Frontier Research

Turning undersea cables into a global natural hazard and environmental monitoring system

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The vast global network of underwater fibre optic cables could help monitor the ocean floor’s environmental and structural changes. © Sky-Blue Creative, Shutterstock.com

EU-funded researchers are exploring how undersea communication cables can double-up as environmental and seismic sensors – a potential game-changer for early warning systems. By Michael Allen Beneath the world’s oceans, a silent revolution is underway. More than 1.48 million kilometres of underwater fibre-optic cables carry almost all global internet and telephone traffic. Now researchers are … Read more

Europe’s deep-sea telescope on a hunt for the origins of the universe

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Incredibly small yet powerful particles called neutrinos could reveal how the universe works – and even why matter exists at all. © remotevfx.com, Shutterstock.com

Deep under the Mediterranean, scientists have recorded the highest-energy neutrino ever detected. Now they are working out what this elusive particle could reveal about the universe we live in. By Jonathan O’Callaghan Below the waves of the Mediterranean, Europe’s KM3NeT neutrino telescope is on a cosmic hunt. Towering strings of sensors stretch a kilometre down … Read more

New telescope cuts through space noise in hunt for distant Earth-like worlds

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New telescopes will help researchers in the quest for distant Earth-like planets. © sdecoret, Shutterstock.com

EU-funded researchers are developing powerful new telescopes to help uncover Earth-like planets around distant stars and advance the search for extraterrestrial life. By Jonathan O’Callaghan Across the billions of galaxies and stars in the universe, only one place is known to host life – Earth. Yet the hope of finding other living worlds drives scientists … Read more

Europe unveils plan to supercharge its science facilities

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Europe’s research and technology infrastructures are hubs of knowledge and collaboration helping scientists tackle some of the biggest challenges of our time. © Gorodenkoff, Shutterstock.com

From lasers to life sciences, Europe’s new plan for research and technology infrastructures aims to turn world-class science into everyday impact. By Catherine Howie The European Commission has introduced a new strategy for research and technology infrastructures to give innovation and competitiveness a long-term boost. Unveiled at this year’s Research and Innovation Days in Brussels … Read more

Inside Europe’s virtual ocean platform: a game-changer for marine protection

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Researchers have digitally mapped oceans to help protect their future. © gumbao, Shutterstock.com

Europe is building a virtual twin of the ocean to allow scientists, policymakers and citizens to test ideas, fight pollution and protect marine life – without even getting wet. By Michael Allen Imagine predicting how an oil spill will spread, or which cleanup strategy will work best, without ever touching the water. What if we … Read more

From mushrooms to new architecture: the rise of living, self-healing buildings

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Researchers are using the splitgill mushroom’s network of thin fungal strands to create new ‘living’ materials for construction. © iwciagr, Shutterstock.com

EU-funded researchers are cultivating fungi on agricultural waste to create smarter and greener construction materials able to adapt and react to their environment, and even repair themselves. By Anthony King In his office in the Netherlands, Professor Han Wösten holds up a hard sponge-like block for show. It is a material he made in 2012 using … Read more