SciLux: Recent Episodes
Hanna Siemaszko
Podcast about science in Luxembourg and beyond - in every episode we have a look at the latest news about scientific research and technological changes in Luxembourg and try to dissect them a little. This is a podcast for people who love science, but aren't necessarily science graduates. We post a new episode every week.
In our fast-paced world, sleep often takes a backseat to our busy schedules. But what exactly is it and what compounds help us fall asleep or keep awake? In the latest episode of our podcast, we talked with Ulf Ellervik, a Swedish professor of bio-organic chemistry at Lund University and the author of 'The Science of Sleep.'
As we explore the various stages of sleep – light sleep, deep sleep, and REM sleep – Ulf explains how each phase plays a vital role in our overall health. For instance, deep sleep is essential for physical recovery, while REM sleep is crucial for memory consolidation and creativity.
One of the most intriguing aspects of the discussion is the impact of modern inventions on our sleep patterns (also part of our usual pub quiz question!). Ulf notes that today, we sleep on average around two hours less than we did a hundred years ago – a figure widely cited in sleep research, though not without debate among some scientists.
Caffeine, a common go-to for many, is also discussed in detail. Ulf explains how caffeine blocks adenosine receptors, which are responsible for making us feel sleepy. While it can provide a temporary boost in alertness, it does not alleviate sleep pressure. This means that while we may feel awake, our bodies still crave rest. The conversation also touches on the importance of understanding our circadian rhythms and the dangers of relying on sleep medications.
Ulf Ellervik's insights are not only informative but also serve as a reminder to prioritise our sleep in a world that often encourages us to do more and rest less. Tune in now to discover how you can improve your sleep and overall well-being!
USEFUL LINKS
More about Ulf Ellervik: https://portal.research.lu.se/en/persons/ulf-ellervik/
Ulf Ellervik's 'Science of Sleep': https://www.amazon.com/Science-Sleep-Ulf-Ellervik/dp/1493093363
Support the show
Can neuroscience shed light on why some individuals choose to obey harmful orders while others risk their lives to save others? In this SciLux episode Prof. Emilie Caspar at Ghent University shares her groundbreaking field research in Rwanda and Cambodia, exploring the mechanisms of obedience and resistance during genocides.
Throughout the episode, Emilie talks about her experiences of gaining trust within communities, working with NGOs, and the logistical hurdles of transporting EEG equipment to remote locations – all while making the case for the importance of field study. We also talk about the impact of empathy, sense of agency and the feeling of guilt, as well as the influence of group dynamics.
USEFUL LINKS
Emilie Caspar's blog: https://emiliecaspar.home.blog/
Emilie's book 'Just Following Orders': https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/just-following-orders/678F06FDADFE89B9155F3A4907AB5660
Milgram experiment: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Milgram_experiment
More about Rwandan genocide in Jean Hatzfeld's book 'Machete Season': https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Machete_Season
jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.
Support the show
Can a single drop of blood tell you whether you'll develop pancreatic cancer — before any symptoms appear? Prof. Eleonora Macchia is working to make that a reality. This week on SciLux, we dig into biosensors, the science of proteins, and the surprising path from organic transistors to clinical trials.
What you'll learn:
- Why the proteome is medicine's great unknown
- How current tests (ELISA, lateral flow) fail at ultra-low concentrations, and what SiMoT technology does differently
- What it actually means to detect a single molecule in a patient's blood sample
- Why AI in diagnostics is only as good as the physicist standing behind the data
- How chemometrics – AI's "old-fashioned cousin" – underpins the whole approach
Key Themes:
- Frontier research and ERC funding advocacy
- Single-molecule biosensing and the SiMoT technology
- Preventive medicine vs. reactive diagnosis
- AI, chemometrics, and data quality
- Circular health and multidisciplinary science
- Gender balance in research careers
Guest: Prof. Eleonora Macchia, University of Bari & Åbo Akademi University
USEFUL LINKS
More about Prof. Eleonora Macchia: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=tj6pKhAAAAAJ&hl=en
ERC Ambassadors: https://erc.europa.eu/news-events/news/network-ambassadors-erc-expands
More about SiMoT: https://theanalyticalscientist.com/issues/2024/articles/apr/the-single-molecule-sensor
University of Bari: https://www.uniba.it/en
Åbo Akademi University: https://www.abo.fi/en/
jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.
Support the show
This month SciLux sits down with Dr. Sophie Nuber, a Luxembourgish climate and marine scientist at the University of Washington and keynote speaker at the Young Women's Conference Luxembourg. Sophie specialises in using natural archives, including corals and foraminifera,to reconstruct historical climate data and better understand modern climate change.
What you'll hear about:
Marine archives and paleoclimate research – How coral skeletons and foraminifera shells preserve centuries of climate data, and why scientists rely on them to contextualise today's environmental changes.
Understanding climate change through history – Sophie explains why historical climate perspective is essential: without knowing where we've been, we can't fully grasp how far we've deviated from natural norms.
Climate communication and public emotion – Sophie addresses why climate science provokes fear, confusion, and denial – and how scientists can present evidence in ways that inform rather than overwhelm.
A call to action – Sophie encourages listeners to engage with climate science critically and empathetically, seek credible sources, and understand that informed citizens are the foundation of effective climate policy.
USEFUL LINKS
Sophie Nuber's profile: https://www.ocean.washington.edu/home/Sophie_Nuber
Young Women's Conference Luxembourg: https://www.ywc.lu/
More about La Benida Hui: https://www.taipeitimes.com/News/feat/archives/2025/05/24/2003837408
An Inconvenient Truth, film written by Al Gore: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/An_Inconvenient_Truth
jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.
Support the show
In this episode, we sit down with Professor David Fernández Rivas from the University of Twente to talk about what engineering actually means – and why you don't need a formal qualification to think like one.
Professor Rivas then takes us through microfluidics and the science of bubbles – and how both are opening doors in medicine, from needle-free injections to medical tattoos.
We also talk about what it looks like when researchers take their work beyond the lab, and why Professor Rivas thinks there's a real responsibility to make sure discoveries actually reach the people who need them.
Key themes:
- What engineering really means, and who gets to call themselves one
- Why modern science needs people who can work across fields
- Microfluidics and its role in biomedical technology
- The science of bubbles and where it leads
- Needle-free injection systems – the challenges and the breakthroughs
- When scientists become entrepreneurs
USEFUL LINKS
David's website: https://david-fernandez-rivas.com/
University of Twente: https://www.utwente.nl/en/
David Fernández Rivas's Book: Empathic Entrepreneurial Engineering: https://empathic-engineering.com/
Bubble Gun, EU-NWO funded projects: https://bubble-gun.eu/
FlowBeams: https://flowbeams.com/
Events: https://futureunderourskin.com/
https://david-fernandez-rivas.com/initiatives-projects-fuos/
Frozen Bubbles: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-3Iy76DsDE
jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.
Support the show
Ever wondered why scientists keep talking about biodiversity? In this episode, Professor Ainhoa Magrach from Spain's BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change reveals why diverse ecosystems are the foundation of everything.
Think of biodiversity as nature's shock absorber. Professor Magrach uses a brilliant analogy: diversifying your ecosystem is like diversifying your investment portfolio – it protects against crashes. When heatwaves hit or droughts strike, diverse ecosystems bounce back while simplified ones collapse. That's not just good for nature; it's essential for human survival.
You'll discover surprising facts about the hidden world of pollinators (did you know hummingbirds are crucial pollinators too?), learn why monoculture farming is biodiversity's enemy, and find out what practical steps farmers and citizens can take right now to make a difference.
Key themes:
- The biodiversity-stability connection explained simply
- Why native species matter for your local ecosystem
- The fascinating world of pollinators beyond honeybees
- Agricultural practices that harm vs. help biodiversity
- What REDD+ means for forest conservation
- How citizen science empowers everyday people
- Your power to influence environmental policy
USEFUL LINKS
Basque Centre for Climate Change:https://www.bc3research.org/en/
Ainhoa's website: https://www.ainhoamagrach.com/
iNaturalist:https://www.inaturalist.org/
eBird:https://ebird.org/home
jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.
Support the show
The AI research landscape may be fracturing along geopolitical lines. What does this mean for European innovation?
Professor Søren Hauberg from Danish Technical University tackles these questions in our latest episode, recorded live at EurIPS, a community-driven conference that made world-class AI research accessible to Europe by showcasing papers accepted at NeurIPS. The gap between machine learning research and deployment has collapsed to months, creating unprecedented opportunities. And that's why organising such a conference as EurIPS and having Søren on our show is very timely.
Topics covered:
- European AI research
- Research-to-deployment pipelines in machine learning
- Computer vision vs. machine learning
- Academia-industry partnerships in AI development
- AI ethics and rapid deployment risks
- Public engagement and AI researchers
- ERC Consolidator Grant
Recorded live at the inaugural EurIPS conference, this conversation connects technical AI research with policy implications.
USEFUL LINKS
EurIPS: https://eurips.cc/
NeurIPS: https://neurips.cc/
More about Søren Hauberg: https://www2.compute.dtu.dk/~sohau/
jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.
Support the show
In this episode, we look into the complexities of endometriosis with Dr. Marina Kvaskoff, a researcher who works in the Epidemiology of Gynecological Health Team of the Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health in Villejuif, France. Dr. Kvaskoff explains what endometriosis is, how it affects women's lives, and the significant delay in diagnosis that many women face. She elaborates on the various symptoms, the impact on quality of life, and the misconceptions surrounding menstrual pain.
Dr. Kvaskoff also discusses the importance of awareness and education regarding the menstrual cycle, as well as the need for better training for healthcare professionals. We explore the various treatment options available, the role of lifestyle adjustments, and the significance of research in understanding the disease. With insights into the current state of endometriosis research, including the challenges of funding and the importance of patient participation, this episode takes a closer look at a condition that affects approximately 1 in 10 women.
USEFUL LINKS
More about Dr. Marina Kvaskoff: https://www.marinakvaskoff.com/index.php/en-us/
Endometriosis Foundation: https://www.theendometriosisfoundation.org/
World Endometriosis Society: https://www.worldendosociety.org/
ESHRE, European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology: https://www.eshre.eu/
Participate in the COMPARE endometriosis cohort: https://compare.aphp.fr/endometriose/
EPHect, Endometriosis Phenome and Biobanking Harmonisation Project: https://ephect.org/
WES Mentoring Programme: https://www.worldendosociety.org/mentoring-grants-awards/mentoring
Caroline Criado-Perez "Invisible Women": https://carolinecriadoperez.com/book/invisible-women/
jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.
Support the show
In this episode, we talk with Dr. Jácome (Jay) Armas, a theoretical physicist who works at the Niels Bohr Institute (University of Copenhagen) and the University of Amsterdam.
We spend time on the concept of emergence: how complex behaviour can arise from simple underlying rules in ways you couldn't predict just by looking at the components. Dr. Armas connects this to everything from physics to biology to social systems.
The conversation also covers string theory and why some physicists moved from thinking about particles as points to viewing them as strings. We also get into why gravity is so hard to study at small scales and what we really know about black holes.
And what a surprising pub quiz question Jay prepared for us!
USEFUL LINKS
More about Jay Armas: https://jacomearmas.org/
Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen: https://nbi.ku.dk/english/
University of Amsterdam: https://www.uva.nl/en
Institute of Advanced Study, University of Amsterdam: https://ias.uva.nl/research-themes/foundations-and-methods/emergence/emergent-phenomena.html
Science and Cocktails: http://www.scienceandcocktails.org/
Jay Armas' book about quantum gravity: https://www.cambridge.org/core/books/conversations-on-quantum-gravity/09DF54D24DE7477F6459432540121B28
RELATED EPISODES
Thermodynamics and Chemical Engines with Prof. Massimiliano Esposito and Dr. Emanuele Penocchio: https://www.scilux.eu/episodes/thermodynamics
jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.
Support the show
Did you know that if you go down to nanoscale, the features of materials change completely? For example gold can have a completely different colour. It's not only aestheric, it can have profound implications in the material's applications.
Want to be surprised even more? Listen to the first episode in our new 6th season in which we discuss nanomaterials with Prof. Katarzyna Siuzdak.
Join us as we explore the transformative potential of nanotechnology and the exciting future it promises in energy and health. Tune in now!
USEFUL LINKS
Katarzyna Siuzdak on IMP PAN - https://www.imp.gda.pl/en/research-centres/o3/o3z5/staff/?tx_wecstaffdirectory_pi1[curstaff]=478
Katarzyna Siuzdak on Instagram (in Polish) - https://www.instagram.com/science_mission/
Website of Science Mission (in Polish) - https://science-mission.pl/
jingle track (get it) provided by mobygratis.
Migration remains one of the most contentious and emotionally charged issues of our time. In this episode, we explore the evidence behind the debates with Catia Batista, Professor of Economics at Nova School of Business and Economics and Director of the Nova Africa Research Center. Professor Batista recently served as a visiting professor at LISER through the FNR's INTER Mobility programme.
