21 ISSUE SEPTEMBER 2018

CONTENTS



Issue_21_2018



IN THIS ISSUE:
Science Write-ups The latest news and

Innovative program helps students
understand Mathematics and science opportunities
Physics by playing with virtual
musical instruments……............Page 3
The 2018 Nobel Prize winners in
Medicine, Physics, Chemistry....Page 3
Science in Action

Science invites you! Researchers'
Night at the Thessaloniki…........Page 4
Learning Science Through Theater
2018-2019.............................Pages 5-6
European Code Week 2018.....Page 6
Creating conditions for Deeper
Learning in Science….…..........Page 7
Events - Save the date
‘Diversity in STEM' Campaign....Page 8
Workshop: Communicating Science
in a Complex World…..............Page 8
Athens Conference on Advances in
Chemistry …………...................Page 8
11th annual International
Conference of Education, Research
and Innovation ….....................Page 9
10th International Congress on
Biodiversity………......................Page 9
ENEPHET Conference ...….........Page 9
Science View is communicating science to society since 2008,
sharing a vision of science literacy and science awareness.

Science opportunities

Business/Activities Manager in In this issue you will read about:
STEMworks.…………………......Page 10 Discover Events, Conferences, Seminars and the most recent
Technical Studentships in Science News!
CERN………………………........Page 10  iMuSciCA
Science & Enfineering Students wanted
for the Earth Observation Remote  2018 Nobel Prizes
 Researchers' Night at the Thessaloniki
Sensing Workshop…………..…....Page 10
Science Communication Fellow in  Learning Science Through Theater 2018-2019
The Nature Conservancy........Page 10  European Code Week 2018
Education @ EU
 Creating conditions for Deeper Learning in Science
EU eduNews................................................Page 11

Science in a nutshell Subscribe here if you want to receive monthly
Science News..................................Pages 12-14 these interesting news!

To download the issue click here.
Cover photos from Pixabay
2

SCIENCE WRITE-UPS
SCIENCE WRITE-UPS Issue_21_2018


Innovative program helps students

understand Mathematics and Physics by


playing with virtual musical instruments


Speech Processing at the Research Center “Athena”
and scientific coordinator of "iMuSciCA" program,
Vassilis Katsouros.
Students of secondary education, with the help of
innovative 3D imaging tools and motion sensors,
have the ability - through this program - to design
What would you say if you could solve a math and interact with their own digital instruments
problem or understand physics laws... by music? And according to the acoustics laws.
how much more entertaining would the lesson be for
middle and high school students if they could "A typical example for students is how they can
connect the necessary knowledge through musical experiment by changing the parameters of a string
instruments? For example, discover what and how the frequency changes when the length,
Pythagorean secrets hide the monophono, the guitar the stress or the material from which it is made are
and the xylophone! altered. In this way, students experimenting with a
musical instrument, such as the monochord, can
T h e E u r o p e a n r e s e a r c h p r o g r a m discover laws of Physics, Mathematics and
"iMuSciCA" (Teaching Science Through Music) Geometry", adds Vassilis Katsouros.
presented in Thessaloniki at the 83rd Thessaloniki
International Exhibition (TIF) gives answers to all of the The European project is ongoing and is being piloted
above It also provides a different way of teaching in schools in Greece, Belgium and France. At the
the difficult and demanding - for many children - same time, teachers are being trained in the
school lessons, methodology and digital tools, which are used in
"iMuSciCA" in order to transfer knowledge to the
"iMuSciCA" is an innovative project aimed to students.
enhance teaching and learning Mathematics,
Physics, Geometry and Technology and helping The project will run till the summer of 2019 and it is
students aged between 15 and 17 to develop coordinated by the “Athena” Research Center. Other
creative problem solving skills. participants are Ellinogermaniki Agogi and six other
organizations from Europe, three of which are
"The key is to combine science with music. To be technology companies and the rest are universities
able to teach physics, mathematics, geometry and and research centers.
technology through music to students”, said the
Research Director of the Institute for Language and For more information visit: http://www.imuscica.eu/


