interview
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Prof. Angela Sara Cacciapuoti on the quantum internet
“The quantum internet is not just the next-generation communication network, it is a revolution. By using the weird and counter-intuitive laws of quantum mechanics, it enables a form of information sharing fundamentally impossible in today’s internet.” These are the words of Angela Sara Cacciapuoti, Associate Professor at the University of Naples Federico II (Italy) and ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Isabella Fiorello on plant-inspired materials and robots
You might not expect plants to be able to jump. But wild oats possess almost magical ability: their seeds, though dead and without muscles, use the energy of moisture to bury themselves in the soil, searching for the spot to start a new life. Dr. Isabella Fiorello leads a research group in the Cluster of ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Mònica Mir Llorente on robotic plant roots
In humans and animals, the brain sends signals to indicate hunger, animals go hunting, while humans go to the refrigerator. But in plants, this process is controlled by the roots, which grow toward areas rich in nutrients. This idea inspired the study “Biomimetic Plant-Root-Inspired Robotic Sensor System”, which was developed within the framework of the ...
Keeping an eye out: interview with Dr Alice Fleerackers on ‘watchdog science journalism’
Science journalists can sometimes take on the role of watchdogs, exposing issues in and with science itself. To shed light on the importance of this and the challenges this type of journalism is facing, we spoke with Dr Alice Fleerackers. Dr Fleerackers is Assistant Professor of Journalism and Civic Engagement at the Department of Media ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Dr Michael Hennessy Picard on space sustainability
Dr Michael Hennessy Picard holds a PhD in Law from the University of Quebec in Montreal (Canada) and is a Lecturer in International Environmental Law at the University of Edinburgh (UK). He is working on the regulatory oversight of satellite re-entry, ablation and atmospheric pollution. Can you explain the concept of “space debris” and what ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Prof. Pascale Ehrenfreund on space sustainability
Pascale Ehrenfreund is the President of the Committee of Space Research (COSPAR) and Research Professor of Space Policy and International Affairs in Washington DC. She serves on the Board of Directors of the Space Foundation and as Member of the Global Future Council on Space of the World Economic Forum. For three decades she contributed ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Prof. Dr. Nicole Grobert on ‘One Health’
After the Commission had tasked its Group of Chief Scientific Advisors (GCSA) with providing advice on One Health Governance in the EU, a report and a scientific opinion was published end of 2024. It assessed how the EU can align its policies with the One Health approach, improving coordination between different sectors like food production, ...
A scientist’s opinion: interview with Prof. Dr. Jakob Zinsstag-Klopfenstein on ‘One Health’
Epidemiology Professor Jakob Zinsstag (University of Basel, Switzerland) leads a research group focused on the interface of human and animal health, particularly zoonoses and the health of nomadic populations, under the ‘One Health’ approach. He also is a member of the One Health High Level Expert Panel of the Quadripartite Organizations: the World Health Organization ...