science wire

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Underground, intricate networks of soil fungi underpin the functioning of terrestrial ecosystems.

Dutch youth drink excessive amounts of sugary drinks. On average, they drink almost two and a half litres per week, while half of them consume around four litres.

Computer security researcher Brian Johannesmeyer has developed a new way to detect advanced cyberattacks earlier and more accurately by focusing not on a single flaw, but on the path data takes through a computer system.

Recent research by Alex de Vries-Gao shows that, by 2025, AI systems could have a carbon footprint comparable to that of a global city such as New York and consume as much water as all bottled water drunk worldwide in a year.

A large international study has provided new insights into how genetic factors contribute to various mental disorders.

According to research by ecotoxicologist Sam van Loon, using agricultural plastic can have a harmful effect on soil life by leaving microplastics behind.

Cybercriminals can obtain stolen data in various ways. Cybercriminologist Renushka Madarie studied the decision-making behavior of offenders who steal data from organizational networks and the trade in stolen data on the web.

People who are orderly, perfectionistic, and goal-oriented in their youth may be more vulnerable to depression and suicidal thoughts or behaviors later in life.

45 million years ago, Western Europe, influenced by high CO2 concentrations, had a warm and wet climate with monsoon-like conditions.

The Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO) has awarded 149 experienced researchers, eight of whom are from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam and Amsterdam UMC, affiliation VU, with a Vidi grant.

Human-driven climate change made wildfires in parts of South America, Canada and Southern California many times larger and more destructive, according to an annual assessment by international experts, including Sander Veraverbeke and Yuquan Qu from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

Almost all 32 European countries disperse asylum seekers across locations within their borders, according to research by political scientist and migration scholar Philipp Lutz.

When older adults lose their partner, their likelihood of being admitted to a nursing home rises sharply, especially in the first few months after the loss.

Urban planning does not have to be dry or overly technical. Research by VU Urban Geographer Maciej Jakub Swiderski shows that personal memories and playful approaches are powerful tools to engage residents in planning their neighborhoods.

What exactly do we mean by fundamentalism, and when is it meaningful to use the term? Research by fundamentalism scholar Nora Kindermann shows that it is both contested and loaded.

Geologist Akbar Huseynov investigated how underground fluids have moved through the Earth's crust over millions of years.

To ensure AI and humans collaborate effectively, it is important to carefully consider how AI generalises, according to a group of researchers, including Filip Ilievski and Frank van Harmelen of Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam.

An analysis of 15,576 fires in the Netherlands shows that the longer it takes the fire brigade to arrive on the scene, the greater the damage.

The PhD research of autism and care specialist Kim Jonkman shows that autism care in the Netherlands often does not match what people with autism themselves find most valuable.

For a long time, the key question in physiotherapy was: does it help? Now, it is time to take the next step: understanding how physiotherapy works.

Scientists, NGOs and government organisations largely share the same priorities when it comes to nature conservation, according to research led by ecologist Juan Antonio Hernández-Agüero.

How does nature contribute to health and well-being? And how can healthcare professionals apply this knowledge in practice? The updated Nature and Health Handbook provides answers.

Eleven research projects involving Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam have received a grant from NWO for the SSH Open Competition M 2024. The researchers will be starting work on promising ideas for five years. The projects cover the entire breadth of the SSH research field, some with an interdisciplinary or cross-domain character.