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
Dr Vanessa Harris on planetary health research: exploring the links between the health of humans and the health of ecosystems
Dr Vanessa Harris is an infectious diseases physician and Assistant Professor at the Department of Global Health, Amsterdam UMC, University of Amsterdam (UvA). Her research focuses on diarrheal diseases in children under the age of five, investigating environmental impacts on disease risk, prevention and vaccine performance in high-risk settings, and indirect effects of having diarrheal ...
Can e-fuels power Europe’s low carbon future?
In the spirit of technological neutrality, Europe is exploring multiple pathways to decarbonisation. Among them are e-fuels, whose chemical composition is identical to that of fossil fuels but are produced through synthetic processes rather than extracted and refined. This makes them a potential low-carbon alternative – provided that key sustainability criteria are met and critical ...
Gender equality in European research & innovation: interview with Dr Marcela Linková
Dr Marcela Linková, Head of the Centre for Gender and Science at the Institute of Sociology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, participated in the STOA workshop on 'Gender Equality in Research & Innovation' on 5 November 2025 at 15:00 CET. Her research and policy engagement have been instrumental for developing, implementing and assessing gender equality ...
European AI music: responsible creativity? Interview with Dr François Pachet
Generative AI (GenAI) is advancing rapidly and transforming creative industries. With its ability to generate songs in a few minutes, it raises questions about AI’s role in human creativity. How can the EU find a balance between supporting the development of technologies that drive innovation and protecting citizens from their social, ethical and legal risks? ...
Meeting flood risk with nature-based solutions in EU coastal regions
As the effects of climate change become increasingly apparent, EU citizens are facing growing risks of more severe and frequent flooding. Climate adaptation is being prioritised to meet this risk and protect people, properties and infrastructure, with several EU-funded projects pioneering approaches using nature-based solutions. The impacts of flooding were especially evident in 2024, when ...
A multilingual news platform for better-informed EU citizens
Wouldn't it be great to be able to access foreign news in your own language? A recent STOA study explores the idea of a news streaming platform that could transform how EU citizens access information across linguistic boundaries. The ESMH spoke with the two main authors of the study from the Centre for Media Pluralism ...
Transparent and accessible global data critical for European researchers: Interview with Professor Thomas Hartung
The landscape of scientific research is shaped by global digital infrastructures, with critical databases in health, medicine, climate, and the social sciences. The dominance of foreign and commercial databases poses strategic vulnerabilities for academic freedom, innovation, and research continuity in Europe. What are the risks associated with this concentrated 'power' of some databases? And how ...
Long Covid: The ‘invisible illness’ people must learn to see
In Europe, Long Covid has impacted around 36 million people over the first three years of the pandemic. However, the disease’s complexity, novelty, and often invisible symptoms, combined with a lack of public understanding, have led to many patients being dismissed or doubted by doctors, policymakers, colleagues, and even their loved ones. As a result, ...