New Technologies
Is banning children from social media ‘the’ answer?
For many parents and policymakers alike, banning children from social media feels like the responsible thing to do in the fight against issues such as anxiety, sleep problems and screen addiction. But researchers warn that a social media ban alone cannot address the full spectrum of risks that children face online. Effective protection requires a ...
Is Europe ready for the quantum internet?
With its unique physical properties, quantum-transmitted data is impossible to eavesdrop on. The EU is at a critical juncture in the development of this groundbreaking technology, with major efforts underway to build the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure. As other regions and countries, such as China, also invest heavily in quantum internet, the question remains whether ...
Eleni Diamanti: ‘The EU has a unique position in quantum technologies’
How to ensure European competitiveness and leadership in the ever more important field of quantum technologies? The European Science-Media Hub asked Eleni Diamanti, who will speak at the upcoming workshop ‘Building European Leadership for the Second Quantum Revolution' on 20 May, organised by the European Parliament’s Panel for the Future of Science and Technology. Building ...
The metal in the earth and in your pocket – efficient and clean technology for mining and recycling
New technologies have been developed that can potentially transform the future of metals processing and recycling. How can these new technologies improve Europe’s ability to get the critical raw materials that it needs? How we process metals after mining them has not changed substantially for thousands of years. Since the Roman days of massive mines ...
Next generation (European) computing – novel hardware for AI and beyond
Usually, artificial intelligence news is about software: chatbots, AI artists, or even data analysis tools. All those applications need powerful computing hardware to run on, and that hardware uses a lot of energy. All of the websites we use every day rely on massive datacentres filled with thousands of computers to function. As the demand ...
Interview with computer scientist Mel Slater on the future of virtual and augmented reality
Professor Mel Slater is a Distinguished Investigator at the University of Barcelona and the coordinator of the European Metaverse Research Network. He is a key figure shaping the rapidly advancing field of virtual and augmented, or extended, reality (VR/AR/XR). These technologies are important for several topics recently discussed by the European Parliament’s Panel for the ...
‘We should protect the intangible aspects of our mental worlds’
"Once we start seeing ourselves only in terms of data, we’ve reduced ourselves to something that can be bought and sold." Interview with philosopher and cognitive scientist Ophelia Deroy. Professor Ophelia Deroy (Ludwig Maximilians Universität München, Munich Interactive Intelligence lab and University of London) is an expert in an interesting and relatively new domain: Neuro ...
Digital technologies and democracy: challenges ahead
Interview with Professor Barbara Prainsack We cannot imagine a world without digital innovation and technology anymore. But what is its impact on our democracy, the corner stone of our civilisation? What challenges are we facing? The independent advisory body European Group on Ethics in Science and New Technologies (EGE) recently published an Opinion on this ...