Computation and genomics data drive bacterial research into new golden age

A potent combination of powerful new analysis methods and abundant data from genomics projects is carrying microbiology forward into a new era. Bacteria in particular are shedding light on fundamental molecular and signalling processes of interest not just within microbiology, but across the whole...

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Rivers are carbon processors, not inert pipelines

Microorganisms in rivers and streams play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle that has not previously been considered. Freshwater ecologist Dr Tom Battin, of the University of Vienna, told a COST ESF Frontiers of Science conference in October that our understanding of how rivers and streams...

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Solar energy as a sustainable source of European economic growth

European researchers call for paradigm shift towards clean fuel technologies

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Europe Cores in EUROCORES – Ocean Drilling in EuroMARC

The oceans are our climate regulators, cover the sites of fundamental geodynamic, geochemical and biological processes and have high-resolution records of the Earth’s history in store for us. Scientific marine drilling and coring is crucial to cast light on both the deep and shallow (sub-)...

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Understanding Europe’s Topography

The EUROCORES programme TOPO-EUROPE kicks off

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Systems biology brings hope of speeding up drug development

Almost every day brings news of an apparent breakthrough against cancer, infectious diseases, or metabolic conditions like diabetes, but these rarely translate into effective therapies or drugs, and even if they do clinical development usually takes well over a decade. One reason is that medical...

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Alpine rivers hold important clues for preserving biodiversity and coping with climate change

Marginal plants, particularly trees, play a crucial role in sustaining the biodiversity of Europe’s big river systems, according to a recently held workshop organised by the European Science Foundation (ESF). This finding provides important clues for protecting Europe’s rivers against a combined...

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New life beneath sea and ice

Scientists have long known that life can exist in some very extreme environments. But Earth continues to surprise us. At a European Science Foundation (ESF) and COST (European Cooperation in the field of Scientific and Technical Research) ‘Frontiers of Science’ meeting in Sicily in October,...

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Complex systems and Mars missions help understand how life began

Understanding how life started remains a major challenge for science. At a European Science Foundation (ESF) and COST ‘Frontiers of Science’ conference in Sicily in October, scientists discussed two new approaches to the problem. The first applies complex systems theory to the chemistry that...

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Measuring water from space

Observations from satellites now allow scientists to monitor changes to water levels in the sea, in rivers and lakes, in ice sheets and even under the ground. As the climate changes, this information will be crucial for monitoring its effects and predicting future impacts in different regions.Sea...

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