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There are five major challenges in transitioning to a sustainable energy future. First, scale; the energy system must supply adequate energy to meet the needs of the expected global population growth over the next century. Second, availability; our current energy system is largely dependent on finite, non-renewable energy resources...

Gavin Whitmore, Biodiversity Manager at the European Crop Protection Association (ECPA) explains the importance of crop protection for sustainable agriculture Pesticides are perhaps one of the most misunderstood technologies used in modern agriculture. There are currently no viable alternatives to chemical crop protection, and in spite of an enormous volume of...

European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety, Vytenis Andriukaitis spoke at eHealth week in Riga about how digital applications are integral to tackling today’s health challenges in Europe When I started as a practising medical doctor, we kept handwritten health records and had face to face consultations. There was no...

Government organisations are continuing to feel the squeeze of austerity. So how can departments make further spending reductions over and above what they have already achieved? It’s a tough ask, yet while operational overheads were usually the first area to be scrutinised and where possible minimised – there is still...

Dr Paul Sant, Associate Dean at The University of Bedfordshire details how Milton Keynes is striving to become one of the UK leaders in smart cities According to a recent report by Centre for Cities, Milton Keynes is the UK’s number one city for jobs growth. Not only that, but it...

Matthew Finn, Managing Director at AUGMETIQ discusses the importance of building Europe’s capability to fight terrorism and serious transnational organised crime  For the better part of a decade, the European Union (EU) has been struggling to create a new legal basis to protect its 500 million citizens while respecting their...

Wim Fabries, European Rail Traffic Management System (ERTMS) Programme Director at the Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment in the Netherlands, explains how a system could improve railways in the country  The Netherlands has one of the busiest railway networks in the world. The quality and safety of its railways are...

Professor Alison Murray, Director of the Aberdeen Biomedical Imaging Centre, University of Aberdeen, explains how medical imaging has transformed healthcare over the years  Modern imaging is an essential part of healthcare and has come a long way since the discovery of X-rays in 1895 by Wilhelm Roentgen. Developments by researchers...

In recent decades Dengue has become one of the most uncontrolled and neglected infectious diseases, especially in the tropical and sub-tropical regions of the world. It is believed that societal and ecological changes/movement during the World wars increased vector-borne diseases, and dengue hyperendemicity began in the Southeast Asian regions,...

Background of Alzheimer’s disease Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is one of the most devastating neurodegenerative disorders affecting more than 25 million people worldwide which is the fifth leading cause of death for those aged 65 years and above. The disease typically starts with a difficulty to remember new information and as...

Professor Michela Alessandra Denti of the Centre for Integrative Biology at the University of Trento outlines the work of her laboratory on genetic diseases and cancers The Laboratory of RNA Biology and Biotechnology at the Centre for Integrative Biology (CIBIO) of the University of Trento, Italy, is focusing on RNA...

The Welsh government has announced it will appoint a chief digital officer to oversee public sector delivery... In a bid to transform public sector delivery of digital services at a national and local level the Welsh government has announced it will appoint a chief digital officer. The news follows the recently...

Expert and government adviser Professor David Stupples has warned that a new high-tech rail system could be hacked, leading to a serious crash... The high-tech signalling system that is set to control trains in Britain could potentially be hacked, according to a leading rail expert and adviser to the government. Professor...

Andrew Miller MP, Chair of the Science and Technology Committee sheds light on why the next government must make tackling antibiotic resistance a public health priority Medicine could be ‘cast back into the dark ages’ by growing antibiotic resistance, David Cameron grimly warned last year. To see off the ‘superbugs’...

Southwark Council explain the move from a paper-based planning application process to an online version in an attempt to reduce paper waste and to streamline processes… Southwark Council has replaced its online planning system with Idox’s Public Access system, a more robust planning portal, widely used by councils across the...

A new poll has revealed a third of young people believe social media will influence how they vote in the upcoming general election... There is little doubt that technology has advanced at a startling rate over the last quarter of a century. The development of the internet and subsequently social...

Deirdre Glenn, Manufacturing, Engineering and Energy Research Commercialisation Manager at Enterprise Ireland speaks to AG about how the organisation is supporting innovation throughout the country… Ireland is one of, if not the, leading Research, Development and Innovation (RDI) countries in Europe, offering key commercial environments for companies to develop their research...

A report published by MPs has said the UK should be given the regulatory power to grow genetically-modified crops... The current European Union rules for genetically-modified (GM) crops are “politicised and unscientific”, according to new report from a committee of MPs. Andrew Miller, the chair of the science and technology committee,...

Recent months have seen a recovery but as construction businesses emerge from the downturn, many are uncertain what approach to take to printing. Construction companies need accessible printing that is dependable and of high graphical quality. Yet, many such firms remain reluctant to make large investments in new solutions. Instead...

Constanze Krehl, MEP at the European Parliament discusses the importance of building a digital society, and what it could mean for Europe The European Commission has announced it will propose a comprehensive strategy for a Digital Agenda for Europe. The Commission wants to achieve ambitious goals in the field of...