SciLux

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 wit...

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 model...

If you're curious about the complexities of cognitive psychology and want to learn more about how we perceive numbers and deal with maths anxiety, this episode with Dr. Mila Marinova from University of Luxembourg is a must-listen. One of the key points discussed was the prevalent issue of maths anxiety, which affects many individuals and often leads to a fear of mathematical tasks. Mila highl...

"If you have no specification of what the program should be doing, you have no errors, you only have surprises," that's one of the things we learnt from our latest guest, Prof. Andreas Zeller, tenured faculty at CISPA and professor for Software Engineering at Saarland University. It was great to revisit software engineering in more depth, focusing on testing and fuzzing and not forg...

Our latest guest, Prof. Jan Lagerwall from University of Luxembourg, knew how to catch our interest - he brought some samples to the studio. So this episode is not only a discussion about soft matter physics and liquid crystals, but Hanna is also challenged to describe what she sees. And you wouldn’t believe how many applications liquid crystals and liquid crystal rubbers can have. What an episode...

In the third episode of this month, we re-explore the world of lunar resource utilization with Timon Schild, a PhD student at the European Space Resources Innovation Center (ESRIC). Join us as Timon unpacks the concept of In Situ Resource Utilization (ISRU) and its implications for future lunar missions. Timon shares insights on lunar regolith—what it is, how it forms, and the unique challenges it...

In this week's episode, we talked to Professor Charles Spence, head of the Crossmodal Research Laboratory at the University of Oxford. Known for his innovative research on how our senses interact to shape our experiences, Professor Spence shares fascinating insights into the psychology of taste and smell. Join us as we explore the implications of this research for food design, the ethics of s...

And what if we looked closer at our hair? In our latest episode, our guest is Prof. Brice Appenzeller, head of the Human Biomonitoring Research Unit at the Luxembourg Institute of Health. After reminding our listeners what exposome is, Brice elaborates on the various agents we may be exposed to, including physical, microbiological, and chemical pollutants. He emphasizes that while we often hear ab...

In this episode learn more about environmental engineering from Dr. Silvia Venditti, an expert in nature-based solutions for water treatment. With a PhD in Chemical Engineering from Imperial College London, Silvia is currently working at the University of Luxembourg, focusing on the removal of micropollutants from wastewater. Silvia explains how nature-based solutions mimic natural processes to re...

Buckle up and embark on a journey beyond our solar system with the latest episode featuring Professor Christiane Helling, director of the Space Research Institute of the Austrian Academy of Sciences and a professor at Graz University of Technology. With a focus on exoplanets and cloud formation, Professor Helling offers a glimpse into the fascinating field of space science. This episode is not jus...

Join us as we talk with Professor Massimo Morelli, whose research spans economics, politics, and law. Having worked at top universities and now researching at LISER, he explains how trust shapes our economy and politics. He breaks down two types of trust: trust between people and businesses (horizontal), and trust in our institutions (vertical). Both are key to how well countries and markets work....

Step into the world of small states and islands with Professor Godfrey Baldacchino (University of Malta), Malta's first thematic ambassador for islands and small states. In our latest podcast episode, we unravel the complex tapestry of smallness, exploring how seemingly minor entities can wield significant influence on the global stage. Listen now to gain a deeper understanding of the unique...

In this captivating episode of SciLux, we visit the digital history realm with Professor Valérie Schafer, a leading researcher in Contemporary European History at the Luxembourg Centre for Contemporary and Digital History (C2DH). Professor Schafer guides us through the concept of born digital heritage, uncovering the layers of web archives and their significance in preserving our digital past. We...

We're coming back to the topic of space thanks to the winner of this year's Luxembourg Science Slam, Citlali Bruce Rosete, PhD student at the Space Systems Engineering Research Group of SnT, University of Luxembourg. We explore the intricacies of space technology, discussing the challenges and innovations in satellite design, the importance of sustainability in space, and the potential o...

In this episode of SciLux, we visit the world of evolutionary biology with Dr. Kalina Kapralova from the University of Iceland. Dr. Kapralova studies Arctic charr in the unique environment of Iceland's lakes and together we explore the intricacies of evolutionary biology, discussing adaptive divergence, parallel evolution, and the process of speciation. Dr. Kapralova also sheds light on the i...

On this episode of SciLux, we sit down with Dr. Alexandros Gerakis, a Senior Research and Technology Associate at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST) and an Adjunct Professor at Texas A&M University. Dr. Gerakis shares his fascinating journey from studying optical lattices during his PhD at University College London to his current work pioneering laser diagnostics for neu...

It was refreshing to chat to Dr. Carlos Vega, Research Engineer at the Luxembourg Institute of Health and a teacher at the University of Luxembourg. Carlos, who recently distinguished himself in the science.lu Science Writing competition, is a very good communicator. In this episode we explore the practical challenges of data collection, processing, and visualisation, highlighting the pitfalls and...

Today we embark on a new journey exploring European researchers and their contributions to science and society. Our first European guest, Tina de Gendt, a public historian, curator, writer and journalist recently received the European Heritage Europa Nostra Award for the Square Kilometre Project coordinated and funded by STAM Ghent City Museum and the Ghent Heritage Cell. Tina shares her insights...

In this episode of SciLux, we talk about mitochondrial biology with Professor Anne Grünewald, a neuroscientist at the LCSB  (Luxembourg Centre for Systems Biomedicine), University of Luxembourg. We explore the intricate role of mitochondria and their significance in energy production and cellular processes. Professor Grünewald shares her journey from biotechnology to neuroscience, highlighting the...

In this episode of SciLux, we talk about digital twins with Dr. German Castignani, AI and Data Analytics Platform Leader at the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST). Dr. Castignani, who also manages the Digital Twin Innovation Centre, shares his insights on the practical applications and potential of digital twins, vehicular technologies, and predictive modelling for energy and mo...

In this SciLux Original we go behind the scenes of the other science podcast – you guessed it right, Hanna talked to Max Kasel from Mäin Element. Discover how he navigates interviews with scientists, his approach to making science accessible and entertaining, and the importance of highlighting the personal stories behind scientific achievements. Max and Hanna discuss the challenges and rewards of...

In this episode of SciLux, we have a closer look at lunar water with Dr. Veneranda López Días from the Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology (LIST). We explore the parallels between the water cycles on Earth and the Moon, the various forms in which water exists on the lunar surface, and the scientific methods used to detect and analyse it. Discover the intriguing theories about how water...

In today's episode of Scilux, we look at music performance and education in Luxembourg. Joined by Eva Klein from In Tune (the Philharmonie Luxembourg podcast) and our guest, Luc Nijs, Associate Professor in early childhood music education, we explore the intersection of technology and traditional music practices. Discover the importance of physical preparation for musicians and the fascinatin...

Time to learn more about solar energy with an exceptional guide: Professor Phillip Dale, Head of the Laboratory for Energy Materials at the University of Luxembourg. Discover the photovoltaic technology, from the basics of solar cells to advanced research on tandem solar cells and light concentration methods. Philip explains the science behind solar energy in an engaging and accessible manner, mak...

This time we look at European and comparative labour law with Luca Ratti, Associate Professor at the University of Luxembourg. Luca shares his journey of making labour law engaging for students and discusses his research on minimum wages and European social citizenship. Additionally, Luca provides insights into the right to disconnect, a topic that has gained prominence in the wake of the COVID-19...