European Parliament - Eprs Science And Technology Podcasts

Efforts to curb carbon emissions are falling short. As climate change impacts become all too clear, geoengineering is again in the spotlight. Some see it as a last-resort option to fight climate change. Detractors highlight the risks and uncertainties. Will governments end up ‘tinkering with Earth's thermostat’? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2021)656339 https://youtu.be/PvaAMyBxPwM Source: © European Union - EP

With its recent European Green Deal framework, the EU is striving to achieve climate neutrality in its economy by 2050 and, simultaneously, bring itself on the path of recovery from the adverse effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Technology will inevitably play a significant part in this process. However, historical experience tells us that culture and aesthetic have too had significant roles in recovery from a crises, be it war, economic recession, or an epidemic. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)656332 https://youtu.be/STAUrZIfjJw Source: © European Union - EP

As schools re-open, employees return to work and airports get busier, thermal imaging cameras powered by artificial intelligence are proving a quick and effective way to survey large groups of people and detect high temperatures… But are they the magic bullet for COVID-19 fever detection? And what are the legal and ethical implications of such mass surveillance technology? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)656299 https://youtu.be/UmYgPiBw_7w Source: © European Union - EP

Even if autonomous vehicles need to detect traditional signals and allocate uncertainty areas while sharing the public thoroughfare with non-autonomous vehicles, pedestrians and even animals, an efficient exchange of information with as many other vehicles as possible will greatly increase, not only their performance but also their safety. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)656317 https://youtu.be/tQyrPMoEQBU Source: © European Union - EP

Regenerative medicine (RM) is an interdisciplinary field that applies engineering and life science techniques to restore tissues and organs damaged by age, disease or trauma, as well as those with congenital defects. Promising data supports the future capability of using RM across a wide array of organ systems and contexts, including surface wounds, cardiovascular diseases and traumas and treatments for certain types of cancer. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)656297 https://youtu.be/IXOuenBovB4 Source: © European Union - EP

While some argue that AI can potentially be useful or even indispensable in ‘green transitions’, important questions remain open. Should AI be only used in resolving various specific problems (for example, intelligent pollinating robots replacing a declining bee population) or should be employed in ‘governing’ the sustainability of complex socio-economic systems such as mobility, food or energy? While the latter option is currently technically unattainable and may be ethically dubious , it marks the axis of a political debate about possible synergies between sustainability and AI. https://youtu.be/uRaztkJ8i0Q Source: © European Union - EP

Globally one out of eight million species are threatened with extinction, and Europe is no exception to this trend… The EU's 2030 diversity strategy wants to put nature on the path to recovery. But what if one of the ways to do that was to let nature take care of itself? It's called rewilding! Let's take a walk on the wild side! https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)641556 https://youtu.be/PAqjv74slhI Source: © European Union - EP

While commonly consumed in many parts of the world, insects have long been off the menu in Europe…but they could soon be creeping their way onto our plates! With Europe's focus shifting towards a more sustainable agri-food sector, entomophagy, the practice of eating insects, is now gaining serious interest… But are Europeans ready for an insect-based diet?https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)641551 Source: © European Union - EP

We shop ‘til we drop, and chuck out just as fast… But this fast fashion, throwaway consumer culture is destroying our planet and creating huge social problems. So, if the EU is serious about achieving its green objectives, it will need to find a way to turn fast fashion into clean, ethical fashion…https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)656296 Source: © European Union - EP

With no reliable prognosis or effective treatment, dementia is a growing public health concern in Europe and world-wide...But what if artificial intelligence applications could help advance the science on dementia? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)641546 Source: © European Union - EP

Our longtime use - and abuse…- of antibiotics in humans, agricultural livestock management, and food production has led to an increased threat of antimicrobial resistance, making us all more vulnerable to infectious diseases… But what if the answer lied in probiotics? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)641545 Source: © European Union - EP

As more and more European cities go into lockdown to contain the spread of the novel coronavirus, international organisations and scientists are using artificial intelligence to track the epidemic in real time… to be able to predict where it will hit next and prepare a response. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)641538 Source: © European Union - EP

From mass production to word processing, technological innovations have always transformed the way we work, and live… But what would happen if artificial intelligence worked just as well as humans - or perhaps even better - without taking holidays, getting sick, joining unions or drawing salaries…? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)641537 Source: © European Union - EP

Synthetic pesticides used to control pests such as fungi, bacteria, insects or weeds have proved to be rather effective, but they are coming under increasing scrutiny, as they have come to have worrying consequences for human health and the environment. What alternatives are the possible alternatives to help protect plant health and boost crop yields? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2020)641529 Source: © European Union - EP

In Europe, better healthcare, social and technological improvements are allowing us to live longer, and longer. If we link this to another trend, declining fertility rate… this could radically change the way our societies look and function! Want to know more? Let's peek into the future! https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2019)641510 Source: © European Union - EP

Tackling climate change is becoming increasingly urgent, yet the majority of our transport still runs on fossil fuels. While electric battery cars provide a response, batteries are too heavy to use in ships or aeroplanes. Could using hydrogen gas and fuel cells to produce electricity on board provide the answer? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2019)634453 Source: © European Union - EP

Could technologies respond to the challenges associated with the ageing European population? While future assistive technologies for elderly care are promising, current technologies are not used to their full potential. Effective change should target all social groups, not only the elderly. ‘One-size-fits-all' approaches for technology and policy are not well suited to elderly care because everyone has different abilities and individual circumstances. The establishment of a defined profession of experts in the application of assistive technologies for elderly care could play an important role in supporting the development of the sector. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2019)634449 Source: © European Union - EP

Facebook's envisaged cryptocurrency project Libra may enable a way of more connected, digital banking. However, it also triggered a debate around the added value of cryptocurrencies. What would change for banks, businesses and consumers with the new digital currency? https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2019)634443 Source: © European Union - EP

With the help of cells from a single cow, scientists can produce 175 million hamburgers. When fully commercialised, this type of technology will greatly impact the way we produce and consume meat. It will allow us to feed a world of over 10 billion people in a sustainable way, without necessarily drastically changing the diets. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2019)637960 Source: © European Union - EP

What if blockchain revolutionised voting? What if your emotions were tracked to spy on you? And what if we genetically engineered an entire species? Through its monthly “what-if” publications, the European Parliament's Scientific Foresight Unit draws the attention of Members of the Parliament to new and interesting developments in the fields of science and technology. https://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/en/document.html?reference=EPRS_ATA(2019)637960 Source: © European Union - EP