The 2018 Nobel Prize winners in

Medicine, Physics, Chemistry



Medicine scientists for their work in using light to make miniature
Discovering how to unlock the power of the immune tools. Dr. Ashkin invented “optical tweezers,” Dr.
system to destroy tumors has seen the first of 2018's Strickland and Dr. Mourou developed a method of
Nobel Prizes awarded to two immunologists on 1st generating high-intensity, ultrashort light pulses.
October 2018. James P. Allison (University of Texas, Chemistry
USA), and Tasuku Honjo (Kyoto University, Japan) were The 2018 Nobel Prize in Chemistry was awarded to
awarded the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Frances H. Arnold “for the directed evolution of
Medicine "for their discovery of cancer therapy by enzymes”, which are used to manufacture
inhibition of negative immune regulation". everything from biofuels to pharmaceuticals, and the
Physics other half jointly “for the phage display of peptides
The 2018 Nobel Prize in Physics went to Arthur Ashkin, and antibodies” to George P Smith (he developed a
Gérard Mourou, and Donna Strickland “for method called phage display) and to Sir Gregory P.
groundbreaking inventions in the field of laser Winter (used phage display to produce new
physics.” The Nobel committee recognized the pharmaceuticals).


3

SCIENCE IN ACTION
SCIENCE IN ACTION Issue_21_2018


Science invites you – People at the center of Research!

A Night of meeting and sharing between researchers

and the general public










Once again, the Researchers’ Night in Thessaloniki event concluded with "The Street Value of Science",
attracted thousands of visitors who explored the a scientific and musical journey, where Thanasis
enchanting world of science by witnessing numerous Konstandopoulos from CERTH pointed out the
technological advancements. The event was importance of research to society underlining at the
organized by the Centre for Research and same time the crucial role of music and the arts in
Technology Hellas with the support of the European general. In this context Konstandopoulos presented
Union and took place at Thessaloniki Concert Hall, on in a simple way research topics arising from the great
September 28, 2018. challenges of our time accompanied by live music
by one of Europe's most dynamic Blues Rock groups,
More specifically during this open science event, "Nikos Dounousis and the Backbone". The Street
visitors of all ages wandered through the Interactive Value of Science was also available through live
Technology Exhibition, where they had the broadcast to the thousands participants of the
opportunity to find out, among other research Researchers’ Night event at the National Technical
achievements, information about the RAMPCIP
project, the Robotic Assistant for patients suffering University of Athens.
from Mild Cognitive Impairment as well as the Photo credits: CERTH
support offered to asthma patients by the “my
AirCoach” project. Moreover, visitors got involved in
the development of sustainable travel plans in the
city of Thessaloniki and be informed about the
Precision Network Medicine in Oncology and the
emerging opportunities deriving from it for Greece.
It is worth mentioning that this year’s Night event
included activities to mark the European Year of
Culture Heritage 2018. In this context visitors had the
chance to explore among others how science and
research –through the Scan4Reco project for
instance- can be used for the benefit of heritage
and to experience a walk around the historical
square Gendarmenmarkt of Berlin inside a virtual
reality environment.
During the Night participants also had the opportunity
to engage in a variety of scientific experiments in the
fields of Physics, Chemistry and Biology. Additionally,
our young visitors experienced the joy of research
through plentiful digital research games.
This year’s Researchers’ Night featured the music
band “The Dude” and its singer Alexandra Sieti, who
entertained visitors by covering a wide range of
music genres including funk, blues and jazz. The











4

SCIENCE IN ACTION
SCIENCE IN ACTION Issue_21_2018



Learning Science Through Theater


2018-2019




















The educational activity “Learning Science Through More specifically, through this activity, students:
Theater” (LSTT) is an initiative of Science View that is
carried out annually in cooperation with varied  comprehend scientific concepts and
stakeholders (Faculty of Philosophy, Pedagogy and phenomena
Psychology of National and Κapodistrian University of  develop a spirit of cooperation and teamwork
Athens, Elliniogermaniki Agogi, Noesis Science Center 
and Technology Museum and more). Students from participate actively in the negotiation of
all grades (primary school – second grade of high scientific concepts
school) are expected to dramatize scientific  develop creative and critical thinking skills
concepts and knowledge from their school  participate in dissemination activities and
curriculum. The activity was created in the context of entrepreneurial actions for the promotion and
the European project CREAT-IT and based on the support of their theatrical performance and they
features of inquiry learning on science related will contribute in further bridging school with
courses (Inquiry Based Science Education), as well as society
on the pedagogical framework of the European
project CREATIONS. It is one of the accelerators of  develop their social and entrepreneurial skills
the European project Open School for Open  create an educational community that will
Societies (OSOS) approved and proposed by the cooperate, exchange opinions, material
Institute for Educational Policy (IEP) as National
Coordinator for Greek Schools participating in the Teachers on the other hand
project and one of the cases of implementation in  are engaged in professional development
Primary Education Schools of the European project procedures through their cooperation and the
Creativity, Art and Science in Primary Education exchange of opinions, ideas and teaching
(CASE). material (either in person or through online
learning communities)
In 2018, Science View was awarded the EPI2 2018
Award in the category “Awareness Actions &  are trained in new methodologies for the
Campaigns” for the action “Learning Science teaching of science through training workshops
Through Theater“. The EPI2 Awards are organized in and summer schools
the framework of the Athens Science Festival to  create an educational community that will
reward a wide range of communication activities cooperate, exchange opinions, material and
aimed both at the audience interested in the subject best practices for science teaching and
and the wider community. learning, that will continue after the
In the context of the activity, students will implement implementation of the action
a theatrical performance related to scientific  become co-creators of educational material.
concepts and will learn science in a creative way.

