CORDIS EXPRESS

CORDIS Express brings you stories from the heavens this week, as we focus on the future of European research and a number of stories about air and space. The upcoming Research and Innovation Strategy is looking to increase the flow of knowledge in Europe. Researchers have discovered cometary dust in Antarctic snow. Images from the European Space Agency’s new Herschel telescope have led to new discoveries. Winners have been announced in a competition for top PhDs. Elsewhere, researchers in Poland have been looking at a link between air pollution and lower mental abilities in children. In Finally and Briefly, marvel at an octopus and its relatively high demands for television content.

Commissioner offers preview of Research and Innovation Strategy

The EU's forthcoming Research and Innovation Strategy for Europe will focus on the major societal challenges, have a broad definition of 'innovation' and seek to remove bottlenecks to the flow of knowledge, European Commissioner for Research, Innovation and Science Máire Geoghegan-Quinn has announced. The Commissioner was speaking at the European Technology Platforms conference in Brussels, Belgium on 11 May. The Research and Innovation Strategy represents a major plank of the wider Europe 2020 Strategy that sets out the actions needed to help Europe emerge from the economic crisis as a 'smart, sustainable and inclusive economy'. Among other things, the Europe 2020 strategy reiterates the goal of boosting research and development (R&D) spending in Europe to 3% of GDP (gross domestic product); R&D spending in the EU is currently below 2%.

Scientists discover cometary dust in Antarctic snow

An EU-funded team of researchers has made the world's first-ever discovery of a new group of extraterrestrial particles in central Antarctica. The work is an outcome of the project 'Elucidating the origins of Solar System(s): anatomy of primitive meteorites' (Origins, which has received EUR 2.6 million under the Marie Curie scheme of the EU's Sixth Framework Programme (FP6). The aim of the project is to strengthen our understanding of the origins of our own planetary system as well as exo-planetary systems further afield. The findings of this latest study are published in the journal Science. The researchers from the Centre for Nuclear Spectrometry and Mass Spectrometry (CSNSM) in France found the snow-bound micrometeorites. The CSNSM is part of the National Institute of Nuclear and Particles Physics (IN2P3) of the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS).

A star is born - and caught on film!

Striking new images taken from Herschel (the European Space Agency's (ESA's) infrared space telescope) reveal stars in various stages of formation. Researchers predict that in the next 100,000 years or so, one embryonic star in particular will be among the biggest in our galaxy. The telescope's images suggest that this baby star, nestled on the star-forming cloud RCW 120, is already 10 times the mass of the Sun. When a star forms, surrounding dust and gas begin to heat up and emit light at far-infrared wavelengths. These wavelengths are almost always blocked by the Earth's atmosphere, making observations of star birth possible only from space. Herschel was launched into space, together with the ESA's Planck spacecraft, on 14 May 2009. To date, it is the largest astronomical telescope ever to have been dispatched (its main mirror is four times larger than any previous infrared space telescope).

EU project hands out prizes for top PhDs

Stronger resistance to drugs and increased tourism which puts people at greater risk of acquiring local diseases are just a couple of factors that play havoc on public health worldwide, and humans are under the constant threat of infections with pathogenic microorganisms. Enter the ERA-NET project 'Trans-European cooperation and coordination of genome sequencing and functional genomics of human-pathogenic microorganisms' (Pathogenomics), an initiative of the EU targeting more advanced transnational genome-based research programmes on human-pathogenic microorganisms. The project recently announced the winners of the PhD Award 2010 for the most outstanding doctoral theses in this field. The winners, Dr Itay Tirosh from the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, Dr Andreja Kovac from the University of Ljubljana in Slovenia, and Dr Cristina Latasa from the Public University of Navarra in Spain, were awarded EUR 2,000 each.

EU project makes breakthrough in short-haul transceiver technology

An EU-funded project is providing telecommunications (telecoms) operators with a simpler way of upgrading optical telecoms networks directly to 100 gigabit ethernet (GbE). Trials of the technology developed in the project 'High-speed electro-optical components for integrated transmitter and receiver in optical communications' (HECTO) have demonstrated that 100GbE networks can be deployed in a simpler capacity than before. The project was funded to the tune of EUR 2.36 million under the 'Information society technologies' thematic area of the Sixth Framework Programme (FP6).The eight-partner project, which kicked off in 2006 and has just concluded, aimed to develop photonic components, particularly transmitters and receivers for high-performance, high-speed and cost-efficient communication systems. Coordinated by the Finnish telecoms provider Nokia Siemens Networks, HECTO brought together experts from academic institutions, research institutes and SMEs (small and medium-sized enterprises) in Denmark, Germany, Greece, Finland and Sweden.

