Issue # 253 _ March 2017

S&T Policy

INDICATORS

Drawing a map of scientific competencies

Study shows where researchers are concentrated and describes the impact of their production in the 15 administrative regions of the state of São Paulo

Awards

Celebrating Engineering

British award recognizes the most innovative accomplishments in the applied sciences and honors creators of digital imaging

INNOVATION

From risk to market

Evaluation of the BNDES program that encourages cooperation between universities and companies finds that 67% of projects resulted in products

United States

Fear of isolation

Dependent on foreign talent, the U.S. scientific community mobilizes against Trump’s anti-immigration policy

Science

ARCHEOECOLOGY

An immense orchard

Distribution of trees and geoglyphs underscores the impact of pre-Columbian human populations in the Amazon Forest

Medicine

Blood holds more clues about cancer

Liquid biopsies are starting to be used to evaluate tumor growth and assess the need to switch treatment

Health

Zika in early pregnancy

Research corroborates the hypothesis that infections in early pregnancy present the gravest danger to the fetus

Epidemiology

The threat of yellow fever

The high number of yellow fever cases and deaths this summer is bringing back the fear of an urban epidemic in Brazil

Zoology

Retroactive epidemiology

Study of tadpoles preserved in zoology museums identifies fungus responsible for die-off registered nearly four decades ago

ASTRONOMY

The cost of shining so brightly

The emission of light particles extracts energy from the Sun’s outermost layer and causes it to spin more slowly

Technology

NANOTECHNOLOGY

Alternative uses for a plant fiber

Brazilian companies are investing in nanocellulose, a material with promising uses for reinforcing plastic and cement and for making prostheses and sensors

ELECTRONICS ENGINEERING

Chip for particle collisions

Brazilian researchers develop and test a device to be installed in the Large Hadron Collider at CERN

Naval engineering 

Autonomous boat

An autonomous prototype of a solar-powered vessel carries out measurements and collects data in rivers, lakes and the ocean

Humanities

Art

The rebirth of São Paulo’s baroque tradition

Recovery of artwork, artists and documents expands our understanding of São Paulo’s expression of this style

HISTORY

Ways to obtain freedom and survive

Slave women used certain strategies to purchase their freedom and work as free women