Research Outreach – Issue 134: Retrocausality and quantum weirdness, chemical soup, and digital twin tech
The most recent issue of Research Outreach once again spans the full spectrum of scientific and academic research from STEM education to digital twin technology, as well as studies into how the different chemical species in our atmosphere react to solar radiation. Researchers are digging into the core principles of quantum mechanics, trialling antivirals that can prevent outbreaks of foot-and-mouth disease among pigs, and asking whether it might be time to adopt virtual pre-anaesthesia consultations.
We also interview the three finalists of the 2022 Vesalius Innovation Awards, an annual event to honour young, innovative start-up companies, and discuss how their platforms are having an impact on the research world.
Atmospheric species and their effect on solar radiation and our health
Earth’s atmosphere is made up of a complex mix of elements that plays a crucial role in keeping us safe from solar radiation. Researchers have been studying the relationship between solar radiation and the chemical soup that makes up our atmosphere, and investigating how certain atmospheric particles may affect our health.
Retrocausality: How backwards-in-time effects could explain quantum weirdness
Reconciling quantum mechanics and relativity has been a long process, but what if quantum measurements could affect their own past? Retrocausality – or the idea that quantum measurements may influence previous events – may hold the solution to this problem.
Steering STEM education development through play
Teaching STEM subjects is often seen as a considerable challenge, especially for early childhood education. Recently, it has been shown that children have an intuitive connection to spatial and logical reasoning, which should be added into the equation when considering how to teach STEM to young children.
Digital twin for integration of design, manufacturing, and maintenance
Digital twin technology has the capacity to increase efficiency in designing and manufacturing new products, especially when taking the full cycle into account. A recent study identifies they key challenges to developing a unified, intelligent design platform that could combine physical and virtual information to produce effective digital twins in industry.
Foot-and-mouth disease: A new antiviral stops the super-spreader in its tracks
A fast-evolving virus with the potential to spread incredibly quickly, foot-and-mouth disease is dangerous and expensive. New research may have a solution to prevent outbreaks in pigs by introducing a promising treatment into the pigs’ feed and preventing outbreaks from spreading.
Should pre-anaesthesia consultations be done telephonically?
Pre-surgery consultations are an important contact point, not only to answer questions before surgery, but also to involve the patient in important decisions in their care. Telemedicine is a growing part of patient care, and this study shows that it can be just as effective.
Vesalius Innovation Awards: Impactful technology and the Research World
Research Outreach showcases the 2022 finalists for the Vesalius Innovation Awards and discusses how their innovations, which include a platform to connect researchers to funding opportunities, a way to review the methods section of a paper, and an AI to detect deep fake images, can have an impact on the research world.