In the spotlight
Tokyo Olympics: taking care of mental health in elite sports
bbc, 02.08.2021
When the US gymnast Simone Biles decided to withdraw from the team and all-around events at the Tokyo Olympics, it prompted a debate about mental health in elite sport. Biles spoke about the importance of preserving her mental health and the need to “protect our minds and our bodies,” adding: “We are people, at the end of the day.
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WHO, @ASEAN and @FIFAcom launched the #ReachOut campaign for better #mentalhealth with the support of past and current football ⚽️ players👉 https://t.co/VMZxBomqlZ pic.twitter.com/bTzu8NuZ6W
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) August 2, 2021
Outdoor activities keep you fit and boost your mental health. 👟⚽🤸♂️🧘
To make artificial sports pitches and playgrounds safer, as of August 2022, the EU is banning the use of granules and mulches as infill if they contain eight #PAHs above certain limits. #ChemicalsInOurLife
— European Chemicals Agency – ECHA 🇪🇺 (@EU_ECHA) August 3, 2021
Digital transition
Can the U.S. and China cooperate in space?
scientificamerican, 02.08.2021
The U.S. remains the global leader in space by most metrics, but China is methodically advancing its own ambitious space agenda at a quickening pace, blueprinting and carrying out a succession of robotic interplanetary forays to destinations such as the asteroid belt and Jupiter, as well as a sample-return mission to Mars.
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#ArtificialIntelligence is an opportunity in the #digitalEU.
Digitalisation should safeguard the interests of #EUCivilSociety and be accessible to all, SMEs, workers and citizens.
👉https://t.co/j84dSk4viD pic.twitter.com/XbFPb0avst
— European Economic and Social Committee (@EU_EESC) August 4, 2021
Environmental sustainability
Today it’s cool, tomorrow it’s junk. We have to act against our throwaway culture
guardian, 02.08.2021
Never have we wanted, owned and wasted so much stuff. Our consumptive path through modern life leaves a wake of social and ecological destruction – trainers barely worn, ignored AI-powered digital assistants gathering dust, and forgotten smartphones languishing in drawers.
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What the 'Little Ice Age' can teach us about today's climate crisis https://t.co/E8KbJvJ33b #ClimateChange #ExtremeWeather https://t.co/IXWRftJp2R pic.twitter.com/E5w0silmIs
— World Economic Forum (@wef) August 2, 2021
We can all take small steps this summer🌞to reduce our 👣 and help make #tourism greener!
Here are our 5 tips to make your holidays more #sustainable 👉 https://t.co/u1kpCRPVqK#EUClimatePact #MyWorldOurPlanet #sustainabletourism pic.twitter.com/UT9shRgdkj
— EU Climate Action (@EUClimateAction) August 2, 2021
Mobility & Energy
The German village going full-on renewable How hard is it to switch an entire to renewable energy? A look at the village of Sprakebüll which took the leap.
deutschewelle-en, 02.08.2021
Right across from the shop, customers can charge their electric cars. Behind it, houses are being built for young families. And the new fire station on the corner was financed with revenue from the citizens’ wind farm, as Mayor Karl-Richard Nissen says proudly, pointing to six light gray wind turbines on the horizon, about two kilometers.
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Our experts on #EnergyTransition also stressed that the time to act is now! https://t.co/iHOAQI35ma https://t.co/enfWziuafU
— Science Advice for Policy by European Academies (@SAPEAnews) August 2, 2021
Agriculture & Food
Despite clearing hurdle public can’t sample GM rice yet
scidev, 04.08.2021
While genetically modified Golden Rice has finally been cleared for commercial production in the Philippines, 20 years on from its inception, market availability is at least two years away, developers admit.
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Health
MRNA’s next chapter has nothing to do with COVID-19 vaccines
time, 02.08.2021
It’s safe to say that before the development of the Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, most people hadn’t thought about messenger RNA, or mRNA, since high school science class—if ever. The molecule plays a pivotal role in the body, carrying the recipes for making various proteins to the parts of cells that produce them.
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Time for Covidnomics
theatlantic, 30.07.2021
First Canada overtook the United States in the vaccination race. Now the European Union has done so. Even poor European countries such as Greece, Lithuania, and Poland have surpassed vaccine-resistant U.S. states such as Ohio, Arkansas, and Missouri.
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Although vaccines went from lab to jab in just a few months, the idea of using mRNA as a therapy has been around for decades. How was this technology developed and what is its potential? Listen to “Gamechangers”, a podcast series from @TheEconomist https://t.co/QVuXJnnzKz
— The Economist (@TheEconomist) August 2, 2021
Close contact and early, exclusive #breastfeeding helps a baby to thrive.
A woman with #COVID19 should be supported to:
✅ breastfeed safely
✅ hold her newborn skin-to-skin
✅ share a room with her baby👉 https://t.co/2nFW7S5fIB#WorldBreastfeedingWeek pic.twitter.com/0fW3VaL4mF
— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) August 2, 2021
Science policy & Communication
Social media, dopamine and neurodiversity
forbes, 03.08.2021
The subject of social media and dopamine has been on my mind for some time now. As an ADHD-er who is biologically dopamine deficient I know on a personal level how susceptible I am to the power of likes, clicks and shares and have been working to ensure that I maintain healthy boundaries.
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The volume of COVID-19 misinformation in Southeast Asia and the speed at which it spreads mean 'fake news' laws are failing to curb its impact write @PeterGuest @febrofirdaus @Scripter_Tammy for @restofworldhttps://t.co/dUNrCUx3Ni
— Reuters Institute (@risj_oxford) August 2, 2021
What would Aristotle make of #disinformation? He would probably take a more practical approach than Plato, his ideas on rhetoric are still useful today!https://t.co/ML8sWSDnNV
— EUvsDisinfo (@EUvsDisinfo) July 23, 2021
EU initiatives
STOA Study – Innovative technologies shaping the 2040 battlefield
europarl, 02.08.2021
This study provides an assessment of the risks, challenges and opportunities related to new and emerging technologies that are most expected to shape the future battlefield out to 2040.
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STOA Study – Tackling deepfakes in European policy
europarl, 30.07.2021
The emergence of a new generation of digitally manipulated media – also known as deepfakes – has generated substantial concerns about possible misuse. In response to these concerns, this report assesses the technical, societal and regulatory aspects of deepfakes.
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EU to leverage R&D investments to reach climate goals
sciencebusiness, 15.07.2021
EU research and innovation programmes are set to contribute significantly to the European Commission’s lofty plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 55% by 2030, according to new legislation tabled to make the ‘Green Deal’ a reality. The Commission wants Europe to become the first climate neutral continent by 2050.
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Curious news
Plastic creates ‘evolutionary trap’ for young sea turtles, study suggests
standard, 02.08.2021
The research team led by the University of Exeter included Murdoch University, the Department of Environment and Science (Queensland) and the Department of Biodiversity Conservation and Attractions (Western Australia).
Dr Emily Duncan of the Centre for Ecology and Conservation on Exeter’s Penryn….
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What was it like to be pregnant, to give birth and to look after a baby in the middle of a #pandemic?
Researchers share what they learned from the people they met on their journey: https://t.co/y4YApNOxhk@foxtexel @ConversationUK #Pregnancy
— Cambridge University (@Cambridge_Uni) August 2, 2021
