Thursday, December 31, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for January 1, 2016

The Wikipedia article of the day for January 1, 2016 is Falstaff (opera).
Falstaff is an opera in three acts by the Italian composer Giuseppe Verdi. The libretto was adapted by Arrigo Boito from Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor and scenes from Henry IV, parts 1 and 2. The work premiered on 9 February 1893 at La Scala, Milan. Falstaff was the last of Verdi's 28 operas, his second comedy, and his third work based on a Shakespeare play, following Macbeth and Otello. The plot revolves around the thwarted, sometimes farcical, efforts of the fat knight, Sir John Falstaff, to seduce two married women to gain access to their husbands' wealth. The premiere was greeted with enormous enthusiasm, but after the initial performances the work fell into neglect: many operagoers felt that it lacked the full-blooded melodies of the best of Verdi's previous operas. The conductor Arturo Toscanini strongly disagreed, and insisted on its revival at La Scala and the Metropolitan Opera in New York from the late 1890s into the next century. The work is now part of the regular operatic repertory. Singers closely associated with the title role have included Victor Maurel (the first Falstaff), Mariano Stabile, Giuseppe Valdengo, Tito Gobbi, Geraint Evans and Bryn Terfel.

Picture of the day for January 1, 2016


Wikipedia picture of the day on January 1, 2016: A Thomisus species thomisidae feeding a Junonia almana on a Acmella ciliata flower. http://ift.tt/1IH99Hx

Wednesday, December 30, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 31, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 31, 2015 is Steve Bruce.
Steve Bruce (born 1960) is an English football manager, currently for Hull City, and a former player. A defender, he began his professional career at Gillingham in 1979, and made over 200 appearances before transferring to Norwich City five years later. From 1987 to 1996, he played for Manchester United, winning the Premier League, FA Cup, Football League Cup and European Cup Winner's Cup. He was the first English player of the twentieth century to captain a team to the Double. Bruce began his managerial career with Sheffield United, and briefly managed Huddersfield Town, Wigan Athletic and Crystal Palace. He joined Birmingham City in 2001 and twice led them to promotion to the Premier League during his tenure of nearly six years, but resigned in 2007 to begin a second spell as manager of Wigan. At the end of the 2008–09 season he resigned to take over as manager of Sunderland, a post he held until he was dismissed in November 2011. Seven months later, he was appointed manager of Hull City, and has since led the club to promotion to the Premier League and the 2014 FA Cup Final.

Picture of the day for December 31, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 31, 2015: Fireworks as seen from Marina Bay Sands during the Preview of the National Day Parade 2011. http://ift.tt/1PycSqk

Tuesday, December 29, 2015

Picture of the day for December 30, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 30, 2015: Close-up of a female marsh deer (Blastocerus dichotomus) in Itirapina, São Paulo state, Brazil. http://ift.tt/1OY5mlO

Wikipedia article of the day for December 30, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 30, 2015 is Rashtrakuta dynasty.
The Rashtrakuta dynasty ruled large parts of the Indian subcontinent between the sixth and tenth centuries. Early Rashtrakuta inscriptions show their clans ruling from modern-day Manpur in Madhya Pradesh, Kannauj in Uttar Pradesh, and Elichpur in Maharashtra. This third clan overthrew Kirtivarman II and built an empire as the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta, rising to power in South India in 753. At the same time the Pala dynasty of Bengal (in eastern India) and the Prathihara dynasty of Malwa (in the northwest) were gaining force. Each of these three empires annexed the seat of power at Kannauj for short periods of time while struggling for the resources of the rich Gangetic plains. At their peak the Rashtrakutas of Manyakheta ruled a domain stretching from the confluence of the Ganges and Yamuna rivers in the north to Cape Comorin in the south. The early kings of this dynasty were Hindu, while the later kings were strongly influenced by Jainism. The empire was known for its literary and architectural achievements, including the Kailasanath Temple at Ellora (pictured) and the Jain Narayana temple at Pattadakal, both UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

Monday, December 28, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 29, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 29, 2015 is HMS Warrior (1860).
HMS Warrior was the name ship of a class of two 40-gun steam-powered armoured frigates built for the Royal Navy in 1859–61. The sister ships Warrior and HMS Black Prince were the first armour-plated, iron-hulled warships, and were built in response to France's launching in 1859 of the first ocean-going ironclad warship, the wooden-hulled Gloire. After a publicity tour of Great Britain in 1863, Warrior had an active career with the Channel Squadron. The frigate became obsolescent following the 1871 launching of the mastless and more capable HMS Devastation, was placed in reserve in 1875, and was paid off in 1883. After serving as a storeship and depot ship, Warrior was assigned in 1904 to the Royal Navy's torpedo training school. The frigate was converted into an oil jetty in 1927 and was donated by the Navy to the Maritime Trust for restoration in 1979. The restoration process took eight years, during which many of the ship's features and fittings were either restored or recreated. When this was finished Warrior returned to Portsmouth as a museum ship. Listed as part of the National Historic Fleet, the ship has been based in Portsmouth since 1987.

Picture of the day for December 29, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 29, 2015: Siberian blue robin, taken at Tennōji Park. http://ift.tt/1mf1ypw

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Picture of the day for December 28, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 28, 2015: Morning fog in Kakerdaja bog, Estonia. http://ift.tt/1IxyWSl

Wikipedia article of the day for December 28, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 28, 2015 is Kingdom Hearts II.
Kingdom Hearts II is an action role-playing game developed and published by Square Enix in 2005 for the PlayStation 2 video game console. The game is a sequel to the 2002 Disney Interactive and Square collaboration, Kingdom Hearts, and to Kingdom Hearts: Chain of Memories. In this game, the protagonist Sora returns to search for his lost friends, while Organization XIII from Chain of Memories reappears to impede his progress. All three games feature a large cast of characters from Disney films and Final Fantasy games. The game was well-received, earning year-end awards from numerous video gaming websites. In Japan, it shipped more than one million copies within a week of its release. One month after its North American release, it had sold over one million copies. By March 31, 2007, the game had shipped over 4 million copies worldwide. A novel and manga series are based on it, as well as an international version called Kingdom Hearts II Final Mix, re-released in high definition as Kingdom Hearts HD 2.5 Remix for the PlayStation 3. The game was actor Pat Morita's final voice role before his death in 2005.

Saturday, December 26, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 27, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 27, 2015 is Kent, Ohio.
Kent is the largest city in Portage County in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area and the larger Cleveland–Akron–Canton Combined Statistical Area. The population was 28,904 in the 2010 Census and slightly higher in the 2014 estimate. Part of the Connecticut Western Reserve, it was settled in 1805 as a mill town along the Cuyahoga River and later named Franklin Mills. In the 1830s and 1840s, the village was on the route of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal. Franklin Mills was an active stop on the Underground Railroad before the Civil War. The city was renamed in 1864 for Marvin Kent, who secured the maintenance yards of the Atlantic and Great Western Railroad (depot pictured) for Franklin Mills. Today Kent is a college town best known as the home of the main campus of Kent State University, founded in 1910, and as the site of the 1970 Kent State shootings. While historically a manufacturing center, the city's largest economic sector is now education. Many Kentites and Kent State alumni have risen to prominence in business, sports, and the arts.

