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Podcast about science in Luxembourg and beyond - in every episode we have a look at the latest scientific research and technological changes in Luxembourg or we discuss it with scientists or researchers working in Luxembourg. This is a podcast for people who love science, but aren't necessarily science graduates. We post a new episode every second week.
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In this episode, we talk with Dr. Jácome (Jay) Armas, a theoretical physicist who works at the Niels Bohr Institute (University of Copenhagen) and the University of Amsterdam. We spend time on the concept of emergence: how complex behaviour can arise from simple underlying rules in ways you couldn't predict just by looking at the components. Dr. Armas connects this to everything from physics to biology to social systems. The conversation also covers string theory and why some physicists moved...
Did you know that if you go down to nanoscale, the features of materials change completely? For example gold can have a completely different colour. It's not only aestheric, it can have profound implications in the material's applications. Want to be surprised even more? Listen to the first episode in our new 6th season in which we discuss nanomaterials with Prof. Katarzyna Siuzdak. Join us as we explore the transformative potential of nanotechnology and the exciting future it promises in en...
Migration remains one of the most contentious and emotionally charged issues of our time. In this episode, we explore the evidence behind the debates with Catia Batista, Professor of Economics at Nova School of Business and Economics and Director of the Nova Africa Research Center. Professor Batista recently served as a visiting professor at LISER through the FNR's INTER Mobility programme. Professor Batista reframes migration as fundamentally about human well-being rather than mere statistic...
The gut microbiome has become a hot topic in recent years, capturing the attention of scientists and the general public alike. In our latest podcast episode, we met with Professor Paul Wilmes, head of the Systems Ecology group at the Luxembourg Center for Systems Biomedicine (University of Luxembourg). He shares insights into the complexities of the microbiome, its role in human health, and the groundbreaking research being conducted in Luxembourg. One of the key highlights of the discussion...
This episode features Dr. Adam Hulman, a mathematician with a PhD in epidemiology who specialises in bridging the gap between computer science and clinical research. Adam discusses the significant challenges involved in developing prediction models that actually work in real-world healthcare contexts, particularly in diabetes management. The conversation covers machine learning applications in medical settings, the complexities of training models with medical data, and the importance of clini...
Did you know Luxembourg is home to space weather experts? Space weather – a term that may sound unfamiliar to many – encompasses a broad range of solar phenomena that can significantly impact life on Earth and the technology we rely on daily. This is the specialisation of Dr. Carl Shneider from SnT (University of Luxembourg), whom we spoke with recently. One of the most fascinating aspects we discussed with Carl is the role of Earth's magnetic field in shielding us from solar radiation. He ex...
Let's look at what we eat - from a nutrition research perspective! Dr. Torsten Bohn, a food chemist and nutritionist heading the Nutrition and Health group at the Luxembourg Institute of Health, shares his insights on what constitutes a healthy diet, the challenges of adhering to dietary recommendations in real life, and the impact of modern dietary trends. We explore the complexities of food bioactives, the significance of the gut microbiome, and how our understanding of nutrition is&n...
What exactly is number theory, and what drives researchers to dedicate their careers to this field? How does this seemingly abstract branch of mathematics connect to the cryptography that secures our digital world? A couple of weeks ago, Luxembourg hosted the 33rd Journées Arithmétiques, providing us with the perfect opportunity to explore these questions. We sat down with two mathematicians: a visiting researcher and a local expert, offering insights from both international and Luxembourg-ba...
In this episode, Professor Elisabeth Letellier from the University of Luxembourg and Dr. Mina Tsenkova, now at Amgen in California, discuss colorectal cancer research and ketogenic diet. Mina won the Rolf Tarrach Award 2024 for her PhD thesis. The discussion centers around the critical role of the gut microbiome in cancer development, specifically how diet influences this relationship. Mina shares insights from her award-winning PhD research on the ketogenic diet and its effects o...
Dr. Patrick Michel, senior researcher at CNRS and global fellow at the University of Tokyo, discusses how our understanding of asteroids has evolved dramatically since the mid-1990s. Early research relied on reflected light observations, but space missions have revealed asteroids as complex geological worlds with diverse shapes and structures. Patrick reflects on this transition from limited knowledge to groundbreaking missions that reveal the intricate features of these celestial bodies.&nbs...
