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On Friday, 1 July, the Czech Republic is assuming the role of the Presidency of the Council of the European Union. Its task will be to lead the Council meetings during the following six months, set the agenda, and seek compromises among the 27 EU countries. The Czech Academy of Sciences (CAS) will also take part by focusing on the priorities of the presidency. It will develop three main areas of interest: food security including GMOs, low-emission energy, and a resilient society.

Sometimes, saving disappearing insect species can seem like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic. But Czech entomologists aren’t losing hope or giving up on the protection of rare beetles and butterflies, one of which is the clouded Apollo (Parnassius mnemosyne), a butterfly that the Czech Entomological Society named Insect of the Year 2021. Why are the numbers of certain insect species dropping to critical levels and what solutions are experts proposing and implementing?

The COVID-19 pandemic, which broke out more than two years ago, clearly demonstrated the critical importance of science and research. It also revealed how important active communication and information sharing between research institutions is. In order to better manage future emergencies related to sudden infections, the National Institute of Virology and Bacteriology (NIVB) is being established in the Czech Republic.

Hana Hanzlíková from the Institute of Molecular Genetics of the CAS is paving the way for new cancer treatment. With her international team, the researcher discovered which sites in the DNA molecule inside tumour cells represent the basis of the effect of anticancer drugs (so-called PARP inhibitors). These are used to treat certain types of cancer, such as breast and prostate cancer. Thanks to new research findings, it is possible PARP inhibitors may soon be used to treat other types of cancer as well.

Women in research and leadership positions, equal pay and pay transparency, gender-based violence in academia, appropriate conditions for working parents (researchers). These and other gender issues were discussed by experts during the conference “Plans for gender equality: towards change”, organised by the Centre for Gender and Science (NKC) of the Institute of Sociology of the CAS.

For some people, milk is a fairly common component of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. However, not everyone can actually consume it. Some of us have not developed the specific mutation in the gene for digesting lactose – a sugar that is part of the milk produced by almost every mammal on our planet. It was only relatively recently that researchers began to investigate where the human ability to digest milk came from and how it evolved. They looked for answers in the DNA of African herders, which is thousands of years old. It turns out that the ability to break down lactose is the result of a long and fascinating evolution that dates far back into our past.

What comes to mind when you picture a hacker? Is it a cybercriminal who never leaves any tracks, always works alone, and avoids the spotlight? This stereotypical image belongs more to the realm of movies than reality. The digital world is becoming increasingly interconnected with the real one, and hackers have become a regular part of it. Not necessarily always harmful, either – hackers are often employed or their services used by companies and governments alike. Their activities are sometimes driven by great ideals. So where can we find hackers working for the good of society, and what is the role of hackers in current forms of hybrid warfare?

For raw water to turn into drinking water, it must go through a process of complex purification which first removes any physical impurities. This is achieved thanks to a process called coagulation, which is not, however, equally effective in all cases. In order for water treatment plants to adjust the purification process as needed, they have to test the water. Lacking a comprehensive manual until now, water treatment plants can newly consult the just published handbook put together by experts from the Institute of Hydrodynamics of the CAS. The handbook is also available for free in electronic form.

Scientific societies are no private clubs, as one might think. Their role is indispensable: they further and develop knowledge, but also comment on social issues. What is their history, purpose, and relationship to the Czech Academy of Sciences? The President of the Council of Scientific Societies, Lubomír Hrouda, and the former President of the Learned Society, Pavel Jungwirth, explained the aim of these organisations and their relationship to the Czech Academy of Sciences in the April issue of the AB / Academic Bulletin e-magazine.

Polarography, a ground-breaking analytical method in physical chemistry which has found application in dozens of fields, recently celebrated its centenary. The current results from researchers at the J. Heyrovský Institute of Physical Chemistry of the CAS are also promising for a variety of industries ranging from food and energy to healthcare. The search for technological innovations and establishing cooperation between science and industry was the focus of a conference held as part of the series Physical Chemistry for the 21st Century – from polarography to nanotechnology.