For priceless European art, extra protection costs very little

Inexpensive new materials and sensors will help even small museums prevent irreversible damage to objects. By  ALEX WHITING Overlooking the waters of the Grand Canal in Venice, the former home of American art collector Peggy Guggenheim houses one of Italy’s most important collections of 20th century works. Until recently, many of them were at risk from an … Read more

Counting male chickens before they hatch means good news for ethical farming

By identifying the gender of chicks in their eggs, EU-funded technologies could help prevent the killing of millions of the birds every year. By PIETER DEVUYST Wil Stutterheim is on a mission: to stop the global poultry industry’s slaughter of billions of day-old chicks every year. Male chicks are deemed largely useless for poultry farmers because … Read more

Mighty oceans and humble ponds play key roles in biodiversity

By monitoring oceans and peering into ponds, European projects seek to protect an array of animal and plant life. By  SOFIA STRODT In January, word emerged that scientists had discovered a new colony of penguins in Antarctica using images from Europe’s flagship Copernicus satellite network. By coincidence, the same month marked the start of an initiative … Read more

Education and healthcare are set for a high-tech boost

The enhancement of human-machine interaction is expected to bring notable improvements in support for learning and access to healthcare. By  CALEB DAVIES In a Swiss classroom, two children are engrossed in navigating an intricate maze with the help of a small, rather cute, robot. The interaction is easy and playful – it is also providing researchers with … Read more

Ancient DNA brings us closer to unlocking secrets of how modern humans evolved

Advances in studying ancient DNA from prehistoric remains provides us with new insight into the life of our African ancestors and the emergence of the modern human. Humans all share a common African ancestry, making African history everyone’s history. Yet little is known about the genetic evolution of people living on the continent in the … Read more