Articles
Proofig AI: An AI tool to ensure image integrity in scientific publications
Proofig AI is an innovative and reflexive AI-powered proofing tool, aimed at researchers, editors, institutes, and publishers. The tool aims to identify the improper usage of images in scientific publishing and beyond. Research Outreach spoke with Dr Dror Kolodkin-Gal, the founder of Proofig AI. He shares insight into the challenges scientific publishing faces with the publication of fraudulent manuscripts, and […]
Science, AI, and securing a sustainable future
Around 95% of the world’s population agree with the concept of sustainable development goals (SDGs) as a way of building a sustainable future in the face of the climate crisis. But SDGs come with a hefty price tag. Stefan Brunnhuber is a clinician and socioeconomist who believes the solution to this conundrum is a switch in the global mindset. Sustainability […]
CRISPR gene editing: Can we make cancer cells easier to kill?
Lung cancer accounts for approximately one in five cancer deaths globally. The high death toll makes the development of new treatments and improvement of old ones a top priority. One of the challenges with traditional chemotherapy is that tumours can develop resistance to treatment. For several years, Eric B Kmiec, PhD, at the Gene Editing Institute of ChristianaCare, USA and […]
From Charlemagne to Obama: Unifying ancestries and Western European genealogy
What do Britain’s Prince George and former American President Barack Obama have in common? The answer: they are both descendants of Charlemagne, the 9th-century Holy Roman Emperor. Reagan W Moore, Emeritus Professor at the School of Information and Library Science, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, USA is creating a genealogical history of the Western world. Based on the […]
A matter of choice: Free to choose medicine in the 21st century
The US Food and Drug Administration’s system for medicine approval is lengthy and expensive, and only 1 in 12 drugs in human clinical trials obtain approval. Bartley J Madden of the Madden Center for Value Creation at Florida Atlantic University proposes an alternative free to choose medicine (FTCM) pathway. He suggests that with the advice of their doctors, patients should […]
How could we build a liveable space habitat?
In the not-too-distant future, humanity will be faced with the challenge of building permanent homes in space. For this to happen, space habitats will need to closely replicate Earth’s gravity, while dealing with the threat of radiation and meteorites from outer space. Through his research, Werner Grandl at Space Renaissance International in Italy considers how these challenges could be overcome. Through […]
University workplace health promotion programmes: Getting the balance right
Workplaces have a role to play in their employees’ health and mental wellbeing. Health promotion programmes are supposedly designed with this in mind, admittedly with other priorities. But how effective are they, and do they measure up to accepted guidelines? Dr Hayden McDonald of Australia’s Torrens University and colleagues examined workplace health promotion programmes at leading Australian universities – diverse […]
Challenging shrimp bacterial diseases with phytobiotics
Whiteleg shrimp, a prized species in aquaculture, faces severe threats from emerging bacterial diseases, with acute hepatopancreatic necrosis (AHPND) posing a significant risk. Traditional reliance on antibiotics to combat this disease, although effective, raises concerns about antibiotic resistance. Dr Carla Hernández-Cabanyero and Dr Belén Fouz of the University of Valencia, Spain, have pioneered a One Health approach, introducing two cutting-edge […]
What Lake Sturgeon genetics reveal about population structures
The freshwater fish Lake Sturgeon experienced drastic population declines across North America beginning approximately 150 years ago. Although commercial harvest has since ceased, many populations have been slow to recover. Stocking programs have been used to help recover the species, but they need to be approached cautiously as populations of fish that have been isolated for thousands of years may […]
The paradox of Western hegemony of human nature
The world faces unprecedented social and environmental challenges that demand a coordinated, global response. However, such a response is hampered by a conundrum. The challenges are partly the outcome of Western notions of what it is to be human, yet those very notions will probably dictate the spirit and strength of how the challenges are addressed. Dr Michael Zichy, a […]