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Environment - Apr 9
Solar and wind power could mitigate geopolitical conflict in Northeast Africa. Friday, April 9, 2021 — A new study shows that several disagreements between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt around Africa's largest hydropower plant, the new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), could be alleviated by massively expanding solar and wind power across the region.
Environment - Apr 9
A new study shows that several disagreements between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt around Africa's largest hydropower plant, the new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), could be alleviated by massively expanding solar and wind power across the region.
Veterinary - Apr 6
Study shows structural discrimination against ethnic minorities, wheelchair users and blind people with assistance dogs. Tuesday, April 6, 2021 — Professor Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe and Billie Martiniello of the Sociology Department of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel have investigated discrimination on the rental housing market of the city of Leuven.
Health - Apr 7
Researchers evaluate relationship between pandemic and occupational health. Wednesday, April 7, 2021 — Commissioned by the ETUI, the research institute of the European Trade Union Confederation, Damini Purkayastha, Christophe Vanroelen and their colleagues at VUB's Interface Demography research group examined the relationship between occupational health and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Life Sciences - Apr 5
An interdisciplinary team led by KU Leuven and Stanford has identified 76 overlapping genetic locations that shape both our face and our brain. What the researchers didn't find is evidence that this genetic overlap also predicts someone's behavioural-cognitive traits or risk of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
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Research from Vrije Universiteit Brussel and KU Leuven on Ethiopian mega-dam
Solar and wind power could mitigate geopolitical conflict in Northeast Africa Friday, April 9, 2021 — A new study shows that several disagreements between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt around Africa's largest hydropower plant, the new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), could be alleviated by massively expanding solar and wind power across the region.
Solar and wind power could mitigate geopolitical conflict in Northeast Africa Friday, April 9, 2021 — A new study shows that several disagreements between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt around Africa's largest hydropower plant, the new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), could be alleviated by massively expanding solar and wind power across the region.
A new study shows that several disagreements between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt around Africa's largest hydropower plant, the new Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), could be alleviated by massively expanding solar and wind power across the region. Adapting GERD operation to support grid integration of solar and wind power would provide tangible energy and water benefits to all involved countries, creating regional win-win situations.
Increased risk of Covid-19 in precarious but essential work situations
Researchers evaluate relationship between pandemic and occupational health Wednesday, April 7, 2021 — Commissioned by the ETUI, the research institute of the European Trade Union Confederation, Damini Purkayastha, Christophe Vanroelen and their colleagues at VUB's Interface Demography research group examined the relationship between occupational health and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Researchers evaluate relationship between pandemic and occupational health Wednesday, April 7, 2021 — Commissioned by the ETUI, the research institute of the European Trade Union Confederation, Damini Purkayastha, Christophe Vanroelen and their colleagues at VUB's Interface Demography research group examined the relationship between occupational health and the Covid-19 pandemic.
Discrimination on rental market in Leuven
Study shows structural discrimination against ethnic minorities, wheelchair users and blind people with assistance dogs Tuesday, April 6, 2021 — Professor Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe and Billie Martiniello of the Sociology Department of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel have investigated discrimination on the rental housing market of the city of Leuven.
Study shows structural discrimination against ethnic minorities, wheelchair users and blind people with assistance dogs Tuesday, April 6, 2021 — Professor Pieter-Paul Verhaeghe and Billie Martiniello of the Sociology Department of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel have investigated discrimination on the rental housing market of the city of Leuven.
International team identifies genetic link between face and brain shape
An interdisciplinary team led by KU Leuven and Stanford has identified 76 overlapping genetic locations that shape both our face and our brain. What the researchers didn't find is evidence that this genetic overlap also predicts someone's behavioural-cognitive traits or risk of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
An interdisciplinary team led by KU Leuven and Stanford has identified 76 overlapping genetic locations that shape both our face and our brain. What the researchers didn't find is evidence that this genetic overlap also predicts someone's behavioural-cognitive traits or risk of conditions such as Alzheimer's disease.
