We welcome blogs on issues across Science, Technology, Research and Innovation, and on the activities of the Foundation. To publish a blog on this site, please email Gavin Costigan (gavin.costigan@foundation.org.uk).

Note: The Foundation for Science and Technology is strictly neutral. Any views expressed in these blogs are those of the authors and not of the Foundation.

Filter: Year 2023

The Round Table of Sustainability

In the wake of COP 27, "we have reached an inflection point where the chasm between action and inaction can set the planet on divergent paths," writes Jaclyn Estrin. At her round table, international governments are not the sole agents responsible for fighting climate change.

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How Animals With Human Brain Cells Could Help Treat Diseases

Chimeric research is an exciting topic in the scientific community, to say the least. There are opposing views about it being a helpful tool for understanding diseases and discovering treatments.

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AI and Manufacturing Are Becoming Inseparable and It's Changing Smart Factories

What can today’s leaders expect by choosing AI? How are some companies already benefiting from the technology?

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REFlecting research culture

An analysis on the FRAP outcomes, particularly around the ‘people, culture and environment’ element. This is in advance of the event on Wednesday 5 July, UCL, in partnership with the Foundation for Science and Technology, the Research on Research Institute and Research England, will host an open forum on The Emerging Shape of REF 2028.

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How Retailers Can Use AI to Optimize Inventory Management

Can retailers optimize operations with AI inventory management? Its unique capabilities position this emerging technology as a transformative tool in the industry. Leaders could alter their processes through data collection and algorithmic decision-making.

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House of Lords Debate on the Government's Science and Technology Superpower Ambitions

A reflection by Lord Holmes on a debate in the Lords on the Science and Technology Select Committee report on delivering a UK science and technology strategy, "Science and technology superpower": more than a slogan?, published last year.

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Nurse Review of RDI landscape 2023 – a medical research charity sector view

The AMRC is a membership organisation representing over 150 charities of various sizes who all fund research; from household names such as Cancer Research UK, Wellcome and British Heart Foundation to smaller charities who invest in specific areas of unmet need. AMRC members are a significant funder of medical research in the UK, spending £15 billion over the past decade. In this blog, we provide our reflections on the recommendations made in the Nurse review of the research landscape and the difference they can make to medical research which we hope will ultimately lead to patient benefit. 

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Big Data, Greener Cities

Molly Rains, MSc Science Communication student at Imperial College London, spoke with London’s environmental record-keepers about how cities can grow greener – and fairer – when urban planning is informed by data.

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The Environmental Impact of Food Packaging: Analysing Eco, Compostable, and Biodegradable Materials

Consumers increasingly demand sustainable packaging. A report published at the beginning of this year revealed that the percentage of customers demanding sustainable packaging has risen to 81%, sending a very clear message to businesses that sustainable options are the way forward. Food packaging is a significant contributor to the world’s growing waste problem, which is why many businesses are exploring environmentally-friendly options such as stand up pouches made from a range of eco, compostable and biodegradable materials. But what differentiates these three sustainable options? In this article, we explore the differences between eco, compostable and biodegradable materials.

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What is the Role of Artificial Intelligence in Lithium-ion Battery Manufacturing During the Transition to NetZero?

The transition to NetZero is a hot topic, expected to happen in the UK some time before 2050. Mona Faraji Niri discusses the potential of using artificial intelligence to accelerate this transition by facilitating lithium-ion battery manufacturing.

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