Picture of the day for December 27, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 27, 2015: The west front of the Berlin Cathedral in the early morning at the blue hour. http://ift.tt/1VkTvDd

Friday, December 25, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 26, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 26, 2015 is Andrew Johnston (singer).
Andrew Johnston (born 1994) is a British singer who rose to fame when he appeared as a boy soprano on the second series of the British television talent show Britain's Got Talent in 2008. He sang "Pie Jesu" from Andrew Lloyd Webber's Requiem in the finals. Although he did not win, he received a contract to record on the SyCo Music label owned by the Britain's Got Talent judge Simon Cowell. Johnston's debut album, One Voice, was released in September of the same year, and reached number four on the UK Albums Chart. Johnston was born in Dumfries, Scotland, and grew up in Carlisle. He became head chorister at Carlisle Cathedral, and was bullied at school for his love of classical music. While some journalists have argued that Britain's Got Talent producers exaggerated Johnston's rough background, others have hailed his story as inspirational. In 2009, he graduated from Trinity School. He sings in the National Youth Choir as a baritone and studies full-time at the Royal Northern College of Music.

Picture of the day for December 26, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 26, 2015: Libellago lineata is a small damselfly in the family Chlorocyphidae. It is found in many Asian countries. This is Libellago lineata indica Fraser, 1928; sometimes considered as a separate species. http://ift.tt/1kjZRFn

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 25, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 25, 2015 is Sisters at Heart.
"Sisters at Heart" is the 13th episode of the seventh season of Bewitched, an American Broadcasting Company fantasy television sitcom. This Christmas episode aired on December 24, 1970, and again the following December. In one storyline, Darrin Stephens (Dick Sargent) fails to land a million-dollar advertising account after a toy company owner mistakes a black woman for Darrin's wife. The man changes his attitude after Samantha Stephens (Elizabeth Montgomery) uses witchcraft to make him see everyone, including himself, as having black skin. At the invitation of Montgomery and her husband William Asher, who directed the episode, "Sisters at Heart" was initially written by 22 black students from Jefferson High School (pictured), a school in a poor Los Angeles neighborhood. This episode, Montgomery's favorite, received the Governors Award at the 23rd Primetime Emmy Awards. Montgomery's biographer Herbie Pilato wrote that the theme of overcoming prejudice is central to Bewitched and that "no [other] episode of the series more clearly represented this cry against prejudice".

Picture of the day for December 25, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 25, 2015: Flight into Egypt (Melk Altar by Jörg Breu the Elder, 1502) http://ift.tt/1kiZzyJ

Research Headlines - Crops in space: sustainability lessons for planet Earth (via Research & Innovation)

The TIME SCALE project is investigating the feasibility of growing food crops in space and whether this might provide astronauts with long-term supplies of food and oxygen. The findings could lay the foundations for a manned mission to Mars and also lead to more sustainable production back on Earth.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1NDQTxp
via IFTTT

Wednesday, December 23, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 24, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 24, 2015 is William Wurtenburg.
William Wurtenburg (1863–1957) was an American college football player and coach. Born to German parents and raised in western New York, Wurtenburg played for Phillips Exeter Academy and Yale University. The 1887 Yale squad outscored their opponents 515–12, and the 1888 squad, which he quarterbacked, held all opponents scoreless; both teams were later recognized as national champions. Wurtenburg received his medical degree from Yale's Sheffield Scientific School in 1893. He coached football for a year at the United States Naval Academy and then for five years at Dartmouth College. In his first four years at Dartmouth, the teams had perfect records against both of their Triangular Football League opponents. Wurtenburg spent several years refereeing for Yale's football team, then had a practice as an ear, nose and throat specialist in New Haven, Connecticut, from 1904 until at least 1920. He is particularly remembered for a 35-yard run in a close game in 1887 against rival Harvard, a game that was described as "undoubtedly the finest ever played in America".

Picture of the day for December 24, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 24, 2015: Love padlocks at Butchers' Bridge in Ljubljana, Slovenia. http://ift.tt/1Jw930e

A Matter of Life or Death: Cell Death in Cancer - 28-30 January 2016, Amsterdam (via Research & Innovation)

The meeting will cover recent & exciting developments that are crucial to our understanding of the multifaceted role of cell death in tumour initiation, progression & therapy response. Registration Deadline: 4 January 2016

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1V8bjkY
via IFTTT

Webinar: Research & Partner Opportunities offered by Enterprise Europe & Enterprise Canada Networks - 13 January 2016, online (via Research & Innovation)

The Canadian partners of ERA-Can+ invite European and Canadian entrepreneurs and Small and Medium Enterprises to learn about our project and Horizon 2020—Europe’s current Framework Programme for Research and Innovation. This webinar will also features the services as well as research and commercial opportunities offered by the Enterprise Europe and Enterprise Canada networks. The Enterprise Europe Network is a key instrument in the EU's strategy to boost growth and jobs, helping small companies seize the unparalleled business opportunities in the EU Single Market. Enterprise Canada Network was launched in 2014 by Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters and Export Development Canada to help connect Canadian companies to international partners seeking matching products and services.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1SbJnNu
via IFTTT

Understanding and Tackling the Migration Challenge: The Role of Research - 4-5 February 2016, Brussels (via Research & Innovation)

The Directorate General for Research and Innovation of the European Commission organises a two-day conference to explore and demonstrate how European research can support policy makers in designing effective and sustainable migration policies. To this end, past and current research on migration -including on integration, circular migration, migration and development, data and statistical modelling- will be presented and debated from a policy perspective.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1OL5JzP
via IFTTT

Success Stories - Lab-on-a-frisbee? (via Research & Innovation)

EU-funded researchers have developed a compact portable lab that can deliver fast and accurate diagnosis of bacterial infection, in particular blood poisoning in infants. Huge markets in several application areas await the results of final clinical testing due next year.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1mzNMO6
via IFTTT

Additional Celtic-Plus Call: deadline 26 February 2016 (via EUREKA)

If you are an innovative ICT/telecommunications company, do not miss this opportunity to participate in an industry-driven European ICT and telecommunications research programme within EUREKA.  EUREKA ICT Cluster Celtic-Plus decided to organise an additional Call with deadline on 26 February 2016. Eligibility criteria and funding details can be found on the dedicated EUREKA call site. The essentials:

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1JuiNbk
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - Europe's landscapes - a better view (via Research & Innovation)

Europe contains landscapes that are breathtakingly beautiful - and essential for wildlife, communal activities, human wellbeing and local economies. An EU-funded project brings together data on how these landscapes are changing, to help manage them wisely for the long term.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1On0WKU
via IFTTT

Tuesday, December 22, 2015

Picture of the day for December 23, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 23, 2015: Western Marsh Orchid (Dactylorhiza majalis) http://ift.tt/1Tg7c5h

Wikipedia article of the day for December 23, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 23, 2015 is Tropical Storm Edouard (2002).
Tropical Storm Edouard was the first of eight named storms to form in September 2002, the most such storms for any month in the Atlantic at the time. The fifth tropical storm of the 2002 Atlantic hurricane season, Edouard developed into a tropical cyclone on September 1 from an area of convection associated with a cold front east of Florida. Under weak steering currents, Edouard drifted to the north and executed a clockwise loop to the west. Despite moderate to strong levels of wind shear, the storm reached a peak intensity of 65 mph (100 km/h) on September 3, but quickly weakened as it tracked westward. Edouard made landfall in northeastern Florida two days later, and dissipated the next day after crossing the state. The storm dropped moderate rainfall across Florida, exceeding 7 inches (175 mm) in the western portion of the state. Though Edouard was a tropical storm at landfall, wind speeds along the storm's path over land were light. The rain flooded several roads, but there were no casualties, and damage was minimal. The storm was eventually absorbed into the larger circulation of Tropical Storm Fay.