Mapping policy for how the EU can reduce its impact on tropical deforestation
In brief: EU imports of products contribute significantly to deforestation in other parts of the world. In a new study, published in One Earth , researchers from several universities worldwide, among them University of Louvain, evaluated thousands of policy proposals for how the EU could reduce this impact , to assess which would have the largest potential to reduce deforestation - while also being politically feasible.
In brief: EU imports of products contribute significantly to deforestation in other parts of the world. In a new study, published in One Earth , researchers from several universities worldwide, among them University of Louvain, evaluated thousands of policy proposals for how the EU could reduce this impact , to assess which would have the largest potential to reduce deforestation - while also being politically feasible.
VUB provides breakthrough in chronic pain management
Thursday, April 1, 2021 — An international team of experts has provided a breakthrough in the study of chronic pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients. “We discovered that hypersensitivity is often the cause for all kinds of chronic pain. Personalised treatment tailored to the patient offers the solution here,' says VUB professor Jo Nijs, who is in charge of the project.
Thursday, April 1, 2021 — An international team of experts has provided a breakthrough in the study of chronic pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients. “We discovered that hypersensitivity is often the cause for all kinds of chronic pain. Personalised treatment tailored to the patient offers the solution here,' says VUB professor Jo Nijs, who is in charge of the project.
Meteorite impact over Antarctica 430,000 years ago
Thursday, April 1, 2021 — An international research team of planetary scientists, led by Dr Matthias van Ginneken of the School of Physical Sciences at the University of Kent, a former researcher at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the Université libre de Bruxelles and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, has found new evidence for a meteorite airburst just above the Antarctic ice cap 430,000 years ago.
Thursday, April 1, 2021 — An international research team of planetary scientists, led by Dr Matthias van Ginneken of the School of Physical Sciences at the University of Kent, a former researcher at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel, the Université libre de Bruxelles and the Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences, has found new evidence for a meteorite airburst just above the Antarctic ice cap 430,000 years ago.
Experimental hearing implant succeeds in registering brain waves
Researchers at KU Leuven have succeeded for the first time in measuring brain waves directly via a cochlear implant. These brainwaves indicate in an objective way how good or bad a person's hearing is. The research results are important for the further development of smart hearing aids. A cochlear implant enables people with severe hearing loss to hear again.
Researchers at KU Leuven have succeeded for the first time in measuring brain waves directly via a cochlear implant. These brainwaves indicate in an objective way how good or bad a person's hearing is. The research results are important for the further development of smart hearing aids. A cochlear implant enables people with severe hearing loss to hear again.
VIB/VUB-team map immune cells in aggressive brain tumor
Human glioblastoma tumors are aggressive hard-to-treat brain cancers that have a high unmet need for new treatment options. A team of researchers led by Prof. Kiavash Movahedi and Prof. Jo Van Ginderachter (VIB-VUB), in collaboration with colleagues from VIB, VUB, and KU Leuven, have mapped the immune landscape in these glioblastoma tumors.
Human glioblastoma tumors are aggressive hard-to-treat brain cancers that have a high unmet need for new treatment options. A team of researchers led by Prof. Kiavash Movahedi and Prof. Jo Van Ginderachter (VIB-VUB), in collaboration with colleagues from VIB, VUB, and KU Leuven, have mapped the immune landscape in these glioblastoma tumors.
VUB FloodCitiSense project brings breakthrough in systematic mapping of flood problems March winds and April showers herald summers of intense downpours, leading to localised pluvial flooding. Accurately estimating this type of flooding is difficult. The FloodCitiSense project, an international participatory research project led by VUB professor of hydrology Boud Verbeiren, aims to remedy this by developing a flood warning service.
Parental burnout hits individualist Western countries hardesttal
In brief : It's a first : approximately 100 scientists in 42 countries joined forces to learn about the incidence of parental burnout. They found that Western countries are the most affected by parental burnout. The cause? The often individualistic culture of Western countries. This international study, published in Affective Science , shows how culture, rather than socio-economic factors, plays a predominant role in parental burnout.
