Joanna Roberts

Basic research to world-changing applications can take 6 months – or 50 years

The science that made smartphones possible was done in the 1940s and 1950s. Image credit - Pixabay/ 7721622, licensed under Pixabay license

All technology and innovation have a science base but to get there requires patience, as the journey from curiosity-driven basic research to a world-changing technology can take six months or 50 years, a panel of Nobel and Kavli prize laureates has said. Professor Ben Feringa, who won a Nobel Prize in chemistry in 2016 for his … Read more

‘The biggest threat to our oceans is that we’ve taken them for granted’

There is still uncertainty around the knock-on effects of abrupt ocean changes. Image credit - Pixnio, CC0

‘The biggest threat to our oceans is that we’ve taken them for granted’ IPCC report and oceans take centre stage at EU research event in Brussels. by Joanna Roberts People need to be persuaded that the ocean is not a problem or dangerous for humans, but that we are a problem for the oceans, according to former … Read more

‘I would like people to panic’ – Top scientist unveils equation showing world in climate emergency

‘As Greta Thunberg would say, I would like people to panic and take action,' said Prof. Schellnhuber. Image credit - PlanetMallika/ Pixabay

A new equation showing that the world is ‘deep in a climate emergency’ was unveiled on 24 September by Professor Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, one of the world’s leading authorities on climate change, who said that people still don’t want to see the truth about the state we’re in. ‘Based on sober scientific analysis, we are … Read more

Shoe-mounted laser to ‘unfreeze’ people with Parkinson’s scoops €1 million prize

Having an external visual cue such as a line has been shown to reduce the number of freezing episodes in Parkinson's patients. Image credit - Walk With Path

A shoe-mounted laser beam that helps people with Parkinson’s disease ‘unfreeze’ by shining a green line in front of their feet has been awarded the EU’s €1 million Horizon Prize for Social Innovation. The Path Finder device was invented in 2014 by Danish entrepreneur Lise Pape, whose father suffers from Parkinson’s disease. It aims to help people overcome … Read more

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. He spoke to Horizon about how … Read more

People in cities hold the key to ensuring a sustainable future

Cities have a set of capacities to address climate change that other levels of government do not have, according to Prof. Harriet Bulkeley. Image credit - Pixabay/Leonardo Alves, licensed under Pixabay License

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. What makes cities so pivotal in fighting climate change? ‘It has taken the world quite a long time … Read more