EUROGIA2020 Call 06 :Get your best ideas funded (via EUREKA)

EUROGIA2020 Call 06 :Get your best ideas funded EUROGIA2020, the EUREKA Cluster for low carbon energy technologies, launched its latest call in December 2015. Each call has two-step project submission process, through which project proposals are assessed and receive recommendations from EUROGIA Technical Committee. Proposals successfully completing the two-step process receive EUROGIA label and finally seek for public funds in EUREKA Member and Associated Countries. 

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QIzwPP
via IFTTT

International Cooperation - International Research Newsletter - Issue 62 published (via Research & Innovation)

This month Commissioner Moedas speaks at São Paulo’s Foundation , a new EU-Brazil partnership in the Blue Enlightenment century, EU-India R&I cooperation, a retrospective of 2015, Innovation as a game changer in the Southern Mediterranean and much more...

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1ImC83c
via IFTTT

Shift2Rail launches first calls for projects worth €170 million (via TRIP)



from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1ImC7MP
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - Equipping North Africa to map and protect our shared sea (via Research & Innovation)

A data sharing portal to facilitate marine ecosystem monitoring in North Africa, a spin-off satellite mapping start-up and continued cooperation between researchers in the region - these are some of the key results from an EU-funded project likely to have a long-lasting impact.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1mxxipS
via IFTTT

INTELLIGENT VIDEO SURVEILLANCE (via EUREKA)

Partners from Spain, Romania, Turkey and Israel teamed up to design an intelligent video surveillance system in a EUREKA Celtic-Plus project. The Human Situation Monitoring System (HuSIMS) detects crime and accidents and raises alarms. It has been successfully tested and is ready to enter the product development phase. Jesus Alonso, R&D programme manager of the leading partner Alvarion, estimates that HuSIMS would enable municipalities and companies to save around 60% in terms of personnel required to operate a video surveillance system.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1OI4MbJ
via IFTTT

Monday, December 21, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 22, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 22, 2015 is Miniopterus aelleni.
Miniopterus aelleni is a bat in the genus Miniopterus found in the Comoro Islands and Madagascar. It is a small, brown bat, with a forearm length of 35 to 41 mm (1.4 to 1.6 in). The long tragus (a projection in the outer ear) has a broad base and a blunt or rounded tip. The uropatagium (tail membrane) is sparsely haired. The palate is flat and there are distinct diastemata (gaps) between the upper canines and premolars. Populations of this species were previously included in Miniopterus manavi, but recent molecular studies revealed that M. aelleni is a separate species and that Miniopterus is more species-rich than previously thought. M. aelleni is known to live from 4 to 225 m (13 to 738 ft) above sea level in northern and western Madagascar, at 1,100 m (3,600 ft) in northern Madagascar, and from 220 to 690 m (720 to 2,260 ft) on Anjouan in the nearby Comoros. On Madagascar, M. aelleni has been found in forests and caves in karstic areas. The specific name aelleni honors Professor Villy Aellen of the Natural History Museum of Geneva.

Picture of the day for December 22, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 22, 2015: NASA astronaut Scott Kelly took this photograph of a sunrise over the western United States. http://ift.tt/1TdFaay

Maintenance work on electric switchboard at our offices (via EUREKA)

A recent inspection revealed the lack of conformity with recently modified Belgian regulations in this matter on the eletric switchboard of the EUREKA offices. The electricity company performing the works will endeavor to keep at least the server room functioning, which means that the public websites and Eurostars registration platform should remain available. The maintenace work will be done from noon to midnight.  Nevertheless, unexpected power cuts may happen and therefore technical interruptions of the systems are possible. Please act accordingly

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1Tc5oKk
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - Saving the nutrients we piddle away (via Research & Innovation)

Where there's pee, there's phosphorus - and that's not a resource we can afford to pour down the drain. Nor should we waste the ammonia our urine contains, say EU-funded researchers who are developing a recovery process. Large buildings could soon house their own treatment systems to extract these substances for reuse, notably as fertilisers.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1IjoxcM
via IFTTT

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Picture of the day for December 21, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 21, 2015: Asian Brown Flycatcher (Muscicapa dauurica) in Niah National Park, Sarawak, Malaysia. http://ift.tt/1m2rvJ5

Wikipedia article of the day for December 21, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 21, 2015 is Benjamin Disraeli.
Benjamin Disraeli (1804–1881) was a British politician and writer who twice served as prime minister. He played a central role in the creation of the modern Conservative Party, defining its policies and its broad outreach. Disraeli entered the House of Commons in 1837. In 1846, after clashing with the Prime Minister, Sir Robert Peel, Disraeli became a major figure in the party, though many in it did not favour him. He served as Chancellor of the Exchequer and Leader of the House of Commons in the 1850s and 1860s, and became prime minister briefly in 1868 before losing that year's election. In his second term as prime minister (1874–80), he arranged Britain's purchase of a major interest in the Suez Canal Company, and worked at the Congress of Berlin to maintain peace in the Balkans and to make terms that favoured Britain and weakened Russia. He had throughout his career written novels, and he published his last completed one, Endymion, shortly before he died. Disraeli is remembered for his influential voice in world affairs, his political battles with the Liberal leader William Ewart Gladstone, and his one-nation conservatism or "Tory democracy".

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 20, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 20, 2015 is The Wrestlers (Etty).
The Wrestlers is an oil painting by English artist William Etty, painted around 1840 in the life class of the Royal Academy. It depicts a wrestling match between a black man and a white man, both glistening with sweat and under an intense light that emphasises their musculature. Etty was best known for his paintings of nude or near-nude women in historical and mythological settings but had also painted men involved in various forms of combat. At that time, sports were becoming increasingly popular, and the painting is both a reflection of this trend and a part of the English tradition of copying poses from classical Hellenistic works. It was also a time of change in the British attitude to race relations. In this period Etty often made a conscious effort to illustrate moral lessons in his work, and it is not clear whether he chose the topic as a form of social commentary or simply because the contrast between the dark and pale flesh tones was visually striking. The Wrestlers, as part of a private collection, was not seen publicly from about 1849 until 1947, when it was put on sale and purchased by the York Art Gallery, where it remains.

Picture of the day for December 20, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 20, 2015: Læssøesgades Skole, Aarhus, Denmark, a look down the hall. http://ift.tt/1UPsQOT

Friday, December 18, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 19, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 19, 2015 is Robert de Chesney.
Robert de Chesney was a medieval English Bishop of Lincoln. Educated at Oxford or Paris, Chesney was Archdeacon of Leicester before his election as bishop in December 1148. He served as a royal justice in Lincolnshire, and was an early patron of Thomas Becket. Although shown favour by King Stephen of England, including the right to a mint, Chesney was present at the coronation of King Henry II of England in 1154 and went on to serve Henry as a royal justice. In about 1160 Chesney became embroiled in a dispute with St Albans Abbey that was eventually settled when the abbey granted him land in return for his relinquishing any right to oversee the abbey. He was active in his diocese; more than 240 documents relating to his episcopal career survive. They show him mediating disputes between religious houses and granting exemptions and rights in his diocese. Chesney bought a house in London to serve as an episcopal residence, constructed an episcopal palace in Lincoln, and founded a religious house outside the city. He died in December 1166 and was buried in Lincoln Cathedral.

