Brainstorm | Opinion, Analysis, Reports, Features

What will the hurley of the future look like?

Ireland's native ash tree is on the brink of extinction and that means the hurley may have to change

GAA • 14 Jul

Broadband is now a near-necessity in our modern world

How competitive is the Irish broadband market?

We should consider such factors as ease of movement between providers, increasing broadband speed and falling prices

Broadband • 01 Jul

For about 20% of the population, the fear of needles goes beyond just not liking them. Photo: Getty Images

Are you afraid of needles? Help may be at hand

New needle patches are in development which can safely and efficiently deliver medicine through your skin without any pain

Health • 27 Jun

'A vehicle in a tourist area might store information about tourist attractions, hotels and restaurants, but a vehicle in a city centre might store information about traffic conditions, parking availability and public transportation'. Photo: Getty Images

Are connected cars the future of transportation?

Connected cars would allow for the fast and efficient exchange of data about traffic, weather, parking and other issues

Transport • 24 Jun

'Browsing your feed and sharing professional achievements can lead to people experiencing imposter syndrome'. Photo: Getty Images

Does LinkedIn make you feel like an imposter at work?

LinkedIn can make you start worrying about your own career when you see colleagues boasting about promotions, awards and other wins

Work and careers • 21 May

'Zero-day attacks can inflict extensive damager, and we've seen several examples of them being deployed for a variety of outcomes recently, ranging from intentionally crippling infrastructure to stealing private data.'

How rise of zero-day brokers is causing worldwide security risks

Zero-day hackers exploit security vulnerabilities in software that the developers of that software are often completely oblivious about

technology • 18 Apr

The popular social media app has 2 million active users in Ireland. Photo: Olivier Bergeron/Unsplash

Should governments ban TikTok - and can they really ban an app?

A cybersecurity expert explains the risks the app poses and the challenges to blocking it

Brainstorm • 15 Mar

The important role of the Young Scientist Exhibition

The success of the Young Scientist Exhibition comes down to how it showcases the community value of science itself.

Young Scientist Exhibition • 10 Jan

Not understanding symbols like the padlock icon, can pose problems to internet users. Photo: Getty Images

Do you know what the padlock icon on your web browser means?

The padlock symbol means data sent between the web server and the user's computer is encrypted

Science and Technology • 23 Nov 23

This is a deepfake: Image showing a deepfake of Russia's President Vladimir Putin Photo: Supplied

What wartime deepfake videos reveal about trust and deception

Deepfakes undermined public trust to the point that many refused to believe any footage coming from the Russia-Ukraine conflict

Media • 25 Oct 23

The Apollo 11 Lunar Module ascent stage, with astronauts Neil A. Armstrong and Edwin E. Aldrin Jr. aboard, is photographed from the Command and Service Modules (CSM). Photo: Getty Images

The maths behind soft moon landings

Recent events highlight how difficult it is to achieve a safe ('soft') and successful lunar landing, but without it, all else fails

Space • 16 Oct 23

For the last 80 years we have grown to rely on petroleum-based plastics not only for conveniences but for essentials as well. Photo: Getty Images

Why we need plastics (and what to do about it)

By pivoting away from fossil fuel-based plastic, we can greatly decrease plastics' negative environmental impacts

Science and Technology • 13 Oct 23

What is online harm - and how do we define it?

Tackling online harm should begin with a clear idea of the goal being pursued and involve proactive internet regulation

Media • 29 Sep 23

Will AI be able to get rid of pointless meetings from your daily grind? Photo: Redd F/Unsplash

What jobs won't disappear due to AI?

'The introduction of every major disruptive technology has had an influence on jobs, but it also changes the nature of those jobs'

Work and careers • 13 Sep 23

How Apple's move to USB-C chargers shows power of EU regulators

The 'Brussels effect' means lawmakers representing Europe's 400 million people often end up deciding standards for rest of the world

technology • 13 Sep 23

Can 3D printing bring the lab closer to home?

How 3D printing could help make testing for health conditions accessible to everyone, everywhere

Science and Technology • 26 Jul 23

Criminals could create a deepfake version of you who could interact with family members over the phone, text and email. Photo: Fizkes/Shutterstock

4 ways criminals could use AI to target you

Observing how criminals have used technology in the past can provide clues as to how they might use AI

Crime • 03 Jul 23

With these global standards in place, why has the aviation industry continued to ban the use of mobile phones? Photo: Getty Images

Here's the real reason to use airplane mode when you fly

We all know the routine, 'please set all electronic devices to flight mode', but why do we actually have to do it?

Travel • 09 Jun 23

There is a need for a paradigm shift within the industry to make sustainability, ethics, and transparency the norm.Photo: Getty Images

How can technology make the fashion industry more sustainable?

Embracing emerging technologies like AI and blockchain has can help achieve sustainability goals in the fashion industry

Blockchain • 18 May 23

Our research found screentime has eclipsed reading in 'digitods' (those born after the launch of smartphones in 2008). Photo: Getty Images

How too much screen time is changing children's eyes

The main challenges to children's visual systems are how close children hold screens and how long they use screens

Health • 22 May 23

Eric McCormack as Will Truman, Debra Messing as Grace Adler, Sean Hayes as Jack McFarland in NBC TV show Will & Grace Photo: Getty Images

Huh? Why we're all watching TV with subtitles on

No, it's not just you: TV and film dialogue are now harder to hear and the use of subtitles has gone through the roof

Culture • 05 May 23

A grand soft day, lads - now what can I get you? Bella the robot at work at Nevin's Newfield Inn, Newport, Co Mayo

A robot walks into a bar: would you order a pint from a robot?

Despite the challenges and potential pitfalls, the possibility of a social robot working in your local may be closer than you think

technology • 03 May 23

The scientific prospect of developing a human outside of the body in future is becoming more plausible given recent scientific studies. Photo: Getty Images

Could babies soon be grown outside the body in artificial wombs?

Scientific advances bring complete ectogenesis closer to reality, but it would give rise to a myriad of ethical, legal, social and practical questions

Science and Technology • 20 Apr 23

Cordyceps militaris growing on rice medium in glass bottle 2 weeks of cultivation after light expose. Photo: Getty Images

Why we need to talk about the fungus in The Last of Us

Is it sci-fi hysteria or do fungal spores present a real danger? Let's investigate the world's potential ticking time bomb

Science and Technology • 19 Apr 23

In the coming decades, we will begin to see increasing implementation of tissue engineering strategies in our medical fields, transforming tissue engineering from a science fiction idea into reality. Photo: Getty Images

5 advances in tissue engineering you need to know about

Tissue engineering has potential to provide personalised healthcare, grow tissues and organs in the lab, as well as reduce organ donor waiting lists

Science and Technology • 14 Apr 23