news 2023

Pupils with a high level of self-control and grit generally achieve better grades. Many assume that this good working attitude results in better grades, but biological psychologists at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (VU) have discovered that the relationship is less causal than thought. Children predisposed to a good work attitude also are also predisposed to good academic performance.

Boys who associate with delinquent friends are more likely to display antisocial behavior. A new study by neuroscientists and behavior experts from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam UMC shows that this association is stronger in boys with an increased sensitivity to reward. For the first time, a scientific study on antisocial behavior has demonstrated an interaction effect between a brain mechanism, measured with functional MRI scans, and an environmental factor.

An international team of researchers including Prof. Badri Krishnan at Radboud University has verified an important property of black holes known as the no-hair theorem using gravitational wave observations. Their research is published in the journal Physical Review Letters. It is a remarkable fact of nature that black holes are extremely simple objects.

Facial expressions are extremely important in understanding what the other person is saying, according to PhD research by Naomi Nota. Frowning in particular turns out to play a major role. Nota will defend her PhD thesis at Radboud University on 6 December. In the past, linguists mainly looked at speech and how it affects language processing.

Planets like our Earth, including planets with water, could form even in the harshest known star-forming environments, drenched by hard UV light from massive stars. That is a main result of analyses of new observations of such an environment with the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST), conducted by, amongst others, Rens Waters and student Lars Cuijpers from Radboud University.

Utrecht University's PFAS Remediation Living Lab recently received funding of 2.45 million from the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water to research a PFAS-contaminated field at Utrecht University and other locations. Worldwide, large tracts of land are contaminated with PFAS. Instead of the classic "dig and dump" method, the university wants to explore the possibilities of sustainable remediation.

A special gel with chemotherapy against peritoneal cancer, that is what start-up UPyTher is working on. The new technology could save many lives in the future. Each year, more than one million people worldwide contract peritoneal cancer. It is often the result of metastasis from colon, stomach, or ovarian cancer to the peritoneal cavity.

Today, the Netherlands is holding its elections, a crucial opportunity for every Dutch citizen to express their satisfaction or discontent with society through vote. Unfortunately, there is a tendency for marginalized groups, including Muslims, to abstain from voting despite the significance of this democratic process.

Depression is common among young people, but this target group often does not get the help they need. Books, exercise, and other depression prevention programmes do not achieve the envisioned results for everyone. Video games might help reach another part of this target group. Anouk Tuijnman co-developed two applied video games to target depression in adolescents and will defend her PhD at Radboud University on 28 November.

Polyphosphoesters, molecules containing phosphorus as central element, are easily traceable without the need for contrast agents, thanks to developments by researchers of the University of Twente. Normally, these molecules display a similar molecular composition of our DNA, leading to considerable 'noise' in the image.

Quantum scientists, including Nigel Hussey of Radboud University, have discovered a rare phenomenon that could hold the key to creating a 'perfect switch' in quantum devices which flips between being an insulator and superconductor. The research, published in Science , found these two opposing electronic states exist within purple bronze, a unique one-dimensional metal composed of individual conducting chains of atoms.

Ensuring a healthy transition into retirement for older individuals and enhancing career opportunities for the younger workforce: a 'generation pact' allows employees to reduce their working hours once they reach a certain age. The aim is to prevent older workers from dropping out before reaching retirement while creating room for newcomers in the job market.

Plants recruit soil bacteria to protect against downy mildew, forming a leaf-based defense system. The bacteria not only combat pathogens but also leave a protective legacy in the soil for the next plant generation. This discovery, published today by Utrecht biologists, offers a promising path toward creating crops that naturally fend off diseases, reducing reliance on harmful pesticides in agriculture.

Mangroves have been cut down in some parts of New Zealand, with the aim of reducing mud build-up and exposing the mud to currents and tides that can wash it out to sea. Widespread deforestation and farming was begun by European settlers in the late 19 Century in New Zealand, increasing the amount of sediment in rivers.

With the ever-increasing interest in renewable energy, scientists are continuously searching for new technologies to store energy. CO2 electrolysis is a promising way to store energy whilst recycling carbon dioxide. By applying electricity, CO2 and water react and produce more complex molecules. A study published in Nature Communications lead by Hugo van Montfort at TU Delft has presented a new design of electrodes that improves the efficiency of CO2 electrolysis.

What do you get if you combine top-medical research with an impact on health and healthcare and cutting-edge technological research that empowers society through sustainable solutions? In a long-standing collaboration, Radboud university medical center (Radboudumc) and the University of Twente (UT) combine their expertise to cater for unmet medical needs and technological advances.

An international team of astronomers, co-led by Michiel Min (SRON), has discovered a silicate-based weather system on a fluffy gas planet around the star WASP-107. It is the first time that scientists, including Rens Waters from Radboud University, find clouds and rain made of sand. They also conclude that the temperature deeper in the atmosphere is rising surprisingly rapid Exoplanet WASP-107b orbits a star that is slightly cooler and lighter than our Sun.

It appears beneficial for mothers and babies to have one hour of skin-to-skin contact per day in the first five weeks after birth. Mothers who do so may experience less anxiety and fatigue, and often continue to breastfeed for longer. Their babies cry less and may sleep longer. These are the conclusions of behavioural psychologist Kelly Cooijmans, who defended her PhD dissertation at Radboud University on 17 November.

Laura Rijns defended her PhD thesis cum laude at the Department of Biomedical Engineering on November 10th. In human tissue, the cells are embedded in the 'extracellular matrix'. This matrix is made up of fiber-like structures that provide firmness to the tissue, but also influence cell behavior and facilitate cell growth.

People with social anxiety disorder who receive exposure therapy may potentially benefit from testosterone administration. This is the conclusion of research by Moniek Hutschemaekers, who will be defending her PhD thesis at Radboud University on 10 November. Social anxiety disorder (SAD) can be crippling: people suffering from SAD experience a lot of fear in social situations.