Picture of the day for December 19, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 19, 2015: Early morning in Prado, Bahia state, Brazil. http://ift.tt/1IeihDl

Improving Poverty Reduction in Europe: Lessons From the Past, Scenarios for the Future - 3-5 February 2016, Antwerp, Belgium (via Research & Innovation)

1515 is the year that the English politician and humanist Thomas More found the inspiration to write his Utopia in Antwerp city. In 1516, he published the first edition. More’s Utopia was one of the most important works of European humanism, and contained many provocative elements that encouraged reflection on the nature of European society of the 16th century (SN Eds., 2015). Five hundred years later, on the same location we conclude a research project on what seems to have become a European Utopia: a Union where there is no poverty. The ImPRovE research project contributes to a better understanding on how social progress can be achieved in Europe and how the EU and its member states can tackle the persistent problem of poverty in Europe. The conference opens on Wednesday 3 February with a round table on social innovation in the morning and an afternoon and evenening session on More’s Utopia from the perspective of Social Europe, organised in cooperation with the Centre Pieter Gillis. On Thursday 4 and Friday 5 February, the results of the ImPRovE project, financed under the 7th Framework Programme of the European Commission, are presented and discussed.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1NXk685
via IFTTT

Information Session on the SSH Opportunities in the Societal Challenges of H2020 - 19 January 2016, Brussels (via Research & Innovation)

The event is organised by the Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT), Research Foundation-Flanders (FWO), Fund for Scientific Research (FNRS), Belgian Science Policy Office (Belspo), NCP-Wallonie and NCP-Brussels. Social Sciences and Humanites (SSH) should be embedded in all parts of Horizon 2020. This information session is organised to inform the researchers in the Social Sciences and Humanities from the academia and non-academia sector on the SSH opportunities in the Societal Challenges of H2020.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1T68OOR
via IFTTT

Seven ITER buildings in the spotlight (via F4E)

How is the pace of construction accelerating?

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1TTOvV1
via IFTTT

Success Stories - Exposing the exposome (via Research & Innovation)

We know a lot about the human genome and the role genes play in disease. But environmental factors could play an even more important role than genetics. EU-funded researchers are helping to put together a so-called exposome to characterise the complex environmental exposure mixtures linked to disease.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1TTAHK9
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - Blossoming partnerships for our cities' parks and plants (via Research & Innovation)

There's more to green spaces than parks, and there's more to parks than being pretty. In addition to boosting public health, our cities' leafy infrastructure can generate income for the community and help to mitigate the impact of climate change, for example. The Green Surge project is breaking new ground for the management of this crucial resource.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/22cFfkK
via IFTTT

Thursday, December 17, 2015

Picture of the day for December 18, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 18, 2015: Little egret, Taken at Keitakuen. http://ift.tt/1Mk3amw

Wikipedia article of the day for December 18, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 18, 2015 is Interstate 496.
Interstate 496 (I-496) is an auxiliary Interstate Highway that passes through downtown Lansing in the US state of Michigan. Also a component of the State Trunkline Highway System, the loop route runs east from I-96 to the downtown area, turning south concurrently with US Highway 127. It passes a former assembly plant used by Oldsmobile and runs along or crosses parts of the Grand and Red Cedar rivers. Construction started in 1963, and the freeway opened on December 18, 1970. Segments south of downtown were built near a historically black neighborhood that dates from the early 20th century. Community leaders opted not to fight the construction of the freeway, instead seeking affordable housing and relocation assistance for displaced residents. The city named the freeway in honor of a former mayor when it opened in 1970, but the local historical society proposed that the state rename it after Ransom E. Olds, the founder of Oldsmobile and the REO Motor Car Company, after his mansion was demolished to make way for the freeway. The Michigan Legislature approved the name "Olds Freeway" two years later.

Work on acceleration grid power supply kicks off (via F4E)

A kick-off meeting marks a significant advance the work of procuring the acceleration grid power supply for the Neutral Beam Injector.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1OaDwbk
via IFTTT

Info Day on “Spreading Excellence and Widening Participation" Calls 2016 - 2 February 2016, Brussels (via Research & Innovation)

The European Commission is holding an Info Day on the Spreading excellence and Widening participation Calls in Horizon 2020. During the event the Teaming, Twinning and ERA Chairs Calls for 2016 will be presented. This information day will take place in Brussels on 2nd February 2016 at the Madou Tower, Auditorium (1, Place Madou, B-1210 Brussels, Metro station Madou). The event begins at 14:00 (registration as from 13:30) and ends at 17:00. Please confirm your participation by e-mail to RTD-INFO-DAYS-B5@ec.europa.eu by 11th January 2016. In order to respect all security rules of the European Commission’s building, we kindly ask you to provide your passport or ID number, your nationality and your date of birth. Note that the registration is compulsory and will be done on a "first come, first served" basis.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1ZdVueP
via IFTTT

Press Centre - Nine finalists compete for the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2016 (via Research & Innovation)

Nine outstanding women entrepreneurs who have brought their breakthrough ideas to the market are entering the final stage of the EU Prize for Women Innovators 2016. The shortlist of contestants is announced today by the European Commission. The contestants have all benefitted from EU research and innovation funding at some point of their careers, and recently founded or co-founded a successful company based on their innovative ideas.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1IWerih
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - The rural-city connection in sub-Saharan Africa (via Research & Innovation)

Sub-Saharan Africa is modernising fast, changing the dynamic between town and countryside. What is the best way to manage the impacts on rural and urban communities? An EU-funded project is collecting data that helps policymakers make wise choices for inclusive development.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1MiRhgD
via IFTTT

Wednesday, December 16, 2015

Success Stories - Dark matter in a new light (via Research & Innovation)

You can't see it, you can't touch it, nor is it something you could hear, taste or smell. Dark matter is all around us, and its mass produces measurable gravitational effects. Other than that, it interacts with the visible universe even less than previously thought, according to the results of recent EU-funded research.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QMJ8rc
via IFTTT

Continuation of EUREKA HTIP in 2016: E!InnoVest (via EUREKA)

After positive feedback received from the SMEs and EUREKA Network, the Swedish Chairmanship and  the EUREKA Secretariat actively started to work on organizing the second edition of the programme under the name EUREKA InnoVest Programme (E!InnoVest).

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1O5Hr2U
via IFTTT

December newsletter (via TRIP)



from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1RRDMM4
via IFTTT

Matching investors with innovative companies - 2015 HTIP Events (via EUREKA)

HTIP Venture Academies

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1O5Hr2Q
via IFTTT

Ready, set, go to market! (via EUREKA)

In 2015 EUREKA started concrete actions to facilitate the successful transition of EUREKA projects to the ‘go-to-market’ phase by launching the new pilot programme called EUREKA High-Tech Investment Programme (EUREKA HTIP) in collaboration with EBAN and Europe Unlimited. By participating in the different activities, a total of 137 EUREKA companies benefited from the programme and 5 companies were awarded as the best companies’ presentation during the Alpine High-Tech Venture Forum in Lausanne

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1RRDMvN
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - Catching a ride on Brazil's sustainable transport revolution (via Research & Innovation)

Some of the most innovative sustainable transport initiatives are being driven by the world's emerging economies. An EU-funded project is making sure that European industry can learn and prosper from these developments.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1m6U4Eo
via IFTTT

All HTS Current Leads for JT-60SA TF coils delivered (via F4E)

All six superconductor current leads, which will connect JT-60SA's Toroidal Field (TF) coils with the power supplies, have been delivered.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1m6U4o7
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - Deep-diving robots to uncover the mysteries of the deep (via Research & Innovation)

Frozen in time for decades or even centuries, some of the world's most intriguing shipwrecks could be about to give up their secrets to a set of underwater robots developed by EU-funded researchers. The diving drones are able to locate objects of interest and provide images for information-hungry historians and archaeologists.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1m6U3QQ
via IFTTT

SAM3: increasing reliability of electronic devices (via EUREKA)

The two EUREKA Clusters CATRENE and EURIPIDES² jointly announced the official labelling and start of the project SAM3 (Smart Analysis Methods for 3D Integration).