The specific objectives of the activity, which have as
a central axis the interdisciplinary interconnection of
science with aspects of art, aiming at the
enhancement of students’ interest in science, involve
both students and teachers.


Continued on next page 5

SCIENCE IN ACTION
SCIENCE IN ACTION Issue_21_2018



Ways of implementing  Video contest event
 Each school can independently implement
In Greece, each school has 3 choices: the activity
 Participating in the Athens event (6-7 April LSTT Volunteers
2019)

 Participating in the Thessaloniki event (13-14 This year for the first time, LSTT volunteers will have the
opportunity to offer in key positions. Supporting the
April 2019)
various organizational functions, in a way that relates
 Participating via video recorded theatrical to their skills, knowledge and interests such as:
performance (video submission deadline 24  Info Point - Secretarial Support
February 2019)
 Dissemination and promotion of action
School registrations have already begun (you can  Social Media Manager
register here) and will run until January 13th!
 Tech Support,
International Participations will contribute both in the preparation of the events in
Schools from all over the world are eligible to Greece and during the Greek events!
implement the activity as long as they communicate Volunteers will have opportunity to participate in
and cooperate with the organizers. Besides, Summer Schools, or activities of European projects,
operators can organize and conduct events (live while they will also receive a certificate of
performances or video contest) in their country. participation.
The implementation of the activity can be done in
the following ways: You can find more info about the activity in our
 Live performances event fresh new and updated website here.

European Code Week


6-21 October 2018






EU Code Week is a grass-root pan-European initiative run by volunteers who promote coding in their
countries as Code Week Ambassadors. The aim of the project is to involve as many schools, teachers,
libraries, code clubs, businesses, public authorities – can organise a #CodeEU event and add it to
the codeweek.eu map. To make organising and running coding events easier, there are prepared different
toolkits and have been selected some of the best lesson plans, guides and other resources.
For the needs of supporting the action, its official website (available in 14 European languages) provides all
the necessary information and indicative activities that can be integrated by the local stakeholders. In each
country selected ambassadors undertake to promote and support actions.
How can you participate in the EU Code Week?
 Developers can organize workshops in schools
 Programming teachers can organize code-writing courses or invite people to exchange planning
knowledge.
 Parents can encourage their children to participate in a programming workshop.
 Businesses and non-profit organizations can host
programming workshops, make people available as
trainers, organize entertaining programming events for
students, or offer sponsorships for programming events.
 Public organizations can organize planning workshops or
round table discussions at their premises.
 Everyone involved in an activity of the Planning Week
can share their experience on the European Planning
Week website and be an inspiration for others!



