Research News

A European team of scientists has discovered how cells accurately inherit information that is not contained in their genes. The research, presented in the journal Developmental Cell, was funded in part by the EPICENTROMERE ('Determining the epigenetic mechanism of centromere propagation') project, which has clinched a Marie Curie Action 'International Reintegration Grant' worth EUR 100 000 under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). The results help piece together a puzzle on the biological processes of genes and cells, and in particular on cell division.

Natural food does not always mean safe food. EU-funded researchers have discovered that the compounds found in some botanicals and botanical preparations, such as plant food supplements, may be detrimental to one's health. Presented in the journal Food and Nutrition Sciences, the study was funded in part by the PLANTLIBRA ('Plant food supplements: levels of intake, benefit and risk assessment') project, which is backed with nearly EUR 6 million under the 'Food, agriculture and fisheries, and biotechnology' (KBBE) Theme of the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7).

Scientists are putting the finishing touches to a new way of harvesting electricity from light. Paul Rebhan, the Global Business Development Manager at British technology company G24i told euronews: "The easiest explanation is it's a solar cell. The benefit of ours is that it works indoors as well as outdoors. So not just a solar cell, a traditional one, it now works on ambient light, so it works off light indoors."

Diseases are not the only things that can be contagious; yawning is catching too. And while most of us have long recognised this phenomenon, thanks in part to falling 'victim' to it, no one succeeded in shedding scientific light on this mystery ... until now. Researchers in Italy have offered the first behavioural evidence that yawning is a fast and frequent effect between people who share an empathic bond, like friends and family members. The results were published in the journal PLoS ONE.

It's safe to say that Europeans love their bread. Whether it's Germany's dark pumpernickel or France's baguette, Europeans enjoy consuming this starchy food. A team of researchers led by Kaunas University of Technology in Lithuania believes that Europeans are now baking their own, or buying it from their local bakeries. The results are part of the FERMFOOD ('Fermented products by using lactic acid bacteria with antimicrobial activity for bread production') project, which is supported under EUREKA, the European platform for research and development (R&D).

Europe is ageing and as people live longer they are fighting diseases while maintaining a quality of life. The latest technological tools are helping them sustain their health while staying at home. That is because a helping hand is now just a few clicks away.

Scientists in Finland have discovered how a biochemical signature can potentially predict progression to Alzheimer's disease. The study is funded in part by the PREDICTAD ('From patient data to personalised healthcare in Alzheimer's disease') project, which received almost EUR 2.9 million under the 'Information and communication technologies' (ICT) Theme of the Seventh Framework Programme (FP7). Results suggest that this neurological disorder is preceded by a molecular signature indicative of hypoxia and an upregulated pentose phosphate pathway. The study, published in the journal Translational Psychiatry, could lead to the development of methods for early disease detection.

Researchers from Germany and the United States suggest that the European conquest triggered the loss of more than half the Native American population. The results of their study provide new insight into the demise of the indigenous population. Experts recognise that Native Americans died while at war or due to diseases when Europeans first arrived in the Americas; the question this latest study addresses is how the overall population was impacted by the conquest. Extensive genetic analysis proved that a transient contradiction in population sizes by some 50% occurred approximately 500 years ago. The findings substantiate historical records indicating how the European settlers impacted the peoples of North and South America: diseases, wars, famine and slavery all played a part. The study was presented in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS).

Birds are finding it increasingly difficult to adapt to Europe's warming climes. That is the warning from a pan-European group of researchers in a major new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. The study, which received funding from four different EU-funded projects, brings together scientists from the Czech Republic, Germany, Spain, France, the Netherlands, Finland, Sweden, and the United Kingdom.

Dalvik, in the north of Iceland, is a fishing port which supplies fish to destinations all over Europe including France. We follow a batch of cod which was caught well above the Arctic Circle.

Aviation safety is a worldwide concern. European researchers want to prevent further catastrophes with the help of textiles tested in explosive ways. At a British research centre experiments are being conducted into the effects of bomb blasts.

The Theseus research programme brings scientists together to work on finding the best ways to protect Europe's coastal environment.

Bluefin Tuna is disappearing from the sea. Demand keeps prices high - which means people will keep fishing Bluefin Tuna until there is none left. Obviously this is an unsustainable situation. In Cartagena, in southern Spain, scientists from the EU's Selfdott research project are researching how to farm Bluefin Tuna. So every night in July they take a boat and go out to collect eggs from two cages containing 60 Bluefin Tuna.

Industrial accidents in Europe claim around 6 in every 100,000 workers each year. That's according to Eurofound, which oversees the improvement of living and working conditions.

In Europe at least 20 percent of our food ends up as waste. While new zero-food waste policies are on their way, researchers are imagining ways to turn current food-waste mountains into future green energy.

An EU-funded team of researchers in Finland is studying how climate change impacts nature and the various spheres that depend on it, namely agriculture, forestry, fishing and tourism. The study is funded under the VACCIA ('Vulnerability assessment of ecosystem services for climate change impacts and adaptation') project, which is supported by the EU LIFE+ programme. The results of the study will help decision-makers, industry and the general public, and give Finland the support it needs to adapt to a changing climate.

Anne Coulié is a preservation expert at the Louvre, specialising in ceramics from ancient Greece. David Kolin is an IT expert, working on 3D technologies at this Research and Restoration Centre in the basement of the Louvre in Paris. One of its purposes is to preserve the documentation relating to tens of thousands of artworks. David and Anne are also experimenting with a new technology - digitalising artifacts in 3D.

Lasers are everywhere - from laptops to satellites, they are a vital part of modern life. The power and compact nature of fibre lasers means they are great for industry, but now French firm Quantel is looking to take them into a whole new spectrum of applications.

They call it the 'Heathrow Pod', and it is a new way of getting around the urban jungle. Rather than waiting for a bus, business travellers just take one a futuristic taxi.

Consider the following health problems, related by three different people: