Recharge overview
Astronomers reveal first image of the black hole at the heart of our galaxy
Astronomers have unveiled the first image of the supermassive black hole at the centre of our own Milky Way galaxy. This result provides overwhelming evidence that the object is indeed a black hole and yields valuable clues about the workings of such giants, which are thought to reside at the centre of most galaxies.
‘Young people do have an impact with their ideals’
What about our ideals? How do young people contribute to them and is it possible to do business in an idealistic manner in a society focused on money? At the end of this week, LUX hosts the knowledge festival Being an Idealist, in which great thinkers, scientists and activists work together to 'grow new do-gooders'.
Greenwashing: “When companies seem sustainable, but are not”
Many people want to live more sustainable lives by paying closer attention to the products they buy. Companies respond by advertising themselves as sustainably as possible, but these green images don’t always match the reality. “Some people are more than willing to be deceived.”
'Hassle factor' should be taken into account when adressing security
Digital technology rules our lives, and smart (and not so smart) equipment is increasingly being used at work. Wolter Pieters, appointed as professor of Work, Organisations, and Digital Technology at Radboud University last year, is conducting research into how technology is used at work, and how it changes our behaviour. He warns that it doesn’t always work out well.
Brain blood flow and brain functions are related - but how?
In patients with Alzheimer's disease, decreases in blood flow to the brain over time are related to cognitive decline. Certain specific brain areas are particularly affected by decreases in blood flow, which are generally involved in memory and task performance. Patients with a larger decrease in cerebral blood flow perform worse on cognitive tests. This is what researchers from the Radboudumc write in a large analysis of previous studies.
Drugs in Latin America: beyond Narcos and ayahuasca ceremonies
From a source of evil to the number one region for spiritual healing: when it comes to drugs there are two very different stereotypes about Latin America. Brigitte Adriaensen, Professor of Spanish Literature and Culture at Radboud University, received a Vici grant this spring to research the shifting perspectives on drugs in South America.
“Turn off the tunnel vision and get to work”
Tough challenges, wicked problems, or as they are defined in the new RMa Post-Master’s: VUCA challenges. What are they, and how do you approach them? Professor Vincent Marchau explains. “Not an easy topic, but very interesting.”
Art and design in a digital world
What does it mean to be an artist or designer in a digital age where images are less and less the direct product of human handwork and more the result of complex machines and computer programmes? Marijke Goeting investigated how the work of contemporary artists and designers enables us to think critically about the socio-cultural effects of digital media and technology.
'Hybrid working is here to stay'
During the pandemic, it was mostly highly-educated people who discovered the advantages of remote working. Many of them aren’t keen to return to the office full-time. Hybrid working is the solution for the future, says Assistant Professor of Public Administration Stéfanie André.
How does your memory work?
Can't remember where you put your keys or left your phone? It has to do with the way your memory works. Dr. Lisa Genzel (Radboud University) explains how our brain stores memories and how a good night's sleep helps a great deal.
97 million for the first autonomous robot lab in the world
Scientists who want to build a fully automatic robot lab received a grant of 97 million euros from the National Growth Fund earlier this month. The lab is being built in cooperation with Fontys Hogeschool Eindhoven and lead by Wilhelm Huck, professor in physical-organic chemistry at Radboud University.
New digital tool reveals spheres of influence of big tech companies
Today sees the launch of the website ‘Sphere Transgression Watch’, which reveals how major technology companies are gaining more and more influence in different areas of our society. The Digital Good research team led by Prof. Tamar Sharon invites other researchers and interested parties to use the digital tool and contribute their own examples.
'Napoleon's brother was our first king'
On Wednesday, the Netherlands celebrates the King's birthday. How did our royal family actually come into being, why the Van Oranje family, and how did they respond to the calamities in the country at the time? Historian Fons Meijer was invited to talk about the history of the Dutch royal family on Dutch radio, in the science programme Radio Swammerdam.
But what exactly is ‘politics’ or ‘capitalism’?
We have a tendency to use big concepts like ‘capitalism’ or ‘politics’ to explain everyday problems, but according to French philosopher Bruno Latour, these concepts do more to obscure than to clarify the issue. His actor-network theory is a tool to help us understand complex problems better, and it has made him one of the most influential thinkers of our time. Philosopher Arjen Kleinherenbrink has written a book for anyone who is interested in getting to know Latour and his philosophy.
Why we shout during Zoom calls if the image gets blurry
If you find yourself shouting and gesticulating wildly if others can’t hear you during a Zoom call, you’re not alone. The more the video quality of an online meeting degrades, the louder we start talking, a new study by researchers at Radboud University and the Max Planck Institute for Psycholinguistics finds. People also tend to change up their gestures to compensate.
Gifted children need autonomy and a sense of belonging
Veerle Evers (2010) was fed up with classes at her old primary school. She found it far too easy. Now that she is in a school that pays more attention to her abilities, she has regained her joy in education. She wrote a book about it together with remedial educationalist Chantal Berens. They used the scientific insights of Anouke Bakx, Professor by Special Appointment of Giftedness at Radboud University.
The bystander effect: How our (in)actions shape history
From not reporting ideas in the workplace to not protesting a large-scale loss of individual rights and liberties, bystanders play an important role in how personal and global events unfold.
'I've been heard'
In 2012, she was the first Professor of Women's Cardiology in the Netherlands. But Angela Maas had put women on the map much earlier in her career by advocating gender specific healthcare. She was initially ridiculed but now she looks back on some great achievements. ‘The professorship gave me wings’
In noisy situations, your words and gestures help you to be understood
Communication seems natural to us, but there are plenty of situations where background noise makes it hard for us to understand each other. In those moments, gesturing can come in handy, particularly if conversations in your native language are taking place in the background. This has been shown in research by psycholinguist Veerle Wilms in cooperation with Susanne Brouwer and Linda Drijvers.
Why Sartre deserves to be taken out of the dunce’s corner
Jean-Paul Sartre is a writer and thinker that many people have at least heard of – if only in secondary school. For a long time, he enjoyed great popularity as a public intellectual, especially among younger generations. But these days, you hear little about him. In fact, as a philosopher, he seems to have been relegated to the dunce’s corner. Why is that? Philosopher Simon Gusman (Radboud University) pondered this question and wrote a book on Sartre’s ideas and the shift in the public’s appreciation of them.