6

SCIENCE IN ACTION
SCIENCE IN ACTION Issue_21_2018


European Student Parliament on


Science completed successfully



















The value of the arts in STEM disciplines has long to the educational community and the general
been recognized. Pythagoras characterized his public as well, the Art exhibition “Everything is a
fellow mathematicians with the comment, “we are number” by the Swiss artist Eugen Jost. Numbers are
poets” and Max Planck, the father of quantum one topic that the artist is dealing with in his
theory, commented that pioneer scientists must paintings; the other one is language. The longer he
have “a vivid intuitive imagination, for new ideas are has worked in those two fields – numbers and
not generated by deduction, but by artistically language – the less he has seen clear border lines
creative imagination”. between them. With both he describes reality, with
both he is able to play.
In Ellinogermaniki Agogi, November is dedicated to
STEAM Education and Deeper Learning in Science. The opening ceremony of the exhibition will take
The concept of deeper learning has been used both place on Wednesday, October 31st 2018 at 20:00.
to describe a set of competencies or educational Workshops
objectives and to characterize a way of learning (or
a process) that promotes these competencies.
Conference
“STEAM” (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and
Math) has become a bit of a trend in education
discussions recently. In the constant use, we often fail
to appreciate that it’s more than an acronym. STEAM Photo credits: CREATIONS Conference
lives on as a philosophy to guide deeper and more The Swiss artist Eugen Jost, whose paintings form the
impactful learning. It is a well-known fact that exhibition “Everything is Number”, will deliver a series
participation in the Arts improves students’ academic of workshops for students of primary and secondary
achievement, motivation to learn, social education, starting on on Tuesday 30th of October
engagement, social skills, and helps to generate a and until Friday 2nd of November, focusing on the
positive school environment. deeper connection between art and mathematics.
The CREATIONS Conference 2018 that will be held in  Magic Squares - Creating and investigating
Athens at the premises of Ellinogermaniki Agogi magic squares of odd order!
between 2nd and 3rd of November 2018 aims to
discuss the notion of creating conditions for deeper  Archimedes and the football - Drawing lines
learning through the combination of science and of platonic solids on Ping-Pong balls and
the arts. decorating them!
As a process, deeper learning is aligned to concepts  Infinity - Playing with the idea of “Infinity”.
such us Critical thinking and problem solving, Writing a self-repeating story that goes on and
Creative Thinking and Innovation, Collaboration, and on!
Communication.
 Playing with paper - A paper without rear-
Exhibition side? Introducing Moebius strips!
In the framework of CREATION 2018 Conference, More info: http://creations2018.ea.gr/
Ellinogermaniki Agogi will have the honor to present


7

EVENTS SAVE THE DATE Issue_21_2018
EVENTS SAVE THE DATE

‘Diversity in STEM' Campaign





Europe 24/9-16/11/2018
Ever wondered why STEM education and careers are not as diverse as they could be? Interested in finding out how
we can help address STEM stereotypes? Diversity is an essential element for STEM innovation! For this reason, STEM
Alliance invites schools, teachers, career counsellors, companies and anyone else interested in STEM education to
take part in the ‘Diversity in STEM' campaign. The campaign runs between 24 September and 16 November
2018 with various activities taking place and resources launched.
Teachers and career counsellors are invited to participate in the
‘Diversity in STEM' competition between 24 September and 16
November 2018 by either submitting an activity that promotes
diversity in STEM or by creating a STEM careers resource.
If you are searching for motivation about a successful diverse STEM
project, find out resources to get inspired!
More details at: http://www.stemalliance.eu/campaigns/diversity-in-
stem2018
Photo credits: STEM Alliance

Workshop: Communicating Science in

a Complex World


Brussels, Belgium 17/10/2018

In the panel discussion, representatives from European networks of science communication, academies,
research organisations, EU institutions and industry will discuss and exchange strategies, experiences and
innovative ideas for science communication. Participants are expected to develop approaches for a
more strategic and effective communication of research topics by analysing previous successes and
failures from a wide range of fields.
This event represents a partnership between ALLEA and Wissenschaft im Dialog, a German organisation
working on science communication throughout Europe. It is also co-organised by other science
communication and science policy organisations, namely Vetenskap & Allmänhet, a Swedish science
communication organisation, and the European Science Events Association (Eusea)
The panel will take place on 17 October 2018 in
Brussels from 18:00 to 19:30, with a networking
cocktail served afterwards. This event is free of charge,
but registration is required; if you are interested in
participating, please register here.


Athens Conference on Advances in
Chemistry

Athens, Greece 30/10-2/11/2018

“Athens Conference on Advances in Chemistry (acac2018)”, will be held during October 30 to November 2, 2018
in Athens, Greece.
The conference venue will be the campus of the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens (NKUA). This
conference is the first of a series of International Conferences and is held on the occasion of the centennial
anniversary of the Department of Chemistry at NKUA since its establishment in 1918. The conference will be highly
active and a forum for exchange of the latest knowledge concerning chemistry and related areas among
researchers from all over the world.
More details at: http://acac2018.chem.uoa.gr/
8

