Ερευνητικά Αποτελέσματα Ξένων Ερευνητών - Europedirect

The DIGESTIVO project has considerably advanced our understanding of low surface brightness galaxies. In doing so, they have found dark matter in a new type of very low surface brightness object where it was previously reported not to be present.

The EU-funded CosmicDawn project is using theoretical and observational research to better understand the origins of our universe.

With the 2009 launch of the Planck satellite, the European Space Agency (ESA set out to image the cosmic microwave background (CMB) radiation left over from the Big Bang. Although large volumes of data on the early universe have since been collected, a lot of questions remain unanswered: Where did the initial fluctuations in the density of the universe come from? Why is the universe so big but mostly empty? Why is it so spatially flat?

Not all galaxies are made equal. Some are isolated, some thrive in groups like our very own Milky Way, and some are part of mega-structures called galaxy clusters. By running first-of-their-kind simulations of these clusters, Dr Yannick Bahé successfully addresses a missing link in the scientific understanding of galaxy formation.

The EU-funded BeyondPlanck project is taking an iterative approach to detecting the primordial gravity waves created during the Big Bang.

One of modern physics biggest achievements is the development of high-precision cosmology, or the science of the origin and development of the universe. Using the leftover heat from the Big Bang, known as cosmic microwave background (CMB), cosmologists have pinpointed such important cosmological parameters as the age and energy content of the universe to per cent accuracy.

While mixing innovative semiconductor materials holds the key to keeping Moore’s Law on track, metal alloys have not yet experienced a similar exponential improvement in performance. New computational models linking materials at different scales provide the key to developing stronger and more durable metal alloys highly valued in engineering applications.

Small satellites are a booming market. With hundreds of microsatellites on the drawing board, a major boost would be finding a cost-effective way to launch them with a dedicated vehicle.

Owing to the advancements in satellite miniaturisation and electronics technology, the exploitation of Space assets for Earth observation, telecommunications, and Internet-connected objects is becoming more popular. These developments are bringing Space within reach of a wide range of private companies and it is no longer the preserve of a handful of governments with well-funded Space programmes.

Climate change means the soil available for growing crops may become dryer and more saline. European scientists have investigated the molecular mechanisms implicated in root development in saline conditions.

Plant roots have developed mechanisms to control the entrance of solutes and water. Take for example, the modification of the cell wall in specific root cell types that serve as physical barriers to control uptake from soil. These modifications involve, among other compounds, polymers of lignin and suberin.

The benefits of energy efficiency (EE) measures aren’t recognised in building appraisals, and this is a major barrier to investment. Better guidance on the value of EE could significantly boost investor confidence.

The protective blood-brain barrier (BBB) hampers the delivery of drugs for the treatment of brain cancer, bacterial infections and diseases of the central nervous system. Through innovative drugs derived from viral proteins, INPACT researchers hope to put an end to acquired drug-resistance and deliver pharmaceuticals across the BBB.

Although industrial robots execute complex repetitive tasks more efficiently, reliably and precisely than humans, SMEs are reluctant to use them because of complicated and expensive set-up and maintenance. An EU initiative has overcome these hurdles with a new-fangled robot workcell.

Manipulation of a pest’s natural enemies is a novel approach to pest control. However, this requires a detailed understanding of the ecological consequences of pest invasion and how the pests’ natural enemies locate their hosts.

Many invasive herbivorous insects are major economic pests. A significant threat to agriculture, they inflict even greater damage than local species due to the absence of their native natural enemies. They can be accidentally introduced into non-native ecosystems by humans or extend their geographical range towards the poles due to global warming.

Reaching climate targets, while maintaining sustainable economic growth and social cohesion, needs a revolution in how we operate across multiple sectors. One project offers a step-change for increased energy efficiency.

If the European Union is to meet its Energy Roadmap objective of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80-95 % by 2050 (compared to 1990 levels), it must accelerate plans for increased energy efficiency. A sustainable and long-term approach to district heating and cooling (DHC) is part of accomplishing such a transformation.

A real-time sampling and monitoring system developed on EU project ODORPREP tackles the nuisance of bad smells – a common cause of complaints in towns in Europe

Landfill sites, water treatment plants, paper mills and food factories are just some of the causes of odours, a growing problem in urban settlements in Europe and almost as distressing as noise. Odour emissions need not be such a nuisance, however, thanks to an on-demand system for monitoring and sampling the air, developed by EU project ODORPREP.

EU project InnoSpaceComm helped open a new ground station in Bulgaria for CubeSats to transmit and receive space data affordably. It also gave hundreds of young Europeans hands-on experience in space communication.

Satellites have come a long way since the first one, Sputnik 1, blasted into space back in 1957. Nowadays, you don’t need to be part of a space agency to launch one: some mini-satellites now cost less than the price of a flat in most European cities.

With the data explosion generated by high-performing, broadband-enabled digital devices, data centres have become critical modern infrastructure. But at unsustainable levels of energy consumption, new solutions are now essential.

It has been calculated that data centres use around 200 terawatt hours of electricity annually, equating to about 1 % of global electricity demand. Some forecasts predict this demand will grow to around 7 % in little over a decade.

The human visual brain can learn and adapt to an ever-changing visual environment. Increasing our knowledge about the stability and plasticity of the visual brain can boost innovation in healthcare and technology such as artificial intelligence.

HEALTH

The EU-funded FGFSTAB project is producing robust fibroblast growth factors with the high operational stability needed for use in regenerative medicine.

Across much of the developed world, populations are becoming older, more obese, and increasingly prone to such chronic diseases as diabetes. As a result, the global wound-care market is rapidly evolving, with innovative fibroblast growth factor (FGF) products driving the field of regenerative medicine.

There is evidence, especially in plants, that epigenetic changes, created in individual organisms because of environmental stresses, can be passed down through the generations and become fixed. Would harsh environments surrounding early dogs, combined with selective breeding, show traces of this epigenetically-mediated evolution? One project set out to answer the question.

There are a numerous historical documents and objects that substantiate cultural movements and forms against communism in Europe. However, the collections in which the documents and objects are created are scattered and largely unfamiliar to the wider public. An EU-funded project has a solution.

Following the linear economic approach in the building sector is resulting in avoidable waste and resource depletion. The BAMB project has developed tools inspired by the circular economy, at levels not previously possible.

According to Eurostat, the European built environment is responsible for around 40 % of our energy consumption, 35 % of total GHG emissions, 50 % of resource extraction and 33 % of waste production.