Dr. Thomas Gibon from the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology breaks down why our assumptions about "green" technology are often wrong. Electric cars, hydrogen fuel, steel production – Thomas shows how Life Cycle Assessment reveals the hidden environmental costs that many don't talk about. The conversation cuts through the usual green-tech hype. That electric car? Its environmental impact depends on how the electricity gets made and where the lithium comes from. Hydrogen as a clean...
In this episode, we connect with Dr. Bernd Grimm from the Luxembourg Institute of Health and Professor Arndt-Peter Schulz from Germany's Fraunhofer IMTE – two researchers revolutionising orthopedic medicine by looking into the fast developing field of smart implants - here comes the SmILE project. Musculoskeletal diseases like osteoarthritis and osteoporosis affect millions worldwide, yet barely register on our health radar. These conditions might not kill you, but they can devastate quality ...
In this SciLux episode, we speak about science communication with Professor Mike S. Schäfer, Head of the Department of Communication and Media Research at the University of Zurich. We examine the role of intermediaries between researchers and audiences and discuss the difficulties scientists face when explaining their work. Mike addresses the need to understand different audiences, and strategies for engaging people who don't go looking for scientific content. We cover changes in science jour...
History isn't just what happened - it's who gets to tell the story. In this episode, we sit down with public history researcher Dr. Joëlla van Donkersgoed (C2DH, University of Luxembourg) to explore how communities are reclaiming their narratives and reshaping our understanding of the past. From the streets of Esch-sur-Alzette to the remote Banda Islands of Indonesia, Joëlla's work reveals how traditional historical methods often miss crucial perspectives. She breaks down the real chall...
Prof. Takis Tridimas: "Europe for me is a set of values. It's about democracy. It's about putting the citizen at the centre of society." As we celebrated Europe Day last week, we took the time to revisit the concept of Europe and talk about EU Law with Prof. Takis Tridimas, the founding director of the Luxembourg Centre for European Law at the University of Luxembourg. With Prof. Tridimas we looked closer at the significance of the European Court of Justice, the protection of fundamental righ...
Let's change the way we learn foreign languages! In our latest episode, Dr. Kateřina Chládková (assistant professor at Faculty of Arts, Charles University and a senior scientist at Institute of Psychology, Czech Academy of Sciences) upends conventional wisdom about language learning. Babies don't use flashcards or grammar drills—they absorb language through immersion in their linguistic environment. Dr. Chládková's research suggests adults retain these innate mechanisms but rarely acces...
In a world where traditional economic systems are being challenged, the concept of local currencies is gaining traction as a powerful tool for community empowerment and social innovation. In the latest episode of the podcast, host Hanna Siemaszko welcomes Dr. Gilles Evrard Essuman, a research associate at LISER specializing in social innovation and community economies. Their engaging conversation focuses on the intricacies of local currencies, participatory action research, and the transforma...
With the advent of quantum computers, traditional cryptographic methods face unprecedented threats. In the latest episode of our podcast, we invited two guests from the Applied Security and Information Assurance (APSIA) Group at SnT (University of Luxembourg to discuss it: Prof. Peter Ryan and Dr. Peter Roenne. Listeners will discover how quantum key distribution (QKD) works (or as Prof. Ryan calls it: quantum key establishment), leveraging the principles of quantum mechanics to create ...
This week we enter the Quantum Day celebrations starting with an episode with Professor Ignacio Cirac, a distinguished theoretical physicist and director at the Max Planck Institute of Quantum Optics. Professor Cirac begins by addressing a common sentiment surrounding quantum physics: fear and confusion. He emphasises that the threshold for understanding these concepts is surprisingly low, and with the right explanations, anyone can grasp the fundamentals. This is particularly important as w...
Join us as together with Prof. Carole Linster (LCSB) and Prof. Rafael Fernandez Chacon (IBIS) we explore rare metabolic diseases and the innovative research happening between Luxembourg and Seville. Carole and Rafael talk about their focus on rare diseases categorised under a disorder known as Batten disease or neuronal ceroid lipofuscinosis (NCLs). We also have a chance to compare different models employing mice and zebrafish. Last but not least, one of the key takeaways of this episode is t...
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