EVENTS SAVE THE DATE
EVENTS SAVE THE DATE Issue_21_2018

11th annual International Conference

of Education, Research and
Innovation


Seville, Spain 12-14/11/2018
ICERI2018, the 11th annual International Conference of Education, Research and Innovation will be held in Seville,
Spain, from 12 to 14 November 2018.
ICERI is one of the largest international education conferences for lecturers, researchers, technologists and
professionals from the educational sector. After 11 years, it has become a reference event where more than 700
experts from 80 countries will get together to present their projects and share their knowledge on teaching and
learning methodologies and educational innovations. The 2018 edition of ICERI is sure to be among the most
successful education conferences in Europe.
More information: https://iated.org/iceri/



10th International Congress on Biodiversity

30th International Symposium on the Chemistry of Natural Products


Athens, Greece 25-29/11/2018
On November 25th – 29th 2018 in Athens, Greece, they will be held by International Union of Pure and Applied
Chemistry (IUPAC) the 30th International Symposium on the Chemistry of Natural Products and the 10th
International Congress on Biodiversity (ISCNP30 & ICOB10).

The high degree of endemism (1278 endemic species and 452 subspecies, accounting to 22% of all represented
species) classifies Greece among the hot-spots of plant biodiversity in Europe. The IUPAC symposium in Athens will
bring together scientists from all over the world in order to contribute to a better understanding of the role of natural
products in drug discovery, material science, nutrition and applied chemistry. Through a careful selection of
conferences from established scientists, the addition of emerging topics from young group leaders and the
participation of young scientists, through several travel fellowships, we aim to shed light into recent advances in
natural products.
More info at: http://www.iscnp30-icob10.org



11th ENEPHET Panhellenic Conference on

Science and Technology Education


Florina, Greece 21/4/2019
The 11th ENEPHET Panhellenic Conference on Science and Technology Education will take place in Florina from 19
to 21 April 2019 at the premises of the Pedagogical School.
The purpose of the 11th ENEPHET conference is to record developments in the teaching and learning of Natural
Sciences and Technology in the face of the multiple challenges of the 21st century. Through modern research
methods and constructive exchange of views, efforts will be made to capture the results so far, both at national
and international level, which relate to all levels of education in science and technology teaching. Also, through
the dynamic fermentation of old and new researchers, it is expected that proposals will be made for the
development and improvement of learning outcomes in these areas, responding to the emerging new needs and
international prospects.
Submissions Deadline: 30 October 2018
More info here.

9

SCIENCE OPPORTUNITIES
SCIENCE OPPORTUNITIES Issue_21_2018


Business/Activities Manager in STEMworks



Are you dedicated to STEM education and have a desire to make a major contribution in this field? STEMworks is
offering an exciting opportunity for someone passionate about STEM looking for a senior position with new
challenges. STEMworks (based in Gloucester, UK) could be looking for you.
You will have a proven track record at a senior level and have the vision and experience to help manage and
develop the business, by developing existing partnerships and sources of funding and seeking and promoting new
ones. Applications till 16th October 2018. More info here.



Technical Studentships in CERN



One of CERN’s key missions is education and there’s no better way to learn than on-the-job. When that job happens
to be in a world-famous organisation and centre of scientific excellence, even better. If your university or institute
requires or encourages you to acquire work experience through an internship, imagine doing this at CERN in
Geneva. It’s more than work experience.
If you are a student looking for practical training in domains related to
 Electrical or Electronics Engineering,
 Applied Physics
 Material and Surface Science
 Mechanical Engineering
 IT, Mathematics and Robotics
 General or Civil Engineering
you will have the opportunity to work at the cutting edge of technology, contribute and broaden your knowledge in
areas. Your application along with all supporting documents should reach us no later than 22.10.2018.
For more info, click on the Technical Studentship that interests you and apply.


Science & Enfineering Students wanted for the
Earth Observation Remote Sensing Workshop


ESA’s Education Office, with the support of the Science, Applications & Climate Department, is now inviting
applications from Master and PhD students enrolled in engineering or science degrees for an exciting new
workshop on Earth Observation Remote Sensing. The Workshop will be held from the 10 to 14 December 2018 in
ESA Academy’s Training & Learning Facility (TLF) located in ESEC-Galaxia, Belgium.
During these five days, university students will become acquainted with the basics of Remote Sensing, along with
an overview of ESA’s EO satellite missions. Students will also learn about the science of radar and optical remote
sensing, as well as data fusion. Delivered by retired ESA[NC1] specialists and experts from academic institutions and
industry, emphasis will be given to gaining practical skills and putting them to use through group exercises using
actual remote sensing tools. The deadline for applications is 26 October 2018. More info here.

