Science stories

Will we run out of groundwater?
13 Nov 2025

Will we run out of groundwater?

Groundwater supplies half the world’s drinking water and irrigates a third of its crops, yet it is disappearing fast. How much can we still use before it is gone? ERC grantee Marc Bierkens is among the first to map the global overuse of groundwater and its consequences for…
Groundwater supplies half the world’s drinking water and irrigates a third of its crops, yet it is disappearing fast. How much can we still use before it is gone? ERC grantee Marc Bierkens is among the first to map the global overuse of groundwater and its consequences for…
Groundwater supplies half the world’s drinking water and irrigates a third of its crops, yet it is disappearing fast. How much can we still use before it is gone? ERC grantee Marc Bierkens is among the first to map the global overuse of groundwater and its consequences for…
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Blue tits provide climate change clues

The liveliest of our feathered garden visitors, the little acrobatic blue tit, and her close cousin the great tit, can tell us a lot about how birds adapt to climate change, urbanisation and other changes in their environment. To mark this year’s…
The liveliest of our feathered garden visitors, the little acrobatic blue tit, and her close cousin the great tit, can tell us a lot about how birds adapt to climate change,…
The liveliest of our feathered garden visitors, the little acrobatic blue tit, and her close cousin the great tit, can tell us a lot about how birds…
The liveliest of our feathered garden visitors, the little acrobatic blue tit, and her close cousin the great tit, can tell us a lot about how birds adapt to climate change,…
The liveliest of our feathered garden visitors, the little acrobatic blue tit, and her close cousin the great tit, can tell…

A leading light in photonics

This weekend we celebrate the International Day of Light. We asked Maria Yzuel, a leading researcher in the field of photonics - the science of generating, controlling and detecting light - about developments in this fascinating discipline and also…
This weekend we celebrate the International Day of Light. We asked Maria Yzuel, a leading researcher in the field of photonics - the science of generating, controlling and detecting…
This weekend we celebrate the International Day of Light. We asked Maria Yzuel, a leading researcher in the field of photonics - the science of…
This weekend we celebrate the International Day of Light. We asked Maria Yzuel, a leading researcher in the field of photonics - the science of generating, controlling and…
This weekend we celebrate the International Day of Light. We asked Maria Yzuel, a leading researcher in the field of…

Enlisting albatrosses to fight illegal fishing

Illegal fishing destroys marine habitats and threatens species living at sea. The work of ERC grantee Henri Weimerskirch is helping authorities to crack down on these operations by developing the world’s first seabird ocean-surveillance system.
Illegal fishing destroys marine habitats and threatens species living at sea. The work of ERC grantee Henri Weimerskirch is helping authorities to crack down on these operations by…
Illegal fishing destroys marine habitats and threatens species living at sea. The work of ERC grantee Henri Weimerskirch is helping authorities to…
Illegal fishing destroys marine habitats and threatens species living at sea. The work of ERC grantee Henri Weimerskirch is helping authorities to crack down on these…
Illegal fishing destroys marine habitats and threatens species living at sea. The work of ERC grantee Henri Weimerskirch is…

The night sky from your window

Cancelled flights, and less commercial and industrial activity during lockdown are reducing air and light pollution around the world, leading to spectacular views of the night sky. To mark this year’s International Dark Sky Week, we bring you the…
Cancelled flights, and less commercial and industrial activity during lockdown are reducing air and light pollution around the world, leading to spectacular views of the night sky. To…
Cancelled flights, and less commercial and industrial activity during lockdown are reducing air and light pollution around the world, leading to…
Cancelled flights, and less commercial and industrial activity during lockdown are reducing air and light pollution around the world, leading to spectacular views of the…
Cancelled flights, and less commercial and industrial activity during lockdown are reducing air and light pollution around…

A repairable brain: cell reprogramming to halt neurodegenerative disease

What if damaged brain cells could be replaced? ERC grantee Malin Parmar has developed innovative genetic reprogramming techniques that can produce new brain cells from other types of cells in the body, opening up new therapeutic pathways to combat…
What if damaged brain cells could be replaced? ERC grantee Malin Parmar has developed innovative genetic reprogramming techniques that can produce new brain cells from other types of…
What if damaged brain cells could be replaced? ERC grantee Malin Parmar has developed innovative genetic reprogramming techniques that can produce…
What if damaged brain cells could be replaced? ERC grantee Malin Parmar has developed innovative genetic reprogramming techniques that can produce new brain cells from other…
What if damaged brain cells could be replaced? ERC grantee Malin Parmar has developed innovative genetic reprogramming…

Paving the way to a healthier old age

Because lifespans have been steadily increasing, age-related diseases are also on the rise. ERC grantee Linda Partridge is researching ways to help prevent illness in later years and pave the way to a happier and healthier old age.
Because lifespans have been steadily increasing, age-related diseases are also on the rise. ERC grantee Linda Partridge is researching ways to help prevent illness in later years and…
Because lifespans have been steadily increasing, age-related diseases are also on the rise. ERC grantee Linda Partridge is researching ways to help…
Because lifespans have been steadily increasing, age-related diseases are also on the rise. ERC grantee Linda Partridge is researching ways to help prevent illness in later…
Because lifespans have been steadily increasing, age-related diseases are also on the rise. ERC grantee Linda Partridge is…

Studies of cardiovascular disease in women could lead to improvements in treatment

Historically, due to a difference in lifestyles, men were at a higher risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke than women. While this is no longer the case, obsolete stereotypes and misconceptions mean these conditions in women are often…
Historically, due to a difference in lifestyles, men were at a higher risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke than women. While this is no longer the case, obsolete stereotypes…
Historically, due to a difference in lifestyles, men were at a higher risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke than women. While this is no…
Historically, due to a difference in lifestyles, men were at a higher risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke than women. While this is no longer the case, obsolete…
Historically, due to a difference in lifestyles, men were at a higher risk of suffering from a heart attack or stroke than…

Climate change could lead to dramatic shifts in dryland ecosystems

A study published in Science by ERC grantee Dr Fernando T. Maestre shows how increases in aridity such as those forecasted under climate change lead to abrupt shifts in dryland ecosystems worldwide, limiting their capacity to sustain life and…
A study published in Science by ERC grantee Dr Fernando T. Maestre shows how increases in aridity such as those forecasted under climate change lead to abrupt shifts in dryland…
A study published in Science by ERC grantee Dr Fernando T. Maestre shows how increases in aridity such as those forecasted under climate change lead…
A study published in Science by ERC grantee Dr Fernando T. Maestre shows how increases in aridity such as those forecasted under climate change lead to abrupt shifts in…
A study published in Science by ERC grantee Dr Fernando T. Maestre shows how increases in aridity such as those forecasted…