Professor Batista reframes migration as fundamentally about human well-being rather than mere statistics and border policies. Drawing on her extensive research, she challenges conventional wisdom on "brain drain" – the emigration of highly skilled workers from developing countries. Her findings reveal a paradox: the possibility of migration actually incentivizes greater educational investment at home, potentially creating a "brain gain" that benefits sending countries even after accounting for emigration losses.
The conversation underscores the critical role of rigorous, evidence-based research in shaping migration policy. In an era where populist narratives and fear-driven rhetoric dominate political discourse, Professor Batista argues that researchers must strive to provide nuanced, data-driven insights that capture the complex realities of human mobility.
USEFUL LINKS
More about Prof. Catia Batista - https://catiabatista.org/
Nova School of Business and Economics - https://www.novasbe.unl.pt/en/
NOVAFRICA - https://novafrica.org/
LISER - https://www.liser.lu/
FNR's INTER Mobility programme - https://www.fnr.lu/funding-instruments/inter-mobility/
The gut microbiome has become a hot topic in recent years, capturing the attention of scientists and the general public alike. In our latest podcast episode, we met with Professor Paul Wilmes, head of the Systems Ecology group at the Luxembourg Center for Systems Biomedicine (University of Luxembourg). He shares insights into the complexities of the microbiome, its role in human health, and the groundbreaking research being conducted in Luxembourg.
One of the key highlights of the discussion is the impact of the gut microbiome on chronic diseases, particularly Parkinson's disease. Professor Wilmes discusses the ERC Proof of Concept grant he received to explore biomarkers that could detect early signs of Parkinson's disease through shifts in the gut microbiome. This research could pave the way for early interventions and better management of the disease. The conversation also touches on the factors that influence our microbiome, including diet, environment, and even the mode of delivery at birth.
USEFUL LINKS
Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine - https://www.uni.lu/lcsb-en/
More about Prof. Paul Wilmes - https://www.uni.lu/lcsb-en/people/paul-wilmes/
Human Microbiome Project - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_Microbiome_Project
MetaHIT - https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/201052/reporting
ExpoBiome Project - https://www.uni.lu/lcsb-en/research-projects/expobiome-deciphering-the-impact-of-exposures-from-the-gut-microbiome-derived-molecular-complex-in-human-health-and-disease/
This episode features Dr. Adam Hulman, a mathematician with a PhD in epidemiology who specialises in bridging the gap between computer science and clinical research. Adam discusses the significant challenges involved in developing prediction models that actually work in real-world healthcare contexts, particularly in diabetes management.
The conversation covers machine learning applications in medical settings, the complexities of training models with medical data, and the importance of clinical validation. Adam also shares insights about his research methodology, including his use of the LEGO Serious Play approach in scientific work.
Adam's unique dual expertise in mathematics and epidemiology provides valuable perspectives on both the technical and practical aspects of healthcare data science.
USEFUL LINKS:
More about Adam Hulman: https://www.au.dk/en/adam.hulman@ph.au.dk/
Steno Diabetes Center Aarhus: https://www.stenoaarhus.dk/kontakt/Adam-Hulman/
LEGO Serious Play: https://www.lego.com/en-us/themes/serious-play/background
Tripod: https://www.tripod-statement.org/
Did you know Luxembourg is home to space weather experts?
Space weather – a term that may sound unfamiliar to many – encompasses a broad range of solar phenomena that can significantly impact life on Earth and the technology we rely on daily. This is the specialisation of Dr. Carl Shneider from SnT (University of Luxembourg), whom we spoke with recently.
One of the most fascinating aspects we discussed with Carl is the role of Earth's magnetic field in shielding us from solar radiation. He explained how the sun's magnetic field interacts with our own, creating a protective barrier that helps mitigate the effects of solar storms. However, when these storms are particularly intense, they can penetrate this shield, creating beautiful auroras but also posing potential hazards to our technology and infrastructure.
Listeners will also learn about historical events, such as the Carrington Event of 1859, which caused widespread disruptions to telegraph systems and serves as a stark reminder of the potential dangers posed by solar activity. Carl emphasised that as our reliance on technology increases, so does our need for robust space weather monitoring and preparedness.
USEFUL LINKS
More about SnT: https://www.uni.lu/snt-en/
More about Carl Shneider: https://www.uni.lu/snt-en/people/carl-shneider/
Laschamp excursion - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laschamp_event
Dynamo theory - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dynamo_theory
Forbush decrease - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Forbush_decrease
Goldilocks zone - https://science.nasa.gov/exoplanets/what-is-the-habitable-zone-or-goldilocks-zone/
5 things: Space Weather - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrloxznL93s&pp=ygUNc3BhY2Ugd2VhdGhlcg%3D%3D
SOHO - https://soho.nascom.nasa.gov/
Parker Solar Probe - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parker_Solar_Probe
Swift Mission - https://science.nasa.gov/mission/swift/
LISA mission - https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/LISA/LISA_factsheet
Books Carl talks about:
*Bryan Gaensler, Extreme Cosmos: https://unsw.press/books/extreme-cosmos/
*Karel Schrijver, Living with the Stars: How the Human Body is Connected to the Life Cycles of the Earth, the Planets, and the Stars: https://academic.oup.com/book/34801
*Delores Knipp:
Paper: Timelines as a tool for learning about space weather storms: https://www.swsc-journal.org/articles/swsc/full_html/2021/01/swsc200106/swsc200106.html
Book: Understanding Space Weather and the Physics Behind It: https://spacetechnologyseries.com/books/Space-Weather.html
Let's look at what we eat - from a nutrition research perspective!
Dr. Torsten Bohn, a food chemist and nutritionist heading the Nutrition and Health group at the Luxembourg Institute of Health, shares his insights on what constitutes a healthy diet, the challenges of adhering to dietary recommendations in real life, and the impact of modern dietary trends. We explore the complexities of food bioactives, the significance of the gut microbiome, and how our understanding of nutrition is evolving in light of new research.
Torsten discusses the role of dietary fiber, and how lifestyle factors can influence our overall health. He emphasizes the need for a holistic approach to diet and nutrition, addressing the gaps between scientific recommendations and everyday eating habits. With a keen focus on food security and sustainability, we also touch on the future of food production and the potential of novel foods in meeting the nutritional needs of a growing global population.
As we wrap up, don't miss our pub quiz question that challenges you to consider the role of nutrition in determining lifespan.
USEFUL LINKS
About Torsten Bohn: https://researchportal.lih.lu/en/persons/torsten-bohn
Luxembourg Institute of Health: https://www.lih.lu/en/
Diet and Gut Microbiota by Dr. Torsten Bohn: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8l8EPjI3Lg
The EAT Lancet report: https://eatforum.org/eat-lancet-commission/
What exactly is number theory, and what drives researchers to dedicate their careers to this field? How does this seemingly abstract branch of mathematics connect to the cryptography that secures our digital world?
A couple of weeks ago, Luxembourg hosted the 33rd Journées Arithmétiques, providing us with the perfect opportunity to explore these questions. We sat down with two mathematicians: a visiting researcher and a local expert, offering insights from both international and Luxembourg-based perspectives.
Our first guest is Prof. Jennifer Balakrishnan from Boston University, who led the team that cracked the notorious "cursed curve" problem. We couldn't resist discussing it and learning more from Jennifer about current big questions.
We also explored the mathematical foundations of cryptography with Tim Seuré, a PhD student at the Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) at the University of Luxembourg, focusing on fully homomorphic encryption.
USEFUL LINKS:
More about Prof. Jennifer Balakrishnan: https://math.bu.edu/people/jbala/
Quanta Magazine article about cracking the "cursed curve": https://www.quantamagazine.org/mathematicians-crack-the-cursed-curve-20171207/
33rd Journées Arithmétiques: https://www.uni.lu/fstm-en/conferences/ja25/
Great Internet Mersenne Prime Search: https://www.mersenne.org/
In this episode, Professor Elisabeth Letellier from the University of Luxembourg and Dr. Mina Tsenkova, now at Amgen in California, discuss colorectal cancer research and ketogenic diet. Mina won the Rolf Tarrach Award 2024 for her PhD thesis.
The discussion centers around the critical role of the gut microbiome in cancer development, specifically how diet influences this relationship. Mina shares insights from her award-winning PhD research on the ketogenic diet and its effects on colorectal cancer, while Elisabeth provides an overview of the disease itself and the rising incidence among younger populations. Together, they explore the complexities of diet, microbiome interactions, and the challenges of translating research into clinical practice.
USEFUL LINKS
Rolf Tarrach Award for Dr. Mina Tsenkova - https://www.uni.lu/research-en/events/rolf-tarrach-award-2024/
Amgen - https://www.amgen.com/
Science in Colours - Mina Tsenkova - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OGhgWsezc7c
Dr. Patrick Michel, senior researcher at CNRS and global fellow at the University of Tokyo, discusses how our understanding of asteroids has evolved dramatically since the mid-1990s. Early research relied on reflected light observations, but space missions have revealed asteroids as complex geological worlds with diverse shapes and structures. Patrick reflects on this transition from limited knowledge to groundbreaking missions that reveal the intricate features of these celestial bodies.
The episode also covers Asteroid Day, celebrated annually on June 30th, which commemorates the 1908 Tunguska event when an asteroid explosion destroyed a large area of Siberian forest.
Moreover, Patrick recounts the successful DART mission, which tested asteroid deflection techniques and demonstrated humanity's first deliberate alteration of a celestial body's trajectory. He introduces also the Hera mission, designed to investigate the aftermath of the DART impact on asteroid Dimorphos, gathering crucial data on asteroid composition and structure.
USEFUL LINKS
Hera mission - https://www.heramission.space/
More about Dr. Patrick Michel - https://www.oca.eu/michel/
DART mission - https://science.nasa.gov/mission/dart/
NASA’s OSIRIS-REx - https://science.nasa.gov/mission/osiris-rex/
Asteroid Foundation - https://asteroidfoundation.org/
Dr. Thomas Gibon from the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology breaks down why our assumptions about "green" technology are often wrong. Electric cars, hydrogen fuel, steel production – Thomas shows how Life Cycle Assessment reveals the hidden environmental costs that many don't talk about.
The conversation cuts through the usual green-tech hype. That electric car? Its environmental impact depends on how the electricity gets made and where the lithium comes from. Hydrogen as a clean fuel? Not if you're using fossil fuels to produce it.
Beyond the technical analysis, Thomas tackles the harder question: how do we build a low-carbon future that people actually want to live in? The discussion moves from engineering assessments to the social and political realities of climate action – because the best technology in the world won't matter if nobody wants to use it.
USEFUL LINKS
More about Dr. Thomas Gibon's research: https://scholar.google.no/citations?user=I3ATYsQAAAAJ&hl=no
Articles discussed:
-
Is green growth possible?: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/13563467.2019.1598964
-
How to make climate-neutral aviation fly: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-023-39749-y
DISCUSSED EPISODES
Hydrogen with Dr. Robin White: https://www.scilux.eu/episodes/hydrogen
Urban Health with Dr. Camille Perchoux: https://www.scilux.eu/episodes/urban-health
Empowering Communities with Dr. Gilles Evrard Essuman: https://www.scilux.eu/episodes/empowering-communities
In this episode, we connect with Dr. Bernd Grimm from the Luxembourg Institute of Health and Professor Arndt-Peter Schulz from Germany's Fraunhofer IMTE – two researchers revolutionising orthopedic medicine by looking into the fast developing field of smart implants - here comes the SmILE project.
Musculoskeletal diseases like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis affect millions worldwide, yet barely register on our health radar. These conditions might not kill you, but they can devastate quality of life. That's why Dr. Grimm and Prof. Schulz would like to develop new smart implants which can help monitor and manage such diseases also creating a accessible database which can be used across the EU.
But Dr. Grimm and Prof. Schulz also work on many other projects - listen to this episode to find out more!
USEFUL LINKS
More about SmILE project - https://www.horizon-smile.eu/
LIH - https://www.lih.lu/en/
Fraunhofer IMTE - https://www.imte.fraunhofer.de/en.html
In this SciLux episode, we speak about science communication with Professor Mike S. Schäfer, Head of the Department of Communication and Media Research at the University of Zurich. We examine the role of intermediaries between researchers and audiences and discuss the difficulties scientists face when explaining their work.
Mike addresses the need to understand different audiences, and strategies for engaging people who don't go looking for scientific content. We cover changes in science journalism, AI's impact on communication, and the growing importance of countering misinformation.
USEFUL LINKS
More about Prof. Mike S. Schäfer - https://www.ikmz.uzh.ch/en/research/divisions/science-crisis-and-risk-communication/team/mike-s-schaefer.html
JCOM special issue - Science Communication in the Age of Artificial Intelligence - https://jcom.sissa.it/collections/129/
Amplifying Research with Chris Pahlow - https://www.amplifyingresearch.com/podcast/33-mike-schafer
"Co-Intelligence" by Ethan Mollick - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198678736-co-intelligence
History isn't just what happened - it's who gets to tell the story. In this episode, we sit down with public history researcher Dr. Joëlla van Donkersgoed (C2DH, University of Luxembourg) to explore how communities are reclaiming their narratives and reshaping our understanding of the past.