Science Communication Fellow in The Nature

Conservancy

The Nature Conservancy (based in Montpelier, VT) is looking for a Science Communication Fellow. The Science
Communication Fellowship is a two-year position designed to give the successful candidate critical skills and
experience as an entry into a conservation career. Though the work will be primarily focused on communications
efforts, it is our intent that the Fellow be exposed to the full breadth of TNC's operations. All applications must be
submitted in the system prior to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Time on October 29, 2018. More info here.



10

EDUCATION @ EU
EDUCATION @ EU
Issue_21_2018
EU edu News




EU Parliament releases three new studies on

education programmes



'Towards the Next Programme Generation' is the title of concerns the Europe for Citizens programme and
the three studies published by the EU Parliament on the suggests synergies with the others.
future of the main EU programmes on education, culture
and citizenship. Two studies requested by the European
Parliament's CULT Committee were published on
Erasmus+ and Creative Europe. Erasmus+: Towards a
New Programme Generation is a complement to the
European Commission mid-term evaluation of
Erasmus+. It provides a series of key findings and
recommendations and suggests adjustments. The
second study, Creative Europe: Towards the Next
Programme Generation provides recommendations for
a more ambitious future programme, reflecting the
richness of European cultural diversity. The third study

The European Commission will fund studies on

the future of education and training



The Directorate-General for Education, Youth, Sport and
Culture (DG EAC) announces a series of competitive
negotiated procedures for the supply of studies on the
future of education and training. The studies should
provide qualified rapid-response opinions in order to
stimulate at European level a debate on the future of
education and new forward-looking policy ideas, and to
present to Member states possible avenues for future
policy development.
Read more about the announcement, objectives and
procedures.
OECD Publication: Education at a Glance 2018



Education at a Glance: OECD Indicators is the market outcomes are impacted by dimensions such as
authoritative source for information on the state of gender, the educational attainment of parents,
education around the world. It provides data on the immigrant background, and regional location.
structure, finances and performance of education
systems in OECD and partner countries. With more than Read the full publication here.
100 charts and tables, Education at a Glance
2018 imparts key information on the output of
educational institutions, the impact of learning across
countries, and worldwide access, participation and
progression in education. It also investigates the financial
resources invested in education, as well as teachers, the
learning environment and the organisation of schools.
The newly released edition presents a new focus on
equity in education, investigating how progress through
education and the associated learning and labour


11

SCIENCE IN A NUTSHELL
SCIENCE IN A NUTSHELL Issue_21_2018

SCIENCE NEWS




Japan’s asteroid mission Hayabusa2 has become the first to
land moving rovers on the surface of an asteroid. On 22 September, the
Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) tweeted confirmation that
the mission’s twin rovers, called MINERVA-II 1A and 1B, had landed safely
on the space rock Ryugu, and that both were moving on the surface.
Before it leaves Ryugu next year, the Hayabusa2 mothership will release
two more landers and, in late October, will touch down on the surface
itself to collect a sample to bring back to Earth. (Image Credit: JAXA)
https://goo.gl/65QNBD


It had been hiding in plain sight. The original letter - long thought lost - in
which Galileo Galilei first set down his arguments against the church’s
doctrine that the Sun orbits the Earth has been discovered in a
misdated library catalogue in London on August 2nd by Salvatore
Ricciardo, a postdoctoral science historian. The seven-page letter,
written to a friend on 21 December 1613 provides the strongest
evidence yet that, at the start of his battle with the religious authorities,
Galileo actively engaged in damage control and tried to spread a
toned-down version of his claims. (Image Credit: The Royal Society)
https://goo.gl/Xfz1B7


New "Robotic Skins" technology developed by Yale researchers flips that
notion on its head, allowing users to animate the inanimate and turn
everyday objects into robots. Developed in the lab of Rebecca Kramer-
Bottiglio, assistant professor of mechanical engineering & materials
science, robotic skins enable users to design their own robotic systems.
Although the skins are designed with no specific task in mind, Kramer-
Bottiglio said, they could be used for everything from search-and-rescue
robots to wearable technologies. The results of the team's work were
published in Science Robotics. (Image Credit: Yale University)
https://goo.gl/hy7Hmg