Study shows air pollution lowers children's mental ability

New research suggests that a child's cognitive ability can be affected by a mother's exposure to air pollution. The study, by the Columbia Centre for Children's Environmental Health (CCCEH) in New York, US, was carried out in Cracow, Poland, and confirms previous findings from a similar study in New York City last year. The findings, published in the journal Environmental Health Perspective, provide further evidence about the effects of urban air pollutants on human health. The study looked at whether children exposed to high levels of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) demonstrated lower levels of thinking and reasoning skills. PAHs are released into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels for transport and heating, as well as for energy production. The research was carried out on 214 children who were born between 2001 and 2006 in Cracow, the second largest city in Poland. The children all had healthy, non-smoking mothers who wore personal air monitors in backpacks while they were pregnant to measure pollution levels.

FamilyPlatform project conference, Lisbon, Portugal

The first FamilyPlatform project conference takes place in Lisbon, Portugal from 25 to 27 May, 2010. The event will take place under the heading 'A critical review of research on families'. It will be an opportunity for stakeholders from the policy realm, social organisations and research institutes to critically review the state and implications of family research in Europe. Another conference aim is to enable stakeholders to have input into the work of the FamilyPlatform project. There will also be an opportunity to critically review the project's Existential Field Reports and to discuss key policy areas. The project is funded by European Commission's Seventh Framework Programme and gathers a consortium of twelve organisations. It aims to bring stakeholders together to articulate key research issues and policy questions about the family. Project results will be included in the European Social Science and Humanities Research Agenda 2012 - 2013.

'Marine biotechnology: future challenges', Acquafredda di Maratea, Italy

A conference on 'Marine biotechnology: future challenges' will take place from 20 to 25 June, 2010 in Acquafredda di Maratea, Italy. During the last decade, the scientific and political landscape of marine biotechnology has fundamentally changed. Despite significant achievements, marine biotechnology has further potential in answering the numerous challenges facing European countries. Therefore, the event will highlight innovation and vision for the future of marine biotechnology in Europe, moving from exploitation to sustainability. The conference will also promote scientific excellence in marine biotechnology by providing scientists and young researchers with a platform to present their work, to discuss current scientific understanding and recent developments in key areas of marine biotechnology, and to identify the priorities for further research and infrastructure.

Fourth LIFE+ call for proposals

The Directorate-General for Environment is launching the fourth LIFE+ (Financial instrument for the environment) call for proposals. The call has up to EUR 243 million available for co-financing of projects under three headings: nature and biodiversity, environment policy and governance, and information and communication. LIFE+ Nature and Biodiversity supports projects that contribute to the implementation of EU directives related to birds and habitats, and to the goal of halting biodiversity loss. LIFE+ Environment Policy and Governance supports projects that offer significant environmental benefits, such as process or efficiency improvements. LIFE+ Information and Communication co-finances projects that spread information about environmental issues, such as climate change and conservation.

Developing know-how and new technology

The Micropolis copmpany is offering help in creating new technology and know-how for companies and entities within business development in micro-, nano- and environmental technologies. In addition, the firm is also involved with the development of photonics, nano- and environmental technology applications. Micropolis is closely linked to the Oulu Region of Finland. Regional cooperation includes business companies, universities, research facets and development organisations. Micropolis is also working with the Oulu Region Micro- and Nano- Technology Cluster as part of the Finnish national centre of expertise programme. The company works in liaison with several regional, national and international Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) network projects and programmes.

Generating energy from waves

With a total potential estimated to be in the range 150 - 240 TWh per year, Europe has some of the best natural wave resources in the world. The main barrier to wave energy expansion is the lack of a large, commercial-scale demonstration of the technology. Additionally, the efficiency of devices is limited and needs to be improved. The project 'Demonstration and deployment of a commerical-scale wave energy converter with an innovative real-time wave by wave tuning system' (Waveporty)aims to address this shortfall by demonstrating a large-scale grid connected, 600kW peak generator rated, point absorber Wave Energy Converter - for which a smaller scale prototype has already been tested. Waveport will also expedite the development of alternative devices by installing a ten port open platform 1.5MW rated underwater substation pod for the validation of future wave energy converters.

I want my Crab TV

High-definition television is slowly gaining in popularity, with an increasing variety of content and programmes that cater to viewers. With HDTV, video pictures have a resolution that is several times higher than standard definition TV. You can find sports, movies, opera... all kinds of things which, reportedly, look better when more lifelike.

You can even find the crab channel.