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QpqC9X
via IFTTT

Chào bạn – EUREKA starts to speak Vietnamese (via EUREKA)

The EUREKA Network participated actively in the Horizon 2020 Funding Opportunities Dissemination Seminar held on the 3rd and 4th of November 2015 in Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi, Vietnam.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1m6U3Az
via IFTTT

Climate change and migration: expanding the debate on a multidimensional relation (via COST)

Climate change is an immense and multifaceted global challenge, likely to change our planet and our very way of life. In some of the most industrialised settings in the world as well as in the most vulnerable areas, people may find they can no longer live in places they have called home for generations. Climate change causes many serious problems, including extreme weather disasters, the rise of sea levels, species extinction and environmental degradation. Each of these factors, alongside structural conditions such as transnational labour markets, land tenure, political violence and discrimination, is expected to have some bearing on future migration.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1I4f7BS
via IFTTT

Events - FET Open and FET Proactive info day - 25 January 2016, Brussels (via Research & Innovation)

The Research Executive Agency (REA), in cooperation with the EC's DG for Communications Networks, Content & Technology, is organising an Information Day on the calls for proposals to be launched in 2016 by the Future and Emerging Technologies Open (FET Open) and the topic ‘Emerging themes and communities’ of the FET Proactive schemes.This event targets potential applicants for the calls for Research and Innovation Actions (RIA) and for Coordination and Support Actions (CSA) under FET Open and FET Proactive under the topic ‘Emerging themes and communities’. The FET Open calls will close on 11 May 2016 and the FET Proactive call on 12 April 2016. Registration is free. Please note that due to limited space, registrations will be accepted on a first-come-first-served basis. Registrations will close when the maximum number of participants is reached.All sessions will be web-streamed (from 9 a.m. CET, 25 January 2016) and recorded, and presentations will be published after the event.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1P1Wobm
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - Ski resorts get a lift from better snow guns (via Research & Innovation)

Innovative snow-making technology may help winter tourism destinations boost snow cover and extend their ski seasons. A new snow-gun prototype and nozzle design developed during the EcoArtiSnow project uses 15% less energy, produces 8% more snow, and makes much less noise.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QpqBTm
via IFTTT

Success Stories - A spirited approach to methanol production (via Research & Innovation)

The carbon dioxide emitted by fossil fuel power stations and many other types of plant could be used to generate methanol, say EU-funded researchers. They are developing a cost-effective method to turn this overabundant pollutant into a welcome resource. This process will draw on surplus energy produced by renewables at peak times.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QpqBD7
via IFTTT

Technological solutions and behavioural change needed to decarbonise transport (via TRIP)



from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QpqzuN
via IFTTT

EUREKA and Eurostars websites down for the week-end (via EUREKA)

The electricity boards of the Twin House building in which the EUREKA secretariat is located, will be replaced. Consequently, the electricity to the EUREKA office will be cut for maintenance purposes as of 16:00 CET on Friday 11 December, until Sunday afternoon 13 December 2015. During the maintenance, all IT services will be unavailable. This includes amongst other things: all public websites as well as the Eurostars participant portal. Please take this into account and take the necessary measures if required.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1RGD6cs
via IFTTT

Good news for SMEs: Germany increases budget for Eurostars (via EUREKA)

Building on the great success of the Eurostars programme in recent years the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) decided to increase the national budget for German participants. Whereas financial shortcomings in the past prevented the start of some projects with German participation the new funding scheme will enable a success rate of up to 50% of all eligible projects with German participation. Very good reasons for the establishment of a consortium with German partners!

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1Qpqzee
via IFTTT

Tuesday, December 15, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 16, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 16, 2015 is Geastrum quadrifidum.
Geastrum quadrifidum, commonly known as the rayed earthstar, is an inedible species of mushroom belonging to the genus Geastrum, the earthstar fungi. First described by Christian Hendrik Persoon in 1794, it is a cosmopolitan but uncommon species found in Europe, the Americas, Africa, Asia, and Australasia. The fungus feeds off decomposing organic matter in the litter and soil of coniferous forests. The small, grayish-brown fruit bodies are enclosed by a skin, or peridium, made up of four layers of tissue. The outer layer splits to form star-like rays and expose a spore case, inside of which is the gleba—fertile spore-producing tissue. The spore case, set on a short, slender stalk, has a well-defined narrow pore at the top through which mature spores escape. The mushroom's outer skin is purplish-brown, with four or five cream or yellowish-brown rays whose tips are stuck in the substrate. This species is one of several earthstars whose rays arch downward as they mature, lifting the spore sac upward and allowing it to catch air currents that disseminate the spores.

Picture of the day for December 16, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 16, 2015: The Congress Hall of the Nazi party rally grounds near Nuremburg, Germany. http://ift.tt/1RQCRM0

Monday, December 14, 2015

Picture of the day for December 15, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 15, 2015: Saudade (Longing), oil on carvas, 1899, by José Ferraz de Almeida Júnior. Displayed in the Pinacoteca do Estado de São Paulo. http://ift.tt/12lqEc7

Wikipedia article of the day for December 15, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 15, 2015 is Ununseptium.
Ununseptium is the current name of the artificial chemical element with atomic number 117. The second-heaviest known element and second-to-last element of the 7th period of the periodic table, its discovery was announced in Dubna, Russia, by a Russian–American collaboration in 2010, making it the most recently discovered element. One of its daughter isotopes was created in 2011, partially confirming the results. The experiment was repeated successfully by the same collaboration in 2012 and by a joint German–American team in 2014. When these experiments have been examined and verified by the Joint Working Party, the discoverers will be invited to give the element an official name. Some of ununseptium's isotopes are expected to lie within the island of stability, a predicted group of nuclides of enhanced stability with atomic numbers around 120, but the isotopes of ununseptium created so far have had predicted half-lives of less than one second. Like fluorine, chlorine, and other halogens, ununseptium is expected to be a group 17 element, but it is not currently expected to be a halogen, as some of its properties are likely to be different due to relativistic effects.

Sunday, December 13, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 14, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 14, 2015 is Toledo War.
The Toledo War (1835–36) was a nearly bloodless sovereignty dispute between the US state of Ohio and the Michigan Territory over a small strip of land along their border, fueled by conflicting legislation, a desire to control the then-prosperous city of Toledo, and poor maps. After Ohio politicians blocked Michigan's bid to become a state, both sides raised militias to enforce their claims.The only casualty was a wounded sheriff, stabbed with a penknife, and in the only clash, Michigan militiamen fired shots in the air and captured Ohioan surveyors. After President Andrew Jackson intervened to keep Ohio's support for his fledgling Democratic Party, Michigan agreed at what is now called the Frostbitten Convention to a compromise. The strip was sacrificed in exchange for statehood and the undeveloped Upper Peninsula, which would later produce an economic windfall in timber, iron, and copper. Vestiges of the dispute persisted for 137 years and were ended only with the help of the US Supreme Court in 1973. Memories of the Toledo War helped ignite the Michigan–Ohio State football rivalry.