As Parker Solar Probe prepares for an unprecedented close-up of the
sun, the new spacecraft sent data home showing that all is well in the
mission. The probe's instruments showed the band of the Milky Way and
picked up evidence of the solar wind, the constant stream of particles
emanating from the sun. The spacecraft will swoop close to the sun in
November of 2018 and, over the course of seven years and many
orbits, will take periodic close-ups of the sunand zoom by Venus several
times. Parker will come within 4 million miles (6.4 million kilometers) of the
sun on its closest orbit; that's more than eight times closer than the
planet Mercury gets to the sun. (Image Credit: NASA/Parker Solar Probe)
https://goo.gl/po5Dnv

As a result of climate change, population growth and rising
expectations regarding quality of life, energy requirements for cooling
processes are growing much faster worldwide than for heating. A novel
technology could provide a solution: refrigeration using magnetic
materials in magnetic fields. Researchers at the Technische Universität
(TU) Darmstadt and the Helmholtz-Zentrum Dresden-Rossendorf (HZDR)
have developed the idea of a cooling cycle based on the 'magnetic
memory' of special alloys. Relevant initial experimental results have now
been published in the journal 'Nature Materials' (Image Credit: HZDR/André
Wirsig )
https://goo.gl/jTnQXs


Continued on next page 12

SCIENCE IN A NUTSHELL
SCIENCE IN A NUTSHELL Issue_21_2018

Humanity could have an outpost on Mars just a decade from now, Elon
Musk said. Musk's company SpaceX is building a huge, reusable rocket-
spaceship duo called the BFR to help our species explore and settle
Earth's moon, Mars and other worlds throughout the solar system.
"Probably 2028 for a base to be built," Musk said on Twitter on Friday
Sept. 21, in response to a question about when Mars Base Alpha could
graduate from artistic rendering to reality. The first orbital flights of the
100-passenger spaceship and its giant booster probably won't come
until 2020 or 2021 at the earliest, Musk said during an event at SpaceX
headquarters in Hawthorne, California. (Image Credit: SpaceX )
https://goo.gl/ixTr97


The human gut is lined with more than 100 million nerve cells—it’s
practically a brain unto itself. And indeed, the gut actually talks to the
brain, releasing hormones into the bloodstream that, over the course of
about 10 minutes. But a new study reveals the gut has a much more
direct connection to the brain through a neural circuit that allows it to
transmit signals in mere seconds. The findings could lead to new
treatments for obesity, eating disorders, and even depression and
autism - all of which have been linked to a malfunctioning gut. The
results may also explain why eating makes us feel good.
https://goo.gl/ETes6T

A fragment of stone found in South Africa provides the canvas for what
archaeologists believe is the oldest human drawing ever found. The
cross-hatched pattern drawn in ochre had been buried in Blombos
Cave, east of Cape Town, for around 73,000 years. Archaeologists used
to think the ability of our species to think symbolically did not emerge
until Homo sapiens colonised Europe around 40,000 years ago.
However, a steady trickle of evidence from places as far apart as
Morocco and Indonesia has revealed that humans began practising art
far earlier. The discovery was documented in the journal Nature.
(Image Credit: Craig Foster/University of Bergen/Nature )
https://goo.gl/UP9CTa

Hydrogen fuel cells are a greener way to power vehicles. But they
have also been cost-prohibitive. On Sptember 17th though, that started
to change, German passengers boarded the world’s first hydrogen-
powered trains. Hydrogen fuel cells generate electricity by combining
hydrogen with oxygen, and their only byproduct is water. That makes the
cells a promising energy source that produces zero emissions and very
little noise. New research is helping cut the cost of hydrogen, and the
fuel source is already in use elsewhere in the world to
power buses and cars.
https://goo.gl/tH3tDt


Scientists have long thought that nuclear fusion, the type of reaction
that powers stars like the Sun, could be one way to make it happen, but
the reaction has been too difficult to maintain. Now, we’re closer than
ever before to making it happen - physicists from the University of Tokyo
(UTokyo) say they’ve produced the strongest-ever controllable magnetic
field. “One way to produce fusion power is to confine plasma - a sea of
charged particles - in a large ring called a tokamak in order to extract
energy from it,” said lead researcher Shojiro Takeyama in a press
release. The magnetic field that a tokamak would require is “tantalizingly
similar to what our device can produce”. (Image Credit: Shojiro Takeyama)
https://goo.gl/sN77bU


