SciLux

Can neuroscience shed light on why some individuals choose to obey harmful orders while others risk their lives to save others? In this SciLux episode Prof. Emilie Caspar at Ghent University shares her groundbreaking field research in Rwanda and Cambodia, exploring the mechanisms of obedience and resistance during genocides. Throughout the episode, Emilie talks about her experiences of gaining tru...

Can a single drop of blood tell you whether you'll develop pancreatic cancer — before any symptoms appear? Prof. Eleonora Macchia is working to make that a reality. This week on SciLux, we dig into biosensors, the science of proteins, and the surprising path from organic transistors to clinical trials. What you'll learn: Why the proteome is medicine's great unknown How current tests...

This month SciLux sits down with Dr. Sophie Nuber , a Luxembourgish climate and marine scientist at the University of Washington and keynote speaker at the Young Women's Conference Luxembourg . Sophie specialises in using natural archives, including corals and foraminifera , to reconstruct historical climate data and better understand modern climate change. What you'll hear about: Marine...

In this episode, we sit down with Professor David Fernández Rivas from the University of Twente to talk about what engineering actually means – and why you don't need a formal qualification to think like one. Professor Rivas then takes us through microfluidics and the science of bubbles – and how both are opening doors in medicine, from needle-free injections to medical tattoos. We also talk...

Ever wondered why scientists keep talking about biodiversity? In this episode, Professor Ainhoa Magrach from Spain's BC3 Basque Centre for Climate Change reveals why diverse ecosystems are the foundation of everything. Think of biodiversity as nature's shock absorber. Professor Magrach uses a brilliant analogy: diversifying your ecosystem is like diversifying your investment portfolio –...

The AI research landscape may be fracturing along geopolitical lines. What does this mean for European innovation? Professor Søren Hauberg from Danish Technical University tackles these questions in our latest episode, recorded live at EurIPS, a community-driven conference that made world-class AI research accessible to Europe by showcasing papers accepted at NeurIPS. The gap between machine learn...

In this episode, we look into the complexities of endometriosis with Dr. Marina Kvaskoff, a researcher who works in the Epidemiology of Gynecological Health Team of the Center for Research in Epidemiology and Population Health in Villejuif, France. Dr. Kvaskoff explains what endometriosis is, how it affects women's lives, and the significant delay in diagnosis that many women face. She elabor...

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...

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...

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....

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 gr...

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 med...

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 disc...

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 foo...

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 vi...

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 shar...

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 knowl...

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 env...

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 bar...

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...

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...

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 Pro...

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...

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...

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 cal...