Research and society

The medical field is on the verge of a revolution, all thanks to... light. Medical devices will soon become so small and inexpensive that they will become part of everyday equipment. The driving force behind this technological revolution is photonics. ‘It is the fastest growing ‘‘enabling” technology we know’, says Roel Baets, head of the Photonics Research Group.

Public debate about decolonisation has become extremely lively, especially in the aftermath of the Black Lives Matter protests. But the story is still far from over. The call for decolonisation is becoming increasingly louder, and raises important questions about far more than the symbolic discussions focussing upon folkloric characters such as 'Zwarte Piet'. What about reading lists? Museums? The way in which we teach?

You may be reading this article because it appeared on your social media timeline. If that is indeed the case, then take a moment to ask yourself whether you have recently been reading other articles on the subject of algorithms. And if the answer to that question is also yes, then the fact that you are reading this shows that the algorithm is working as intended.

At the moment, it seems that a real boom in conspiracy theories has been unleashed. How is it possible that a completely new virus emerged from nowhere, causing so many deaths? Many believe that it has to be part of a wider conspiracy. The internet continues to be swamped with all sorts of conspiracy theories. Which raises the question: why do so many people believe in the most improbable stories, and why do we have a problem with that?

Researchers at Ghent University (UGent) have discovered enzymes that can cure age- and diabetes-related blindness. Nearly 200 million people worldwide suffer from these diseases. Thanks to financial support from one UGent alumnus and the Industrial Research Fund (IOF), the researchers are now working on eye drops made using these enzymes.

Scientific research can often provide solutions to social challenges. But is society sufficiently involved in the process? Participative research, in which there is active involvement of the people concerned or those for whom the research is being done, allows researchers to be better connected with the community. It is also the subject of the inspiration dag for researchers that is organized by the IDC's on 1 October 2021.

A large quantity of water, energy, and nutrition is lost during the processing of vegetables and potatoes. Too much water. At a time when we’re trying to minimise waste, and water is a scarce resource, we need to be smarter about how we manage these losses. The VEG-i-TEC research centre is therefore reviewing the processing method from start to finish.

A new development in agricultural robotics has the potential to make the sector more sustainable and profitable. Researchers at Ghent University have developed technology that enables agricultural robots to make site specific adjustments in real time, from soil analysis to soil cultivation, sowing, fertilising and the spraying of pesticides.

Professor Veerle Cnudde’s smartphone is full of photos of old, weathered stones. Mostly of natural stones, used in the construction of old buildings like the Gravensteen, as the aim of her research is to better protect the stones – and therefore the buildings too. Because “if you simply leave them in their current condition, over time there won’t be much left.”

The Doping Control Lab at Ghent University is an international authority in the field of doping research. The lab will be sending a delegation to the Olympics in Tokyo this year, just like it did during previous editions. But why is this necessary? Why aren’t athletes free to choose what they do with their own body? DoCoLab’s manager, prof. Peter Van Eenoo, sheds some light on these questions.