European science conversations
by the community, for the community
Issues related to the every day life of scientists when they are not working
Recently, there has been an increasing amount of attention paid to the mental health of researchers. Research is an activity that aims to confront the boundaries of human knowledge: it demands excellence from all researchers, who aim to publish in peer-reviewed publications, submit grant applications, achieve tenure or defend a PhD thesis. Researchers identify with and are dedicated to their work to a very great extent. A recent report noted that researchers simultaneously demonstrate high levels of job satisfaction and high levels of stress and depression. Nevertheless, hard work does not have to lead to suffering. Read more [...]
Science fiction authors are a motley crew, which includes a small number of professional scientists but also many others with no particular background in science or technology. EuroScientist published a short story called The Blame Game by Ian McKinley, who is a scientist involved in the rather esoteric area of radioactive waste management. In this story, a number of experts caught up in the chaos resulting from sudden environmental collapse argue about the root cause. The bottom line is that that there are so many interacting factors that it’s impossible to disentangle them. McKinley chose fiction as a means to talk to non-specialists about radioactive waste. He sets out to debunks the myths around the topic which stem from films, novels and, increasingly, comics, manga and anime, to get readers to ask themselves key questions about the topic. Read more [...]
2017, so far, has been an amazing year at EuroScientist as we are getting even more connected to our community of readers every day. For now, we hope that you will have time to reflect on your own life and recharge your batteries, during the summer. This could also be an opportunity to reconnect with the rest of our community by continuing to share and exchange through EuroScientist's comments boxes and social media networks or via the Homo scientificus europaeus community blog. We look forward to engaging with you again in September. Read more [...]
Censorship is alive and kicking. Read on about the experience of a French poet, who is also an eminent physicist, writing under the pen name Chaunes. His latest work include poems which refer to both the islamic veil and naked bodies in the same piece. Even tough few people actually read poetry. It appears that commercial online retailers have their own in-built censorship when it comes to such matters. Read more [...]
On the eve of 2017, we raise a glass of champagne--now that scientists better understand what gives it all its flavour--and invite you to engage even more than before with EuroScientist. You may approach us to tell us about how your work is changing as our society and the wider research environment change. Tell us about how you interact with policy makers and with citizens. Tell us about your dreams and your ambitions. And don't forget to share our articles within your wider circles and to comments on the articles we publish. 2017: here we come! Read more [...]
Everybody is different when it comes to assessing their subjective well-being. It is likely that the differences in people’s genetic makeup contribute to long-lasting differences in their subjective well-being. Find out from Philipp Koellinger, Lars Bertram, and Gert G. Wagner, who are experts in genetic studies, about the extent to which we are responsible for our own happiness. Read more [...]
Solitude often holds negative connotations. Yet, it is not necessarily a bad thing for scientists. Particularly in an hyper-connected work environment, where team collaboration and instant communications sometimes act like a smokescreen to hide the deep meaning of what scientists individual journey entails. In this deep personal reflection, Francisco Azuaje, senior researcher at the Luxembourg Institute of Health, helps us look at the true benefit of solitude in science. Read more [...]
Imagine what would happen if the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union in the referendum of the 23rd June 2016? To give our readers a better idea of the consequences of the Brexit for the country's scientists, EuroScientist has commissioned UK technology journalist Paul Hill to write a fictional day in the life of a British academic post-Brexit. This gives food for thought on the factors influencing the position of Europe's centre of gravity in research. Read more [...]
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