Recharge overview
New molecule as possible link between sports and lower food consumption
Researchers have discovered a molecule that might prevent obesity by suppressing food intake. The molecule, Lac-Phe, is produced in our bodies from lactate and is naturally released during physical exercise. In mice, the presence of the substance was revealed to play a role in the potential development of obesity.
‘To be able to explain mathematics well, you need to know what it is’
Mathematical physicist Klaas Landsman will be awarded the Dutch Research Council (NWO) Spinoza Prize for 2022. The Spinoza Prize is the highest distinction in Dutch academia. Landsman plans to use the money to examine the themes of coincidence, determinism and emergence more closely. He also aims to ensure that the study programme for first-degree mathematics teachers lays greater emphasis on philosophy and history.
From anti-obesity campaigns to body positivity: the cacophony of lifestyle advice
Dutch people still eat too much and exercise too little, despite national prevention programmes. Why is health experts’ advice not followed? Historian Jon Verriet saw that traditional health experts were increasingly overruled by armchair ‘experts’.
Talking to chatbots: the way of the future
With some melancholy one thinks of the time companies could be called by phone and an actual human would be available to answer your questions. Alas, those times are over. Phone numbers are getting harder to find, or they are simply absent. Progressively, direct human contact is replaced by “chatbots” which some companies lovingly call their “digital colleagues”. The Dutch post (PostNL), for example, boasts that their digital colleague “Daan” successfully handles over 160.000 queries per month.
Your immune system influences your brain
Your immune system is important, not just for battling diseases, but also for your mental health and plays a key role in depression.
Deniers are indeed willing to change their beliefs
Some 97% of climate scientists agree: climate change is primarily caused by humans. So why do some people still believe it's not true? Aart van Stekelenburg conducted research into how you can better inform people through science communication.
Grinling Gibbons and the golden age of woodcarving
Grinling Gibbons (1648 -1721) is regarded as one of the most gifted woodcarvers of all time. He worked on iconic buildings in England such as Windsor Castle, Hampton Court Palace and St Paul's Cathedral. Yet little is known about him. With her research, art historian Ada de Wit sheds new light on the master carver and the Dutch-English context in which he operated.
Aliens may be closer than we think
How did our fantasy version of aliens come about and what do we know about the scientific plausibility of these creatures? We talked to comparative religion scholar Arjan Sterken and astronomer Rens Waters in order to find the answers to these questions.
Living on autopilot: how biases can help (and hurt) actions
Human actions are easily biased. These biases could help you accomplish simple tasks and distract you from your goal at the same time.
Ivory, plastic or nanoparticles as biomaterials in your body?
For centuries, people have used all kinds of materials for bone or dental repair, such as gold, ivory and plastic. 'Much more than before, we are now developing materials from biological knowledge of the body,' says Professor Sander Leeuwenburgh. 'By now we can even administer targeted drugs, such as antibiotics, via very small particles.'
The politics of humour is a serious business
Humour is serious and humour is political. With a special issue on the politics of humour, Ivo Nieuwenhuis and four fellow cultural researchers want to adjust the image of comedy as the ultimate watchdog of democracy. They do this by looking not only at the content, but especially at the form of humour.
Improving communication between machines and the brain
A large-scale neuroscientific research project, led by Radboud professor Francesco Battaglia, received a Gravitation grant worth 21,9 million euros earlier this month. The research focuses on the communication between machines and the brain. ‘If we can connect the brain of blind people to a video camera, we can hopefully restore their sight in the future.’
‘We never talk about working fathers’
She frequently receives mail addressed to Mr E.M. Sent. In the schoolyard, she was more than once complimented on her ability to combine work and motherhood. And on the Senate’s voting lists, her name was always preceded by ‘Mrs’ – while those of her male colleagues appeared without ‘Mr’. Professor Esther-Mirjam Sent is more the type to fight to challenge the status quo than to resign herself.
Roman city: newest addition to Nijmegen’s wall museum
What began in 2020 as an idea over a cup of coffee has steadily grown into a unique Wall Museum throughout Nijmegen's city centre. This year, three more murals will be added as part of the Waalpaintings project, an initiative of Radboud University to make Nijmegen's history visible again through street art.
Why do you want to squeeze what’s cute?
Want to squeeze the life out of a tiny fluffy kitten? Well, you are not alone.
Include people with a disability, but not because you have to
How do we, as a society, deal with people with a disability? And what can Radboud University do to form an inclusive environment? Orthopedagogy expert Nienke Peters-Scheffer specialises in developmental problems and impairments. Based on her knowledge, she sees opportunities for the university. “We all want to lead a meaningful life.”
How to say autism?
Whether it is preferred to say that someone is a ‘person with autism’ or an ‘autistic person’ is controversial. Even among the people concerned, very different opinions coexist. How do we decide what the right naming is and why?
Why it is important to protect yourself from the sun
On sunny days, good sun protection is very important. Good sun protection consists of several measures, and one of these measures in particular has been the subject of debate on social media: sunscreen. Dermatologist Satish Lubeek (Radboud university medical centre) explains why sunscreen is of great importance and what to look out for.
‘Not only productive, but also healthy and happy’
We live longer, and we work longer. If only for this reason, sustainable deployment deserves our attention. But the nature and content of our work is also changing, among other things due to new technologies and a more flexible labour market. This asks a lot from employers and employees: adjusting, learning, investing, and keeping up. “But we should make sure that sustainable deployment isn’t just about productivity,” warns Professor Beatrice van der Heijden (Strategic Human Resource Management).
Dutch veterans feel misunderstood
Veterans experience social stereotyping and disinterest, concludes anthropologist Yvon de Reuver, who will receive a PhD for her research from Radboud University on 23 May. Veterans are known to suffer from psychological problems they developed during their military service. But how do the veterans experience this themselves? De Reuver examined what it means to them, being a veteran.