News archive

Leiden Observatory Starts Collaboration with University of Antioquia in Colombia
A new partnership between the University of Antioquia in Medellín (Colombia) and the Leiden Observatory in the Netherlands has just kicked off. The partnership, which will run for an initial period of five years, has been set up to boost development and improve the quality of astronomy education and research at the University of Antioquia, and throughout the entire Andean region – one of the most densely populated areas of South America.
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Minister of Environment submits CML report to Dutch Parliament
Last year, a Dutch consultancy firm carried out an LCA study on removal of weed from sidewalks and other urban surfaces. This study compared different techniques, chemical, mechanical, thermal, etc. It was concluded that the chemical treatment was far better than the alternatives.
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Symposium ‘Astronomy, Radio Sources and Society, The Wonderful Century’, 10-13 June 2013
The Leiden Observatory is hosting the Astronomy, Radio Sources and Society, The Wonderful Century symposium on 10-13 June 2013. The event will bring together some of today's top research astronomers, science, policy makers, science communicators and educators and members of the media to discuss several topics on astronomy, radio sources and society and celebrate Professor George Miley’s achievements in the different domains of astronomy.
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Thirteen VIDI grants for Leiden researchers
Of the 86 VIDI research grants awarded by NWO, thirteen were awarded to Leiden researchers. This represents about 15%, a very high score. Five of Leiden's thirteen laureates are women and four of Leiden's laureates are for our faculty.
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Producing water at 260 degrees below zero
Researchers at the Laboratory for Astrophysics of the Leiden Observatory have succeeded in producing water under conditions similar to those found in space.
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Researchers publish findings on medicinal cannabis
How often and to whom do doctors prescribe medicinal cannabis? Arno Hazekamp, a pharmaceutical researcher from Leiden University, and Rob Heerdink, a pharmaco-epidemiologist from Utrecht University, investigated this. ‘The prevalence has been stable for ten years, so the patients seem to be satisfied.’
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Difficult operation; 850 MHz NMR spectrometer delevered to Leiden NMR Center
People worked very hard and all day to hoist the 4,000-kilo magnet of the spectrometer of the truck and maneuver it through the corridors of the Leiden Faculty of Science. And not without dangers because the floors of the building are not designed for this much weight. Thanks to the necessary precautions the operation succeeded under the watchful eye of excited scientists.
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Ascension day; faculty closed
Because of Ascension day the Gorlaeus laboratories, Huygens building, Oort building, Snellius building and Sylvius building are closed on 9 and 10 May.
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Livestock depredation by lions (Panthera leo) in Waza National Park, Cameroon
A recent publication in Oryx, The International Journal of Conservation by Tumenta et al., 2013 (Leiden University) on human-lion conflict over livestock depredation in Waza National Park, Cameroon has demonstrated that the human-lion conflict remains an important factor in the depletion of lion populations.
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Algant mathematics programme brings non-Western talent to Leiden
The Algant European PhD programme is an important stimulus for international collaboration between mathematicians. Most of the participants have a Leiden thesis supervisor. Vietnamese participant Dung is the first to complete his dissertation. He is returning to Vietnam with a mission.
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