide valuable information on crops, livestock, woodlands and fires. Innovative, EU-funded research partnerships helped reinforce African capacities in this area.
Case studies carried out in Europe and Latin America as part of the EU-funded POLICYMIX project have shed new light on how the right mix of forest governance policies can help to conserve biodiversity and boost local economies.
Outdoor electronic display screens could soon blend better into urban landscapes – and resist damage from weather and vandals better than current versions. Technology from an EU-funded project displays digital images through a concrete surface, to integrate low-maintenance signage into buildings and street structures.
Using sensors on board platforms such as satellites and advanced modelling systems, EU-funded researchers have quantified the impact of future energy use on the environment. Their headline conclusion? That we can go further than the EU goal of increasing renewable energy’s contribution to global supply to 80% by 2050.
Liver disease is one of the leading causes of death in Egypt – second only to cardiac disease – and accounts for almost 10% of overall mortality in the country. To make headway in this area of research, two Egyptian and two EU-based partners joined forces in an EU-funded project that also highlighted the importance of the business side of science.
