ESMH regularly publishes articles on topics related to science and new technologies that provoke a lot of media attention and that are important in the European context. Most importantly, the articles are written with the help of science writers in journalistic style and always provide the opinion of one or more scientists on the topic. The publications are accompanied by a selection of links to related information and with a focus on European research and knowledge in the field.
Articles
Digital education in times of lockdown – A massive real-life experiment
Worldwide lockdowns forced education to move online all of a sudden. Despite the great potential of digital education, the everyday practice proved to be unruly. While existing inequalities continued to grow, on the positive side students, teachers and parents became more confident in using digital tools.
Smart urban planning starts with interdisciplinary thinking and action
While the concept of smart cities has been around for three decades, a growing criticism has shaken the grounds of 21st century urban planning worldwide. Experts and researchers of various fields have recognized that the future of smart city planning is multidisciplinary, and the search for common grounds between technological innovation, social justice and environmental protection, made all the more vital by the Covid-19 crisis.
Renée DiResta: “The effectiveness of countering Covid-19 disinformation depends on the degree of trust your government enjoys”
Renée DiResta is the Technical Research Manager at the Stanford Internet Observatory. She investigates the spread of malign narratives across social and other media networks. Renee’s areas of research include disinformation and propaganda by state-sponsored actors, and health misinformation and conspiracy theories. Renee has advised Congress, the State Department, and other academic, civic, and business ...
COVID-19 and Climate Change: connected crises and lessons to learn
The COVID-19 pandemic brought about worldwide disruption. As societies tentatively begin to reopen, the pandemic holds lessons for how the world faces another globally existential threat, the climate crisis.
Digital entertainment in lockdown: the new life of culture online
During the months-long European lockdown, entertainment moved online like never before. Creativity flourished on social media platforms and, despite being locked up in their homes, people were longing for entertainment that connected them with friends and family. Meanwhile with all museums closed, European cultural heritage was given a new life online.
Interview with Stephan Lewandowsky, cognitive scientist at the University of Bristol
Stephan Lewandowsky is a cognitive scientist with an interest in computational modelling. Recently, he has become particularly interested in how people update their memories if things they believe turn out to be false. This has led him to examine the persistence of misinformation and spread of “fake news” in society. He has become particularly interested ...
“Unlocking” COVID-19: the use and misuse of tests
“Test, test, test” was one of the mantras of the WHO director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus against COVID-19. The issue is particularly relevant in the “unlocking” phase several European countries are going through, as the curve of the pandemics bends. At this stage, and while effective vaccines or therapies are still not available, tests are crucial to keep the disease at bay. But are they effective and reliable?
Prof. Elias Mossialos: “Transparency is vital to the management of responses to health crises”
Interview on COVID-19 with Professor Elias Mossialos, Brian Abel-Smith Professor of Health Policy, Head of the Department of Health Policy at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) and Director of LSE Health, UK, and Chief Adviser to the Greek Government on the COVID-19 pandemic. How was Greece’s successful COVID-19 response organised? Elias ...