Picture of the day for December 14, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 14, 2015: Castle Lüdinghausen in Lüdinghausen in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. http://ift.tt/1NjIJds

Saturday, December 12, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 13, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 13, 2015 is Canadian drug charges and trial of Jimi Hendrix.
American rock musician Jimi Hendrix was charged with drug possession in Canada in May 1969. Customs agents at Toronto International Airport detained Hendrix (pictured) after finding a small amount of heroin and hashish in his luggage. Released on $10,000 bail, he performed at Maple Leaf Gardens later that night, joking with the crowd. In December he stood trial for two counts of illegal possession of narcotics, carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years in prison. Judge Joseph Kelly presided. Defense attorney John O'Driscoll raised doubts about whether the narcotics belonged to Hendrix, who had no drug paraphernalia in his luggage or needle tracks on his arms, and whether he even knew they were in his luggage. He was acquitted after a three-day trial. Both of Hendrix's bandmates in the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Mitch Mitchell and Noel Redding, later said that they had been warned about a planned drug bust the day before flying to Toronto and that they believed the drugs had been planted in his bag. Hendrix was the world's highest-paid performer when he was arrested, but this was his last tour, and he died the following year.

Picture of the day for December 13, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 13, 2015: Parts of a Rohloff Speedhub 500/14 internal hub gear for bicycles. http://ift.tt/1OZlVCi

Friday, December 11, 2015

Picture of the day for December 12, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 12, 2015: Sculpture "Man walking to the sky" in Kassel, Germany. http://ift.tt/1Y9vZsM

Wikipedia article of the day for December 12, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 12, 2015 is Far Eastern Party.
The Far Eastern Party of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition set out with sled dogs in November 1912 to collect specimens, map the coast, and claim territory. Douglas Mawson (pictured), Belgrave Ninnis and Xavier Mertz had covered 311 miles (501 km) when Ninnis and a sled broke through the snow lid of a crevasse and were lost. With few supplies left, Mawson and Mertz made for the main base at Cape Denison, eating the remaining sled dogs one by one. Mertz became sick, and died within a week. For almost a month, Mawson pulled his sled alone across snow and ice despite an illness that increasingly weakened him. He reached the comparative safety of Aladdin's Cave—a food depot 5.5 miles (8.9 km) from the main base—on 1 February, only to be trapped there for a week while a blizzard raged outside. He arrived at the main base just hours after the expedition ship, SY Aurora, sailed for Australia, fleeing the encroaching ice. With a relief party, Mawson remained at Cape Denison until the ship returned the next summer, 10 months later. In 1976 Sir Edmund Hillary described Mawson's journey as "probably the greatest story of lone survival in Polar exploration".

Research Headlines - Conjuring touch from thin air (via Research & Innovation)

Our interaction with machines has progressed from tapping keys to control a computer, to waving a hand. An EU-funded project is developing technology that helps manufacturers apply the next step - mid-air virtual controls that you can touch.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1UcC5Z3
via IFTTT

Success Stories - Tackling informal patient payments will improve healthcare, say researchers (via Research & Innovation)

An EU-funded project has shown that the widespread practice of informal healthcare payments in Central and Eastern Europe is inefficient, and means that many patients are unable to pay for the care they need. The positive news is that the project findings are beginning to influence policy in the region.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1RIu2DW
via IFTTT

ESSC Statement on Climate Change (via ESF)

The European Space Sciences Committee (ESSC) supports the Article (2) agreement on climate change of the Declaration of the ‘2015 Budapest World Science Forum on the enabling power of science’ urges such a universal agreement aiming at stabilising atmospheric concentrations of greenhouse gases and...

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1Y1lnRU
via IFTTT

Diagnostic sensor prototypes successfully manufactured (via F4E)

F4E is working with a German company to manufacture prototype sensors which will measure the local magnetic field in ITER during operation.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1Y1bEuT
via IFTTT

Thursday, December 10, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 11, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 11, 2015 is Pallid sturgeon.
The pallid sturgeon (Scaphirhynchus albus) is an endangered species of ray-finned fish, endemic to the waters of the Missouri and lower Mississippi River basins of the United States. Named for its pale coloration, it is related to the much smaller shovelnose sturgeon (S. platorhynchus). When mature at 15 years, individuals average 85 pounds (39 kg) and 30 to 60 inches long (76 to 152 cm). The fish spawns infrequently over its lifespan of up to a century. This sturgeon species has remained virtually unchanged since it coexisted with the Cretaceous dinosaurs 70 million years ago. In 1990, the pallid sturgeon became the first Missouri River basin fish on the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's endangered species list, after sightings had greatly diminished. Loss of habitat is thought to be responsible for its decline; much of the Missouri River drainage system has been channeled and dammed, reducing the gravel deposits and slow-moving side channels that are its favored spawning areas. In an effort to save the species from extinction, pallid sturgeon are being raised in a dozen hatcheries and released back into the wild.

Picture of the day for December 11, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 11, 2015: Tesla Roadster; Breakdown on the highway. http://ift.tt/1M63Zzf

Transport Research Arena (TRA) 2016 - 18-21 April 2016, Warsaw (Poland) (via Research & Innovation)

Transport Research Arena (TRA) is the most important Transport research event in Europe, gathering every two years key stakeholders: researchers, experts, operators, industry and policy-makers. #TRA2016 Conference will contribute to innovation in sustainable mobility for Europe, by bringing together all the stakeholders of the transport system. Efficient mobility is a key issue for policy makers. Enabling the free movement of people and goods is crucial to economic prosperity and quality of life.The main theme of TRA 2016 is: MOVING FORWARD - Innovative Solutions for Tomorrow’s Mobility.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1SQp46u
via IFTTT

EUREKA and Eurostars websites down for the week-end (via EUREKA)

The electricity boards of the Twin House building in which the EUREKA secretariat is located, will be replaced. Consequently, the electricity to the EUREKA office will be cut for maintenance purposes as of 16:00 CET on Friday 11 December, until Sunday afternoon 13 December 2015. During the maintenance, all IT services will be unavailable. This includes amongst other things: all public websites as well as the Eurostars participant portal. Please take this into account and take the necessary measures if required.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1RGD6cs
via IFTTT

European Union Stand at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition - 7-9 January 2016, Dublin, Ireland (via Research & Innovation)

The theme of the EU Stand at the annual BTYSTE this year is: Science is Fun! Young people will become 'trainee EU scientists' doing their very own experiments that relate directly to real life research. Our scientists will emphasise the importance of studying STEM subjects leading to exciting and rewarding careers in science. Visit the EU stand (No. W31 in the Industries Hall) at the BT Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition in the RDS.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1OjNxNB
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - Restorative justice and the long arm of the law (via Research & Innovation)

Do you trust the police? Do you think the police trust you? The public's relations with Europe's boys and girls in blue can be rocky, particularly for members of minorities. EU-funded research has looked into the power of restorative justice to foster constructive attitudes and defuse conflicts.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QxwRXF
via IFTTT

