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
Prof. Maryna Viazovska: ‘Science is a dream of the future and a refuge for the soul’
In July 2022, mathematician Prof. Maryna Viazovska received a Fields Medal, a prestigious honour often described as the 'Nobel Prize of Mathematics'. The 37-year-old professor, who works at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne, is the second woman to receive this prestigious award in the 86-year history of the prize. We spoke to ...
Between truth and trust – young and established scientists discuss public trust in research
The pandemic has changed a lot in our society, including the perception of science by the general public, politicians and governments. The general media has increasingly covered science news during the rise of the health crisis. Shortly after the start of the coronavirus outbreak, public confidence in scientists increased according to a May 2020 survey. ...
Sander van der Linden on how psychological inoculation protects against false news
Sander van der Linden, Ph.D., is Professor of Social Psychology in Society and Director of the Cambridge Social Decision-Making Lab in the Department of Psychology at the University of Cambridge. Professor van der Linden, we have seen many attempts to debunk climate and health disinformation. How well do fact checks fare? Sander van der Linden: ...
Artificial intelligence starts to hit the right note
In the field of music, artificial intelligence is used both to analyse and to create music. For almost any musical piece AI-tools can already extract information about melody, harmony, rhythm, emotion and style. AI-systems are also starting to improvise on stage together with top musicians.
Interview with Dr. Ed Pertwee: vaccine hesitancy and lessons learnt
Rumors, conspiracy theories and misinformation during a health crisis: "The problem seems to be informational reliance on social media, not social media usage per se," says expert Dr. Ed Pertwee. With possible new Covid-19 waves in the back of our mind and in order to save lives, understanding communication during a health emergency is critically ...
Low cost and open source: vaccines in developing countries
In South Africa, a scientific knowledge transfer hub is working to create a Covid-19 vaccine based on the publicly available sequence of Moderna's mRNA vaccine, without Moderna's involvement but with its approval. In India, scientists are also testing a vaccine to fight SARS-CoV-2. These seem to be big steps for developing countries in order to ...
Why hype in press releases is ineffective – and how to fix it?
Press releases sometimes exaggerate scientific findings and omit study limitations. Scientists are investigating why, and testing ways to make them more accurate.
Interview with Dr. Paul Stoneman: ‘We see an increase in polarisation of complete trust or no trust at all in scientists’
Paul Stoneman is a political scientist who specialises in quantitative methods and social and political attitudes. He is currently one of the principal investigators of the World Values Survey, an international research program devoted to the study of social, political, economic, religious and cultural values of people in the world. He also works as the ...
