Stories

  • The genetic code of memory: searching for the building blocks of recall

    Human memory is one of biology’s most intriguing puzzles. Pinning down its precise genetic foundations remains like searching for a needle in a haystack. Researcher Daan van Beek delved into the data of healthy American volunteers, stretched the boundaries of statistical analysis, and pointed...

    Example of a biological pathway, Many colloured dots connected with lines
  • Moroccan Arabic: a major challenge for computer models and researchers

    Translation software, like the kind on your phone, struggles with Darija, the Moroccan Arabic dialect. The gap between Darija and Standard Arabic is as wide as that between Limburgish and Standard Dutch. Abder Issam and colleagues have taken on the challenge of machine translation for Darija, while...

    artists illustration of AI depicting language models created by Wes Cockx using google deepmind
  • The Sámi and Dutch youth: how two worlds experience climate change

    Valesca Venhof examined the impact of climate change on the mental health of young people. How do they cope with the relentless stream of grim news about the future of their climate? Indifference, born from not knowing where to begin, defines their stance.

    trafic sign almost completely submerged during flooding
  • Real meat, cultured meat, and vegan burgers: what should we do with them?

    Linsay Ketelings is the second winner of the Dissertation Prize from the Faculty of Science and Engineering. She received the award for her research into the health, safety, and consumer perception of meat alternatives and cultured meat. Each of these products has its own advocates, some of whom...

    MGV
  • Aestuarium: harvesting fresh water and awards

    Desalinating seawater is an energy-intensive and costly process. In 2022, a group of students at Maastricht University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering proposed a more sustainable and affordable alternative. Now their startup harvests awards and grants.

    Laamu Atoll, South Central Province, Maldives
  • Bart Mennink: Cryptography, Humour, and a Fresh Start in Maastricht

    He calls his PhD students “Minions"; they call him "Gru." He delivers lectures in a dinosaur costume and runs marathons dressed as a gladiator. Meet Bart Mennink, the new Professor of Cryptography at the Department of Advanced Computing Sciences. 

    Photo of computer code on a monitor by Markus Spiske
  • Beyond the bang: how Maastricht scientists helped win the Breakthrough Prize

    This year's Breakthrough Prize in Fundamental Physics was awarded to the 17,500 scientists working on the Large Hadron Collider, including researchers from Maastricht University’s Faculty of Science and Engineering. They contribute to major experiments exploring the universe’s deepest mysteries...

    LHCb scientist posing in front of the LCHb experiment at CERN