THINK is taking it back to basics in 2017. Just as ancient cultures distilled the complexity of nature and all matter into four basic elements—air, fire, earth, water—the team is using those elements as lenses through which to examine the vast catalogue of research being conducted at the University of Malta.
Issue 19 takes AIR as its focus.
The future of aviation is on course to be safer and greener. To increase pilot situational awareness and reduce crew workloads, Dr Jason Gauci is using touch-screen technology to improve the cockpit interface. Meanwhile, prompted by the sheer amount of greenhouse gas and fossil fuel emissions by commercial flights, Prof. Ing. David Zammit Mangion has been developing software to identify more environmentally friendly ways of flying.
Continuing up and out of our atmosphere, students are trying to unravel the mysteries behind Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, as well as analysing distant stars, hundreds and thousands of light-years outside of our solar system. In a related vein, Iman Omar writes about herself and the Institute of Space Sciences and Astronomy radio-telescope’s contributions to the impressive Square Kilometer Array project, an international collaboration in which the borderless nature of the universe is reflected.
The lofty topics continue with Dr Jackson Said, Filippos Nachmias and Mark Pace working hard on their studies of gravity and neutron stars, research that has the potential to upset Einstein’s theories. Also ruffling a few feathers (or settling them down, depending where you stand) are Prof. Giuseppe Di Giovanni and Dr Andrew Agius who shed light on cannabis’ potential as treatment for chronic pain.
As the relationship between the public and their politicians becomes more turbulent, transparent and evidence-backed thinking is essential. Dr George Zammit breaks down the politics of dissent behind events such as Brexit and Trump. Closer to home, Dr Joel Azzopardi and Dr Charlie Abela are developing an app to make parliamentary data more accessible.
On top of all this, THINK Issue 19 contains articles on sustainable tourism, behavioural economics, culture, art, and equipment, including a new section, Startup, featuring Maltese game studio Mighty Box.
What are you waiting for? Get THINKing.
THINK, the University of Malta’s research magazine, can be picked up for free in newsagents around Malta and Gozo and in Agenda bookstores, it is available online at www.um.edu.mt/think, on Issuu or liked on Facebook.
