Euronews Tech Talks

Although engineers began developing space-based solar energy technology in the 1960s, it still hasn’t become a reality. Why?In this episode, Euronews Tech Talks tries to answer this question by speaking with Sanjay Vijendran, co-founder and CTO of TerraSpark; Francesco Contino, professor at the school of engineering at UC Louvain; and Wei He, senior lecturer in engineering at King’s College London.Important: The European Space Agency (ESA) provided Euronews Next with the Solaris documents after the publication of the episode. More details can be found in the episode’s article.Do you want to reach out to Euronews Tech Talks? Email alice.carnevali@euronews.comEuronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.‌ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

NASA’s decision to speed up plans for building a nuclear reactor on the Moon has raised questions about the United States’ broader space strategy and renewed curiosity about the use of nuclear energy beyond Earth. In this episode of Euronews Tech Talks, we address these questions with professor Simon Middleburgh, co-director of the Nuclear Futures Institute at the University of Bangor (UK), Alfredo Carpineti, astrophysicist and senior science writer at IFL Science, and Francesco Lodi, researcher at ENEA (Italy).Do you want to reach out to Euronews Tech Talks? Email alice.carnevali@euronews.comEuronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.‌ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Fajer Mushtaq, co-founder and CEO of Oxyle, dives into her startup's groundbreaking work on PFAS treatment in wastewater. She shares insights on innovative technologies like Oxfoam, Oxlite, and OxSignal that target these harmful substances. The discussion also highlights the challenges of scaling cleantech solutions, including funding and supply chain issues. Additionally, the ZeroF project is introduced, showcasing alternatives in food packaging and textiles, tackling the technical hurdles of replacing PFAS while emphasizing the importance of recyclability and market adoption.

In this engaging discussion, Jeroen Van Reeth, a local resident of Zwijndrecht and founder of a community collective, shares his startling experience living in a PFAS hotspot after contamination was discovered. He recounts the community's shock and the proactive steps they took in response. Experts join the conversation to discuss the persistent nature of PFAS and potential remediation methods. Jeroen emphasizes the need for community advocacy and the challenges of dealing with 'forever chemicals,' offering both insights and a call to action.

Chemist Martin Scheringer, a leading PFAS researcher at ETH Zurich, dives into the world of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances. He explains how these man-made chemicals lurk in everyday items, from pizza boxes to ski gear, and their alarming health impacts. Martin discusses their toxicity, persistent nature in the environment, and how they disrupt bodily functions. He also highlights the risks for firefighters and reveals real contamination cases, offering insights into detection methods and the burgeoning research on safer alternatives.

For this season finale of Euronews Tech Talks, former professional cyclist Bo Hamburger reflects on his use of EPO in the 1990s and early 2000s, offering insights into how doping works, why athletes turn to it, and its potential health effects. We’re also joined by April Henning, Associate Professor of International Sport Management at the Edinburgh Business School, Heriot-Watt University, and Dominic Sagoe, Professor of Psychology at the University of Bergen in Norway and founder of the Human Enhancement and Body Image Lab.Euronews Tech Talks will return in September — enjoy your summer!Credits for the intro race audio in San Sebastián:Funnycycling: 1997 World Cycling Championships – Campeonato Mundial de Ciclismo – San Sebastián – Brochard Courtesy (2015)Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.‌ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Researchers are developing AI programmes to make doping detection more effective, faster, and cheaper. How do these systems work? What challenges do their creators face?Euronews Tech Talks sits down with Wolfgang Maass, Professor of Business Informatics and Computer Science at Saarland University and Francesco Botrè, Director of the WADA-accredited anti-doping laboratory in Rome, to answer these questions.Credits: Oscars, "Icarus" wins Best Documentary Feature, YouTube.Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.‌ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is doping? How do these prohibited substances work? In this Q&A episode, Euronews Tech Talks explores this topic with Andrea Petróczi, Professor of Public Health at Kingston University.Credit for Lance Armstrong interview: Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). “Oprah and Lance Armstrong: The Worldwide Exclusive”. Aired January 17–18, 2013.Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.‌ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Plastic and chemical pollution in marine environments pose a major threat to the health of our oceans. Euronews Tech Talks interviews two experts to understand the scale of the problem and explore the technological solutions that could help address it. Simon Bernard, CEO of Plastic Odyssey, is on a world tour to collect solutions to plastic pollution; Anneliese Hodge is a researcher working on the impact sunscreen has on the marine environment.The next episode of Euronews Tech Talks will delve into the world of doping. If you have a scientific question about it, please reach out to alice.carnevali@euronews.com. Euronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.‌ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What happens on a satellite’s launch day? What are the thoughts and emotions of those behind the mission?In this second of two special episodes on the European Space Agency’s Biomass satellite, Euronews Tech Talks takes you to Kourou for a behind-the-scenes look at the launch to answer these questions.Podcast cover credits: ESA-CNES-ARIANESPACE/Optique vidéo du CSG–S. MartinEuronews Tech Talks goes beyond discussions to explore the impact of new technologies on our lives. With explanations, engaging Q&As, and lively conversations, the podcast provides valuable insights into the intersection of technology and society.‌ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.