Continued on next page 13

SCIENCE IN A NUTSHELL
SCIENCE IN A NUTSHELL Issue_21_2018

On September 26th, an international group of researchers, released the
deepest wide field map of the three-dimensional distribution of matter
in the universe ever made and increased the precision of constraints for
dark energy with the Hyper Suprime-Cam survey (HSC). The HSC map,
created from data gathered by Japan's Subaru telescope located in
Hawaii, allowed researchers to measure the gravitational distortion in
images of about 10 million galaxies. In all, the HSC survey will collect five
years of data that will yield even more information about the behavior
of dark energy. (Image Credit: Hyper Suprime-Cam Survey)
https://goo.gl/eUGKGV

A team of researchers has released the most detailed and most
accurate map of the Antarctican terrain ever created using high-
resolution satellite images. Called the "Reference Elevation Model of
Antarctica" or REMA, the map has a resolution of about 8 meters or 26
feet to show every elevation across nearly the entire continent. As REMA
can provide the elevation across the continent, scientists want to use
the new map to monitor changes in the ice. Antarctica has already lost
a total of 2.71 trillion metric tons of ice from 1992 to 2017. The
researchers also set up a page where you can explore REMA yourself.
(Image Credit: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency)
https://goo.gl/hUjngp


After falling past the event horizon — the point of no return — nothing
can escape a black hole. While the depths of black holes may forever
remain a mystery, astronomers can observe the regions around them.
In a paper published September 3 in the Monthly Notices of the Royal
Astronomical Society, a team of researchers reported, for the first time,
spotting a clump of matter falling directly into a distant black hole at
nearly one-third the speed of light. The observations, which come from
the European Space Agency's orbiting XMM-Newton X-ray observatory,
are of the 40 million-solar-mass supermassive black hole at the center
of the galaxy PG211+143, about one billion light-years away.
https://goo.gl/1ePoVV


A strange soft-bodied sea creature that lived over half a billion years
ago may have been the first animal species on Earth, fossil evidence
suggests. The first large complex organisms – known as the Ediacarans –
appear in the fossil record about 570 million years ago, just before the
Cambrian explosion of modern animal life. The researchers collected
the fossils from sandstone cliffs in a remote area of the White Sea region
of Russia. The cholesterol-like molecules preserved in them are found in
almost all of today’s animals, but have low abundance in other lifeforms
like bacteria, lichen and amoebas. “It tells us this creature in fact was
our earliest ancestor,” says Brocks. (Image Credit: O. Louis Mazzatenta)
https://goo.gl/eWsDCN

They might be tiny, but mosquitoes cause millions of deaths every year
by spreading diseases. New research published in Nature
Biotechnology, suggests we could wipe the destructive buggers off the
map using a genetic engineering technique known as a gene drive.
A gene drive lets researchers make a change to one organism that it
then passes down to its offspring, like a genetic time bomb. Using the
technique, researchers from Imperial College London completely
wiped out a caged population of Anopheles gambiae, the mosquito
species that spreads malaria in sub-Saharan Africa.
https://goo.gl/JdkYyL



14

Mr. Menelaos Sotiriou is a science writer
and communicator. He was the editor of
the official Research and Technology
online magazine in Greece, E&T (www.et-
online.gr) that was published from the
General Secretariat of Research and
Technology. He started his professional
career by developing various Management Systems,
mostly in the field of Education as well as Health Care
and Telecommunications, in over 40 public and private
Organisations. He is a certified auditor and has realised
over 50 audits, mostly in the field of Quality
Management Systems and Assurance. The last twelve
(12) years he is running (project management) and
organising European and national projects for several
institutions (including research institutions) mainly in the
areas of new and innovative technologies (ICT). He has
been involved in more than 30 EU projects in the areas
of SiS, SSH, ICT, Research for the Benefit of SMEs. He has
vast experience in networking activities as the project
Coordinator of EUROSiS Project that is the Network of the
Science in Society NCPs. (Greek NCP for SiS
Programme). During this project he has organized a lot
of brokerage events as well as info days / trainings
concerning the participation of institutions in the specific
programme. He is holding the position of President of
Science View (www.scienceview.gr) a nonprofit, non
governmental organization that has expertise in Science
Communication and Science Journalism. He is
specialised in science communication, organisation of
events (science cafes, conferences, science festivals,
exhibitions, science weeks), publications, science
writing, outreach activities for young students (mainly in
the fields of mathematics, physics, astronomy and
health), and creativity in science education
(Introduction of creative ways to provide science
education like science theatre, music and science).
Finally, he is included in the Evaluators’ Data Base of
theEuropean Commission for the HORIZON2020 and of
the Science Foundation Ireland (SFI) and also he had
participated in several EC meetings as an expert in
Science Communication and Journalism issues.