Research
Astronomers reveal a rapidly spinning core inside old stars
An international team of astronomers led by PhD student Paul Beck from Leuven University in Belgium have managed to look deep inside some old stars and discovered that their cores spin at least ten times as fast as their surfaces. The result appeared today in the renowned journal nature. It has been known for a long time that the surfaces of these stars spin slowly, taking about a whole year to complete one rotation. The team has now discovered that the cores at the heart of the stars spin much faster with about one rotation per month. The discovery was made possible because of the ultra high precision of the data from NASA's Kepler space telescope.
Stevia natural sweetener goes European
Professor Jan Geuns' story is largely that of Stevia rebaudiana. The story begins in 1993 with Geuns' initial study into the biosynthetic and sweetening properties of this remarkable plant. Recently the EU authorised steviolglycosides, a product made from stevia leaves, for use as a food additive – a breakthrough with the potential to transform how we sweeten our food.
K.U.Leuven researchers study ancient cuneiform using high-tech scanner
The juxtaposition is uncanny: In a suitcase in the offices of K.U.Leuven's Syro-Mesopotamian Studies Unit lies a high-tech scanning device designed to make three-dimensional images of cuneiform, one of the earliest known forms of written expression, etched into clay tablets. Professor Karel Van Lerberghe, the unit's head, spoke with us about the new, high-tech tool.
Five top researchers to come to Leuven thanks to the Odysseus Programme
K.U.Leuven has acquired 5 new Flemish and international top researchers thanks to the Odysseus Programme of the Flemish Research Foundation (FWO). The programme aims to make Flanders a base of operations for groundbreaking international research and makes extensive funding available to attract researchers to our university.
European Research Council
K.U.Leuven researchers Piet Van Duppen, Johan Suykens, Luc Van Gool, Frank Luyten, Jan Staessen and Marc Hooghe have been awarded Advanced Grants from the European Research Council.
