Cataract: Fresh eyesight insights bring human eye into sharp focus

For 89-year-old Mercedes Alvarez from the northern Spanish city of Gijón, cataract surgery was more than a routine medical procedure, it was a life-changing experience.  “At first, I didn’t want to do it, even though I had trouble seeing anything,” Alvarez said. “I spent sleepless nights worrying because, at my age, even a simple procedure […]

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Waste not, want not: turning food waste into fertile soil for sustainable growth

In Catalonia there are 7.7 million residents and approximately 7.9 million pigs. That’s over one pig per person.  Large-scale pig farming has led to an excess of nitrogen in the soil, a problem shared by many European regions. But just a few kilometres from Barcelona, a small revolution is turning this waste into a valuable […]

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Going with the flow: water becomes economic and biodiversity driver in Europe

On the plains of Crau in southern France, EU-funded researchers are pioneering a new approach to water conservation that allows local farmers to sell or buy their water rights during droughts and distribute water more efficiently. In the event of a water shortage, the new scheme encourages farmers to either reduce their water usage or […]

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EU researchers tackle pushback against gender equality in politics and society

For Zoe Lefkofridi, a professor of politics and gender at the University of Salzburg in Austria, there cannot be real democracy without gender equality.  But past progress cannot be taken for granted. Despite significant steps in Europe towards gender equality, opposition seems to be on the rise. “The EU has been a pioneer in promoting […]

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