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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Architects on the crime scene

Can architects provide new types of evidence on war crimes and human rights violations? Dr Eyal Weizman believes they can. With the ERC backing, he developed a new field of research: forensic architecture. Dr Weizman and a multidisciplinary team of…
Can architects provide new types of evidence on war crimes and human rights violations? Dr Eyal Weizman believes they can. With the ERC backing, he developed a new field of research:…
Can architects provide new types of evidence on war crimes and human rights violations? Dr Eyal Weizman believes they can. With the ERC backing, he…
Can architects provide new types of evidence on war crimes and human rights violations? Dr Eyal Weizman believes they can. With the ERC backing, he developed a new field of…
Can architects provide new types of evidence on war crimes and human rights violations? Dr Eyal Weizman believes they can…

Helping corals resist climate change

Our oceans' beautiful coral reefs are in danger from overheating. However an ERC funded team is working underwater and above to help them survive. Watch our photostory to get a glimpse of their stunning work.
Our oceans' beautiful coral reefs are in danger from overheating. However an ERC funded team is working underwater and above to help them survive. Watch our photostory to get a glimpse…
Our oceans' beautiful coral reefs are in danger from overheating. However an ERC funded team is working underwater and above to help them survive…
Our oceans' beautiful coral reefs are in danger from overheating. However an ERC funded team is working underwater and above to help them survive. Watch our photostory to get…
Our oceans' beautiful coral reefs are in danger from overheating. However an ERC funded team is working underwater and above…

Bottom up climate change research

The increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere as a result of human activity is impacting the natural carbon cycle, modifying how the element travels between land and atmosphere. How will our future climate impact this exchange? How will…
The increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere as a result of human activity is impacting the natural carbon cycle, modifying how the element travels between land and…
The increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere as a result of human activity is impacting the natural carbon cycle, modifying how the element…
The increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere as a result of human activity is impacting the natural carbon cycle, modifying how the element travels between land and…
The increase of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere as a result of human activity is impacting the natural carbon cycle,…

Head and feet in the clouds

Fascinated by clouds and planes since childhood, she became a meteorologist and aerosol scientist. Prof. Bernadett Weinzierl looks at the atmosphere but she also flies through it, aiming to understand what happens in the upper layers of the sky…
Fascinated by clouds and planes since childhood, she became a meteorologist and aerosol scientist. Prof. Bernadett Weinzierl looks at the atmosphere but she also flies through it,…
Fascinated by clouds and planes since childhood, she became a meteorologist and aerosol scientist. Prof. Bernadett Weinzierl looks at the atmosphere…
Fascinated by clouds and planes since childhood, she became a meteorologist and aerosol scientist. Prof. Bernadett Weinzierl looks at the atmosphere but she also flies…
Fascinated by clouds and planes since childhood, she became a meteorologist and aerosol scientist. Prof. Bernadett Weinzierl…

Climate change: How on Earth to draw the boundary lines?

Johan Rockstrom, you have become a well-known figure in climate change science. Tell us about your academic background and how you became interested in this area.In the early 1990s, my initial field of interest and PhD focus was very down to earth,…
Johan Rockstrom, you have become a well-known figure in climate change science. Tell us about your academic background and how you became interested in this area.In the early 1990s, my…
Johan Rockstrom, you have become a well-known figure in climate change science. Tell us about your academic background and how you became interested…
Johan Rockstrom, you have become a well-known figure in climate change science. Tell us about your academic background and how you became interested in this area.In the early…
Johan Rockstrom, you have become a well-known figure in climate change science. Tell us about your academic background and…

Protecting refugees on the move: international and EU law and practices reexamined

In the current ‘refugee crisis’, the legal protection of refugees represents an important challenge all over Europe. Supported by the ERC, Dr Cathryn Costello questions the current refugee regime, legal framework and current practices to open up new…
In the current ‘refugee crisis’, the legal protection of refugees represents an important challenge all over Europe. Supported by the ERC, Dr Cathryn Costello questions the current…
In the current ‘refugee crisis’, the legal protection of refugees represents an important challenge all over Europe. Supported by the ERC, Dr Cathryn…
In the current ‘refugee crisis’, the legal protection of refugees represents an important challenge all over Europe. Supported by the ERC, Dr Cathryn Costello questions the…
In the current ‘refugee crisis’, the legal protection of refugees represents an important challenge all over Europe…

TRAPPIST-1: findings show exoplanets made of rock and water

In 2016, a team of researchers led by EU-funded astronomer Michaël Gillon at the University of Liège, Belgium, discovered three temperate Earth-sized planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, an ultra-cool dwarf star just 40 light years from Earth. A few months…
In 2016, a team of researchers led by EU-funded astronomer Michaël Gillon at the University of Liège, Belgium, discovered three temperate Earth-sized planets orbiting TRAPPIST-1, an…
In 2016, a team of researchers led by EU-funded astronomer Michaël Gillon at the University of Liège, Belgium, discovered three temperate Earth-sized…
In 2016, a team of researchers led by EU-funded astronomer Michaël Gillon at the University of Liège, Belgium, discovered three temperate Earth-sized planets orbiting…
In 2016, a team of researchers led by EU-funded astronomer Michaël Gillon at the University of Liège, Belgium, discovered…

Bacteria under your feet

Over 500 dominant species identified in the first global atlas of world soil bacteriaIn cooperation with Universidad Rey Juan Carlos – URJCAn international team of researchers, including ERC grantee Fernando T. Maestre from Universidad Rey Juan…
Over 500 dominant species identified in the first global atlas of world soil bacteriaIn cooperation with Universidad Rey Juan Carlos – URJCAn international team of researchers,…
Over 500 dominant species identified in the first global atlas of world soil bacteriaIn cooperation with Universidad Rey Juan Carlos – URJCAn…
Over 500 dominant species identified in the first global atlas of world soil bacteriaIn cooperation with Universidad Rey Juan Carlos – URJCAn international team of…
Over 500 dominant species identified in the first global atlas of world soil bacteriaIn cooperation with Universidad Rey…