From the streets of Esch-sur-Alzette to the remote Banda Islands of Indonesia, Joëlla's work reveals how traditional historical methods often miss crucial perspectives. She breaks down the real challenges of public history: building trust with communities, sharing authority over historical narratives, and creating platforms that actually last beyond academic projects. Through her Historesch Gesinn project and other initiatives, Joëlla demonstrates how sustainable community engagement can transform historical research from a top-down academic exercise into a collaborative exploration.
USEFUL LINKS
Historesch Gesinn - https://historesch.lu/
More about Joëlla - https://www.c2dh.uni.lu/de/people/joella-van-donkersgoed
More about C2DH https://www.c2dh.uni.lu/
More about Hikayat Lonthoir - https://www.hetscheepvaartmuseum.com/whats-on/exhibitions/manuscript
The Knowledge: How to Rebuild Our World from Scratch by Lewis Dartnell - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18114087-the-knowledge
Prof. Takis Tridimas: "Europe for me is a set of values. It's about democracy. It's about putting the citizen at the centre of society."
As we celebrated Europe Day last week, we took the time to revisit the concept of Europe and talk about EU Law with Prof. Takis Tridimas, the founding director of the Luxembourg Centre for European Law at the University of Luxembourg. With Prof. Tridimas we looked closer at the significance of the European Court of Justice, the protection of fundamental rights, and the evolving challenges faced by the EU. Don't miss this engaging discussion that sheds light on the importance of legal systems in our daily lives.
USEFUL LINKS
Luxembourg Centre for European Law - https://www.uni.lu/lcel-en/
More about Prof. Takis Tridimas - https://www.uni.lu/lcel-en/people/panagiotis-tridimas/
The General Principles of EU Law - https://academic.oup.com/book/50587
More about ECJ - https://curia.europa.eu/jcms/jcms/j_6/en/
Let's change the way we learn foreign languages! In our latest episode, Dr. Kateřina Chládková (assistant professor at Faculty of Arts, Charles University and a senior scientist at Institute of Psychology, Czech Academy of Sciences) upends conventional wisdom about language learning.
Babies don't use flashcards or grammar drills—they absorb language through immersion in their linguistic environment. Dr. Chládková's research suggests adults retain these innate mechanisms but rarely access them. Instead of focusing on isolated vocabulary lists and grammar rules, adults should aim to ‘soak up’ the language around them, much like babies do.
Dr. Chládková proposes reconnecting with our instinctive learning capabilities by focusing on rhythm and context over isolated components. This approach mirrors how infants develop fluency—through pattern recognition rather than conscious analysis.
USEFUL LINKS
More about Dr. Kateřina Chládková: https://psu.cas.cz/en/people/cv/chladkova/index.html
Article on The Conversation co-authored by Dr. Chládková: https://theconversation.com/how-to-learn-a-language-like-a-baby-250551
The Mooveez app: https://www.mooveez.com/
In a world where traditional economic systems are being challenged, the concept of local currencies is gaining traction as a powerful tool for community empowerment and social innovation. In the latest episode of the podcast, host Hanna Siemaszko welcomes Dr. Gilles Evrard Essuman, a research associate at LISER specializing in social innovation and community economies. Their engaging conversation focuses on the intricacies of local currencies, participatory action research, and the transformative potential of grassroots movements.
Do you know how many local currencies there are in Europe and which country leads the way? Listen to the pub quiz segment to find out.
USEFUL LINKS
More about Dr. Gilles Evrard Essuman - https://liser.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/gilles-evrard-essuman
Interview with Dr. Gilles Evrard Essuman on the Research Luxembourg page - https://www.researchluxembourg.org/en/in-conversation-with-our-young-researchers-gilles-evrard-essuman/
La Doume - https://doume.org/
Le Biau Jardin - https://www.lebiaujardin.org/
Social Business Incubator - https://socialbusinessincubator.lu/en/home/
BEKI - https://www.beki.lu/
iNaturalist - https://www.inaturalist.org
More about the REGEN project - https://www.schroeder.lu/fr/a-propos/actualites/pour-une-energie-urbaine-renouvelable
With the advent of quantum computers, traditional cryptographic methods face unprecedented threats. In the latest episode of our podcast, we invited two guests from the Applied Security and Information Assurance (APSIA) Group at SnT (University of Luxembourg to discuss it: Prof. Peter Ryan and Dr. Peter Roenne.
Listeners will discover how quantum key distribution (QKD) works (or as Prof. Ryan calls it: quantum key establishment), leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics to create secure communication channels. The conversation also touches on the engineering challenges involved in implementing these technologies, particularly as we move toward a future where quantum computers may become a reality.
USEFUL LINKS
APSIA group - https://www.uni.lu/snt-en/research-groups/apsia/
Quantum algorithm article on Quanta Magazine Hanna mentioned - https://www.quantamagazine.org/quantum-speedup-found-for-huge-class-of-hard-problems-20250317/
Prof. Peter Ryan's publications - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=k2Uy_t4AAAAJ&hl=en
More about Dr. Peter Roenne - https://sites.google.com/site/peterroenne/
No-cloning theorem - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/No-cloning_theorem
This week we enter the Quantum Day celebrations starting with an episode with Professor Ignacio Cirac, a distinguished theoretical physicist and director at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics.
Professor Cirac begins by addressing a common sentiment surrounding quantum physics: fear and confusion. He emphasises that the threshold for understanding these concepts is surprisingly low, and with the right explanations, anyone can grasp the fundamentals. This is particularly important as we navigate the intricate world of quantum computers, which, although not fully realised yet, promise to solve problems far beyond the capabilities of classical computers.
One of the key concepts discussed is the notion of qubits, the building blocks of quantum computing. Unlike traditional bits, which can exist in a state of 0 or 1, qubits can inhabit multiple states simultaneously, thanks to the principle of superposition. This unique property allows quantum computers to perform calculations at unprecedented speeds.
The conversation also touches upon the critical issue of error correction in quantum computing. As quantum systems are inherently delicate, errors can easily arise during calculations. Professor Cirac explains the advancements in error correction methods that have been made in recent years, highlighting the balance between correcting errors and not introducing new ones.
As the episode progresses, listeners learn about the various applications of quantum computing, from cryptography to optimisation problems in industries such as logistics and material science. Professor Cirac expresses his excitement about the potential for quantum computers to simulate complex physical systems, which could lead to breakthroughs in science and technology.
The episode also contains a thought-provoking pub quiz question: how many qubits would be required for a quantum computer to crack modern encryption methods? Listen to it all to find out!
USEFUL LINKS
Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics - https://www.mpq.mpg.de/en
Prof. Ignacio Cirac on Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=gPGlTbgAAAAJ&hl=en
Prof Ignacio Cirac - Video Portrait - https://youtu.be/c8RmEDH4cDg?feature=shared
Join us as together with Prof. Carole Linster (LCSB) and Prof. Rafael Fernandez Chacon (IBIS) we explore rare metabolic diseases and the innovative research happening between Luxembourg and Seville. Carole and Rafael talk about their focus on rare diseases categorised under a disorder known as Batten disease or neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCLs). We also have a chance to compare different models employing mice and zebrafish.
Last but not least, one of the key takeaways of this episode is the importance of fundamental research - which is something we always love discussing.
USEFUL LINKS
Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB) - https://www.uni.lu/lcsb-en/
Enzymology & Metabolism Group led by Prof. Carole Linster - https://www.uni.lu/lcsb-en/research-groups/enzymology-metabolism/
IBiS - https://www.ibis-sevilla.es/en/
Molecular Physiology of the Synapse at IBiS - https://www.ibis-sevilla.es/en/research/neurosciences/molecular-physiology-of-the-synapse/members/
If you're curious about the complexities of cognitive psychology and want to learn more about how we perceive numbers and deal with maths anxiety, this episode with Dr. Mila Marinova from University of Luxembourg is a must-listen.
One of the key points discussed was the prevalent issue of maths anxiety, which affects many individuals and often leads to a fear of mathematical tasks. Mila highlighted that maths anxiety is distinct from general anxiety and can significantly hinder one's performance in mathematics.
We also explored the impact of language on learning, especially in a multilingual context like Luxembourg. Mila noted that language proficiency is crucial for mastering mathematical concepts, as many students struggle when they are not fluent in the language of instruction. This is particularly relevant for children who are learning to count and understand numbers, as their grasp of these concepts can be influenced by their linguistic abilities.
As Mila is also an experienced science communicator, we talked in general about cognitive psychology and the inspirations for her posts on Instagram. Make sure you have time to listen to this amazing episode!
USEFUL LINKS
Mila's Instagram account: https://www.instagram.com/dr.mila.marinova/
Mila's Website: https://milamarinova.com/
David Eagleman's "Livewired" - https://eagleman.com/books/livewired/
Paper about GenAi and counting - https://arxiv.org/abs/2402.03328
Department of Behavioural and Cognitive Sciences at the University of Luxembourg - https://www.uni.lu/fhse-en/research-departments/department-of-behavioural-and-cognitive-sciences/
"If you have no specification of what the program should be doing, you have no errors, you only have surprises," that's one of the things we learnt from our latest guest, Prof. Andreas Zeller, tenured faculty at CISPA and professor for Software Engineering at Saarland University. It was great to revisit software engineering in more depth, focusing on testing and fuzzing and not forgetting the importance of documentation in programming.
A must-listen for everyone! Prof. Andreas Zeller's expertise and engaging storytelling make for an enlightening experience that will leave you with a deeper understanding of the intricacies of software development.
USEFUL LINKS
More about Prof. Andreas Zeller - https://cispa.de/en/people/zeller
CISPA - https://www.cispa.saarland
Saarland University - https://saarland-informatics-campus.de/en/
Our latest guest, Prof. Jan Lagerwall from University of Luxembourg, knew how to catch our interest - he brought some samples to the studio. So this episode is not only a discussion about soft matter physics and liquid crystals, but Hanna is also challenged to describe what she sees. And you wouldn’t believe how many applications liquid crystals and liquid crystal rubbers can have. What an episode!
USEFUL LINKS
See the samples for yourself - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpnPRmMWKB8
ESMP - Experimental Soft Matter Physics Group - https://www.lcsoftmatter.com/
Jan Lagerwall's Website - https://www.janlagerwall.eu/
Trace Crystal - https://tracecrystal.com/
More about Jan's research - https://www.fnr.lu/research-with-impact-fnr-highlight/25-examples-of-research-with-impact-innovation-beyond-solid-liquid-or-gas/
Cover photo taken by Dr. Yong Geng.
In the third episode of this month, we re-explore the world of lunar resource utilization with Timon Schild, a PhD student at the European Space Resources Innovation Center (ESRIC). Join us as Timon unpacks the concept of In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) and its implications for future lunar missions.
Timon shares insights on lunar regolith—what it is, how it forms, and the unique challenges it presents for exploration and extraction. We also discuss cutting-edge technologies like molten salt electrolysis that could enable us to extract oxygen and metals directly from lunar material.
USEFUL LINKS
ESRIC - https://www.esric.lu/
Space Resources Week 2025 - https://www.spaceresourcesweek.lu/
More about Timon Schild - https://www.list.lu/en/news/spotlight-on-phd-student-timon-schild-eyes-on-the-moon-and-feet-on-the-ground/?no_cache=1&cHash=1eeb39a62b3a2d51ccc7f97d41a753ab
Take-Off Show Episode about Space - https://youtu.be/O5keQCzCJ8w?si=QA-E69iZcrT_LrXN
In this week's episode, we talked to Professor Charles Spence, head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at the University of Oxford. Known for his innovative research on how our senses interact to shape our experiences, Professor Spence shares fascinating insights into the psychology of taste and smell.
Join us as we explore the implications of this research for food design, the ethics of sensory manipulation, and the future of dining experiences. From the impact of cutlery weight to the role of sensory overload in our modern lives, this episode is a rich tapestry of science, curiosity, and culinary delight.
USEFUL LINKS:
The Crossmodal Research Laboratory at the University of Oxford - https://www.futureoffood.ox.ac.uk/article/crossmodal-research-laboratory
More about Prof. Charles Spence - https://www.psy.ox.ac.uk/people/charles-spence
Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating by Charles Spence - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/32970441-gastrophysics
Senshacking by Charles Spence - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/42184219-sensehacking
And what if we looked closer at our hair?
In our latest episode, our guest is Prof. Brice Appenzeller, head of the Human Biomonitoring Research Unit at the Luxembourg Institute of Health. After reminding our listeners what exposome is, Brice elaborates on the various agents we may be exposed to, including physical, microbiological, and chemical pollutants. He emphasizes that while we often hear about individual pollutants, the reality is that we are exposed to a complex mixture of chemicals on a daily basis. This multifaceted exposure can significantly impact our health, making it crucial for us to understand and monitor these interactions.
