news 2025

Parkinson's disease occurs worldwide, affects people of all'ages and backgrounds, has an enormous societal impact, and is rising at an alarming rate. According to neurologist Bas Bloem, Parkinson's literally meets all the criteria of a pandemic, except that the disease is not infectious. In a recent publication in The Lancet Neurology, Bloem and a group of internationally recognised scientists place this development in historical perspective, beginning with James Parkinson, who first described the disease in 1817.

For the first time, researchers have produced a detailed, high-resolution map of peatlands in the EU, showing that these areas emit twice as much greenhouse gases than previously thought. The research, led by eco-hydrologist Quint van Giersbergen of Radboud University, has been published in Nature Communications.

For the first time, researchers have produced a detailed, high-resolution map of peatlands in the EU, showing that these areas emit twice as much greenhouse gases than previously thought. The research, led by eco-hydrologist Quint van Giersbergen of Radboud University, has been published in Nature Communications.

Research shows how climate change is transforming the Arctic landscape - and local communities The thawing of permafrost in the Arctic is accelerating the crumbling of coastlines and releasing large amounts of carbon into the atmosphere.

Last summer marked a milestone for the SOURCE project: the first Living Lab transitioned from design to full-scale realisation. At Ameland-Oost, a shoreface nourishment is being constructed that will not only strengthen the coast but also serve as a unique scientific test site for the coming years. The coastline at Ameland-Oost has been steadily eroding, with significant sand loss to the sea posing a long-term challenge to coastal safety.

Chemist David Liwara conducted research on PFAS in consumer products and the environment, focusing on the development of analytical standards to improve the monitoring of PFAS pollution.

Which yeast strains are best for producing high-quality wines and alcohol-free beers? And how do yeast cells make choices when converting sugar into energy? Systems biologist Julius Battjes investigated how this works and what it can mean for sustainable and efficient production. Making yeast work smarter Due to climate change, grapes are becoming increasingly sweet.

Researchers at the University of Twente have developed a method to recycle polyurethane foam from mattresses and furniture and also household sponges. They did this safely, without using toxic chemicals. The discovery offers a circular solution for millions of tons of hard-to-recycle waste. Polyurethane (PUR), the foam found in mattresses, furniture, and countless other products, typically ends up in landfills or is incinerated after use because it is rarely reusable.

Earth scientists from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Lanzhou University in China have uncovered an ancient archive of floods in the floodplains of the River Meuse. Drill cores taken from old, abandoned river channels show that flooding of the Meuse does not occur randomly, but has followed certain climate-driven patterns for thousands of years.

Research by microbiologists Martijn Wissink and Cornelia Welte of Radboud University, among others, is helping us understand how microorganisms regulate the methane balance. The scientists have demonstrated how a methane-converting enzyme (MCR) works in detail. We want to keep methane out of our atmosphere as much as possible: it is a powerful greenhouse gas, more than 25 times stronger than carbon dioxide.

Dikes are indispensable for bees, especially if they are home to many different plant and flower species. A large census conducted on 157 dikes along rivers in the Netherlands revealed that more and rarer bee species live on dikes than previously thought. According to ecologist Contant Swinkels, many more dikes can be made bee-friendly.

The extreme summer high water of July 2021 showed how vulnerable and unpredictable the Meuse (Maas) is. Researchers from Wageningen University & Research (Hermjan Barneveld and Ton Hoitink) and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam (Willem Toonen), among others, discovered that the bottom of the Maas changed drastically in a short time.

An international team of scientists is currently located dozens of kilometres offshore New England (USA) to investigate freshwater occurrence under the ocean floor. For a long time, scientists have been wondering how fresh groundwater ended up beneath the salty seawater, and how long it has been there.

A new study reveals that nearly 70% of climate adaptation plans in European cities contain significant inconsistencies, severely limiting their effectiveness in addressing rising climate risks. "As Europe warms twice as fast as other continents, this 'adaptation gap' poses growing threats to the 75% of Europeans who live in cities", says UT researcher and lead author Diana Reckien.

Nitrous oxide is known as the gas used in whipped cream cartridges or as an anaesthetic in hospitals. But it's much more than that. This potent greenhouse gas is also released from biological wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs), posing a real threat to our climate. PhD candidate Nina Roothans (TU Delft), who recently graduated cum laude, has identified practical strategies to reduce nitrous oxide emissions.

Missing species show human impact on biodiversity greater than thought A new global study, published yesterday in Nature , shows that in human-disturbed regions, many native plant species are missing from places where they could grow. Traditional methods of measuring biodiversity-such as simply counting species present-do not give a complete picture.

Wildfires can smolder in tree boles and roots all winter long. This is evident from new research in Nature Ecology & Evolution. It was previously known that forest fires in boreal regions can survive the winter by smoldering in peaty soils: so-called 'zombie fires'. But a group of scientists from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, among others, discovered that fires can also overwinter by smoldering in tree boles and roots.

Nitrogen is a colorless odorless gas in the air. Although nitrogen by itself is not a problem for humans and the environment, it can combine with other elements, such as oxygen and hydrogen. This creates nitrogen oxides and ammonia, which can be harmful. These nitrogen compounds from agriculture, traffic and industry end up in the air and eventually settle on the ground.

The Arctic plays a central role in the global climate system. However, climate change could disrupt its balance. An international research team headed by the Alfred Wegener Institute and Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam has presented a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the Arctic carbon cycle.