Heather Dewey-Hagborg

We used nanomaterials to demonstrate light-powered levitation of microflyers. For the first time, we devised macroscopic objects that can fly without any moving parts using photophoresis, or light-induced airflow. This new flight mechanism will enable 1) sunlight-powered meter-scale vehicles in the upper atmosphere collecting information about our changing climate and…

Batteries have been around for a long time, but it is only in the last decade that they have become a key tool in global energy transition and the fight against climate change. An increasingly electrified world needs more efficient and more sustainable batteries. In this Falling Walls Round Table,…

Paola Nogales-Ascarrunz is addressing the rampant jaguar trafficking in Bolivia, where over 300 fangs and 650 parts were seized on their way to Asia. Her solution involves molecular markers and whole genome sequencing to trace the origin of these seized jaguar parts, aiding law enforcement in controlling poaching hotspots and…

In this Falling Walls Breakthrough Conversation with Marius Brand, digital participants had the chance to discuss and ask questions. The interview series provided an intense personal atmosphere, in which high-level guests, speakers and panelists of the Falling Walls Science Summit 2021 focused on their individual research, career paths and experiences.…

Modern Science: Understanding the Scientific Method in the 21st Century Falling Walls Circle Tables are lending the spotlight to world-leading scientists, science strategists and policy-makers from academia, business and politics discuss how we can apply science, research and innovation to get the world moving again. In the 21st Century we…

Each year, thousands of people lose the ability to speak due to strokes, accidents, or disease. While there have been various attempts to restore speech to humans, science still has a long way to go. Edward Chang is a leading neurosurgeon and Weill Chair of Neurological Surgery at the University…

Real or Fake is a fun, participatory format, which trains citizens’ ability to discern science from pseudoscience. Scientists take stage with a compelling and yet controversial thesis based on true or false arguments. Audience discusses and votes. Scientists reveal the truth and how it can be uncovered. The citizens learn…

Since its beginnings almost half a century ago, gene sequencing has become indispensable for basic biological research. Thanks to new techniques, tens of thousands of genomes have been sequenced to this day, including the human genome. Traditionally, the process relied on analyzing dozens of DNA fragments in individual reactions. Shankar…

Francesca Santoro is trying to find out how electronic microchip-based devices are coupled to biological tissues. She and her team developed a biohybrid synapse through the coupling of an artificial neuron and biological neuronal cells that spontaneously release the neurotransmitter dopamine.

HOW ART CHALLENGES GRAVITY AND LIGHT IN OUR HABITAT The subversive power of art is playing a precious role in providing architecture with risky yet palpable visions of the future. No wonder Tomás Saraceno, an Argentinian artist and architect based in Frankfurt and Berlin, receives considerable attention these days. Saraceno’s…