One of the key methods Brice discusses is biomonitoring, which involves analyzing biological samples—such as urine, blood, and hair—to detect the presence of chemicals or their by-products. Hair samples, in particular, offer a fascinating insight into long-term exposure and can reveal compounds that may not be detectable in other types of samples. And this is Brice's specialisation.
USEFUL LINKS
Brice Appenzeller on LIH Website - https://researchportal.lih.lu/en/persons/brice-appenzeller/projects/
Society of Hair Testing - https://www.soht.org/
RELATED EPISODES:
-
Interview with Prof. Emma Schymanski: https://www.scilux.eu/episodes/unknown-chemicals
-
Interview with Dr. Dagny Aurich: https://www.scilux.eu/episodes/exposomics
-
Interview with Dr. Guy Fagherazzi: https://www.scilux.eu/episodes/colive-voice
The episode cover is designed using a graphic downloaded from vecteezy.com
In this episode learn more about environmental engineering from Dr. Silvia Venditti, an expert in nature-based solutions for water treatment. With a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London, Silvia is currently working at the University of Luxembourg, focusing on the removal of micropollutants from wastewater.
Silvia explains how nature-based solutions mimic natural processes to restore ecosystems, offering low-cost, resilient alternatives to traditional high-tech methods. Discover the challenges and innovations in using constructed wetlands to tackle micropollutants and the potential for creating valuable resources from waste.
Silvia also shares insights into her projects aiming to integrate nature-based solutions in urban areas and address stormwater runoff.
USEFUL LINKS
Silvia Venditti's research - https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Silvia-Venditti
More about nature-based solutions - https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/research-area/environment/nature-based-solutions_en
EmiSûre project - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duH7tUYrXB8
Constructed wetlands - FNR Highlights: https://www.fnr.lu/research-with-impact-fnr-highlight/spotlight-on-young-researchers-constructed-wetlands-a-new-approach-to-treating-wastewater/
Amazing Polish book about water - https://wydawnictwopoznanskie.pl/produkt/woda-historia-pewnego-porwania-seria-reporterska-wydawnictwa-poznanskiego/
Buckle up and embark on a journey beyond our solar system with the latest episode featuring Professor Christiane Helling, director of the Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and a professor at Graz University of Technology. With a focus on exoplanets and cloud formation, Professor Helling offers a glimpse into the fascinating field of space science.
This episode is not just a scientific discourse; it's a celebration of human curiosity and the relentless pursuit of knowledge - and as Prof. Helling puts it, it's a community effort.
USEFUL LINKS
Austrian Academy of Sciences - https://www.oeaw.ac.at/en
Graz University of Technology - https://www.tugraz.at/en/home/
SuperWASP telescope - https://www.superwasp.org/
TESS mission - https://science.nasa.gov/mission/tess
CHEOPS mission - https://cheops.unibe.ch/
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) - https://science.nasa.gov/mission/webb/
Join us as we talk with Professor Massimo Morelli, whose research spans economics, politics, and law. Having worked at top universities and now researching at LISER, he explains how trust shapes our economy and politics.
He breaks down two types of trust: trust between people and businesses (horizontal), and trust in our institutions (vertical). Both are key to how well countries and markets work.
We then discuss why populism is growing and how it affects the economy. Morelli explains that populist leaders win support by making straightforward promises, like protecting local jobs, even if these solutions oversimplify complex problems.
The discussion also extends to the European Union, where Professor Morelli sees opportunities for rebuilding trust through global and European policies that address common challenges, such as unemployment insurance and tax reforms.
USEFUL LINKS
Massimo Morelli's Website: https://massimomorelli.eu/
Massimo Morelli on TedX: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WBkoXabxsxQ&pp=ygUPbWFzc2ltbyBtb3JlbGxp
Lecture at the University of Auckland: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luAUTYFYHc8
From Weber to Kafka: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3OulhWPno_8
Step into the world of small states and islands with Professor Godfrey Baldacchino (University of Malta), Malta's first thematic ambassador for islands and small states. In our latest podcast episode, we unravel the complex tapestry of smallness, exploring how seemingly minor entities can wield significant influence on the global stage.
Listen now to gain a deeper understanding of the unique challenges and opportunities faced by small states and islands. It is really worth letting Prof. Baldacchino be your guide.
USEFUL LINKS
About Godfrey Baldacchino - https://www.um.edu.mt/profile/godfreybaldacchino
University of Malta - https://www.um.edu.mt/
Godfrey Baldacchino on Smallness - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6--l2FLAOCk&t=179s
Alliance of Small Island States - https://www.aosis.org/
In this captivating episode of SciLux, we visit the digital history realm with Professor Valérie Schafer, a leading researcher in Contemporary European History at the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C2DH). Professor Schafer guides us through the concept of born digital heritage, uncovering the layers of web archives and their significance in preserving our digital past.
We also explore the dynamic world of online virality, discussing the unpredictable yet impactful nature of viral phenomena. From the early days of the Internet to the rise of memes, discover how digital culture has evolved and continues to shape our online interactions. Also learn about the role of emotions in virality and journey through the history of CD-ROMs, Prof. Schafer's next project.
USEFUL LINKS (more links on our Website):
Prof. Schafer on C2DH Website: https://www.c2dh.uni.lu/people/valerie-schafer
Wayback Machine - http://web.archive.org/
C2DH Podcast with Valerie and Niels Bruger - https://open.spotify.com/episode/6dYIHFp8qfdofgvMAwXdxy?si=HbsQv1hxQ3ywlWqTbDoluA
HIVI project - https://hivi.uni.lu/
Online Virality publication - https://www.degruyter.com/document/doi/10.1515/9783111311371/html
Know your Meme - https://knowyourmeme.com/
Minitel - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Minitel
(Dist)dances : an anthropology of dance on the Internet: "(Dist)danses: une anthropologie des danses sur internet" - Sous la direction de Elina Djebbari, Mahalia Lassibille et Laura Stei: https://journals.openedition.org/emulations/1770
We're coming back to the topic of space thanks to the winner of this year's Luxembourg Science Slam, Citlali Bruce Rosete, PhD student at the Space Systems Engineering Research Group of SnT, University of Luxembourg.
We explore the intricacies of space technology, discussing the challenges and innovations in satellite design, the importance of sustainability in space, and the potential of swarms of satellites in distributed beamforming missions.
From the excitement of winning the Science Slam to the technical details of satellite orbits and propulsion systems, Citlali provides a comprehensive overview of the field. We also touch on the regulatory aspects of launching satellites and the future possibilities for these tiny marvels in space exploration and research.
Podcast Cover Photo Credit: The POQUITO Team
USEFUL LINKS
SnT - https://www.uni.lu/snt-en/
Luxembourg Science Slam - https://scienceslam.uni.lu/
AstriaGraph (University of Texas) - visualisation of objects around the Earth: http://astria.tacc.utexas.edu/AstriaGraph/
AlbaOrbital - https://www.albaorbital.com/
In this episode of SciLux, we visit the world of evolutionary biology with Dr. Kalina Kapralova from the University of Iceland. Dr. Kapralova studies Arctic charr in the unique environment of Iceland's lakes and together we explore the intricacies of evolutionary biology, discussing adaptive divergence, parallel evolution, and the process of speciation. Dr. Kapralova also sheds light on the impact of climate change on salmonid species and the potential for adaptation in the face of rapidly changing environments. A fully charged episode!
USEFUL LINKS
University of Iceland - https://www.hi.is/en
Dr. Kapralova's work - https://scholar.google.is/citations?user=I_PzR8UAAAAJ&hl=en
A short documentary about the arctic charr mating behaviour in Lake Thingvallavatn, Iceland by Edite Fiskoviča et al.- https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=xW3VS73PJSw
On this episode of SciLux, we sit down with Dr. Alexandros Gerakis, a Senior Research and Technology Associate at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and an Adjunct Professor at Texas A&M University. Dr. Gerakis shares his fascinating journey from studying optical lattices during his PhD at University College London to his current work pioneering laser diagnostics for neutral gas flows and plasma research.
We explore various applications of lasers, including their use in diagnostics and the manipulation of matter. We also discuss the potential of plasma in fields like nanofabrication and fusion energy.
USEFUL LINKS
Alexandros Gerakis's Publications - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=dmHz_DEAAAAJ&hl=en
LIST - https://www.list.lu/
Texas A&M University, Department of Aerospace Engineering
https://engineering.tamu.edu/aerospace/index.html
Princeton Plasma Physics Lab
https://www.pppl.gov/
Dr. Evil about laser - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=voSpOrimkMY
A Beautiful Mind (Film)
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0268978/
CERN
https://home.cern/
It was refreshing to chat to Dr. Carlos Vega, Research Engineer at the Luxembourg Institute of Health and a teacher at the University of Luxembourg. Carlos, who recently distinguished himself in the science.lu Science Writing competition, is a very good communicator. In this episode we explore the practical challenges of data collection, processing, and visualisation, highlighting the pitfalls and ethical considerations that accompany the use of data in scientific research.
Carlos uses vivid analogies, such as the omelette analogy from his award-winning article, to illustrate complex concepts in a relatable manner. The conversation also touches on the role of inductive reasoning and the potential for errors in data interpretation.
This episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the intersection of data science, ethics, and technology.
Today we embark on a new journey exploring European researchers and their contributions to science and society. Our first European guest, Tina de Gendt, a public historian, curator, writer and journalist recently received the European Heritage Europa Nostra Award for the Square Kilometre Project coordinated and funded by STAM Ghent City Museum and the Ghent Heritage Cell.
Tina shares her insights on the concept of public history, a field dedicated to involving the public in the historical narrative. She discusses the challenges and rewards of engaging with diverse communities, the importance of negotiating narratives, and the ethical principles guiding her work. Discover how Tina's unique approach as a freelance historian allows her to bridge the gap between institutional history and the lived experiences of people in super-diverse urban neighbourhoods.
We also explore Tina's innovative projects, such as the Square Kilometre Project, and her work as a historian in residence, where she collaborates with local communities to uncover hidden histories and bring them to life through exhibitions, podcasts, and more. Learn how these initiatives foster a deeper understanding of migration, urban transformation, and the past that connects us all.
USEFUL LINKS
Tina de Gendt: https://sites.google.com/view/tinadegendt/homepage
STAM Ghent City Museum: https://stamgent.be/en
Square Kilometre Project: https://stamgent.be/en/thesquarekilometre
European Heritage Awards: https://www.europeanheritageawards.eu/winners/the-square-kilometre/
About the 'Turkey on the Lys' book: https://www.journalismfund.eu/supported-projects/turkish-people-belgium
Master in Digital and Public History at the University of Luxembourg: https://www.uni.lu/fhse-en/study-programs/master-in-digital-and-public-history/
In this episode of SciLux, we talk about mitochondrial biology with Professor Anne Grünewald, a neuroscientist at the LCSB (Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine), University of Luxembourg. We explore the intricate role of mitochondria and their significance in energy production and cellular processes. Professor Grünewald shares her journey from biotechnology to neuroscience, highlighting the pivotal influence of inspiring educators and the dynamic nature of scientific exploration.
The conversation navigates through the complexities of mitochondrial function, their genetic components, and the implications of mitochondrial dysfunction in neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson's. We discuss the potential of mitochondrial research in understanding and possibly predicting the onset of Parkinson's disease, along with the challenges and opportunities in translating genetic insights into therapeutic strategies.
USEFUL LINKS
LCSB (Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine) - https://www.uni.lu/lcsb
University of Luxembourg - https://wwwen.uni.lu/
Anne Grunewald, the ATTRACT Fellow - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8GLm4nzgcrU&pp=ygUOYW5uZSBncnVuZXdhbGQ%3D
ATTRACT Fellowship of FNR - https://www.fnr.lu/funding-instruments/attract/
More about Professor Yamanaka - https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/medicine/2012/yamanaka/facts/
Related SciLux episodes:
- Episode with Prof. Emma Schymanski - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1412332/episodes/10331298
- Episode with Dr. Ibrahim Boussad - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1412332/episodes/11616471
In this episode of SciLux, we talk about digital twins with Dr. German Castignani, AI and Data Analytics Platform Leader at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST). Dr. Castignani, who also manages the Digital Twin Innovation Centre, shares his insights on the practical applications and potential of digital twins, vehicular technologies, and predictive modelling for energy and mobility systems. Additionally, we touch upon the evolution of mobility data analytics, the journey of founding Motion-S, and the future of AI adoption in industry.
Don't miss the pub quiz question on the limits of digital twins and find out the answer as usual at the end of the episode!
USEFUL LINKS
German Castignani on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gercastignani/
German Castignani on Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.fr/citations?user=iq_ttaUAAAAJ&hl=fr
LIST: https://www.list.lu/
In this SciLux Original we go behind the scenes of the other science podcast – you guessed it right, Hanna talked to Max Kasel from Mäin Element. Discover how he navigates interviews with scientists, his approach to making science accessible and entertaining, and the importance of highlighting the personal stories behind scientific achievements.
