International issue | December 2019

Cover

When light bent: Observations of the 1919 solar eclipse from Brazil and Africa provided the first experimental proof of Albert Einstein’s theory of relativity
In the British expedition’s shadow: The Sobral eclipse was also observed by scientific expeditions from Brazil and the US
Daniel Kennefick: The importance of Sobral: An astrophysicist and science historian reports that without the observation of the eclipse in the city of Ceará, the experimental results of 1919 would probably have been inconclusive

S&T Policy

Internationalization

Long distance connections

Initiatives that promote networking and knowledge exchange among Brazilian researchers in the United States are on the rise

Intellectual property

Mapping out the roadblocks

A study looks at why Brazilian industry is not very innovative and suggests that academic publishing and patent counts are two sides of the same coin

Shared facilities

Faster access to equipment

USP and UNICAMP create portals to expand the shared use of core research facilities

Gender

Visible women

Initiatives that aim to increase recognition of female researchers and their contributions to science

Science

Health

Partnership for a dengue vaccine

Butantan produces 100 million doses of nine different types each year

Health

Life-saving vaccines

Butantan produces 100 million doses of nine vaccines each year

Interview

Alexandre Antonelli: At the forefront of science in royal gardens

In February, a Brazilian biologist will assume the role of scientific director of Kew Gardens in the United Kingdom

Environment

How forests are reborn

In dry areas, hardwood trees are the first to naturally regenerate, while the reverse scenario occurs in wet forests

Physics

Fluidity in curved space-time

Study supports theory on how dense matter interacts with strong gravitational fields

Physico-chemistry

The hidden strokes of Portinari

Tests show how the artist produced his artwork and may be useful in confirming the author of a piece found in the painter’s former home

New materials

New energy applications for gold and platinum

Platinum-coated gold nanoparticles could enhance the efficiency of fuel-cell catalysts

Technology

ENERGY

Winds of change

Brazilian wind power could provide three times more energy than all other electricity sources put together; it currently supplies 22 million homes

Mining

The niobium controversy

The production of niobium, for which Brazil is by far the global leader, is surrounded by myths and misconceptions

Humanities

Demography

Global health in motion

A multidisciplinary team reviews the scientific evidence and challenges stereotypes regarding health and migration

Law

Justice is delayed but (apparently) is not failing

A study of the fight against corruption from the perspective of police investigations and criminal prosecutions

Archaeology

The water people

For 1,000 years, indigenous people in South America lived in stilt-house villages in the lowlands of present-day Maranhão