2021, Stories of European-Australian Research

Celebrating Europe Day in Canberra

The European Union is a major driver of scientific research. Stories of European-Australian Research highlights the scope of collaboration between Europe and Australia that spans almost every discipline.

These include:

(Updated stories for Europe Day 2021)

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2019, 2021, Stories of European-Australian Research

Stronger materials for bigger turbines

The Danish wind turbine company Vestas is teaming up with Australian scientists to develop stronger carbon fibre composite materials to be used in reinforcing turbine blades.

Updated for Europe Day, 7 June 2021

Vestas has funded two years of research at Deakin University’s Carbon Nexus facility in Geelong into strengthening carbon fibre.

The investment is part of a project to build two wind farms in Victoria that together will deliver more than 500 megawatts, enough to power 350,000 homes.

Continue reading Stronger materials for bigger turbines →
2019, 2021, Stories of European-Australian Research

Making wine in a warming world

South Australian winemakers are looking to Europe as the climate—and what drinkers want—is changing.

Grapes don’t ripen the way they used to. As temperatures climb, they are getting sweeter faster.

Winemakers find that by the time the crop achieves the right colour or level of tannins, the grapes contain more sugar. More sugar means heavier, more alcoholic wine. At the same time, drinkers are preferring lighter wines Continue reading Making wine in a warming world →

2021, Stories of European-Australian Research

Lifesaving COVID-19 treatments fast tracked

A global adaptive clinical trial has established which treatments will save lives in intensive care wards across Europe and Australia.

In the first year of the pandemic they tested over 30 interventions in more than 300 hospitals with  6,000 COVID patients.

“The rapid rollout of REMAP-CAP has only been possible because of years of pre-pandemic preparation backed by the European Union, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada,” says Professor Allen Cheng from Monash University and a founder of the trial. Professor Cheng is also currently serving as Victoria’s Deputy Chief Medical Officer.

Read our longer story about REMAP-CAP at https://bit.ly/3e2IRQJ

And visit them at https://www.remapcap.org/ 

2019, Stories of European-Australian Research

Finding the way to zero-carbon energy

German and Australian researchers are seeking opportunities in transition.

Moving away from fossil fuels is challenging, but it also presents huge opportunities. At the Energy Transition Hub, more than 140 Australian and German researchers are working together to tackle the social and technical challenges and take advantage of the trade and export opportunities.

Continue reading Finding the way to zero-carbon energy →
2019, Stories of European-Australian Research

Inventing the ultimate suspension system

To hear tiny vibrations from half a galaxy away, first you need to filter out the Earth’s constant rumbling.

At gravitational wave observatories such as the European Advanced Virgo in Italy, scientists try to detect ripples in spacetime caused by colliding black holes and other stellar cataclysms.

Continue reading Inventing the ultimate suspension system →
2019, Stories of European-Australian Research

The world’s largest scientific instrument

In a whisper-quiet area of the outback in Western Australia, 133,000 radio telescope antennas are about to be built.

When complete, they’ll be able to pick up radio signals from the time when the first stars in the universe formed.

Continue reading The world’s largest scientific instrument →
2019, Stories of European-Australian Research

50 CubeSats to explore the thermosphere

Australian universities joined a European fleet of CubeSats to explore a little-known layer of the atmosphere.

In May 2017, the European Union led a mission called QB50 to launch a constellation of 50 mini-satellites from the International Space Station. The pocket-sized CubeSats set out to study the thermosphere, the layer of Earth’s atmosphere between 90 and 600 kilometres above the ground that carries signals from GPS and other satellites.

Continue reading 50 CubeSats to explore the thermosphere →