Max and Hanna discuss the challenges and rewards of interviewing both introverted and extroverted guests and the art of storytelling in science communication. Plus, we explore the impact of mentors in academia and the intricate balance of preparing for interviews while staying open to spontaneous discoveries.
USEFUL LINKS
Mäin Element - https://open.spotify.com/show/2qnjCT9xVWtZ9MqavnkjmQ
The Lëtzebuerger Journal - https://journal.lu/en
In this episode of SciLux, we have a closer look at lunar water with Dr. Veneranda López Días from the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST). We explore the parallels between the water cycles on Earth and the Moon, the various forms in which water exists on the lunar surface, and the scientific methods used to detect and analyse it.
Discover the intriguing theories about how water migrates on the Moon, the potential for future lunar missions, and the technological advancements required to extract and utilise this precious resource. From thermal extraction techniques to the challenges of conducting in situ analysis, this episode offers a comprehensive look at the current state of lunar water research and its implications for future space exploration.
USEFUL LINKS
About Dr. Veneranda López Días on Research Gate: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Veneranda-Lopez-Dias
Dr. López Días on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/veneranda-l%C3%B3pez-d%C3%ADas-b4b26b96/
PITMS: https://nssdc.gsfc.nasa.gov/nmc/experiment/display.action?id=PEREGRN-1-05
PROSPECT mission: https://www.esa.int/ESA_Multimedia/Images/2020/10/What_is_Prospect
SciLux Related Episodes:
- Solar Panels with Philip Dale: https://scilux.buzzsprout.com/1412332/episodes/15464113-season-4-episode-23-solar-panels
- Mass Spectrometry and Unknown Chemicals with Emma Schymanski: https://scilux.buzzsprout.com/1412332/episodes/10331298-episode-18-prof-dr-emma-schymanski-lcsb-unknown-chemicals
Stay tuned for more exciting episodes. Subscribe to SciLux and follow us for the latest updates.
In today's episode of Scilux, we look at music performance and education in Luxembourg. Joined by Eva Klein from In Tune (the Philharmonie Luxembourg podcast) and our guest, Luc Nijs, Associate Professor in early childhood music education, we explore the intersection of technology and traditional music practices. Discover the importance of physical preparation for musicians and the fascinating ways in which digital tools and wearable devices can change the musical landscape and feed creativity.
USEFUL LINKS
In Tune podcast - https://play.rtl.lu/shows/en/in-tune-philharmonie/episodes
More about Luc Nijs - https://www.lucnijs.be
More about the IAS Audacity projects - https://www.uni.lu/research-en/ias/funded-projects/audacity/
Time to learn more about solar energy with an exceptional guide: Professor Phillip Dale, Head of the Laboratory for Energy Materials at the University of Luxembourg. Discover the photovoltaic technology, from the basics of solar cells to advanced research on tandem solar cells and light concentration methods. Philip explains the science behind solar energy in an engaging and accessible manner, making complex concepts easy to grasp.
Moreover, this episodes also gives you a chance to explore the challenges of social acceptance of solar panels and the innovative efforts to integrate them into urban landscapes seamlessly. Learn about the exciting collaboration with Professor Catherine Jones to assess public opinion on coloured and patterned photovoltaic panels.
USEFUL LINKS
Professor Philip Dale: https://www.uni.lu/fstm-en/people/phillip-dale/
The lab: https://pace.uni.lu/phillip-dale/
Participate in the survey: https://solarzukunft.uni.lu/
This time we look at European and comparative labour law with Luca Ratti, Associate Professor at the University of Luxembourg. Luca shares his journey of making labour law engaging for students and discusses his research on minimum wages and European social citizenship. Additionally, Luca provides insights into the right to disconnect, a topic that has gained prominence in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.
SHOW NOTES
About Luca Ratti: https://www.uni.lu/fdef-en/people/luca-ratti/
Students about Luca Ratti: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8tMNQQ5YDH8
Guiding Principles on Implementing Workers' Right to Disconnect: https://www.europeanlawinstitute.eu/projects-publications/publications/eli-guiding-principles-on-implementing-workers-right-to-disconnect/
European Law Institute: https://www.europeanlawinstitute.eu
Directive 2022 on Adequate Minimum Wages:
https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX%3A32022L2041
Many factors can influence the way we feel the passage of time. And it seems we can also alter it using extended reality. Listen to Dr. Jean Botev and Sahar Niknam (University of Luxembourg) and Prof. Argiro Vatakis (Panteion University of Social and Political Sciences), the researchers who are developing VR/AR solutions to change our time perception. In this episode you will even get some tips on how to speed up or slow down your time perception - look for the answer to the pub quiz question.
SHOW NOTES
About the ChronoPilot project: https://www.chronopilot.eu/
VR/AR Lab at the University of Luxembourg: https://vrarlab.uni.lu/
About Prof. Argiro Vatakis and her lab: https://argirovatakis.com
More about FET Open projects: https://cordis.europa.eu/programme/id/H2020-EU.1.2.1.
In our recent discussions with physicists we have often ended up discussing beauty. Wikipedia says that beauty is a feature that makes objects pleasurable to perceive. And what does prof. Alex Tkatchenko think?
Prof. Alex Tkatchenko (University of Luxembourg), who is a chemical physicist, not only took the time to tell us what is beautiful in physics and chemistry, but also focused on his research interests such as dark energy, drug development and protein folding. A truly enjoyable episode for people who like science!
USEFUL LINKS
About Alex Tkatchenko - https://www.uni.lu/fstm-en/people/alexandre-tkatchenko/
Theoretical Chemical Group at the University of Luxembourg - https://www.uni.lu/fstm-en/research-groups/theoretical-chemical-physics/
In this episode of SciLux, we talk about climate science and policy with Dr. Andrew Ferrone, a physical climatologist and the head of the Meteorological Department at the Administration of Technical Agricultural Services in Luxembourg. Andrew shares his expertise and insights into the evolving field of climatology, the significant role of greenhouse gases, and the critical importance of reaching net-zero CO2 emissions to stabilise our climate.
We explore the profound changes in climatology over the years and the increasing involvement of various disciplines in climate studies. Andrew also discusses the dramatic increase in extreme weather events and their attribution to climate change, highlighting recent examples such as the flooding in Dubai and Luxembourg.
USEFUL LINKS
Andrew Ferrone’s LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrewferrone
World Meteorological Organisation: https://public.wmo.int/en
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change: https://www.ipcc.ch/
European State of the Climate Report: https://climate.copernicus.eu/ESOTC
Here's interdisciplinarity at its best - combining experitise in allergies and oncology we get a novel and special look at the interesting link between cancer cell growth and allergies. Listen to our guests, Dr. Aurelie Poli (LIH) and Dr. Heather Bax (King's College London) as they explain the bases of the field also touching upon new developments in the field of IgE antibodies.
SHOW NOTES
About Aurélie Poli's work - https://researchportal.lih.lu/en/persons/aur%C3%A9lie-poli
AllergoOncology Working Group - https://eaaci.org/working-group/allergooncology/
About Heather Bax - https://www.kcl.ac.uk/people/heather-bax
More about MOv18 IgE - https://epsilogen.com/mov18-ige/
Sometimes science is about going very deep, but it pays off to also cross disciplines and try to apply your knowledge to other fields - this is exactly what my guests try to do in their statistical research. Listen to Prof. Masanobu Taniguichi and Sophia Loizidou as they explain complex statistical concepts, but also take the time to clarify what for example distribution is.
USEFUL LINKS
About Prof. Taniguchi - https://w-rdb.waseda.jp/html/100000713_en.html
Prof. Taniguchi's lecture at the Luxembourg - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKgOocsQUUw
Team MIDAS - https://math.uni.lu/midas/
About Sophia Loizidou - https://math.uni.lu/midas/people/dp/?sophialoizidou
It is time to design policies that will combat poverty without relying on economic growth. In the latest episode, two experts in child poverty, Dr. Anne-Catherine Guio (LISER) and Prof. Olivier De Schutter (Université catholique de Louvain) have shared their findings.
Olivier De Schutter is also UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty and Human Rights and together with Anne-Catherine, Eric Marlier and Hugh Fraser he co-authored a book called ‘Escape from Poverty: Breaking the Vicious Cycles Perpetuating Disadvantage’.
USEFUL LINKS
"Escape from Poverty: Breaking the Vicious Cycles Perpetuating Disadvantage" - https://policy.bristoluniversitypress.co.uk/the-escape-from-poverty
Olivier De Schutter - Report on non-take-up of rights: https://www.srpoverty.org/ntu/
Conference "The lives of people in precarious situations in Luxembourg and the use of aid": https://www.liser.lu/?type=news&id=2450
Chambre Des Députés conference "Challenges of the youth in Luxembourg" https://www.chd.lu/en/conference_youth
In oncology the treatment is very diversified right now – there’s surgery, chemotherapy, radiology, but also immunotherapy and targeted therapy. In this episode of SciLux we focus on the last two combined with some studies on gut microbiome and going back to genetics 101. Our guests, Patrick Dang who is Resident in oncology at CHL and doctoral student at LCSB/University of Luxembourg and Michael Dang, Resident in Oncology - Translational Medical Oncology at NCT Heidelberg are very good at explaining basics of their fields so you can count on an episode full of knowledge presented in a very approachable way.
SHOW NOTES
CHL - https://www.chl.lu/fr
LCSB - https://www.uni.lu/lcsb-en/
NCT Heidelberg - https://www.nct-heidelberg.de/en/index.html
More about Patrick's research project - https://www.cancer.lu/fr/projet-de-recherche-ImMi-Tx
The Bright Foundation co-founded by Patrick - https://brightfoundation.eu/
Talking to Dr. Dagny Aurich from Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine (LCSB, University of Luxembourg) turned to be a brilliant travel through many of our previous episodes and we referred a lot to our discussion about unknown chemicals with Prof. Emma Schymanski, Dagny's supervisor.
Dagny, who looked into historical exposomics with C2DH researchers through the IAS-funded Luxembourg Time Machine project, currently focuses more on cheminformatics tools. Prepare for a discussion about all of the above and quite a lot on interdisciplinary approach!
USEFUL LINKS
LCSB - https://www.uni.lu/lcsb-en/
Luxembourg Time Machine - https://luxtimemachine.uni.lu/
EU Time Machine - https://cordis.europa.eu/project/id/820323
PubChem - https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/
Chemical Stripes - https://gitlab.lcsb.uni.lu/eci/chemicalstripes
SciLux Episodes related to this one:
Prof. Emma Schymanski on Unknown Chemicals - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1412332/10331298
Aida Horaniet Ibanez on Data Visualisation - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1412332/10172586
Dr. Archibold Mposhi on Epigenetics - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1412332/14549769
The invention of heat engines has played a key role in human evolution and this is the starting point for our discussion about thermodynamics with our guests, Prof. Massimiliano Esposito (University of Luxembourg) and Dr. Emanuele Penocchio (Northwestern University). Emanuele is currently working in the intersection between chemistry and physics - studying chemical motors - which we also discuss in this episode. Obviously, two guests also mean two pub quiz questions!
SHOW NOTES
Massimiliano Esposito on Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=UTezPWgAAAAJ&hl=en
Emanuele Penocchio on Google Scholar - https://scholar.google.it/citations?user=w0buCtcAAAAJ&hl=it
Rolf Tarrach Prize - https://www.uni.lu/en/news/rolf-tarrach-prize-2023-for-physicist-dr-emanuele-penocchio/
Video about Emanuele's PhD - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kU0820ENNuo
University of Luxembourg - https://www.uni.lu/en/
Northwestern University - https://www.northwestern.edu/
If you want estimate the expected impact of a policy intervention, for example a modification of a tax rate, you can use microsimulations. Microsimulations can inform decision makers on the possible effects of their policies on individual households and support them in evidence-based decision making.
Get to know more about them from our guest, an expert in microsimulations, Dr. Denisa M. Sologon
(Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER)).
This episode felt a little like going back to school as Dr. Archibold Mposhi from LIH was nice enough to first explain very basic genetics and only then moved to his specialisation, epigenetics - the study of the influence of environment and behaviours on genes. So much going on in the field that we did not know about!
SHOW NOTES
About Archibold's research: https://researchportal.lih.lu/en/persons/archibold-mposhi
LIH Website: https://www.lih.lu/en/
Video about Archibold's mentor, Jonathan Turner: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PqT2BOB7jOI
Sustainability seems to be discussed in all areas of our lives nowadays. But what does it actually mean for a materials engineer? And most importantly, how can we convince the consumers to buy sustainable materials not only because they are better for the environment, but because these materials are simply pleasing to the eye and nice to touch?
In this episode we had a chance to talk to Dr. Tim Huber (LIST) about his multi-disciplinary approach to designing sustainable materials. Tim, who also has extensive experience of teaching design students, is currently trying to convince more people about the necessary dialogue between material engineers and designers. He definitely got us hooked. And you?