Fusion laboratories receive F4E training on project management software (via F4E)

EFLs working under F4E Diagnostic FPAs further developed their skills in the Primavera project management tool used by F4E and ITER IO.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QxwR9U
via IFTTT

Wednesday, December 9, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 10, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 10, 2015 is Nicky Barr.
Nicky Barr (1915–2006) was a member of the Australian national rugby union team who became a fighter ace in the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) during World War II. Selected to play for Australia against the United Kingdom in 1939, he had just arrived in England when war broke out and the tour was cancelled. He joined the RAAF in 1940 and was posted to North Africa with No. 3 Squadron in September 1941. Barr's achievements as a combat pilot earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bar. Shortly after taking command of No. 3 Squadron in May 1942, he was shot down and captured by Axis forces, and incarcerated in Italy. He escaped and assisted other Allied fugitives to safety, receiving for his efforts the Military Cross, a rare honour for an RAAF pilot. Repatriated to England in 1944, he saw action during the invasion of Normandy before returning to Australia as chief instructor with No. 2 Operational Training Unit. He rejoined the RAAF as an active reserve officer from 1951 to 1953. After his subsequent success for many years in the oilseed industry, he was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in 1983.

Picture of the day for December 10, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 10, 2015: The snow-covered road from Sosonka village to the highway M21 Vinnytsia–Kyiv. Ukraine http://ift.tt/1NWdclj

F4E joins new ITER Beryllium Management Committee (via F4E)

An ITER Beryllium Management Committee has recently been established.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1OQIWXN
via IFTTT

Press Centre - Commission proposes a research-friendly copyright for open science and innovation in Europe (via Research & Innovation)

European researchers and innovators should have the explicit right to process on a large scale the content to which they have legal access. That is why the European Commission proposed today a mandatory exception for research in the EU copyright legislation.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1R9BU23
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - A new approach to managing local ecosystems (via Research & Innovation)

The EU-funded OpenNESS project aims to encourage informed, sustainable land, water and urban management by tapping the potential of ecosystem services and natural capital. Researchers are uploading the results from 26 case studies onto a pioneering online resource.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QeuSZq
via IFTTT

Tuesday, December 8, 2015

Final report - Conference 'Which priorities for a European policy on multimorbidity?' (Brussels, 27 October 2015) (via Active and Healthy Ageing)



from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1ltc646
via IFTTT

Picture of the day for December 9, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 9, 2015: Vineyard fields in winter in Cariñena, Zaragoza, Spain. Cariñena, a popular wine region in Spain, that was constituted in 1933, was one of the first regions that became Denominación de Origen (Designation of Origin) in Spain. The most popular wine grape variety is grenache and the production of the area in 2013 was of 57 mill litres, 75% of them were exported. http://ift.tt/1OOWOlq

Wikipedia article of the day for December 9, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 9, 2015 is Infinity Blade.
Infinity Blade is a fighting game developed by Chair Entertainment and Epic Games and released through the App Store on December 9, 2010. It is the first iOS video game to run on the Unreal Engine. In the game, the unnamed player character fights a series of one-on-one battles in a derelict castle to face the immortal God King. When in battle, players swipe the screen to attack and parry, and tap the screen to dodge and block enemy attacks. Upon victory or defeat, the player restarts the game as the character's descendant with the same items and experience level. Developed by a team of twelve people, the game was intended to demonstrate the new iOS version of the Unreal Engine. Four free expansions added new equipment, endings, and game modes. The game made US$1.6 million in the first four days after its release, more than any other app in the history of iOS, and over $23 million by the end of 2011. Reviews heavily praised the graphics and compared the mobile game favorably to console games. Critics also praised the swipe-based combat system, but split opinions on the cyclical gameplay as either addictive or repetitive.

Success Stories - Fat - the full story for better health (via Research & Innovation)

Harnessing nuclear fusion could generate unlimited, sustainable energy. An EU-funded project has helped advance atomic modelling in preparation for a future fusion reactor.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1NINvy8
via IFTTT

EUREKA in the Pact for Innovation (via EUREKA)

The 7th European Innovation Summit taking place from 7-10 December 2015 in the European Parliament calls for a “Pact for Innovation”. The objective is to develop an ambitious vision of what innovation can do for the EU economy and society. With its future-oriented bottom-up approach, the pact will unite a group of local, regional, national and EU innovation stakeholders.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1N9lRx2
via IFTTT

Press Centre - EU research and innovation supports delivery on COP21 commitments (via Research & Innovation)

The European Commission announces a new Research, Innovation and Competitiveness Strategy of the Energy Union at the 2015 Paris Climate Conference.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1TXQYy7
via IFTTT

Commission presents a new Aviation Strategy for Europe (via TRIP)



from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1jLWw1L
via IFTTT

EU support for better air traffic management project given green light today (via TRIP)



from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1jLWxCF
via IFTTT

INTERNATIONAL BANKS BACK TRANSPORT ACTION ON CLIMATE CHANGE (via TRIP)



from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1ICcCH4
via IFTTT

The Transport Systems Catapult and TWI Announce Partnership (via TRIP)



from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1ICcCH0
via IFTTT

UK government pledges bold ambition for electric cars (via TRIP)



from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1ICcAyS
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - How to achieve good forest governance, and why this matters (via Research & Innovation)

Case studies carried out in Europe and Latin America as part of the EU-funded POLICYMIX project have shed new light on how the right mix of forest governance policies can help to conserve biodiversity and boost local economies.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1PTEFEB
via IFTTT

Monday, December 7, 2015

Picture of the day for December 8, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 8, 2015: Ceiling fresco in Brixen Cathedral by Paul Troger (1748-50): The Worship of the Lamb http://ift.tt/1OQskh1

Wikipedia article of the day for December 8, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 8, 2015 is Symphony No. 8 (Sibelius).
The Eighth Symphony was Jean Sibelius's final major compositional project, occupying him intermittently from the mid-1920s until around 1938. How much of the symphony was completed is unknown; Sibelius repeatedly refused to release it for performance, though he promised the premiere to several leading conductors. Following the success of his Seventh Symphony of 1924, it was expected that his symphonic flow would continue, but after the tone poem Tapiola of 1926, his published output was confined to minor pieces and revisions to earlier works. The Eighth Symphony's destruction was made known after Sibelius's death in 1957, but in the 1990s, while cataloguing the composer's many notebooks and sketches, scholars speculated that fragments of music from the lost symphony may have survived. Several short manuscript sketches have been tentatively identified with the Eighth, three of which (comprising less than three minutes of music) were recorded by the Helsinki Philharmonic Orchestra in 2011. The prospect of further reconstruction has generally been discounted; the propriety of publicly performing music that Sibelius himself had rejected has also been questioned.

