2018 finally brought us cultured meat, the North/South line and the return of the wolf, but also gas earthquakes and the first genetically modified twins. In the penultimate week of the year, the editors of NEMO Kennislink look back on the science of the past year.

Why the lower educated die more often from cancer than the higher educated

News that you can't believe often sticks around for a long time. I had that in the story of colleague Marloes, who explained why people with a low education are more likely to die of cancer than the highly educated. Please note:after getting the diagnosis, and just here in the Netherlands! I find that shocking – and I'm not the only one, according to the media attention the article received. I can repeat it again…

– Marlies ter Voorde, editor Earth &Climate –

Cultured meat – from lab to shelf?

This article nicely tells the scientific story behind cultured meat. Meat consumption and the CO2 released when keeping livestock puts enormous pressure on the climate. Less meat is one of the solutions and cultured meat makes that possible, without having to leave your steak. Politics has only backed down because of the new Novel Food Act. So put this article in the spotlight one more time and hopefully it will contribute to a review of that legislation.

– Marjolein Overmeer, editor Humanities –

The unpredictability of gas earthquakes and politics

Earthquakes are notorious for their unpredictability. Scientifically very interesting, but NEMO Kennislink editor Marlies ter Voorde understands better than anyone that the earthquakes in Groningen as a result of gas extraction require a broader view than that of the fascinated geoscientist. She gave that in original form by giving readers space to ask their questions about this complex subject. This resulted in a nice series of articles, in which Marlies tries to answer the questions as well as possible in her characteristic clear and sober way. And when that doesn't work, she's honest about it. Respectful journalism that helps you as a citizen.

– Esther Thole, editor Functional Molecular Systems and Chemical Sciences –

Building a metro is a standard job, but not in Amsterdam

It took fifteen years, but this summer the time had come:the North/South line opened. Editor Roel made a test drive along eight stations. Along the way, he discovered which architectural innovations were required to be able to construct the metro line. For example, part of the old wooden foundation under Central Station had to be replaced by a concrete table construction, while the station remained open and no less trains were allowed to run. The construction project is full of complex tunnel construction techniques, where things sometimes went wrong. With this article in mind, a ride on the North/South line is a special experience.

– Elles Lalieu, editor of Medical Sciences –

Dead say nothing. Years of life do

This message is not about a current development, but it helps you better interpret figures from the news and is therefore a real NEMO Knowledge Link article for me. Mathematics editor Arnout Jaspers took his own confusion with statements such as 'particulate matter causes 10,000 deaths per year' and 'because we cycle so much in the Netherlands, we prevent 6500 premature deaths per year' as a starting point and shows that figures are often played with irresponsibly. . It is also possible to present the health effects of environmental measures in a fair and real way. For example, it is better to say that because of cycling the life expectancy of the Dutch is on average six months longer. That may sound less spectacular, but it is more accurate and more insightful. In fact, this article is about what may have been the theme of recent years:how can we distinguish fake news from real news.

– Sanne Deurloo, editor-in-chief NEMO Kennislink –

Sorry about your sexchange

What if you were born with female genitalia but identify as a boy or vice versa? Transgender people have the option of undergoing sex reassignment surgery, a procedure for which demand is growing. What if you regret afterwards? It happens to about four percent of all Westerners who have surgery, editor Marloes van Amerom describes in this article. She highlighted a side of gender reassignment that you never really hear about. What you have to watch out for with such a story is that you portray transgenders as people who just don't think carefully about a possible sex change. Or that we should not take trans men and women seriously. Marloes knew how to approach this sensitive and socially relevant subject with expertise. In addition to scientific data and expertise, there is also room for stories from experts by experience.

– Mariska van Sprundel, editor Brain &Behavior –

Traces of ancient life disputed

Without realizing it, I nominated this year an article that was quite similar to my nomination for the best article of last year. Understandable. The question of traces of the oldest life on Earth continues to occupy scientific minds. This article focuses on so-called stromatolites, alleged fossil traces of bacterial communities in Australian rock that are 3.7 billion years old. Bingo! Traces of the oldest life on Earth, the scientists thought. No, it could also be rock deformed under pressure, other researchers said. Scientists do not always agree with each other. The discussion about ancient traces of life will continue for years to come. That too is science. And it promises something for my nomination for next year.