USEFUL LINKS
Tim Huber on Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.co.nz/citations?user=i97I4r4AAAAJ&hl=en
LIST: https://www.list.lu/
After a couple of weeks of discussion we finally had the pleasure to talk to the head of the amazing space labs at SnT (University of Luxembourg) and one of the postdocs who is a member of the space robotics group (SpaceR). Prof. Miguel Olivares Mendez and Dr. Carol Martinez told us what a robot really is, what it means when it has some intelligence and how it is to create labs which emulate space conditions. We also touched about the increasingly important issue of space debris and talked about an upcoming conference iSpaRo24.
USEFUL LINKS
SnT - https://www.uni.lu/snt-en/
SpaceR - https://www.uni.lu/snt-en/research-groups/SpaceR/
Carol Martinez's Website - https://carolmartinez.github.io/
iSpaRo24 - https://www.isparo.space/
It is not the first episode in which we learn how interconnected everything is. Health economics is all about trying to see the big picture and taking the right cost-effective decisions. Prof. Marc Suhrcke from Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) took the time to explain what his field is about and also presented the various projects he is involved in, spanning from universal health coverage to disability assistance.
USEFUL LINKS
About Prof. Marc Suhrcke - https://liser.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/marc-suhrcke
Project "Financing UHC in challenging times: leaving no-one behind": https://hfacts.net/
Personal Assistance - https://liser.elsevierpure.com/en/projects/assistance-personnelle
What if we just used the soil that is on your plot instead of bringing the building materials from somewhere else? Doable? Angelika Bocian-Jaworska, the founder of Äerd Lab, convinced us that this is going to happen. Right now Angelika focuses on developing the right sustainable materials, but the future is hers - she wants to 3D print your next house.
USEFUL LINKS
Äerd Lab - https://aerdlab.com/
Institute for Advanced Architecture (Barcelona, Spain) - https://iaac.net/
Circular by Design Challenge - https://www.luxinnovation.lu/cbdc/
Fit4Start Programme - https://www.startupluxembourg.com/fit-4-start
They fly above our head in the thousands yet we tend to forget about them - the satellites! In this episode we had a chance to learn a lot about them, how to communicate with them, where they are, but we also went beyond to quantum communications. All thanks to our amazing guest, Prof. Symeon Chatzinotas from SnT (University of Luxembourg).
USEFUL LINKS
About Symeon: https://ism.uni.lu/person/prof-dr-symeon-chatzinotas/
Symeon about the SIGCOM Group at SnT: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YG7tib0BE9E
Ever wondered how housing policies and markets add to inequalities within and across countries? And how does it work in Luxembourg?
In the PROPEL project, Prof. Lindsay Flynn looks at the forces shaping patterns of inequality within and between generations in affluent democracies. In this episode we look both at the housing situation of younger generations, changes in housing policies as well as try to give some solutions.
The PROPEL project is supported by the Luxembourg National Research Fund (FNR-ATTRACT project 14345912).
USEFUL LINKS:
PROPEL website: https://propel.uni.lu
Institute of Political Science at the University of Luxembourg: https://www.uni.lu/fhse-en/research-groups/institute-of-political-science/
About Lindsay: https://www.uni.lu/en/person/NTAwMzMzNjBfX0xpbmRzYXkgRkxZTk4=/
The article about wealth concentration since the Global Financial Crisis is: Post-crisis developments in young adults’ housing wealth: https://doi.org/10.1177/09589287211040443
The article about financial strategies and housing wealth in the United States: Acquisition capital: using a new concept to explore housing outcomes among millennials in the United States: https://doi.org/10.1080/02673037.2023.2241841
Would you think about building a bridge or constructing a house before actually making a plan? Probably not. Yet for software we have a tendency of not starting with the bigger picture. We often forget that for complex programmes we need proper software engineering. And this is exactly the domain in which our guest, prof. Jordi Cabot from LIST and University of Luxembourg, specialises in.
We also had a chance to ask Jordi for explanations of quite a few buzzwords so this episode is definitely worth a listen!
USEFUL LINKS
Jordi’s Website - https://jordicabot.com/
Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology - https://www.list.lu/
Modelling Languages Portal - https://modeling-languages.com/
It was great to have the opportunity to sit down with Dr. Kathleen Mommaerts, who works at the Integrated BioBank of Luxembourg, an institution affiliated with the Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH). Our conversation revolved around sample preparation, storage, variability, and, of course, the fact that Kathleen received the Rosalind Franklin Society Award, a recognition of her contribution to the field of bio-banking.
USEFUL LINKS
More about Kathleen on LIH Website: https://researchportal.lih.lu/en/persons/kathleen-mommaerts
Kathleen’s 3-minute thesis: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DFbG8ZwgXZc&t=1s
More about Kathleen receiving the Rosalind Franklin Society Award: https://www.lih.lu/en/rosalind-franklin-society-award-bestowed-to-lih-researcher/
Ever wondered how mentorship worked in academia? We did for sure, and that's why for the first episode of the new season we invited two experienced mentors: Prof. Simone Niclou, the Vice-Rector for Research at the University of Luxembourg and Prof. Andreas Fickers, the Director of the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C2DH). Simone and Andreas not only defined mentorship for us, talked about the starting point and their own experiences as mentees, they also shared some surprising questions and comments they encountered on their paths as mentors.
Exceptionally we went so deep into the subject that we found no time for the pub quiz question. But worry not, it's coming back in the next episode!
USEFUL LINKS
University of Luxembourg - https://www.uni.lu/en/
C2DH - https://www.c2dh.uni.lu/
More about ADVANCE mentoring programme - https://www.uni.lu/en/about/gender-equality/advance-mentoring-programme/
Luxembourg Charter on Mentorship in Academia - https://www.researchluxembourg.org/en/mentorship-charter/
Outstanding Mentor Award - FNR Awards - https://www.fnr.lu/fnr-awards-new/
Gear up for another SciLux Original! In order to record this special episode (last one of season 3) we went to the Museum of Natural History where we talked to Eric Buttini - the Head of the Department of Geo- and Astrophysics at the museum. Eric’s research interests revolve around asteroids and he’s now busily working on a new temporary exhibition coming to the museum on 10th November 2023 - Asteroid Mission.
Besides talking about the preparations, we had a chance to discuss the mobile planetarium and Eric’s cooperation with Matt Dawson on the LUCID (Luxembourg Comet Identification and Discovery) project.
USEFUL LINKS
Asteroid Mission: https://www.mnhn.lu/de/visit/asteroid-mission/
3D Tour of the Museum: https://my.matterport.com/show/?m=8GLBYf7u3aS
Museum Night: https://museumsmile.lu/en/nuit-des-musees
Social science genetics is basically genetics and economics combined and that's the expertise of our guest Giorgia Menta, a postdoctoral researcher in economics at LISER. Giorgia used genetics to see the influence of maternal mental health on children’s well-being and school outcomes. She has also studied the development of depression among women influenced by the UK pension reform and even conducted an online experiment to look for buyer bias on the housing market in Luxembourg.
Enjoy this interdisciplinary episode and the clear explanations Giorgia provides!
USEFUL LINKS
Giorgia Menta's Website: https://sites.google.com/view/giorgiamenta/home-page
Giorgia on LISER's Website: https://liser.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/giorgia-menta
The Guardian article Giorgia mentions: https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2023/mar/08/black-couple-house-value-discrimination-lawsuit
If, like us, you thought that the only way to stargaze is to use a standard telescope, you definitely should listen to this. In our 24th episode Oliver Parisot from LIST uncovers the simpler world of Electronically Assisted Astronomy (EAA) and tells us a little about writing algorithms to process the images. We’re pretty sure that after listening to the show, you will be itching to try it yourself.
USEFUL LINKS
Olivier's Website: http://doopyon.org/
MILAN project and its data: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2352340923002524
Olivier's photo that got him a prize in the FNR Science Image Competition: https://www.fnr.lu/research-with-impact-fnr-highlight/fnr-science-image-competition-telescope/
Forunr App: https://www.forunr.com/
Explore the world of banking research, financial regulation, stress testing, and maintaining financial stability. In a truly SciLux fashion, we break down the complex world of central banks trying to be understood even by those who don’t know the jargon!
Our guest, Prof. Diane Pierret from the University of Luxembourg, shares invaluable insights that will leave you thinking about the financial landscape in a whole new light. And what a surprising pub quiz question did she prepare!
USEFUL LINKS
Diane Pierret's Website - https://www.dianepierret.com/
Faculty of Law, Economics and Finance at University of Luxembourg - https://www.uni.lu/fdef-en/
Unravelling the Mysteries: Journey into the World of Forensic Science!
Ready to embark on an extraordinary adventure into the captivating realm of forensic science and fingerprint analysis? Don't miss our latest podcast episode that delves into the secrets hidden within fingerprints!
Join us as we explore the science, techniques, and challenges behind this remarkable field with the fingerprint expert Valérie Ries from the Police Grand-Ducale Luxembourg.
USEFUL LINKS
Police Website: https://police.public.lu/fr.html
More about Forensic Science: https://www.forensicsciencesimplified.org/index.htm
We all know that the gut plays a way more important role in our health than we originally thought. But what if we could find a way to connect its health with the onset of for example Parkinson's disease? Our guest, Dr. Catherine Sedrani, tried to work with the LCSB's Gut-on-a-Chip model (the HuMiX) to check what the relationship between bacterial cells and enteric neurons was. But first she had to establish them in one of the cell chambers of the model. Listen to the full episode to find out how it all worked out.
USEFUL LINKS
FNR Series: Spotlight on Young Researchers: https://www.fnr.lu/research-with-impact-fnr-highlight/spotlight-on-young-researchers-the-human-gut-microbiome-and-the-clues-it-holds/
Catherine Sedrani on RTL: https://www.rtl.lu/news/national/a/2028674.html
More about Prof. Paul Wilmes's research: https://www.uni.lu/lcsb-fr/news/the-expobiome-map-exploring-the-role-of-microbiome-derived-molecules/
More on LUX:plorations, the comic book series: https://www.uni.lu/en/news/luxplorations-new-science-comics-made-in-luxembourg/
Science Festival 2023: https://www.science-festival.lu/en/
Luxembourg is at the forefront of exploration and utilisation of space resources. This time we invited Lari Cujko, Start-up Support Lead at European Space Resources Innovations Centre (ESRIC) and Marek Wilgucki, the CEO of Four Point, the first incubated start-up, to tell us about the unique environment for start-ups in the field of space resources. There was also a chance to learn more about the expertise of Four Point, analysing satellite data and supporting open-cast mines.
USEFUL LINKS
ESRIC - https://www.esric.lu/
Four Point - https://www.fourpoint.com.pl/
ESRIC Start-up Support Programme - Introduction - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwLgY08pcyM
Space Resources Initiative - https://www.spaceresources.lu
Our guest Bruno Teheux knows that people are often scared of maths and he's found numerous ways to convince them that it can be real fun. Listen to the episode to find out for yourself!
USEFUL LINKS
Bruno's Webpage: http://math.uni.lu/teheux
ReCreate project in Dubai: https://math.uni.lu/outreach/recreate/
The Simplicity of Complexity in Dubai: https://math.uni.lu/outreach/dubai/
The Sound of Data: https://www.thesoundofdata.lu/ and a recent article on Science.lu: https://science.lu/de/data-sonification/wie-klingen-wissenschaftliche-daten-ergebnisse-des-esch2022-projekts-sound-data
Science Comics: https://sciencecomics.uni.lu/fr/home/
A DMATH Video about Math: https://youtu.be/luKqXqErqUU
Outreach page of DMATH: https://math.uni.lu/outreach/
Prof. Eugenio Peluso who leads the Department of Living Conditions at LISER (Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research) started his research journey looking at inequality within a household. Then he expanded his horizon and this is exactly what he showed us in the episode - various projects looking at different types of inequality. Expect also a very peculiar pub quiz question involving Robin Hood!
USEFUL LINKS
LISER - https://www.liser.lu/
Eugenio Peluso's work - https://liser.elsevierpure.com/en/persons/eugenio-peluso
More about Jeremy Bentham - https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/bentham/
The elections are soon approaching so we decided to have a closer look at the research done in the field of political science. Our guest was Prof. Anna-Lena Hoegenauer from the University of Luxembourg who specialises in EU governance and looks at the role of national parliaments. Anna-Lena shared quite a few insights to the Luxembourgish politics and also some interesting overview of small state governance. We did not forget about our usual pub quiz question!
USEFUL LINKS
University of Luxembourg - https://wwwen.uni.lu/
Anna-Lena's profile - https://wwwen.uni.lu/research/fhse/dsoc/people/anna_lena_hoegenauer
Luxembourgish Chamber of Deputies - https://www.chd.lu/en
It's time to look at age-related differences in cancer outcomes, focusing especially on older adults. A complex topic that becomes a little less so thanks to our guest, Dr. Sophie Pilleron from Luxembourg Institute of Health. Sophie, who is the head of the ACADI (Ageing, Cancer and Disparities Research Unit) group, tells us about the challenges she hopes to face in the next 5 years of her work at LIH. A lot more to come!