30 years of positive energy (via EUREKA)

Sustainable use of natural resources is key to ensuring long-term supply; with demand growing every year, the twin goals of protecting the environment and meeting society’s needs become increasingly difficult to reconcile. From renewable energy to waste management, the technological areas that make up environment technology are distinctly forward-looking – and EUREKA has often leant help to projects in this crucial area, having welcomed applications from around 4,500 participants in its history.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1N6kXS3
via IFTTT

Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology: Tools and Technologies - 28-29 January 2016, Ghent, Belgium (via Research & Innovation)

Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology are revolutionizing Life Sciences. Driven by advances in the CRISPR-toolbox for rapid, cheap, multiplex modification of genomes and breakthroughs in DNA synthesis technologies, the pace of progress enabled by these tools in the last 2 years has been breathtaking. The symposium will bring together some of the most highly regarded Academics (collectively having published ˃350 Nature, Cell and Science papers) and Companies in the world with novel technologies in several sessions, with topics focused on: • CRISPR and Synthetic Biology Tools • Gene and Genome assembly • CRISPR for re-engineering cellular systems • Future CRISPR applications • Expanding the Genetic Code In addition to a great scientific and technology program, the conference will provide ample opportunities to network during the breaks, poster sessions, the conference dinner and our ‘Meet the Expert’ session! Early Bird registration deadline: 10 December 2015 Final registration deadline: 14 January 2016

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1NAYuOq
via IFTTT

Monaco-ITER International Fusion Energy Days, ITER Business Forum (MIIFED-IBF 2016) - 8-11 February 2016, Monaco (via Research & Innovation)

ITER is the large-scale international scientific experiment that aims to demonstrate the scientific and industrial feasibility of fusion energy for peaceful purposes. The Monaco-ITER International Fusion Energy Days (MIIFED) combined with the ITER Business Forum (IBF) will bring together testimonies and experiences from the world industry about their participation in ITER. The conference will also review the progress achieved so far, the status of construction and manufacturing, and the upcoming industrial activities. Through B2B and B2C contacts, the event will also stimulate networking and technology transfer.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1m6BVH4
via IFTTT

Press Centre - Commission invests &8364;33 million for quicker market access of 15 new innovative projects (via Research & Innovation)

The European Commission is awarding €32.7 million to 15 innovative projects involving 67 partners in 15 countries to help speed up their access to the market. Under the second round of the Fast Track to Innovation (FTI) scheme, run under the EU's research and innovation programme Horizon 2020, each of these projects will receive up to €3 million.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1TSiRb3
via IFTTT

Technical progress for Cryoplant equipment (via F4E)

Two heat exchangers pass successfully global helium leak tests and cold test.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QY91Wo
via IFTTT

NewP@ass wins CATRENE Innovation award 2015 (via EUREKA)

The NewP@ ss project targets the development of advanced (microelectronics and embedded SW) secure platforms suitable for the Third and Fourth  e-passport generation currently under discussion at the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO). They can be used as approved travel documents at European and International level, but also for hosting dedicated e-services applications of both government (e.g electronic visa) and/or private nature (boarding ticket support, airline services,..).

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1XVgPY0
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - Studying the past to predict the future: the Amazon River (via Research & Innovation)

Climate change knows no boundaries. Its impacts are being felt everywhere, including in the Amazon River basin in South America. An EU-funded partnership between European and Brazilian researchers is studying the underlying mechanisms with a view to drawing up environmental and social mitigation policies.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1TvdqxG
via IFTTT

Sunday, December 6, 2015

Picture of the day for December 7, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 7, 2015: The trees covered with ice. Ramensky District, Moscow Oblast, Russia. http://ift.tt/1jIRVNL

Wikipedia article of the day for December 7, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 7, 2015 is George Macaulay.
George Macaulay (1897–1940) played first-class cricket professionally for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1920 and 1935. He played in eight Test matches for England from 1923 to 1933, achieving the rare feat of taking a wicket with his first ball in Test cricket. One of the five Wisden Cricketers of the Year in 1924, he took 1,838 first-class wickets at an average of 17.64, including four hat-tricks. He was a leading member of his successful Yorkshire team and a volatile character who played aggressively. He left a job at a bank to become a professional cricketer, making his first-class debut aged 23 as a fast bowler, but he had more success after altering his style to include off spin. He played fewer Test matches after an unsuccessful match in the 1926 Ashes series. His form slumped following injuries in the late 1920s, but a recovery in the early 1930s led to a recall by England. His first-class career ended in 1935, although he continued playing club cricket until the Second World War. A pilot officer in the Royal Air Force, he died of illness on active service.

Saturday, December 5, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 6, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 6, 2015 is A Contract with God.
A Contract with God is a 1978 graphic novel by American cartoonist Will Eisner (pictured). It is a short story cycle focusing on poor Jewish characters who live in a tenement in New York City. In the lead story, a religious man gives up his faith after the death of his young adopted daughter. The four stories in the novel are thematically linked with motifs of frustration, disillusionment, violence, and ethnic identity. Eisner uses large, monochromatic images in dramatic perspective, and emphasizes caricatured facial expressions. Few panels or captions have traditional borders. The small press Baronet Books released A Contract with God in 1978 and marketed it as a "graphic novel", which then became the common term for book-length comics. It sold slowly at first, but gained respect from Eisner's peers, and has since been reprinted by larger publishers. Eisner produced two sequels set in the same tenement: A Life Force in 1988, and Dropsie Avenue in 1995. A Contract with God cemented Eisner's reputation as an elder statesman of comics, and he continued to produce graphic novels and theoretical works on comics until his death in 2005.

Picture of the day for December 6, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 6, 2015: Africa and Europe from a million miles away. http://ift.tt/1m4lGdG

Friday, December 4, 2015

Wikipedia article of the day for December 5, 2015

The Wikipedia article of the day for December 5, 2015 is Battle of Sio.
The Battle of Sio, fought between December 1943 and March 1944, was the break-out and pursuit phase of General Douglas MacArthur's Huon Peninsula campaign, part of the New Guinea campaign of World War II. Following the defeat of the Japanese in the Battle of Sattelberg, Australian Army forces broke through positions around Finschhafen. Constant pressure from US Navy PT boats, Australian land forces and Allied aircraft brought the Japanese logistical system to the brink of collapse, resulting in disease, malnutrition and privation for the Japanese soldiers. Australian and Papuan troops advanced along the coast, employing infantry, tanks, and air strikes against the Japanese positions, which were generally sited at creek crossings in the jungle. The Australian and Papuan troops inflicted heavy and disproportionate casualties on the Japanese as they advanced, ultimately linking up with the American forces at Saidor. Australian troops were also able to capture important Japanese cryptographic materials. Hundreds of Japanese soldiers were killed; thousands more died from disease, malnutrition, exhaustion and suicide.

Picture of the day for December 5, 2015


Wikipedia picture of the day on December 5, 2015: Spotted Longhorn beetle (Rutpela maculata) on a Turk's cap lily (Lilium martagon) in the Ötscher Canyon, nature park Ötscher-Tormäuer, Lower Austria http://ift.tt/1OLHZOL

New EUREKA Cluster: PENTA (via EUREKA)

PENTA, the new EUREKA cluster supporting micro- and nanoelectronics enabled systems and applications, was labelled in July and launched at the European Nanoelectronics Forum in December 2015. The first call is expected in January 2016.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1NuISw6
via IFTTT

JT-60SA cryogenic system installation finished according to tight schedule (via F4E)

The successful installation of this complex system shows the good joint effort in the Broader Approach projects between Europe and Japan.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1XMS00i
via IFTTT

Technical progress for Cryoplant equipment (via F4E)

Two heat exchangers pass successfully global helium leak tests and cold test.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1QY91Wo
via IFTTT

Research Headlines - EU-Brazil partnership signals new era for anti-inflammatory therapies (via Research & Innovation)

Through close cooperation between European and Brazilian scientists, an EU-funded project is developing and currently testing novel preclinical drug candidates designed to prevent various chronic autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

from EUROPA - Syndicated Research News Feed http://ift.tt/1N7gWuC
via IFTTT