– Roel van der Heijden, editor Astronomy, Physics &Technology –

Do you read better from screen or paper?

We read and write more than ever before. But with screen and keyboard. Is this a good or a bad development? With two children in primary school, I follow developments closely. The article Do you read better from screen or paper? by colleague Erica was an eye-opener for me. It contains the first findings of a European network of almost two hundred scientists who are researching the development of reading in the digital age. And guess what? Texts read from a screen are less deeply processed by the brain than texts read from paper. So this Christmas I'll be curling up in a book again.

– Mathilde Jansen, editor Linguistics –

A journey around a black hole in virtual reality

What's it like to just escape a black hole? Thanks to a virtual reality video you can almost experience this. “You never came closer to a black hole than this,” writes Faces of Science blogger Jordy Davelaar aptly. Davelaar is an astronomer and wrote a fascinating blog about the drains of the universe. He investigates how black holes work using computer simulations. The astronomer is a young scientist who not only conducts exciting research but can also talk about it with infectious enthusiasm. Read that piece!

– Robert Visscher, Technology editor –

Jiangkui may be prosecuted for unethical conduct

If science has made one great discovery in recent years, it is CRISPR-Cas. With CRISPR-Cas it has become possible to change the DNA of cells or organisms in a very targeted manner. Until now, CRISPR-Cas has mainly been used in microbiology and related fields, but it is not difficult to imagine what this technique could mean for medicine. Nevertheless, at the end of November, the news hit like a bomb when Chinese researcher He Jiankui announced that the first two genetically modified children had been born. The scientific world reacted with shock:many found what Jiankui had done completely unacceptable. The clinical application of CRISPR-Cas in the human germline is still too early and unjustified, because we simply do not yet know what its long-term consequences will be. Many agree that this scientific milestone might have been better delayed.

– Ilja van Dam, editor-in-chief NEMO Kennislink –

How do you recognize an alien?

Aliens are a hot topic in movies, books, series and stories on the internet, and everyone has wondered about extraterrestrial life. Colleagues Roel van der Heijden and Esther Thole provide a good picture of how far we really are in this search for life on other planets in this clear article. They use telling examples to show why we haven't found this evidence yet, and what makes the quest so difficult. Perhaps disappointing for anyone who hopes we'll make contact with other beings in space soon, but definitely worth reading.

– Renée Moezelaar, Chemistry editor –

What happens when the wolves come?

We do not know whether the wolf that was spotted on camera in the Veluwe in October is still around. But it is becoming increasingly clear that wolves will eventually settle (permanently) in the Netherlands again. However, I know from my previous (academic) research work in South Africa that the coexistence of a human with a (large) predator does not always go smoothly. In addition, the recent protests about the shooting of deer in the Oostvaardersplassen show that 'wild animal policy' in the Netherlands can evoke a lot of emotions. That is why, in my opinion, the interview with ecologist and wolf expert Hugh Jansman by my colleagues Anne van Kessel and Merel Postma is the article of the year. Because the sooner you think about possible bottlenecks in the reintroduction of wolves in the Netherlands, the greater the chance that it will be a success, also in the longer term. For humans and animals.

– Marloes van Amerom, editor Mens &Maatschappij –

70 years of human rights:time to party?

This year marks the 70th anniversary of the United Nations' acceptance of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. Colleague Marloes wrote a nice article in which she explains the history and impact of this statement. If you were born in the Netherlands, it seems so obvious that you have the right to education, social facilities, freedom of expression and to speak your own language. But if you look a little further, it turns out that these moral achievements are not for everyone. It is good to once again remember that human rights for everyone apply regardless of your origin, religion, orientation or gender.

– Erica Renckens, Editor Over Taal Spoken –

What did you think was the best/most beautiful/most impressive publication on NEMO Kennislink in the past year? Let us know in the comments below.