USEFUL LINKS
Dr. Sophie Pilleron on Twitter: @SPilleron
Luxembourg Institute of Health: https://www.lih.lu/en/
It's not every day that you get a chance to go a little bit behind the scenes of a museum. This is what happened thanks to our discussion with Dr. Julian Wittische from the National Museum of Natural History. Julian, who is data analyst at the museum, told us about his specialisation - landscape ecology, but also focused a lot on biodiversity loss. Let us assure you that this is an episode not to be missed - Julian is a skilled science communicator so you can learn a lot of facts and listen to very interesting stories.
USEFUL LINKS
National Museum of Natural History (natur musée) - https://www.mnhn.lu/
Julian on Twitter: @JulianWittische
More about caribou in Canada: https://www.wcscanada.org/Wildlife/Caribou.aspx
Artificial Intelligence is one of a few subjects discussed in our podcast that evolves at an extremely high pace. This in turn means that whenever you discuss it some of your points get quickly outdated. Nevertheless, the discussion we had with Dr. Alexandru-Adrian Tantar from Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology is more than just scratching the surface and will remain valid for quite some time. If you are still unsure what large language models like ChatGPT are or simply want to think more of what the future of AI might hold, tune in to this journey with us!
USEFUL LINKS
Luxembourgish experts answer questions about AI - https://www.science.lu/fr/kunstliche-intelligenz/chatgpt-hype-oder-revolution-der-ki-fragen-experten
Trustworthy AI group at LIST - https://www.list.lu/en/environment/research-groups/group/trustworthy-ai/
The EU AI Act - https://artificialintelligenceact.eu/
You might say that 13 is an unlucky number, but for sure not for our episode - for the first time in the history of SciLux we got two guests at the same time - Stefano Pozzi Mucelli from Luxinnovation and Alberto Noronha from NIUM. Thanks to this special duo, we learnt both about Horizon Europe funding and starting a spin-off focusing on gut health. We even got especially thrilled to talk about sexy bacteria. All in one episode!
USEFUL LINKS
Luxinnovation - https://www.luxinnovation.lu/
NIUM - https://www.nium.io/
Horizon Europe - https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/funding/funding-opportunities/funding-programmes-and-open-calls/horizon-europe_en
Iban Ben-Barak - Do Not Lick This Book - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/34448625-do-not-lick-this-book
When we started the interview, we had no clue how much we'd learn ourselves! You can count on that if you listen to prof. Markus Ollert from Luxembourg Institute of Health talking about allergies and our immune system. The field of allergology is developing very fast and it's good to get a small glimpse at where we are now. Plus - you can count on a very relevant pub quiz question!
If you visited the Researchers' Days, you might have had a chance to play it. If not, you definitely need to listen to this episode to get to know more about the Gender Game that our guest Carole Blond-Hanten from LISER is one of the creators of. Carole is a doer so expect a real kick of positive energy from this episode in which we also talked about social partners, trade unions and other important social actors. Pub quiz question is taken straight from the game!
USEFUL LINKS
LISER, Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research - https://www.liser.lu/
Carole Blond-Hanten's account on Twitter - https://twitter.com/CaroleB_H
Gender Game - http://www.gender-game.lu/
Women in the trade union - http://www.ogbl.lu/wp-content/uploads/2011/10/BrochureFemmes_EN.pdf
We've got a special treat for you this time - a researcher that is a specialist in nanotechnologies and studies a fascinating group of materials called perovskites, focusing on the piezo- and pyroelectric ones. It was a real pleasure to talk to Dr. Emmanuel Defay (LIST) and discover this world which was completely unknown to us.
USEFUL LINKS
What is a perovskite? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Perovskite
Meet the scientist - Emmanuel Defay who also plays the bass! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4R-19n8H8s
FNR Outstanding Scientific Achievement Prize - cooling - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pFVjzMBhelc
Emmanuel demonstrating the nanofilm printed on glass (mobile phone screen use to make it possible to touch) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS8VBNfIG4k
This episode was supposed to be "just" a discussion about blockchain, but became way more. Prof. Gilbert Fridgen from SnT (University of Luxembourg) took us on a journey through blockchain, cryptocurrencies and NFTs, but also talked about research itself. A very relevant discussion!
USEFUL LINKS
SnT - https://wwwen.uni.lu/snt
I Can't Sleep Podcast that I mention in the beginning - https://www.icantsleeppodcast.com/podcast/blockchain
Narrative style CVs at FNR - https://www.fnr.lu/research-with-impact-fnr-highlight/taking-science-to-the-next-level-research-culture/
For the second episode of this year and eighth episode of this season we had a pleasure to talk to prof. Christophe Ley from the University of Luxembourg. Christoph told us a lot about statistics and how important it is in our lives - sport lives included. We also looked how closely related statistics and data science are. Could it be that data science is just statistics 2.0? Listen to find out!
USEFUL LINKS
What makes data science different by Prof. Christophe Ley and Prof. Stéphane Bordas: https://orbilu.uni.lu/bitstream/10993/30235/1/BL17_final.pdf
Science Meets Sports - When Statistics Are More Than Numbers by Prof. Christophe Ley: https://books.google.lu/books/about/Science_Meets_Sports.html?id=yzbczQEACAAJ&redir_esc=y
Christophe Ley's publications: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=fYZTyFEAAAAJ&hl=en
Cellule scientifique in Luxembourg: https://www.chd.lu/en/cellule-scientifique
Powerchair hockey: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzhyxcjKPx8
The seventh episode of this season was a chance to talk to Dr. Inna Ganschow from the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C2DH) at the University of Luxembourg. Inna told us how the Luxembourg Ukrainian Researcher Network came to be, as well as familiarised us with her latest research regarding Soviet forced labourers and prisoners of war.
Last but not least, your host lost her voice during the interview and had to work harder than ever to make this episode work. Hope you'll enjoy nevertheless!
USEFUL LINKS
Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History - https://www.c2dh.uni.lu/
More about Dr. Inna Ganschow - https://www.c2dh.uni.lu/people/inna-ganschow
LURN - https://www.c2dh.uni.lu/data/lurn-luxembourg-ukrainian-researcher-network
How to figure out what nutrients to limit and which ones to increase when it comes to tumour cells? If you ever wondered that, you should definitely listen to the latest episode of SciLux where we talk about cancer cell metabolism with Dr. Johannes Meiser from LIH (Luxembourg Institute of Health). Johannes updates us about latest research in his field together with an explanation of what he is looking closely at - formate overflow.
USEFUL LINKS
Johannes's lab on Twitter: https://twitter.com/JohannesMeiser
What his FNR ATTRACT fellowship was about: https://www.fnr.lu/projects/understanding-and-targeting-the-function-of-formate-overflow-in-cancer/
Formate overflow in Nature: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-03777-w
Johannes in the FNR video series about FNR ATTRACT fellows: https://www.fnr.lu/research-with-impact-fnr-highlight/fnr-attract-fellows-johannes-meiser/
In the latest episode of our podcast we had a chance to (finally) talk to Dr. Robin White about hydrogen research. Robin is Core Technologies Leader H2 & CO2 in the Materials Research and Technology (MRT) Department at Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology and in the podcast he explained all the current challenges of producing and storing hydrogen. You can also count on an interesting overview of the current discussions revolving around green hydrogen and hydrogen economy in general.
USEFUL LINKS
Hydrogen at LIST TechDay 2022 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOfAKJCcioU
Harber-Bosch process - https://www.britannica.com/technology/Haber-Bosch-process
More about deuterium - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deuterium
More about tritium - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tritium
Did you know we are witnessing the emergence of a new written standard language right in the middle of Europe? Yes, we obviously mean Luxembourgish! Listen to the latest episode of SciLux where we talk to Christoph Purschke from the University of Luxembourg about computational linguistics and Luxembourgish.
USEFUL LINKS
CuCo Lab - A transversal research lab for Cultural Data Science - https://cucolab.uni.lu/
Lingscape - Citizen Science: Take pictures of signs and share them with researchers - https://lingscape.uni.lu/
Schnëssen - Documenting Luxembourgish speech - https://infolux.uni.lu/schnessen/
This time we had a closer look at the current research in the field of Parkinson's disease and the daily work of a cellular biologist - Ibrahim Boussaad from the Luxembourg Centre of Systems Biomedicine at the University of Luxembourg. We found time to notice the beauty of nature, have a good laugh and get amazed by neurons. What an episode!
USEFUL LINKS
FNR Awards 2022 - Outstanding Scientific Achievement - Rejko Krüger and Ibrahim Boussaad: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z1Fpb9HyB4U
National Centre for Excellence in Research on Parkinson’s Disease (NCER-PD): https://www.parkinson.lu/
This time we talked to Dr. Camille Perchoux from Luxembourg Institute of Socio-Economic Research (LISER) about her work regarding urban health and stress. Camille also surprised us with her pub quiz question!
USEFUL LINKS
LISER - https://www.liser.lu
Dr. Camille Perchoux talks to Research Luxembourg - https://www.researchluxembourg.org/en/in-conversation-with-our-young-researchers-dr-camille-perchoux/
The METHOOD project - https://liser.elsevierpure.com/en/projects/time-varying-residential-neighborhood-effects-on-cardiometabolic-
Marion Tharrey and her research - https://www.researchluxembourg.org/en/in-conversation-with-our-young-researchers-marion-tharrey/
15 minute city - https://www.15minutecity.com
In this new season of our podcast we sat down with Dr. Kathryn Hadler, the Director of the European Space Resources Innovation Center (ESRIC). Kathryn told us obviously a lot about space resources and getting them on the Moon, but we also shortly discussed the possibilities of the asteroids, the Mars and even space debris. We did not forget to ask Kathryn for a pub quiz question which she gladly presented - we wonder how many of you actually knew the answer!
USEFUL LINKS
ESRIC - https://www.esric.lu/
ESRIC Start-up Support Programme - https://www.esric.lu/about-ssp
ESA / ESRIC Space Resources Challenge - https://www.researchluxembourg.org/en/space-resources-challenge-holds-in-luxembourg/
MOXIE experiment - https://mars.nasa.gov/mars2020/spacecraft/instruments/moxie/
DART mission - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nHBuVbGkmBY
Artemis I mission - https://www.nasa.gov/artemis-1
We're on a short holiday, but before we left, we recorded an episode with the latest developments in science and technology in Luxembourg. This means we did not talk to any new researcher, just reminded you of what had been happening in our country and what were the events you should keep in mind in the next weeks.
USEFUL LINKS
Eurostat: government budget allocations for R&D
Luxembourg in 3D
Space Campus in Luxembourg
ESRIC call for start-ups
Thomas Cauvin's Textbook about Public History
C2DH celebrated 5 years of existence: Video
New brittle stars
Forum Z event: 7th September 2022
LISER survey on working and commuting in Luxembourg
D'Lëtzebuerger Land article by Jeff Simon 'All You Can Speak' featuring our host, Hanna Siemaszko
In this episode we had a chance to finally catch up with Assisstant Professor Djamila Aouada who heads the Computer Vision team at SnT (University of Luxembourg). We talked about her specialisation, about deep learning and deep fakes, different applications of computer vision and Djamila also prepared a very surprising pub quiz question for our listeners.
USEFUL LINKS
FNR article about Djamila's work
Mäin Element podcast with Djamila
Djamila in the Women in Science FNR series
Computer vision explained
Spoiler alert - more about the answer to the pub quiz question
This time SciLux focused on sport science in a discussion with Dr. Thorben Hülsdünker from LUNEX University. Thorben researches the influence of brain on the performance of top-level athletes, focusing on visuomotor performance and stroboscopic training.
USEFUL LINKS
About Dr. Thorben Hülsdünker
Better sport performance through visual training - video
Mr Science Video - How to improve reaction time?
In this episode we talked to Prof. Stéphane Bordas from the University of Luxembourg who got in more detail what research in his opinion should be about. It was a truly inspirational interview for any aspiring scientist or young researcher. We also touched upon his specialisation - computational mechanics, interdisciplinary approach in science and even archaeology.
USEFUL LINKSStéphane Bordas on TwitterStéphane Bordas on uni.luMäin Element podcast - Interview with Stéphane Bordas
Cristophe Ley and Stéphane Bordas - What makes Data Science different?Legato Team More about Rumi
For this episode we caught up with Ben Thuy, the paleonthologist from the Museum of Natural History on the last day of the "Lost Ocean" exhibition at the museum. We took the opportunity to talk a bit about it, but mainly focused on paleonthology and his research focus - brittle stars. We also could not avoid mentioning the recent excavations in Bascharage.
USEFUL LINKS:Science meets rock music FNR article
Paleontological collections of the museum
Today's episode is an occasion to sit down with Dr. Sébastien Faye from Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) to talk about 5G research at the Institute. We discuss various projects in the field as well as have a glance at Internet of Things and connected mobility. We also take this as an opportunity to invite everybody to the LIST Tech Day 2022 where LIST shares its know-how and cutting-edge technologies.
