In the spotlight
Horizon Europe strategic plan 2025-2027 for research and innovation to underpin journey to a green, digital and resilient future
European Commission, 26.03.2024
Today, the Commission has adopted the second strategic plan for Horizon Europe. The plan, announced at the flagship Research and Innovation Days, sets out three key strategic orientations for EU’s research and innovation funding for the last three years of the programme (2025-2027).
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EU publishes guidelines for use of generative AI in research
sciencebusiness, 21.03.2024
The European Commission wants to encourage researchers to use generative AI tools, but not in the evaluation of proposals, according to new
published on Wednesday. The Commission developed the non-binding guidelines with European Research Area countries and stakeholders.
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Digital transition
Forget oil, Europe’s new goldmine is artificial intelligence
Cryptopolitan, 26.03.2024
The European AI market is flourishing, reaching $22.8 billion in 2023 and is expected to surpass $184 billion by 2032. The growth is fueled by advancements in research, rising business adoption, and increased spending on Generative AI. AI can potentially become a major pillar of the European economy, rivalling traditional resources.
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Viewing the world through human eyes: DFKI-Technology shows robots how it’s done
idw-online, 25.03.2024
How can we teach organic visual orientation to machines? That is exactly what scientists at the German Research Centre of Artificial Intelligence (DFKI) are trying to figure out.
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And the winners are: Horizon Europe funding for artificial intelligence is surging, a Science|Business analysis finds
sciencebusiness, 21.03.2024
As the EU ups its AI research spending, the hottest grant topics include health and sensors. Patras, Utrecht and the auto manufacturer BMW are among the fastest-growing grant winners.
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Environmental sustainability
West Nile virus poses emerging public health threat in Europe; climate change blamed for spatial expansion of pathogen
sciencetimes, 26.03.2024
Over recent years, anthropogenic climate change has had unprecedented impacts on the global functions and services of ecosystems. There is mounting evidence that alterations in biodiversity redistribution due to climate change can impoverish human health.
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Climate change disrupts vital ecosystems in Alps, research finds
University of Stirling, 26.03.2024
Reduced snow cover and shifting vegetation patterns in the Alps, both driven by climate change, are having major combined impacts on biodiversity and functioning of ecosystems in the high mountains, according to new research published today.
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Biodiversity’s importance to sustainable datacentre computing
computerweekly, 25.03.2024
Want to advance sustainability targets? It’s time to add biodiversity to your cloud equation.
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Mobility & Energy
Oil & gas trends 2024: making sustainable business more sustainable
forbes, 26.03.2024
In popular culture, decarbonization to address climate change typically centers on replacing fossil fuels with renewable energy – as fast as possible. Oil and gas industry experts know better. In fact, fossil fuels are expected to drive 48 percent of the global energy mix by 2050.
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Solar, batteries and heat pumps led the green charge in 2023
deutschewelle-en, 25.03.2024
More demand for heat pumps, increasing solar energy in the power supply and a boom in battery construction benefiting e-mobility were just a few of the green energy trends this year.
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Press release: EU and Norway sign strategic partnership on sustainable land-based raw materials and battery value chains
European Commission, 25.03.2024
The EU together with the Kingdom of Norway signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) launching a strategic partnership to develop sustainable land-based raw materials and battery value chains.
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Science policy & Communication
Europe wields new tech law to protect EU election
Politico, 26.03.2024
Social media giants will have to tool up to stop deepfakes and disinformation from going viral.
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EU may let Egypt join Horizon – but many urge caution over human rights
sciencebusiness, 21.03.2024
Commission will begin ‘exploratory’ discussions with Cairo about joining the research programme, despite mounting international concerns about academic freedom.
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AI has a place in research, but not in evaluation of Horizon Europe proposals, Commission says
sciencebusiness, 21.03.2024
The European Commission wants to encourage researchers to use generative AI, but also warns of risks to the scientific process saying, “These tools could harm research integrity and raise questions about the ability of current models to combat deceptive scientific practices and misinformation”.
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Agriculture & Food
Higher chocolate prices part of wider trend as climate, other factors disrupt supply
timescolonist, 25.03.2024
Higher chocolate prices this Easter after bad crops on the other side of the world are just the latest example of disruptions in the food supply chain, a trend experts say consumers are noticing in growing numbers.
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COVID-19 shows that what we’re doing to animals is killing us, too
latimes, 25.03.2024
About two-thirds of emerging infectious diseases in humans — including COVID-19, SARS, MERS, Ebola, HIV, Zika, H1N1, cholera and almost all recent epidemics — came from animals. And 70% of those originated in wildlife. Pathogens have leaped from animals to humans for eons, but the pace of this spillover has increased rapidly over the last century.
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Health
NASA touts space research in anti-cancer fight
nation, 25.03.2024
Experiments in the weightless environment of space have led to “crazy progress” in the fight against cancer, NASA officials said at a recent event highlighting an important and personal initiative of US President Joe Biden. Space is “a unique place for research,” astronaut Frank Rubio said.
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EU initiatives
ERC grants reopen to Swiss applicants, as talks begin on associating to Horizon Europe once more
Chemistry World, 26.03.2024
Swiss researchers can once again apply for European Research Council (ERC) grants. The European Commission opened up ERC funding calls to Swiss applicants this week as European and Swiss negotiators sat down to discuss measures that would deepen the EU–Swiss relationship.
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23 European cities awarded with ‘EU Mission’ label for their efforts towards climate neutrality
ageu, 22.03.2024
On Thursday 21 March, the ‘EU Mission’ label was awarded to 23 cities that have joined the EU Mission for Climate-Neutral and Smart Cities, set up under Horizon Europe. The label is awarded to cities that have implemented projects to achieve climate neutrality by 2030 and facilitate access to financing.
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EU plots road to greener, more digital research programme
eubusiness, 21.03.2024
The European Commission set out Wednesday its second strategic plan for the Horizon Europe innovation and research programme 2025-2027 to underpin the EU’s green and digital transition. The new orientations aim to address key global challenges such as climate change, loss of biodiversity, the digital transition and an ageing population, said the EU Commission.
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Curious news
Revolutionizing household robotics: MIT engineers introduce self-correction method
Cryptopolitan, 26.03.2024
MIT engineers have unveiled a groundbreaking method aimed at enhancing household robots’ capabilities to adapt to unforeseen disruptions during tasks.
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A robot walks into a bar: would you order a pint from a robot?
RTERadio, 25.03.2024
Analysis: despite the challenges and potential pitfalls, the possibility of a social robot working in your local may be closer than you think.
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