In brief : It's a first : approximately 100 scientists in 42 countries joined forces to learn about the incidence of parental burnout. They found that Western countries are the most affected by parental burnout. The cause? The often individualistic culture of Western countries. This international study, published in Affective Science , shows how culture, rather than socio-economic factors, plays a predominant role in parental burnout.
Mangroves come from the east
Biologists give first insight into distribution of ecologically important mangroves in the West Indian Ocean Mangrove forests are of great ecological and socio-economic importance. They have a permanent place on the international climate agenda because of their extensive carbon storage. Researchers from the Department of Biology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel have now studied the genetic structure and diversity of mangrove forests in the Western Indian Ocean, a region where these aspects have been less studied until now.
Biologists give first insight into distribution of ecologically important mangroves in the West Indian Ocean Mangrove forests are of great ecological and socio-economic importance. They have a permanent place on the international climate agenda because of their extensive carbon storage. Researchers from the Department of Biology at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel have now studied the genetic structure and diversity of mangrove forests in the Western Indian Ocean, a region where these aspects have been less studied until now.
Science publication - Climate change affects rivers
River discharge changed significantly around the world in recent decades. An international research team including climate scientist Wim Thiery of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has now been able to demonstrate that it is not water and land management but climate change that is playing a decisive role in this at a global level.
River discharge changed significantly around the world in recent decades. An international research team including climate scientist Wim Thiery of the Vrije Universiteit Brussel has now been able to demonstrate that it is not water and land management but climate change that is playing a decisive role in this at a global level.
Nature publication IceCube in Antarctica proves 60-year-old physics prediction with high-energy particle from the Universe
In 1960, Nobel Prize winner Sheldon Glashow predicted a process within the Standard Model, the most important model of particle physics. The theory describes the interaction of an antineutrino with an electron producing a new particle. However, no particle accelerator on Earth, not even the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, is able to make this process happen because it requires extremely high particle energy.
In 1960, Nobel Prize winner Sheldon Glashow predicted a process within the Standard Model, the most important model of particle physics. The theory describes the interaction of an antineutrino with an electron producing a new particle. However, no particle accelerator on Earth, not even the Large Hadron Collider at CERN, is able to make this process happen because it requires extremely high particle energy.
Cardiology prepared for the fourth dimension
What if heart specialists could simulate the fitting of a new heart valve in 4D before an operation? 4D CT scanners add the dimension of time to three-dimensional images and visualise the movement of the heart in detail.
What if heart specialists could simulate the fitting of a new heart valve in 4D before an operation? 4D CT scanners add the dimension of time to three-dimensional images and visualise the movement of the heart in detail.
A new study led by Belgian and Spanish researchers published in Scientific Reports adds evidence about the potential benefits of green tea extracts in Down syndrome. The researchers observed that the intake of green tea extracts can reduce facial dysmorphology in children with Down syndrome when taken during the first three years of life.
Researchers find asteroid dust in impact crater that signalled end of dinosaurs VUB professor Steven Goderis and his team have published unique evidence linking the extinction of dinosaurs to the impact of an asteroid 66 million years ago. For the first time, the scientists found evidence of dust remnants from an asteroid in the Chicxulub impact crater itself in Mexico.
If a person takes oxytocin, also known as the 'love hormone', in the form of a nasal spray for a sustained period, the body will start to produce more oxytocin by itself. This was the effect found by researchers at KU Leuven in people with autism. One month after treatment, they still showed elevated oxytocin levels in their saliva.
Scientists switch on tissue repair in inflammatory bowel disease
A method that instructs immune system cells to help repair damaged tissues in the intestine has been developed by researchers at KU Leuven and Seoul National University. This opens the way for more effective treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The study was carried out on humans and mice.
A method that instructs immune system cells to help repair damaged tissues in the intestine has been developed by researchers at KU Leuven and Seoul National University. This opens the way for more effective treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, including ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease. The study was carried out on humans and mice.
News from the Lab is a selection of science news that are significant or interesting for a broad readership.
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