USEFUL LINKS:
Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) Website
LIST Tech Day 2022
We've come full circle in our interview season - in this episode we talked to another researcher at LIH (Luxembourg Insitute of Health). Dr. Anna Golebiewska who is the Leader of the NORLUX Neuro-Oncology Group, talked about brain tumours and especially glioblastoma (GBM). She told us about plasticity of this particular tumour as well as growing organoids in a lab. Of course we did not forget to ask a special pub quiz question - the answer as usual revealed at the end.
USEFUL LINKS:
More about Anna's team research:
- Masters of Disguise: New tactics in the hunt for shapeshifting cancers
- Advancing personalised cancer treatment through patient “avatars”
FNR Awards 2021 video: Brain organoids and brain tumours - Outstanding Scientific Achievement
Neuro-Oncology: The Podcast - Glioblastoma cell heterogeneity and plasticity
SciLux got recently invited to the 2022 National Jonk Fuersher Contest Awards Ceremony and we had the immense pleasure to listen to amazing young scientists presenting their research and winning impressive prizes. In this episode we talked to one of them, Skye Beck from International School of Luxembourg, about the influence of diet on cancer and angiogenesis.
SHOW NOTES
Skye's presentation at the contest
Regeneron International Science and Engineering Fair
In our latest episode we have a special visitor from the National Museum of Natural History. Digital Curator of the Museum, Paul Braun, tells us a little about the digitisation at the museum and presents initiatives such as iNaturalist and City Nature Challenge. Expect a highly motivating interview that will encourage you to leave the house and observe the nature around us!
SHOW NOTES
Museum's Twitter account about Digitisation
Global Biodiversity Information Facility
Herbier LUX on GBIF
This time we talked to Associate Professor Dr. Emma Schymanski about her work in the Environmental Cheminformatics group at LCSB (University of Luxembourg). She told us how her work is similar to a detective, she described in more detail non-targeted analysis of unknown chemicals, different databases she uses for her work and the vast and important subject of open science. She has also prepared a very special pub quiz question regarding PFAS chemicals.
SHOW NOTES
More about Dr. Schymanski
More about LCSB (Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine)
PubChem, open database of chemical molecules and their activities
NORMAN Network - its mission being to enhance the exchange of information and collection of data on emerging environmental substances
LuxPest - pesticides in Luxembourg waters
Organic Pollutants at the International Monitoring Station of the River Rhine at Basel
SciLux goes to space again! In our 17th episode we talked to Antonino Salmeri, doctoral researcher in space law at the University of Luxembourg. We discuss what space law is, commercial use and sustainable development of space, as well as the EAGLE Action Team which advocates the Effective and Adaptive Governance for a Lunar Ecosystem.
SHOW NOTES
The Outer Space Treaty - basic framework on international space law
Project West Ford - launching million copper needles
No, Mars is not a free planet, no matter what SpaceX says - Antonino's article
EAGLE report - contains the current status of the lunar policy landscape and presents EAGLE’s proposal for its way forward: the global development of a Lunar Governance Charter
Other EAGLE documents
Our guest today is Aida Horaniet Ibanez, data analyst and doctoral researcher at C2DH (University of Luxembourg). We sit down with her to talk about data in humanities and interdisciplinary projects, as well as visualising data for NGOs and talking to children about it. There's also a surprising pub quiz question that Aida prepared for our listeners so listen to it all!
SHOW NOTES
Viz For Social Good
Aida's blog with her stories about #MyMomIsADataAnalyst
Dear Data book
Surprise - it's only your podcast host today!
Today's episode contains some of the Luxembourg research news we haven't had a chance to report on in the last months. We tell you more about probiotics used to clean surfaces (LIST research), BRAINS project at the University of Luxembourg, new ideas for fighting glioblastoma (LIH) and AI supporting art auctions (uni.lu).
Expect also a Luxembourg-centred pub quiz question!
SHOW NOTES
News about the BRAINS project
Podcast: dr Anna Golebiewska talks about glioblastoma
Pushkin AI
HPC at uni.lu
The International Federation of Public History
Lost Ocean exhibition at the National History Museum
iNaturalist.lu
This time we sat down with Dr. Jan Thoemel to talk about space research and in particular the CubeSat Lab at SnT which is part of the Interdisciplinary Space Master at th University of Luxembourg. We have also discussed Mars missions and Dr. Thoemel asked a very interesting pub-quiz question related to that.
SHOW NOTES
More about CubeSats (ESA)
James Webb Space Telescope Launch
NASA MarCo Mission
We continue talking to researchers based in Luxembourg and this time we took the time to talk to prof. Thomas Cauvin (C²DH). In the longest episode so far we had a chance to understand a bit more what public history is professor Cauvin set our expectations high for Esch 2022. We also learnt that doing history in social media is definitely possible.
SHOW NOTES
C²DH Website
PHACS (Public History as the New Citizen Science of the Past)
FL'ESCH Back Facebook group
Here it is finally - episode 12 which is also the first episode of our new season. This season will be a bit different as together with latest developments in science in Luxembourg we are going to talk to some of its representatives, the amazing researchers!
In this episode we sat down with Dr. Guy Fagherazzi, the Director of the Department of Population Health at Luxembourg Institute of Health (LIH) who told us more about the fascinating project CoLive Voice, his research and Webinars about precision health organised by LIH. Remember to check both out CoLive Voice and the Webinars - participation is highly recommended!
SHOW NOTES
Luxembourg Institute of Health
CoLiveVoice
LIH Precision Pubic Health Webinars
Shazam Your Health - article by Dr. Guy Fagherazzi about CoLive Voice
In our ultimate episode of this season we have quite a varied choice of subjects. We first look at implications of tracking mouse/cursor movements. Then we wonder what can be done with by-products of beer production and the future of diagnosing illnesses using our voice. We finish off with recent findings in Cloche d'Or.
The pub quiz question is about plastic Valorlux bags.
SHOW NOTES
MouseFaker - extension to prevent mouse tracking
CoLive Voice - give your voice sample to Luxembourgish scientists and improve health diagnosis
ValorLux Blue Bag - more about recycling plastic in Luxembourg
A Colônia Luxemburguesa - story of Luxembourgish miners going to Minas Gerais in Brazil
RTL report on research visibility
Hello back!
We have been a bit silent at SciLux recently, but the scientists have been working diligently in Luxembourg and there's so much to talk about. First of all hurrah to the first Space Resources Week! However, we don't talk about it in this episode because we focus on sporting equipment containing dangerous substances, we look at how active we are in Luxembourg and then talk a bit about sleep disorder research. All topped off with a new transmedia project and our usual pub-quiz style question.
____________
SHOW NOTES
Harmful sports equipment:
Scan4Chem app
More about AskREACH directive
Physical activity:
Luxembourg fact sheet
Robots for autism:
Luxembourgish robot video (QTRobot)
Register for the sleep disorder research
Sleep disorder research registration
Spoiler alert!
PubQuiz solution
Transmedia project about Brazilian and Luxembourgish links
A Colonia Luxemburguesa
We're back to space again! This time we tell you more about ultra lightweight structures, antibacterial (and hopefully antimicrobial) coating, Luxembourg-based company participating in a NASA programme, better entry into atmosphere and better satelite communications. Don't forget there's time for a pub quiz question too!
SHOW NOTES
Costs of taking stuff to space
https://www.businessinsider.com/spacex-rocket-cargo-price-by-weight-2016-6?r=US&IR=T#bottle-of-water-9100-to-43180-1
New bacteria found on the ISS
https://www.sciencealert.com/four-bacterial-strains-discovered-on-the-iss-may-help-grow-better-space-plants?fbclid=IwAR16UIeY9D3V4Ayh3X56JFNnvmA6H_OuUNCenQ7uX3CjynXl3CNg4tvNaJw
Luxembourg Space Resource Week
https://www.spaceresourcesweek.lu/
Become an astronaut with ESA
https://www.esa.int/About_Us/Careers_at_ESA/ESA_Astronaut_Selection
Meluxina Call For Proposals
https://space-agency.public.lu/dam-assets/news1/Meluxina-call-for-early-access.pdf
This time SciLux looks at environment, nature and sustainability. We get to know more about our brain when increasing (un)sustainable behaviours, we talk about a new flood mapping solution, we mention the EU digital deconstruction project and check what's up with our friends, wolves. As usual there's the pub quiz question and we also tell you more about an interesting event coming soon.
SHOW NOTES
More about deconstruction:
https://environnement.public.lu/fr/offall-ressourcen/types-de-dechets/dechets-construction-demolition-dcd/inventaire-dechets-construction.html
Wolves in Luxembourg:
https://environnement.public.lu/fr/natur/biodiversite/mesure_3_zones_especes_proteges/espeches_protegees/tiere/saeugetiere/raubtiere/loup.html
City Nature Challenge 2021:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2021-luxembourg
New year, new beginnings, new courses and knowledge! This time SciLux is more about education and research. In the 7th episode of our series we look at a new textbook about learning difficulties in multilingual contexts, we mention a launch of a new digital history journal and inform you about a possibility to learn more about artificial intelligence.
All this is topped up with the usual pub quiz question - this time about a very curious vehicle.
SHOW NOTES
Philip Crowther
https://twitter.com/PhilipinDC/status/1349025211518246912?s=20
The learning disabilities in multilingual context textbook
https://www.melusinapress.lu/projects/lernstorungen-im-multilingualen-kontext
Journal of Digital History
https://journalofdigitalhistory.org/en/about
Information on how to get funding in case you want to publish OA in Luxembourg
https://www.fnr.lu/funding-instruments/open-access-fund/
Interesting article about publishing in an open-access journal vs. non-open-access one
https://www.aje.com/arc/making-the-choice-open-access-vs-traditional-journals/
Elements of AI
https://www.elementsofai.lu/
And a spoiler for the pub quiz
Science Mobil
https://www.science-mobil.lu/en/
A short look at scientific research stories that we didn't mention in the podcast because they mainly happened before its launch. We talk about two new institutions: ESRIC and UNIVERSEH. Then we tell you more about interesting research at LIH, University of Luxembourg and LIST to finish off with a pub quiz question related to the FNR Awards 2020.
SHOW NOTES
Scan4Chem - https://www.askreach.eu/app/
LuxAtlas - https://www.luxatlas.lu/
This time it's mainly about environment, with a mention of reproducibility. We talk about Virtual Reality helping us see deforestation, personalised weed monitoring in Luxembourg and the steps towards great reproducibility of research.
And today's pub quiz question is about Bairstowius amaliae.
SHOW NOTES
University of Luxembourg's award-winning video
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E93NYJ476wk
More GI VR/AR Workshop 2020 videos
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLQa48ZICja3qBAZRTvO8CAcr6MGhPuzwX
Amalia Rodrigues's best hits
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RwEDCMIrR4w
2018 Rock Fossils exhibition
https://www.mnhn.lu/blog/2018/06/rock-fossils-7-6-29-7-2018/
This time we focus more on medical research in Luxembourg - there's something about stem cells, latest Parkinson's disease research as well as brain tumour models. We obviously don't forget about a pub quiz question and there's time for a couple of announcements.
SHOW NOTES
Machine Learning
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_uwKZIAeM0
FNR Awards 2020
https://www.fnr.lu/fnr-awards-2020-a-digital-celebration-of-science-research-in-luxembourg/
Pollution in Luxembourg - Children's Hair Study
https://www.facebook.com/Luxembourg.Institute.of.Health/posts/3230979883694581
Flying Drones in Luxembourg
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=igrJ8dyPFg4&feature=youtu.be
Here's to sustainable life! The third episode focuses on new air-conditioning solutions, cellulose research and waste management in Luxembourg.
You can also expect a Luxembourg-themed pub quiz question!
SHOW NOTES
What is a polymer?
https://youtu.be/TydD6OWUeMI
Single-use plastic bags vs. paper bags and cotton bags
https://stanfordmag.org/contents/paper-plastic-or-reusable
A-Z of recycling in Luxembourg
https://www.vdl.lu/en/living/your-home/waste-collection-and-sorting/recycling-z
Gabriel Lippman - funky moustache
https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/physics/1908/lippmann/facts/
EVENTS 16-22 NOVEMBER
Launch of the European Space Resources Innovation Centre, 18th November 10:00 CET
https://space-agency.public.lu/en/news-media/news/2020/ESRIC_Launch_event.html
FNR Awards Ceremony, 19th November 19:00 CET
https://www.fnr.lu/fnr-awards-ceremony-2020-fnr-awards-go-digital/
The second episode of SciLux is all about Space - we talk about SnT's (University of Luxembourg) participation in the Act in Space hackathon, we applaud the launch of the Luxembourgish microsatellite and we look closer at the the Artemis Accords signed by Luxembourg.
As you may expect there's also the Pub Quiz question time!
In the first episode of SciLux we focus on automatisation at the CNS (National Health Fund), a touchless screen developed in Luxembourg and a Luxembourgish supercomputer.
Of course there's also the usual Pub Quiz question time!