Science lifts the curtain on the history of European puppet theatre

Sicily’s famous Opera dei Pupi is part of Europe’s rich puppet theatre heritage. © Andrea Izzotti, Shutterstock.com

EU-funded researchers are exploring the rich tapestry of puppetry in Europe since the 1600s and its contribution to shaping Europe’s cultural identity. By Ali Jones Professor Didier Plassard is a leading scholar in theatre studies and puppetry at Paul-Valéry Montpellier 3 University in France. He has spent the last five years exploring the rich history … Read more

Researchers and patients join forces to battle rare diseases

Pooling resources and data across Europe will transform research into rare diseases. © raker, Shutterstock.com

Researchers, clinicians and patients are collaborating in an EU-wide alliance to advance understanding of rare diseases and speed up the development of new treatments. By Jessica Berthereau Michela Onali, an Italian language teacher now living in Sardinia, never expected to find herself at the forefront of the European fight against rare diseases. But the diagnosis … Read more

EU researchers tackle pushback against gender equality in politics and society

EU-funded researchers are investigating recent push-back against gender equality measures, seeking to understand its motives and impact, to provide practical solutions. By Sofia Sanchez Manzanaro For Zoe Lefkofridi, a professor of politics and gender at the University of Salzburg in Austria, there cannot be real democracy without gender equality.  But past progress cannot be taken … Read more

Combining tech and tradition to revive Europe’s endangered languages

The quest is on to support endangered European languages, some with only a handful of speakers left. By Gareth Willmer Like civilisations, languages rise, fall and disappear. Even in Europe, which strives to uphold its linguistic diversity, dozens of regional languages are on the road to extinction. But the work of experts like Justyna Olko … Read more

The latest buzz – smart hives and dancing robot bees boost sustainable beekeeping

EU-funded researchers are using big data and smart technologies to improve conditions for bees and guide beekeepers. By Sofia Strodt With an electronic ‘ping’, Professor Dirk de Graaf gets an alert on his smartphone. It’s a message from a beehive that’s in trouble. De Graaf, a professor of biomedical physiology and insect physiology and head of … Read more